Systems and methodology for determining not only precise and repeatable results, but accurate values of the refractive index of solids, fluids and liquids.

As semiconductor device dimensions decrease, the need to perform lithography at shorter wavelengths becomes more critical. One method of simulating the results achievable by direct application of short wavelengths, is to apply longer wavelengths through refractive liquid. Accurate determination of the refractive index of liquids to be applied in said simulated shorter wavelength lithography then becomes critical.
A well known technique for determining the refractive index of a material is to provide a triangular shaped prism of the material, mount it to a front of a rotatable stage, provide a beam of electromagnetic radiation which is directed to impinge upon one side thereof, and further provide a pivot mounted detector which is positionable to intercept the beam of electromagnetic radiation which exits said triangular shaped prism. This can be visualized in elevation where the rotatable stage is pivotally mounted to a horizontally projected axile means about which said rotatable stage can be caused to rotate, (eg. a projecting rod), which extends from a vertically oriented support. The source of electromagnetic radiation can be envisioned as fixedly mounted to the right (left) of said rotatably mounted stage with the detector mounted to the left (right) via an arm which is pivotally mounted at the location of the horizontally projected means about which said rotatable stage can be caused to rotate, to which is pivotally mounted at said rotatable stage. Note, the described orientation of the system is exemplary only, and the entire system can be rotated to orient the horizontally projected axile means about which said rotatable stage rotates vertically, so that the front of the stage faces vertically, or for that matter, oriented in any functional direction. Of course it is assumed that the Source of electromagnetic radiation and stage front and detector stay relatively in the same orientation with respect to said projected projected axile means during any such rotation.
Known Article references are:    "Refractive Index and Dispersion of Distilled Water for Visible Radiation, at Temperatures 0 to 60° Centigrade", Tilton et al., NIST, (1938).    "Revised Formulation for the Refractive Index of Water and Steam as a Function of Wavelength, Temperature ad Density", Harvey et al., J. Phys. Chem. Data, Vol. 27, No. 4 (1998).    "Measurement of the Refractive Index of a Prism by a Critical Angle Method", Talim, Optica Acta, Vol. 25, No. 2 (1978).    "Refractive-index Measurement of Bulk Materials: Prism Coupling Method", Onodera et al., Applied Optics, Vol. 22, No. 8, (1983).    "Refractive Index of Liquid Solutions at Low Temperatures: An Accurate Measurement", Grange et al. Applied Optics, Vol. 15, No. 4, (1976).    "Alternatives to the Minimum Deviation Method for Refractive Index Measurement", Dougal, Am. J. Phys. 54(4) (1996).    "A Simple, Accurate Alternative to the Minimum Deviation Method of Determining the Refractive Index of Liquids", Chandra et al. Am. J. Phys. 51(2), (1983).    "Absolute Refractive Indicies and Thermal Coefficients of Fused Silica and Calcium Fluoride Near 193 NM", Gupta et al., Applied Optics, Vol. 37, No. 25, (1998).    "Absolute Refractive Indicies and Thermal Coefficients of CaF2, SrF2, BaF2, and LiF Near 157 NM", Applied Optics, Vol. 41, No. 13, (2002).    "Measurement of the Refractive Index and ThermopOptic Coefficient of Water Near 193 NM", Proc. SPIE, Optical Microlithography XVI, (2003).    "Immersion Fluid Refractive Indicies Using Prism Minimum Deviation Techniques", French et al., Proc. SPIE, Vol. 5377, Op. Microlithography XVII, (2004).    "Immersion Fluids for Lithography: Refractive Index Measurement using Prism Minimum Deviation Techniques", Synowicki et al., Semiconductor Fabtech, 22nd Edition, Henely Publishing Ltd., London, UK.    "Refractometry by Minimum Deviation: Accuracy Analysis", Tentori et al., Op. Engineering, Vol. 29, No. 2, February (1980).    "Prism", Wolfram Science World, found at Website http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/Prism.html.
A Search of patents which describe apparatus and methodology which can be applied to a similar end as taught in this Application has provided:                U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,618 to Spry;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,940 to King;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,476 to Rando;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,222 to Akabosch et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,014 to Johnsen;        U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,013 to Schnelle;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,580 to Kubo et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,895 to Hughes et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,276 to Longtin;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,873 to Carson;        U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,352 to Carson et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,051 to Levitt;        U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,926 to Goldberg et al.;        U.S. Pat. No. 2,413,208 to Barnes.
Need remains for apparatus and methodology of its application in the area of determining optical properties of fluids and in particular, liquids.

Accurate determination of refractive indices of solid, fluid and liquid materials


Hose embodiments include an inner tube, a reinforcement layer disposed outwardly adjacent the inner tube, and an outer cover layer disposed outwardly adjacent the reinforcement layer. One or more of the inner tube and cover layer may be based upon a curable composition having EPDM, a filler package, and a sulfur curative, and after curing, the hose embodiments meet the testing requirements of the UL 94 standard. In some cases, the inner tube is based upon the curable composition, while in some other cases, the cover layer is based upon the curable composition. Yet, in other cases, the inner tube and the cover layer each is based upon the curable composition. In some aspects, the curable composition includes the EPDM in an amount of from 10% to 30% by weight, or even in an amount of from 30% to 80% by weight.

This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
For hoses, and other rubber articles, requiring one or more layers which are required to possess sufficient properties under high temperature conditions, or even while exposed to flames, certain rubber compositions with specific additives are conventionally used to achieve such properties. Some exemplary compositions of this type include rubber compositions with such additives as chlorinated materials, phosphates, hydrated alumina and/or antimony trioxide to instill flame resistance. Using such materials, though, can lead to high raw material cost, pose hazards in manufacture of such products, or even degrade certain properties of the rubber compositions.
Hence, it is desirable to have rubber articles with layer(s) having sufficient properties under high temperature conditions, or even while exposed to flames, while avoiding use of state of the art raw materials, such need met, at least in part, with embodiments according to this disclosure.


A computing device includes at least one processor to execute a web browser application and a separate and distinct script execution application. The web browser application submits a script execution request to the script execution application, and the script execution application executes a first script task based on the script execution request.

By design, web page based applications running in a web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox), coded using html and JavaScript, only execute JavaScript within the page the user has loaded and only within the content of the browser, which itself exposes a Browser Object Model (BOM) that also gives the JavaScript limited access to some resources on the computing device. That is, the browser interprets and executes the JavaScript in the web page.
Also, traditional electronic application deployment usually takes the form of downloading an install package from a web site, the browser getting involved to ask the user if they really want to download, the download occurring, an installer package being invoked and after several more questions and clicks the user ends up with an application installed.

Computing device with script execution application

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method of thermally inducing and monitoring changes to localized regions of tissue by illuminating a volume of tissue with a first beam of X-rays, detecting portions of the first beam that passed through the volume, generating a first image signal from the portions of the first beam detected, applying heat to at least a localized region of tissue within the volume after the illuminating and detecting, illuminating the volume with a second beam of X-rays, detecting portions of the second beam that passed through the volume during the illuminating with the second beam, generating a second image signal from the portions of the second beam detected, and generating a difference image signal based upon a comparison of the first and second image signals. The difference image signal provides information of changes in X-ray attenuation by localized regions of tissue within the volume due to the application of heat.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to intraoperative monitoring methods and devices, and more particularly to intraoperative monitoring devices and methods for monitoring temperature-induced changes to tissue with high resolution digital X-ray imaging and inducing the changes to the tissue.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Various types of thermotherapy have been considered, and/or applied to the treatment of cancers. Laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) has received attention as a surgical procedure for the treatment of cancer tumors, and particularly with respect to liver, head, neck and breast cancer.
Laser interstitial thermotherapy is a surgical procedure for the treatment of cancer tumors in which near infra-red laser energy is delivered to the tumor site inside the body through a flexible fiber-optic probe. Some fiber optic probes in use terminate with a light diffusing tip. The infra-red laser radiation is absorbed by the tumor cells, which results in a temperature increase and subsequent cell death of the tumor cells. The temperature distribution around the light-diffusing tip, and thus the extent of cell-death, is a function of the laser parameters, treatment time, tumor size, and shape, fiber optic tip geometry, optical properties of the tumor, and blood perfusion rates in both compressed and uncompressed treatment sites.
The treatment parameters (e.g., wavelength, power, duration, tip geometry, and tip location and orientation) must be selected so as to minimize collateral damage to healthy tissue surrounding the tumor, yet still must ensure reliable total tumor destruction. Because of tissue inhomogeneities, and inter-patient variability of the physical and biological properties of tumors, intraoperative monitoring of the treatment effect is highly desirable. Currently, intraoperative monitoring of LITT is conducted with magnetic resonance imaging (MRT) or three-dimensional ultra-sound, or by measuring the temperature at discrete locations in-situ with thermo-couples or thermo-sensing fluorescent probes.
Intraoperative monitoring with MRI has numerous disadvantages which include being expensive and not being able to be used with metal protected light guides which are currently used for the LITT probe. Three-dimensional ultra-sound imaging techniques are currently at an experimental stage and have not been sufficiently developed. In situ thereto-couples or fluorescence-based temperature probes only provide temperatures at a relatively small number of points throughout the tissue being monitored. Currently, only fluorescence-based temperature probes are approved by the FDA for clinical use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Intraoperative monitoring of temperature-induced tissue changes with a high-resolution digital X-ray system during thermotherapy


