Pursuant to certain embodiments of the present invention, methods of generating an internal clock signal in a semiconductor memory device are provided in which the frequency of an external clock signal is measured. A CAS latency value of the semiconductor memory device is automatically set based at least in part on the measured frequency of the external clock signal. The automatically set CAS latency value is then used to generate the internal clock signal from the external clock signal. In these methods, the delay of a delay lock loop of the semiconductor memory device may be based at least in part on the automatically set CAS latency value. The internal clock signal may be generated from the external clock signal using the delay lock loop. Circuits and methods for measuring the frequency of the external clock signal are also provided.

Many semiconductor memory devices use one or more internal clock signals to, for example, control operations of the device. These internal clock signals may be generated from one or more external clock signals. However, the performance of certain circuits within the semiconductor memory device may be impacted by the frequency of the clock signals that are used. As such, it may be desirable to have circuits in a semiconductor device operate in one way when a clock signal having a first frequency is used and act in a different way when a clock signal having a different frequency is used.
For example, when a delay locked loop (DLL) is used to generate an internal clock signal that is synchronized with an external clock signal, the internal clock signal typically can be synchronized with the external clock signal even if the delay circuit has a short delay time, so long as the external clock signal has a high frequency. However, a delay circuit having a relatively long delay time should be used to synchronize the internal clock signal with the external clock signal when the external clock signal has a low frequency.
In conventional semiconductor memory devices, a CAS latency (CL) value that is set, for example, by a user of the device may provide information about the frequency of the external clock signal. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit that may be used in a conventional semiconductor memory device to generate an internal clock signal from an external clock signal. The circuit of FIG. 1 provides for different delays that may be implemented based on the frequency of the external clock signal.
As shown in FIG. 1, first and second delay circuits 10 and 12, which are selected by a CAS Latency (CL) value, may be used to delay an input signal IN (i.e., the external clock signal that is to be used to generate the internal clock signal) by different predetermined amounts. The first and second delay circuits 10 and 12 output the delayed input signal as an output signal OUT. In conventional semiconductor memory device, the CL value is set based on the frequency of the input clock signal. Thus, the circuit of FIG. 1 varies the amount which the external clock signal is delayed to produce the internal clock signal based on the frequency of the external clock signal as reflected by the CL value. Accordingly, when a CL value is set by the user in response to the frequency of the external clock signal, the circuit illustrated in FIG. 1 can generate the output signal OUT at a different time by selecting one of the first delay circuit 10 and the second delay circuit 12 in response to the CL value.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a method of adjusting the delay time of a delay circuit in response to the frequency of an external clock signal in a DLL of a conventional semiconductor memory device. In the delay circuit of FIG. 2, each of the third and fourth delay circuits 20 and 22 may be composed of one or more delay elements. The third and fourth delay circuits may have the same, or different, delay times.
As noted above, a DLL is often used to synchronize the internal clock signal with the external clock signal in a semiconductor memory device. As also discussed above, the internal clock signal can typically be synchronized with the external clock signal even when the DLL has a short delay time if the input clock signal has a high frequency. However, the DLL may need to have a relatively long delay time if the input clock signal has a low frequency.
In the DLL circuit of FIG. 2, the CL value set by the user may be used to set/cut the first and second fuses 24 and 26. When the frequency of the clock signal is relatively high, the CL value may be chosen so that only the second fuse 26 is cut, so that the internal clock signal will be generated by the third delay circuit 20, and the fourth delay circuit 22 is not used. In this manner, the delay time associated with the delay circuit is relatively shorter. In contrast, when the frequency of the clock signal is relatively low, the CL value may be chosen so that neither the first fuse 24 nor the second fuse 26 are cut. As a result, the internal clock signal is generated through both the third delay circuit 20 and the fourth delay circuit 22, thereby making the delay time relatively longer.
As the CL value may be used to convey information about the frequency of the clock signal, the CL value may need to be changed if the frequency of the clock signal that is to be input to the semiconductor memory device is changed. If the CL value is not set correctly by the user, the semiconductor memory device may not work properly.

Methods of generating internal clock signals from external clock signals and of measuring the frequency of external clock signals and related frequency measuring circuits and semiconductor memory devices


A processing method for the metal surface in a dual damascene manufacturing is applied to a dual damascene semiconductor structure. The dual damascene semiconductor structure has a metal structure and a spin-on-dielectric (SOD) layer formed on the metal structure, wherein the SOD layer has at least one opening exposing a partial surface of the metal structure. Before the opening is filled, the monoxide on the exposed surface is first removed, then the exposed surface is treated by the plasma at an angle inclined to an axis perpendicular to the exposed surface. The processing method provided in the present invention can avoid the exposed surface being damaged by the plasma and improve the adhesion force between the exposed metal surface and the stuff.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of processing the via in a dual damascene manufacturing. More specifically, the present invention discloses a method of processing the via in a Cu/Spin-on-dielectric (Cu/SOD) dual damascene manufacturing to avoid Cu peeling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In Cu/SOD dual damascene manufacturing, the major factors to be considered are Cu oxidation and Cu peeling on the bottom surface of the via. Usually the Cu oxidation on the bottom surface of the via can be removed efficiently by using Reactive-Pre-Clean (RPC); on the other hand, the adhesion force between Cu and SOD can be efficiently improved by using Ar plasma treatment.
However, the above-mentioned two procedures cannot match up. If the RPC is performed first, the follow-up Ar plasma treatment will ordinarily increase the via resistance, and then decrease the yield. The drawback of the foregoing order mainly arises from the perpendicular direction of the Ar plasma with respect to the bottom surface of the via in the Ar plasma treatment, therefore damages the Cu surface. On the other hand, if the Ar plasma treatment is performed first, the follow-up RPC will reduce the adhesion force between Cu and SOD. Moreover, Cu on the bottom surface of the via will splash on the side wall of the via and then soon spread into the intermetal dielectric layer and cause the electric leakage of the intermetal dielectric layer.
Therefore there is the need for improvement in the method of processing the via in a dual damascene manufacturing.

Method of processing metal surface in dual damascene manufacturing

Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation


Renewable composite microelectrodes for electrochemical applications are formed by an initial coating on an elongated conductive substrate of less than 500 micrometers over at least a portion of its length with a modifier composition, and a superposed coating of electronically resistive polymer. The initial coating is exposed only at the tip portion of the microelectrode. The initial coating may be an absorbed layer of the modifier, a homogeneous layer of a polymeric matrix with the modifier dispersed therein, or a layer of a polymer with a modifier in its chain. The modifier provides distinctive properties to the surface of the electrode which may be electroactivity, inclusion, acidic/basic, complexing/chelating or electrocatalysis. The microelectrode will normally be used with only the tip portion thereof immersed in the solution, and it may be renewed by removing the contaminated tip portion.

The present invention relates to renewable modified microelectrodes for electrochemical applications and to methods for making same.
Modified electrodes have become of great interest because of their ability to extend the range of characteristics provided by the intrinsic interfacial properties of traditional electrodes. Such electrodes have become important tools in electroanalytical chemistry and the uses have been expanding as new modifiers have been identified.
Heretofore, such electrodes have been prepared by application to the surface of an electrode a coating of a modifier to provide the desired alteration of the surface characteristics. In many applications, the surface layer becomes contaminated or attacked by the solution in which the electrode is immersed so that the modified electrode may not be reused. Moreover, the coating may not be uniform and thus produce variation in activity over the surface of the electrode.
Microelectrodes and ultramicroelectrodes are desirable for many analytical applications. Fabrication of microelectrodes with electroactive surfaces presents substantial problems. Moreover, such microelectrodes become contaminated and require frequent replacement
Thus, substitution of another microelectrode may involve some change in microelectrode characteristics and introduce problems of reproducibility of results.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel modified electrode which may be renewed by removing a surface portion thereof.
It is also an object to provide such a microelectrode which has substantially uniform characteristics along its length so that it may be renewed by removing end portions and provide substantially similar results.
A further object is to provide an electrode assembly which may combine therein microelectrodes having different types of modification.
Another object is to provide a novel method for preparing modified microelectrodes and for renewing such microelectrodes.

