An ohmic metal for GaN device comprises a diffusion barrier seed metal layer and a plurality of metal layers. The diffusion barrier seed metal layer is formed on an epitaxial structure layer. The diffusion barrier seed metal layer is made of Pt. The epitaxial structure layer is made of AlGaN or GaN. The plurality of metal layers is formed on the diffusion barrier seed metal layer. The plurality of metal layers comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The first metal layer is formed on the diffusion barrier seed metal layer. The first metal layer is made of Ti. The second metal layer is formed on the first metal layer. The second metal layer is made of Al. By the diffusion barrier seed metal layer, so as to suppress the diffusion of the plurality of metal layers into the epitaxial structure layer.

Please refer to FIG. 5, which is the cross-sectional schematic showing an embodiment of the ohmic metal for GaN device of conventional technology. The ohmic metal 9 for GaN device of conventional technology comprises a first metal layer 91, a second metal layer 92, a third metal layer 93 and a fourth metal layer 94. The first metal layer 91 is formed on an AlGaN/GaN epitaxial structure layer 90 by physical vapor deposition (PVD), wherein the first metal layer 91 is made of Ti. The second metal layer 92 is formed on the first metal layer 91 by physical vapor deposition, wherein the second metal layer 92 is made of Al. The third metal layer 93 is formed on the second metal layer 92 by physical vapor deposition, wherein the third metal layer 93 is made of Ni, Ti or Mo. The fourth metal layer 94 is formed on the third metal layer 93 by physical vapor deposition, wherein the fourth metal layer 94 is made of Au. The ohmic metal 9 for GaN device of conventional technology (including the first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94) further needs a rapid thermal annealing (RTP) process treatment, wherein a rapid thermal annealing temperature of the rapid thermal annealing process and a rapid thermal annealing time of the rapid thermal annealing process are related to the material of the ohmic metal 9 and the thickness of the ohmic metal 9. In an embodiment, the ohmic metal 9 has the same structure as the ohmic metal 9 for GaN device of conventional technology in FIG. 5. The first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94 of the ohmic metal 9 are made of Ti, Al, Ni, Au respectively. The thicknesses of the first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94 of the ohmic metal 9 are 20 nm, 100 nm, 55 nm and 55 nm respectively. In current embodiment, the rapid thermal annealing temperature of the rapid thermal annealing process is between 880° C.˜925° C. The rapid thermal annealing time of the rapid thermal annealing process is between 20 seconds˜60 seconds. The disadvantage of current embodiment is that the breakdown voltage of the GaN field effect transistor (FET) having the ohmic metal 9 is about 120V. And the values of the breakdown voltage of the GaN field effect transistors are widely distributed. However for a high energy density GaN field effect transistor application, the breakdown voltage is required to be higher. And the values of the breakdown voltage of the GaN field effect transistors cannot be widely distributed to ensure the values of the breakdown voltage fall within the specifications.
In another embodiment, the ohmic metal 9 has the same structure as the ohmic metal 9 for GaN device of conventional technology in FIG. 5. The first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94 of the ohmic metal 9 are made of Ti, Al, Ti, Au respectively. The thicknesses of the first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94 of the ohmic metal 9 are 20 nm, 100 nm, 55 nm and 55 nm respectively. In current embodiment, the rapid thermal annealing temperature of the rapid thermal annealing process is between 845° C.˜875° C. The rapid thermal annealing time of the rapid thermal annealing process is between 20 seconds˜60 seconds. Please refer to FIG. 6A, which is the top view of the SEM image of an embodiment of the ohmic metal (Ti/Al/Ti/Au) for GaN device of conventional technology. In FIG. 6A, it is obviously that a top surface of the ohmic metal is non-uniform, rough and not smooth. Please also refer to FIGS. 6B and 6C, which are the partial enlarged views of the SEM image of the embodiment of FIG. 6A. In FIG. 6B, it is clear that the top surface of the ohmic metal not only presents non-uniform, but also presents serious protrusion and depression. In FIG. 6C, the ohmic metal also presents non-uniform and even presents protrusion beyond the edge. Please also refer to FIG. 6D˜6F, which are the cross-sectional views of the FIB (focused ion beam) image of three embodiments of the ohmic metal (Ti/Al/Ti/Au) for GaN device of conventional technology. These three embodiments show the partial cross-sectional views of three GaN field effect transistors. Firstly the three GaN field effect transistors are polished by cross-section polish, and then the three GaN field effect transistors are scanned over by the focused ion beam for generating the image. The S1, S2 and S3 regions of the three embodiments all present serious tumor at the edge of the ohmic metal. The phenomenon is consistent with the phenomenon of protrusion and depression observed in FIG. 6B. Therefore, the disadvantages of the embodiments of conventional technology are that after the rapid thermal annealing process treatment, the top surface of the ohmic metal becomes very non-uniform and generates serious tumor at the edge of the ohmic metal. These drawbacks will affect the characteristics of the GaN devices having the ohmic metal for GaN device of conventional technology and affect the result of the reliability test of the GaN devices having the ohmic metal for GaN device of conventional technology.
In another embodiment, the ohmic metal 9 has the same structure as the ohmic metal 9 for GaN device of conventional technology in FIG. 5. The first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94 of the ohmic metal 9 are made of Ti, Al, Mo, Au respectively. The thicknesses of the first metal layer 91, the second metal layer 92, the third metal layer 93 and the fourth metal layer 94 of the ohmic metal 9 are 15 nm, 75 nm, 40 nm and 55 nm respectively. In current embodiment, the rapid thermal annealing temperature of the rapid thermal annealing process is 865° C. The rapid thermal annealing time of the rapid thermal annealing process is between 20 seconds˜60 seconds. Please refer to FIG. 7A, which is the top view of the SEM image of an embodiment of the ohmic metal (Ti/Al/Mo/Au) for GaN device of conventional technology. Please also refer to FIG. 7B, which is the cross-sectional view of the TEM image along the broken line of the arrow of the embodiment of FIG. 7A. Firstly the embodiment is polished by cross-section polish, and then the embodiment is scanned over by transmission electron microscopy for generating the image. In FIG. 7B, the ohmic metal (the left side and the right side) is covered by a silicon nitride layer. The ohmic metal (the left side and the right side) presents very non-uniform. Please also refer to FIG. 7C, which is the partial enlarged view of the TEM image of the block R region of the embodiment of FIG. 7B. Obviously, the ohmic metal is very non-flatly distributed. Furthermore, there exists the ohmic metal spiking phenomenon. Please also refer to FIGS. 7D, 7E, 7F and 7G, which are the partial enlarged views of the TEM image of the block R1, R2, R3 and R4 regions of the embodiment of FIG. 7C respectively. The ohmic metal in each of the R1, R2, R3 and R4 regions of the embodiment is very non-uniform. Moreover, the ohmic metal spiking phenomenon extends downward to the AlGaN/GaN epitaxial structure layer 90. Hence, the disadvantages of the embodiment of conventional technology are that, after the rapid thermal annealing process treatment, the ohmic metal is very non-uniform and there exists the ohmic metal spiking phenomenon. These drawbacks will affect the characteristics of the GaN devices having the ohmic metal for GaN device of conventional technology and affect the result of the reliability test of the GaN devices having the ohmic metal for GaN device of conventional technology.
Accordingly, the present invention has developed a new design which may avoid the above mentioned drawbacks, may significantly enhance the performance of the devices and may take into account economic considerations. Therefore, the present invention then has been invented.


A video reenactment system and method analyze a video clip that a video game player wishes to reenact and maps objects and actions within the video clip to virtual objects and virtual actions within the video game. A reenactment script indicating a sequence of virtual objects and virtual actions as mapped to objects and actions in the video clip is generated using a video translation model and stored for use in reenacting the video clip. The reenactment script can be used within the video game to reenact the objects and actions of the video clip. The reenactment of the video clip may be interactive, where a player may assume control within the reenactment and when the player relinquishes control, the reenactment will continue at an appropriate part of the sequence of actions by skipping actions corresponding to the ones played by the player.

Video games, including online hosted video games, allow a player of the game to perform actions with the video game. The player may control the actions of one or more objects, such as an avatar, within the video game. For example, a player may want to cook a pizza in a simulation video game or make a particular play in a hockey video game. In some cases, the player may want to replicate an action or sequence of actions that they may have seen on TV or other video clip. However, the player may not have the skills, or otherwise the ability, to replicate the action or sequence of actions that they want to reenact or have reenacted in the video game.