A power distribution unit is provided that may be used to distribute power to a plurality of electronic devices. The power distribution unit may have one or more outlet gangs with integral components providing a plurality of individual power outlets. Each outlet gang may be associated with one or more power rails which deliver power to each power outlet. A connector may be located on each power rail. The power distribution unit may include a connector board for connection to two or more electronic components, such as outlet gangs. Fuse access windows may be provided to provide access to a fuse holder. The power distribution unit may have a housing having a mounting channel formed therein, which may allow the power distribution unit to be mounted in relatively to a rack having a protrusion which may be received by the mounting channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power distribution apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to power distribution apparatus having ganged power outlets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic equipment racks commonly consist of rectangular or box-shaped housings or rack structures. Electronic equipment is commonly mountable in such racks so that the various electronic components are aligned vertically one on top of the other in the rack. Often, multiple racks are oriented side-by-side, with each rack containing numerous electronic components and having substantial quantities of associated component wiring located both within and outside of the area occupied by the racks.
Power distribution units have long been utilized to supply power to the equipment in such racks. Power distribution units have also been designed to allow a user to remotely monitor and control the power distribution unit or devices attached to the power distribution unit. Examples of such power distribution units can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,506,573, 5,949,947, and 6,711,613.
One particularly common such power distribution unit consists of an elongated box housing that has one or more power inputs and a number of power outputs extending along the longitudinal face of the unit. This power distribution unit is designed to mount vertically adjacent or secured to the external rear side of the rack. In this fashion, the power supplied to the unit is then distributed through horizontally extending power outputs to the, typically, horizontally co-aligned electronic components mounted in the rack.
An example of such a prior power distribution unit is shown in FIG. 1 and is sold under the trademark Sentry POWER TOWER by Server Technology, Inc., of Reno, Nev. FIG. 1 shows this prior art Sentry POWER TOWER power distribution unit secured to the outer edge of a generally rectangular rack to supply power to electronic components mounted within the rack.
In addition to being mountable on the outside of a rack, certain power distribution units may be mounted on the inside of a rack, such as a RETMA rack for example. The design of the rack may limit how closely a power distribution unit may be mounted to frame of the rack itself. For example, certain housings, such as that shown in FIG. 2, have support braces or other features that limit how closely the power distribution unit can be placed to the side of the rack. If the power distribution unit is to be mounted more closely to the rack, multiple smaller power distribution units must typically be used in order to avoid a power distribution unit abutting the support brace or protrusion.
As previously stated, each power distribution unit typically contains a number of power outputs and at least one power input. The power distribution units may also contain other electronic components, such as fuses and monitoring devices. Typically, all of these electronic components must be wired together, which can create numerous problems and inefficiencies.
One such problem is that the size of the electronic components and the associated wiring may limit the dimensions and shape of the housing. A housing having a certain minimum size usually is required merely to hold the electronic components and wiring of the power distribution unit. The size of the housing can limit the location in which the power distribution unit can be mounted. For example, the power distribution unit may be too large for certain spaces. The size of the components and wiring may limit how many and what kind of components can be included in a power distribution unit. The housing typically must be sized such that the various electrical components do not make undesired contact with each other.
Such prior art power distribution units often require substantial time and effort to assemble because each electronic component is typically individually mounted in the housing. Furthermore, each electronic component is typically individually wired. The cost to build such devices may be influenced by material costs that are partially determined by factors such as the size of the housing, the amount of wiring in each device, and the amount of other materials, such as solder, needed to assemble each power distribution unit. In addition to possibly requiring greater assembly time, the numerous parts and connections in typical prior art power distribution units may result in a greater number of errors during the manufacturing process or a greater chance of equipment failure once the power distribution units are in use.
Some prior art power distribution units are protected by fuses or other devices to protect the power distribution unit and attached electronic devices against over-voltage conditions. Often, the fuses may only be checked and replaced by removing the power distribution unit from a rack and opening up the power distribution unit. In addition to possibly being time consuming and labor intensive, opening up the unit may violate a warranty on the unit.

Ganged outlet power distribution apparatus


An apparatus for detecting an abnormality of a recorded signal of a recorder/player includes a plurality of recording/reproducing heads for recording/reproducing a signal onto/from a medium, and a determining portion for determining an abnormality of the recorded signal based on the signal reproduced by the recording/reproducing heads. While one recording/reproducing head records the signal of image and/or sound on the medium, the other recording/reproducing head reproduces the signal recorded by the recording/reproducing head. The determining portion determines the abnormality of the recorded signal by determining whether or not the signal reproduced from the medium is in a normal data format, or by determining whether or not an envelope of reproduced signals is greater than a predetermined level. Accordingly, when abnormality of recorded signal occurs due to a presence of foreign substances on the heads or from other problem sources, a user is immediately notified of such an abnormality.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for detecting an abnormality in a recorded signal, and, more particularly, to apparatus and processes for detecting abnormalities in recorded signals during the recording of the signal onto a recording medium.
2. Related Art
Generally, a digital magnetic recorder/player such as a digital video cassette (DVC), or the like, records and reproduces a digital signal, with advantages of higher quality of image and sound over an analog type signal, and also an easier editing process. The digital magnetic recorder/player generally uses a magnetic tape as a recording medium for storing the digital data of image and sound. Heads are formed on a rotary head drum of the recorder/player to record and reproduce signals on and from the magnetic tape.
During the use of the recorder/player, possibility is high that foreign substances are transferred from the magnetic tape to the head. Another high possibility is that foreign substances, floating in air, can be attached to the surface of the head. In the event that foreign substances are attached to the surface of the head, malfunction occurs in recording or reproducing process, causing undesired and abnormal signal recording or reproducing. In order to eliminate the foreign substances, a foreign substance cleaning tape is used, and sometimes, a user eliminates the foreign substances manually.
The source of abnormal recording/reproducing comes not only from the presence of foreign substances on the surface of the head, but also from problems associated with the head itself, or the errors of peripheral circuits which supply recorded signal to the head. Whether the abnormal signal recording is caused by the presence of foreign substances on the head or from problems associated with the head or other devices, the overriding difficulty is that the user does not immediately learn about the presence of the abnormality because the user is not provided with any way to either detect the occurrence of the abnormality or to identify or otherwise locate the cause of the abnormality. Although a user could consider the quality of image and sound for determining abnormal signal recording through the user""s anatomical audio and visual senses during reproducing process, during the recording process, the user is not able to determine if the abnormal signal is being recorded or if the information that is being recording is not being recorded at all. As a result, the user usually keeps recording for a long period of time, only to find that all of the user""s labors were a waste of time and effort. I have noticed that recording operations that produce errors or abnormalities can be extremely inconvenient; often the recording efforts can not be recreated once the defective equipment has been repaired or replaced. Efforts have been made to improve recording technologies.
Exemplars of recent efforts in the art include U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,486 for METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RECORDING DIGITAL DATA INCLUDING SYNC BLOCK AND TRACK NUMBER INFORMATION FOR USE DURING TRICK PLAY OPERATION issued to Lane et at., U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,979 for FAULT TOLERANT COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE issued to Maccianti et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,164 for DATA RECORDING/REPRODUCING APPARATUS EMPLOYING READ-AFTER-WRITE SYSTEM issued to Ishibashi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,384 for DIGITAL SIGNAL RECORDING/REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND RECORDING METHOD issued to Okamoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,342 for MULTIFUNCTIONAL CONTROL TYPE VIDEO HEAD SELECTING DEVICE AND METHOD THEREOF issued to Kim, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,421 for AZIMUTH MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND METHOD EMPLOYING WAVEFORM EQUALIZATION issued to Shinpuku et al. While these recent efforts provide advantages, I note that they fail to adequately provide an apparatus and method for efficiently and conveniently detecting abnormalities in recorded signals.
It is therefore, one object of the present invention to provide an improved process and apparatus for recording information.
It is another object to provide a process and apparatus that enables a user to promptly detect the presence of abnormalities in information recorded onto a record medium.
It is still another object to provide a process and apparatus that enables a user to promptly detect the occurrence of abnormalities during the recording of information onto a record medium.
It is yet another object to provide an apparatus and process for detecting an abnormality of recorded signal of a digital magnetic recorder/player during a process of recording a signal on a magnetic tape, which is occurred when recording is abnormally performed by the presence of foreign substances on the head or by other problem sources.
These and other objects may be attained with an apparatus for detecting an abnormality of a recorded signal of a digital magnetic recorder/player according to the present invention, including a plurality of heads for recording/reproducing a signal on/from a magnetic tape, a control portion for controlling the heads in such a manner that the signal, recorded by at least one head, is reproduced from the magnetic tape while the signal is recorded on the magnetic tape, and a determining portion for determining abnormality of recorded signal based on the signal reproduced from the magnetic tape.
The determining portion determines the abnormality of recorded signal based on the fact whether or not a data format of at least a part of the signal reproduced from the magnetic tape is normal, and also determines malfunction of the heads based on a result obtained after comparing the signal reproduced from the magnetic tape with a reference signal.
The plurality of heads include a first recording/reproducing head and a second recording/reproducing head disposed on opposite outer surfaces of a head drum, and a third reproducing/reproducing head disposed on the outer surface the head drum and between the first and second recording/reproducing heads. Preferably, the first and second recording/reproducing heads are used to record/reproduce data in a standard definition (SD) mode for recording/reproducing, and the third reproducing/reproducing head is used in a standard definition long-play (SDL) mode of the recording/reproducing and not used in the standard definition (SD) mode.
According to the present invention, while the digital magnetic recorder/player performs recording, abnormality of recorded signal is detected by reproducing a signal from the magnetic tape just after the signal is recorded, and then inspecting the signal or comparing the signal with a reference signal. Also, especially when using the head, which is not used in a standard definition mode, for the purpose of detecting the abnormality of recorded signal, there is an advantage of not having to install an additional recording/reproducing head for detecting abnormality.
Meanwhile, according to the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting an abnormality of recorded signal of a digital magnetic recorder/player, including the steps of recording a signal on a magnetic tape, reproducing the signal from the magnetic tape, and determining abnormality of recorded signal based on the signal reproduced from the magnetic tape.
To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides an apparatus detecting abnormalities, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of heads recording data onto a medium and reproducing data from the medium; a controlling unit controlling said plurality of heads to reproduce a signal from the medium while the signal is being record ed onto the medium; and a determining unit determining an abnormality in the recorded signal in dependence upon the signal reproduced from the medium.
To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides a method for detecting an abnormality of a recorded signal, comprising the steps of: recording a signal on a medium; reproducing the signal from the medium; and determining an abnormality of the recorded signal in dependence upon the signal reproduced from the medium.
To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising: a plurality of heads recording data onto a medium and reproducing data from the medium, said heads reproducing a signal from the medium while the signal is being recorded onto the medium; and a determining unit determining an abnormality in the recorded signal in dependence upon the signal reproduced from the medium.
To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides a recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising: a controller outputting first and second switching signals; a first switch operating in response to said first switching signal, said operating of said first switch activating a first head to record first data onto a medium; and a second switch operating in response to said second switching signal, said operating of said second switch activating a second head to reproduce second data from the medium, said second data corresponding to said first data recorded on the medium; said reproducing of said second data being performed during said recording of said first data.
To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides a recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising: a processor having an input terminal and an output terminal; said processor outputting a first data signal from said output terminal; and said processor receiving a second data signal at said input terminal during said outputting of said first data signal.
The present invention is more specifically described in the following paragraphs by reference to the drawings attached only by way of example. Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.