Modified microelectrodes with renewable surface and method of making same


An image forming apparatus that supports WiFi Direct, includes a user interface unit to receive a command from a user, a WiFi-Direct connection unit to perform WiFi-Direct connection with an external wireless terminal, an Internet connection unit to perform connection to the Internet, a control unit to permit or prohibit Internet access of the WiFi-Direct connected wireless terminal made through the Internet connection unit, a soft access point (AP) module to allow the image forming apparatus to operate as an AP in WiFi-Direction connection with the wireless terminal, a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server module to allocate a network address to the wireless terminal if the image forming apparatus operates as an AP, and an image forming operation execution unit to perform an image forming operation under control of the control unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus supporting WiFi Direct, and more particularly, to a method of controlling Internet access of a wireless terminal connected to an image forming apparatus that supports WiFi Direct, in the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, Peer to Peer (P2P) communication that directly connects wireless devices without using a separate wireless connection device has become common in use, and a representative technique enabling P2P communication may include BLUETOOTH technology. BLUETOOTH is slightly limited in terms of transmission speed and transmission range, but as new versions are continuously developed, BLUETOOTH devices have been improving.
WiFi, which is a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) standard based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 prescribed in the WiFi Alliance, allows a use of ultra high-speed Internet through access to an access point (AP) connected to an infra network, but when an ad-hoc function is used, P2P communication is also possible. However, when the ad-hoc function is used, security is weak and transmission speed decreases, and a setup method is not easy to execute. Thus, recently, the WiFi Alliance has proposed WiFi Direct as a technique to allow P2P communication. WiFi Direct enables P2P connection between wireless devices without using an AP, supports a maximum speed of 250 Mbps, and allows security setup using WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), thereby substantially remedying disadvantages of the ad-hoc communication. Moreover, by supporting a transmission range of up to 200 m, WiFi Direct emerges as a new alternative to P2P communication.
As such, with the recent emergence of WiFi Direct, the use of P2P communication seems to increase and the P2P communication technique may also be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a scanner, a facsimile, or a complex machine. Therefore, for safe and convenience use of an image forming apparatus which supports P2P connection, techniques for user authentication, connection control, authority control, and security management are required.

Image forming apparatus supporting WiFi direct and method of controlling internet access in image forming apparatus


An apparatus and method for reducing power consumption of a receiver of a mobile communication system are provided. The apparatus includes an adaptive multi-tap segment channel estimator for determining a segment size according to a delay spread value for each channel tap, for determining a channel estimation frequency by determining a sum of segment block energy, and for allocating each segment to the channel estimator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an equalizer-based receiver in a mobile communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing power consumption of the receiver by decreasing a multi-tap size in an equalizer-based receiver in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
With recent standardization and commercialization of a mobile communication system that requires high-rate data transmission, such as a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like, research is presently conducted for an equalizer-based receiver suitable for high-rate data reception.
A conventional equalizer-based receiver includes an equalizer and a multi-tap channel estimator having a tap long enough to sufficiently receive a delay profile of a reception channel. The multi-tap with a sufficiently long length is designed where a multi-path reception channel has a long delay profile. However, in an actual channel reception environment, the multi-path reception channel does not always have the long delay profile.
Therefore, in a conventional method, the multi-tap with a long length is selectively used according to a channel environment without having to use all multi-taps. That is, a receiver estimates a delay profile of a received signal according to a multi-path to lock only a necessary tap among the multi-taps, and receives a signal by unlocking the remaining taps. The method of using the necessary tap by locking only the necessary tap can reduce power consumption since hardware elements are less used in certain situations and can remove performance deterioration caused by noise when a tap not having multi-path energy is locked.
Although the multi-tap with a long length is designed where the multi-path reception channel has a long delay profile, there is a decreased probability that the multi-path reception channel actually has such a long delay profile.
Accordingly, a channel estimator for guaranteeing performance of a receiver will have a long tap and hardware elements of the channel estimator will operate with a sufficiently long tap.
Therefore, a need exists for an equalizer-based receiver in a mobile communication system with a decreased multi-tap size for reducing hardware size and power consumption.

Apparatus and method for channel estimation in mobile communication system


The invention relates to an image sensing apparatus and method which form an image by using radiation including visible light, X-rays, and the like (which is generically called light in the invention), and also relates to a -one- or two-dimensional image sensing apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, a digital copying machine, a still camera, or a radiation image sensing apparatus, and an image sensing method. This image sensing apparatus uses a photo-electric conversion device. The image sensing apparatus has an image sensing means including a plurality of photo-electric elements arranged one- or two-dimensionally to obtain image information with a high S/N ratio by solving the problem that errors contained in the photographic output cannot be completely corrected because of the differences between the conditions set to obtain data to be used for correction and the conditions set for actual photographing operation. The image sensing apparatus includes a means for storing a photographic output in the photographic mode, a means for storing photographic conditions in the photographic mode, means for obtaining a correction output in the correction mode which is activated by using the stored photographic conditions, and a means for correcting the photographic output by using the correction output. With this arrangement, correction data is acquired under operation conditions set in accordance with operation conditions in photographing operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensing apparatus and method which form an image by using radiation including visible light, X-rays, and the like (which will be generically called light in the present invention) and, more particularly, to a -one- or two-dimensional image sensing apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, a digital copying machine, a still camera, or a radiation image sensing apparatus, and an image sensing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various image sensing apparatuses using large sensors each having a -one- or two-dimensional array of image sensing elements, each using a monocrystalline Si sensor typified by a CCD sensor and a MOS sensor or a PIN sensor consisting of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (to be referred to as a-Si hereinafter) have been proposed.
As these image sensing apparatuses, in addition to image sensing apparatuses designed to convert a visible light image into an electrical signal, image sensing apparatuses designed to convert a radiation image into an electrical signal have also been developed with development in nuclear technology and advances in medical radiographic devices and nondestructive testing.
Many of these image sensing apparatuses, however, have S/N ratios of the order of -2- and 3-digit figures, and have not been required to have higher S/N ratios for the following reasons. There have been no A/D converters suited to high-precision digitization of outputs with high S/N ratios. In addition, since the data amount after conversion becomes large, limitations are imposed on memories and communications, resulting in poor operability. This has reduced the necessity of image sensing apparatuses with high S/N ratios.
With the recent remarkable developments in large-capacity memories and high-speed communications, great demands have arisen for image sensing apparatuses with high S/N ratios of the order of -4- and 5-digit figures.
In general, however, a decrease in S/N ratio is inevitably caused by variations in the manufacturing process and variations in fixed patterns and sensitivity. To prevent this, the fixed pattern and sensitivity variations are stored in a memory, and correction is performed in actual operation by using the photographic output and the information in the memory.
In this technique, however, since the data used for correction is obtained before photographing operation, the following problems are posed.
In general, in using an image sensing apparatus, the user selects operation conditions for the apparatus in accordance with the purpose of photography or the like. In addition, the components of the image sensing apparatus vary in characteristics with changes in temperature. Furthermore, various types of automatic control such as automatic exposure and automatic gain adjustment are activated during photographing operation to easily obtain optimal images without mistakes. That is, the conditions actually set for the photographing operation differ from the conditions set to generate the data used for correction. Since fixed pattern and sensitivity variations that cause a drop in S/N ratio slightly vary depending on these conditions, errors contained in the photographic output cannot be corrected perfectly. As described above, the differences between the conditions set to obtain the data used for correction and the conditions set for the actual photographing operation may pose a problem in obtaining image information with a high S/N ratio.


A multi-user computer system and a remote control method for the multi-user computer system includes a remote controller, with an input unit that receives a remote-control password to remotely operate the computer, information on an OS booted when the remote-control password is input, a key input setting the computer in a mode wherein the remote-control password and the OS information are set, and a key input operating the computer, a microprocessor, a wireless transmitter, and a computer, with a wireless receiver, a microprocessor, and a BIOS that automatically loads an OS corresponding to the remote-control password stored in the memory when the received remote-control password stored in the wireless receiver and the remote-control password in the memory are the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-user computer system and a remote control method thereof, and more particularly, to a multi-user computer system and a remote control method thereof that maintains security by setting a password and information on an operating system (OS) of a user so that when a computer is switched on by a remote controller, the operating system corresponding to the user is automatically booted according to the input password.
2. Description of the Related Art
Keyboards and mice are user interfaces that are used to switch on a computer or input commands to the computer. Computers having several functions controlled by a remote controller are now available. Accordingly, a user may remotely control a computer system using a remote controller. Further, computer systems are being developed with more convenient user interfaces.
Generally, a user uses a power button or a remote controller provided for multimedia functions to turn on system power to a device, such as a computer. If a computer, a post-process is initiated by a BIOS when the power is switched on. A window then pops up asking for a password. The user types in the password using a keyboard. Once the password has been verified, the computer starts up. In multi-booting cases for multiple users, a screen appears so that the user can select an OS to boot using an input device, and then the OS is booted.
In line with a current trend in reinforcing multimedia functions, many computers now have a function that allows them to turn on system power using a remote controller. However, because remote controllers and computers manufactured by the same manufacturer transmit and receive the same recognition code, security problems may occur. For example, if someone has the same make computer and remote controller as another user, that person can turn on another user's computer and control several functions of the computer using the remote controller. As a result, security problems could occur.
In addition, in the case of a multi-user computer having multiple operational systems, a boot password may be the same regardless of the user. Therefore, once the boot password has been verified through a window where the user selects an OS to load, not only can one of the user boot his/her OS, but they can boot another user's OS, which is a security problem.