Interactive reenactment within a video game


A winder is provided near a quarter window of a rear door. A shade member is drawably mounted about the winder. A connecting piece is connected to a drawing arm and mounted to the rear portion of the shade member. A shoe is mounted to a bottom end of the drawing arm. The shoe engages with a regulatory groove extending in a drawing direction of the shade member. A driving cable is connected to the shoe. The shade member can be drawn out across the window by the drawing arm via the sending out of the driving cable by an operating mechanism. Since the regulatory groove extends substantially in a circle, when the shoe moves through engagement with the regulatory groove, the connecting piece connected to the drawing arm pivots relative to the shoe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sunshade actuation device that opens and closes a screen for covering a window.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists conventional technology concerning a sunshade actuation device for the opening and closing of a sunshade for covering a vehicle window (e.g., refer to Germany Patent No. 19826537). This sunshade includes a pair of guide rails that have a non-parallel mutual relationship in a lower part of a vehicle window, and an arm member, which is equipped with respective engaging parts engaged with the pair of guide rails and extends upwards to be connected to a screen. The screen can be drawn out to cover the window. Since the arm member slides in a fore-and-aft direction via a cable in the state of engaging with the guide rails, the screen connected to the cable is drawn out from a winding device. Therefore, it is possible to cover and uncover the window. Here, since the pair of guide rails has a non-parallel mutual relationship, a predetermined angle is formed between the guide rails. The arm member, which moves while engaged with the pair of guide rails, pivots. As a result, it is possible for the drawing out dimension of the screen to be longer than the corresponding sliding amount dimension of the arm member.
By the way, it is readily appreciated that it is desirable for a part mounted in a vehicle to be small and lightweight in order to avoid interfering with other component members or increasing the overall weight of the vehicle. In particular, since restrictive conditions regarding the loading of a vehicle are relieved when components are small and lightweight, the freedom of design increases. In addition, it is desirable to make a device multi-functional.
In the conventional technology sunshade actuation device, since the arm member slides while engaging with the pair of guide rails, which have a predetermined angle there between, it is not realistically possible to provide another component in the area between the guide rails. As a result, this area becomes a wasted or dead space.
When making the arm member pivot to a large degree, it is necessary to alter the pair of guide rails into a relationship having an increased obtuse angle. Consequently, a larger mounting space is required.
The present invention was completed on the basis of the above conditions. An object of the present invention is to provide a small and lightweight sunshade actuation device.


A handle has enlargements between a central gripping section and cylindrically shaped opposed end sections. The opposed end sections have free ends formed with male screw threads for the minority of their axial extents. A pair of weights are similarly configured. Each weight includes an inner center, coated outer layer, and a central cylindrical bore, and bushings in the bore. A locking nut is coupled to each free end of the handle. The diameter of the free ends of the handle is less than the diameter of the bushings for the rotatable coupling there between. An end cap is secured with respect to each weight. Screws extend through each end cap and outer layer. The screws extend into the inner center to join the end caps with respect to the weights.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixed weight dumbbell and barbell system and more particularly pertains to facilitating exercising in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of exercise devices of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, exercise devices of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of facilitating exercise through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, International Publication Number WO 2005/070502 A2 published 4 Aug. 2005 discloses "An Exercise Device".
While this device fulfills its particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patent does not describe a fixed weight dumbbell and barbell system that allows for facilitating exercising in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
In this respect, the fixed weight dumbbell and barbell system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating exercising in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved fixed weight dumbbell and barbell system which can be used for facilitating exercising in a safe, convenient and economical manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Fixed weight dumbbell and barbell system


Devices and methods are disclosed for stabilizing tissue within a patient's body during a surgical operation to provide a relatively motionless surgical field. The devices involve tissue stabilizers which provide superior engagement with a tissue structure to be stabilized, for example the beating heart. The tissue stabilizer may have one or more stabilizer feet which provide for adjustment of the orientation of the features which engage the surface of the tissue structure. In one instance, the orientation may be adjusted to ensure the engaging features will be properly aligned with the surface of the tissue structure before engagement. In addition, once engaged with or connected to the tissue structure the orientation may be adjusted to yield an optimum surgical presentation of a portion of the tissue structure, for instance a coronary artery or the like. The tissue stabilizer may be configured to use friction, negative pressure, or both to engage the surface of the heart.

Certain surgical procedures require the surgeon to perform delicate operations on tissues within the body that are moving or otherwise unstable. The ability to stabilize or immobilize the surgical site provides greatly improved surgical accuracy and precision and reduces the time required to complete a particular procedure. A large and growing number of surgeons, for example, are routinely performing successful coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery on the beating heart by temporarily stabilizing or immobilizing a localized area of the beating heart. Methods and apparatus for performing a CABG procedure on the beating heart are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,894,843 and 5,727,569 to Benetti et al., the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
In a typical CABG procedure, a blocked or restricted section of coronary artery, which normally supplies blood to some portion of the heart, is bypassed using a source vessel or a graft vessel to re-establish blood flow to the artery downstream of the blockage. This procedure requires the surgeon to create a fluid connection, or anastomosis, between the source or graft vessel and an arteriotomy or incision in the coronary artery. Forming an anastomosis between two vessels in this manner is a particularly delicate procedure requiring the precise placement of tiny sutures in the tissue surrounding the arteriotomy in the coronary artery and the source or graft vessel.
The rigors of creating a surgical anastomosis between a coronary artery and a graft or source vessel demands that the target site for the anastomosis be substantially motionless. To this end, a number of devices have been developed which are directed to stabilizing a target site on the beating heart for the purpose of completing a cardiac surgical procedure, such as completing an anastomosis. Representative devices useful for stabilizing a beating heart are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,894,843; 5,727,569; 5,836,311; and 5,865,730.
As beating heart procedures have evolved, new challenges have arisen in the design and engineering of the stabilization devices. The heart is typically accessed by way of a surgical incision such as a sternotomy or thoracotomy. Often one or more of the blocked or restricted coronary arteries are located a good distance away from the access incision requiring the stabilization device to traverse a longer and more tortuous path and engage the surface of the heart at somewhat difficult angular relationships or orientations. Under the most severe conditions, devices which operate to provide a mechanical compression force to stabilize the beating heart encounter difficulty maintaining mechanical traction against the surface of the heart. Similarly, devices which utilize vacuum to engage the heart have a great deal of difficulty creating and maintaining an effective seal against the moving surface of the heart.
Even when the beating heart has been effectively stabilized, the target coronary artery may be obscured by layers of fat or other tissue and is very difficult for the surgeon to see. Moreover, the stabilization devices may distort the tissue surrounding the coronary artery or the coronary artery itself such that the arteriotomy is maintained in an unfavorable presentation for completion of the anastomosis. For example, the coronary artery in the area of the arteriotomy may become excessively flattened, compressed or stretched in a manner that impedes the placement of sutures around the perimeter of the arteriotomy.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have methods and devices for stabilizing the beating heart that are capable of maintaining atraumatic engagement with the surface of the beating heart over a wider range of conditions and orientations. It would be further desirable to have stabilization methods and devices which provide for favorable presentation of the coronary artery.


The present invention enables a party which is placed on hold in a first communication session to enter a second communication session and continue to monitor the status of the first communication. For example, in a broadband communication system telephone call or multimedia call, two parties may be in an active communication session with one another and a first of the two parties to the call may receive another incoming call. The first party then places the second party on hold. At this time the second party may wish to place the communication session with the first party on hold to initiate another communication session with a third party. However, the second party would also like to know when the first party takes the communication session off hold so that they can resume their communication. As a result, the second party places the communication on xe2x80x9cmonitorxe2x80x9d hold. While the communication is on monitor hold, the second party is able to monitor the on hold communication session to recognize when the first party returns. For example, the monitored call on hold may be maintained at a reduced volume or a video display of the video in a multimedia communication session may be displayed in a reduced window size on a display. Further, the present invention provides prompts to various parties of a communication session when one or more parties to the communication session are placed on hold or taken off hold. For example, the system may generate a prompt to one or more parties when a communication session is placed on hold or monitor hold, or when a communication session on hold or monitor hold is taken off hold.

