Disclosed herein is a communication system wherein, non-periodical communications of data are carried out between an information transmitting terminal and one or more information receiving terminals, the information transmitting terminal periodically broadcasts network control information to the information receiving terminals, each of the information receiving terminals receives the network control information from the information transmitting terminal at a rate determined in advance, each of the information receiving terminals receives the network control information from the information transmitting terminal in a fixed-length information acquisition period; and at least some specific ones of the information receiving terminals each arbitrarily shift the starting point of the information acquisition period of the specific information receiving terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system connected to a base station and used for communicating data by adoption of a random back-off algorithm, relates to a communication apparatus employed in the communication system, relates to a communication method adopted by the communication apparatus as well as relates to a computer program for implementing the communication method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a communication system for carrying out intermittent operations in order to repeat a doze state and an awake state in a power save mode, relates to a communication apparatus employed in the communication system, relates to a communication method adopted by the communication apparatus as well as relates to a computer program for implementing the communication method. The doze state is a state in which the operations of at least some circuit modules employed in the communication apparatus are stopped. On the other hand, the awake state is a state in which all circuit modules employed in the communication apparatus operate fully.
To put it in more detail, the present invention relates to a communication system in which, in a power save mode, the communication apparatus functioning as a radio communication terminal makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state in order to receive beacon frames from the base station at beacon intervals determined in advance and at a rate also determined in advance and requests the base station to transmit data accumulated in the base station as data destined for the radio communication terminal to the radio communication terminal, relates to the communication apparatus employed in the communication system to serve as the radio communication terminal, relates to a communication method adopted by the communication apparatus as well as relates to a computer program for implementing the communication method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a communication system for avoiding collisions of notice frames transmitted by radio communication terminals to the base station with the notice frames contending with each other for the radio communication medium as notice frames each used for showing a transition from the doze state to the awake state or a demand for a transmission of data destined for the radio communication terminal from the base station to the radio communication terminal, relates to a communication apparatus employed in the communication system as the radio communication terminal, relates to a communication method adopted by the communication apparatus as well as relates to a computer program for implementing the communication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a system freed from wiring used in the wire communication method in the past, a radio communication network draws attention. As standard specifications for the radio communication network, the IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 standards (ANSI/IEEE std 802.11. 1999 Edition (R2003) Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, hereinafter referred to as Non-Patent Document 1) and the IEEE 802.15 standards are available.
Most radio communication LAN modules are mobile apparatus each driven by a battery. Examples of the mobile apparatus are a notebook PC (Personal Computer), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and a radio communication IP (Internet Protocol) telephone. Thus, for a radio communication system conforming to the IEEE802.11 standards, specifications of a power save mode are written for the purpose of implementing reduction of power in an idle state of a radio communication terminal.
Let us consider a radio communication system like one shown in FIG. 5. An apparatus denoted by reference numeral 0101 is a radio communication base station for exchanging data with a radio communication terminal 0110 and providing a radio communication terminal 0110 with information by transmission of a frame to the radio communication terminal 0110. Apparatus denoted by reference numerals 0110-1, 0110-2, 0110-3, 0110-4, . . . and 0110-n are each the aforementioned radio communication terminal 0110.
The radio communication terminal 0110 has two operating modes, i.e., an active mode and a power save mode. In the active mode, the radio communication terminal 0110 is put in a state of being capable of exchanging data with the radio communication base station 0101. In the active mode, however, the radio communication terminal 0110 is put in a state of continuously waiting for the arrival of data even if no data is exchanged with the radio communication base station 0101. Thus, the radio communication terminal 0110 consumes power even if no data is exchanged with the radio communication base station 0101. In the power save mode, on the other hand, the radio communication terminal 0110 makes a transition to an awake state in which the radio communication terminal 0110 is capable of exchanging data with the radio communication base station 0101 only when data destined for the radio communication terminal 0110 arrives at the radio communication base station 0101. When no data is exchanged with the radio communication base station 0101, the radio communication terminal 0110 makes a transition to a doze state in which supplying of power to a circuit employed in the radio communication terminal 0110 as a circuit relevant to operations to exchange data with the radio communication base station 0101 is stopped in order to prevent unnecessary power from being supplied to the circuit. Thus, in the power save mode, the efficiency of power consumption is better than the active mode even though data cannot be exchanged with the radio communication base station 0101 immediately if the radio communication terminal 0110 happens to be in the doze state.
With the power save mode set as the operating mode, the radio communication terminal 0110 can be put in the aforementioned awake state or the doze state cited above. In the awake state, the radio communication terminal 0110 is capable of operating fully. In the doze state, on the other hand, the radio communication terminal 0110 operates at low power consumption but is not capable of exchanging data with the radio communication base station 0101.
When the radio communication terminal 0110 makes a transition from the active mode to the power save mode, the radio communication terminal 0110 makes use of a power management bit included in a frame control field of a transmitted frame to notify the radio communication base station 0101 that a transition from the active mode to the power save mode has been made.
When the radio communication base station 0101 receives a data frame destined for a specific radio communication terminal 0110 indicated by a destination address included in the data frame from another radio communication terminal 0110, the radio communication base station 0101 makes an attempt to deliver the data frame to the specific radio communication terminal 0110. If the specific radio communication terminal 0110 is operating in the doze state of the power save mode, however, the radio communication base station 0101 temporarily holds the data frame instead of transmitting the data frame to the specific radio communication terminal 0110 in accordance with a decision made by the radio communication base station 0101.
In addition, the radio communication base station 0101 transmits a beacon frame to every radio communication terminal 0110 periodically. The beacon frame is a frame describing control information necessary for operating the network. To be more specific, the beacon frame may include a TIM (Traffic Indication Map), which is information notifying the radio communication terminal 0110 operating in the power save mode that data destined for the radio communication terminal 0110 has arrived at the radio communication base station 0101 from another radio communication terminal 0110. In addition, the TIM also includes time information. A TIM with time information indicating timer contents of 0 is in particular referred to as a DTIM (Delivery TIM).