Apparatus and method for detecting an abnormality in a recorded signal


A light modulator has one or more gratings and one or more MEMS actuators operable to move the gratings for selectively modulating light from an input light source. Certain embodiments have a plurality of blazed gratings arranged parallel to a plane and movable linearly parallel to the plane by MEMS actuators. Each of the gratings is individually blazed for light of a selected color such as red, green or blue. Associated with the gratings may be portions providing black and/or white outputs. An aperture spaced apart from the plane allows color(s) selected from an input white-light source to be directed to an output. An array of MEMS-actuated modulation devices provides a color spatial light modulator. Other embodiments have a grating adapted to be tilted by a MEMS actuator, either continuously through a range of angles or to a selected angle of a set of predetermined discrete angles, to direct selected wavelengths diffracted by the grating toward collection optics for a modulated light output. Methods specially adapted for making and using such light modulators are disclosed.

This invention relates to color light modulators and more particularly to color modulators actuated by a MEMS actuator.
There are many applications for color light modulators that have high resolution and brightness, including applications in display of information for education, business, science, technology, health, sports, and entertainment. Some light modulators, such as oil-film projectors, liquid-crystal displays (LCD""s), digital light-mirror arrays, and deformographic displays, have been applied for large-screen projection. In the visible spectrum, light modulators, such as the reflective digital mirror arrays, have been developed with high optical efficiency, high fill-factors with resultant low pixelation, convenient electronic driving requirements, and thermal robustness. For gray scale variation, binary pulse-width modulation has been applied to the tilt of each micro-mirror. To vary color, such modulators typically have used either a sequential color wheel (rotating color filter) or multiple modulators with an individual stationary color filter being associated with each modulator. In the latter case, the various color images (e.g., red, green, and blue) are recombined optically. Both binary pulse-width modulation and synchronization of color information has been accomplished by off-chip electronics, controlling on- or off-chip drivers.
Diffractive light modulators and displays have also been developed, in which bright and dark pixels in a display are produced by controlling a diffraction grating at each pixel, effectively varying the grating frequency of each pixel by varying a gap between a thin film ribbon and a substrate surface. Typically, for color displays using this principle, three different gratings and three associated actuators have been required for each pixel.
Both micro-mirror and diffraction-grating types of modulators have used actuators based on micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) techniques. MEMS actuators have also been employed in other applications such as micro-motors, micro-switches, and valves for control of fluid flow.
While the various color light modulators have found widespread success in their applications, there are still unmet needs in the field of color- and spatial-light-modulators, such as combining analog color modulation with high optical efficiency and close integration of color synchronization with each pixel modulator.

MEMS-actuated color light modulator and methods

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Method for controlling a data transfer on a serial transmission data transfer bus by means of a central processing unit and associated system. The method includes various steps, including determining an available bandwidth for a data bus, determining an available computing capacity percentage of the central processing unit, and determining a maximum data rate that a data transfer can be performed on the data bus based on the available bandwidth and the available computing capacity percentage. Furthermore, the method provides that the data transfer rate is controlled to not exceed the maximum data rate.

Mobile telephones are increasingly integrating applications such as multimedia players. It is thus possible to transfer data from a computer to a mobile telephone or to listen to music on a mobile telephone. These applications are managed and controlled by a central processing unit, such as a processor, which also controls the data transfers via a data transfer bus between a computer, for example, and a mobile telephone. Applications such as multimedia players require a large computing capacity percentage from the central processing unit. The remaining computing capacity percentage available for the central processing unit is then limited and it is not generally possible to make other applications operate at the same time, nor to carry out a data transfer on a serial transmission data transfer bus between a computer and the mobile telephone comprising the central processing unit.
As the power of a processor of a mobile telephone is limited, when a data transfer on a serial transmission data transfer bus is carried out between the mobile telephone and a computer, the processor limits the applications operating at the same time. Thus, in order to be able to benefit from other applications, such as a multimedia player, operating during a data transfer via a data transfer bus, it is generally necessary to have recourse to a more powerful processor or to an external coprocessor with an external random access memory.
However, in a mobile telephone, the space and the power of the processors are limited.


A plasma processing apparatus includes a first chamber having a first wall with an inner peripheral surface and an outlet. A plurality of fluid supplying outlets are disposed along the first wall and are configured to supply a cooling fluid into the first chamber that travels in a circumferential direction around the inner peripheral surface of the first wall and in a direction towards the outlet. The cooling fluid exiting the plurality of fluid supplying outlets forms a cooling layer for cooling the inner peripheral surface of the first wall, and the outlet is configured for allowing the cooling fluid to exit therethrough while retaining the plasma within the chamber.

