A computer-implemented method, computer system, and computer program product for a container deployment simulation. The method may include performing a container deployment simulation. The method may include detecting a container deployment simulation error. In response to detecting the container deployment simulation error, the method may include providing one or more recommendations to a user. In response to receiving an acceptance of the recommendation from the user, the method may include implementing the recommendation. In response to receiving a rejection of the recommendation from the user, the method may include receiving a user recommendation. The method may include implementing the user recommendation and performing the container deployment simulation. The one or more recommendations may have a weight value. The weight value of the one or more recommendations may be increased when the user accepts the one or more recommendations or reduced when the user rejects the one or more recommendations.

The present invention relates generally to the field of computing, and more particularly to container deployment. Container deployment is a method for quickly building and releasing complex applications. Container deployment may provide a fast access to environments and may speed up development because secure containers may be quickly downloaded and put to use.

International Business Machines Corporation


Implants, devices, and methods for maintaining, correcting and/or fusing joint deformities are disclosed. The implant a first member, a second member, and an insert with a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface couples to the first member and the bottom surface engages the second member. Kits and methods of using the implants for maintaining, correcting and/or fusing joint deformities are also disclosed.

Currently available implants for total ankle replacement may experience loosening of the tibial component. In addition, some currently available implants for total ankle replacement may cause stress concentrations in the medial malleolus. In other currently available implants for total ankle replacement, the sizing of the talus component lacks proper bone coverage. Finally, some currently available implants for total ankle replacement lack vertical stabilization features on the tibia.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the above-described drawbacks and/or disadvantages of the currently used implants. For example, in view of the deficiencies of the current implants, it would be desirable to develop implants, devices, and/or systems which avoid loosening of the tibial component, remove the stress concentration from the medial malleolus, provide proper coverage of the talus bone, and provide features for vertical stabilization of the tibia.

Implants and methods of use and assembly


Methods of forming gate oxide films in integrated circuit devices using wet or dry oxidization processes with a reduced amount of chloride are disclosed. A gate oxide film is formed on a substrate on an active region adjacent to a trench isolation region in a first gas atmosphere with a first amount of chloride. The gate oxide film is annealed in a second gas atmosphere including a second amount of chloride that is greater than the first amount.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2002-0046611, filed Aug. 7, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if set forth fully herein.
The present invention relates to methods for forming integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to methods for forming gate oxide films of a integrated circuit device.
In some highly integrated semiconductor devices, shallow trench isolation (STI) structures have been utilized for the isolation of active areas therein. In some conventional processes used to form STI structures, a pad oxide film and a nitride film are successively formed on a silicon substrate and then nitride film is patterned. A trench can be formed by etching the substrate to a predetermined depth using the patterned nitride film as an etching mask. An oxide film is formed to cover the trench and is left only in the trench, using an etch-back process or a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process, thereby forming the STI structure.
A thin oxide film can be formed in the trench using a thermal oxidization process. An oxide film can then be formed to fill the trench in order to compensate for damage to the silicon substrate that may be caused during the etching process. However, the volume of the oxide film in the trench may increase due to the heat generated during successive thermal processes, such as the process for forming the gate oxide film, thereby potentially causing silicon dislocations in the substrate.
If the nitride film that serves as the etching mask is removed using a wet etching process, a dent may occur at the surface boundary between the active region and the STI region. Hence, the thickness of the gate oxide film may be reduced at the edge portion of the active region adjacent to the upper corner of the STI region so that an inverse narrow width effect may occur. The inverse narrow width effect may reduce the reliability of the gate oxide film because the electric field may be concentrated at the edge portion of the active region as the thickness of the gate oxide film is reduced. The inverse narrow width effect may reduce the threshold voltage of a transistor, particularly when the channel width of the transistor is also reduced.
It is known to form a thin nitride liner on the inner sidewall of the trench in order to reduce the thinning of the gate oxide film at the edge portion of the active region and to reduce additional oxidization of the trench due to penetration of oxygen (O2) into the inner sidewall of the trench during a successive oxidization process.
Generally, a volume of a layer including silicon increases when the silicon is oxidized. The volume of the oxide film in the trench may, therefore, be increased while the inner sidewall of the trench is oxidized as the oxide film fills the trench. Hence, a stress can be generated in the semiconductor substrate such that silicon dislocation may occur in the substrate which may give rise to a leakage current. The leakage current can be generated by silicon dislocation that may provide a path for an electron flow in the substrate. The nitride liner may reduce a stress caused by the increase in the volume of the insulation film in the trench, and may prevent oxygen from penetrating into the trench during the successive oxidization process discussed above, which may reduce or prevent silicon dislocation and, thereby reduce the leakage current.
It is also known to form multiple gate oxide films having various thickness in various regions of a substrate. For example, some conventional SRAM devices include a dual gate oxide film in which one gate oxide film is thin in the cell region of the SRAM device while the other gate oxide film is thick on the input/output terminal. DRAM devices can also include dual gate oxide films having a thick gate oxide film in the cell region and a thin gate oxide film in the peripheral region. In this case, the refresh operations and the quality of the gate oxide film can be improved because the threshold voltage of a cell transistor therein can be compensated by the increase in the thickness of the gate oxide film in the cell region such that the dosage of ions implanted into the channel can be reduced.
Multiple gate oxide films are generally formed through a wet etching process or a process in which the oxidization rate of an oxide film can be varied by implanting ions, such as fluorine (F) or nitrogen (N) ions. In some conventional methods of forming dual gate oxide films using wet etching, after a first gate oxide film is formed on a semiconductor substrate, a portion of the first gate oxide film is removed from a first region of the semiconductor substrate through a photolithography process and a wet etching process. Then, a second gate oxide film is formed on the whole surface of the substrate so that the dual gate oxide film has a thickness in a second region of the substrate that is greater than the thickness of the dual gate oxide film in the first region of the substrate.
In general, the gate oxide film can be formed: 1) through a dry oxidization process using an O2 gas; 2) through a hydrochloric acid oxidization process using O2/HCl gas; or 3) through a wet oxidization process using a gas of H2/O2 or H2O. An oxide film formed by either the dry oxidation process or the hydrochloric acid oxidization process may have defects known as xe2x80x9cmicro poresxe2x80x9d or voids formed therein. However, the hydrochloric acid oxidization process may also provide neutralization (or Gettering) of the alkali metal ions in a silicon oxide film, improved channel mobility, and an improved Time Zero Dielectric Breakdown (TZDB) characteristic indicating the short term reliability of the semiconductor device. In contrast, an oxide film formed using the wet oxidization process may have fewer micro pore defects or voids (compared to both the dry process and the hydrochloric acid oxidization) and may have good Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB) characteristic representing the long-term reliability of the semiconductor device. Hence, the oxide film may be preferably formed using either the wet process or the hydrochloric acid oxidization process considering the desired reliability of the semiconductor device. On the other hand, because the wet oxidization process can grow an oxide film rapidly, it may be desirable to grow the oxide film using the hydrochloric acid oxidization process in some circumstances, such as where a highly integrated semiconductor device calls for a thin gate oxide film having a thickness of less than approximately 60 xc3x85.
When the gate oxide film is formed in a semiconductor device (having an STI structure including a liner formed in the trench) using the hydrochloric acid oxidization process, the thickness of the gate oxide film can be abnormally thickened at the edge portion of the active region, which is the upper corner of the STI region. As a result, the effective width of the channel that provides a passage for current flow in the device may be shortened and the saturation current may also be reduced which can reduce the speed of the transistor when the transistor is turned xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d (i.e., when a threshold voltage is applied to the gate electrode of the transistor).
FIG. 1 is a graph showing variations of saturation current of a cell transistor according to conventional methods of forming a gate oxide film. For example, in cases where a dual gate oxide film is employed in the semiconductor device having the minimum size of approximately 0.126 xcexcm, the first gate oxide film formed using a hydrochloric acid oxidization process (denoted by xe2x80x9c◯xe2x80x9d) has a Idsat that is approximately 30 percent less than that of the first gate oxide film formed by the wet oxidization process (denoted by xe2x80x9cxe2x97xafxe2x80x9d) when the threshold voltage is about 1.4 Volts (V) as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating thickening of a gate oxide film at edge portion of an active region according to a hydrochloric acid oxidization process. FIG. 3 is a graph shown in; the thickness of an oxide film as a function of time formed at a temperature of approximately 850xc2x0 C. according to conventional methods.
Two of the reasons that the thickness of the ate oxide film can thicken at the edge portion of the active region when the gate oxide film is formed by the hydrochloric acid oxidization process are discussed below. Specifically, the two reasons address the formation of the gate oxide film using the hydrochloric acid oxidization process in a semiconductor device that includes the STI structure having a liner on the inner sidewall of the trench.
With reference to FIG. 2, a tensile stress (T.S) associated with a nitride liner (NL) can cause the nitride film to become thicker in the vertical direction. Such tensile stress of the nitride liner can be transferred to the inner oxide film (TIO) formed on the inner sidewall of the trench. The tensile stress (T.S) of the inner oxide film (TIO) can cause a compressive stress (C.S) effect between the inner sidewall of the trench and the inner oxide film (TIO) in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 3, the growth rate of the oxide film formed using the hydrochloric acid oxidization process (denoted by xe2x80x9cxe2x96xa1xe2x80x9d) is greater than that of the oxide film formed with the dry oxidization process (denoted by xe2x80x9c◯xe2x80x9d). In the hydrochloric acid oxidization process (xe2x96xa1), the growth rate of the oxide film can be reduced for thickness of approximately 40 xc3x85 whereas the growth rate of the oxide film formed using the wet oxidization process (denoted by xe2x80x9cxcex94xe2x80x9d) can increase linearly. As a result, the hydrochloric acid oxidization process (xe2x96xa1) is a diffusion limited process compared to the dry oxidization process (◯) and the wet oxidization process (xcex94).
In the diffusion limited process, the growth rate of the oxide film can be varied in accordance with the stress in the oxide film. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when the compressive stress (C.S) is applied to the inner oxide film (TIO) in the trench in the horizontal direction, the diffusion of O2 is limited and the diffusion of HCl is restrained so that the concentration of HCl can be locally increased toward the upper corner of the STI region and the edge portion of the active region. When the concentration of HCl increases, the thickness of the oxide film can also increase due to the growth of the oxide film as shown in FIG. 3.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-145132 discusses a method of forming a gate oxide film by successively treating in a chloride gas atmosphere after a semiconductor substrate is previously treated under the chloride gas atmosphere and the gate oxide film is formed in an oxygen gas atmosphere. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-169762 discloses another method in which a gate oxide film is treated in an inert gas atmosphere after a semiconductor substrate is treated in a hydrogen gas atmosphere and the gate oxide film is formed by a wet oxidization process. Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-9213 discusses another method for annealing a semiconductor substrate including a first and second gate oxide films formed thereon using a gas of HCl during a process of forming a dual gate oxide film.
FIG. 6A is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a profile of an STI region formed according to the conventional methods of forming a dual gate oxide film discussed above. As shown in FIG. 6A, a first gate oxide film 20 having a thickness of approximately 73 xc3x85 is formed on a semiconductor substrate where an active region 12 is defined by STI regions 18 including an inner oxide film 14 and a nitride liner 16 formed on an inner sidewall of a trench. The first gate oxide film 20 is formed through a hydrochloric acid oxidization process using a gas of O2/HCl.
The semiconductor substrate is rinsed by a wet rinsing process after the first gate oxide film 20 is removed from a peripheral circuit region (not shown) where a thin gate oxide film is to be formed through a photolithography process and a wet etching process. Subsequently, a second gate oxide film (not shown) having a thickness of approximately 54 xc3x85 is formed in the peripheral circuit region through a hydrochloric acid oxidization process using a gas of O2/HCl. As a result, the first gate oxide film 20 in the cell region can be thickened from about 73 xc3x85 to about 83 xc3x85.
When the first gate oxide film 20 is formed using the hydrochloric acid oxidization process, the concentration of HCl can be locally increased toward the edge portion of the active region 12 due to the compressive stress applied to the inner oxide film 14 in the horizontal direction due to the nitride liner 16 as discussed above in reference to FIG. 2. If the concentration of HCl is increased at the edge portion, the thickness of the first gate oxide film 20 can be increased at the edge portion A of the active region 12 because the growth of the oxide film may increase. As a result, the effective width of an channel may be reduced. Reducing the effective width of the channel may reduce the saturation current (Idast) of the transistor may be reduced which may decrease the speed of the transistor.
Embodiments according to the invention can provide methods of forming gate oxide films using wet or dry oxidization without chloride. Pursuant to these embodiments, a gate oxide film of an integrated circuit device can be formed by forming a gale oxide film on a substrate on an active region adjacent to a trench isolation region in a first gas atmosphere with a first amount of chloride. The gate oxide film is annealed in a second gas atmosphere including a second amount of chloride that is greater than the first amount.
In some embodiments according to the invention, the gate oxide film is a first gate oxide film and the active region is a first active region in a cell region of the integrated circuit device. A second gate oxide film can be formed on a second active area of the substrate in a peripheral region of the integrated circuit device spaced apart from the first active area in a second gas atmosphere with the second amount of chloride.
In some embodiments according to the invention, the first amount of chloride comprises substantially no chloride. In some embodiments according to the invention, the first gate oxide film has a first thickness. The first thickness of the first gate oxide film can be reduced and an oxidization process can be performed on the substrate spaced apart from the first gate oxide film using a third gas including chloride to form a second gate oxide film to a second thickness and to thicken the first gate oxide film to a third thickness that is greater than the second thickness.
In some embodiments according to the invention, the first gas can be at least one of O2 gas. O2/N2 gas, O2/N2O as and O2/NO gas. In some embodiments according to the invention, the first as can be at least one of H2/O2 gas or H2O gas.
In some embodiments according to the invention, the gate oxide film can be formed at a temperature in a range between about 780xc2x0 C. and about 900xc2x0 C. In some embodiments according to the invention, the gate oxide film can be formed at a temperature in a range between about 780xc2x0 C. and about 850xc2x0 C.
In some embodiments according to the invention, a ratio between a first thickness of portion of the gate oxide film located on a central portion of the active region and a second thickness of a portion of the gate oxide film located at an edge portion of the active region is in a range between about 1:1 and about 1:1.5.
In some embodiments according to the invention, the second gas includes at least one selected from the group consisting of HCl, Cl2, C2HCl3, CH2Cl2, and C2H3Cl3. In some embodiments according to the invention, the annealing can be provided by annealing the first gate oxide film using a furnace or by performing a rapid thermal annealing process. In some embodiments according to the invention, the gate oxide film is annealed at a temperature in a range between about 850xc2x0 C. and about 900xc2x0 C. In some embodiments according to the invention, the formation of the gate oxide film and the annealing are performed in-situ.