A radio communication terminal 0110 operating in the power save mode periodically makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state at beacon-frame receiving intervals set for the radio communication terminal 0110 and receives a data frame destined for the radio communication terminal 0110 from the radio communication base station 0101 at a typical rate of once every several transitions. To put it concretely, the radio communication terminal 0110 makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state with a timing adjusted to a transmission of a beacon frame including the DTIM described above from the radio communication base station 0101, receiving subsequent beacon frames from the radio communication base station 0101 in the awake state. In the awake state, the radio communication terminal 0110 interprets the TIM of every beacon frame received from the radio communication base station 0101 in order to produce a result of determination as to whether or not a data frame destined for the radio communication terminal 0110 is held by the radio communication base station 0101.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a typical procedure in accordance with which a radio communication terminal 0110 carries out an operation to receive data from the radio communication base station 0101 in the power save mode. In the typical case shown in the figure, it is assumed that a radio communication base station AP communicates with n radio communication terminals STA-1 to STA-n, which are connected to the radio communication base station AP. The radio communication base station AP and the radio communication terminals STA-1 to STA-n enter a stage at which a specific one of the radio communication terminals STA-1 to STA-n receives a data frame from another one of the radio communication terminals STA-1 to STA-n through the radio communication base station AP. In the following description, the radio communication terminals STA-1 to STA-n are each referred to simply as a radio communication terminal STA in case it is not necessary to distinguish the radio communication terminals STA-1 to STA-n from each other.
The radio communication base station AP transmits a beacon frame 0201 to every radio communication terminal STA periodically. When the contents of the timer become 0, the radio communication base station AP transmits a beacon frame 0202 including the DTIM to every radio communication terminal STA.
On the other hand, in order to receive the beacon frame 0202 including the DTIM from the radio communication base station AP, the radio communication terminal STA-1 operating in the power save mode makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state with a timing adjusted to the timing of the transmission of the beacon frame 0202 from the radio communication base station AP to the radio communication terminal STA-1. In addition, the radio communication terminal STA-1 transmits a frame 0211 showing a transition from the doze state to the awake state or a PS-Poll frame serving as a request for data destined for the radio communication terminal STA-1 to the radio communication base station AP. The frame 0211 is typically a null frame including no payload. In the following description, the frame 0211 and the PS-Poll frame are each referred to simply as a notice frame.
The radio communication terminal STA-1 already making a transition from the doze state to the awake state interprets the TIM included in the beacon frame 0202 in order to produce a result of determination as to whether or not a data frame destined for the radio communication terminal STA-1 is held by the radio communication base station AP.
From a null frame 0211 received from the radio communication terminal STA-1, the radio communication base station AP recognizes the fact that the radio communication terminal STA-1 transmitting the null frame 0211 has entered a state of being capable of receiving a data frame destined for the radio communication terminal STA-1 from the radio communication base station AP. Then, the radio communication base station AP transmits a data frame 0203 containing data held by the radio communication base station AP for the radio communication terminal STA-1 to the radio communication terminal STA-1 if such data is held by the radio communication base station AP for the radio communication terminal STA-1.
When the radio communication terminal STA-1 already making a transition from the doze state to the awake state completes the operation to receive data destined for the radio communication terminal STA-1 from the radio communication base station AP, the radio communication terminal STA-1 passes on the data to a communication application at a higher level layer. Then, the radio communication terminal STA-1 makes a transition from the awake state back to the doze state when the reception of data destined for the radio communication terminal STA-1 completed. In addition, the radio communication terminal STA-1 may transmit a frame 0212 showing the transition from the awake state back to the doze state. The frame 0212 is typically a null frame including no payload.
In addition, in order to receive the beacon frame 0202 including the DTIM from the radio communication base station AP, the radio communication terminal STA-n operating in the power save mode also makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state. The radio communication terminal STA-n also interprets the TIM included in the beacon frame 0202 and any subsequent beacon frame in order to produce a result of determination as to whether or not a data frame destined for the radio communication terminal is held by the radio communication base station AP. In this case, however, the result of the determination indicates that no data frame destined for the radio communication terminal STA-n is held by the radio communication base station AP. Thus, the radio communication terminal STA-n makes a transition from the awake state back to the doze state immediately. In addition, the radio communication terminal STA-n may transmit a frame 0212 showing the transition from the awake state back to the doze state. The frame 0212 is typically a null frame including no payload.
Power-saving operations in an infrastructure BSS (Base Service Set) mode conforming to the IEEE802.11 standards are summarized as follows.
(1): The radio communication terminal informs the radio communication base station of the number of beacons included in the period of a power save mode at an association time.
(2): The radio communication base station broadcasts beacons at beacon intervals determined in advance to the radio communication terminal and makes use of the TIM portion of the beacon to reveal the fact that data destined for the radio communication terminal operating in the power save mode is held in a buffer employed in the station.
(3): In order for a radio communication terminal to receive a scheduled beacon referred to as a DTIM beacon from the radio communication base station, the radio communication terminal makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state with a timing adjusted to the timing of the transmission of the DTIM beacon from the radio communication base station to the radio communication terminal.
(4): When the radio communication terminal already making a transition from the doze state to the awake state receives a beacon frame from the radio communication base station, the terminal interprets the TIM included in the beacon frame in order to produce a result of determination as to whether or not a data frame destined for the terminal is held in a buffer employed in the station. If the result of the determination indicates that a data frame destined for the radio communication terminal is held in a buffer employed in the radio communication base station, the terminal transmits a PS-Poll frame indicating a request for the data to the station.
(5): The radio communication terminal transmits a frame indicating the start of a power-saving operation to the radio communication base station and, at a point of time an Ack (acknowledgement) confirmation message is received from the station, the terminal initially sets the doze state.
The timing with which the radio communication terminal operating in the power save mode makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state or vice versa is determined by the beacon interval at which the radio communication base station broadcasts beacon frames to radio communication terminals and a rate representing a ratio of the number of beacons each including a DTIM to the number of all beacons during a period of time. Thus, by lengthening the beacon interval or decreasing the DTIM-beacon rate, the period in which the radio communication terminal is put in the doze state can be prolonged and, hence, the power saving effect can be improved.
In addition, in order to avoid wasteful power consumption by fully operating the radio communication terminal already making a transition from the doze state to the awake state in order to receive a beacon frame from the radio communication base station, a lazy state consuming little power in comparison with the awake state is defined. The lazy state is an operating state in which a process of reception and a synchronization process are put in an on state but a transmission process and an authentication process are put in an off state. The lazy state has been proposed for a radio communication terminal for carrying out a process to receive a beacon frame from the radio communication base station in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-64857 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). The power consumption of this radio communication terminal can be made small in comparison with the radio communication terminal having only the doze and awake states as states existing in the power save mode without reducing the throughput of the data communication.