The present invention is directed to devices that use plasma (very hot, ionized gases) for processing materials and for other industrial applications and, more particularly to a method and apparatus for cooling the chamber and chamber walls used to contain the plasma.
Plasmas confined within chambers are used to process materials in many industrial applications. For example, a toxic waste product may be processed by the plasma to convert the waste product into a nontoxic material. However, some waste products require very high temperatures in excess of 5,000xc2x0 F. to confidently decompose the waste product into nontoxic materials. This, in turn, requires careful selection of a material used to construct a chamber that can contain such a high temperature plasma and/or careful attention as to how the chamber is cooled. In some applications the plasma is allowed to contact (or cannot be prevented from contacting) the inner peripheral surface of the chamber which, in turn, causes erosion and/or corrosion of the inner peripheral surface of the chamber and release of impurities to the plasma. In these applications the chamber is replaced when the amount of erosion and/or corrosion exceeds a predefined limit. However, in very high temperature applications the heat generated by the plasma may be sufficient to destroy the chamber very quickly, so merely replacing the chamber is not a realistic option. Consequently, a proper method for cooling the chamber must be devised.
In magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) systems, a plasma is passed through a duct containing a magnetic field in order to generate an electrical current. In such systems it is known to form the duct walls with a porous material and then flow a gas through the porous duct walls to form a protective layer between the plasma and the inner peripheral surface of the duct wall. The protective layer may be used to protect electrodes, electrically conducting wall segments and/or electrically insulating wall segments from erosion, corrosion, evaporation or other deterioration. The protective layer flows with the plasma through the duct, thus helping to prevent contact between the duct wall and the plasma. While this technique is useful in relatively low temperature plasma flow systems, it is not as useful in systems that employ a very high temperature plasma, and especially not in systems that require the plasma to be confined within a chamber. Additionally, cool plasmas near the walls and electrodes of an MHD generator significantly reduce the generator efficiency. In some systems that employ a very high temperature plasma, radiation (e.g., x-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, etc.) may be emitted from the plasma. Such radiation is absorbed on or is partially reflected by the inner peripheral surface of the duct or chamber and eventually overheats the duct or chamber, or causes radiative assisted ablation of the chamber wall. Also, such plasma flow systems require the plasma to flow with the protective layer out of the duct or chamber.
Some low pressure plasma systems (P approximately equal to 10xe2x88x926 atmosphere) use magnetic fields to confine the plasma within the chamber. In these systems the plasma still tends to wobble or randomly move about the chamber and migrate toward the walls of the chamber due to fluctuating magnetic fields and turbulence in the rotating plasma. Computerized control of the magnetic field and energy densities helps to prevent wobbles in the plasma. However, as the plasma power levels and energy densities increase, the turbulence and increased plasma fluctuations cause the failure of the computer controlled magnetic field and the plasma touches the chamber wall. When the plasma touches the chamber wall, part of the chamber wall ablates and causes the plasma to move away from the wall. Of course, such ablation eventually requires replacement of the chamber. While such a magnetic field technique may work in lower energy density plasma systems with relatively slow deterioration of the chamber wall, any contact between the plasma and the wall in high energy density plasma systems could cause immediate destruction of the chamber.
In a plasma torch, a fine plasma arc is passed through a nozzle, and the plasma arc emerging from the nozzle is used to cut a material such as metal sheeting. During the cutting operation, hot molten or gaseous metal waste may impinge upon the nozzle and cause deflection of the plasma arc or a direct short to the metal. If the plasma arc contacts the inner nozzle wall, arcing and deterioration of the surface forming the nozzle orifice occurs, resulting in a reduced penetration rate, an increase in the roughness of the finished metal surface, and premature failure of the nozzle. One technique used to help stabilize the plasma arc is to flow a protective layer of a gas around the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle in a rotating vortex pattern. The vortex helps to contain and stabilize the plasma by providing a pressure containment and simultaneously imparting some rotation to the plasma jet. The cool protective layer helps to prevent contact between the plasma arc and the side of the nozzle. However, as with the use of a protective layer in MHD systems, this technique requires the plasma to exit with the protective layer.
Even in plasma systems that use a protective layer between the plasma and the chamber wall, the protective layer may not be adequate to fully protect the duct or nozzle wall when using very high temperature plasmas. One known method of accommodating higher temperature plasmas in a plasma torch is to use a liquid such as water to form the protective layer. The water undergoes a phase change from a liquid to a gaseous state as it is introduced into the nozzle. The phase change absorbs much more heat than is ordinarily possible using protective layers formed by gas alone, thus resulting in better cooling. However, as noted above, the techniques used in plasma torches also require the plasma to exit the nozzle with the protective layer.
The present invention is directed to a plasma processing system wherein a protective layer is formed between the plasma and a chamber in such a manner that the material forming the protective layer is allowed to exit the chamber without additionally requiring the plasma to exit the chamber. In one embodiment of the present invention, a plasma processing apparatus includes a first chamber having a first wall with an inner peripheral surface and an outlet. A plurality of fluid supplying outlets are disposed along the first wall and are configured to supply a cooling fluid into the first chamber that travels in a circumferential direction around the inner peripheral surface of the first wall and in a direction towards the outlet. The cooling fluid exiting the plurality of fluid supplying outlets forms a cooling layer for cooling the inner peripheral surface of the first wall, and the chamber is configured for allowing the cooling fluid to exit therethrough while substantially retaining the plasma therein.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a plasma processing apparatus includes a first chamber having a first wall with an inner peripheral surface and an outlet. A plasma is disposed in the chamber, wherein the plasma emits electromagnetic radiation. A plurality of fluid supplying outlets are disposed along the first wall and are configured to supply a cooling fluid into the first chamber to form a cooling layer for cooling the inner peripheral surface of the first wall. The chamber is configured for allowing the cooling fluid to exit therethrough while substantially retaining the plasma therein. A radiation communicating material is disposed at the first wall for communicating electromagnetic radiation from inside the first chamber away from the inner peripheral surface of the first wall. The radiation communicating material may communicate the electromagnetic material in a direction toward and/or away from the first chamber. If the plasma emits electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the ultraviolet range, then the radiation converting material may be of the type that absorbs electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the ultraviolet range and converts the absorbed electromagnetic radiation into electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the infrared range. If the radiation converting material is of the type which emits the converted radiation in all directions, and if the first wall includes a material that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the infrared range, then the infrared radiation passing through the first wall serves to avoid heating the first wall, while the infrared radiation emitted back toward the plasma helps to avoid unnecessary cooling of the plasma.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a plasma processing apparatus includes a first chamber having a first wall with an inner peripheral surface and an outlet. A plasma is disposed in the chamber, and a plurality of fluid supplying outlets are disposed along the first wall and are configured to supply a cooling fluid into the first chamber that forms a cooling layer for cooling the inner peripheral surface of the first wall. The chamber is configured for allowing the cooling fluid to exit therethrough while substantially retaining the plasma therein. A cooling fluid source provides the cooling fluid to the plurality of fluid supply outlets, wherein the cooling fluid has a structure that undergoes a phase change in response to a temperature in the cooling layer for providing increased cooling ability. In higher temperature applications, the cooling fluid may have a structure that undergoes disassociation and/or ionization to provide even more cooling ability.


A method of producing a printer so as to effect a low profile for sit/stand operations and to facilitate the removal of a jammed document from a print station in the printer. The printer is formed of a bottom portion and a top portion which are hinged together to enable these portions to be moved from an operative or assembled position and an open position which exposes the print station to facilitate the removal of a jammed document. The bottom portion has an overall height which is small relative to the overall height of the top portion so as to make the printer conducive to sit/stand operations. Latches are used to detachably latch the bottom and the top portions in the assembled and open positions mentioned.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing a printer so as to effect a low profile for sit/stand operations and also to facilitate the removal of a jammed document from a print station in the printer.
2. Background Information
In recent years, there has been a trend towards making business machines more compact and more versatile. Making the machines more compact tends to complicate matters as far as removing a document which may become jammed at a print station within a business machine, like a printer, for example. Changing ribbons or ribbon cassettes used in printers also tends to be cumbersome.
A recent trend in making business machines more versatile relates to make them conducive to being used by an operator when the operator is standing or sitting at the machine. Some prior art business machines have too high a profile for use in such sit/stand operations.

