A superalloy article has a nickel-based superalloy substrate containing TCP-phase forming elements such as rhenium, chromium, tantalum and tungsten. A carbide precipitate-containing region is formed within the substrate extending to a carbide depth below a surface of the substrate, preferably by depositing carbon on the surface of the substrate and diffusing the carbon into the substrate. An aluminum-rich diffusion layer extends from the surface of the substrate to an aluminide depth below the surface of the substrate. Preferably, the carbide depth is about the same as the aluminide depth. The presence of the carbide precipitates inhibits the formation of the deleterious TCP-phase.

This invention relates to nickel-based superalloys, and, more particularly, to such alloys that are coated with aluminide coatings to enhance their resistance to environmentally induced degradation.
In an aircraft gas turbine (jet) engine, air is drawn into the front of the engine, compressed by a compressor, and mixed with fuel. The compressed mixture is burned in a combustor, and the hot combustion gases flow through a turbine that turns the compressor. The hot gases then flow from the rear of the engine.
The turbine includes stationary turbine vanes that deflect the hot gas flow sideways, and turbine blades mounted on a turbine Wheel that turns as a result of the impingement of the hot gas stream. The turbine vanes and blades experience extreme conditions of high temperature, thermal cycling when the engine is turned on and off, oxidation, corrosion, and, in the case of the turbine blades, high stress and fatigue loadings. The higher the temperature of the hot combustion gas, the greater the efficiency of the engine. There is therefore an incentive to push the materials of the engine to ever-higher temperatures and loadings.
Nickel-based superalloys are widely used as the materials of construction of gas turbine blades and vanes. These superalloys contain primarily nickel, and a variety of alloying elements such as cobalt, chromium, tungsten, aluminum, tantalum, rhenium, hafnium, and others in varying amounts carefully selected to provide good mechanical properties and physical characteristics over the extremes of operating conditions experienced by the engine.
In designing alloys for use in turbine components, it has been observed that no single superalloy discovered to date has an optimal combination of good mechanical properties and good resistance to environmental damage such as oxidation and high-temperature corrosion. The primary approach that has evolved as a result of this observation is to utilize as the basic structure of the turbine blade or vane a superalloy having good mechanical properties, and to coat the superalloy with an environmentally resistant coating of another material to protect the blade or vane from oxidation and corrosion damage.
One type of coating is an aluminide coating. Aluminum is diffused into the surface of the nickel-based superalloy article to form a nickel-aluminide layer, which then oxidizes to form an aluminum oxide surface coating during treatment or in service. (Optionally, platinum may also be diffused into the surface. ) The aluminum oxide surface coating renders the coated article more resistant to oxidation and corrosion, desirably without impairing its mechanical properties. Aluminide coating of turbine blades and vanes is well known and widely practiced in the industry, and is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,415,672 and 3,540,878.
Recently it has been observed that, when some advanced nickel-based superalloys are coated with an aluminide coating and then exposed to service or simulated-service conditions, a secondary reaction zone (SRZ) forms in the underlying superalloy. This SRZ region is observed at a depth of from about 50 to about 250 micrometers (about 0.002-0.010 inches) below the original superalloy surface that has received the aluminide coating. The presence of the SRZ reduces the mechanical properties in the affected region, because the material in the SRZ appears to be brittle and weak.
The formation of the SRZ is a major problem in some types of turbine components, because there are cooling channels located about 750 micrometers (about 0.030 inches) below the surface of the article. Cooling air is forced through the channels during operation of the engine, to cool the structure. If the SRZ forms in the region between the surface and the cooling channel, it significantly weakens that region and can lead to reduced strength and fatigue resistance of the article.
To date, there has been proposed no approach for avoiding the formation of, or reducing the adverse effects of, the secondary reaction zone. There is a need for such a solution to the SRZ problem, in order to permit the affected superalloys to be used in gas turbine blades and vanes over extended service lives when the SRZ can form. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Substrate stabilization of diffusion aluminide coated nickel-based superalloys


Techniques for managing storage blocks involve: according to a first request for allocating a target number of consecutive storage blocks from a storage device, querying an index table that is used to record index information of a plurality of groups of consecutive idle storage blocks in the storage device to determine a first group of consecutive idle storage blocks from the plurality of groups of consecutive idle storage blocks; allocating the target number of consecutive storage blocks from the first group of consecutive idle storage blocks; updating a bitmap that is used to record states of a plurality of storage blocks in the storage device; and updating first index information of the first group of consecutive idle storage blocks recorded in the index table. Accordingly, such techniques may reduce storage complexity and improve system performance.

In a storage system, performance of metadata input/output (I/O) and user data I/O is critical to system performance. Generally, the mode of metadata I/O is more variable than that of user data I/O, because a size of metadata I/O is much smaller than a size of user data I/O, and metadata I/O is inconsecutive. In the storage system after long-term use, idle storage blocks on solid state drives (SSDs) or mechanical hard drives (HDDs) are often inconsecutive. How to efficiently find storage blocks or properly release storage blocks in processes of metadata I/O and user data I/O becomes a bottleneck that limits I/O performance of data in the storage system. Therefore, a solution for effectively managing storage blocks is needed.

Method, electronic device and computer program product for managing storage blocks


Mobile network services for a vehicle are provided via a computer processing device, and a digital communications module executable by the computer processing device. The digital communications module identifies a content channel selection for content presented on a device in the vehicle, continuously receives information indicating a location of the vehicle, and monitors signal strength of the content as the vehicle moves among location. Upon determining a threshold signal strength is reached, the digital communications module determines an action to be taken, and performs the action.

Many of today's automobiles come equipped with a number of value-added services and related devices. Onboard vehicle navigation and roadside service components are just some of the items offered to consumers. Additionally, infotainment systems that provide enhanced audio services (e.g., digital radio) and/or video (e.g., television content) are often provided to vehicle purchasers for an additional fee.
Infotainment services, such as digital radio and television provide entertainment to vehicle occupants and can be a valuable option on vehicles particularly during extended or routine trips. However, these features are oftentimes disrupted when network coverage in a particular area becomes sporadic.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a way to minimize disruptions of content provided for a vehicle that is en route to a destination.


A system and method for distributing signals throughout an integrated circuit (IC). The system comprises a transmitter unit and a plurality of receiver units. The transmitter unit combines a plurality of signals into a serial signal stream and couples the serial signal stream to a conductor for distribution to a plurality of destinations in the IC. There is a receiver unit at each of the plurality of destinations and connected to the conductor. Each receiver unit extracts one of the plurality of signals from the serial signal stream received on the conductor. The transmitter unit comprises a multiplexer circuit and a counter circuit and time multiplexes the plurality of signals to form a serial signal stream, wherein a signal is selected for a time slot based on a count value of the counter circuit. The counter signal is also supplied to each receiver unit, which uses the counter signal to determine when to latch a signal from the serial signal stream.

In IC devices, it is necessary to distribute signals from one area of the IC to another area. For example, in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) ICs, many fuse-triggered signals, and other direct current (DC) or near DC signals are distributed in the IC through a region of the IC called the "spine". IC design improvements that increase the performance or testability of an IC often increase rather than decrease the number of DC or test mode signals that must be routed through the spine. With increased IC complexity, more signals must be distributed and consequently spine layouts are becoming wire-constrained. However, if the spine height can be reduced, more ICs or chips can be formed on a wafer.
Many of the signals that are distributed in an IC do not change. For example, test mode signals change very infrequently. As a result, it is not necessary to have dedicated conductor wire traces for these signals that occupy critical space in the spine of the IC.
Techniques are needed to reduce the number of conductive traces required for distributing signals in an IC, thereby reducing wire congestion in the spine or other distribution region of an IC.