The radio communication terminals operating in the power save mode can thus be classified into a category adjusting the DTIM rate and a category adopting the lazy state. Nevertheless, the radio communication terminals pertaining to both the categories are identical to each other in that they make a transition from the doze state to the awake state in response to a beacon frame received from the radio communication base station. However, a detailed timing with which the radio communication terminal makes a transition from the doze state to the awake state is not fixed up in particular. Thus, if a plurality of radio communication terminals transmit notice frames such as null frames or PS-Poll frames to the radio communication base station at intervals synchronized to the DTIM intervals, it is quite within the bounds of possibility that there are generated collisions of the frames contending with each other for the radio communication medium. In addition, if timings taken by the radio communication terminals as timings to make a transition from the doze state to the awake state are concentrated on a specific beacon frame, there is raised a problem that a radio communication terminal is hardly capable of acquiring data held in the radio communication base station during the doze state as data destined for the radio communication terminal.
As a policy to avoid collisions of frames contending with each other for the radio communication medium, the IEEE802.11 prescribes a CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) procedure and a random back-off algorithm. The random back-off algorithm is an algorithm in accordance with which a wait time is determined at random for transmission opportunities of radio communication terminals and a transmission of data is started if a communication medium is determined to be usable after waiting for the transmission by the determined wait time prior to the transmission.
If the number of radio communication terminals each connected to the radio communication base station is small, there are only few cases in which the wait times determined at random for transmission opportunities of the radio communication terminals overlap each other. Thus, by adoption of the random back-off algorithm, it is possible to avoid collisions of notice frames contending with each other for the radio communication medium. As the number of radio communication terminals each connected to the radio communication base station increases, however, the number of radio communication terminals each making a transition from the doze state to the awake state in order to receive a beacon frame from the radio communication base station also increases as well. Thus, for a beacon frame, the number of radio communication terminals each transmitting a notice frame indicating the transition from the doze state to the awake state to the radio communication base station also increases. The increased number of radio communication terminals each transmitting such a notice frame to the radio communication base station means that there is a greater risk of collisions of notice frames contending with each other for the radio communication medium.
When a notice frame collides with another notice frame, the adoption of the random back-off algorithm can be repeated but the repeated adoption of the random back-off algorithm causes the transmission of the notice frame from one of the colliding radio communication terminals to be put in a wait state for long time. In this case, since the radio communication terminal with the notice-frame transmission put in the wait state is also put in a wait state in the awake mode, the radio communication terminal undesirably consumes power in a wasteful manner. In addition, even if the radio communication terminal interprets the TIM included in the beacon frame, producing a determination result indicating that no data frame destined for the terminal is held in the station, the wait state of the transmission of a notice frame indicating an impending transition from the awake state back to the doze state is repeated in an attempt to retransmit the notice frame unless the an acknowledgement is received from the radio communication base station in response to such a notice frame. Thus, the radio communication terminal hardly returns to the doze state from the awake state. As a result, the power saving effect deteriorates.
In addition, if the number of notice frames each put in a wait state increase to a very large value, it is quite within the bounds of possibility that more wait times set by adoption of the random back-off algorithm overlap with each other. Thus, it is also quite within the bounds of possibility that more collisions of notice frames contending with each other for the radio communication medium take place as indicated by reference numeral 0254 shown in FIG. 6.
On top of that, if a plurality of radio communication terminals are each put in a state of being incapable of transmitting a notice frame to the radio communication base station no matter how long the waiting time of each of the radio communication terminals may be due to the phenomenon described above, the communication medium is occupied by retransmitted notice frames. It is thus feared that such a state causes the performance of the whole system to deteriorate.
In addition, in the case of a system in which a notice frame is also transmitted from a radio communication terminal to the radio communication base station in order to indicate that the radio communication terminal is going to make a transition from the awake state back to the doze state, the waiting period of the notice frame makes the radio communication terminal incapable of making a transition from the awake state back to the doze state. Thus, the radio communication terminal undesirably consumes power in a wasteful manner as is the case with the repeated random back-off algorithm described above.
For example, in the case of a system in which a radio communication terminal transmitting data at a data-transmitting time to the radio communication base station adds information on a time of a planned transmission of next data to the data being transmitted this time whereas the radio communication terminal receiving the data at a data-receiving time from the radio communication base station stays in a sleep state till the time of the planned transmission of the next data, makes a transition to an activation state at the time of the planned transmission of the next data and receives the next data from the radio communication base station, an operation to save power can be carried out efficiently if the radio communication base station functioning as a terminal for delivering data transmitted by a data transmitting radio communication terminal to a data receiving radio communication terminal adjusts a time added by the data transmitting radio communication terminal to the transmitted data as the time of a planned transmission of next data in such a way that the time does not coincide with a time added by another data transmitting radio communication terminal. Such a system is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-320153 (Hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2). However, the system is a system designed without effectively considering a case in which a large number of radio communication terminals each put in a power save mode are connected to the radio communication base station and operate at the same time. In addition, while a transmitted frame is required to have a frame configuration allowing a time of a planned transmission of next data to be included in the transmitted frame, such a frame configuration is difficult to implement by making use of the radio communication base station conforming to standard specifications established so far.
In addition, there has been proposed a radio communication terminal management method adopted by the radio communication base station as an adjustment method for preventing timings each taken by a radio communication terminal as a timing to make a transition from a power save mode to an active mode from overlapping with each other. The radio communication terminal management method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-26862 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 3). In this case, on the basis of power save periods collected from radio communication terminals, the radio communication base station prevents timings each taken by a radio communication terminal as a timing to make a transition from a power save mode to an active mode from overlapping with each other along the time axis by, for example, changing the power save periods to variable periods and shifting the timings to make a transition from a power save mode to an active mode.