Methods of forming gate oxide films in integrated circuit devices using wet or dry oxidization processes with reduced chloride


The present invention is directed to overcoming analog transmission difficulties by digitizing transducer signals at or near the transducer of an acoustic pulse gun and then transmitting the transducer signals in a digital form so that the signals can be recovered with greater fidelity by a remote computer or recorder. System, apparatus and method aspects of the invention are provided. Advantages of the present invention include better transmission of the acoustic signal from the pulse gun assembly to the computer or recorder, reduced noise and electronic interference, and better data capture.

The level of fluid in the borehole of a well is an important element in the field of oil well testing and operation. Determination of the liquid level in a well by an acoustic pulse has been successfully performed for many years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,232,476 issued to Ritzmann in 1941, discloses the basic methodology wherein a high frequency acoustic pulse, generated by an acoustic pulse gun, is projected down the annulus between the tubing string and the well casing string. Acoustic pulse generating means typically include employing a blank shotgun shell to generate the sonic event, discharging a compressed gas into the annulus to generate the sonic event, or in a wellbore which has a substantial gas pressure it is possible to use the gas pressure itself to create the sonic event. Reflections of the sonic event or acoustic pulse are generated by cross-sectional variations along the length of the tubing string, such as are created by tubing collars or the surface of the liquid column in the annulus. A microphone or acoustic transducer is then used to sense the reflections and provide a signal indicative of those reflections.
The depth to the liquid surface is then determined by counting the number of tubing collars above the liquid interface and multiplying by the average distance between the collars, as indicated by the reflections. Interpretation of the reflection results is typically assisted by passing the electrical output signal of the acoustic transducer of the pulse gun through: 1) a high-pass or band pass filter so as to emphasize the short, high-frequency reflections from tubing collars; and/or 2) a low-pass filter to emphasize the low-frequency pulse from the gas-liquid interface.
As shown in FIG. 1, modern day pulse gun systems often comprise a pulse gun and microphone assembly connected to a computer or recorder device by means of a lead, cable or similar conductor. Analog signals produced by the microphone or acoustic transducer inside the gun assembly are transmitted along the length of cable and fed to the computer or recording device. Typically the recording device contains electronics to subsequently amplify, filter and then digitize the analog signals received from a cable or conductor. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,399 to McCoy et. al where an electronics module contains the electronics to amplify, filter and digitize the analog signals from a microphone cable.
The digitization of the transducer's signal allows for additional analysis of the signal and also for digital storage of the signal. Additionally, various schemes for computer aided interpretation of the reflections are taught by the prior art, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,298, issued to Godbey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,178, issued to Ahern, U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,894, issued to McCoy and Canada Pat. No. 2,201,215 to Grande.
Accordingly, a necessary component of the acoustic pulse gun system is the means for reliably transmitting the signals produced by the transducer inside the pulse gun, which are indicative of the acoustic reflections, to the computer or recording device. However, state-of-the-art cables have relatively poor transmission qualities and the traditional cable system is sensitive to static and electronic noise which may be picked up along the length of a cable. The cable often acts as an antennae picking up electronic noise from a variety of sources. Typical sources of such noise in a well operation environment include electric motors operating nearby, the cathotic protection system installed to protect the metal elements of a well from deteriorating, and cell phones used by personnel. Noise and other extraneous signals can also be produced if the cable is moved during operations; such as due to wind or by an operator accidentally bumping it.
What is desired therefore is a system or method which overcomes the analog transmission difficulties and provides reliable transmission of the signals from a pulse gun assembly to a computer or recorder.