Distribution of signals throughout a spine of an integrated circuit


A bearing manufacturing method for a compressor is disclosed. Since an oxide-coated layer is formed at the surface of the bearing and electrolized in a tiomolybedenic acid ammonium aqueous solution so that the molybedene emulsion can be infiltrated in the fine pores of the oxide-coated layer. Accordingly, the abrasion resistance of the bearing can be increased while the friction coefficient is remarkably reduced, and thus, a reliability of the compressor and an energy efficiency can be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bearing manufacturing method for a compressor, and more particularly to a compressor bearing manufacturing method that is capable of improving a reliability of a compressor and improving an energy efficiency by increasing an abrasion resistance and reducing a friction coefficient.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, as shown in FIG. 1, a compressor includes a casing 6 to which a suction tube 2 for sucking a coolant and a discharge tube 4 for discharging a compressed coolant are respectively connected, a drive unit 8 being disposed at a lower side of the casing 6 and generating a driving force, a rotational shaft 14 being rotated upon receipt of a rotational force generated by the drive unit 8, and a compressing unit 16 for being connected to an upper side of the rotational shaft 14 and compressing fluid upon receipt of the rotational force of the rotational shaft 14.
The drive unit 8 includes a stator 10 fixed in the circumferential direction of the casing 6 and a rotor 12 being disposed at certain distance at an inner circumferential surface of the stator 10, being rotated by an interaction with the stator 10, and being connected to the rotational shaft 14.
The compressing unit 16 includes a fixed scroll 28 having fixed wings 26 in an involute shape and fixed at an upper side of the casing 6, and a revolving scroll 32 having revolving wings 30 disposed at a certain distance from their respective fixed wings 26 to form a compressed space therebetween.
An upper frame 18 is installed at an upper portion of the casing 6 to support the upper portion of the rotational shaft 14 and supporting the compression unit 16, and a lower frame 20 is installed at a lower portion of the casing 6 to support the lower portion of the rotational shaft 14.
An upper bearing 22 is inserted between the upper frame 18 and the rotational shaft 14 to rotatably support the upper side of the rotational shaft 14, and a lower bearing 24 is inserted between the lower frame 20 and the rotational shaft 14 to rotatably support the lower side of the rotational shaft 14.
The upper and the lower bearings 22 and 24 should have an abrasion resistance so as to be used at a high load and at a high speed for a long period of time and should minimize an energy loss when the rotational shaft is rotatably moved.
The conventional bearing is a bearing which forms a copper lead powder sintered layer or a bearing of a type that a teflon is coated on an aluminum alloy material, copper lead powder sintered layer or aluminum alloy material.
However, the conventional compressor bearing manufactured as described above has the following problems.
That is, though it can satisfy the performance required for a compressor which uses a coolant of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) group which is typically used as a coolant, if it uses a coolant of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) group, an environment-friendly coolant, a greater abrasion resistance and less friction coefficient are required than the case where the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) group coolant is used, resulting in that the compressor is not suitable to use the hydrate fluoride carbon (HFC).
In addition, in case that the bearing made by coating teflon on copper lead or an aluminum alloy is adopted to a compressor which uses the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) group coolant, since the thickness of the teflon coated layer is hardly precisely manufactured, it is impossible to process for improving an inner diameter form of the bearing or the illumination of the surface of the bearing, resulting in that a gap is created between the bearing and the rotational shaft, which inevitably causes a vibration and noise. Then, the friction amount is relatively increased and the performance of the compressor is considerably degraded.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bearing manufacturing method for a compressor that is capable of improving a reliability of a compressor and improving an energy efficiency by increasing an abrasion resistance and a friction coefficient for a compressor which uses a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) is used as a coolant according to the tendency of using an environment-friendly coolant.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a bearing manufacturing method for a compressor including the steps of: molding an exterior of a bearing by using an aluminum (Al) material; forming an oxide-coated layer on the surface of the bearing member after the exterior of the bearing is completed; and electrolizing the bearing in tiomolybdenic acid ammonium solution and infiltrating a molybedene emulsion into the oxide-coated layer of the bearing.
In the bearing manufacturing method for a compressor of the present invention, in the second step of forming the oxide-coated film, electrolyte solution such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and oxalic acid is set as a cathode and a material to be coated is set as an anode, to which electric current is provided to generate an oxide-coated layer on the surface of the material.
In the bearing manufacturing method for a compressor of the present invention, in the third step, the bearing with the oxide-coated film formed is electrolized in 0.01xcx9c0.1 wt % pure tiomolybdenic ammonium aqueous solution and hydrogen ion discharged from a barrier layer of the oxide-coated layer and molybdenesulfide ion dissociated from the tiomolybdenic acid ammonium aqueous solution are interacted in each fine pores, so that molybedene emulsion can be deposited in the pores.
In the bearing manufacturing method for a compressor of the present invention, in the third step, the oxide-coated film has the thickness of 0.01xcx9c0.03 mm.
The bearing manufacturing method for a compressor of the present invention further includes abrading a bearing contact face to improve the illumination of the surface of the bearing after infiltrating the molybedene emulsion.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bearing manufacturing method for compressor


A method for manufacturing a capacitor including forming an electrode with a top portion having relatively smaller width than its bottom portion. The method includes the steps of: forming a seed layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first insulating layer on the seed layer; forming an opening unit which has relatively larger width in a top portion than a bottom portion by selectively etching the first insulating layer and the seed layer; forming a second insulating layer on the seed layer which is exposed after forming the opening unit; removing the first insulating layer using an etching which uses a selective etching ratio between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer; after removing the first insulating layer, forming a bottom electrode on the exposed seed layer using an electro plating (EP) method; and removing the second insulating layer.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing semiconductor memory device; and, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a capacitor.
Recently, researches for adapting a BST [(Ba,Sr)TiO3] layer, which has a high dielectric constant as an insulating material for a capacitor for a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) of Giga level, have been proceeded.
Especially, a three-dimensional storage node or a concave structure capacitor has been used in a device having a cell size of below 0.10 xcexcm using the BST layer as an insulating material. At this time, materials such as Pt, Ru and Ir, etc., are used as electrodes. When carrying out an etching process using those materials as storage nodes, an etching profile is not better than an SiO2 layer, so it is difficult to adapt those materials to a cell size of below 0.10 xcexcm.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, a capacitor may be manufactured in a concave structure or manufactured by forming a bottom electrode using an electro plating (EP) method. The capacitors are used to store a data within DRAM that is a main memory of a computer, and especially, the capacitor of the present invention may be used in a DRAM that is over a Giga level.
FIGS. 1A to 1D are cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional method for manufacturing a capacitor.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a transistor manufacturing process is carried out on a semiconductor substrate 11. First, a word line (not shown) and a source/drain region 12 are formed on the semiconductor substrate 11. Then, a first SiO2 layer 13 and an Si3N4 layer 14 that are interlayer insulating layers are successively formed on the semiconductor substrate 11. In here, the Si3N4 layer 14 is an etching barrier layer for preventing an etching of the first SiO2 layer 13 when a dry etching process is applied to a seed layer 19 and an adhesion layer 18.
Next, a contact hole, which exposes a predetermined portion of the source/drain region 12, is formed by selectively etching the Si3N4 layer 14 and the first SiO2 layer 13. Subsequently, polysilicon is deposited on the resulting structure including in the contact hole. Then, a polysilicon plug 15 is formed in the contact hole using an etchback process so that the polysilicon plug 15 partly fills the contact hole.
A TiSi2 layer 16 is formed on the polysilicon plug 15 and a first TiN layer 17 is formed on the TiSi2 layer 16, and then the first TiN layer 17 and TiSi2 16 are completely filled into the contact hole using a CMP process. At this time, the TiSi2 layer 16 is formed in an interface between the polysilicon plug 15 and the TiN layer 17 after a predetermined thermal process through depositing the TiN layer 17.
A second TiN layer 18 and a Pt seed layer 19, which function as xe2x80x9cadhesive layers,xe2x80x9d are successively formed on the Si3N4 layer 14 including the first TiN layer 17. A second SiO2 layer 20 is formed on the Pt seed layer 19 as a capacitor oxide layer.
In here, the second TiN layer 18 is used to increase adhesiveness between the Si3N4 layer 14 and a bottom electrode. The Pt seed layer 19 is a seed layer to form a bottom electrode with the EP method and is formed using the physical vapor deposition (PVD) method.
A second SiO2 layer 20 is formed over the Pt seed layer 19 and selectively etched to expose a predetermined portion of the Pt seed layer 19 where a storage node region is formed.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a bias is applied to the Pt seed layer 19 and a Pt bottom electrode 21 is formed on the exposed Pt seed layer 19 using the EP method. Subsequently, the Pt electrode 21 is separated until a surface of the second SiO2 layer 20 is exposed using an etchback or a CMP method, and then the second SiO2 layer 20 is removed.
Referring to FIG. 1C, the Pt electrode 21 is completely separated from other Pt electrodes 21 by selectively etching the Pt seed layer 19 and the second TiN layer 18. At this time, a stacked layer of a Pt seed layer 19A and a second TiN layer 18A remain on the bottom portion of the Pt electrode 21. Further, the Pt electrode 21 has an overhang formation that has relatively larger width on its top portion than that on the bottom portion.
Referring to FIG. 1D, a BST layer 22 is deposited on a resulting structure including the Pt electrode 21 using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and a top electrode 23 is deposited using the CVD method.
In the above-mentioned conventional method, the second SiO2 layer 20, which is a capacitor oxide layer, is etched to form the Pt electrode 21 using an EP and the Pt electrode 21 is formed in the etched portion. At this time, an etching portion of the SiO2 layer 20 may not have a vertical etching profile of 90xc2x0, and the SiO2 layer 20 has an overhang formation so that a top portion of a bottom electrode is thicker than a bottom portion (Refer to FIG. 1C).
In case where the above-mentioned structure is adapted in a DRAM device, which is over a Giga level, if a serious overhang results even though a layer is formed by the CVD method, a bad topology is caused, and it may be impossible to have an enough space to deposit a dielectric layer or a top electrode.
Also, a seed layer is needed to form the Pt electrode 21 using the EP method. In other words, in a conventional method, the Pt electrode 21 is formed on a seed layer after the seed layer is deposited using the EP method and an etchback process is carried out to separate the Pt electrodes from each other. Further, the seed layer is separated.
However, if the seed layer is not completely removed during the etchback process, but remains within a residue formation, the Pt electrode 21 is re-deposited on the residue of the seed layer.
This results in the pt layer having bad film characteristics, which cause a problem in forming charges on both sides of the dielectric layer and have effect on characteristics and operations of a capacitor.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a capacitor capable of preventing residue in a seed layer and solving difficulty in obtaining a space for depositing a post insulating layer and a top electrode, being caused by an overhang in forming a bottom electrode which is formed through the electro plating (EP) method.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a capacitor including the steps of: A method for manufacturing a capacitor, comprising the steps of: forming a seed layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first insulating layer on the seed layer, the first insulating layer having a first etch property; forming a first opening unit by selectively etching the first insulating layer and the seed layer; forming a second insulating layer having a second etch property in the first opening unit; removing the first insulating layer using an etching which uses a selective etching ratio between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer so that the seed layer is exposed; forming a bottom electrode on the exposed seed layer using an electro plating (EP) method; and removing the second insulating layer.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a capacitor including the steps of: forming a first insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a contact hole by selectively etching the first insulating layer; filling the contact hole with a plug and a barrier layer over the plug; on the first insulating layer and the barrier layer, forming an adhesive layer, a seed layer and a second insulating layer having a first etch property, successively; forming an opening unit which has relatively small width in a bottom portion than a top portion by selectively etching the second insulating layer and the seed layer; forming a third insulating layer having a third etch property on the exposed seed layer; removing the second insulating layer using an etching which uses a selective etching ratio between the second insulating layer and the third insulating layer; forming a bottom electrode on the exposed seed layer using an electro plating method; removing the third insulating layer; and selectively forming a dielectric layer and a top electrode on the bottom electrode.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a capacitor including the steps of: forming a first insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate, the first insulating layer having a first etch property; forming a first opening unit in the first insulating layer so that the first opening has a first portion with a first width and a second portion with a second width relatively larger than the first width; depositing a second insulating material in the first opening, the second insulating material having a second etch property; forming a second opening unit using an etching process which uses a selective etch ratio between the first insulating and the second insulating layer; forming a bottom electrode in the second opening unit; and removing the second insulating material.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.