Communication system, communication apparatus, communication method and computer program


Systems and methods for providing feedback to a user of an automated checkstand are disclosed. In some embodiments, the automated checkstand has a data reader including a read zone through which items to be read are passed, and a loading zone on which a user places items for conveyor transport through the read zone. The automated checkstand also has a notification system including an illumination source that is configured to selectively illuminate a portion of the automated checkstand in response to positional information associated with items previously placed on a conveyor system.

The field of the present disclosure generally relates to an automated checkout stand or lane (checkstand), and more particularly to systems and methods providing feedback to a user of the checkstand.
An optical code, such as a barcode, is essentially a machine-readable representation of information in a visual format. Some optical codes use a dark ink on a white substrate to create high and low reflectance upon scanning or reading of the optical code. For the purposes of the present description, the terms scan and read may be used interchangeably to connote acquiring data associated with an optical code. Likewise, scanner and optical code reader may be used interchangeably to connote devices used to acquire data associated with an optical code. Based on the symbology being used (e.g., UPC, Code 39, Code 128, and PDF417), an optical code may comprise data characters (or codewords e.g., in the case of PDF417) and/or overhead characters represented by a particular sequence of bars and spaces that may have varying widths.
Optical codes have widespread applications. For example, optical codes can be used to identify a class of objects (e.g., merchandise) or unique items (e.g., patents). Therefore, optical codes are found on a wide variety of objects, such as retail goods, company assets, and documents. Optical codes are placed on items and read by optical code readers as the items arrive or as they are sold to help track production at manufacturing facilities or sales and inventory at stores.
Optical code readers, such as laser scanners or imager-based readers, are well known for use in scanning or reading barcodes and other types of optical codes. For example, in retail stores, optical code readers are placed at checkstands or are built into a checkstand counter and generally have one or more read volumes (scan volumes) that collectively establish a read zone in which optical codes may be successfully read. Typically, optical codes are placed on or associated with items, packages, containers or other objects and read by the optical code reader when the items bearing the optical codes are passed through the read zone.
In an assisted checkout process, a customer places items on a counter, deck, or conveyor of a checkstand; the items are transported to a checkout clerk (checker); and the checker then takes each item and moves it through the read zone of the optical code reader. Accordingly, the checker typically locates an optical code on a label of the item, and holds the label or packaging in a particular orientation to obtain a successful read of the optical code as it is moved through the read zone. Misalignment of the optical code (e.g., misaligned barcode lines), inadvertent movement of the optical code away from the read zone, an item that is not on file in an inventory database, an optical code that does not match other detected visual characteristics of the item (e.g., size or shape), or other problems that may arise during the read and data capture operation can result in a misread or a non-read of the optical code (also referred to as an exception), which slows the checkout process.
The likelihood or frequency of exceptions is exacerbated in self-checkout systems, i.e., checkout systems that do not rely on a checker to operate the optical code reader. Users (such as checkers, or customers) of conventional semi-automatic self-checkout systems may not have sufficient experience using the optical code reader, or may have difficulty in locating and positioning optical codes in a read zone for producing successful data reads.
Prior attempts to minimize or eliminate the participation of customers and checkers using automated self-checkout barcode scanners have included a device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,355 (Rando '355). According to Rando '355, an item is placed by a customer onto a conveyor belt and it is transported by the conveyor to an automated scanning device. However, these prior devices occasionally fail to achieve a successful scan on the first pass of the item through a scan zone because of the wide variations in product sizes, irregularities of packaging shapes, differing locations of barcodes, and due to larger items shadowing neighboring items. These exceptions necessitate rescanning, often with handheld scanners, in order to obtain data associated with the barcodes on packages that generate exceptions.
To reduce the likelihood of exceptions, previous automated checkstands relied principally on adequate inter-item separation distance, i.e., item singulation. However, customers usually had no intuitive way of knowing when, where, or how to place items on a checkstand conveyor to ensure that the items were properly singulated, and thereby decrease the likelihood of exceptions. Rudimentary attempts to enforce proper item singulation relied on simple gating mechanisms that controlled belts to convey items serially into a scan zone. In other words, these systems used a gating signal that would only allow one item (i.e., one barcode) into a scan zone at a time during the valid period of the gating signal.
Aside the serial processing, one disadvantage of these previous gating configurations was that they could only detect improper item singulation after items had reached the scan volume. In other words, customers could initially load an input conveyor improperly, thereby generating an initial exception when the previously loaded items were conveyed to the scan zone. Another disadvantage was that items had to be spaced apart by at least the length of the scan zone because the gating signal started when an item first blocked a first optical eye upon entry into the scan zone, and would end when a second optical eye on an opposite side of the scan zone became unblocked. This fixed separation distance frequently created large and unnecessary inter-item spacing, which limited throughput.
Conventional automated checkstands occasionally provided rudimentary instructions on display screens that instructed customers. However, the present inventors have realized that customers who either could not read or simply preferred to skip the instructions had no intuitive way of knowing how to properly load and singulate items on a conveyor in order to decrease the likelihood of generating an exception. Users accustomed to using self-checkout checkstands are typically provided a tone or other signal when the item's optical code is read. However, automated checkstands read and decode items in a read zone that is typically spaced apart some distance from the customer. Moreover, the customer may be dealing with other loading tasks while previously loaded items are successfully read (or generate exceptions) at a location farther down a conveyor. The separation of customers from the read zone, as well as a customer's multi-tasking while operating and loading an automated checkstand can reduce the customer's association of a tone (or other success or failure signal) with a particular item that is being read in the read zone. Furthermore, some automated checkstands include bagging areas with multiple sections, but customers may have no intuitive way of knowing what side of the checkstand they should exit for picking up their purchased items.