Apparatus, method and system for digitally transmitting acoustic pulse gun signals


A catheter assembly comprises a catheter which comprises an inner shaft and an outer shaft, and at least one heat transmitting mechanism. At least one portion of at least one of the inner shaft and the outer shaft of the catheter has a predetermined longitudinal stiffness and a predetermined temperature. The predetermined longitudinal stiffness is changed when the predetermined temperature is changed. The at least one heat transmitting mechanism extends distally from the proximal end of the catheter, along the length of the catheter, to a position adjacent to the at least one portion. At least a portion of the at least one heat transmitting mechanism is constructed and arranged to conductively change the predetermined temperature of the at least one portion of the at least one of the inner shaft and the outer shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention are directed to the field of intravascular medical devices, and more particularly to the field of catheters such as angioplasty, neurological and guide catheters, among others, which may be used in various medical procedures such as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) as well as in procedures involving the placement of medicines and medical devices within the body.
Some embodiments of the invention are directed to all forms of catheters which may be advanced through a body lumen or vessel. Some examples of catheters are over-the-wire (OTW) catheters, such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,045; single-operator-exchange (SOE) balloon catheters, such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,594 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,552. Other examples of catheters which may incorporate the unique features of the present invention may include rapid-exchange catheters, guide catheters, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Intravascular diseases are commonly treated by relatively non-invasive techniques such as PTA and PTCA. These angioplasty techniques typically involve the use of a balloon catheter. In these procedures, a balloon catheter is advanced through the vasculature of a patient such that the balloon is positioned proximate a restriction in a diseased vessel. The balloon is then inflated and the restriction in the vessel is opened. In other uses a catheter may be used to delivery an endoprosthesis such as a stent, graft, stent-graft, vena cava filter or other implantable device or devices herein after collectively referred to as a stent or stents. Where a stent is to be delivered into a body lumen the catheter may include one or more inflatable portions or balloons. Typically, the stent is retained in the pre-delivery state about the catheter shaft, or a portion thereof such as a balloon, by crimping and/or through the use of a retaining mechanism such as sleeve, sheath or sock.
Balloons and balloon catheters may be particularly useful for the delivery of expandable, implantable medical devices such as stents, grafts, stent-grafts, vena cava filters, hereinafter referred to cumulatively as stents. Stents and catheters used in their delivery are commonly used and as such their structure and function are well known.
A stent is a generally cylindrical prosthesis introduced via a catheter into a lumen of a body vessel in a configuration having a generally reduced diameter and then expanded. In its expanded configuration, the stent supports and reinforces the vessel walls while maintaining the vessel in an open, unobstructed condition.
In order to properly position a stent and/or balloon within a body lumen, the catheter must be advanced through the narrow confines of the body. Typically the balloon and/or stent is located near the distal end of the catheter. In order to advance the distal end of most prior catheters further in to a body lumen, the inner shaft or catheter member is utilized to transmit force to the distal end. However, the inner is typically soft and flexible which often results in poor transmission of push.
The present invention, in accordance with the various embodiments presented herein, addresses the shortcoming of poor push transmission common to many catheters.
All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.


A hand stamp includes a first marking structure having a front surface adapted to print a first ink onto an object, a rear surface and peripheral edges extending between the front and rear surfaces. The hand stamp includes a second marking structure having a front surface adapted to print a second ink onto an object, a rear surface and peripheral edges extending between the front and rear surfaces of the second marking structure. The first and second marking structures are permanently assembled together so that at least one of the edges of the first marking structure opposes at least one of the edges of the second marking structure, whereby at least one of the opposing edges has a non-porous surface for preventing migration of the first ink of the first marking structure with the second ink of the second marking structure.

The present invention generally relates to ink stamping devices useful for making ink impressions on items such as papers, envelopes and cardboard containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-color stamping device having two or more adjacent pre-inked marking structures containing different color inks, whereby at least one of the marking structures has a non-porous edge for preventing migration of ink between two adjacent marking structures. The present invention also relates to methods and devices for properly assembling a composite marking structure.
Hand stamps having pre-inked marking structures enable a user to create numerous impressions without introducing additional ink into the marking structure. The pre-inked marking structures have microscopic pores that allow the ink initially retained within the marking structure to escape at a controlled rate. One high quality, pre-inked hand stamp is manufactured and sold under the trademark ROYAL MARK by M&R Marking Systems Inc. of Piscataway, N.J. These pre-inked hand stamps include marking structures made using a gel comprising a mixture of thermoplastic resin and ink, which is commonly referred to as a pre-mix.
There are a variety of methods for manufacturing microporous marking structures. In one method, the pre-mix, which includes a desired quantity of ink, is poured into a mold. The mold is then heated in a vulcanizer at a predetermined pressure and temperature for a selected period of time. When the pressure, temperature and time parameters have been satisfied, the marking structure is formed into a microporous slab. The marking structure is then removed from the mold and any excess ink in the structure is removed during a stabilizing process. The marking structure has a resilient microporous network that contains ink, which is released through protruding indicia of a molding when pressed against a surface to be marked.
Another well known method of manufacturing microporous marking structures includes initially forming a microporous structure that does not contain ink. Such microporous marking structures may be manufactured by sintering, salt-leaching or other methods. This type of microporous marking structure is impregnated with ink during a separate procedure which may involve immersing the microporous marking structure in an ink pool, subjecting the microporous marking structure and ink to a vacuum environment or other known methods. With this type of microporous marking structure, it is generally necessary to stabilize the structure, i.e. remove excess ink therefrom, prior to assembly of the marking structure on a hand stamp mount.
Another type of pre-inked stamp uses a microporous foam upon which an image is flash printed. One flash exposure system for manufacturing pre-inked hand stamps is described at M&R Marking System Inc.'s Website at www.mrmarking.com and is provided under the trademark ULTIMARK. In general, the ULTIMARK system comprises a computer controlled flash irradiation device which exposes select areas of foam text plates (i.e. marking structures that have been formulated to be used in pre-inked hand stamps) to a high energy light source for a period of time. A protective film is used to shield certain areas of the microporous foam so that the shielded areas are not exposed to the light source. The brief exposure to light causes the exposed surfaces of the text plate to melt creating substantially non-porous areas at the exterior surfaces of the microporous foam. The unexposed areas remain porous so that the microporous foam can be subsequently used as a marking structure in hand stamps.
In one particular embodiment of the ULTIMARK system, the flash-exposed pre-inked stamps are made by printing or imaging a positive or negative image on a transparent paper or plastic, and then placing that image on a transparent body of typically glass or plastic in between a light source and the microporous foam to be exposed. A clear protective sheet may be placed over the flash exposable microporous material and on top of a transparent indicia medium. An improved process for preparing a microporous material for flash exposure is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/439,469, filed May 16, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
There have been a number of efforts directed to producing ink stamps capable of printing in two or more colors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,806 to Hirano discloses a stamp having an occlusion body with a continuous porous structure that is impregnated with two or more kinds of ink. The occlusion body includes a physical barrier that inhibits mingling of two or more kinds of ink. Although Hirano addresses the issue of color mingling, it requires the use of additional parts in the form of a physical barrier to suppress the mingling of colors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,639 to Shih discloses a stamping set including at least one partition strip that separates an enclosed space into at least two rooms for separating ink of two different colors. Although the '639 patent also addresses the issue of preventing color mingling, it also requires the use of an additional component, i.e. a partition strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,644 discloses a multi-color ink stamp pad, whereby a thin, aqueous-impermeable film is disposed between the pads for preventing color mingling. Thus, the '644 patent also requires an additional part to prevent mixing of the different colored inks.
There have also been a number of efforts direct to simplifying assembly of hand stamps. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,987 to Ikura discloses a stamp frame having a vertical interlocking projection on one of its side surfaces, a vertical interlocking groove on the opposite side surface, and a holding member removably mountable over the stamp elements to prevent displacement of the stamp elements relative to one another. Although Ikura applies to ensuring proper assembly of a stamp device, it teaches a registration concept applied to a stamp frame rather than the stamp pad itself. As such, there is nothing in the disclosure indicating a registration concept on the adjacent portions of the marking structure to facilitate the assembly of marking structures on a hand stamp mount.