After formation of a semiconductor device on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) layer, a first dielectric layer is formed over a recessed top surface of a shallow trench isolation structure. A second dielectric layer that can be etched selective to the first dielectric layer is deposited over the first dielectric layer. A contact via hole for a device component located in or on a top semiconductor layer is formed by an etch. During the etch, the second dielectric layer is removed selective to the first dielectric layer, thereby limiting overetch into the first dielectric layer. Due to the etch selectivity, a sufficient amount of the first dielectric layer is present between the bottom of the contact via hole and a bottom semiconductor layer, thus providing electrical isolation for the ETSOI device from the bottom semiconductor layer.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures, and particularly to a borderless contact structure for extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) devices and methods of manufacturing the same.
Extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) devices refer to semiconductor devices formed on an extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) substrate. A typical ETSOI substrate has a top semiconductor layer, which is also referred to as an extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) layer, having a thickness from 5 nm to 50 nm. A buried insulator layer provided underneath the top semiconductor layer has a thickness from 10 nm to 100 nm. An ETSOI substrate can be employed to form various semiconductor devices that derive performance advantage through the reduced thickness of the top semiconductor layer and/or the reduced thickness of the buried insulator layer compared with normal semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.
For example, the reduction in the thickness of the top semiconductor layer provides full depletion of the channel, thereby enhancing the electrical control of the channel by the gate electrode and reducing the leakage current in a field effect transistor. Further, the reduction in the thickness of the buried insulator layer can enhance control by a back gate electrode in back-gated field effect transistors.
While ETSOI devices, and especially ETSOI field effect transistors (FETs), are promising candidates for advanced high performance devices, several manufacturing issues need to be resolved before ETSOI devices can be manufactured with high yield. One such issue is formation of divots around and/or over shallow trench isolation structures that are employed to provide lateral electrical isolation between adjacent devices. Specifically, etch steps and/or cleaning steps are repeatedly employed to recess various material layers and/or to clean surfaces before further processing. Divots are formed around shallow trench isolation structures during such etch steps and/or cleaning steps. For example, silicon oxide-based shallow trench isolation structures are susceptible to HF-based etches that can be employed to preclean semiconductor surfaces before epitaxy or formation of a gate dielectric.
Divots formed during such etch steps and/or cleaning steps can extend to a bottom semiconductor layer located underneath the buried insulator layer. The divots can be filled with a conductive material during formation of contact via structures, and a direct electrical short can be formed to the bottom semiconductor layer by the conductive material that is deposited in the divots as an extension of the contact via structures. Even if a direct electrical short is avoided, a conductive material deposited in divots can lead to an unacceptable level of leakage current between a portion of the bottom semiconductor layer and an electrical node that should be electrically isolated from the bottom semiconductor layer.

Borderless contact for ultra-thin body devices

International Business Machines Corporation


A polarization mode dispersion (PMD) controller device for controlling the state of polarization of an optical light wave comprising a dispersion compensation unit (2; 25; 40) and an adaptation control unit (6; 28; 44), wherein the dispersion compensation unit (2; 25; 40) comprises a multitude of compensation stages processing the optical light wave, and wherein the adaptation control unit (6; 28; 44) controls the dispersion compensation unit (2; 25; 40) is characterized in that at least one feed-forward signal tap (4; 26a-26c, 73a-73c) is provided tapping the optical light wave inserted into one of the compensation stages, that the feed-forward signal(s) is(are) fed into a distortion analyzer unit (5; 27; 66) and that the distortion analyzer unit (5; 27; 66) provides the adaptation control unit (6; 28; 44) with information about the incoming optical light wave. It accelerates the adaptation speed and lowers the costs of a high-speed PMD controller device.

The invention is based on a priority application EP 02 360 332.7 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) controller device for controlling the state of polarization of an optical light wave, in particular in a terabit optical network, comprising a dispersion compensation unit and an adaptation control unit, wherein the dispersion compensation unit is fed with an incoming optical light wave, wherein the dispersion compensation unit comprises a multitude of compensation stages processing the optical light wave, wherein the dispersion compensation unit provides an equalized optical light wave, and wherein the adaptation control unit controls the dispersion compensation unit.
A device of this kind has been disclosed in F. Buchali et al., OFC 2002, Anaheim (Calif.), Proc. WE6.
For transporting information, in particular digital information, in large amounts and over long distances, optical information networks can be applied. The information to be transported is modulated onto optical signals such as light waves, and the modulated light waves are sent through an optical waveguide. The length of such a waveguide may be on the order of tens or even hundreds of kilometers.
When travelling through an optical waveguide, such as a glass fiber, the light wave changes its properties. In particular, the polarization of the optical light wave drifts during propagation, in particular as a function of frequency. The degree of polarization drift is varying over time, e.g. because of a changing temperature of the waveguide. This might lead to changing temporal broadening of the modulated bit pulses which results in a degradation of the detected signal, i.e. in a degraded bit error ratio. In order to recover the information carried by the optical light wave, the light wave is processed in a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) controller device which compensates for the polarization drift. Only after this processing, the equalized optical light wave can be fed into a detector device for recovering the information.
PMD controller devices of the state of the art comprise a dispersion compensation unit, a feedback signal tap and an adaptation control unit. The incoming optical light wave is fed into the dispersion compensation unit, is processed applying a multitude of tunable compensation units, typically comprising phase shifters, and exits the dispersion compensation unit as an altered optical light wave. The altered signal is tapped with the feedback signal tap and analyzed in the adaptation control unit (or in a separate feedback signal analyzer connected to the adaptation control unit). The adaptation control unit controls the tunable phase shifters. In order to optimize the altered signal, the control parameter of each phase shifter is dithered, and depending on the change of the quality of the feedback signal, the control parameter is adapted correspondingly.

Polarization mode dispersion controller device and method for its operation


A fastening device for an electric cable is provided with an outer casing (15) in which on one side a nut (12) can be screwed, by means of which at least one clamping ring (20) pressing against the outer insulation of the cable (11) can be arranged adjustably. The clamping ring (20) is provided with a number of segments (22) connected to one another and respectively moveable approximately radially, which each have on their inner surface at least one projection (24). The respective projection (24) is formed such that the latter is pressed in when the nut (12) is screwed into the outer insulation of the cable (11). A consistently long service life and also inexpensive production of this type of fastening device is thus made possible.