Multi-user computer system and remote control method thereof


The present disclosure concerns a slotted guide of a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The slotted guide includes two guide tracks, which cross one another in a crossing region, for guiding a switching pin of a cam follower of the valve train. The two guide tracks have an on-track region, a crossing region, and an off-track region. At least one radial projection, structured and arranged to protrude beyond the slotted guide in a radial direction, is provided in or downstream from the off-track region of at least one guide track.

A generic slotted guide is generally used in the case of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, in the case of which the inlet times or the outlet times of an inlet or outlet valve are to be influenced. The switchover from a normal cam profile to a brake cam profile is also conceivable in this context, whereby a braking operation of an internal combustion engine equipped therewith can be controlled, To be able to thereby change between the different cam profiles, whereby a turn-off of a cylinder can, for example, also be made possible, a so-called displacement bolt system is often provided, in the case of which a switching pin of a cam follower is guided in a generic slotted guide comprising two guide tracks, which cross one another in a crossing region.
It may be disadvantageous thereby, however, that in the case of functionally optimized cam contours, the ejection of the switching pin and thus the transfer into the other guide track are made more difficult or are not possible at all. The reason for this is the reduced time or distance, respectively, which is available in the case of a slotted guide comprising two guide tracks, which cross one another. This is so, because the ejection of the switching pin has to thereby take place immediately after the lift switch-over, whereby the tilt lever, together with switching pin, is already in an upwards movement immediately after the profile switch-over in the case of a functionally optimized selection of a brake cam profile, which prevents the ejection of the switching pin from the respective guide track comprising a conventional ejection contour.
The present invention thus deals with the problem of specifying an improved or at least an alternative embodiment for a slotted guide of the generic type, which in particular overcomes the disadvantages known from the prior art.
This problem is solved according to the invention by means of the subject matter of the independent claim(s). Advantageous embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.


The invention relates to a device for pivoting one or more nose flaps of a track-guided vehicle, a railway vehicle in particular. It is hereby provided for the device to comprise at least one supporting frame (10) connected or connectable to the vehicle undercarriage and at least one actuating device connected on one side to the at least one supporting frame (10) and on the other to the pivotable nose flap (1a; 1b) for pivoting the nose flap (1a; 1b) relative to the supporting frame (10) from a closed state into an opened state and vice versa, wherein the actuating device comprises at least one lifting spindle drive (30a, 32a; 30b, 32b).

It is known in rail vehicle technology to provide the front end of a track-guided vehicle with a protective fairing in order to protect the coupling disposed at the front end of the vehicle, and particularly the coupling head, from environmental influences such as snow, icing, moisture and dirt when the coupling is not in use and in its uncoupled state. So-called front-end modules which are mounted to the front end of the vehicle are used to this end. A front-end module normally comprises a nose flap which can pivot relative to the vehicle undercarriage and the coupling disposed on the front end of the vehicle in order to expose the coupler pocket as needed.
The term "nose flap" as used herein refers to the fairing for the coupler pocket which covers the front of the coupler pocket when in its closed state so as to protect the components of the coupler from environmental influences on the one hand and, on the other, eliminate aerodynamically disadvantageous frontal sections, which is of particular importance in the case of streamlined trainsets such as high-speed trains.
Nose flap kinematics are normally used to pivot the nose flap relative to the vehicle under-carriage, said kinematics comprising at least one actuating device and serving to expose the coupler pocket, and thus the coupling head, when needed. Doing so is then particularly required in order to bring the vehicle into a coupling-ready state or to enable access to the coupler pocket and the coupling components, for example when performing maintenance.

Device for pivoting one or more nose flaps of a track-guided vehicle


A musical instrument, having a monitor therein, contains a musical instrument body having a body cavity therein, and the monitor having a front face and a back, where the monitor fits within the body cavity of the musical instrument body. A screen cover is situated above the front face of the monitor and a cover plate positions the screen cover above the front face of the monitor, where the cover plate covers at least a portion of the screen cover. A bridge is located on a front face of the screen cover, where the bridge contains a pickup that does not use electromagnetic induction, and that senses vibrations of strings, suspended on said bridge, above the monitor, and translates the vibrations into audio signals.

Stringed instruments commonly use a bridge to suspend strings over the front of the instrument body. The function of the bridge is to support the strings, in the proper playing position, over the top (front facing portion) of a stringed instrument body. The bridge works in cooperation with a nut. The bridge and nut each stabilize an opposite side of the vibrating portion of the string, allowing the string to vibrate between them. The bridge commonly functions to set the intonation of the instrument and to control the height of the strings above the fingerboard.
Traditionally the bridge of an acoustic stringed instrument transmits string vibrations to a sound board to vibrate the top of the instrument. Typical electronic stringed instruments use the bridge to hold the string in playing position above an electronic pickup. Common electronic stringed instruments use an electromagnetic type pickup to sense vibrations from the strings. The electromagnetic pickups are located between the neck and the bridge, and are often recessed into the body of the instrument beneath the vibrating portion of the string. The signal from the magnetic pickup is sent to an amplifier and then to a speaker where it is converted to audio, which one can listen to.
The bridge for a solid body electric type stringed instrument is generally mounted directly to the instrument body. A sturdy mounting system is critical in order to produce a durable instrument with a bright tone. Typically the bridge is mounted on posts, anchors, or screws, which are sunk securely into the instrument body. This "direct to body" mounting system limits the design of an instrument containing a monitor. Typical matrix type display monitors cannot be drilled or cut in the center of the monitor without damage or a loss of function. Therefore, presently available monitor instrument designs show that the monitor has been located next to, but not beneath, the mounting posts of the bridge.
Electro-magnetic pickups pose an additional problem when used in combination with a monitor. Electro-magnetic pickups function optimally when in close proximity to a vibrating string. They are typically mounted in the instrument body between the bridge and the neck, and are commonly positioned less than one inch beneath the strings. Electro-magnetic pickups are subject to electrical interference when placed in close proximity to a display monitor. This interference creates an unpleasant "hum" type noise when the instrument is amplified, rendering the instrument useless for performance.
Electro-magnetic pickups are presently used in examples of present instruments containing monitors, an example of which is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,837 to Rimsa. This type of pickup senses distortions in a magnetic field around a coil of wire. Current inside the coil is altered by the vibration of a ferro-magnetic string, and an electrical signal is induced. This signal is then sent to an amplifier and speaker for amplification. Electro-magnetic pickups are difficult to use alongside a monitor because the magnetic pickup is subject to electronic interference emitted by the monitor. It sends this unwanted interference to the output of the guitar for amplification. This situation creates a noisy and unpleasant "humming" sound from the instrument.
Additionally, electromagnetic pickups occupy space in the body between the bridge and the neck of the instrument. This limits the possible locations where a monitor could be mounted on the instrument because the pickups physically conflict with the monitor for space on the front of the body. Also, if the magnetic pickups were to be mounted above the monitor, they would impede the aesthetic quality of the monitor by blocking the view of the image on the screen.
Therefore, existing instruments do not have a monitor mounted in the same location as the electromagnetic pickups. Instead, the prior art reveals a monitor mounted far away from the pickups of the instrument. This was done to avoid physical conflicts with the pickup and bridge mountings, and to avoid electrical interference with the magnetic pickups. This prior art design greatly limits the size and placement of the monitor which can be mounted in the instrument.
For exemplary purposes, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional side view of a prior art stringed instrument containing a monitor. This illustration clearly shows the monitor 118 being located next to the bridge 121, but not beneath it. The bridge 121 is mounted with stud type anchors 120 that mount into the body 111. These anchors 120 physically prevent the monitor 118 from occupying the space beneath the bridge 121. For this reason, the monitor 118 is forced to be much smaller and it cannot be located central to the body of the instrument.
Additionally, FIG. 1 shows two electromagnetic type pickups 119 mounted in the body area between the bridge 121 and the neck 128. An electromagnetic type of pickup prevents the monitor 118 from being mounted across the entire length of the body 111. Prior art shows that the monitor 118 has been installed at a distance from the electro-magnetic pickups 119 to avoid a situation where the monitor 118 imparts electrical interference in the audio output of the pickups 119. Electro-magnetic pickups also occupy space on the front of the instrument, which physically prevents a large monitor from being mounted in this area.
For at least the abovementioned reasons, previous monitor type instruments have been limited in their design and construction to small screens and noisy electronics. In the field of stringed instruments containing a display monitor, there is no prior art indication of an instrument containing a monitor wherein said monitor is mounted directly beneath the bridge of the instrument. Nor is there allowance for a monitor mounted in a central location and covering a majority of the front of the instrument body.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