Systems and methods for providing feedback to a user operating an automated checkstand


A method for improving a performance of a sputtering target in a magnetron sputtering system having at least one magnet repetitively and retracingly scanning between two sides thereof and receiving a power input changing with a scanning position of the magnet is provided. The method includes the steps of stepwise reducing the power input while the magnet approaches a specific distance range near a retracing point, so as to reduce an erosion rate of the sputtering target by the magnetron sputtering system, and increasing the power input to a specific value while the magnet leaves the specific distance range, wherein the power input changes with the scanning position of the magnet, so as to improve the performance of the sputtering target.

This invention relates to a method for improving a performance of a sputtering target, and more particularly to a method for improving a performance of a sputtering target in a magnetron sputtering system.
During the semiconductor or TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) manufacturing processes, a sputtering technology generally is used in a thin film deposition. According to the momentum transfer theory, the sputtering technology utilizes the ion of a plasma to be deposited on the deposition element with gas phase, so as to proceed with a thin film deposition.
Presently, the sputter for TFT-LCD is always a magnetron sputtering system. Please refer to FIG. 1 which shows a schematic view of the equipment of the general magnetron sputtering system. In the magnetron sputtering system, a magnet 10 is disposed behind a sputtering target 11 and actuated by a stepper motor. And a substrate 12 is deposited on a plane 13. The magnet 10 is a full-length rectangular form and scans repetitively and retracingly between the two sides of the sputtering target 11. When the magnet 10 approaches the retracing points near the two sides of the sputtering target 11, because of the mechanical efficiency of the stepper motor, the scanning velocity of the magnet 10 can not help but be reduced, even suspended. Thus, the magnetic field at the two sides of the sputtering target will be greater than that at the center thereof, so that the target erosion rate at the two sides of the sputtering target will also be specifically greater than that at the center thereof. This situation causes the restriction of the performance of the expensive sputtering target.
Please refer to FIG. 2 and Table 1. FIG. 2 illustrates an erosion depth measurement of a MoW (tungsten molybdate) alloy target which has been sputtered by a conventional sputter. And Table 1 illustrates a contract table of the same. Among these, the depth of the MoW alloy target 20 is 16 mm. As shown in FIG. 2 and Table 1, the ranges 21, 24, and 27 of the left retracing area 210 and the ranges 23, 26, and 29 of the right retracing area 211 of the MoW alloy target 20 have thicker erosion depth (erosion rate) than the ranges 22, 25, and 28 at the center thereof. Thus, the performance of the MoW alloy target 20 is only 34%.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and Table 2. FIG. 3 illustrates an erosion depth measurement of the Al (aluminum) target which has been sputtered by a conventional sputter. And Table 2 shows a contract table of the same. Among these, the depth of the Al target 30 is 16 mm. As shown in FIG. 3 and Table 2, the ranges 308, 307, 315, 322, 329, 337, 338, 309, 316, 323, 330, and 339 of the downside retracing area 32 and the ranges 302, 301, 310, 317, 324, 331, 332, 303, 311, 318, 325, and 333 of the upside retracing area 31 of the sputtered Al target 30 have thinner residue thickness than the other ranges 304, 312, 319, 326, 334, 305, 313, 320, 327, 335, 306, 314, 321, 328, and 336. Thus, the performance of the Al target 30 is only 33%.
Because of the defects described above, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly to develop xe2x80x9cmethod for improving performance of sputtering targetxe2x80x9d through wholehearted experience and research.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for improving the performance of a magnetron sputtering system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stepwise power controlling method for complying with the scanning position of the magnet in the magnetron sputtering system.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for improving a performance of a sputtering target in a magnetron sputtering system having a magnet repetitively, and retracingly scanning between two sides thereof and receiving a power input changing with a scanning position of the magnet includes steps of stepwise reducing the power input while the magnet approaches a specific distance range near a retracing point, so as to reduce an erosion rate of the sputtering target by the magnetron sputtering system, and increasing the power input to a specific value while the magnet leaves the specific distance range, wherein the power input changes with the scanning position of the magnet, so as to improve the performance of the sputtering target.
Preferably, the method is a power changing method.
Preferably, the magnet is controlled by a stepping motor.
Preferably, the power input is supplied by a DC power supply.
Certainly, the power input can be changed by means of revising a computer program of the DC power supply.