These fastening devices are used, for example, with electrical connections of cables for solar cells. The plug connectors required to connect the solar cell modules are subjected over a long period of time to atmospheric conditions, and so both to large temperature changes and to humidity. Nevertheless, they must constantly convey the electric currents largely without loss.
With a known device for photovoltaic installations a sealing and clamping means is formed which has a hard ring pressing against a cable insulation in order to relieve stress, onto which a more elastic sealing element is moulded.
From DE-OS 21 33 814 a liquid-tight, tension-free connector is known with which a conductor clamping device has segments which are connected to one another by undulating bars so as to enable the segments to tighten around the conductor while the connector is assembled, and to move away from the conductor when the connector is taken apart.
Not only is it expensive to produce these clamping devices, but it is also necessary to adapt the stress relief and sealing means separately to every cable diameter. This additionally increases production costs due to the necessity for a more complex supply inventory.


An animal restraint is disclosed for mitigating collar trauma to critical neck structures of an animal. The animal restraint includes a track housing defining an exterior surface and an interior surface. A plurality of loops are positioned on the exterior surface of the track housing. A strap is threaded through the loops, and is adapted to slide around the exterior surface of the track housing from a pulling force on the animal restraint. The strap includes a leash attachment ring adapted for attachment to a leash. Impact resistant padding is attached to the interior surface of the track housing, and the sliding movement of the strap maintains a proper positioning of the impact resistant padding over corresponding anatomical neck structures of an animal.

Several types of animal restraints exist, some of which include collars and harnesses. Restraints are used for many purposes, and are sometimes even required by law to be used when pet animals such as dogs are in public places.
Animal restraints, such as collars and harnesses, are commonly used when a human owner walks a dog. A leash, cable, tether, or chain that can be held by the human owner is typically connected to the restraint. The restraint allows the human owner to maintain control over the dog such as to prevent the dog from running away, to prevent the dog from engaging other animals, or to prevent injury to the dog from running into a moving object such as a vehicle moving in traffic.
Additionally, most municipalities have laws restricting free roaming of dogs. Therefore, in addition to walking an animal on a leash, it is common practice to tether the animal to a stationary object, such as a house or yard stake. In such scenarios, the restraint can be attached to a leash or chain, and the leash or chain can then be attached to a stationary object in order to constrain the animal to a designated area.
Many animal restraints include a strap that goes around, or partially around, the animal's neck. Because of this, the restraint has the potential to harm important anatomical structures in the neck. For example, when a dog pulls against the restraint, the force is transferred through the strap along the neck and into the tracheal region of the dog's throat. Even a mild leash pull is enough force to cause harm or trauma to the dog. Such harm can include irreversible damage to the delicate structures in the neck including, but not limited to, tracheal collapse, thyroid glandular damage, glaucoma, and/or cervical spine trauma.
Also, most animal restraints include a fastening point such as a ring or loop for connecting a leash. Several problems are caused by the fact that the fastening point is connected to the restraint at a fixed location. For example, if the dog pulls on the leash, the force tends to make the restraint rotate around the dog's neck or body. Also, most dogs, unless well trained, will naturally pull against a leash when the animal feels resistance from the leash. Therefore, when the dog pulls on the leash, it can cause the dog to lean unnaturally to counteract the resistance from the leash in order to maintain balance. Over time this unnatural gait can cause injury such as arthritis, and overuse syndromes or inflammation of joint capsules, tendons, ligaments, and/or muscles.
Therefore, improvements are needed to improve the safety of animal restraints to minimize and/or prevent collar trauma to critical neck structures of an animal as well as to prevent an unbalanced or misaligned gait.


A method and a device for detecting the state of a driver are described. In the process, the curve of a signal which characterizes the state of the driver is evaluated, and a signal indicating the state of the driver is generated in response to a typical curve.

German patent document DE 102 10 130 A1 discusses a method and a device for warning a driver, in which a degree of driver attention or driver inattention is taken into consideration. This degree of attention, i.e. the state of the driver, is derived from the steering angle, especially from the change in the steering angle, for instance, of the gradient and/or the frequency of the angle changes and/or the spacing of successive steering angle changes. In addition, further influence variables for detecting the driver state are described, such as the gas pedal position and its change.
German patent document DE 102 38 324 A1 discusses a procedure for driver state detection, in which steering angle data and data of a track detection are taken into consideration. A decreased driver attention is discussed, with the aid of the monitoring of the steering wheel angle compared to a specified limiting angle, by monitoring the rotary speed at which the driver turns the steering wheel, and the monitoring of the distance of the vehicle from the lane sidelines compared to a specified limiting value. Furthermore, the frequency and the duration of states of rest of the driver, in which he undertakes no steering intervention, is also taken into consideration.

Method and device for driver state detection


A device for exciting seismic vibrations includes a hydraulic cylinder comprising first and second caps; a partition configured to divide the cylinder into first and second chambers; a rod and piston assembly configured to move in the first chamber; an actuator connected to a rod of the assembly; a first plate connected to the assembly and configured to move in the second chamber; a waveguide configured to move in the second chamber; and a second plate connected to the waveguide. The assembly comprises an axial through channel in a body of the assembly. The actuator is configured to move the rod of the assembly in the through channel between first and second positions. In the first position, a first flow is prevented between first and second sides of the first plate. In the second position, the first flow is allowed between the first and second sides of the first plate.

1. Field
The proposed device relates to the field of seismic prospecting of mineral deposits, more precisely, the excitation of seismic waves in the ground when conducting seismic exploratory work.
2. Description of Related Art
A device is known for exciting seismic vibrations (see Shneyerson, M. B. et al., Nazemnaya seysmorazvedka dlya vozbuzhdeniya seysmicheskikh kolebaniy (Land-based seismic prospecting with nonexplosive vibration sources), M: Nedra, p. 85), including a bushing with rod situated in a central channel of a piston, forming with the bushing a working chamber and a damping cavity. The pressure impulse in the working chamber of the device is formed by discharging into it a portion of air compressed to a pressure of 15.0 to 16.0 MPa. As a result, the air pressure in the working chamber is instantaneously raised from 0 to 3.5-4.0 MPa. The bushing in this process acts on the ground, generating a seismic wave in it, while the piston rebounds upward. The drawback of this device is the substantial operating expenses related to the use of a low-efficiency and costly high-pressure compressor to form the working agent, compressed air, which is entirely released into the atmosphere after producing the force pulse.
These drawbacks are eliminated in the device for exciting seismic vibrations (see inventor's certificate SU No. 1728820 A1 23 Apr. 1992), which can be considered as the prior art. The device includes a rod and piston assembly, and a plate fastened to its lower end, wherein an axial through channel is made in the body of the rod and piston assembly, while the piston of the rod and piston assembly is placed in the body of a hydraulic cylinder equipped with an upper cap and separated from a lower pneumatic chamber in which the plate is situated by a partition; the plate is able to interact by its lower end, forming a pneumatic gripping device, with the upper end of a stepped cylindrical waveguide, whose upper step of larger diameter is located in the pneumatic chamber, while the lower step outfitted with a working plate at its lower end forms a damping cavity with the lower cap of the pneumatic chamber.
The drawback of this device for exciting seismic vibrations is the substantial length of the interval of time from the sending of the electrical signal to unseal the pneumatic gripping device until the time of dynamic action on the ground. This interval is not sufficiently stable to ensure a synchronized operation and it does not allow an operation with a group of seismic vibration sources and signal build-up. This, in turn, substantially lowers the working effectiveness and prevents the use of this device to study cross sections at the required depths. The great length of the above-indicated interval of time is explained by the fact that a portion of compressed air delivered by valve from the pneumatic system of the device is used here for unsealing of the pneumatic gripping device (pneumatic lock). But the length and volume of the air supply channel to the pneumatic lock (including the length of the axial through channel in the body of the rod and piston assembly) are large and their filling with compressed air from the pneumatic system is extremely long.


A miniaturized high-speed modulated X-ray source (MXS) device and a method for rapidly and arbitrarily varying with time the output X-ray photon intensities and energies. The MXS device includes an ultraviolet emitter that emits ultraviolet light, a photocathode operably coupled to the ultraviolet light-emitting diode that emits electrons, an electron multiplier operably coupled to the photocathode that multiplies incident electrons, and an anode operably coupled to the electron multiplier that is configured to produce X-rays. The method for modulating MXS includes modulating an intensity of an ultraviolet emitter to emit ultraviolet light, generating electrons in response to the ultraviolet light, multiplying the electrons to become more electrons, and producing X-rays by an anode that includes a target material configured to produce X-rays in response to impact of the more electrons.