An NOx concentration measuring apparatus employing first and second wide-range air/fuel ratio sensors for measuring an NOx concentration of gases introduced thereto through a first passage. First and second restricted orifices are provided in the first passage upstream of the first and second sensors. A second passage is connected to the first passage between the first and second orifices. A suction pump is connected to the first passage downstream of the first and second sensors for producing a suction vacuum in the first passage and is also connected to the second passage for producing a suction vacuum in the second passage. The first and second orifices are effective to prevent momentary gas pressure fluctuations from affecting the accuracy of measurement of the first and second sensors.

This invention relates to an NOx concentration measuring apparatus utilizing two wide-range air/fuel ratio sensors.
For example, Japanese patent application No. 63-122707 describes an NOx concentration measuring apparatus which utilizes two wide-range air/fuel ratio sensors. The first sensor is sensitive to oxides of nitrogen for resolving oxides of nitrogen at low oxygen partial pressures. The first sensor includes an electrochemical cell containing an oxygen ion conductive electrolyte layer having two electrodes disposed on the opposite surfaces thereof for producing a first sensor signal indicative of an oxygen partial pressure of the gases introduced into the electrochemical cell. The second sensor is insensitive to oxides of nitrogen. The second sensor includes an electrochemical cell containing an oxygen ion conductive electrolyte layer having two electrodes disposed on the opposite surfaces thereof for producing a second sensor signal indicative of an oxygen partial pressure of the gases introduced into the electrochemical cell. The first and second sensor signals are used in calculating the NOx concentration of the gases introduced into the electrochemical cells of the first and second sensors.
The first and second sensors are located in the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine for measuring the NOx concentration of the exhaust gases discharged from the engine. However, the exhaust manifold pressure fluctuates greatly to affect the accuracy of the NOx concentration measurement of the first and second sensors during engine operation.


A method of operating a mobile data processing apparatus comprises executing one or more programs which make use of mobile data access; a wireless interface communicating with a mobile data network, the wireless interface and the mobile data network cooperating to provide wireless data services to the one or more programs; in respect of a first predetermined set of data services, providing data to the wireless interface from a non-removable, identification module so as to identify the mobile data processing apparatus to the mobile data network according to a first mobile identity; and in respect of other data services, providing data to the wireless interface from a user-removable, identification module so as to identify the mobile data processing apparatus to the mobile data network according to a separate mobile identity, different to the first mobile identity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mobile communications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many mobile communications devices make use of so-called SIMs.
A SIM (subscriber identification module) is typically a secure data storage device, often embodied as a small form factor flat card which is insertable into a mobile communications device. The SIM carries certain data which uniquely identifies the user or owner of that SIM. Some of this data is transmitted across the mobile network to identify the user equipment (UE) into which the SIM is inserted, and some is kept secret within the SIM (and within a secure database held by the mobile network operator or "MNO") for use in generating encryption keys for secure data transmission across the network.
In many countries there is a requirement that the SIM fits into a socket in the UE which is accessible by the user. This is to allow the user to choose a difference card if he/she desires. In turn, this allows the user to select a different mobile network operator or a different network tariff. The ability for the user to do this is required by the competition law of many countries.
Having said this, some devices such as the Amazon® Kindle® electronic book reading device contain a SIM which is inaccessible to the user. In other words, the user cannot choose a different network operator for mobile data access using this book reading device. However, this arrangement is perceived to be acceptable because the user is not charged for mobile data access relating to the provision of electronic books and the device does not provide open internet access, so there is neither a requirement under competition law nor a direct benefit the user in allowing a user-instigated change to another mobile network operator.
It is known to include two SIM sockets within a single device. Some mobile telephones provide this function, which allows a user to travel between two different countries and make use of a SIM relevant to each country, thereby avoiding so-called roaming charges. Both SIM sockets allow the user removal or insertion of SIMs as discussed above.
WO 2010/095020 A1 discloses a mobile telephone having a substitute emergency SIM for use in making emergency calls in case the user-installed SIM is invalid or otherwise unavailable.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved user experience involving a device making use of a SIM or similar identification module.

Device and a method for enhancing user experience in mobile communications


The invention relates to radio communication in a mobile station operating on cellular frequency bands, and/or on a frequency band separated from cellular frequency bands, for transmitting and receiving calls outside a cellular network through direct communication between cellular mobile stations. It also relates to a method in a cellular telephony system comprising at least two mobile stations communicating.

Currently, the market for cellular mobile equipment consists of suppliers of mobile networks and mobile phones, operators, and customers. Due to the general lack of capacity in the present mobile networks, as well as due to the introduction of new (potential) applications and services in need of high bandwidth, there is an urge on further increasing capacity in mobile network systems. New applications and services, often including the transmission of e.g. pictures and/or movies, provides that the demand for bandwidth is much larger than current mobile networks are able to supply.
To ensure that a need for necessary bandwidth in coming high-bandwidth applications and services, large investments in developments of a new infrastructure are made by the suppliers of mobile networks. The operators, on their side, are forced to purchase the necessary new licenses needed in order to operate the new infrastructure. At the end, it is the customer who pays the price for combined efforts accomplished by suppliers of mobile networks and operators, making end-customers costs for high-bandwidth mobile telephone services become unrealistically high. Also second-generation mobile networks, such as GSM, suffer from a general lack of capacity and are in demand of an increased growth of capacity.
The US patent document US 2002/0014990 by Kimura discloses a "Radio Communication Device and Method of Measuring Distance". A distance measurement is accomplished by sending a pilot signal between two portable telephones via a radio interface for short distance.
Patent application GB-A-2 356 532 teaches how to improve the quality of radio signals by switching calls between the cellular network and direct communication between mobile stations by utilizing the frequency bands of the cellular network when the signal quality is better for direct communication then for communication in the network. This is provided through combination techniques for diversity, i.e., the utilization of several antennas receiving the same signal, whereby the signal received at the antenna with the largest signal strength is utilized. GB-A-2 356 532 utilizes the same frequency band for cellular network carried traffic and direct communication between mobile stations. At direct communication the invention in GB-A-2 356 532 so to speak "steals" capacity from the traffic channel TCH in a GSM system, which not aims to extend the system call capacity. Moreover GB-A-2 356 532 does not suggest a cellular phone.


Signature loader comprising a telescopically related main floor-mounted frame and a smaller auxiliary frame, first and second horizontal rotatable shafts between the frames spaced apart by a predetermined distance and so positioned that infeed belts thereon converge to define between them a signature infeed throat, one of said shafts being a pivot about which the auxiliary frame may be pivoted so the throat may be selectively positioned in one of two alternate attitudes.

Signatures to be gathered either on a saddle conveyor or flat gatherer, eventually fed to the conveyor out of a pocket feeder, are received from the binder in a heavy, strap-bound pack. The pack is opened and the signatures arranged as a loose pack in a loader, representing the main supply. The signatures are withdrawn one by one from the supply loader and advanced as a stream to the ultimate pocket feeder where they are extracted one by one and collected on the gatherer sequentially one atop another, to complete the book.
One form of signature feeding machine for accomplishing this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,982 granted to McCain Manufacturing Corp., the present assignee. In this form of machine, the signatures constituting the main supply are stacked on edge in the loader, the backbone down, like so many fence posts, one behind the other.
In another form, the signatures constituting the main supply are stacked flat, one atop another, like a deck of cards. This form is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,791, granted to the present assignee.
These feeders are extremely expensive. The binder company which purchases the feeders may require as many as one hundred, collectively involving a cost of well over one million dollars. Unfortunately, the bindery attendants do not always know in which form the bound signatures will arrive from the printer, usually a 30" stack. The signatures may arrive on a pallet in the fence-post array (horizontal pack) or they may be palletized as a vertical stack like a deck of cards, wire bound with end boards which have to be removed in either case.
The horizontal stack (U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,982) is easier to place or insert in a loader having feed belts substantially horizontal; the stack is simply raised by a forklift or hoist, the straps and end boards removed, and the stack lowered carefully onto the conveyor belts of the feeder. One trip only is required to unload the stack.
In comparison, if the stack is vertical, then the feeder is of different form, U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,791. In this instance, the signatures must be hand loaded piecemeal: repeated 6" hand-held bundles for example, placed in the loader one atop another until the pallet is emptied, involving several trips, or several attendants to service the job.
Therefore, to cope with both possibilities, the bindery needs to stock both kinds of feeders, constituting a considerable expense, to say nothing of the storage space which must be accorded.
The primary object of the present invention is to construct a unitized signature feeder which will serve both circumstances, either for signatures set on edge in the loader, backbone down, or set flat one atop another.