The present invention relates to improved communication systems and, more particularly, to managing multiple communications with a user communication device.
Traditional telephone systems, such as a public switched telephone networks (PSTN), have telephone switching systems which provide numerous services beyond plain old telephone service (POTS). These features include, for example, call hold, call waiting, caller ID, three-way calling, etc. However, a number of features are not yet available for PSTN telephony and the PSTN is limited in bandwidth.
Due to the bandwidth limitations of plain old telephone service (POTS), there is an inherent inability to efficiently integrate multiple types of media such as telephony, data communication for personal computers (PC), and television (TV) broadcasts. As a result, there is presently great effort toward creating various broadband communication networks that integrate telephony and other communication media. For example, new broadband architectures are developing which transmit voice, data, and multimedia (video and audio) communications using, for example, communication information packets. These communication packets may be constructed in one or more packet protocols such as Internet Protocol (IP) or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). In general, the type of customer services and feature/function capability that may be implemented in a PSTN is somewhat limited relative to a broadband communication system so a wide range of features/functions are presently being developed for broadband communication systems.
Users of communication devices require more features/functions to make communications more efficient and effective. One such new feature/function to improve communications is provided by the present application for managing multiple communications with a user communication device. For example, a user would benefit from being able to monitor a first communication session on hold while being involved in a second communication session. Further, a user will benefit from being prompted as to the status of a communication session on hold.
The present invention enables a party which is placed on hold in a first communication session to enter a second communication session and continue to monitor the status of the first communication. For example, in a broadband communication system telephone call or multimedia call, two parties may be in an active communication session with one another and a first of the two parties to the call may receive another incoming call. The first party then places the second party on hold. At this time the second party may wish to place the communication session with the first party on hold to initiate another communication session with a third party. However, the second party would also like to know when the first party takes the communication session off hold so that they can resume their communication. As a result, the second party places the communication on xe2x80x9cmonitorxe2x80x9d hold. While the communication is on monitor hold, the second party is able to monitor the on hold communication session to recognize when the first party returns. For example, the monitored call on hold may be maintained at a reduced volume or a video display of the video in a multimedia communication session may be displayed in a reduced window size on a display.
Further, the present invention may provide prompts to various parties of a communication session when one or more parties to the communication session are placed on hold or taken off hold. For example, the system may generate a prompt to one or more parties when a communication session is placed on hold or monitor hold, or when a communication session on hold or monitor hold is taken off hold.

Systems and methods for managing multiple communications


A height-adjustable chair column includes a vertical post axially extending along a longitudinal axis, a bottom plate, a guide cylinder bushing permanently inserted into the upper end area of the vertical post, and a guide tube inserted in the guide cylinder bushing so that it is guided with freedom of axial movement and secured against rotation in the guide cylinder bushing. Further, the chair column includes a lockable gas spring assembly with a pressure cylinder, which is installed coaxially in the guide tube such that it is secured against axial displacement relative to the guide tube and it is free to rotate about the longitudinal axis, and with a piston installed in the pressure cylinder with freedom of sliding axially. The piston is connected to a piston rod which is fastened to the bottom plate and supported there with freedom of rotation about the longitudinal axis. Moreover, a height-adjustable foot rest is attached to the upper end region of the guide tube.

The invention pertains to a height-adjustable chair column with a vertical post, a height-adjustable foot rest, and a lockable gas spring assembly, which is installed coaxially in the vertical post with freedom to slide up and down and to rotate about its longitudinal axis.
In these types of chair columns, it is known that the foot rest can be fastened at the desired height to a clip encircling the vertical post. This means that, every time the height of the chair column is adjusted, it is also necessary to make a separate height adjustment to the foot rest. This is inconvenient.


A navigation system comprises at least one processor, a satellite navigation receiver operatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive a plurality of navigation signals from one or more navigation satellites, and an inertial measurement unit operatively coupled to the processor and configured to generate inertial measurement data. An extended Kalman filter is configured to receive the plurality of navigation signals and the inertial measurement data. A processor readable storage medium includes instructions executable by the processor to combine the plurality of satellite signals with the inertial measurement data in the extended Kalman filter to generate a navigation solution. The plurality of navigation signals includes L1 pseudorange measurements, L2 pseudorange measurements, L1 accumulated carrier phase measurements, and L2 accumulated carrier phase measurements.

Earth relative navigation can be achieved with the aid of a satellite navigation system. Several satellite navigation systems exist or are in the process of being deployed including the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) system, the Beidou navigation system, and the Galileo positioning system.
These satellite navigation systems include a plurality of orbiting satellites that transmit signals that can be received and processed by a satellite navigation receiver in order to determine a relative earth location. Often satellites in a satellite navigation system transmit multiple signals on different frequencies. These signals on different frequencies are often referred to by the letter "L" followed by a number to differentiate different frequencies. For example, a first signal on a first carrier frequency from a first satellite is often referred to as an "L1" signal from that satellite and a second signal on a second carrier frequency from the first satellite is often referred to as an "L2" signal.
Conventional navigation systems have typically processed L1 iono corrected pseudorange and L1 delta range signals. Delta range is the difference in accumulated phase from one GPS measurement epoch to the next. Accumulated carrier phase data is often used for relative kinematic GPS solutions but is not often used for absolute earth relative navigation.
An Extended Kalman filter (EKF) can be used to obtain navigation information from the satellite signals. A baseline EKF can process three sets of measurement data from each satellite. These sets of measurement data can include L1 pseudorange, L1 delta range, and L2 delta range. The baseline EKF accounts for errors in the measurement data through the use of a combination of measurement error states with process noise and measurement observation noise. For example, the baseline EKF can maintain 10 pseudorange bias states, 10 delta range bias states, and 2 receiver clock states to model GPS measurement errors. Ten states were chosen because the baseline EKF was designed for a receiver that had 12 channels. Ten channels are used to maintain tracking and two channels are allocated to iono compensation and satellite management.
The baseline EKF can allocate measurement errors according to the following: space and control segment errors and troposphere errors are allocated to pseudorange bias states; residual ionospheric delay (after computation) errors and multipath errors are allocated to pseudorange measurement noise; receiver noise and tracking errors are allocated to pseudorange measurement noise and delta range measurement noise; residual ionospheric delay rate errors are allocated to delta range bias states; space and control segment rate errors are allocated to delta range process noise; and receiver clock errors are allocated to clock bias state and clock frequency state.

Optimal combination of satellite navigation system data and inertial data


Plating cups 2 each hold therein respective semiconductor substrates to be plated. The temperatures of the plating solution in the plating cups are controlled at optimum levels by controlling the operations of heaters 13 and 16, based on the temperature of the plating cups as measured by thermometers 5 mounted on the plating cups 2. Metal ion concentration in the solution and the pH level and specific gravity of the solution are measured by an atomic absorption spectrometer 17, a pH gauge 18, and a gravimeter 19, respectively, for determining necessary amount of replenishing metal ions and solution from a solution level regulator 21, thereby maintaining the relevant parameters of the solution within a permissible range.

In such plating apparatuses as mentioned above, it is necessary to monitor the plating solution to optimize such parameters as concentration of metal ions, pH level, and specific gravity and to suppress foreign particle density. Thus, conventionally a sample of plating solution is tested to check the metal ion concentration, pH level, specific gravity, and the particle density. Some of the components must be replenished while excessive foreign particles must be removed so that the metal ion concentration, pit level, specific gravity, and foreign particle numbers remain within permissible ranges.
However, such monitoring and pertinent operations for controlling the of the plating solution require periodic human work which is costly. Further, it is difficult with such operations to maintain the plating solution in an optimum condition. Still further, it is difficult to control the local temperature of the plating solution near the surface of a semiconductor substrate to be plated, since normally only the average temperature of the plating solution is monitored, often resulting in serious defects in the plated semiconductor substrate.