The wavelength of light is related to its energy: the shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency, and the higher the energy. X-ray radiation generally corresponds to wavelengths in the range 0.01 to 10 nanometers and energies in the range of 120 electron-volts (eV) to 120 keV.
X-rays are valued in medical imaging for their ability to penetrate soft tissue, and in materials science applications because they reveal physical (e.g., crystal) properties through diffraction and chemical composition through characteristic spectral (fluorescence) lines. X-ray wavelength or energy is typically adjusted to suit particular applications (e.g., a particular medical imaging technique on a particular type of tissue), but additional control capability is often desirable. For example, X-ray radiation used in medical imaging is classified as a carcinogen by both the World Health Organization and the U.S. government. Deleterious physical effects on tissue are proportional to the X-ray energy and exposure time. High-precision dose control through time-variation of the X-ray emitter is thus highly desirable to realize diagnostic or therapeutic outcomes while minimizing unintended side effects.
A calibrated X-ray detector is needed to measure the energies of X-rays; such spectroscopy is relevant to materials science and space (e.g., X-ray astronomy) applications. Most present methods of in-flight X-ray detector calibration use radioactive sources to generate X-rays of known energy. However, this calibration method greatly reduces the sensitivity of the X-ray detector because X-rays constantly produced by the radioactive source become a source of background "noise" that hinders the detection of cosmic X-rays. What is needed is a modulated X-ray source (MXS) that allows an X-ray detector to both remain properly calibrated and retain its sensitivity by producing X-rays only at pre-determined intervals and at a controllable rate.
Prior state-of-the-art MXS systems could generally vary their output intensity only on timescales of seconds in the ease of hot filament X-ray sources. There are also femtosecond X-ray pulsers, but they cannot produce output X-ray flux with arbitrary waveforms because the lasers that drive those sources have minimum pulse recovery and recycling times, and cannot arbitrarily and continuously vary the output intensity. Moreover, the output X-ray flux of most prior MXS technologies has been too small to be useful for many applications, while their size and input power needs have been too large to allow portability, again limiting their potential applications. Meanwhile, the cost to manufacture them is high.
Photoelectric X-ray sources have been proposed in the past for limited applications typically not involving high flux, rugged portability, or the need for arbitrary intensity variation. Previous photoelectrically driven X-ray sources typically use high-efficiency photocathodes, which are extremely unstable and cease to function after exposure to minimal quantities of oxygen. In addition, these high-efficiency photocathodes have considerable "dark current" (electron emission even in the absence of stimulating light), which would produce unwanted X-rays during "off" times.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an X-ray source device that addresses at least some of the problems identified above.

Miniaturized high-speed modulated X-ray source

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


When a closing coil is excited with a charged capacitor by closing a switch to drive a movable core and to close a vacuum valve not shown, if switches are opened, no current flows even when a voltage is electromagnetically induced in a coil from the coil, and no power loss occurs. If a switch is closed before opening the switch, when the switch is opened, the current flowing through the coil commutates to a series circuit comprising a resistor, whereby a voltage generated in the coil can be suppressed. When the opening coil is excited with a capacitor by closing a switch to drive the movable core in the opposite direction to open the vacuum valve, if the switches are opened, no current flows even when a voltage is electromagnetically induced in the coil from the coil, and no power loss occurs.

According to a conventional drive circuit for an electromagnetic manipulation mechanism to open and close a vacuum valve of a vacuum circuit breaker, for example, electric current is passed through a closing coil and an opening coil which are provided on both ends of a rod-shaped movable core having a rectangular cross section, whereby the movable core is reciprocated to open and close switching contacts of the vacuum valve coupled to the movable core. The closing coil is connected via a discharge switch to a capacitor that has been charged, and when the discharge switch is closed, the main switching contacts are closed. When the contacts have been closed, the discharge switch is opened to interrupt the electric current flowing through the closing coil. In order to suppress a surge voltage generated at this time, a diode is connected to the closing coil in parallel. That is, when the electric current flowing through the closing coil is interrupted after circuit-making has been completed, i.e., after the main switching contacts have been closed, the electric current flowing through the closing coil is made to flow in a loop circuit composed of the closing coil and the diode (see Patent Literature 1, for example).

Drive circuit for electromagnetic manipulation mechanism


A vascular catheter system comprises an outer flexible tube, an inner flexible tube disposed in the lumen of the outer flexible tube, and an expandable body mounted at the distal end of the third flexible tube disposed in the lumen of the inner flexible tube. The catheter system is suitable for percutaneous introduction to a blood vessel where the distal end may be located proximate a region of clot or thrombus. By extending the expandable body through the region of clot or thrombus, the obstructing material may be dislodged from the blood vessel wall and drawn toward the open distal end of the inner tube. The inner tube includes an expandable tip which will open to extend substantially across the blood vessel. In this way, the expandable tip will be positioned to collect all of the dislodged clot and thrombus. By withdrawing both the inner tube and the expandable body back into the outer flexible tube, the catheter system may be withdrawn from the patient without appreciable loss of the clot or thrombus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for removing thrombus and clot from blood vessels. More particularly, the invention relates to a percutaneous technique where clot and thrombus are dislodged from the blood vessel and collected in the distal end of an intravascular catheter.
Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death and disability throughout the world. Atherosclerosis is caused by the deposit of fatty substances on the interior wall of a blood vessel, where it is referred to as atheroma or plaque. Such atheromas are found in the peripheral circulatory system as well as the coronary arteries where they can cause severe occlusion of the arterial lumen. Further occluding the blood vessels, clot and thrombus result from platelet aggregation on the irregular surfaces of the lumens caused by the atheroma and plaque. Occluded blood vessels can cause a variety of clinical manifestations, including myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina pectoris, stroke, intermittent claudication, and gangrene. When the blockage of blood flow becomes sufficiently serious, it is necessary to intervene and recanalyze the blood vessel.
Numerous techniques are employed for such recanalization. One of the most common surgical techniques is referred to as embolectomy, where a blood vessel is entered through a surgical incision and a device introduced to the blood vessel for removing the clot and thrombus. Most commonly, a balloon-tipped device (such as the Fogarty catheter) is introduced through a surgical incision and advanced to the location of the occlusion. The balloon is then inflated at a point beyond the clot and used to translate the obstructing material back to the point of incision. The obstructing material can then be removed by the surgeon. While such surgical techniques have been of enormous value, the need to expose a patient to surgery is always traumatic and best avoided when possible.
A variety of percutaneous methods are also utilized for recanalization of blood vessels. The most common of such techniques is referred to as balloon angioplasty, where a balloon-tipped catheter is non-surgically introduced to a blood vessel, typically through an introducing catheter. The balloon-tipped catheter is then advanced to the point of stenosis and inflated in order to dilate the blockage. Balloon angioplasty, thus, does not actually remove stenotic material from the blood vessel, but rather compresses it outwardly in order to increase the available lumen size in the blood vessel. Balloon angioplasty has also been of great value in treating atherosclerosis, but suffers from its own disadvantages. Foremost among these, regions of atheroma and plaque which have been dilated are often subject to rapid restenosis. Even more problematic, the material which has been compressed against the wall of a blood vessel will sometimes dislodge and cause an abrupt closure of the lumen. The latter event can be catastrophic. Thus, balloon angioplasty is indicated only in certain circumstances and is not always successful even when indicated.
Other percutaneous recanalization techniques have also been proposed. Laser angioplasty involves the use of laser energy to oblate stenosis within the blood vessel. Although laser angioplasty has the advantage that the stenotic material is vaporized and not available for restenosis, most laser techniques are limited in their ability to open broad passages within the blood vessels. Indeed, they are frequently used only as a preliminary treatment modality to open a blood vessel sufficiently to allow subsequent balloon angioplasty. Additionally, laser angioplasty, if not properly controlled, can penetrate a blood vessel wall leading to catastrophic results.
A third percutaneous approach has been the use of open-ended catheters to perform aspiration thromboembolectomy. Although relatively safe, the use of negative pressure to collect thrombus is successful only with relatively soft thrombus. In order to improve such aspiration techniques, it has been proposed to use various front-end cutting catheters where a rotating blade is advanced to sever thrombus which is thereafter collected by vacuum in the front end of a catheter. Such improvements enhance the effectiveness of the technique, but increase the danger of vessel penetration by an errant cutting blade.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved methods for removing clot and thrombus from the interior of blood vessels by percutaneous techniques. In particular, such techniques should provide for effective removal of recalcitrant obstructions with little or no likelihood of traumatizing the blood vessel.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Embolectomy catheters comprising a flexible catheter body having an inflatable balloon at their distal end are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,435,826; 4,561,439; 4,734,093; and 4,762,130. Such embolectomy catheters are generally surgically introduced so that clot and thrombus may be translated to an incision in the blood vessel from where they can be removed. Embolectomy catheters having wire coils at their distal end are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,706,671, and 4,650,466. The catheter in the '671 patent may be introduced to a blood vessel in a collapsed condition through a needle to remove thrombus. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,636,195; 4,610,662; and 4,573,966 describe vascular catheters which carry axially spaced-apart balloons at their forward ends. The balloons may be inflated to isolate a region in a blood vessel to allow localized introduction of thrombolytic agents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,052, describes a forward cutting catheter which may include a distal balloon (FIG. 9) to prevent release of emboli. Other forward cutting catheters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,664,112 and 3,732,858. Percutaneous aspiration thromboembolectomy involves the removal of thrombus by aspiration into an open distal end of a catheter. The procedure is described in Starck et al. (1985) Radiology 156:61-66. U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,763, describes a front-end cutting catheter having a tubular auger bit which extends from the distal end of an outer catheter tube. U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,154, describes a front end cutting catheter where a tubular blade is advanced through thrombus over a guidewire having a helical coil thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,319, describes a front-end cutting catheter which mates with a distally located strainer cup and seal to prevent the release of emboli. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 128,770 (naming applicant herein as the sole inventor) describes a vascular catheter having a strainer at its distal end. The strainer is an expandable structure which utilizes a coaxial sheath for contraction. The strainer is intended to be disposed downstream of various angioplastic techniques to capture released emboli.