System and method for providing a musical instrument having a monitor therein


In a method of monitoring processing load, every time a computer device executes each of a plurality of processes, for the interrupt of each of which a priority level is specified in advance, the computer device is caused to measure an index representing the processing load of each process, store the latest measurement value for each priority level, and update the maximum value with the latest measurement value when the latest measurement value exceeds the maximum value measured thus far. Further, with the reception from a host controller of a measurement result transmission request requesting transmission of the latest measurement value as a trigger, the computer device transmits the latest measurement value and maximum value at that time to the host controller, and the host controller stores the latest measurement value and maximum value transmitted from the computer device in a storage device.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to technology that monitors a program execution processing load in a computer device.
2. Background Art
In recent years, electric automobile use has been spreading rapidly. Also recent is the use, in an electric automobile, of a motor such as a 3-phase alternating current motor mounted as a power source, a drive device such as an inverter, which carries out drive control of the motor, and a host controller such as a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit), which communicates with and carries out control of the drive device. The host controller generates various kinds of command values, such as a torque command, to be provided to the drive device (for example, a value such as x[Nm] indicating the physical amount of output torque) in response to an operation by a driver. The drive device regulates alternating current power to be applied to the motor in accordance with a command value provided from the host controller. Therefore, cruise control of the electric automobile is realized. Also, the host controller acquires various kinds of data (for example, data representing current values of output torque, revolution speed (number of revolutions per unit time), or the like) stored in a memory of the drive device, and also executes a process of carrying out display control of various kinds of meter based on the data. Therefore, the driver can be made aware of the state of the vehicle.
The process of regulating the power to be applied to the motor in accordance with a command value provided from the host controller is realized by operating a CPU (Central Processing Unit, hereafter control unit) of the drive device in accordance with a control program installed in advance in the drive device. Verification of whether or not the processing load of each process executed in accordance with the control program comes within an assumed range is carried out in the development process of the control program. The length of execution time of each process (in other words, the length of the time of execution of the control program by the control unit, hereafter referred to simply as "execution time"), and the CPU occupation rate wherein the execution time of each process is converted into a ratio per unit time, are included as indices representing the processing load. This is because the higher the processing load becomes, the longer the execution time, and the higher the CPU occupation rate. For example, when using the execution time of each process as an index representing the processing load, the execution time is measured for each process using a hardware timer. Processes executed by the control unit in accordance with the control program are broadly divided into fixed-cycle processes executed cyclically at constant time intervals by a timer interrupt or the like, and irregular processes executed by irregularly occurring interrupts. When an interrupt by another process with a higher priority occurs, an accurate execution time of the interrupted process cannot be measured unless the execution time of the other process is subtracted from the time measured by the hardware timer. Therefore, various technologies that enable a program execution time to be accurately measured have been proposed. One example of which is found in JP-A-2003-288237 (US 2003/187612) and is a measurement method called a "stack method".


An apparatus and method for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses of a patient including a sensor disposable in contact with skin of the patient for producing a signal responsive to a motion of the skin at an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point of the patient. A first circuit coupled to the first sensor for generating at least one audible output in response to the first signal and indicative of the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse. A dampening ring surrounding the sensor for dampening the relative motion of the sensor with respect to movement of the patient.

The present invention relates to medical diagnostic instruments, and more particularly, to such instruments for detecting abnormal heart functions.
Patients occasionally develop heart disease, the prompt and timely discovery of which can be determinative of patients"" health and survival. Until the 19th century, medical caregivers had to press their ears against patients"" chests in order to hear heart sounds. When the stethoscope (xe2x80x9cspy of the chestxe2x80x9d in Greek) was introduced by Renxc3xa9 Laennec (1781-1826), it enabled medical caregivers to hear heart sounds with improved ease and clarity. xe2x80x9cIn search of the perfect stethoscope that hears all heart sounds, and explains them to you.xe2x80x9d (Laennec)
The ballistic recoiling of the heart produces a vibration when it moves its apex upward, rightward, and against the underside of the chest wall before the ejection of blood. This motion or vibration is typically inaudible and infrasonic, having a sound frequency of less than about 30 Hertz. There are other low frequency, low amplitude vibrations which normally occur during cardiac filling. There are also abnormal cardiac vibrations with sound frequencies as low as about 10 Hertz, but of high amplitude that occur when the heart fills abnormally. The period of cardiac filling is called diastole, and when these abnormal vibrations occur, they indicate diastolic dysfunction of the heart. These abnormal vibrations during diastole are called pathologic gallops. Some gallops are faint and difficult to hear, and some are infrasonic.
There are two types of pathologic gallops of primary clinical significance: An S4 type of gallop, which occurs during late diastole; and an S3 type of gallop, which occurs during early diastole. Many gallops are palpable and visible even when they are inaudible. This is because they are of high-energy amplitude despite their low frequencies. Detection of gallops is very important, and can lead to the diagnosis and treatment of such cardiac disorders as hypertrophic heart syndromes, valvular lesions, cardiomyopathies, and congenital heart problems.
A visual and palpable assessment of cardiac motion of a patient in the supine position may be made at the left chest wall near the left breast. This location is called the cardiac apical impulse, and for purposes of clarity is also herein referred to as the cardiac apical impulse point. The cardiac apical impulse point is a single area typically less than about 15 millimeters in diameter. The skin motion at this location is normally caused by the recoiling of the heart when it moves its ventricular apex upward, rightward, and against the underside of the chest wall. Presently, medical caregivers may examine the heart motions at the cardiac apical impulse point by placing their fingertips against the skin at this point to enable tactile detection of apical impulses having sufficient amplitude.
Over the past 60 years, sophisticated and elaborate laboratory apparatus have been developed to detect and record heart movements, and enable medical caregivers to analyze the data for indications of abnormal heart conditions. The apexcardiogram (xe2x80x9cACGxe2x80x9d), for example, which was in popular use until the early 1980""s, was capable of revealing low frequency heart motions by means of electromechanical sensors affixed to a patient""s chest. The ACG signals were recorded on a strip chart recorder for later analysis. An electrocardiogram (xe2x80x9cEKGxe2x80x9d) and a separate phonocardiogram were required to be performed contemporaneous with the ACG in order to provide correlation between the low frequency heart motions and the additional heart signals. The three charts were then correlated, as by technicians, for later analysis by caregivers. Although this method was very useful for detecting heart irregularities in suspected cases, the time delay incurred by a patient between seeing a physician for referral to an ACG laboratory, testing in the laboratory by technicians, correlation of strip chart results, and analysis and diagnosis by at least one physician, generally hindered prompt and effective treatment in time-critical cases. In addition, the large expense for this labor-intensive procedure may have precluded its use in many instances.
By the mid-1980""s, the ACG had been generally displaced by the echocardiogram. The echocardiogram uses ultrasonic waves to monitor heart function and provides more detail than the ACG. Unfortunately, the echocardiogram suffers from some of the same drawbacks as the ACG, including the requirement for special laboratory testing and associated expense. Like the ACG, the echocardiogram also fails to produce recognizable sounds indicative of the infrasonic heart motions, and therefore fails to disclose a method for their discovery.
Various other prior art systems are also directed toward monitoring human heart function. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,969 to Bredesen et al. (xe2x80x9cthe ""969 patentxe2x80x9d) depicts an electronically enhanced stethoscope for detecting heart sounds. However, the ""969 patent teaches filtering out sounds below 50 Hz (see FIG. 3F). Since human hearing is generally recognized to extend to at least as low as 30 Hz, the stethoscope of the ""969 patent is not capable of detecting heart vibrations of frequency below the range of human hearing, even if it may amplify low amplitude sounds which are above 50 Hz. Accordingly, the electronic stethoscope of the ""969 patent does not detect infrasonic cardiac apical impulses, and in fact is incapable of detecting any phenomena emitting a frequency below 50 Hz.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,151 to Sackner (xe2x80x9cthe ""151 patentxe2x80x9d) shows another system for detection of heart irregularities. The ""151 patent shows placement of a plurality of motion transducers about the thoracic region of a patient""s chest wall. Blood vessel volume, blood pressure waveforms, and other thoracic motions including respiratory and cardiac apical motions are measured as conglomerate signals that must be further analyzed to determine the presence of heart irregularities. Due in part to its bulk, complexity, cost, and requirement for further analysis, this system suffers from design constraints that generally preclude its inclusion in a general caregiver""s office. The apparatus of the ""151 patent further lacks provision for transmitting the acoustic heart waveform data typically relied on during a routine physical examination.
The basic acoustic stethoscope, whether electronically amplified, filtered or not, can only be used to hear what Rene Laennec heard with his original wooden device. Only a small percentage of the vibrations of the heart are actually detected by an acoustic stethoscope. These audible vibrations range between about 40 Hertz to 500 Hertz and about 0.002 to 0.5 dynes/cm2 (amplitude). The remaining vibrations are inaudible because of the typical thresholds of human hearing. Infrasonic vibrations of sufficient amplitude have heretofore only been detectable with bulky, complex, and costly apparatus requiring labor intensive analysis. Heart gallops rest near the division of audible and infrasonic vibrations. Heart gallops have been called the heart""s xe2x80x9ccries for help.xe2x80x9d Detection of these vibrations is important in diagnosing cardiac pathology and is why palpation of the cardiac apical impulse is an extremely important, yet often neglected, part of the cardiac exam.
All in all, the above-described prior art fails to recognize the utility of detecting infrasonic heart motions and producing audible outputs that are indicative of those motions. Such prior art also fails to put infrasonic heart motion data in context with traditional acoustic heart data. It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-described significant drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art.
The present invention is directed to a cardiac impulse detector for use in routine cardiac examinations, which employs a sensor capable of detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses of a patient. The detector produces audible and optionally visual outputs indicative of those impulses for contemporaneous consideration by a medical caregiver when the sensor is placed in contact with the patient""s skin surface at the cardiac apical impulse point.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a sensing protrusion or button is placed in contact with the skin surface of the patient at the patient""s cardiac apical impulse point. The cardiac apical impulse point is located near the left breast. The sensing button is mounted to a piezoelectric sensor, and causes the sensor to respond to the infrasonic heart motions or impulses at the cardiac apical impulse point of the patient. A circuit is electronically connected to the piezoelectric sensor and generates audible and visual outputs indicative of the heart motions. The piezoelectric sensor is housed in one end of an hourglass shaped housing, which provides the caregiver with a convenient grip for holding the device against the cardiac apical impulse point.
This embodiment of the detector further employs a traditional acoustic diaphragm mounted at the opposite end of the housing relative to the piezoelectric sensor. The acoustic diaphragm can transmit acoustic heart sounds to an earpiece worn by the caregiver when the acoustic end of the sensor housing is placed in contact with the patient""s chest, and a selection manifold has been rotated 180 degrees in order to transmit the traditional acoustic sounds instead of the signals indicative of infrasonic heart motions. The sounds may be electronically amplified and/or filtered. This embodiment has the distinct advantage of placing the audible signal indicative of an infrasonic cardiac impulse in temporal context with the traditional acoustic cardiac sounds familiar to the caregiver.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses of a patient. The apparatus comprises a flexible substrate including (i) a skin-contacting surface located on one side of the substrate that is disposable in contact with a skin surface region of a patient defining an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point, and is movable with the contacted skin surface region in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point; and (ii) a reflective surface located on an opposite side of the substrate relative to the skin-contacting surface and movable with the skin-contacting surface in response to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point. A light source, such as a laser, is spaced apart from and faces the reflective surface of the substrate. The light source transmits light onto the reflective surface, and the reflective surface reflects light transmitted thereon by the light source. An optical sensor is spaced apart from and faces the reflective surface. The optical sensor receives reflected light directed by the reflective surface and generates a first signal indicative of movement of the reflective and skin-contacting surfaces and corresponding to a subaudible motion of the contacted skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point. An electric circuit is coupled to the optical sensor for generating (i) an audible output and/or (ii) a visual output, in response to the first signal and indicative of an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for detecting infrasonic cardiac apical impulses of a patient, comprising the following steps:
(i) providing a flexible substrate including a skin-contacting surface located on one side of the substrate and a reflective surface located on an opposite side of the flexible substrate relative to the skin-contacting surface;
(ii) positioning the skin-contacting surface of the flexible substrate in contact with a skin surface region of the patient defining an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point on the patient""s chest;
(iii) allowing movement of the skin-contacting and reflective surfaces of the flexible substrate with movement of the skin surface region of the patient in response to a subaudible motion of the skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point;
(iv) transmitting light from a light source onto the reflective surface of the flexible substrate positioned on the skin surface region of the patient defining the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point;
(v) reflecting transmitted light from the light source with the reflective surface of the flexible substrate positioned on the skin surface region of the patient defining the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point;
(vi) receiving with an optical sensor reflected light directed by the reflective surface, and generating a first signal indicative of movement of the reflective and skin-contacting surfaces and corresponding to a subaudible motion of the skin at the infrasonic cardiac apical impulse point;
(vii) processing the first signal electronically; and
(viii) generating (i) an audible output and/or (ii) a visual output, indicative of an infrasonic cardiac apical impulse.
A primary advantage of the present invention is that it may provide an efficient way to screen patients for abnormal infrasonic vibrations or pathological gallops during routine physical examinations, a clearly desirable improvement over current procedure which requires elaborate set-up of bulky apparatus. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in view of the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and accompanying drawings.