A dial indicator, method, and kit for upgrading a dial indicator to provide both local visible and remote indication of a measured physical parameter is provided. A magnetic rotary pointer is provided by coupling a magnet to a pointer, or by providing a replacement pointer having an integral magnet, so that the magnetic rotary pointer is rotatable in response to a change a measured physical parameter. A potentiometer is magnetically coupled to the magnetic rotary pointer, and is fastened to a front side of the dial indicator.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dial indicator, and more particularly relates to a dial indicator capable of providing both local visible indication and remote indication of a physical parameter.
(2) Background Information
Dial indicators (also variously referred to as dial gauges, indicator gauges, dial faces, and/or analog gauges) are commonly used to indicate a host of physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, electrical properties, liquid levels, among others. For example, liquid storage tanks for fuel, oil, propane, natural gas, and ammonia typically include a dial indicator attached thereto for providing an on-site, visible reading of the liquid level (i.e., the percentage of the total tank volume occupied by the liquid. For many applications it is desirable, both for convenience and economic factors, to have both local visible indication and remote indication of the above-mentioned physical parameters. For example, it is generally necessary for a user to be aware of the quantity of remaining liquid in a liquid storage tank, such as for determining when refilling is necessary. In some industrial applications, in which large numbers of tanks are employed, remote indication may be desirable. However, local visual indication may also be desirable, for example, to monitor the filling operation.
Examples of indicators providing both on-site and remote indication are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,494 to Howeth; U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,011 to Fekete, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,687 to Murphy, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,400 to Fekete; U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,639 to Pontefract; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,815 to Williamson; each of which is fully incorporated by reference herein. Fekete, et al., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,911,011 and 4,987,400, for example, disclose a dial indicator having a magnetically driven voltage divider built into the device behind the dial face for providing an electrical indication of liquid level in a liquid storage tank.
The above systems tend to be complex and therefore may be relatively expensive. Further, for some applications for which both local and remote indication are desirable, it may not be economically feasible to replace the existing gauge. Further still, for many applications, dial indicators providing for both local visual and remote indication may not be commercially available. Therefore, there exists a need for a relatively simple and inexpensive dial indicator that provides for both onsite and remote indication. There also exists a need for a relatively simple and inexpensive method for upgrading a conventional dial indicator (which provides only visual indication) to include the capability of providing remote indication.
One aspect of the present invention includes a method for upgrading a dial indicator to provide both local visible and remote indication of a physical parameter. The method includes providing the dial indicator with a magnetic rotary pointer, the magnet rotary pointer being rotatable in response a change in the physical parameter. The method further includes magnetically coupling a potentiometer to the magnet, the potentiometer being magnetically adjustable, wherein a rotation of the magnet causes a change in the electrical output of the potentiometer and fastening said potentiometer to a front side of the dial indicator. In variations of this aspect, the magnetic rotary pointer is provided by securing a magnet to a pre-existing rotary pointer, or by replacing the pre-existing rotary pointer with a replacement rotary pointer having a magnet integrated therewith. In another variation of this aspect the dial indicator is mounted to a liquid storage tank and the potentiometer is fastened to the dial indicator by interposing it between a transparent bracket and a transparent cover, and fastening the bracket to the dial indicator.
In another aspect, this invention includes a kit for upgrading a dial indicator to provide both local visible and remote indication of a physical parameter. The kit includes a magnet, sized and shaped for coupling to the dial indicator in a manner in which the magnet rotates in response to a change in the measured physical parameter, a magnetically adjustable potentiometer, and a mounting assembly that includes a bracket, sized and shaped for fastening the potentiometer to the dial indicator. In variations of this aspect, the magnet may be sized and shaped for being secured to a pre-existing rotary pointer of the dial indicator, or the magnet may include a replacement rotary pointer.
In yet another aspect, this invention includes a dial indicator for providing a local visible and a remote display of a liquid level in a liquid storage tank. The dial indicator includes a magnetic rotary pointer which is rotatable in response to a change in the liquid level in the tank. The dial indicator further includes a magnetically adjustable potentiometer including a voltage divider and at least two electrical connectors, the potentiometer being magnetically coupled to the magnetic rotary pointer so that rotation of the magnetic rotary pointer causes a change in the electrical output of the potentiometer. The potentiometer is mounted to a front side of the dial indicator by a transparent bracket. In variations of this embodiment, the magnetic rotary pointer includes a rotary pointer having a magnet secured thereto, or includes a replacement rotary pointer having a magnet disposed integrally therewith.

Method for upgrading a dial indicator to provide remote indication capability


A blower assembly for an automotive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system includes a housing having an opening and a blower wheel supported by the housing that directs air through the opening of the housing. A plurality of ribs are disposed within the opening of the housing and define a plurality of channels for directing air through the opening of the housing and toward the blower wheel.

Automotive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems typically include a blower assembly that draws air into the HVAC system and circulates the air from the HVAC system into a passenger compartment of a vehicle. Such automotive HVAC systems conventionally include a fresh-air mode that draws air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle from an area external to the vehicle and a recirculation mode that draws air from within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
The HVAC system typically includes a series of ducts that are positioned within the vehicle to draw air from an area outside of the vehicle when the HVAC system is in the fresh-air mode and to draw air into the HVAC system from the passenger compartment of the vehicle when the HVAC system is in the recirculation mode. Operation of the HVAC system in either the fresh-air mode or the recirculation mode creates a noisy condition due to the flow of air through the duct work and into a blower of the HVAC system. Such noise is increased when the HVAC system is operating in the recirculation mode, as an inlet to the HVAC system that directs air from the passenger compartment into the HVAC system is typically located within the passenger compartment.

Recirculation air flow arrangement for vehicle HVAC system


A method and apparatus for improving a channel change response time are disclosed. A meta channel associated with an original and auxiliary media streams is generated. The information conveyed by the meta channel is propagated toward at least one user device. The user device may receive the meta channel information and select one of the media streams using the meta channel information in response to a channel change request from a user terminal, or a network device may select one of the media streams for a user terminal in response to a channel change request from the user terminal.

Channel change response time, also known as channel zapping response time, is the time that is required for a user terminal to switch from one television channel to another television channel in response to a channel change request initiated by a user. In existing digital television systems, such as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) systems, the channel zapping response time is often quite large (possibly even on the order of seconds). Disadvantageously, such large channel zapping response times significantly reduce the quality of experience (QoE) of users of digital television systems, who have often become accustomed to smaller channel zapping response times of traditional television systems.
While some mechanisms to improve zap response time have been proposed, these mechanisms fall short in one or more of the following dimensions: (1) the amount of additional bandwidth requirements imposed on the network, (2) the ability to efficiently dimension the network to handle worst case load, (3) the degree to which zap response time is lowered in the best, average, and worst case scenarios, (4) introduction of user-perceivable picture distortions resulting from the zap process, and (5) applicability of the mechanism to all types of access systems (e.g., cable television systems, digital subscriber line systems, and FTTx).

Method and apparatus for reducing channel change response times for IPTV


A process involving membrane-based gas separation and power generation, specifically for controlling carbon dioxide emissions from gas-fired power plants. The process includes a compression step, a combustion step, and an expansion/electricity generation step, as in traditional power plants. The process also includes a sweep-driven membrane separation step and a carbon dioxide removal or capture step. The carbon dioxide removal step is carried out on a portion of gas from the compression step.

Many combustion processes produce flue gas emissions contaminated with carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming and environmental damage. Gas-fired power plants are an important source of such flue gases, and their emissions are particularly challenging to treat because the volume of flue gas generated is very large and the carbon dioxide concentration, is low.
In conventional power generation processes, a gaseous fuel (such as natural gas or syngas) is combusted in the presence of oxygen, producing a stream of hot, high-pressure gas. This hot, high-pressure gas is then used to drive one or more gas turbines, which in turn drive a generator, producing electrical energy. The exhaust gas from the turbines is still very hot and may contain as much as 50% of the energy generated by the combustion process. In the past, this remaining heat may simply have been dissipated in the form of hot exhaust gas.
A process flow diagram for a more modern conventional gas-fired power plant is shown in FIG. 6. An incoming air stream, 602, is compressed from atmospheric pressure to 20-30 bar, for example, in an air compressor unit, 609. The compressed gas, stream 603, is combusted with the incoming fuel gas, stream 601 (typically, but not necessarily, natural gas) in combustor, 604. The hot, high-pressure gas from the combustor, stream 607, is then expanded through the gas turbine section, 606. The gas turbine is mechanically linked to the air compressor, 609, and an electricity generator, 611. The low-pressure exhaust gas, stream 605, from the gas turbines is still hot. Optionally, some heat content from this gas can be recovered in a steam boiler, 612, which, in a combined cycle operation, explained below, is used to make additional electricity in a steam turbine.
A major plant design issue is the temperature of the gas entering the turbines. The temperature of the combusted gases can be in excess of 2,000° C. or 3,000° C., hot enough to melt the turbine blades if the gas were passed directly to the turbine. In most plants, therefore, the compressor train is designed to compress two or three times the volume of incoming air that is needed for the combustion step on a straight stoichiometric basis. The excess air passes through the combustor without reacting and acts as a diluent, thereby cooling combustor exhaust stream, 607, to a temperature at which it can safely be fed to the turbine. In the alternative, all or some of the excess air may bypass the combustor entirely, and may be used to dilute and cool the exhaust upstream of the turbine or within the turbine itself, as indicated by dashed line 610.
When excess air is used to dilute the combustion products, the exhaust gas stream, 613, from the turbine is correspondingly dilute in carbon dioxide, and may contain only 3-5% carbon dioxide. Recovery of carbon dioxide from this dilute, low-pressure, yet very high-volume gas stream is, difficult and very expensive. In recent years, modified designs in which a portion, 608, of the turbine exhaust gas is returned as cooling/diluent gas have been used. Using part of the exhaust gas in this way increases the carbon dioxide concentration in the final exhaust gas and reduces the volume of gas that must be treated if carbon dioxide recovery is to be attempted.
The amount of exhaust gas that can be recycled is limited by the oxygen content of the gas mixture 603 delivered to the combustion chamber. When excess fresh air is used as the diluent, this gas mixture contains about 21% oxygen; when exhaust gas is recycled, the oxygen content drops in proportion to the amount of exhaust gas in the mix. If the oxygen content drops below about 15%, however, changes to the turbine or combustor design may be required.
In recent years, there has been considerable interest in combined cycle power generation to improve energy efficiency in gas-fired power plants. A combined cycle power plant generates additional electricity by using the hot exhaust gas from a gas turbine in an HRSG (heat recovery steam generator) to boil water to make steam. The steam, in turn, is used to drive a steam turbine, generating additional electricity.
A combined cycle plant may use methane, from natural gas or other source, as fuel. In countries where coal, other hydrocarbon fuels or biomass are available, such feedstocks can be gasified to provide syngas to use as fuel for the plant. Steam created by cooling the raw syngas may be used in the steam turbine. Such processes are referred to as IGCC (integrated gasification combined cycle) processes. Combined cycle power generation processes of various types are well-known in the art and are described, for example, by Rolf Kehlhofer et al. in Combined-Cycle Cas & Steam. Power Plants (3.sup.rd ed., PennWell Corporation; Tulsa, Okla., 2009).
Combined cycle power generation is inherently more expensive than using a gas-turbine-only process, because additional equipment is required. However, over time, the value of the additional energy generated should offset the initially higher capital cost. As a result, most new gas power plants being built in North America and Europe are combined cycle.
Gas separation by means of membranes is a well-established technology. In an industrial setting, a total pressure difference is usually applied between the feed and permeate sides, typically by compressing the feed stream or maintaining the permeate side of the membrane under partial vacuum. This pressure difference provides a driving force for transmembrane permeation.
Although pressure-driven processes are the norm, it is known that a driving force for transmembrane permeation may be supplied by passing a sweep gas across the permeate side of the membranes, thereby lowering the partial pressure of a desired permeant on that side to a level below its partial pressure on the feed side. In this case, the total pressure on both sides of the membrane may be the same, the total pressure on the permeate side may be higher than on the feed side, or there may be additional driving force provided by keeping the total feed pressure higher than the total permeate pressure.
The use of a process including a membrane separation step operated in sweep mode for treating flue gas to remove carbon dioxide is taught in co-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,964,020; 8,025,715; 8,246,718; 8,177,885; 8,220,247; 8,016.923; 8,034,168; and 8,220,248, as well as in co-owned and copending application Ser. No. 13/123,364, filed Apr. 8, 2011; Ser. No. 13/548,827, filed Jul. 13, 2012; and Ser. No. 13/665,620, filed Oct. 31, 2012.
Despite the improvements offered by the inventions described in the above patents and pending applications, there remains a need for better treatment techniques, especially techniques that can be integrated into gas-fired power plants, such as combined cycle and IGCC plants.