An ATM interface device (SS) that is connected via a first data bus (SAR_DAT) to a first ATM device (SAR) controlling a data transfer and via a second data bus (ATM_TDAT, ATM_RDAT) to a second ATM device (MUX) [sic] controlled by a data transfer is provided for a data transmission. The ATM interface device (SS) comprises a control module (CC) and two FIFO memories (T_FIFO, R_FIFO) for intermediate storage of data to be communicated.

The significance of transmission and switching technologies for high data transmission rates (greater than 100 Mbit/s) is increasing due to the increasing need for a transmission of video information in modern communications technology such as, for example, still and moving images in picture telephony applications or the display of high-resolution graphics at modem personal computers. The asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is a known data transmission method for high data rates. A data transmission on the basis of the asynchronous transfer mode currently enables a variable transmission bit rate of up to 622 Mbit/s.
Known switching equipment, including those on the basis of the asynchronous transfer mode, are usually modularly constructed. A plurality of assemblies that, for example, realize an interface for the connection of subscriber lines, a central controller or a through-connection means can thereby usually be plugged onto a central plug assembly shared by all assemblies, what are referred to as a backplane, and are connected to one another thereover. The modularity of the switching equipment that is thereby achieved enables, among other things, an easy adaptation of a switching equipment to different configurations as well as a simplified error analysis when performing service [sic].
The data sheet xe2x80x9cMPC860SARxe2x80x94Functional Design Specificationxe2x80x9d, Motorola, 6/97 discloses a control module MPC860SAR that comprises an 8-bit wide, bidirectional ATM-specific bus interface (UTOPIA interface: Universal Test and Operations PHY Interface for ATM), for example for a connection of an assembly to an ATM switching equipment. The known control module controls a data transfer that can be realized via a connectable data bus, i.e. this control module is a xe2x80x9cmasterxe2x80x9d module for the 8-bit wide data bus that can be connected to it.
The data sheet xe2x80x9cICs for Communicationxe2x80x94PBX 4240xe2x80x9d, Siemens AG, 10/96, Order No. T4240-XV12-P1-7600, discloses a control module PXB 4240 that comprises two 8-bit wide, unidirectional ATM-specific bus interfaces (UTOPIA interfaces) and an STM-1 interface (Synchronous Transfer Mode with a transmission bit rate of 155 Mbit/s), for example for a connection of an optical fiber line. A conversion of an ATM data stream onto an STM data stream and vice versa can be realized with this module. This control module is thereby controlled by a data transfer implemented via one of the 8-bit wide data busses (UTOPIA interface), i.e. this control module is a xe2x80x9cslavexe2x80x9d module for the 8-bit wide data busses connectable to it.
EP 0 492 440 A1 discloses an ATM interface device via which a data communication between two ATM devices is realized upon intermediate storage of the communicated data in an FIFO memory (First In First Out). An inscription or, respectively, readout of data from the FIFO memory ensues with an activation of the FIFO memory by a read or, respectively, write signal sent from an ATM device.
The present invention is based on the object of specifying a method and an arrangement for a data transmission between a first ATM device configured as xe2x80x9cmasterxe2x80x9d and a second ATM device configured as xe2x80x9cslavexe2x80x9d with which differing data processing capacities of the first and of the second ATM device are compensated.
This object is inventively achieved with the features of patent claim 1 and 2 or, respectively, 7.
A time decoupling of the first data bus from the second data bus is realized by an interposition of an ATM interface device that is connected via a first data bus to the first ATM device and via a second data bus to the second ATM device, so that the first and the second data bus can be operated with a separate clock rate different from one another.
Fluctuations in the data transmission rate, which are particularly caused by the ATM communication technology, can be compensated by an intermediate storage of data to be communicated between the first and the second ATM device.
A further advantage of the invention is comprised therein that the ATM interface device can be realized both with a minimal HW outlay as well as with a simple software for the control of the data transfer.

Device and method for controlling a data transmission operation between a first ATM device and a second ATM device


A semiconductor component that is suitable for wafer level packaging contains a plurality of contact elements that are elevated relative to a main body of the semiconductor component. Some of the contact elements are needed only for purposes of testing on the wafer level and should not be subsequently accessible from outside. For this purpose, the semiconductor component contains an insulating layer that covers the elevated contact elements that are provided for testing purposes but leaves the remaining contact elements uncovered. In this way, inadvertent activating of test functions on the chip is effectively prevented by simple measures, for instance by inserting only one additional fabrication step.

In chip fabrication a plurality of integrated circuits are typically produced on one wafer and separated (singled) in a later step. A semiconductor disk that is produced and to be singled is referred to as a die.
The functionality of the semiconductor circuits that are integrated on the individual dies is usually checked prior to further processing (packaging) owing to the numerous parameters that fluctuate in semiconductor fabrication, which can influence component tolerances and so on, and owing to other stochastic influences. Only the semiconductor dies that correspond to the specified requirements are surrounded with a housing, for instance in TSOP or micro-PGA form. Only the pads on the semiconductor die that are intended to be available in normal operation are connected through to the outside, for instance by spider contacting. In contrast, the pads that are only needed for the above-mentioned testing steps are not connected through to the outside and are consequently protected against unintended contacting.
In modern packaging methods such as wafer level packaging (WLP), it is problematic that the pads on the semiconductor die that are needed for testing must be available for testing on the wafer level, that is to say prior to the singling of the silicon wafers, because the packaging still has to take place on the wafer level before the testing. In such methods, the packaging is first handled by attaching rewiring planes and connecting legs, for instance in the form of solder balls, on the silicon wafer, and then the functionality is tested on the wafer level. Accordingly, the terminal contacts that are needed for testing must be led to the outside and are thus exposed, without protection, to the risk of an unintended contacting even after the semiconductor dies are singled.
It is desirable to deactivate the terminal contacts that are led to the outside and provided only for testing, in order to prevent an unwanted activation of test functions or test routines of the integrated circuits on the semiconductor die.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a semiconductor component that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a semiconductor component. The semiconductor component contains a main body having a surface and a plurality of pads including operating pads and test pads for connecting to electronic components integrated in the semiconductor component. A plurality of contact elements for conductively contacting the semiconductor component, the contact elements are disposed on the main body and are elevated relative to the surface resulting in elevated contact elements. Each of the elevated contact elements is allocated to one of the pads. A rewiring plane having a plurality of tracks conductively connects the pads to the contact elements that are elevated relative to the main body. An insulating layer is applied on the main side and covers the elevated contact elements allocated to the test pads while leaving the elevated contact elements allocated to the operating pads uncovered.
The terms semiconductor component and semiconductor die are hereinafter used synonymously.
The vertical contact elements are inventively characterized by being raised relative to the main side of the semiconductor die; that is, they extend orthogonally relative to the main side. As a result, when the semiconductor die is placed on a module or printed circuit board (PCB), only the raised contact elements touch the module or PCB, and conductive and/or mechanical contact can be produced.
All that is required for the fabrication of the semiconductor die that corresponds to the inventive principle is to insert an additional step, namely the application of an insulating layer on the main side of the semiconductor die. Care must be taken that the pads that are needed for test modes or test functions only are covered by the insulating layer and consequently protected against unintended contacting. On the other hand, the pads that are needed for normal operation of the semiconductor die are left uncovered.
The invention thus combines the advantages of wafer level packaging, namely cost savings, time savings, etc., which are particularly beneficial in mass production techniques, with the additional ability to protect the test pads at the semiconductor die against unwanted and unintended contacting after the testing on the wafer level and prior to further processing. The semiconductor die may be further processed by installation, e.g. soldering, onto a PCB.
The testing of specific functions of the circuits that are integrated on the semiconductor die on the wafer level can inventively occur even before the dies are singled but after the packaging step. The above described test pads can serve for charging the circuit that is integrated on the semiconductor die with specified signals, activating specified test functions, or making it possible to read test signals from the chip.
The insulating layer can be applied for a particularly small extra outlay with the aid of a solder stop mask.
In order to apply the insulating layer, a printing or plasma coating technique can be used. The insulating layer serves for electrically isolating the test pads, so that they can no longer be contacted externally. The material utilized for producing the insulating layer can be based on an epoxy, silicon, or other nonconductive compound.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vertical contact elements are bump-shaped.
The vertical contact elements can be constructed as bump-shaped elevations. The vertical contact elements can be constructed as solder balls.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the vertical contact elements are disposed on the main side of the semiconductor die in a matrix configuration. One of the advantages of the matrix configuration of the vertical contact elements is that the grid (pitch) formed by the contacts can be relatively rough, while a relatively large number of vertical contact elements can be attached relative to the overall surface area of the semiconductor die. Furthermore, when placed on a PCB, the semiconductor die occupies only the chip area that it would occupy anyway.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor die is constructed as a flip chip. In flip chip fabrication, the semiconductor dies are placed on a module or PCB face down. The installation can occur in a soldering process, for instance in a reflow soldering process.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulating layer is constructed as a solder stop layer. Applying such an insulating layer allows the inventive semiconductor dies to be produced for a particularly small added outlay specifically when the semiconductor die is to be further processed by reflow soldering.
In an additional preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulating layer is applied to the semiconductor die by serigraphy.
In an additional preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulating layer is a layer based on an epoxy material.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulating layer is realized as a silicon compound.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a semiconductor component, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.