Method of producing a printer which facilitates clearing a jammed document


A slide garment for use in athletic activities and particularly for use by baseball players in which an apron or a separate material flap is secured to the jersey or shirt of the uniform in an area such that the upper edge of the apron will extend above the belt line or waistband of the pants of the uniform when the jersey is tucked within the pants and wherein the apron extends downwardly over the belt or waistband of the uniform and includes fastening elements for securing the lower portion of the apron to the upper portion of the pants to thereby prevent dirt and debris from entering between the pants and the jersey. In one embodiment, a simulated belt or waistband may be provided across the front surface of the apron.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to articles of clothing and more particularly to a protective garment which may be utilized by ball players so as to prevent dirt and debris from entering between their jersey and pants during activities such as when a baseball player slides into a base. The garment of the present invention may be separately applied to existing uniforms or may be incorporated directly with shirts or jerseys so as to provide a combination shirt and apron which will allow for the aformentioned protection when being worn. In either case, the garment includes an apron-like material which is secured to the front portion of a uniform jersey above the tail or bottom of the jersey so that the tail of the jersey may be tucked within the pants of the uniform in a conventional manner. It is preferred that the entire upper edge of the apron be secured to the jersey so that the upper edge is disposed adjacent to but slightly above the belt line or waistband of the pants. The lower edge of the apron will include fastening elements which are provided along the inner surface of the apron and which may be selectively secured to complimentary fastening elements which are provided along the upper portion of the pants and below the belt or waistband.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a simulated belt or waistband may be provided across the front surface of the apron of the present invention so that the overall appearance of the uniform when utilizing the apron remains similar to the uniform without the apron. The apron preferably extends substantially across the front portion of the jersey so that a player is afforded protection when sliding toward a base either on their stomach or on their side.
In the preferred embodiment, the apron is sewn to the shirt or jersey with the lower edge of the apron being connected by use of interconnecting hook and loop fabric fasteners such as VELCRO.TM.. In other embodiments, the upper edge of the apron may be selectively and continuously secured by the use of suitable fasteners to the front portion of the jersey. In all embodiments, it is preferred that the apron be formed of the same material from which the uniform is formed and also be similarly colored or decorated so as to form a matching accessory for the uniform.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore there have been many garments or accessories for garments which have been designed for the purpose of giving athletes added protection during actual competition. Many of such accessories or garments have been specifically designed for use by baseball players to protect the players during activities such as sliding into a base. However, most prior art protectors for baseball uniforms have dealt with supplemental pads which may be worn either as an accessory to a uniform or as an extra garment. Such protectors are designed to protect the thighs and buttox of the player as the player slides along the ground in an effort to avoid a tag when approaching a given base. Such garments are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 835,219 to Flick, U.S. Pat. No. 967,750 to Fox, U.S. Pat. No. 1,044,494 to Clarke, U.S. Pat. No. 1,088,273 to Golden, U.S. Pat. No. 1,128,122 to Fox, U.S. Pat. No. 1,478,676 to Wares, U.S. Pat. No. 1,612,766 to Levinson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,641,318 to Carey, U.S. Pat. No. 2,179,631 to Holder and U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,598 to Selkirk. Although each of these references discloses a protective pad for protecting a baseball player as the player slides, none of the references have considered either the discomfort or embarrassment that a player may have when they slide into a base head first and thereby cause dirt and other debris to become trapped within the pants or trousers of the uniform. Often, a player will have to ask for or request a time out so that dirt can be shaken from the pants and in some instances, debris or dirt cannot be effectively removed until the player is able to leave the field so that dirt or debris can be removed from the trousers or pants when the player is in an area of privacy.
Other types of protectors which are specifically designed to protect an athlete from the elements and which are designed as accessories for clothing are also known. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,829 to Kaplan, a covering device is disclosed which is adapted to be mounted along the back portion of a person's belt so that the covering may be unrolled so as to extend over and protect the pants seat from becoming moist or wet as a skier is seated on a ski lift chair. Unfortunately, this type of protecting garment only protects the surface of the garment itself but does not prevent foreign material from entering between an individual's shirt and trousers.
Another type of clothing protector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No., 380,576 to Ives. In this reference, the lower portion of an individuals vest and the upper portion of the pants may be protected from various elements by providing a bib which is hooked or secured along the front portion of the vest. The covering extends down across the belt line and over the upper portion of the pants or trousers. However, with this type of protector, as with the protector discussed above with respect to the patent to Kaplan the protector is not designed to prevent foreign material from entering between a baseball player's jersey and pants as the player slides into a base.
Some additional examples of aprons or detachable clothing garments are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,846,685 to Ehrich, 4,266,299 to Beal and 4,698,854 to Slimmon.


The invention generally relates to a magnifying glass for a person having limited vision in one or both eyes, wherein the magnifying glass comprises a lens body with a front curve for focusing light rays incident upon the lens body onto the eye. The invention also relates to a spectacle frame provided with one or two magnifying glasses of the invention. The invention is particularly useful to patients suffering from macular degeneration.

The invention is in particular intended for patients suffering from one of a specific group of eye disorders, such as Macular Degeneration, Stardgardt's disease, cataract, pseudophakia, nystagmus, cornea problems, retinal defects and diabetic retinopathy. These patients are troubled by reduced vision, image distortion and sensitivity to light.
The clinical picture of these patients is generally characterized by progressively decreasing vision which, in combination with their other limitations, causes them great problems over the years. Eventually these patients will not go completely blind. The reduced and distorted vision usually starts in the central area in the fovea of the eye or in the cornea and in a later stage of the syndrome extends to the periphery of the fovea.
An eye disorder that is by far the most common is called Macular Degeneration, abbreviated MD. It is a disorder that concerns the central part of the retina, the macula lutea, also referred to as the yellow spot. Typical of MD is, amongst other things, a central scotoma with image distortion, sensitivity to light and a bilateral, progressive loss of the central field of view, the retinal image and a decrease of the number of cones in comparison with the number of rods. A process may be started whereby the cones—which are mainly located in the centre of the retina—start to die. This results in loss of vision, causing the patient's eyesight to become less and less acute. Distortion and—at a later stage—a central scotoma develops centrally in the patient's field of view.
This process is usually age-related, and many people have to face it, partly due to the proportional increase of the ageing population. Usually the disorder is called or considered to be retinal "wear". However, there are other forms not covered by the general term "Macular Degeneration", which forms are not age-related. See FIG. 1 for a view of the image as it is perceived by an MD patient.
Stargardt's disease is one of the eye disorders that cause MD. MD causes damage to the macula, which in turn leads to a decreased visual acuteness. The macula or "yellow spot" is the central part of the retina, which enables a person to see sharply. The macula comprises a large number of cones, the light-sensitive cells that are capable of perceiving contrast and colours and thus enable a person to distinguish details (the central, acute perception), such as recognizing poetry, reading and watching TV. The area around the macula is called the peripheral part, it is this part that enables us to see from the corner of our eyes (peripheral vision). Said peripheral vision enables people to see things to their right and left without turning their head.
Stargardt's disease is caused by a change in a gen, usually the process commences in the seventh year of a person's life. This gen produces a specific protein which functions to remove a harmful substance from the cones. When a person has Stargardt's disease, this process is not carried out properly, as a result of which the cones in the macula gradually die and a person's visual acuteness gradually deteriorates.
In most cases both eyes are affected at the same time, and although a person's visual acuteness can remain constant for some time, there is a possibility of a strong sudden deterioration. In very few cases does Stargardt's disease result in blindness, because the peripheral part of the macula almost invariably remains intact.
Another disorder, called cataract, concerns a clouding of the lens, which may be caused by various factors. Usually the disorder is age-related, but it may also be caused by the intake of cortisons or by diabetes. Transmission of the incoming light through the clouded lens becomes more difficult, so that said light reaches the retina less easily. This leads to a few typical phenomena: vision gradually becomes more blurred. Especially the patient's ability to see far is affected. In most cases, reading is still fairly easy. If the cloudiness is at some places more distinct than at other places, the patient may be troubled by double vision and he or she may be blinded more quickly.
Currently cataract is still treated surgically, and the most recent and most widely used treatment technique is "phaco-emulsification". The envelope around the lens is surgically opened, the lens is crushed and the remnants are sucked up. Subsequently, an artificial lens is placed in the free space.
Nystagmus concerns involuntary, rhythmic rapid eye movements in both eyes, usually synchronously. In some cases the eyes oscillate like the pendulum of a clock: this phenomenon is referred to as pendulum nystagmus. The phenomenon whereby the speed of movement in one direction is different from that in the other direction is referred to as jerk nystagmus or sawtooth nystagmus. The eyes float away, as it were, and are pulled back with a rapid, jerky movement.
Nystagmus is also referred to as "wobbly eyes" or "vibrating eyes".
If the patient contracted this disorder at a young age, he will have reduced vision and affected colour vision or, quite the reverse, due to the complete or partial lack of cones and a complete or partial lack of colour vision, the patient's vision will amount to around 10%, which vision is mainly provided by the rods, as a result of which the patient will also be sensitive to light.
A patient who suffers from achromatopsia has no cones in his retina, at least no cones that function. As a result, he is unable to perceive colour and to see sharply, whilst furthermore he is sensitive to an abundance of light.

Magnifying glass as well as a spectacle frame provided with one or two such magnifying glasses


A semiconductor chip has devices formed on a first principal plane of a semiconductor substrate, wherein a second principal plane of the semiconductor substrate is planarized, and an organic film having plus charges on an outer side is provided on the second principal plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a silane coupling agent.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a structure proposed for a semiconductor device such as a NAND flash memory, although external dimensions are the same as those in the past, a storage capacity larger than that in the past is provided by laminating a plurality of memory chips on a wiring substrate stepwise and sealing the memory chips with resin (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-302871). To further increase the storage capacity in such a semiconductor device, it is necessary to increase the number of lamination steps of the memory chips. However, because there is a limit in the external dimensions, in particular, thickness of the semiconductor device, the thickness of the memory chips has to be reduced. Therefore, in recent years, thin-layering of semiconductor chips such as memory chips is advanced and the thickness of a wafer is reduced to be smaller than 100 micrometers. Usually, on the rear surface of the wafer, a fractured layer having unevenness is formed to suppress diffusion of ionic impurities from the rear surface to the inside of the wafer in a manufacturing process for a semiconductor device. However, when the thickness of the wafer is smaller than 100 micrometers, a deficiency tends to occur in that deflective strength of the chips falls and the chips are broken by pressure in mounting the chips. Therefore, the rear surface of the wafer (the chips) is planarized by polishing processing such as the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) method or the etching method (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-48958).
However, when the rear surface of the wafer (the chips) is planarized by the polishing processing, the ionic impurities diffuse from the rear surface to the inside of the wafer as explained above. To cope with the problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-48958 discloses that the fractured layer is left on the rear surface even in the case of the wafer having thickness smaller than 100 micrometers. However, in this case, the deflective strength of the wafer (the chips) falls because of the presence of the fractured layer. When the thickness of the wafer is smaller than 100 micrometers in this way, it is difficult to simultaneously attain the suppression of the diffusion of the ionic impurities to the inside of the wafer and the suppression of the fall in the deflective strength with the method in the past.

Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing the same, and silane coupling agent


Composition, method and apparatus for providing a surface stabilized source of HNCO by adsorbing gaseous or liquid HNCO on the surface of a substrate. HNCO stabilized in this manner is not reactive and is stable at or above ambient temperature. The HNCO can be provided by heating a reactant source material, such as urea. The substrate can be heated to release HNCO. The present invention is especially useful as a source of HNCO for reducing NO.sub.x in gas streams.

Recent emphasis on ecological concerns in the environment has spawned many efforts to solve the world's air pollution problems. Two major concerns worth noting are acid rain and photochemical smog. While many compounds contribute to theses problems, NO.sub.x plays an important role, imposing a significant threat to the environment and human health.
NO.sub.x is a family of compounds of nitrogen and oxygen, primarily, NO and NO.sub.2. NO.sub.x comes from a variety of sources, most notably cars, trucks and industrial plants. Specifically, NO.sub.x is produced by high temperature combustion systems, metal cleaning processes, and the production of fertilizers, explosives, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid. In many urban environments, automobiles and diesel engine trucks are the major sources of NO.sub.x.
NO is the stable oxide of nitrogen at combustion temperatures. Hence, it is more abundantly produced than NO.sub.2. However, at atmospheric conditions, the equilibrium between NO and NO.sub.2 favors NO.sub.2. Therefore, the effective control of NO.sub.x concerns both the control and removal of both NO and NO.sub.2 from exhaust gas streams.
Recently, methods of NO.sub.x reduction involving exposure of a gas stream containing NO.sub.x to HNCO have been disclosed. HNCO, also known as isocyanic acid, is an unstable, highly reactive, polymerizable gas at ordinary temperatures and pressures, and is a lachrymator, and thus is hard to handle and store. Free HNCO gas is unstable at temperatures ranging from about 25.degree. F. to about 450.degree. F., tending to polymerize within this range. Free HNCO liquid is unstable above 25.degree. F. (-4.degree. C.). Thus, free HNCO must be stored at temperatures and pressures outside its unstable ranges. As is known in the art, the precise temperature at which HNCO becomes stable in the liquid and gas phases is also dependent upon factors such as pressure and concentration.
HNCO also can be stabilized at ambient temperatures by bonding it to organic groups or molecules (forming an organic isocyanate), or by trimerizing it to form cyanuric acid. Cyanuric acid decomposes when heated, forming HNCO. The conversion of cyanuric acid to HNCO takes place at relatively high temperatures, such as from about 650.degree. to about 1400.degree. F.
There are disadvantages to the prior art methods for stabilizing HNCO. The high or low temperatures and low pressures required to store free HNCO require expensive and large equipment. The organic substitutents used to form organic isocyanates can generate extraneous and sometimes unacceptable compounds upon decomposition of the substituted HNCO or require excessive decomposition temperatures.
Adsorption (or, more broadly, reversible bonding) of an active material on a substrate is widely used in both liquid and gas phase treatments. Adsorption is the ability of a substance or substrate to hold or concentrate gases or liquids upon its surface. Liquid-phase applications include decolorizing, drying, purification, salt removal, and odor, taste and color removal. Gas-phase applications include separations, solvent recovery, dehydration and odor removal.

Surface stabilized sources of isocyanic acid


An inverter with a modular bus assembly is described. In various embodiments, the modular bus assembly includes a laminated motherboard and a plurality of capacitor daughtercards. The laminated motherboard can be configured to interface a plurality of phase-leg modules and a plurality of capacitor daughtercards through a plurality of terminals and connectors located on a bottom side or a top side of the laminated motherboard. The laminated motherboard includes a layer stack with a plurality of conductor layers. Each of the plurality of conductor layers is implemented with a net spacing from a neighboring plated through hole (PTH) based at least in part on differences in potential to be applied to each of the plurality of conductor layers as compared to a potential to be applied to the PTH. Embedded shield polygons can be implemented on the laminated motherboard to mitigate surface discharge at surface terminal (PTH/SMT) triple junctions.

Medium voltage (MV) power converters are widely used in MV motor drive applications and in grid connected power electronics systems for integration of renewable energy sources into the power grid. Recent developments in medium voltage wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technology, such as new 10 kV Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices, have enabled simpler topologies for MV converters, making compact and high power density designs achievable. In addition, laminated bus structures with reliable insulation design are crucial for safe operation of MV SiC based power converters.

Medium voltage planar DC bus distributed capacitor array

VIRGINA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.


An apparatus for crossbows. The crossbow has a stock attached to a bow and the bolt has an arrowhead attached to a shaft. The apparatus includes an arrowhead bracket attached to the stock, the arrowhead bracket having a first arm containing a first receptacle and a second arm containing a second receptacle. The apparatus may include a hood operatively attached to a cap, the hood being operatively configured to receive the arrowhead. The hood may be engagable with the first or second receptacle. The apparatus may contain a brace positioned on one side of the stock and having a first leg pivotally attached to a second leg and wherein said first leg is configured to engage the shaft of the bolt. The apparatus may also include a selective attachment member that will selectively attach the first and second leg together when the legs are pivoted together.

This invention relates to an a quiver apparatus for bows. More specifically, but without limitation, the invention relates to an a quiver apparatus used with a crossbow and a bow.
Prior art crossbows have been used by men and women for centuries. Crossbows have proven very useful for hunting as well as for offensive and defense weapons. The popularity and use of crossbows for hunting wild game has increased significantly over the years. An issue with crossbows is the storage of arrows. As readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, with most prior art designs, the stock of the crossbow can hold only a single arrows. Quivers have been used over the years as a means for the archer to store arrows. However, prior art quivers suffer from certain disadvantages including ease of use, bulkiness, and obstruction of the line of vision of the archer. Also, the covering of the arrowhead is an important issue that is not adequately addressed by the prior art.


This disclosure describes techniques implemented partly by a service provider network for containerizing applications. In an example, the techniques may include requesting process relationship information for one or more potential processes of an application, receiving the requested process relationship information for the one or more potential processes of the application, and based on the received process relationship information, configuring a process relationship detection algorithm. Then, using the configured process relationship detection algorithm, the techniques may determine a respective relationship score for individual process pairs of processes operating on a system executing the application and determine one or more individual process pairs that have a respective relationship score that is equal to or above a threshold to be one or more cooperating process pairs.

Service provider networks offer network-based services to fulfill users' computing-service needs without the users having to invest in and maintain computing infrastructure required to implement the services. These service provider networks may provide network-based computing resources on an as-needed basis. For example, a service provider network may permit users to purchase and utilize computing resources such as virtual machine ("VM") instances, data storage resources, database resources, networking resources, network services, and other types of computing resources. Users may configure the computing resources provided by a service provider network to implement desired functionality, such as to provide a network-based application or another type of functionality.
Many users continue to maintain legacy software applications that have been built and over many years. These legacy software applications might be built, configured, and deployed using different processes, which may require a significant amount of operational burden and may possibly hinder and/or prevent the customer from developing new business. Also, many of these legacy software applications are executing on systems that are no longer supported or are nearing an end of their support and, as a result, need to be re-platformed in the near future.
However, migrating legacy applications from on-premise systems to computing resources provided by a service provider network can be complex, operationally intensive, and time-consuming. For example, in order to utilize the computing resources provided by a service provider network, the user may need to prepare and provide a version of the legacy software applications currently running on the user's on-premise systems that is self-contained (referred to herein as containerized). For example, the legacy software applications may be containerized into container images and task definitions and scheduled to run in the computing resources of the service provider network. In some examples, such a containerized application may allow the service provider network to scale up or down the computing resources allocated to the user's application (e.g. by increasing or decreasing the number of VM instances running the containerized application). Preparing for such a version may be beyond the capabilities or resources of users.