Sweep-based membrane gas separation integrated with gas-fired power production and CO2 recovery


An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, insulation regions extending into the semiconductor substrate, with the insulation regions including first top surfaces and second top surfaces lower than the first top surfaces, a semiconductor fin over the first top surfaces of the insulation regions, a gate stack on a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin, and a source/drain region on a side of the gate stack. The source/drain region includes a first portion having opposite sidewalls that are substantially parallel to each other, with the first portion being lower than the first top surfaces and higher than the second top surfaces of the insulation regions, and a second portion over the first portion, with the second portion being wider than the first portion.

Transistors typically include semiconductor regions that are used to form the source regions and drain regions. The contact resistance between metal contact plugs and the semiconductor regions is high. Accordingly, metal silicides are formed on the surfaces of the semiconductor regions such as silicon regions, germanium regions, and silicon germanium regions in order to reduce the contact resistance. The contact plugs are formed to contact the silicide regions, and the contact resistance between the contact plugs and the silicide regions is low.
A typical silicidation process includes forming a metal layer on the surfaces of the semiconductor regions, and then performing an annealing, so that the metal layer reacts with the semiconductor regions to form the silicide regions. After the reaction, the upper portions of the metal layer may be left un-reacted. An etching step is then performed to remove the un-reacted portions of the metal layer. Contact plugs are then formed to contact the silicide regions.
With the increasing down-sizing of integrated circuits, the silicide regions, and hence the contact between the contact plugs and the silicide regions, also become increasingly smaller. Accordingly, the contact resistance of the electrical contacts becomes increasingly higher. For example, in Fin Field-Effect Transistors (FinFETs), the fins are very narrow, causing the contact areas between the contact plugs and the fins to be very small. The contact resistance to the source and drain regions of the FinFETs thus becomes an increasingly severe problem.

FinFETs with low source/drain contact resistance

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A cap shaper has contact-members adapted for supporting and shaping a cap from its inside; The cap shaper is elastically deformable under external forces, and maintains a generally larger contact-members' collective-outline dimension than that of the cap inside when free from external forces; When placed inside the cap the cap shaper deforms under the confines of the smaller cap inside due to the contact forces exerted to the contact-members from the contacted cap regions, displacing the contact-members, resulting cap shaper internal elastic tension and tendency to expand and substantially self-adapt for the contact-members to contact and fit in with the cap regions of contact, accommodating minor cap size and shape variations, counter balancing the contact forces and maintaining the tensioned contact to shape the cap.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to cap shapers. More specifically, it relates to cap shapers for caps made of non-rigid materials to form desired cap shape for purposes including wearing and displaying.
2. Description of Prior Art
Caps or hats in many occasions, such as in wearing and displaying, are often desirable to be in their designed shapes. For caps made of non-rigid materials the desired shapes naturally cannot be reliably formed without assistance due to the non-rigid nature of the material they are made of. To assist forming the desired shape a substantially rigid cap shaper is usually positioned inside the cap for providing support to the cap.
The prior cap shaper insert designs and products have been generally in the following categories:                A rigid or semi-rigid cap shaper of fixed sizes and dimensions to be inserted into the inside of a cap for supporting and forming a shape for the cap. To accommodate the cap sizes and shape variations the cap shaper would need to be trimmed before use. The trimming is performed manually and often by the users, which involves removing cap shaper material irreversibly to adjusted and fit for one particular cap, therefore are often compromised.        A substantially rigid or semi-rigid cap shaper formed by two or more sections connected together and provided with manual adjustment mechanism for varying its dimension and shape for optimizing its fit with a cap. However the number of dimensions to be adjusted is often limited and inadequate to shape caps of minor random shape variations from their designs, and the mechanism can be cumbersome for adjusting and wearing, and it can be costly.
In above categories the cap shapers need to be manually adjusted, either by trimming or by adjusting dimensions in order to fit the intended cap, which often are for stationary display and less suitable for wearing. No mechanism exists at the time of this invention for cap shapers to self-adapt to adequately fit for caps of a range of sizes and shape variations.


A toroidal inductor formed in a semiconductor substrate. Through-silicon vias are used to connect metal layers formed on top and bottom surfaces of the semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, the vias are elongated and laid out in two concentric circles, an inner circle enclosed by an outer circle. The vias of the outer concentric circle are longer than the vias of the inner circle so that spaces between vias are the same for both circles. In another embodiment, each elongated via may include a plurality of circular vias formed in a line. Metals layers on the top and bottom of the semiconductor substrate are patterned to form wedge shaped connectors between the inner and outer vias to form the spirals of the toroidal inductor. The wedge shaped connectors with elongated vias allow spacing between spirals to be constant.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to inductors, and more specifically, to a method for forming a toroidal inductor in a semiconductor substrate.
2. Related Art
Inductors are commonly used in electronic circuits. In radio frequency (RF) circuits, inductors are needed that have a relatively high Q factor and high inductance values. Also, inductors implemented in the metal layers of an integrated circuit can cause significant interference due to the inductor magnetic field not being sufficiently confined.
Therefore, what is needed is an integrated circuit inductor that solves the above problems.

Method for forming a toroidal inductor in a semiconductor substrate


A method for access to a shared communication medium, referred to as the medium, access to the medium being of the “carrier sense multiple access” type, wherein an electronic device, in order to be able to send a message over the medium, the message including information representing a message type, waits for a backoff time before checking whether the medium is available to send the message, the backoff time being determined randomly and lying between a minimum backoff time and a maximum backoff time, wherein the maximum backoff time is dependent on the type of message to be sent over the medium by the electronic device.