A method, computer program product and system are provided. The method, computer program product and system execute a process for storing an object in an object container that is stored in a persistency of a disk storage. The object container has size criteria whereby objects meeting the size criteria of the object container can be assigned to the object container. The object container can facilitate storing multiple objects to optimize disk storage usage by facilitating the assigning of multiple objects to the same disk storage page.

An in-memory database system is a database system that primarily uses main memory for data storage. One example of an in-memory database system is the HANA in-memory database system provided by SAP SE of Walldorf Germany. As opposed to employing a disk storage mechanism for storing business data, in-memory database systems such as HANA use main memory, which can be faster than disk-based databases. Accessing data in main memory reduces the input/output reading activity when querying the data, which in turn provides faster and more predictable performance than disk-based memory.
Some scenarios, however, result in in-memory data storage to be suboptimal. For example, a large object (LOB) can consume a large amount of memory space. The storage and processing of some large LOBs may slow down overall performance of the in-memory database system. For large LOBs that consist of a number of megabytes or even gigabytes of data, storing LOBs in main memory may not be appropriate since it might waste a lot of main memory. Especially if those LOBs are rarely accessed by the application.
It may also be beneficial to store LOBs, that are rarely accessed by the database management system, on disk-based memory instead of main memory. Disk-based memory can include a plurality of physical sectors. These sectors can have a common size and can denote a physical location on the disk. In the following we will refer to such sectors as 'pages'. Typically each object stored to disk-based memory needs its own physical address, i.e., its own page. Disk pages typically have certain sizes, for example, 4 kB, 16 KB, 1 MB, or the like. Pages having a common size allows a page management which avoids disk fragmentation. Where an object is smaller than the size of a page it means there is wasted space on the disk. For example, a page may have a size of 4 kilobytes but an object stored at that page may have a size of only 1 kilobyte, wasting 3 kilobytes of disk space. Typically, other objects cannot be stored at the same page because it would mean multiple objects having the same address without the ability to differentiate between those objects. Database management systems may manage the storage of many millions of objects that have a size smaller than one page. Consequently, there can be an enormous amount of wasted disk space.

Large object containers with size criteria for storing mid-sized large objects


A method for sensing the temperature of the air supplied to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine for the purpose of detecting air mass. Air temperature can be measured using an inexpensive detector having a transfer function exhibiting a delayed response. Dynamic performance is improved by applying to the detected temperature a temperature correction value that is obtained by applying a transfer function that is substantially the inverse of the transfer function of the temperature detector.

To adjust the operating parameters, in particular the optimum working points, of an internal combustion engine, the air mass supplied to the engine must be measured. In the case of conventional methods, so-called hot-film or hot-wire air-mass meters are used to detect the air mass.
Generally, to determine air mass, the temperature of the air supplied to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine must be measured. For this purpose, temperature detectors are used, which measure the temperature in the intake pipe or in the manifold. In the case of turbo-charged engines, the temperature detector is located between the supercharger and the engine intake.
Preferably, NTC detectors are used as temperature detectors, since they are inexpensive. However, the disadvantage of these temperature detectors is that they react relatively slowly to changes in temperatures, and, thus, have a relatively large time constant.

System and method for sensing temperature


One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, from a data owner, an input string of plaintext data comprising a plurality of characters for storage in a database of a third-party storage provider; arranging the plurality of characters of the input string as a half pyramid, wherein the half pyramid comprises a plurality of rows, each row comprising at least one more character than a preceding row; encrypting, using a secure encryption scheme and based upon a key, each row of the half pyramid independently from each other row of the half pyramid; and storing, in the database of the third-party storage provider, the encrypted rows of the half pyramid. Other aspects are claimed and described.

Digital data are created and stored at many different enterprises. Storing and managing data requires physical storage space to store the data. Additionally, the storage and management of the data require software to organize, access, and otherwise manage the data. Typically, it is the data owner, the enterprise that is capturing and/or storing the data, who is responsible for the storage and management of the data. However, the storage and management of the data can be very expensive. The costs increase as the volume of data that needs to be stored and managed increases.
Thus, some data owners may outsource the storage and management of data to a third-party, for example, a third-party database service provider. Many of these third-party database service providers are cloud service providers that are accessible over an Internet connection. Such a model allows both client devices and the data owner to access the data in the third-party database service provider. This model eliminates the need for the data owner to purchase and manage expensive hardware and software to store and manage the data.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Provided is a direct heating type card lamination apparatus, and more particularly, to a direct heating type card lamination apparatus with a concise and simple structure that performs low power lamination by applying heat directly on a card and performs lamination conveniently and quickly without a waiting time. The direct heating type card lamination apparatus does not perform lamination by a heated roller after heating the roller with a heating element according to a conventional method but performs lamination by directly applying heat on a card by a momentarily heated lamination head. Accordingly, the direct heating type card lamination apparatus quickly and conveniently performs lamination with low power without energy loss or a waiting time.

Generally, diverse types of plastic cards such as a credit card, a cash card, a transportation card, a membership card, a medical card, an identification card are used in today's society. A lamination patch (called "coating film") of a transparent material is attached on the plastic card to protect a printed surface such as an image, a design, a letter, etc., printed on the surface of the plastic card.
The lamination patch employs an attachment method by heat in a state that the lamination patch is disposed on the card. Diverse types of devices for card lamination are disclosed as described below.
FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 schematically show main constituent elements of a conventional card lamination apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 1, a card lamination apparatus 10, which is called a heat plate heating method, includes a lamination unit 13 disposed between inserting rollers 11 for inserting a card a and dispensing rollers 12 for dispensing a card. A heat plate 13a of the lamination unit 13 is separately disposed between a lower inserting roller 11a and an upper dispensing roller 12a to apply heat to a lamination patch b. A heater 13b for applying heat to the card is installed between a lower inserting roller 11b and a lower dispensing roller 12b.
The card lamination apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is configured to dispose the heater 13b and the heat plate 13a for lamination separately to prevent direct contact with the patch b or the card. Accordingly, in the middle of passing through the heat plate 13a and the heater 13b, the card a and the lamination patch b are attached to each other by heat. The card lamination apparatus 10 has an advantage that it is relatively inexpensive and has a superior durability. However, since the card lamination apparatus 10 does not adopt a method that heat is applied through direct contact with the lamination patch b, there is a high possibility that bubbles are generated to cause production of defective products.
A card lamination apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 2 adopts a heating method that a heater 23 installed on an upper inserting roller 21a for inserting a card transfers heat to an entire upper inserting roller 21a. This heating method is called an indirect roller heating method and is generally adopted for a photograph coating device. The indirect roller heating method is a method that a heat cover 24 besides the heater 23 is individually included to be a medium for transferring heat to the roller. Accordingly, the indirect roller heating method has disadvantages that heat transfer speed is slow and the roller needs to be washed frequently.
A card lamination apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 3 includes lamination units respectively disposed between inserting rollers 31 for inserting a card and dispensing rollers 32 for dispensing a card, and also disposed over inserting rollers 31. That is, a heat plate 33 as the lamination unit is separately disposed between an upper inserting roller 31a and an upper dispensing roller 32a to apply heat to a lamination patch b. A heater 34 for applying heat to a card is installed between a lower inserting roller 31b and a lower dispensing roller 32b. Also, a heater 35 and a heat cover 36 are installed on the upper inserting roller 31a.
The card lamination apparatus 30 adopts a composite heating method that the heat plate heating method of FIG. 1 and the indirect roller heating method of FIG. 2 are combined to compensate for shortcomings of the two methods. Therefore, the card lamination apparatus 30 shows a fast speed and is capable of coating a photograph. However, the card lamination apparatus 30 and has disadvantages that it is expensive and its roller needs to be washed.
Meanwhile, a card lamination apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 4 includes a lamination unit 43 inside an inserting roller 41 for inserting a card. Since a heater as the lamination unit 43 is included inside an upper inserting roller 41a, the card a including the lamination patch b is heated and compressed in the middle of passing through a space between the upper and lower inserting rollers 41a and 41b.
The card lamination apparatus 40 adopts a direct compressing method by the hot roller, which is called a hot roller method or a direct roller heating method. A halogen lamp or a hot-wire type cartridge is applied as a heater for performing lamination.
However, the direct roller heating method shown in FIG. 4 requires a high-capacity heater consuming great power raging about 200 to 300 w since lamination can be performed after heating the upper inserting roller 41a due to heat generated from a heater 43 installed inside the upper inserting roller 41a. That is, the direct roller heating method has a disadvantage that power consumption is too great. In addition, the upper inserting roller 41a needs to be heated to high temperature of 150r or more in order to perform lamination. Since about 2 to 5 minutes are required for increasing surface temperature of a roller having a large diameter, there is an inconvenience in use due to too long waiting time, i.e., warming up time.
The above-mentioned direct roller heating method has a disadvantage that a great amount of energy is wasted since the heater 43 should unnecessarily maintain a turn-on state to quickly perform lamination and the upper inserting roller 41a heated by the heater emits heat in an entire direction of 360° regardless of lamination besides a lower direction.
The direct roller heating method requires a device for elevation since a roller ascends and descends onto a card to perform lamination. The direct roller heating method also requires a device for a rotary motion since the roller moves as a cloud on a surface of the card. Accordingly, the direct roller heating method has a complicated structure to cause increase of manufacturing cost, frequent troubles and difficulty in maintenance.