Signature feeder operable with either flat or standing stacks


A server apparatus receives a device ID indicating one electrical home appliance among one or more electrical home appliances and a gateway ID indicating that the one electrical home appliance belongs to a same owner, a same group, or a same home as the one or more electrical home appliances, determines whether or not the one electrical home appliance is a newly connected electrical home appliance, using a management database that manages device IDs indicating the one or more electrical home appliances and the gateway ID, and when it is determined made that the one electrical home appliance is a newly connected electrical home appliance, provides an information device, which is associated with the gateway ID and which differs from the one electrical home appliance, with notification information for confirming whether or not it is to be permitted to collect the log information from the one electrical home appliance.

In recent years, the number of electrical home appliances or AV (audio visual) devices that can be connected to a network in the home have increased. Accordingly, systems are being evaluated which enable a cloud operator to collect various types of log information including an operation history of an electrical home appliance or an AV device via the network. It is hoped that the collection of such log information will enable services that best match the lifestyle of a user to be provided.
However, these systems are still under evaluation and require further improvements to be practically viable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA


Disclosed is a method for handling devices, such as reticles, in a semiconductor manufacturing environment. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes: providing a pick comprised of a plurality of spaced-apart grippers with a pivot point between the gripper about which point the spaced-apart grippers are configured to pivot; creating a vacuum in a body proximate to the pivot point, wherein the vacuum is configured to draw particles generated in the area of the pivot into the body; and generating a magnetic force between magnets, wherein the magnetic force drives at least one gripper toward another gripper to grasp a semiconducting substrate or a reticle between the grippers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to material handling devices in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, and, more particularly, to a device for handling devices, such as reticles, in a semiconductor manufacturing environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacture of integrated circuit devices, e.g., memory devices, logic devices, etc., is a very complex activity that requires very precise tools and processes. Manufacturing such integrated circuit products may involve hundreds of complex process operations that involve well-known deposition, etching, photolithography and planarization techniques and equipment. Manufacturers of integrated circuit devices go to great lengths in attempting to insure that the manufacturing environment for such integrated circuit devices is extremely clean. If the integrated circuit devices have sufficient particle contamination, the operational capability of the integrated circuit device may be reduced or, in some cases, destroyed.
The manufacture of integrated circuits involves many processes. One process that is universally employed in manufacturing such devices is photolithography. In general, photo-lithography involves forming a layer of photoresist material above a semiconducting substrate and, thereafter, irradiating the photoresist material with light that is projected through a reticle. Through this process, the pattern on the reticle is transferred to the layer of photoresist material. Ultimately, the exposed layer of photoresist will be developed to thereby define a photoresist mask layer. The mask layer may be used to pattern an underlying layer of material using etching processes that are well known to those skilled in the art.
Reticles used in manufacturing modern integrated circuit devices must exhibit a very high degree of precision and are very expensive to manufacture. For example, a typical reticle employed in manufacturing memory devices may cost approximately $60,000-$90,000 depending upon the complexity of the image formed on the reticle.
Unfortunately, it is frequently necessary for personnel to handle or move such reticles for a variety of reasons, e.g., a new product is being processed. The reticles are typically made of glass and may have a generally rectangular or square shape. A reticle may have a thickness of approximately 0.25-0.325 inches. Thus, great care must be exercised when handling such reticles as they may break or crack if dropped or otherwise subjected to undesirable impact loads or stresses. It is also extremely important that such reticles be free of particle contaminants as such particles may scratch the surface of the reticle and/or adversely impact the pattern transferred to the underlying layer of photoresist during the photolithography process.
FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative prior art reticle pick 10 that is employed in handling a reticle 12. The pick 10 generally comprises a body 14, a trigger 16, a spring 18, a pivot point 20, and a plurality of grippers 22. In operation, the trigger 16 is depressed which compresses the spring 18. The force generated by the compressed spring 18 tends to force the upper gripper 22A in the direction indicated by the arrow 24. Thus, the compression of the spring 18 provides the force to clamp the reticle 12 within the grippers 22.
There are several problems associated with the use of the prior art pick 10 depicted in FIG. 1. For example, the compression/relaxation cycle experienced by the spring 18 during operation can lead to the generation of undesirable particles that may contaminate the reticle 12 or other aspects of the semiconductor manufacturing environment. Additionally, over time, the spring 18 may tend to rust, thereby generating additional particles. Typically, such a spring-type pick 10 is subjected to relatively frequent maintenance procedures, such as frequent removal and cleaning, in an effort to reduce the contaminants resulting from the spring 18. Such maintenance efforts are time-consuming and may not effectively prevent the problems caused by such spring-type picks 10.
The present invention is directed to a device and various methods that may solve, or at least reduce, some or all of the aforementioned problems.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.


A rail fastener for fastening rails to a support structure, particularly adapted for use in switches, crossovers, frogs and the like where a track plate must support a pair of closely spaced or nonparallel rails. The rail fastening includes a rigid track plate to which the rail is adjacent and two fastener pads laterally spaced on the track plate and disposed between the track plate and the support structure. Each fastener pad has a rigid member and a resilient member bonded together and two pins to join the elastomeric member to the track plate.

In the past, fasteners for attaching railroad rails to support structures have included a track plate secured to the bottom of each rail by suitable clamping devices, together with an underlying layer of elastomeric material abutting the support structure directly or abutting a second underlying plate which rests on the support structure. Ordinarily, the track and underlying plates on which the rail rests are secured to the support structure by bolts or other clamping arrangements. In certain clamping arrangements of this sort, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,097, the clamps take the form of clips having a load bearing surface which mate to and overlie the lower rail flange and are secured to an underlying plate by means of bolts. Serrations may be provided in the top surface of the track plate for receiving a projection of the clip to permit lateral adjustment of the clip while limiting horizontal or sideways movement of the clip and rail. Such fasteners are limited to attaching rails that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the track plate or are spaced apart to accommodate separate fasteners for each rail. Sufficient distance between the rails is required to accommodate the track plate of the individual fasteners.
However, rails are not always perpendicular to the track plate and in other cases, the rails are spaced too close together to allow for separate fasteners for each rail. Furthermore, two nonparallel rails may require support on one track plate. Such rails are generally found in systems used to switch trains from one set of rails to another including crossings, switches, frogs and the like. Conventional fasteners may be used in switches on converging rails until the rails are too close together to allow for individual fasteners to be placed under each rail.
Although the fasteners as described are adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the track plate, they fail to provide angular adjustment for nonperpendicular positioning of the rail to the track plate. That is, if other than a substantially perpendicular relationship exists between the rail and the track plate, the load bearing surface of the clips will not fully engage the bottom flange of the rail. In other cases where the rails are spaced too close together such that the usual rail fasteners can not be used for each rail. Hence it is desirous to have a rail fastener that can accommodate lateral and angular adjustments as well as close spacing of rails.
A commercially available product overcoming some of the above described problems is an adjustable special track fastener sold by Lord Corporation, assignee of the present patent. The special track fastener includes a long flat rectangular track plate for attachment to the flanges of more than one rail and has an elastomeric member bonded the length of the track plate on the side opposite to the rail contact side for isolating and damping vibration of the track fastener. Combination of the long track plate and elastomeric member allows for positioning the plurality of rails along the longitudinal length of the track plate. Vertical serrations extend along each of the longitudinal edges of the track plate and are adapted to cooperate with fastener assemblies for securing the plurality of rails to the track plate. The fastener assemblies include a clamping member overlying the flange of each rail and a threaded nut having mating vertical serrations thereon engagable with the serrations along the longitudinal edges of the track plate. The clamping member overlies the nut and has a load bearing surface engagable with the flange of the associated rail. A bolt extends through the clamping member and is threaded into the nut for securing the clamping member to the nut while securing each rail against horizontal movement.
The fastener assembly may be located or adjusted along the longitudinal length of the track plate by virtue of the mating of the vertical serrations of the nut and the track plate. By virtue of the fact that the clamping member may rotate above the aforesaid bolt, it can be used in positively engage the rail along its length regardless of the angular attitude of the rail with respect to the plate. Such rotation provides angular adjustment of the clamping member to positively engage the rail along its length at non-perpendicular displacement of the rail with respect to the track plate.
Furthermore, the clamping member of the fastener assembly has elongated bores there through for the bolts to accommodate the varying distances between the bolts resultant from the angular adjustment of the clamping member. The distance between the bolts is shortest when the rail is perpendicular to the track plate and the distance increases with the nonperpendicularity of the rail.
While the described special trackwork fastener satisfactorily fastens closely spaced or nonparallel rails, hereinafter referred to as special rails, problems have arisen in using the fastener. One problem area is the adaptation of the special trackwork fastener to various separation widths between the rails. As one can imagine, widths between the rails will vary based on the point of convergence of the rails. Such separation widths may vary from about 1 inch to about 12 inches. Using a long special trackwork fastener for a short separation results in much of the special fastener being unused. Varying the length of the special trackwork fastener requires manufacturing using various molds corresponding to the length of the fasteners.
The resiliency properties of the special trackwork fastener are less desirable than the regular single pad under a single rail. Bonding of rubber to the full length of the track plate results in a very stiff fastener, increasing the spring rate of the elastomeric member underneath the rail and decreasing the flexibility of the fastener. Also, bonding of the rubber to the full length of the track plate is more expensive and difficult than for single pads. Various costly large molds are required to make the special fasteners. Serrations along the longitudinal edges of the track plate also increase the cost of the fastener.
The elastomer member of the aforesaid special trackwork fastener may require replacement after a period of time due to normal wear or upon failure. Replacement of the elastomeric member of the special trackwork fastener as described requires replacement of the entire fastener even though a limited portion of the fastener needs replacement. In summary, although the special trackwork fastener is capable of fastening special rails, various undesirable features are inherent in the product.