The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications on a shared transmission medium. The invention relates more particularly to a method for access to the shared transmission medium used by an electronic device sharing the transmission medium in order to send messages.
When a plurality of electronic devices must share the same transmission medium (hereinafter "the medium"), a technique for organising the sharing of said medium between the various electronic devices must be established. Historically, when the medium to be shared was a radio-frequency band, a technique known as "carrier sense multiple access" was developed. The principle of such a method for access to the medium is that an electronic device wishing to send a message over a shared medium will commence by checking that the medium is available before sending the message. The access method has been improved over the years, in particular in order to best adapt to the medium used. The medium used may be an electrical network, and a so-called "powerline communication" (PLC) is then spoken of. Thus technical specifications, including such a method for access to a shared medium, have been produced. The technical specification "PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution" (PRIME) developed by the "PRIME Alliance Technical Working Group", for example in version 1.4 thereof published in October 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, comprises a description of the method for access to a shared medium by electronic devices such as communicating energy meters. The method for access to a medium, more particularly to one of the channels defined in the technical specifications, is defined in Chapter 4.3.3 ("Channel access") of the technical specifications. FIG. 32 of the PRIME v1.4 technical specifications ("Flow chart for CSMA-CA algorithm") illustrates said method for access to the medium, the medium here being a PLC transmission channel. This method is set out in FIG. 1, and illustrates a method 100 for access to a shared medium executed by an electronic device in accordance with the PRIME v1.4 technical specifications. A concise description of the method is given below, the details can advantageously be found in the PRIME v1.4 technical specifications published in October 2014, in particular Chapter 4.3.3, pages 77 to 83.
The method 100 comprises a first step 101 of receiving a request to send a message (a request referred to as "CSMA-CA Req") on the shared medium, here a PLC channel. Parameters ("txAttemps", "chSenseCount" and "burstLen" for example) are initialised to default values (for example here "zero" for the three parameters) in a step 102. In a step 103, the value of a parameter "macSCPChSenseCount" is fixed at "priority +1", the parameter "priority" enabling the electronic device executing the method to prioritise the messages to be sent. In a step 104, the electronic device executing the method 100 determines a waiting time (parameter "macSCPRBO", also referred to as "backoff time"), also referred to as "random backoff time, RBO", used for an attempt to send the message over the medium. The value of the backoff time, that is to say of the parameter "macSCPRBO", is determined in accordance with the following formula:
  macSCPRBO  =      random                                               (                  0          ,                      min            (                                          (                                                      2                                          (                                              priority                        +                        txAttemps                        +                                                  macCSMAR                                                                                1                                                                    )                                                        +                                      macCSMAR                                                                                2                                                  )                            ,                              (                                  macSCPLength                  2                                )                                      )
With "random(A, B)", a mathematical function determining a random value and lying between the values of the arguments A and B of the function random,
"min(A, B)", a mathematical function determining the minimum value between the values of the arguments A and B of the function min,
"priority", "txAttemps" the previously described parameters,
"macCSMAR1" and "macCSMAR2" two predetermined parameters, the values of which are fixed by the PRIME technical specifications ("macCSMAR1=3" and "macCSMAR2=1", cf. Table 97 on page 239 of the PRIME v1.4 technical specifications), and
"macSCPLength" a parameter representing the duration of a contention period ("Shared Contention Period—SCP") used by the method for sending a message in accordance with the PRIME technical specifications.
Thus the backoff time "macSCPRBO" is determined randomly and lies between a minimum backoff time and a maximum backoff time. According to the previously described formula, the minimum backoff time is "zero". Likewise, the maximum backoff time, referred to as "Tmax", is equal to:
  Tmax  =      min                             (                              (                                          2                                  (                                      priority                    +                    txAttemps                    +                                          macCSMAR                                                                                1                                                        )                                            +                              macCSMAR                                                                                2                                      )                    ,                      (                          macSCPLength              2                        )
In a following step 105, and before commencing a backoff time, the electronic device executing the method must check that the remaining time for the contention period in question is sufficient to accommodate the backoff time, the number of channel sensing phase iterations and the time for any transmission of the message ("Tx time"). If the time remaining for the contention period is insufficient, the backoff time must be cancelled and recommence during the next contention period. Thus, in step 105, the electronic device checks that (macSCPRBO+"iteration time"+Tx time) is less than or equal to the remaining contention period time (SCP).
If this is not the case, in a step 106, the electronic device awaits the following contention period in order to recommence the process at step 104, a new backoff time value "macSCPRBO" then being generated.
If such is the case, that is to say there remains sufficient time in the contention period to accommodate the backoff time, the channel sensing phase iterations and the time for transmitting a message ("Tx time"), in a step 107, then the electronic device waits for the backoff time ("macSCPRBO") determined during step 104. This backoff time is expressed as a number of symbol times ("duration symbol") used on the transmission channel, a symbol time being typically equal to "2.24 ms".
Once the backoff time has elapsed, the electronic device, in a step 108, performs a channel sensing phase in order to determine whether the transmission channel is available (idle) or busy. The medium is busy typically since another message is being sent by another electronic device sharing the medium.
In other words, the electronic device waits for a backoff time "macSCPRBO", during a step 107, in order to check, in a step 108, whether the medium is available for sending the message.
In a step 109, according to the state of the medium determined at step 108, the electronic device passes to a step 110 if the medium is available or to a step 121 if the medium is busy.
In the case where the channel is available, the electronic device, in step 110, checks the value of the parameter "chSenseCount". If this parameter is equal to the value of a predetermined parameter "macSCPChSenseCount", then the electronic device, in a step 130, sends the message over the transmission medium. Possibly, the value of "macSCPChSenseCount" is defined as being equal to "priority +1".
In the case where "chSenseCount" is less than "macSCPChSenseCount", then the electronic device, in a step 111, increments the value of the parameter "chSenseCount". The value is typically incremented by "1". Following this incrementation, in a step 112, the electronic device waits for a period "macCSMADelay", a period typically equal to "3 ms". The electronic device then once again executes step 108 in order to determine the state of the channel, and possibly recommences the cycle of steps 108 to 112 as long as the medium is available, in order ultimately to end with the sending of the message during step 130.
If, during a step 109, the electronic device finds that the state of the medium determined during step 108 is "busy", then the electronic device passes to a step 121. In step 121, the electronic device compares the value of the parameter "txAttemps" with the value of a parameter "macSCPMaxTxAttemps". In the case where the value of "txAttemps" is equal to the value of "macSCPMaxTxAttemps", then, in a step 140, the electronic device declares failure of the sending of the message. Possibly, an error message is sent to another electronic device or an entry is updated in a log file. In the case where the value of "txAttemps" is less than the value of "macSCPMaxTxAttemps", then the electronic device, in a step 122, increments the value of "txAttemps". The incrementation is typically by "1". Next, the electronic device resets the value of the parameter "chSenseCount" to zero. Then the electronic device, in a step 124, determines the value of "burstLen" by fixing it equal to the length of a current message ("burst length") sent over the medium and detected during step 108. This information is supplied by a physical layer of the electronic device. In a step 125, the electronic device next waits for the period "burstLen" previously defined, that is to say until the end of the sending of the current message. The electronic device then resumes the method 100 at step 104, determining a new backoff time value "macSCPRBO" in order to recommence a cycle.
The method ends after a step 130 or a step 140, that is to say either after a sending of the message over the medium or a finding that the sending has failed.
This method, implemented in the PRIME v1.4 technical specifications, but also in other technical specifications, thus allows sharing of the medium between a plurality of electronic devices sharing this medium equitably. However, it has a few drawbacks.
First of all, by its nature, the transmission of a message over a channel of the PLC type is unreliable. That is to say, for any reason, such as interference on an electrical line, a message is frequently lost and must be resent. The resending time means that in the end the transmission of the information included in the messages is done with a certain latency. In a PLC network, this latency time may be detrimental for certain applications, such as for example the collection of metering data or the setting of the time of a communicating energy meter. It would be desirable to be able to benefit from better latency in certain cases. Likewise, the method described above is not necessarily optimum in the cases where few messages are sent over the medium. More generally, it will be desirable to be able to reduce the latency, highly dependent on the backoff time "macSCPRBO", in certain cases.
It is consequently desirable to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art.

Method for access to a shared communication medium


An illuminated sign (10) that produces a luminescent display that is especially suitable for attachment to an article of clothing such as a jacket (60) or cap (70). The sign (10) consists of an electroluminescent lamp (12) that produces a luminescent cool light, in either, white, yellow or green/blue, that is visible through the openings of an indicia stencil (26) affixed to the front of the lamp (12). The lamp is encapsulated in a film (24) that is further protected by a sign protecting cover (28) having an opening (30) into which is inserted the stencil (26). The signs power circuit consists of an inverter (46) that is powered by a battery (44). The inverter produces an output of 140-volts a-c at 400 Hz that is applied directly to the input of the electroluminescent lamp (12) and that is controlled by a power switch (48). The problems inherent with using protruding LEDs and the limitation of the displays that can be made with the LEDs is eliminated by using the stencil (26) in combination with the electroluminescent panel (12).