Certainly, the power input can be changed by means of revising software of said magnetron sputtering system.
Preferably, the specific distance range has a direct proportion to a scan range of the magnet in magnitude.
Preferably, the sputtering target is made of one selected from a group consisting of an alloy, an oxide, and a metal.
Certainly, the alloy can be one of a tungsten molybdate (MoW) and a neodymium aluminate (AlNd).
Certainly, the oxide can be one of indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO).
Certainly, the metal can be one of chromium (Cr) and aluminum (Al).
Preferably, the power input is changed stepwise.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for improving a performance of a sputtering target in a magnetron sputtering system having a magnet repetitively and retracingly scanning between two sides thereof and receiving a power input changing with a scanning position of the magnet includes steps of defining a scanning center at a substantially half position of a scanning range of the magnet, reducing the power input gradually while the magnet is moved from the scanning center to a retracing point, so as to reduce an erosion rate of the sputtering target by the magnetron sputtering system, and raising the power input gradually while the magnet is moved from the retracing point to the scanning center, wherein the power input changes with the scanning position of the magnet, so as to improve the performance of the sputtering target.
Preferably, the method is a power changing method.
Preferably, the magnet is controlled by a stepping motor.
Preferably, the power input is supplied by a DC power supply.
Certainly, the power input can be changed by means of revising a computer program of the DC power supply.
Certainly, the power input can be changed by means of revising software of said magnetron sputtering system.
Preferably, the scanning range of the magnet has a direct proportion to a distance from the retracing point in magnitude.
Preferably, the sputter target is made of one selected from a group consisting of an alloy, an oxide, and a metal.
Certainly, the alloy can be one of a tungsten molybdate (MoW) and a neodymium aluminate (AlNd).
Certainly, the oxide can be one of indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO).
Certainly, the metal can be one of chromium (Cr) and aluminum (Al).
Preferably, the power input is changed stepwise.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings, in which:

Method for improving performance of sputtering target


A computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a computing device, a request from a user device to access requested data. Based on the request, a reader object is selected that specifies data access information associated with accessing data from a particular data source. Computer-implementable access code is dynamically instantiated to access the requested data from a data source based on the reader object and the request. A data access request is sent to the data source based on the computer-implementable access code. The requested data is received from the data source and a presentation object is selected that specifies data output information associated with the reader object. Computer-implementable output code is dynamically instantiated to output the requested data based on the presentation object. Output data, including the requested data, is sent to the user device in a presentation format specified by the computer-implementable output code.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a textual data format designed for simplicity, generality, and usability over the Internet. While XML is a standard, many different forms of XML have been developed, including Really Simple Syndication (RSS), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), among others. The many different forms of XML (e.g., RSS, XHTML, SOAP) may make it difficult for enterprises to use XML data in a way that is easily deployed in various applications (e.g., Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) applications, mobile applications, web applications, or internal intranet applications). Developing and maintaining individual solutions for each form of XML for various applications would increase complexity and cost for the development. As a result, it may be difficult to quickly develop applications using this widespread standardized form of data.


A system and method for authenticating a log-in request based on location using an authentication application. The authentication application includes a processing unit, a location module, an authentication module, a user interface engine, and a notification module. The processing unit receives a log-in request from a third party application. The processing unit also receives a location of the log-in request and a location of a registered user device. The location module computes a distance between the location of the log-in request and the location of the registered user device. The authentication module determines whether the computed distance exceeds a threshold. The authentication module authenticates the log-in request responsive to determining that the computed distance is within or less than the threshold. The authentication module denies authentication to the log-in request responsive to determining that the computed distance exceeds the threshold.