A method for creating and authenticating a digital signature is provided, including selecting a first session parameter k and generating a first short term public key derived from the session parameter k, computing a first signature component r derived from a first mathematical function using the short term public key, selecting a second session parameter t and computing a second signature component s derived from a second mathematical function using the second session parameter t and without using an inverse operation, computing a third signature component using the first and second session parameters and sending the signature components (s, r, c) as a masked digital signature to a receiver computer system. In the receiver computer system, a recovered second signature component s′ is computed by combining a third signature component with the second signature component to derive signature components (s′, r) as an unmasked digital signature.

One of the functions performed by a cryptosystem is the computation of digital signatures that are used to confirm that a particular party has originated a message and that the contents have not been altered during transmission. A widely used set of signature protocols utilizes the ElGamal public key signature scheme that signs a message with the sender's private key. The recipient may then recover the message with the sender's public key. The ElGamal scheme gets its security from calculating discrete logarithms in a finite field. Furthermore, the ElGamal-type signatures work in any group and in particular elliptic curve groups. For example given the elliptic curve group E(Fq) then for PεE(Fq) and Q=aP the discrete logarithm problem reduces to finding the integer a. Thus these cryptosystems can be computationally intensive.
Various protocols exist for implementing such a scheme. For example, a digital signature algorithm DSA is a variant of the ElGamal scheme. In these schemes, a pair of correspondent entities A and B each create a public key and a corresponding private key. The entity A signs a message m of arbitrary length. The entity B can verify this signature by using A's public key. In each case however, both the sender, entity A, and the recipient, entity B, are required to perform a computationally intensive operations to generate and verify the signature respectively. Where either party has adequate computing power this does not present a particular problem but where one or both the parties have limited computing power, such as in a 'smart card' application, the computations may introduce delays in the signature and verification process.
Public key schemes may be implemented using one of a number of multiplicative groups in which the discrete log problem appears intractable, but a particularly robust implementation is that utilizing the characteristics of points on an elliptic curve over a finite field. This implementation has the advantage that the requisite security can be obtained with relatively small orders of field compared with, for example, implementations in Zp* and therefore reduces the bandwidth required for communicating the signatures.
In a typical implementation of such a digital signature algorithm such as the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) a signature component s has the form:                s=k−1(e+dr) mod n        where:        d is a long term private key random integer of the signor;        Q is a public key of the signor derived by computing the point Q=dP;        P is a point (x, y) on the curve which is a predefined parameter of the system;        k is a random integer selected as a short term private or session key, and has a corresponding short term public key R=kP;        e is a secure hash, such as the SHA-1 hash function of a message; and        n is the order of the curve.
In this scheme the signor represents the x coordinate of the point kP as an integer z and then calculates a first signature component r=z mod n. Next, the second signature component s above is calculated. The signature components s and rand a message M is then transmitted to the recipient. In order for the recipient to verify the signature (r,s) on M, the recipient looks up the public key Q of the signor. A hash e′ of the message M is calculated using a hash function H such that e′=H(M). A value c=s−1 mod n is also calculated. Next, integer values u1 and u2 are calculated such that u1=e′c mod n and u2=rc mod n. In order that the signature be verified, the value u1P+u2Q must be calculated. Since P is known and is a system wide parameter, the value u1P may be computed quickly. The point R=u1P+u2Q is computed. The field element x of the point R=(x1,y) is converted to an integer z, and a value v=z mod n is computed. If v=r, then the signature is valid.
Other protocols, such as the MQV protocols also require similar computations when implemented over elliptic curves which may result in slow signature and verification when the computing power is limited. The complexity of the calculations may be explained by observing a form of the elliptic curve. Generally, the underlying elliptic curve has the form y2+xy=x3+ax+b and the addition of two points having coordinates (x1, y1) and (x2,y2) results in a point (x3,y3) where:—
      x    3    =      {                            (                                                    y                1                            ⊕                              y                2                                                                    x                1                            ⊕                              x                2                                              )                2            ⊕                                    y            1                    ⊕                      y            2                                                x            1                    ⊕                      x            2                              ⊕              x        1            ⊕              x        2            ⊕                        a                                                    (                      P            ≠            Q                    )                                                                    y          3                                  {                                    (                                                                    y                    1                                    ⊕                                      y                    2                                                                                x                    1                                    ⊕                                      x                    2                                                              )                        ⊕                          (                                                x                  1                                ⊕                                  x                  3                                            )                        ⊕                          x              3                        ⊕                                          y                1                                                                                (                              P                ≠                Q                            )                                          The doubling of a point i.e. P to 2P, is performed by adding the point to itself so that
            y      3        =                            {                                    x              1              2                        ⊕                          (                                                x                  1                                ⊕                                                      y                    1                                                        x                    1                                                              )                                }                                  x          3                    ⊕              x        3                        x      3        =                  x        1        2            ⊕              b                  x          1          2
It may be seen in the above example of the ECDSA algorithm that the calculation of the second signature component involves at least the computation of an inverse. Modulo a number the generation of each of the doubled points requires the computation of both the x and y coordinates and the latter requires a further inversion. These steps are computationally complex and therefore require either significant time or computing power to perform.
Inversion is computationally intensive, and generally performed within a secure boundary where computational power is limited thus it would be advantageous to perform such calculations outside the secure boundary, particularly where computational power is more readily available. This however cannot be done directly on the ECDSA signature scheme without potentially compromising the private key information. Therefore there exists a need for a method of performing at least part of a signature operation outside a secure boundary while still maintaining an existing level of security in current signature schemes.