Illuminated signs for use on articles of clothing are worn to advertise a particular store or business, a trademark or other novelty statements. In general, the prior art has disclosed several designs for an illuminated display panel consisting of two or more stacked panels and a power source.
The panel facing the apparel is generally smooth to allow easier attachment and to prevent tearing the apparel surface. The outer panel has a plurality of bores into which is inserted and retained an equal number of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and in some cases incandescent bulbs. The center panel normally contains the electrical wire routing and any control circuits that may be required to operate the panel. The assembled display panel is powered by a battery that may be located on the panel itself or located externally and connected to the panel by means of an electrical cable. An on-off switch is often provided to control the application of the battery power.
The LEDs or incandescent bulbs used in the prior art must, because of their mounting configuration, protrude from the surface of the display panel. This protrusion can result in a breakage of one or more of the lights if care is not taken in storing and/or using the apparel with the panel. Additionally, the displayed design provided by the LEDs is limited to a series of discontinuous points arranged to define a letter or a curve. Thus, certain complex displays that require continuous sections for ultimate aesthetics cannot be formed as can be easily accomplished with the instant invention.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,709,307 Brandon 24 November 1987 4,570,206 Deutsch 11 February 1986 4,231,079 Heminover 28 October 1980 4,164,008 Miller 7 August 1979 ______________________________________
The Brandon patent discloses an illuminated article of clothing that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to achieve the ornamental lighting pattern. The LEDs are mounted on a printed wiring board that comprises one element of a five element structure that is attached to the article of clothing. A battery is provided for illuminating the LEDs as is a control circuit for controlling the energization of the LEDs. A cable, hidden within the article of clothing, us used to electrically connect the battery power to the LEDs.
The Deutsch patent discloses an article of clothing that includes a flexible panel having a plurality of holes selected to form a pattern. Through the plurality of holes project a similar plurality of electrically illuminable members such as LEDs. The LEDs are connected through a flexible cable to an electrical power source consisting of a battery and complimentary control circuits.
The Heminover patent discloses a hat assembly having a plurality of perforations located over the upper portion of the hat. Into the perforations is inserted an equal plurality of LEDs that project through the perforations for viewing. A power and control circuit is included to energize the LEDs sequentially at a rate to optically simulate motion.
The Miller patent discloses a garment having a plurality of holes into which is inserted and protrudes an equal plurality of LEDs. The LEDs are mounted on a printed circuit board that is attached at the rear of the garment. A circuit means separate from the printed circuit board is provided that controls and powers the LEDs.


A liquid quality management device capable of being added to a liquid supply system supplying a liquid in a storage container to a dispensing device in order to cool the liquid and dispensing the liquid into a drinking container includes: a dispensing sensor; and a control device electrically connected to the dispensing sensor and configured to perform control operation of at least one of a refrigeration machine and a stirring device provided in the dispensing device at the same time when dispensing of the liquid is started.

In a restaurant, a liquid supply system is generally used as a device for providing liquid, for example, beer. When the beer is used as an example, the liquid supply system includes a carbon dioxide gas cylinder, a beer barrel filled with the beer, a supply pipe, and a beer dispenser. The liquid supply system pressurizes the beer within the beer barrel with carbon dioxide gas of the carbon dioxide gas cylinder, and transfers the liquid with pressurization from the supply pipe to the beer dispenser. The beer dispenser has a beer cooling pipe provided within a cooling tank, a refrigeration machine, and a dispensing outlet. The beer dispenser freezes a part of a cooling water within the cooling tank by using the refrigeration machine, cools the beer while causing the beer to flow within the beer cooling pipe due to a lever operation at the dispensing outlet, and dispenses the beer to a drinking container such as a beer mug.
In this way, the beer in the beer barrel is provided for a customer.
As described above, in the beer dispenser of a type generally called an instant cooling type, the beer is dispensed while being cooled with heat exchange between the beer passing through the inside of the beer cooling pipe immersed in the partially frozen cooling water and the cooling water. In addition, in order to perform efficient heat exchange, the beer dispenser further includes a stirring device for stirring the cooling water in the cooling tank. The stirring device has a stirring blade and a stirring motor for rotationally driving the stirring blade.
On the other hand, the beer barrel filled with the beer is often placed in a room temperature environment. Therefore, in summer, etc., since the heat exchange with the beer having almost room temperature is performed at especially near an inlet side of the beer cooling pipe in the cooling water within the cooling tank, temperature of the cooling water rises and ice in the cooling water melts. Therefore, for example, by detecting an amount of ice in the cooling water, operating the refrigeration machine based on a change in the amount of ice to lower the temperature of the cooling water, and stirring the cooling water by using the stirring device, the temperature of the cooling water is maintained within a set range, and temperature of the dispensed beer is maintained within a predetermined range.

Liquid quality managing device and method


A cutting tool comprises an insert holder and a cutting insert. The insert holder has a clamping portion comprising a base jaw a clamping jaw and an insert pocket therebetween. The clamping jaw comprises two independently resilient elongated sub-clamping jaws separated by an elongated recess. The cutting insert is resiliently clamped in the insert pocket between the two elongated sub-clamping jaws and the base jaw.

Examples of such cutting tools are grooving tools, in which the insert holder has the form of a generally rectangular blade, and rotary slot-cutting tools, in which the insert holder is disc shaped with the cutting inserts retained in insert pockets around the periphery of the disc. In both the grooving and the rotary slot-cutting cutting tools, the insert pocket is located in a clamping portion of the cutting tool and is defined between a clamping jaw and a base jaw. The clamping and base jaws are resiliently displaceable with respect to each other and are formed from an integral single piece.
A cutting portion 210 of a typical prior art cutting tool is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The cutting portion 210 comprises an upper clamping jaw 212 connected to a lower base jaw 214 via a rounded aperture 216 with an insert pocket 218 defined between the clamping and base jaws 212, 214. The clamping and base jaws 212, 214 have clamping surfaces 220, 222 which converge rearwardly from an opening 224 located at a forward end of the insert pocket 218. The cutting insert 226 comprises upper and lower abutment surfaces 228, 230 and a cutting edge 232 at a forward end of the cutting insert 226. The upper and lower abutment surfaces 228, 230 converge rearwardly from the forward end of the cutting insert 226.
As can be seen in FIG. 9, when the cutting insert 226 is retained in the insert pocket 218, the cutting insert 226 forces apart the clamping and base jaws 212, 214 and the lower abutment surface 230 abuts the clamping surface 222 of the base jaw 214. On the other hand, the upper abutment surface 228 and the clamping surface 220 of the clamping jaw 212 are in abutment only at their forward regions with a gap 234 formed between their rear regions. The presence of the gap 234 is intentional and is a consequence of manufacturing tolerances. If the insert pocket 218 and the cutting insert 226 had been designed to fit perfectly without the intentional gap 234, then any inaccuracies in the dimensions of the cutting insert 226 could well result in the upper abutment surface 228 and the clamping surface 220 of the clamping jaw 212 being in abutment at their rear regions with a gap formed between their forward regions. Such a situation is, of course, unacceptable.
Clearly, the prior art cutting tools are disadvantageous since only partial abutment between the upper abutment surface 228 and the clamping surface 220 of the clamping jaw 212 results in a situation in which the cutting insert is less rigidly retained in the insert pocket 218 than if these surfaces where in abutment in both their forward and rear regions.
A solution to the above mentioned problem is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,727 B1 which describes a cutting tool having a resilient clamping mechanism in which the clamping jaw comprises a first narrow bridge section connecting the clamping jaw to the body portion of the cutting tool and a second narrow bridge section which extends generally towards the second clamping surface. The second narrow bridge section is generally situated between the recess and an aperture and gives rise to a second resilience axis of rotation. The first narrow bridge section is situated generally between the aperture and the upper side of the clamping jaw and gives rise to a first resilience axis of rotation. The clamping jaw has a forward first clamping surface separated by a recess from a rearward second clamping surface.
The first clamping surface can be resiliently displaced about the first resilience axis of rotation, whereas the second clamping surface can independently be resiliently displaced about the second resilience axis of rotation. The first clamping surface exerts a first force on a forward portion of the upper surface of an insert, whilst the second clamping surface exerts a second force on a rearward portion of the upper surface of the insert. If the first narrow bridge section is designed so that the first resilience axis of rotation P lies on the line of action of second force, then the first and second forces are independent of each other. If the first resilience axis of rotation does not lie on the line of action of the second force, then the first and second forces will not be independent of each other. The degree of independence depends on the closeness of the first resilience axis of rotation to the line of action of the second force. The requirement that the first resilience axis of rotation lie on the line of action of second force and the fact that the second resilience axis of rotation is formed by the second narrow bridge section between the recess and the aperture, is a constructional restraint that leaves little room for freedom of design of the clamping jaw and consequently limits the design of the cutting insert.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cutting tool of the type in which a cutting insert is resiliently clamped in a self-retaining manner, wherein the aforementioned disadvantages are significantly reduced or overcome.