The specification relates to authenticating a log-in request based on location. In particular, the specification relates to authenticating a log-in request based on the location of the log-in request and the location of a user device.
There are a number of email account logins and passwords that are being stolen by keyloggers for account hijacking or takeover to send spam from those accounts. Fraud and unauthorized account use is also on the rise. Imposters or users other than the person that created the account may use systems that require only a login name and a simple password. Due to the increase in fraudulent activities, there is a need to improve authentication of user log-ins.
Systems that only require a username and password are too often compromised and are especially vulnerable given users' tendencies to use the same password for multiple accounts. Even two-level authentication methods that request a piece of personal information, such as the user's school mascot or mother's maiden name are problematic since this information may be publicly available. As a result, improved authentication methods are needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Location as a second factor for authentication


Quinazoline derivatives are provided that specifically inhibit proliferation of T cells without affecting the level of IL-2 secreted from said T cells. These compounds as well as pharmaceutical composition comprising them are useful for the treatment of indications mediated by T cell proliferation.

Organ transplantation elicits a complex series of immunologic processes that are generally categorized as inflammation, immunity, tissue repair and structural reinforcement of damaged tissues. Macrophages and T cells mediate inflammation by the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, e.g., interleukin-2 (IL-2), and by the activation of biochemical cascades such as the classic complement cascade. The medical community is in need of novel immunosuppressive agents [Chiu et al., 2004]. Immunosuppressive drugs fall into five groups: (i) regulators of gene expression; (ii) alkylating agents; (iii) inhibitors of de novo purine synthesis; (iv) inhibitors of de novo pyrimidine synthesis; and (v) inhibitors of kinases and phosphatases [Allison, 2000]. Glucocorticoids exert immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activity mainly by inhibiting the expression of the genes for IL-2 and other mediators [Ong et al., 2007]. Cyclophosphamide suppresses immune responses mediated by B-lymphocytes [Turk, 1964; Rollinghoff et al., 1977]. Methotrexate and its polyglutamate derivatives suppress inflammatory responses through release of adenosine [Turk, 1964]. Mycophenolic acid and mizoribine inhibit inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase [Allison et al., 1991; Itoh, 1993]. Mycophenolic acid induces apoptosis of activated T-lymphocytes [Dayton et al., 1992; Cohn et al., 1999]. A leflunomide metabolite and brequinar inhibit dihydroorotate dehydrogenase [Waer, 1996; Herrmann et al., 2000]. Cyclosporine and FK-506/Tacrolimus inhibit the phosphatase activity of calcineurin [Curtis, 1986; Kino et al., 1987; Liu et al., 1991; Herman, 1999; Hojo et al., 1999]. Rapamycin inhibits signal transduction from the IL-2, epidermal growth factor and other cytokine receptors [Gonzalez et al., 2001]. Immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory compounds in development include inhibitors of p38 kinase and of the type IV isoform of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, which is expressed in lymphocytes and monocytes [Thomson, 1994; Abraham et al., 1996; Dodge, 1999].
Immunosuppressive medications are associated with toxicity due to their non-specific immunosuppressive effects. Reducing immunosuppression can prevent side effects related to over-immunosuppression. However, since the intrinsic immunosuppressive requirements for each donor recipient pair are unknown, immunosuppressive minimization carries a potential risk of under-immunosuppression and consequent acute rejection, premature graft loss and death. A promising future application of immunosuppressive drugs is their use in regimens designed to induce tolerance to allografts. The first step in finding such drugs is a search for agents that inhibit T cell proliferation by novel mechanisms, as the currently used agents, which all possess non-specific broad immunosuppressive effects. In our search for compounds that inhibit T cell proliferation we chose a known chemical scaffold, the quinazoline moiety, which has been utilized to develop tyrosine phosphorylation inhibitors. Quinazolines serve as the backbone for a range of inhibitors. Quinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitors include: the reversible EGFR inhibitors, Gefitinib/Iressa/ZD1839 and Erlotinib/Tarceva; the dual EGFR-HER2 inhibitor, Lapatinib/Tykerb/GW572016; and the irreversible EGFR inhibitor, CI-1033 (reviewed in [Levitzki et al., 2006]). Quinazolines also form the basis for inhibitors of serine/threonine kinases, such as CDK [Brasca et al., 2009] and for a thymidylate synthase inhibitor [Jones et al., 1981; Aherne et al., 1998; Skelton et al., 1998; Theti et al., 2003].
EP 1277738A1 discloses fused heteroaryl derivatives, which are useful as medicaments, more particularly as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors and carcinostatic agents.
WO 02/076976 and WO 03/059913 teach quinazoline based compounds, their syntheses and use as Rho-kinase inhibitors. These compounds are said to be useful for inhibiting tumor growth, treating erectile dysfunction, and treating other indications mediated by Rho-kinase, e.g., coronary heart disease.
WO 03/049739 discloses pyrimidine-based compounds useful as gsk-3 inhibitors and their use in the treatment of various protein kinase mediated disorders, such as diabetes, cancer, stroke and Alzheimer's disease.
WO 03/104230 discloses bicyclic pyrimidine derivatives, said to have anti-inflammatory effect and an effect of controlling the function(s) of the Th2 cell chemoattractants TARC and/or MDC.
WO 03/097615 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,031B1 are directed to quinazoline derivatives and their use for inhibiting TGF-β and/or p38-α kinase.

Quinazoline-based T cell proliferation inhibitors

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd.