The present invention keeps fluid temperature at a point in a flowing fluid system below a preset limit by providing automatic self-adjusting over-temperature protection that cools the fluid when needed and without requiring a separate cold fluid source. The present invention keeps the temperature of the fluid at a point in the system clipped at a cutoff temperature and prevents overcooling the fluid. When the fluid temperature is below the cutoff temperature, the temperature of the fluid is unchanged as it passes through the apparatus of the present invention. The present invention can operate without electrical power or any power source, can function in any orientation, and works for both unpressurized and pressurized systems. The present invention has application in the areas of solar thermal energy systems, fluid storage tanks, engine oil and coolant systems, transmission oil systems, hydraulic systems, and cutting oil systems, among others.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flowing fluid systems, both closed and open systems, in which the present invention prevents the fluid temperature from exceeding a predetermined set temperature at a point in the system, by cooling the flow in a controlled manner when required, to bring the fluid temperature down to the predetermined set-point temperature. Thus, overcooling is prevented. The present invention makes use of a thermostatic mixing valve in a completely new way to achieve this. One of the applications of the present invention is in the area of renewable energy, specifically solar thermal systems for water heating and space heating. Other applications include, but are not limited to, control of engine oil and coolant temperature, of transmission oil temperature, of hydraulic fluid temperature, of cutting oil temperature, and of storage tank fluid temperature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many solar thermal heating applications in non-drain-back systems suffer from overheating problems, including the loss-of-load problem and the over-supply problem. Both involve a mismatch in which the heat supply from the solar collector or collectors is greater than the heat load.
Many situations can cause a loss-of-load problem. A classic loss-of load solar-hot-water problem typically arises when a family goes on vacation in the summer without putting the solar system into vacation mode. With the storage tank at temperature, full of hot water, and no calls for hot water, the system can overheat because the solar collectors continue to add heat to the system which does not need it. Boiling and over-pressurization of the fluid in the solar collector usually follow, with accompanying damage to the system or to the fluid itself in the case of antifreeze solutions. This is an example of the loss-of-load problem.
Some solar thermal system designers opt to degrade the solar-hot-water-heating system performance to provide almost all of the hot water in summer and about half of the hot water needed in winter to avoid overheating in summer. They choose to under-size the system to avoid overheating on the hottest summer days when the solar collectors can be producing at their highest heat levels. If designers were to design a system with more solar collector area for more hot water in winter, the system could produce an over-supply of heat at times in the summer, thus potentially leading to boiling and over-pressurization of the fluid and accompanying damage as described above. This is an example of the over-supply problem.
Others have attempted to solve these problems in different ways. US Patent Number 20100059047 describes an automated over-temperature protection system that uses a pressure vessel near the outlet of the solar collector. Fluid is forced out of the solar collector and into a pressure vessel when the fluid in the solar collector boils. This protection system fails to prevent boiling before it starts. The allowed boiling can damage the system or fluid in the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,582 describes an automated solar collector temperature controller which opens dampers to the air space of the flat plat solar collector. This protection system works only for flat plate solar collectors, and compromises the thermal integrity of the solar collector with mechanical dampers which wear and eventually fail to close completely or properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,913,684 describes an automated protection system to remove vapor from a solar collector and indirectly cool it should fluid boiling occur in the solar collector in a pressurized solar thermal heating system. This system only addresses a loss of circulation, only works for a pressurized system, and by itself fails to prevent boiling. The patent adds dampers to the flat plate collector in the same fashion as the patent above. This damper system works only for flat plate solar collectors, and compromises the thermal integrity of the solar collector with mechanical dampers which wear and eventually fail to close completely or properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,325 describes an automated solar collector temperature control system which uses a thermosyphon, a valve and additional tubing integrated into the solar collector. This system is complex and expensive, and depends on small density differences in fluids to drive fluid flow and the cooling rate which can vary with the angle of piping and other factors, and hence can be unreliable.
Some solar thermal heating systems use heat dumps to shed excess heat. Typically, a heat dump can be a hot tub, a swimming pool, a slab of concrete with embedded hydronic tubing, a liquid-to-air heat dissipater, or other heat-dissipating device. Customary practice is to place a temperature-driven valve downstream of the outlet of the solar collectors, and to divert some or all of the flow through the heat dump. This method can overcool the fluid as there is no temperature feedback where the diverted flow returns to the system. This wastes energy, and can result in longer times to bring the storage tank up to temperature.
Some solar thermal heating systems use multiple sensors, electrically operated valves, electronic control systems, and heat dumps to limit fluid temperature. These systems are generally complex, expensive and difficult to service and to diagnose when troubles arise.
Some solar thermal heating systems use periodic heat dumping by hot water discharge to bring the temperature of storage tanks back down to within operating range. These systems risk allowing tank fluid temperatures to get too high, and waste water by discharging hot water down the drain and injecting cold water. Such systems are risky and wasteful of energy and water.
Solar thermal systems retrofit installations are infrequently done because of the expense and complexity of the installation. Much of the complexity and expense come from the lack of an available heat dump or the difficulty and expense of piping to a heat dump. When done, such retrofit installations typically are undersized to prevent problems such as boiling. Use of renewable energy in solar thermal systems is hampered by the complexity and expense of installation and is underutilized by undersizing.
Thermostatically controlled valves, both mixing valves and diverting valves, have been used in industrial applications for many years for fluid temperature control. For example, they are used in diesel-engine-based electric generators to control coolant temperature to and from the engine and lubricating oil temperature to and from the engine. These valves typically combine coolant pumped from the engine with coolant from an external heat dump, usually outside the building housing the engine. These valve arrangements do not provide in-line cooling, and require an external source of cooling.
Mixing valves are used in boiler-type heating systems for various purposes, including reducing the fluid temperature from the boiler going into a hydronic radiant floor. This system uses the return from the radiant floor as the source of colder fluid. Such a cold return is not available in a solar thermal system and many other fluid systems.
Mixing valves are also used on domestic hot water systems to reduce the risk of scalding should the water heater produce water hot enough to burn the skin. This system uses the cold water source to reduce the water temperature. Such a cold source cannot be used in a solar thermal system and many other fluid systems because the systems are closed.
Oil coolers for engines sometimes have a diverter valve where oil exits the engine and then heads to a heat dissipater circuit or back into the engine. This valve sends oil back into the engine when the valve inlet temperature is below a set value, but diverts the flow into a heat dissipater circuit when the valve inlet temperature is above the set value, before returning to the engine. This system cools the oil when it becomes too hot, but does not control the amount of cooling as flow is simply directed into a heat dissipater without regard as to the fluid temperature exiting the heat dissipater. This can result in overcooling the engine, especially in very cold climates.
Hydraulic systems need to operate within a small range of viscosity for proper operation and to avoid cutting short component life. This translates into maintaining the appropriate fluid temperature as viscosity is temperature dependent. Current systems simply have the operator watch for anomalous operation or watch temperature sensor gauges. When an over-temperature issue arises and is detected, it is usually too late, with the result being that some hydraulic component malfunctions or fails. Current systems fail to prevent or mitigate the over-temperature condition.
Cutting oils work best when they are at or below a predetermined temperature. Current cooling systems for machines that use these oils fail to limit temperature or maintain a constant oil temperature.
In addition, current fluid systems without electronic controls don't adjust to changing conditions such as ambient temperature, heat transfer rate from the heat dissipater, flow rate change from pump degradation, flow path blockage, or fluid temperature change. Adding expensive electronic controls adds to the complexity of fluid systems and extra, unnecessary expense.

Over-temperature protection for flowing fluid systems


A double sliding-plug door system includes a fixed frame, a sliding-plug rail arranged in the fixed frame, a cross beam, a driving mechanism, a linkage mechanism, a guide locking piece and a limiting mechanism. The driving mechanism has a screw rod and a motor driven nut assembly having a transmission frame, a nut sleeved in the screw rod and a follow-up member fixed in the nut; the nut mounted in the transmission frame, which itself is connected with an active sleeve assembly; the screw rod drives the nut assembly to reciprocate axially along the screw rod.

A double sliding-plug door system used currently, which is generally a motor-driven screw stem, drives a nut assembly disposed on the screw stem to reciprocate, thereby driving a door leaf connected with the nut assembly. Generally speaking, the double sliding-plug door system is mostly applied to the field of public transportation vehicle doors like rail transit, and buses, and also has locking and unlocking functions. The double sliding-plug door system, which is generally applied to the above-mentioned fields, locks the nut assembly by an electromagnetic lock, thereby realizing the function of locking the door. For this type of double sliding-plug door system, the electromagnetic lock must be energized at any time to ensure the door locking stability. If the electromagnetic lock is de-energized, there is a risk when the door is automatically unlocked. However, most of the structures of locking the door by a mechanical lock in the prior art have the problem of complicated structures. As a system mainly composed of mechanical structures, complicated structures will bring problems such as poor reliability, big dead weight, and difficulty in control, and will threaten the personal safe of passengers especially when being applied to public transportation.

NANJING KANGNI MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL CO., LTD.


Disclosed are a crystal form and a salt form of and a preparation method for a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Protein tyrosine kinases are a class of enzymes that catalytically transfers phosphate groups from ATPs to tyrosine residues located at a protein substrate, which play a role in normal cell growth. A variety of growth factor receptor proteins act via tyrosine kinases, affect signaling through this process, and in turn regulate cell growth, e.g., FGFR (Fibroblast growth factor receptor), VEGFR (Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor) and PDGFR (Platelet-derived growth factor receptor). However, under certain conditions, these receptors are either mutated or overexpressed, and become abnormal, thereby causing uncontrolled proliferation of cells, resulting in tumor growth, and finally leading to well-known diseases cancers. Growth factor receptor protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors inhibit the phosphorylation process, and act to treat cancers or other diseases characterized by uncontrolled or abnormal cell growth.
Uncontrolled angiogenesis is a mark of cancers. In 1971, Dr. Judah Folkman proposed that the tumor growth depended on angiogenesis (see, Folkman, New England Journal of Medicine, 285: 1182-86 (1971). In accordance with Dr. Folkman, tumors can merely grow to a certain size in absence of additional blood vessels to nourish the tumors. In its simplest statement, the proposals recites that once a tumor "lives (survives)", each increase in tumor cell population must be made by an increase in new capillaries that converge in the tumor. The "living (survival)" of tumor as currently understood refers to the vascular prophase of tumor growth, in which tumor cell population occupying cubic millimeters in volume and containing no more than millions of cells can survive on the existing host microvasculature.
It has indicated that tumors can be treated by inhibiting the angiogenesis, instead of the proliferation of tumor cells themselves. Angiogenesis has been associated with a large number of different types of cancers, including solid tumors and blood-borne tumors. The angiogenesis-associated solid tumors comprise, but are not limited to: rhabdosarcoma, retinoblastoma, Ewing's sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and osteosarcoma. Angiogenesis is associated with breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. Angiogenesis is also associated with blood-borne tumors, including any one of leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and various acute or chronic bone marrow neoplasms which involve unrestricted proliferation of white blood cells, and are generally accompanied with anemia, decreased blood coagulation, as well as enlargement of lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. It is also believed that angiogenesis plays a role in bone marrow disorders, which cause leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
Angiogenesis plays a primary role in cancer metastasis, and if the vasogenic activities can be inhibited or eliminated, tumors would not grow even though they are present. Under the state of disease, the prevention of angiogenesis can reduce damages caused by invasion of new microvasculature. Therapies for controlling vasogenic processes may lead to the elimination or alleviation of these diseases.
Of those, the study of inhibiting angiogenesis by FGFR (Fibroblast growth factor receptor), VEGFR (Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor) and PDGFR (Platelet-derived growth factor receptor) inhibitors tends to be mature.