Identifying cooperating processes for automated containerization


A method may include receiving, from a client, an indication that a first display level includes a first attribute from a first dimension of data and that a second display level includes a second attribute from the first dimension. The data may be stored at a database. A user interface may be generate for displaying at least a portion of the data at the client. The user interface may include a table having a first column corresponding to the first attribute. In response to the client requesting to change from the first display level to the second display level, the user interface may be updated by inserting, into the table, a second column corresponding to the second attribute. Related systems and articles of manufacture are also provided.

A database may be configured to store an organized collection of data. The database may be coupled with a database management system (DBMS) that supports a variety of operations for accessing, managing, and/or updating the data held in the database. For example, at least some of the data in the database may be retrieved by executing a database query such as, for example, a structured query language (SQL) SELECT.


A User Equipment comprises a master clock, for example a Precision Time Protocol, PTP, or Precision Time Control Protocol, PTCP, network clock. The User Equipment further comprises circuitry configured to set the master clock based on signals from a wireless communications network node and a time offset, wherein the time offset is based on the propagation delay between the wireless network node and the User Equipment. The circuitry is further configured to send timing information to a network device in a communications network having a slave clock, whereby the network device can synchronize its slave clock with respect to the master clock comprised within the User Equipment.

Industrial Automation networks provide specialized control systems for industry equipment, and thus enable the automation of various industrial processes. For example, such industrial processes may include plant measurement control or precise motion control in a robotized factory assembly line. As illustrated in FIG. 1, Industrial Automation networks 10 may comprise a plurality of slave devices 12, for example actuators or sensors, which are connected to a control device 14. In this example, each of the slave devices 12 is configured to transmit data to and receive data from the control device 14.
Various applications for Industrial Automation exist, which have different requirements in terms of latency and time synchronization between the network devices 12, 14. For the most time critical applications, isochronous real time communication between the slave devices 12 and the control device 14 is typically required. This demands very precise synchronization between the network clocks (not shown) at the respective network devices 12, 14, for example synchronization within one to a few microseconds.
There are a number of network protocols for Industrial Automation networks, one of which is the PROFINET IO protocol defined in IEC61784-2. PROFINET IO is based on Ethernet, and has the advantage that it offers a flexible communication model, which can carry both real-time and non-real time traffic. For the most time critical applications, which require isochronous real-time communication, PROFINET IO has defined the RT_Class_3. This class defines a communication cycle and, for each network device 12, 14, specifies a precise time slot in the communication cycle in which that network device 12, 14 may transmit data.
In order to synchronize the network clocks at the network devices 12, 14, to the necessary degree, PROFINET IO includes a Precision Time Control Protocol (PTCP). This protocol operates in the same manner as the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) standardized in IEEE 1588, based on the exchange of two-way time synchronization messages between pairs of network devices. However, the time synchronization messages in PTCP are encoded differently from those in PTP. FIG. 2 shows the mapping of PTCP and PTP messages.
By way of example, FIG. 3 is a signal diagram showing the transmission of PTP synchronization messages between a pair of network nodes (which may be referred to as network devices). In this example, a first network node (not shown) on the left of the page has a network clock acting as a "master" clock representing "master time". A second network node 16 on the right of the page is synchronizing its network clock (which will be referred to as a "slave" clock) with respect to the master clock at the first network node.
At 300, the first network node transmits a first synchronization message to the second network node. The first network node includes in the first synchronization message, or in a follow up message, a first time stamp, t1, generated by its "master" clock, indicating the time of transmission of the first synchronization message. The second network node, at 310, receives the first time synchronization message and stores, together with the first time stamp, t1, a second time stamp, t2, generated by its "slave" clock indicating the time of receipt of the first time synchronization message (from the perspective of its slave clock). At 320, the second network node transmits a second time synchronization message to the first network node. The second network node stores a third time stamp, t3, generated by its slave clock indicating the time of transmission of the second time synchronization message. At 330, the first network node receives the second time synchronization message, and transmits a fourth time stamp, t4, generated by its master clock to the second network node, indicating the time of receipt of the second time synchronization message at the first network node.
Thus, the second network node 16 has four time stamps: two, t1 and t4 generated by the first network node by its "master clock", and two, t2, t3, generated by the second network node by its "slave clock". Thus, by assuming that the time of transmission of the first synchronization message (in the direction from the first network node to the second network node) is the same as the time of transmission of the second time synchronization message (in the direction from the second network node to the first network node), the second network node can calculate a time offset of its slave clock with respect to the master clock using the four time stamps: t1, t2, t3, t4. Thus, the second network node can adjust its network clock by the calculated time offset, so as to synchronize its network clock to the network clock of the first network node.
At present, Industrial Automation Networks are implemented using wired networks. For example, a typical topology of a PROFINET IO network is shown in FIG. 4. The network 10 comprises a plurality of IO (Input Output) devices 12, 14, coupled by wired connections 18 for example Ethernet cables.
However, the Applicant has appreciated that it may be advantageous to upgrade or implement Industrial Automation networks 10 such that the network devices 12, 14 can communicate over a wireless communications network.
Two possible wireless deployments are illustrated in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5a, the IO (Input Output) devices 12, 14 could be configured to communicate via an operator controlled wireless communications network 20. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5b a dedicated wireless communications network 20 may be provided at the Industrial Automation site. In this case, a radio access network including a base station 22 and one or more core network nodes 24 may be located at the Industrial Automation site.
A cellular layout has the advantage that it may provide a flexible deployment, require less material handling, work-in-process inventory, and offer a reduced setup time in comparison to a wired network.
However, the use of a wireless communications network is not currently feasible, at least for the most time critical Industrial Automation applications. The 5G radio interface and related core network functions currently under development may be able to provide low enough latency to satisfy time critical Industrial Automation applications. However, the Applicant has appreciated that, in addition to low latency, the most time critical Industrial Automation applications require precise time synchronization between network devices, for example within one microsecond.
If PTP or PTCP synchronization messages are exchanged by network devices over a wireless communications network it is not currently possible to achieve sufficiently precise synchronization between the clocks at the network devices. This is because the frame structure of the radio interface, processing and buffering of transmissions by the User Equipments associated with the network devices, and scheduling at the base station, causes uncontrolled and varying asymmetries between the times of transmission of the synchronization messages. Thus, it cannot be assumed, as required by the PTP and PTCP time synchronization protocols, that the times of transmission of the time synchronization messages, in opposite directions, are the same.

Synchronizing clocks in a communications network


A vehicle occupant detection system for a transportation vehicle includes an infrared camera mounted in the vehicle for sensing persons therein. The infrared camera provides a camera signal to an electronic controller. The electronic controller is configured to process the camera signal to determine a number of persons disposed in the transportation vehicle, compare the number of persons to a number stored in memory and provide a number signal to a display for displaying the number of available seats in the transportation vehicle. The infrared camera can be a passive infrared camera that senses thermal images.

The present embodiments relate to an occupant detection system and method for transportation vehicles, such as buses and shuttles.
Philippines Patent Pub. PH2015000149A discloses a bus seat occupancy monitoring system that detects open seats with sensors located above the seats. Open seats are displayed on a map of the bus. However, the arrangement does not account for persons disposed on the bus that are not yet seated. Thus, when people are entering the bus, there is uncertainty whether a number of open seats that are illustrated on the display correspond to the number of people on the bus. This may result in more persons entering a bus than there are seats available for use.

Occupant detection system and method for transportation vehicle


Systems and methods for operating a saturated hash table are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a hash table located in memory of a computer and a hash program in communication with the hash table. The hash table may include a plurality of index positions, and the hash program may be operable to populate the hash table with a first new digest value, where the first new digest value is associated with a first data item. The first new digest value may be stored at least at a first index position and a second index position of the hash table.

Hash tables are used in computer systems to remember files that have already been processed in order to eliminate unnecessary processing. For example, a virus scanner may employ a hash table to determine whether a file has previously been scanned for a virus. If the file has been previously scanned, the virus scanner can skip the scanning step, resulting in a more efficient use of the virus software.


A glow member, preferably in the shape of a ring, assists ignition and combustion of a fuel used in an internal combustion engine. A fuel injection valve injects a plurality of fuel jets directly into a combustion chamber during operation of the engine so that the fuel jets are aimed to the proximity of the glow member such that ignition of fuel in each fuel jet is assisted by the glow member. The glow member is made from high temperature materials and can include catalytic materials to further promote combustion. The glow member can be actively heated, for example by an electric current, in addition to being passively heated by the heat generated within the combustion chamber by the combustion of the fuel therein.