Direct heating type card lamination apparatus


Disclosed is a calibration phantom for an x-ray imaging system having an x-ray source and an x-ray detector. The calibration phantom includes a combination of geometric objects of at least three different types and/or compositions including: a first object located in the middle, including a first material; a plurality of second objects arranged around the periphery of the first object, at least a subset of the second objects including a second material different than the first material, wherein the first object is relatively larger than the second objects; a plurality of third objects arranged around the periphery of the first object and/or around the periphery of at least a subset of the second objects, at least a subset of the third objects including a third material different than the first material and the second material, wherein the third objects are relatively smaller than the second objects.

There is a general need for improved calibration of x-ray imaging systems to enable enhanced image reconstruction.
For example, there is a need for calibration of so-called Photon-Counting Spectral Computed Tomography (PCSCT) systems to be able to perform accurate material basis decomposition in the projection domain. PCSCT systems concern CT systems based on spectral (i.e. energy-discriminating) information from a photon-counting x-ray detector. This means that not only does the system respond to the counted number of individual photons, but also the energy of these individual photons is taken into account.
In this context, calibration is normally understood as a mapping between different x-ray spectra falling on a detector and the corresponding detector output. The, at least intermediate, output of a PCSCT system includes x-ray counts allocated in energy bins, typically stored as values in an n-dimensional vector (in a later processing stage these counts could be processed with a log-function). The photon-counting x-ray detector in such a system is often referred to as a photon-counting multi-bin detector. Assuming the x-ray anode is fed by constant voltage and current, and the beam filter is never changed, the difference in spectrum observed by the detector depends on what materials and thicknesses have been in the x-ray path. For example, for a 5-bin system, an example calibration mapping between some varying thicknesses of polyethylene (PE) and poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC) might look like this:
PE thicknessPVC thicknessAverage counts in(cm)(cm)each of 5 bins0035, 47, 100, 36, 1410014, 23, 67, 18, 71029, 18, 45, 15, 50228, 35, 80, 23, 12Etc
Material basis decomposition in the projection domain is the process to determine the equivalent pathlength in centimetres of some reference materials, typically two or three, that the x-ray photons of an exposure have passed through. This is typically achieved by some type of inversion of the calibration data or a model of the calibration data. Note that during calibration, several exposures of a stationary phantom can be acquired. The result will be close to noise-less data. When applied to individual projections, for example when constructing an image of a dose sensitive human patient, the limited dose and resulting Poisson noise will make the inversion problem more difficult.
Practical Considerations
There are two major practical concerns when constructing a calibration phantom for use in an x-ray imaging system such as a clinical PCSCT system. The first is that a large-enough part of the material-space has to be sampled (all combinations of PE and PVC above, or some other combination of clinically relevant materials) for each of the detector elements of the system. The second is that this must be possible to perform in practice.
A typical conventional approach to sampling a large-enough part of the material space for prototype systems is to use a step-wedge phantom with different pathlength combinations as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a simple two-material step wedge phantom with 5×5 material combinations. As the phantom is scanned in the z-direction, each detector line sees a known material combination. The line tilted at τ radians illustrates an x-ray beam hitting a finite detector element. All detector elements (or rows of detector elements) in the z-direction can be exposed at the same time, but only one beam hitting one detector element is shown. It is important to avoid partial volume effects (i.e. part of the beam in the direction perpendicular to the x-ray motion passing through different material combinations).
The simple concept of planar step wedge phantoms is not easily extended to multi-slice systems with large z-coverage for a multitude of reasons. Here we will briefly mention three: 1) size, affecting handling and manufacturing cost, 2) the required accuracy of placement, and 3) scatter profiles.
To avoid partial volume effects as the phantom is stepped in the z-direction, the entire extent of the beam hitting a detector must lie within a single material combination. For wide coverage detectors, with 8 cm coverage in the iso-center and a typical source-to-iso distance of 50 cm, the cone angles τ range from −0.08 to 0.08 radians. Even if a margin for the placement of the phantom is not considered, which could also result in partial volume measurement and thus corrupt calibration data, the length of the step would have to be at least the detector element size+L2×tan τmax. For L2=2 cm and a pixel width in the z-direction of 0.5 mm in iso-center, this indicates that the step size in a step wedge phantom has to be at least 0.21 cm. Adding a small margin yields 0.25 cm per step. Even for a small 3-material phantom with 6 different pathlengths of each material the extent of the step wedge in the z-direction quickly becomes very large, 6*6*6*0.25 cm=54 cm. Since one ideally wants to sample even more material combinations, it is clear that the step wedge approach quickly becomes unattractive from a weight and cost perspective.
A step wedge furthermore places strict requirements on positioning of the phantom. If the phantom is allowed to be somewhat tilted in the z-direction, added margin and larger step sizes are needed to avoid partial volume effects (as the tilt angle would add to the cone angle in the tan τ-factor.
Finally, the strong non-homogeneity of the phantom in the z-direction would result in an unequal amount of scattered radiation hitting each detector element from the positive and negative z-directions. This would not be representative of imaging a real object.
It should be understood that there is a lot of general prior art on phantoms for CT, but most of them are focused on either Quality Control (QC), geometric calibration or the optimization of beam hardening correction methods. There is also a group of phantoms intended for use in the system simultaneously with the patient, for example U.S. Pat. No. 9,420,983B1, intended to improve tissue characterization by comparison with real-time data from known materials.
None of these are designed to generate a mapping between different x-ray spectra falling on a detector and e.g. the corresponding x-ray counts allocated in energy bins for subsequent use in material basis decomposition.
Just for a more complete understanding, QC testing of CT scanners typically includes measurement of CT numbers in a reconstructed image of a CT phantom using a standardized protocol. CT number values are normally expressed in terms of Hounsfield Units (HU), and they are clinically relevant in determining the composition of various tissues in the body. Effective quality control requires that tolerance ranges of CT/HU values are defined: a measured value outside the range indicates the need for further investigation and possible recalibration of the scanner. Normally, the measurement results are used to define manufacturer- and kVp-specific tolerance ranges for the CT numbers of each material in the phantom. Quality control phantoms are supplied to the users by the vendors and by independent third-party suppliers. Other uses of QC phantoms include ensuring that the geometry of acquisition system is correctly determined (otherwise artefact will occur) as for example WO 2016/168292A1.
Calibration phantoms for the determination of detector-element specific beam hardening or scatter correction schemes include EP1475039B1, U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,018B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,250B2. A common feature of these technical solutions is that the phantom is either large enough to cover the entire radiation field or is shifted around at multiple positions to cover a multitude of different pathlength. Typically, the phantoms consist of a single piece of a homogenous material (with attenuation properties similar to water), but solutions with different materials and multiple pieces have been proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,250B2). Also, typically the placement of the phantom needs to be very precise, although solutions where placement insensitivity is achieved by using the x-ray data to determine the actual location have been proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,250B2).
However, none of the methods or phantoms are optimized for generating an optimal mapping between material pathlengths and attenuation data necessary for photon counting system designed to perform material basis decomposition in the projection domain. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,250B2 focuses on generating calibration corrections for beam hardening and scatter. None of the mentioned patent references focus specifically on phantoms or methods specifically tailored to the need of photon counting x-ray imaging systems, e.g. intended to perform material basis decomposition in the projection domain.
There is thus a general need for improved calibration phantoms and procedures for x-ray imaging systems such as photon-counting spectral x-ray imaging systems.