Crystal form and salt form of and preparation method for tyrosine kinase inhibitor


In a terminal roaming steering method, a steering protocol supported by a terminal and a second AP are determined, and the terminal is steered, based on the steering protocol supported by the terminal, to roam from a first AP to the second AP.

In a wireless local area network (WLAN), an access point (AP) may actively steer a terminal based on a signal strength of the terminal and by using a steering protocol in a Wi-Fi standard to implement terminal roaming.
Currently, a steering process of the terminal roaming may be as follows: For any terminal associated with the AP, when the AP detects that a signal strength of the terminal is relatively low, the AP may use the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11v protocol and the de-authentication (deauth) protocol that are in the Wi-Fi standards, to attempt to steer the terminal to roam from the AP to a target AP. Specifically, the AP may first use the IEEE 802.11v protocol to attempt to steer the terminal to perform roaming. If the terminal roams from the AP to the target AP through this steering, to be specific, the terminal disconnects association with the AP and establishes association with the target AP, the terminal roaming succeeds, and the steering ends. If the terminal does not roam from the AP to the target AP through this steering, the steering fails. In this case, the AP uses the IEEE 802.11v protocol to steer the terminal to perform roaming again. If three times of roaming steering performed by using the IEEE 802.11v protocol all fail, the AP may further attempt to use the deauth protocol to steer the terminal to perform roaming again. Whether the steering succeeds or fails, the steering ends.
The IEEE 802.11v protocol and the deauth protocol are not necessarily steering protocols supported by the terminal. Therefore, a steering failure often occurs in the steering process of the terminal roaming, resulting in a low success rate of the terminal roaming.

Terminal roaming steering method and devices, and computer-readable storage medium


A bird guard having a body supporting outwardly extending projections for deterring birds and a pair of opposing elastically biased clamping ears for gripping onto a railing or cable. The use of body material and/or line hinges cast from elastic material are taught for biasing the clamping ears. An encasing apparatus is also taught using encasing ears. An adhesive strip is also taught for securing the encasing ears.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in bird guards. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements particularly suited for railings, cable, and boat covers using hand rails or support structures. In particular, the present invention relates specifically to a flexible c-shaped channel with projecting spikes.
2. Description of the Known Art
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, bird guards are known in various forms. Patents disclosing information relevant to bird guards include: U.S. Pat. No. 564,591, issued to Clune et al. on Jul. 28, 1896; U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,115, issued to Nyhus et al. on Jan. 9, 1968; U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,395, issued to Cogelia on Jun. 26, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,072, issued to Tweeddale on Jan. 5, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,896, issued to Fox, et al. on Mar. 28, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,335, issued to Richter on Oct. 22, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,029, issued to Donoho, et al. on Jul. 18, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,834, issued to Ritter on Jan. 28, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,524, issued to Costa, Sr. on Apr. 1, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,933, issued to Nelson, et al. on May 8, 2001; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,506, issued to Landers on Nov. 4, 2003. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
From these prior references it may be seen that these prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved bird guard is needed to overcome these limitations.


A decorative part for use in vehicle interiors. The decorative part includes a haptic layer that is at least partially transparent; and a light source configured to feed light into the haptic layer.

For the backlighting of decorative elements, US 2004/0017687 A1 describes a decorative element that is designed for use in vehicle interiors and that can be backlit. In order to render the decorative element capable of being backlit, the decorative surface is perforated by means of a laser. The perforated decorative layer is provided on the rear side with an insulation/foam layer, which has an opening at the location of the backlighting. An LED is provided in the opening.
The necessity of having to omit the insulation/foam layer in the region of the backlighting has the result that, in that location, the decorative element does not have the haptic properties sought with the insulation/foam layer.
High-quality haptics and the ability to be backlit are each properties which determine the value of decorative parts. Unfortunately, it has not hitherto been possible to be able to optimise those properties independently of one another. Uniform haptics along the decoration is in fact impaired by the provision of light sources on the rear side of the decorative layer.

Lining part for a vehicle having integrated light sources


A process for the selective hydrogenation of one or more alkyne and/or one or more diene in an olefin-containing hydrocarbon feed includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst under selective hydrogenation conditions, the catalyst including from about 0.01 to about 0.1 weight percent palladium and from about 0.005 to about 0.6 weight percent of at least one Group IB metal incorporated into an inorganic support, wherein the surface area of the support is from about 2 to about 20 m2/g, the pore volume is greater than about 0.4 cc/g, at least about 90% of the pore volume is contained in pores with pore diameters larger than about 500 Å, and the pore volume of the pores with a pore diameter from about 500 to about 1,000 Å comprise from about 1% to about 2% of the total pore volume.

The present invention relates to a process for the removal of alkynes and/or dienes from gas or liquid streams of olefin-containing hydrocarbons, e.g., those derived from steam cracking or refinery processes.
The manufacture of unsaturated hydrocarbons usually involves cracking various types of hydrocarbons and often produces a crude product containing hydrocarbon impurities that are more unsaturated than the desired product. These highly unsaturated hydrocarbon impurities are often very difficult to separate by fractionation from the desired olefin product. The most common example is ethylene manufacture, in which alkynes are common by-products. For example, the effluent from steam or thermal cracking processes for the production of ethylene typically contains, as unwanted impurities, significant amounts of acetylene and C3 to C6 diolefins and acetylenics. Acetylene is difficult to separate from ethylene by fractionation, and conversion by hydrogenation is usually accompanied by a substantial amount of ethylene conversion to ethane. In a similar way, hydrogenation of C3H4(methyl acetylene or allene), propadiene and butadiene results in the production of their olefin analogs, but also significant production of C3 and/or C4 paraffins as a result of over reaction. It has often been difficult industrially to remove such undesirable, highly unsaturated hydrocarbons by hydrogenation so that no significant hydrogenation of desired olefin hydrocarbon takes place.
Two general types of selective hydrogenation processes for removing undesired, unsaturated hydrocarbons have come into use. One, known as "front-end" hydrogenation, involves passing the crude gas in vapor phase from the initial cracking step, after removal of steam and condensable organic material, over a hydrogenation catalyst. This gas typically contains substantial quantities of hydrogen as a result of the cracking step. "Front End" is characterized as hydrogenation before hydrogen has been removed from the balance of the hydrocarbon gas. Despite the large hydrogen content of such gas, which is very greatly in excess of the amount necessary to hydrogenate the alkynes and, therefore, sufficient to hydrogenate a substantial part of the olefin present, operation with sufficient selectivity to produce olefins of polymerization quality is well established and catalyst lives of many years are obtained. In addition, there is a "front end" application involving a catalytic distillation unit and a vapor phase reactor system where the reaction occurs both in the vapor and liquid phases.
In the other type of selective hydrogenation, known as "tail-end" hydrogenation, the crude gas is fractionated and the resulting concentrated product streams are individually reacted with removed hydrogen in a slight excess over the quantity required for hydrogenation of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbons which are present. This process can occur in either the gas or liquid phase dependent upon the pressures utilized. By controlling the amount of hydrogen, the reaction selectivity to olefins can be maximized. However, this requires a multiplicity of reaction systems since following fractionation, there are individual streams of C2's (ethylene, ethane and acetylene), C3's (propylene, propane, methyl acetylene, and propadiene), C4's (butenes, butadiene, Ethyl acetylene, vinyl acetylene, and butanes), each requiring a reactor system. This results in increased capital and operating costs.

Process for the selective hydrogenation of alkynes and/or dienes in an olefin-containing hydrocarbon stream


A container that is convertible between a collapsed configuration and deployed configuration. The container includes a lower base assembly having sides, and an upper base assembly that is removably coupled to the lower base assembly. A plurality of removable supports are removably erected between the lower base assembly and the upper base assembly when the container is in the deployed configuration, and stowed between the lower base assembly and the upper base assembly when the container is in the collapsed configuration. The container may further include a plurality of sidewalls disposed between the supports and the upper and the lower base assemblies. The sidewalls may each be hingedly coupled to a respective side of the base assembly such that the sidewalls are deployable between the collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Containers may be used for a variety of purposes including storage and shipping. When the container is empty and not in use, however, the container may take up a significant amount of space in, for example, a warehouse. Moreover, an unused empty container is costly to transport due to the amount of space that it occupies, which may result in multiple trips to transport a plurality of the empty containers. Multiple trips may result in increased fuel costs needed to transport the containers.