Systems, apparatus, and methods are provided for promoting blood flow to a target tissue. In one variation, the invention involves creating a pattern of voids in connective tissue, or through a tissue having sparse vascularity, such as a tendon or a meniscus, in order to increase blood flow within the tissue. This also includes using a template device to assist in the creation of the pattern of voids. Also included is an electrosurgical device with a self-contained fluid supply for providing conductive fluid to the target tissue or to active electrodes of the device.

The present invention relates generally to the field of electrosurgery and, more particularly, to surgical devices and methods that employ high frequency electrical energy to increase the flow of blood to a target tissue.
Coronary artery disease, the build up of atherosclerotic plaque on the inner walls of the coronary arteries, causes the narrowing or complete closure of these arteries resulting in insufficient blood flow to the heart. A number of approaches have been developed for treating coronary artery disease. In less severe cases, it is often sufficient to treat the symptoms with pharmaceuticals and lifestyle modification to lessen the underlying causes of the disease. In more severe cases a coronary artery blockage can often be treated using endovascular techniques, such as balloon angioplasty, laser recanalization, placement of stents, and the like.
In cases where pharmaceutical treatment and endovascular approaches have failed or are likely to fail, it is often necessary to perform a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedure using open or thoracoscopic surgical methods. For example, many patients still require bypass surgery due to such conditions as the presence of extremely diffuse stenotic lesions, the presence of total occlusions and the presence of stenotic lesions in extremely tortuous vessels. However, some patients are too sick to successfully undergo bypass surgery. For other patients, previous endovascular and/or bypass surgery attempts have failed to provide adequate revascularization of the heart muscle.
Laser myocardial revascularization (LMR) is a recent procedure developed with the recognition that myocardial circulation occurs through arterioluminal channels and myocardial sinusoids in the heart wall, as well as through the coronary arteries. In LMR procedures, artificial channels are formed in the myocardium with laser energy to provide blood flow to ischemic heart muscles by utilizing the heart""s ability to perfuse itself from these artificial channels through the arterioluminal channels and myocardial sinusoids. In one such procedure, a CO2 laser is utilized to vaporize tissue and produce channels in the heart wall from the epicardium through the endocardium to promote direct communication between blood within the ventricular cavity and that of existing myocardial vasculature. The laser energy is typically transmitted from the laser to the epicardium by an articulated arm device. Recently, a percutaneous method of LMR has been developed in which an elongated flexible laser apparatus is attached to a catheter and guided endoluminally into the patient""s heart. The inner wall of the heart is irradiated with laser energy to form a channel from the endocardium into the myocardium for a desired distance.
While recent techniques in LMR have been promising, they also suffer from a number of drawbacks inherent with laser technology. One such drawback is that the laser energy must be sufficiently concentrated to form channels through the heart tissue, which reduces the diameter of the channels formed by LMR. In addition, free beam lasers generally must completely form each artificial lumen or revascularizing channel during the still or quiescent period of the heart beat. Otherwise, the laser beam will damage surrounding portions of the heart as the heart beats and thus moves relative to the laser beam. Consequently, the surgeon must typically form the channel in less than about 0.08 seconds, which requires a relatively large amount of energy. This further reduces the size of the channels that may be formed with a given amount of laser energy. Applicant has found that the diameter or minimum lateral dimension of these artificial channels may have an effect on their ability to remain open. Thus, the relatively small diameter channels formed by existing LMR procedures (typically on the order of about 1 mm or less) may begin to close after a brief period of time, which reduces the blood flow to the heart tissue.
Another drawback with current LMR techniques is that it is difficult to precisely control the location and depth of the channels formed by lasers. For example, the speed in which the revascularizing channels are formed often makes it difficult to determine when a given channel has pierced the opposite side of the heart wall. In addition, the distance to which the laser beam extends into the heart tissue is difficult to control, which can lead to laser irradiation with heating or vaporization of blood or heart tissue within the ventricular cavity. For example, when using the LMR technique in a pericardial approach (i.e., from the outside surface of the heart to the inside surface), the laser beam may not only pierce through the entire wall of the heart but may also irradiate blood within the heart cavity. As a result, one or more blood thromboses or clots may be formed which can lead to vascular blockages elsewhere in the circulatory system. Alternatively, when using the LMR technique in an endocardial approach (i.e., from the inside surface of the heart toward the outside surface), the laser beam may not only pierce the entire wall of the heart but may also irradiate and damage tissue surrounding the outer boundary of the heart.
The promotion of blood flow to tissue, e.g., via canalization, vascularization or revascularization, is desirable in areas of the body other than the heart. The degenerative changes in the musculoskeletal system can be attributed to aging, trauma, overuse, and diminished focal blood supply. Degenerative changes of the musculoskeletal system are ubiquitous, particularly in the shoulder, knee, elbow, or the like. Conditions such as rotator cuff tendinitis, patellar tendinitis, tennis elbow, and plantar fasciitis are extremely common, and yet have no well-defined minimally invasive treatment protocol. Typically, the treatment consists of physical therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and occasionally surgery. Recently in Europe, surgeons have begun using lithotrypsy, receiving only equivocal results.
One example of an area of the body that would benefit from vascularization is the meniscus tissue. The meniscus tissue, a C-shaped piece of fibrocartilage located at the peripheral aspect of the joint, typically has very little blood supply (particularly the inner portions of the meniscus). For that reason, when damaged, the meniscus is unable to undergo the normal healing process that occurs in most other tissues of the body. In addition, with age, the meniscus begins to deteriorate, often developing degenerative tears. Typically, when the meniscus is damaged, the torn pieces begins to move in an abnormal fashion inside the joint. Because the space between the bones of the joint is very small, as the abnormally mobile piece of meniscal tissue (meniscal fragment) moves, it may become caught between the bones of the joint (femur and tibia). When this happens, the knee becomes painful, swollen and difficult to move.
Another example of an area of the body that would benefit from vascularization is the tendons. When a tendon is damaged, the tendon usually forms tiny tears which allow collagen to leak from the injured areas. The collagen leakage causes inflammation of the tendon that can cut off the flow of blood and pinch the surrounding nerves. Because tendons are inherently poorly vascularized, and receive less oxygen, nutrients, and blood flow, as compared with other tissues and organs, tendons tend to heal much more slowly than other tissues of the body. Accordingly, there is a need for apparatus and methods to canalize, vascularize, revascularize, and/or increase blood flow to tendons that have been torn or otherwise damaged, so as to stimulate, expedite, or facilitate the healing process.
The present invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to structures within or on the surface of a patient""s body. The systems, apparatus, and methods of the present invention are particularly useful for treating acute and chronic musculoskeletal or neurological injuries and disorders, such as strains, sprains, tendinitis, fasciitis, arthritis, bursitis and tenosynovitis. In particular, the systems and methods of the present invention are useful for increasing blood flow to a target tissue, by canalization of tissue, stimulating the body""s wound healing responses, such as inducing vascularization of tissue, stimulating collagen growth, altering cellular function, or other metabolic or physiologic events that promote healing and regeneration of injured tissue.
Systems and apparatus according to the present invention generally include an electrosurgical probe or catheter having a shaft with proximal and distal ends, one or more active electrode(s) at the distal end, and one or more connectors for coupling the active electrode(s) to a source of high frequency electrical energy. The distal end portion of the shaft will usually have a diameter of less than 3 mm, preferably less than 1 mm. The active electrode(s) are preferably supported within an electrically insulating support member typically formed of an inorganic material, such as a ceramic, a silicone rubber, or a glass.
In one method of the present invention, an active electrode is positioned in close proximity to tissue at a target site, and a high frequency voltage difference is applied between an active electrode and a return electrode to volumetrically remove or ablate tissue at the target site. The active electrode(s) may be translated or otherwise moved relative to the body structure during or after the application of electrical energy to form a void within the body structure, such as a hole, channel, stripe, crater, divot, surface damage, or the like. In some embodiments, the active electrode(s) are axially moved toward the body structure to volumetrically remove one or more channel(s), divot(s) or hole(s) through a portion of the structure. In other embodiments, the active electrode(s) are moved across the body structure to remove one or more stripe(s) or channel(s) of tissue. In most embodiments, electrically conductive fluid, such as isotonic saline, is located between the active electrode(s) and the body structure. In the bipolar modality, the conductive fluid generates a current flow path between the active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s). High frequency voltage is then applied between the active electrode(s) and the return electrode(s) through the current flow path created by the electrically conductive fluid.