Cutting tool and cutting insert therefor


A motorized drum having a drum shell with a motor therein, the motor having a stationary shaft, stator windings, and a stator support structure that is affixed to the stationary shaft. A rotor rotates coaxially around the stator, and a cycloidal reducer has an output that rotates at a reduced rate. The reducer output is rotationally fixed to, and is disposed within, the drum shell. An input gear of the reducer received a hollow eccentric input shaft, and is urged into eccentric motion as the input shaft rotates. The output gear urges the drum shell into rotation at same rate of rotation as the output gear. An harmonic drive speed reducer that has an input shaft provides rotatory motion to a wave generator that is disposed against a flexible splined member. The flexible splined member engages a rigid circular spline member at two radially opposed zones. Induction and permanent magnet forms of operation are used.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to high powered compact electric motors, and more particularly, to a motor and reducer system, the motor being an outer rotor motor that is particularly adaptable for motorized drums used in a conveyor or the like to drive a conveyor belt or the like around the drum shell, and more particularly to sanitary conveyor motorized drum applications. In addition, this invention relates to a sanitation system that monitors fluid pressures within high powered compact electric motors, as well as fluid pressures within conveyor rollers and supporting structures, the sanitation system being particularly adaptable to sanitary conveyor applications.
Description of the Related Art
Motorized drums are predominantly configured so that a motor and reducer are disposed within a drum shell and the rotations of the motor are reduced by the reducer and then transmitted to the drum shell so that when the external shafts are secured to the frame of a conveyor, the drum shell is able to rotate. In some embodiments, the drum shell drives a flat belt, or toothed belt, or modular belt.
The motorized drum that is currently available has a drum shell and the motor and reducer are housed within this drum shell. Bearings and seals are disposed at both end sections of the drum shell with end covers for closing these end sections disposed between the bearings and the drum shell. Labyrinths are frequently used in the end covers to protect the seals from high pressure water that is used to clean food processing plants. There are employed first and second mounting shafts that enable rotation relative to the drum shell. Accordingly, the drum shell rotates about a central axis of the first and second mounting shafts. The first mounting shaft contains a hollow portion through which the motor wiring leads, which are connected to the motor, exit the motorized drum. The known motorized drum is partially filled with oil, which lubricates the open gear box and bearings, and transmits the heat from the motor to the inner periphery of the roller drum as the oil moves throughout the motorized drum.
The known motor has an internal rotor with a shaft attached. This motor rotor shaft also functions as the input shaft for the reducer. The reducer has an output shaft that is coupled to the shell while the fixed reference point of the reducer (it's housing) rotates relative to the drum shell and has no rotary motion relative to the motor stator and mounting shafts. When the motor is energized, the shaft of the known motor rotates. The speed of this rotation is reduced by the reducer, and the reducer output power is then transmitted to the drum shell via the output shaft, thereby driving the drum shell into rotation. In order to achieve smooth operation, the central axis of the motor output shaft and the central axis of the first and second mounting shafts must be in substantial alignment with each other.
The food processing industry is often a twenty four hour cycle that typically employs two shifts of production and one shift of cleaning. The focus is on high throughput, and downtime is not acceptable. Equipment failure must be repairable immediately or replaceable with spare parts.
Existing motorized drums are essentially custom products. Four variables are involved in the selection of a motorized drum. These are: belt speed, belt width, belt pull, and pulley diameter. Additional options may also be included in the analysis, such as lagging, various electrical options, and the need for reinforced shafts.
Currently, the industry predominantly uses AC induction motors that operate at a fixed speed. A motor speed and a gear reduction arrangement must be selected to provide the highest possible belt pull for the application, while creating the lowest amount of heat. The heat issue is critical as the motorized drum is a closed system that renders removal of heat to be very difficult. Therefore a large number of motors, in different poles, must be considered for each diameter along with multiple two and three stage gear boxes.
Currently, the industry uses helical gearing that is limited by the diameter and axial length of the pulley. Therefore, to transmit the necessary torque through the gear box, it is often necessary to use a larger diameter pulley, which is usually not preferred by the market.
In order to have the correct motorized drum available for each application, the manufacturer would need to stock thousands of possibilities, which is not financially feasible. Therefore, each motor is custom built based upon the four variables noted above, resulting in unacceptably long lead times to the industry. As zero downtime is a market requirement, the food processor customer must stock spares of all the motors he uses. This can be as many as several hundreds of motors, requiring high capital investment and cost.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to create a modular motorized drum that can eliminate the customer's need for a large spare parts inventory by means of a motorized drum produced in its minimal axial length (hereafter, base unit), that includes a mounting face system on one end of the motorized drum onto which various components can be mounted. Such components include end lids, additional extension drum shells and an extension shaft that can accommodate the attachment of sprockets, among others.
It is a further object of this invention to increase the torque density of the motorized drum so that the modular base unit can be a single unit in a preferred diameter and axial length.
It is another object of this invention to provide a motor that maintains a relatively constant torque and efficiency curve across a broad speed range so that a single base unit can be used in all applications within a given production plant.
Customers require spares and spare parts because of the high likelihood of catastrophic failure present in the current art. One contributor to catastrophic failure among current art is the high belt pull and/or tension of the belt on the motorized drum that causes severe and immediate damage to the internal components. Existing motorized drums use segmented or partial shafts. A partial shaft is fixed to the conveyor and enters the motorized drum and is attached to a motor flange. The motor flange is attached to the motor, and the motor is attached to a gear box. The gear box is attached to a partial shaft that exits the motorized drum and is then affixed to the conveyor. These partial shaft segments are either substantially coaxial or are parallel with the motor shaft portion. The dividing of the shaft axially, however, diminishes the transaxial rigidity of the shaft, causing flexure and misalignment between the partial shafts and thus between the motor and transmission.
Such misalignment creates inefficiency, high wear, and often catastrophic failure of the transmission or motor. Prior art efforts to alleviate this problem by include increasing the diameter of the first or second mounting shaft within the motorized drum as the axial length of the motorized drum increases. Others in the art have sought to compensate by using axially longer end lids.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to accommodate the misalignment between all components of the motorized drum and to accommodate, rather than minimize, the inherent forces causing deflection that enters the motorized drum.
Another significant problem with existing art is its inability to comply fully with the food safety demands of the market. First, it is noted that existing products are filled with oil in order to lubricate gears, bearings, and seals. The oil also transmits heat from the motor core to the shell, where it can be removed by conduction to the belt. Further, system inefficiencies create heat and build pressure in the system, forcing the oil to leak through the rubber lip seals—especially where scoring has occurred in the shaft at the seal. Oil leakage creates the risk of contamination of the food products.
Therefore, it is yet another object of this invention to eliminate the use of oil in the motorized drum.
Second, it is a significant problem with existing motor designs that harborage points exist in the exterior of the drum unit wherein bacterial colonies (i.e., pathogens) can grow. Examples of efforts to alleviate this problem include the use of a labyrinth in the end lid that is used to protect rotary shaft seals from high pressure washing. Also, external bolts and washers are used to connect the end lids to the drum shell, and further bacterial harborage regions are present between the drum shell and its end lids.
Therefore, it is a further object of the invention to eliminate harborage points where colonies of bacteria can flourish.
Third, existing motorized drums that drive modular conveyor belting or toothed driven belting, predominantly engage the belting by means of grooved rubber or polyurethane lagging. This lagging will crack, lift, or pit, thereby not only creating additional harborage points for bacteria, but also serving to isolate heat within the motor. The result is that currently available motors must be derated typically by approximately 18%. This means that more heat is created in relationship to the work performed because the motor is now running at decreased efficiency. The lagging therefore causes the pulley to take a longer period of time to reach steady state, and when it does reach the steady state condition, it does so at a higher temperature than would have been the case without the polymeric lagging, ultimately resulting in higher belt temperature. This additional heat must then be removed from the lagging by the conveyor belt. As the conveyor belt moves along the conveyor, the heat typically is removed from the belt either by convection into the environment or through conduction into the food product being conveyed. It is desired by food industry personnel that no heat from the drive system enter into the food product.
Other prior art arrangements drive modular conveyor belting or toothed driven belting by mounting sprockets to the drum shell instead of lagging. In such arrangements, the conveyor belt does not contact the drum shell directly, and therefore the drum motor still needs to be derated. Further, the sprockets, in their various mounting structures to the shell, create harborage points or dead spaces where bacterial colonies can grow.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to reduce the steady state temperature of the motorized drum.
It is a further object of the invention to increase the rate of heat dissipation from the windings within the electrical motor to the inner surface of the drum shell.
Fourth, the food industry is concerned about potential cross contamination between the materials within a motorized drum and the food products being conveyed. Thus, the industry continues to seek a solution that will announce the presence of conditions that produce a likelihood of cross contamination. For example, many food industry customers require that red or blue dyes be added to a food grade oil so that when oil leaks, it can be detected. This proposed solution is not reliably effective because after the motorized drum is operated for a period of time, the oil becomes black and the red or blue dye no longer functions as an alert. Additionally, even when there is no actual leakage of oil, cross contamination is still a threat because bacterial colonies will grow in a labyrinth or seal unnoticed, which can then be propelled onto the conveyor during performance of a high pressure cleaning procedure.
Therefore, it is still another object of this invention not only to eliminate the use of oil in a closed system, but also to monitor the corruption of the rotary shaft seals and the static end lid seals in order to alert the system operator in a timely manner that the integrity of the seals has been compromised.