Fuel alternatives to diesel, including gaseous fuels such as natural gas, hydrogen, ethane, and blends of such gaseous fuels, when used to power internal combustion engines, can significantly reduce emissions of pollutants when compared to the same engines fuelled by diesel. Emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon dioxide (CO2) can be reduced when gaseous fuels are used to fuel diesel engines. The amount of such reductions depends on the fuel chosen amongst other variables. Further, diesel engines can be fuelled by gaseous fuel and still maintain the performance found when diesel fuel is used. For example, gaseous fuel directly injected under high pressure into the combustion chamber of a diesel engine can deliver performance that matches its diesel-fuelled counterpart.
Many gaseous fuels and some non-diesel liquid fuels are less auto-ignitable than diesel fuel. As such, conditions within the cylinder may not provide the necessary environment for auto-ignition when the same environment can auto-ignite diesel. Therefore, a method of assisting ignition is needed to ensure the gaseous fuel is ignited.
Injecting a pilot fuel is one method of initiating ignition of a directly injected quantity of gaseous fuel such as natural gas. Typically, a small amount of diesel fuel is added to a compressed intake charge within the combustion chamber when the piston is near top dead center. The diesel fuel auto-ignites. A main quantity of gaseous fuel is then injected. This quantity is ignited by the burning quantity of pilot fuel.
This method requires a source of a second, more auto-ignitable fuel. Therefore, such a system requires separate pilot fuel storage, and specialized fuel injection valve design and piping to manage pilot diesel fuel flow in addition to main fuel flow. Burning diesel fuel in the combustion chamber generates diesel emissions resulting in higher NOx, CO2 and PM levels than would otherwise be present if no pilot diesel fuel is employed.
Alternatively, hot surface or glow plug ignition can be employed to initiate ignition of a gaseous fuel that is directly injected into a compressed intake charge. Here, in general, a glow plug protrudes from the fire deck, a small distance into the combustion chamber. One of several fuel jets injected into the combustion chamber can be directed at the glow plug to initiate combustion of this fuel jet. In turn, this fuel jet, once ignited, will propagate a flame through the combustion chamber in an effort to ignite the other fuel jets.
One of the problems with this method is that the glow plug is a point source of heat within the combustion chamber. Therefore, it takes time for a first ignited fuel jet to propagate a flame throughout the combustion chamber. Additional turbulence may help but can be imperfect. Gas furthest removed from the glow plug may not ignite or may not burn incompletely. As such, the engine may run less efficiently, delivering less power because of incomplete combustion. Also, a higher percentage of unburned fuel can result in increased hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, see: Mueller, C. J. and Musculus, M. P., "Glow Plug Assisted Ignition and Combustion of Methanol in an Optical DI Diesel Engine", SAE paper 2001-01-2004.
Spark ignition can also be used, however, like glow plugs, spark ignition ignites a flame at one point within the combustion chamber that propagates throughout the chamber. Therefore, combustion can be incomplete with this method too.
There is a need to address the problems noted above to improve engine efficiency and to reduce engine emissions.

Glow ring ignition assist for internal combustion engine


In an embodiment, a system includes a methanation section generally including a fuel inlet configured to receive a first fuel, a fuel outlet configured to output methane, and a first fuel path configured to route a first flow of the first fuel from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet. The first fuel path includes a first methanator configured to generate the methane from the first fuel in an exothermic methanation region. The system also includes a second fuel path configured to route a second flow of a second fuel without conversion to methane. The second fuel path is also configured to receive heat from the exothermic methanation region.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to new methods and systems directed towards heat integration in substitute natural gas production and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants.
With the volatile prices of natural gas, gasification processes which produce Substitute Natural Gas (SNG) from coal, coke, or any carbonaceous feed are highly desirable. In general, SNG production involves gasification of a carbonaceous feed to produce an untreated syngas product which includes carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2), among other products. The syngas is treated and then converted to methane in a methanator reactor.
In general, integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants are capable of generating energy from various carbonaceous feedstocks similar to those in SNG production plants, such as coal, relatively cleanly and efficiently. In a similar manner to SNG production, IGCC technology may convert the carbonaceous feedstock into a gas mixture of CO and H2, i.e., syngas, by reaction with oxygen and steam in a gasifier. These gases may be treated, processed, and utilized as fuel in a conventional combined cycle power plant. For example, the syngas may be fed into a combustion turbine of the IGCC power plant and ignited to power the gas turbine for use in the generation of electricity.

System for heat integration with methanation system


A method of manufacturing integrated circuits uses an architecture having multiple processors and multiple memories, such that there is at least first and second groups of processors and memories. The first group has at least a first processor and at least a first memory. The second group has at least a second processor and at least a second memory. Regardless of where the architecture is sliced, the integrated circuits have a majority of the same address and data pin-outs.

In the art of semiconductor chips there is a need for uniformity and modularism among chips of different processing strengths and capabilities. At first, a customer may only be able to afford chips with one or two processors and associated memories. Later, the customer may decide that because of the demands of his own customers, the system he sells needs devices with more processing capability. However, the technology of existing chips will require him to redesign his system, to accomodate more processor chips or a more powerful processor wtih a different pin-out. Thus, there is a need in the art for modular chips, that is, chips that have the majority of their pin-outs the same whether they contain one processor, or multiple processors.
In the art of semiconductor chips there is also a need for dense packing of processors and memories in a chip. The further apart a processor and an associated memory, the slower the chip. Speed in the existing technology of multi-processor, multi-memory chips is limited by the physical distance between a processor and the memory it shares with the other processors. Thus, there is a need in the art for a multi-processor, multi-memory chip that has more densely packed processors and memories.
The cross-referenced application discloses a multi-link, multi-bus, crossbar switch capable of interconnecting any processor with any memory for the interchange of data. The cross-referenced application also discloses a system which handles multi-processors having multi-memories such that the address space of all of the memories is available to one or more processors concurrently even when the processors are handling different instruction sets. However, the invention of the cross-referenced application suffers from the two deficiencies noted above in the existing technology of semiconductor chips.
The invention overcomes the above-noted and other drawbacks of the prior art by providing a method and apparatus for an integrated circuit having a chip with integrated modular parallelism wherein the integrated circuit has a majority of the same address and data pin-outs for a variable number of processors and memories on the chip.

Architecture of a chip having multiple processors and multiple memories


To improve the reliability and yield of a thin-type semiconductor device as used for a stack-type flash memory, the semiconductor device is manufactured by upheaving each of semiconductor chips (semiconductor devices) obtained by dicing a semiconductor wafer on an adhesive sheet from a backside via the adhesive sheet using an upthrow jig to which ultrasonic vibration is applied so as not to break through the adhesive sheet, and by picking up each semiconductor chip.

The present invention relates to semiconductor device manufacturing technology.
A semiconductor device manufacturing process includes a first step of simultaneously forming a plurality of semiconductor chips on a semiconductor wafer, a second step of attaching an adhesive sheet to the semiconductor wafer, a third step of dicing (cutting) the wafer and a part of the adhesive sheet so that the dies (the semiconductor chips) are not separated, and a fourth step of removing and picking up the cut-diced semiconductor chips from the adhesive sheet.
As a prior art in the fourth step, there are known JP-A-02-230754 (prior arts 1 and 2), JP-A-05-109869 (prior art 3), JP-A-06-295930 (prior art 4), and JP-A-07-106363 (prior art 5).
Prior art 1 discloses a technique in which a needle pin is inserted from a backside of an adhesive sheet to be removed, so as to break through the adhesive sheet by the inserting force and further, the pin directly upheaves a semiconductor chip to remove it from the adhesive sheet. In prior art 1, large removal force is generated by directly upheaving the semiconductor chip. Therefore, prior art 1 is regarded as a technique capable of performing the above operation more quickly and securely than ever before.
Prior art 2 discloses a technique in which a semiconductor chip is removed from an adhesive sheet by adding ultrasonic vibration to the adhesive sheet while upheaving it using a rod pin to weaken the adhesive force between the semiconductor chip and the adhesive sheet. This technique makes it possible to decrease the removal time by adding ultrasonic vibration.
Prior art 3 discloses a technique similar to that of prior art 1, in which a semiconductor chip to be removed is directly upheaved using an upthrow needle by breaking through an adhesive tape. However, prior art 3 is different from prior art 1 in the respect that the removal (peeling) of the semiconductor chip is made easy by using a plurality of upthrow needles and adding vibration.
Prior art 4 discloses that the adhesive force between a semiconductor chip and an adhesive sheet is weakened by setting a removal head under the adhesive sheet, which removal head comprises a bounding pin and a plurality of upthrow pins arranged around the bounding pin, to rub a backside of the adhesive sheet, two or three times, from the outside using the bounding pin via a mechanism such as a cam. Also, prior art 4 discloses that after weaken the adhesive force, the semiconductor chip is uniformly lifted by raising the plurality of upthrow pins set around the bounding pin together with the bounding pin to remove the adhesive sheet which has been weakened in adhesive force.
Prior art 5 discloses that after applying a dicing tape to the bottom by means of an upthrow rod and covering a die (semiconductor chip) with a collet, the dicing tape and the collet are vibrated by a vibrator in parallel with each other to remove an adhesive tape from the semiconductor chip. The die is vacuumed into the collet and mounted on an island of a lead frame.

Semiconductor device and its manufacturing method