In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for vascularization or revascularization of a tendon, ligament, or meniscus. The present invention may be useful for acute muscle or tendon injury, iliotibial band syndrome, tendinitis, fasciitis, bursitis, tenosynovitis, strains, sprains and the like. In one embodiment of the present invention, artificial channels, holes, craters, or lumens are created during this procedure to vascularize the tendon and/or facilitate the healing process. In another embodiment, sufficient RF energy is applied to the tendon to vascularize a region around the target site without creating a hole, channel, crater or the like, in the tendon. According to the present invention, one or more active electrodes can be positioned adjacent to the tendon, and a voltage applied between the active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s). In an exemplary configuration, a high frequency voltage heats, damages, and/or ablates, (i.e. volumetrically removes) at least a portion of the tissue to be treated. The active electrode(s) can be advanced axially into the space vacated by the removed tissue to bore a channel through the tissue.
In one specific configuration, a void, hole, or crater is formed in the tendon by molecular dissociation or disintegration of tissue components. In these embodiments, the high frequency voltage applied to the active electrode(s) is sufficient to vaporize an electrically conductive fluid (e.g., a gel or isotonic saline) between the active electrode(s) and the tissue. Within the vaporized fluid, an ionized plasma is formed and charged particles (e.g., electrons) cause the molecular breakdown or disintegration of the tissue, perhaps to a depth of several cell layers. This molecular dissociation of tissue components is accompanied by the volumetric removal of the tissue. This process can be precisely controlled to effect the volumetric removal of tissue to a depth in the range of from about 10 microns to 150 microns, with minimal heating of, or damage to, surrounding or underlying tissue. A more complete description of this phenomenon is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,366, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
One of the advantages of the present invention, particularly over previous methods involving lasers, is that the surgeon can more precisely control the location, depth, and diameter of the vascularizing channels formed in the tissue. The ability to precisely control the volumetric removal of tissue results in a field of tissue ablation or removal that is very defined, consistent, and predictable. This precise control of tissue treatment also helps to minimize, or completely eliminate, damage to healthy tissue structures, such as muscles, cartilage, bone, and/or nerves, which may be adjacent to the target tissue. In addition, any severed blood vessels at the target site may be simultaneously cauterized and sealed as the tissue is removed to continuously maintain hemostasis during the procedure. This increases the surgeon""s field of view, and expedites the procedure. In one embodiment, the active electrode can remain in contact with the tendon tissue as the high frequency voltage ablates this tissue (or at least substantially close to the tissue, e.g., usually on the order of about 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and preferably about 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm). This preserves tactile sense and allows the surgeon to more accurately determine when to terminate cutting of a given channel so as to minimize damage to surrounding tissues and/or to minimize bleeding.
In open procedures, or in procedures in xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d fields, the apparatus may further include a fluid delivery element for delivering electrically conductive fluid to the active electrode(s) and the target site. The fluid delivery element may be located on the probe, e.g., in the form of a fluid lumen or tube, or it may be part of a separate instrument. In arthroscopic procedures, however, the surgical area surrounding the tendon will typically be filled with electrically conductive fluid (e.g., isotonic saline) so that the apparatus need not have a fluid delivery element. In both embodiments, the electrically conductive fluid will preferably generate a current flow path between the active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s). In an exemplary embodiment, the return electrode is located on the probe and spaced a sufficient distance from the active electrode(s) to substantially avoid or minimize current shorting therebetween and to shield the return electrode from tissue at the target site.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electrosurgical system including a probe having a shaft and an electrode assembly disposed on the shaft; an arthroscope for passing at least a distal end portion of the shaft therethrough; and a sensing unit adapted for determining a boundary of a target tissue. The sensing unit may include an element, such as an ultrasonic transducer, located on the shaft distal end, and an ultrasonic generator. The system may further include an adjustable mechanical stop for limiting the maximum travel of the shaft within a target tissue. The electrode assembly typically includes at least one active electrode and a return electrode. The system further includes a high frequency power supply for applying a high frequency voltage between the active and return electrodes. In one embodiment, the sensing unit may be coupled to the power supply, and the system configured to shut off power from the power supply according to a location of the shaft distal end in relation to a target tissue.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method for treating a damaged or poorly vascularized tissue, such as a meniscus of a joint, or a tendon. In one embodiment one or more channels or voids are formed in a target tissue via selective electrosurgical ablation of the tissue. One or more implants may be inserted in the one or more channels. In one embodiment, at least one channel bridges a lesion in the target tissue, and an implant inserted in the channel serves as a splint. In another embodiment, an implant is inserted in a channel to maintain patency in the channel, the channel serving as a conduit for blood flow within the target tissue, and the implant serving as a stent. In a further embodiment, an implant is inserted in a channel to promote hemostasis of the channel. In yet another embodiment, a stent is inserted in a distal portion of a channel, and a hemostasis plug is inserted in a proximal portion of the channel.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for increasing blood flow to a target tissue by eliciting a wound healing response in the target tissue. In one embodiment, the wound healing response is elicited by the controlled application of heat thereto. Typically, the target tissue is heated using an electrosurgical probe to deliver high frequency, or radio frequency (RF), electrical energy thereto. Usually, the target tissue is heated to a temperature less than about 150xc2x0 C.
The present invention includes methods for inducing a controlled inflammatory response in tissue by positioning an active electrode in close proximity to target tissue, removing a void in the tissue by applying a high frequency voltage to the active electrode, and forming a pattern of voids by repeating the positioning and applying acts. The pattern may be selected as needed and include such patterns as a grid, a circle, at least two circles, at least two concentric circles, a helical pattern, a linear pattern, a non-linear pattern, a random pattern, and a combination thereof.
The present invention also includes placing a template adjacent to the target tissue prior to the positioning step, wherein the template comprises a plurality of holes arranged in a layout similar to the pattern. The template may be used to guide the active electrode to create the voids or it may be used to mark locations for the voids. The template may further be used to separate tissue adjacent to the target tissue.
The invention further includes a template device for use in applying therapy to tissue, the template comprising a proximal surface and a distal surface, the distal surface being placed adjacent to tissue, a plurality of openings forming a pattern, the holes extending from the proximal surface to the distal surface, wherein at least the proximal surface and distal surface are bio-compatible and electrically non-conductive, and wherein the pattern comprises a pattern selected from a group consisting of a grid, a circle, at least two circles, at least two concentric circles, a helical pattern, a linear pattern, a non-linear pattern, a random pattern, and a combination thereof. The template device may also have a tissue retractor portion adapted to separate tissue.
Another variation of the invention includes the an electrosurgical device as described herein, further comprising a fluid delivery lumen extending at least through a portion of said instrument shaft and having an opening adjacent to an active electrode, and a self-contained fluid supply unit coupled to the fluid delivery element, the self-contained fluid supply comprising a reservoir, a fluid driving member, and a connector lumen, wherein the fluid driving member is moveably located in the fluid reservoir and the connector lumen fluidly couples the reservoir to the fluid delivery lumen.
The invention may also include kits including the template device, an electrosurgical device, and a self-contained fluid supply, all as described herein.
For a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Methods for electrosurgical tendon vascularization


In a burner assembly for location within an air supply housing for a heater and disposed for inducing the movement of air through a blower and into and around a burner assembly during heater operation to create a supply of heated air for a space to be warmed, the burner assembly being of the type having opposite side walls, and upper and lower tiered baffles, each having connected thereon an air balancing baffle, forming cavities therebetween, with the combination of the air balancing baffles and tiered burner baffles forming a combustion chamber therebetween for reception and combustion of gas delivered from a gas manifold arranged approximately at the intake end of the burner assembly, with a shroud arranged above and below the upper and lower tier baffles for directing air into an intake at the back of the gas manifold, and for selectively diverting and directing air through the air balancing baffles, and through the burner baffles, into the combustion chamber. A diverter is arranged at the back end of the gas manifold for directing incoming air between the shroud and the upper and lower arranged tiered baffles, and deflectors are arranged at the upper front and lower front of the shrouds, to delay the passage of air into the path of the combusting gases, with the sides of the combustion chamber being flared outwardly, to minimize the development of combusting gas hot spots.

The improved burner assembly of this invention is utilized in that capacity generally defined as a direct-fired gas industrial or related type of air heater. This type of heater is normally employed within an industrial complex, or a large space to be heated, and requiring large volumes of heated air to be added into the overall volumetric space to be heated, or to have heat supplementally added thereto, to attain an ambient temperature within the building that is comfortable for the purposes of its design. The invention herein is not a heat exchanger, since the combustion of the gas after its ignition takes place directly within the air stream being heated, and not by any conduction thereof. But, it is the improvement of the invention that further adds to the efficiency of combustion within an industrial heater of this design, so as to work most effectively, and safely, in producing the quantity of heated air that may be needed to warm the environs, and to effectively maintain a uniform and comfortable temperature within a predetermined volumetric space, as within a building, but at the same time, do so in a manner that does not sacrifice safety in heater design, during the performance of gaseous combustion in producing the source of heat. As a result, the heating equipment of this invention, in which the direct-fired burner of this type is enclosed, contains no flue, and all of the by-products of combustion are released directly into the heated air stream, which is then directly discharged into the space being heated, and as a result it is desirable, and one of the primary further advantages of this current invention, to provide improved means for reducing the creation and release of deleterious exhaust or other gases, either in the form of carbon monoxide, or nitrogen dioxide, that is discharged during the gas consumption. The improved heater of this design substantially reduces to a minimum the generation of these deleterious types of combustion by-products that may be directed into the space being heated, and certainly functions to alleviate the likelihood that any persons therein may be harmed through the breathing of such noxious gases over a sustained period of time.
Direct-fired gas heaters typically are constructed to a variety of configurations. In the majority of such heaters, as manufactured, the burner is arranged upstream of the fan inlet, and which functions in the manner of the draw-through type of arrangement. A number of other manufacturers position their burners downstream of the fan or blower discharge, in what is defined as a blow-through configuration An example of the latter can best be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,499, which is owned by a common assignee of the improved burner of this current design.
Other types of burner arrangements that exist in the prior art can be readily seen in the U.S. patent to Ehrich, No. 3,485,043; in the U.S. patent to Coppin, et al, No. 4,573,907; in the U.S. patent to Childs, No. 3,993,449; in addition to the U.S. patent to Pillard, No. 3,885,919. Also, the Canadian patent No. 560,916, to Kind, shows a form of gas burner contained within a heating arrangement which incorporates a flame zone of a combustion chamber.
As is well known in this art, the performance characteristics of the burner necessarily determines the operational range of the heating equipment, when tested, to guage whether it is in compliance with the various requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), governing the functioning of the direct gas-fired industrial air heaters, of the type described in accordance with this invention. The burner design for which patent protection is sought herein is utilized in the industrial heating appliance, such as the identified direct gas-fired make-up air heaters and direct gas-fired industrial air heaters. This design may also be utilized in industrial process equipment, such as ovens or dryers. These appliance standards that exist for this type of equipment, when it is utilized for providing tempered replacement air as in a make-up air application or for providing space heating to overcome the heat loss in industrial buildings, are regulated by standards, and two of such standards which are generaly referenced by building code authorities are the ANSI standard Z-83.4, for the direct gas-fired make-up air heaters, and the ANSI standard Z-83.18, for the direct gas-fired industrial air heaters. These standards establish the criterian for the maximum increase allowed through the heater for the by-products of the combustion, such as the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and aldehydes. Obviously, such controls are done for the purpose of regulating the air quality of the facility where the equipment is to be installed, for the safety of the worker, and others, subject to such type of heating conditions. Generally, the air flow through a heater of this type design, and the temperature rise that occurs for the air that is being heated, determines the heating capacity of the subject unit. The air flow is directly related to the fan as selected, the motor horse power of the unit driving the fan, and the static pressure on the system during its functioning. The temperature rise is controlled by the gas flow delivered to the burner, at the given air flow rate for the capacity of air that has been blown through the unit, as induced by the blower.
As previously explained, the ANSI standards generally provide an industrial self regulation of the minimum requirements that must be met by units of this design. These standards generally allow for specific maximum additive levels of four particular by-products of combustion, as previously identified, that may be released from the heating unit of this type during its functioning. These products of combustion, as previously explained, and their respective allowable levels are as follows:
carbon dioxide, 4,000 parts per million (ppm); PA0 carbon monoxide, 5 parts per million (ppm) PA0 nitrogen dioxide, 0.50 parts per million (ppm); and PA0 aliphatic aldehydes, 1.0 parts per million (ppm).
The allowable rise concentration through the heater for carbon monoxide is this 5 ppm, and for nitrogen dioxide is 0.5 ppm. As can be understood, these are extremely small levels of elevation, and therefore, it is very important that a burner of this design be very efficiently and effectively designed, for the purpose of minimizing the derivation of these combustion by-products. These particular derived deleterious chemcial compounds, which are generally recognized in the trade as undesirable by-products from the functioning of heating units of this type, and their gases of combustion, are basically recognized as unwanted derivatives, which, if they can be reduced to an absolute minimum, not only adds to the safety of all people within the heated space, but enhances the quality operations of the heating unit, as designed. The unit of this particular invention has been designed to provide for a minimization of the output of these undesirable compounds, through the unique enhanced design of particular characteristics and features constructed into the improved heater of this invention, to attain such desirable results.
It has previously been determined through testing that there are three major factors that effect the production of carbon monoxide within the gas combustion production process. Ideally, the gas and combustion air needs to be mixed as completely and thoroughly as possible as soon after the gas is introduced into the burner assembly. On the other hand, the quantity of air delivered must be at that level which induces effective controlled combustion, to provide maximum heat, without generating hot spots within the burner assembly, and more specifically its combustion chamber. If too little air is entered into the combustion chamber of the burner, then incomplete combustion occurs, and noxious gases can escape into the heated environment. This raises the level of carbon monoxide output, which could easily be measured in the discharge air stream. On the other hand, if too much combustion air is introduced at the low and medium fire combustion zone, quenching of the flame can occur, and this abrupt cooling also causes incomplete combustion All this can produce the undesirable type of deleterious by-products, as previously explained Thus, an equilibrium point desirably must be attained and maintained with respect to how much air is introduced into the burner, in combination with the amount of gas discharged from the manifold, and the location in emplacement of the air intake into the combustion zone.
An additional factor which effects the development of carbon monoxide in the burning process is also related to this quenching feature of the flame, but in this particular case, with respect to this heater, the concern is with the abrupt cooling of the flame after it exits from the burner. In units of this type, the discharge air leaving the fan or blower results in a greater volume of air being forced around the burner compared to that entering the combustion zone. With the burner downstream of the blower, the burner acts as a restriction to the flow of air, thereby compressing the air, causing the velocity to increase as it passes the burner. Once the restriction is passed, the large volume of air from the upper and lower portions of the duct expands rapidly to equalize pressure within the duct causing the cool air to impinge the flame tips that are extending beyond the end of the burner. This type of air impingement causes a quenching of the flame in prior art type of devices, and has significantly increased CO output.
The manner in which the air is introduced into the burner, as through arranged orifices, is a factor which is just as important as to how much air is introduced into the same. It has been found that the output level of carbon monoxide can readily be reduced limiting the amount of combustion air early in the burner, near the gas ports, and supplying more air later, or further downstream, within the burner assembly. This invention envisions the usage of diverter means to assure that a greater supply of the air is delivered downstream from the burner manifold, than that which enters into the combustion chamber just proximate its manifold. Thus, combustion takes place early in the burner at low combustion rates. With high combustion rates, as when an abundance of gas is introduced through the manifold, such combustion takes place more thoroughly throughout the whole burner assembly and more downstream from the intake gas manifold. Therefore, at lower combustion rates, less gas and less air will by necessity be needed to support such combustion. Also, at higher combustion rates, when more air is needed, it is preferably supplied more downstream in the burner assembly.
The current invention has been designed to take into consideration these various features, and to not only regulate the amount, capacity, and particularly location of the quantity of gas being ejected from the manifold into the chamber of combustion, but likewise, to provide for the adequate regulation in the delivery of air into the combustion chamber, the proper placement of its positioning, all within the area of combustion, and to inject the adequate amount of air to augment combustion, at particular locations, and to specific amounts, in order to enhance the efficiency of combustion, and thereby reduce the development of noxious gases released as exhaust from the heater assembly.
In addition to the foregoing, the subject matter of this invention further contemplates modifications to the structure of the burner embodiment, and more specifically its various formed chambers, in order to minimize the amount of heat exposure of the various walls and chambers, in addition to adding modifications, in the form of air balancing baffles, to select baffled tiers to better isolated areas of desired maximum combustion, to reduce the development of hot spots upon the various structured walls, and thereby, and which has been found through experimentation and research, to favorably reduce the development of nitrogen dioxide, and its emisions, from the burner of this invention during its functioning.


An information processing apparatus includes: a memory configured to store a storage controlling program; and a processor configured to execute a process based on the storage controlling program, wherein the process includes: storing, in the memory, address information regarding an address of a unit region for which duplicate deletion of data was performed in the past and data information regarding data in the unit region as past information; generating, using the address information, first data information of a first unit region in a state in which duplicate deletion of data has been performed currently; and specifying a data region to be a target of garbage collection based on the data information in the past information and the generated first data information.

When a storage apparatus accumulates data, in order to reduce the data amount, the storage apparatus deletes duplicate data. However, in order to accurately manage the duplicate number of data, upon updating of the data, such processes as reading out of existing data, decrease the duplicate number of the read out data by one, writing of new data, and increase of the duplicate number of the new data by one are performed. Therefore, the updating process of data is delayed.
A related technology is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2014-199573 or Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2013-514560.

Information processing apparatus for specifying data region of garbage collection, information processing system and information processing method


A discharge controller carries out discharge control by determining a voltage to be applied to a conduction control terminal of each of switching elements such that a current in a non-saturation region of one of the switching elements is lower than a current in a non-saturation region of the other thereof, and applying the voltage to the conduction control terminal of each switching element with an opening-closing member opening an electrical path to turn on the switching elements, resulting in short-circuit of both electrodes of a capacitor so that a discharge current is outputted from the capacitor based on the discharge control. A manipulator manipulates, based on a value of the discharge current, how to apply the voltage to the conduction control terminal of the one of the switching elements, thus controlling an amount of heat to be generated in the one of the switching elements.

As an example of these power converting systems set forth above, the following power converting system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-232620. In order to prevent the charge charged in a capacitor from remaining with an inverter as a load being disconnected to the capacitor, the power converting system carries out discharge control to turn simultaneously on a high-side switching and a corresponding low-side switching element of an inverter by a driver to short-circuit both electrodes of the capacitor. This discharges the capacitor. In order to prevent a current flowing through the capacitor from excessively increasing, the power converting system reduces a voltage applied to the gate of an IGBT as a switching element of the system in comparison to a voltage to be normally applied thereto.

Discharge control apparatus for power converting system with capacitor


In a semiconductor device encapsulation assembly (50; 60), a semiconductor device (21), preferably a pressure transducer, is mounted on a base (11) in a cavity (20) formed by the base and surrounding walls (15). Electrical connections, preferably wire bonds (27), connect the semiconductor device to conductor paths (28) on the base within the cavity. An encapsulation material comprising a thixotropic fluorosiloxane material (51; 61) is applied in the cavity and completely covers the semiconductor device and the electrical connections. This structure enables the semiconductor device to withstand typical automotive contaminants, such as mild acids and gasoline, while also preventing erratic semiconductor device operation due to bubbles which may be drawn into the encapsulation material.

Prior pressure transducer assemblies exist in which a semiconductor pressure transducer die is mounted on a base substrate within a cavity to which vacuum pressure is to be applied. In such a prior configuration wire bonds are used to provide electrical connection between bonding pads on a top surface of the semiconductor pressure transducer die and conductor paths on the substrate.
In assemblies such as those described above, there is typically a substantial concern about contaminants affecting the operation of the pressure transducer by attacking the semiconductor chip metalization and/or the bonding wires or substrate conductor metalizations. For example, when the pressure transducer comprises an automobile pressure transducer used to measure manifold pressure, typically the entire assembly will be exposed to an atmosphere which may contain gasoline and mild acids as contaminants in the vacuum pressure to be measured by the transducer. These contaminants may also be external to the cavity in which the transducer is mounted wherein the external contaminants may seep into the cavity. Also, when the walls surrounding the pressure transducer are soldered to the base substrate on which the transducer is mounted, this can provide a source of other contaminants due to flux used in the soldering operation which was not completely removed and/or the presence of bubbles in the solder connection which will be drawn from the solder connection into the cavity during the application of vacuum pressure.
To provide some protection against all of these contaminants, one known prior art assembly shown in FIG. 2 has applied, as an encapsulation material, a conventionally available polyfluorosiloxane oligomer comprising Shin Etsu FE-53, which is available from Shin Etsu Silicone and comprises a polyfluorosiloxane gel. This material, when cured, has some resistance to attack by gasoline. Other types of known conventional die encapsulation materials, including known thixotropic die encapsulation materials, do not sufficiently resist attack by gasoline and were therefore found to be unsuitable for use in an automotive environment. Typically a drop of the uncured fluorosiloxane polymer (oligomer) is placed on the semiconductor die and then several additional drops are placed in the cavity in which the die is mounted. Then the oligomer is cured and the structure shown in FIG. 2 is the result. However, such a structure typically leaves portions of the semiconductor bonding wires exposed. This subjects these bonding wires to electrochemical attack (corrosion) by contaminants, and also these wires then provide a pathway for acids and contaminants to diffuse along the wires to the die surface where, in time, they attack the aluminum bonding pads on the die and cause the pressure transducer to fail.
A proposed solution to the above stated problems of the prior art assembly is shown in FIG. 3 in which the same conventional polyfluorosiloxane material is used to substantially fill the internal cavity in which the pressure transducer is mounted. However, this type of solution has resulted in a substantially different problem which also impairs the operation of the transducer. For the assembly shown in FIG. 3, when vacuum pressure is applied, bubbles and flux contaminants from the solder connection between the surrounding walls and the base substrate on which the semiconductor die is mounted will be drawn into the encapsulation material comprising the polyfluorosiloxane gel. These bubbles and contaminants are mobile in the encapsulation material and can travel to the bonding sites of the wire bonds on the top surface of the semiconductor die or the bonding sites on the conductor paths on the base substrate. These bubbles and contaminants can affect the operation of the pressure transducer such that erratic results may be obtained due to deterioration of the electrical connections to the die. The bubbles can also interfere with the pressure transducer properly measuring applied vacuum pressure since they will provide an erratic coupling of the vacuum pressure to be sensed to the top surface of the pressure transducer semiconductor die.

Semiconductor device encapsulation method