A method, a system and a signaling gateway for enabling message intercommunication between a GSM network and a CDMA network are provided. The method includes: setting a GSM-CDMA (GC) signaling gateway in a service processor of a CDMA short message service center; during processing a message from the GSM network to the CDMA network, a GSM short message service center sending a mobile terminated request message to the GC signaling gateway, and the GC signaling gateway converting a GSM message into a CDMA message according to the mobile terminated request message and sending the converted CDMA message to a target CDMA subscriber; and, during processing a message from the CDMA network to the GSM network, a CDMA service processor converting a CDMA message into a GSM message and sending the converted GSM message to a target GSM subscriber.

The existing communication system is mainly the GSM network and CDMA network; and the coexistence of the GSM and CDMA absolutely introduces the GSM-CDMA (GC) intercommunication which means that a GSM subscriber sends a message to a CDMA subscriber or a CDMA subscriber sends a message to a GSM subscriber.
In order to process the GC intercommunication message well, it is necessary to forward a GSM message from a GSM short message service center to a CDMA short message service center, and vice versa. Because of the different protocols of the GSM and the CDMA, the message needs to be converted.
At present, the GC intercommunication message is forwarded by an intercommunication gateway in China, i.e., a short message service center converts an intercommunication message into an opened Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) message and then forwards it to an intercommunication gateway, and the intercommunication gateway submits the SMPP message to another short message service center which converts the SMPP message into a corresponding message for processing.
However, internationally, in consideration of charging and the like, operators do not recognize the intercommunication way through the SMPP and require that the GC intercommunication message should be forwarded via the NO. 7 signaling, that is, be forwarded by the GC signaling gateway. At present, the GC signaling gateway is implemented by a front-end processor and firstly requires that a front-end processor module should support both the GSM and CDMA protocols as well as the conversion between a GSM message and a CDMA message. The GSM network identifies a subscriber by the International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI), while the CDMA network identifies a subscriber by the IMSI or the Mobile Identification Number (MIN), so, if the CDMA network adopts the MIN, the front-end processor needs to convert the MIN into the IMSI. If it is required to support number portability, the front-end processor needs to set Global Translation (GT) in different formats according to the home of the target number. It can be seen from above that the GC signaling gateway implemented by the front-end processor is complex to process and also inconvenient to process due to the limited system resources of the front-end processor.

Method, system and signaling gateway for enabling message intercommunication between GSM and CDMA


An exemplary sensor for an aircraft includes a sensor mountable within an aircraft and operative to communicate wirelessly communications to a distributed aperture antenna. The sensor is operative to harvest energy from the aircraft to power the sensor.

As known, sensors are often used to collect information. Some sensors sense temperature or vibration of an aircraft, for example. Users monitor aircraft conditions using the sensed information. Collecting information from multiple sensors desirably provides more information about the aircraft than collecting information from a single sensor. However, increasing the number of sensors within an aircraft undesirably adds cost and weight to the aircraft.
Sensors are powered to communicate sensed information away from the sensor. Powering and communicating with multiple sensors often requires expensive and heavy wiring. Other sensors are wireless and include a replaceable source of power, such as a battery. Replacing the battery is often difficult due to the sensor's position within the aircraft. The battery also increases the size and weight of the sensor. Some sensors harvest energy from the aircraft instead of using a wired connection or battery.
Antennas are used in wireless communication systems that include wireless sensors. Wireless communications with one of the wireless sensors can disadvantageously interfere with wireless communications with another one of the wireless sensors. Powering the antennas is costly, and the antennas add weight to the aircraft.


The condition of a shoe roll is monitored by a device which continuously analyzes the lubricant used in a lubrication system (14) integrated with the shoe roll. The analysis determines the amount of contaminant particles which have entered the lubricant. Particles (19) originating from the belt (13) of a belt roll belonging to the shoe roll (10) are determined in the lubricant. The condition of the belt (13) of a belt roll belonging to the shoe roll (10), and especially the condition of the inner side of the belt (13), can be determined on the basis of the amount of the particles (19).

The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the condition of a shoe roll, where the method is used for analyzing continuously the lubricant used in the lubrication system integrated with a shoe roll, and where the analysis determines the amount of contaminant particles which have entered the lubricant. The present invention also relates to a corresponding device.
Shoe rolls are especially used in web forming machines as press rolls and in shoe calenders. The specific feature of a shoe roll is a thin and flexible belt of a belt roll, which is guided into a curved nip formed by a counter roll and a load shoe, also referred to as a long nip. The belt of a belt roll usually has a core structure woven of reinforcement fibers, and one or more cast layers of polyurethane on each side of the core structure. In addition to polyurethane, polyamide and/or polyester can also be used in the core structure. A belt has good endurance in normal use. Especially the wear resistance of the belt is good also in long-term use.
In practice, the belt of a belt roll is placed around a shoe roll and fastened to revolving end pieces so that an enclosed structure is formed. It is hence impossible to determine the condition of the inside of the belt of a belt roll. Even though there is a layer of lubricant between the belt and the load shoe, the inner surface of the belt wears, too. Especially local damage can be extensive, which may lead to the breakage of the belt during operation. However, the only way to determine the condition of a belt is to remove the belt from the shoe roll. Another option is to use an endoscope through a connection. Both of these methods require a standstill of several hours. Moreover, the belt may break when it is removed, and an endoscope can only examine a small limited area on the belt. In other words, monitoring the condition of the shoe roll and especially the condition of its belt is a major problem, and if the belt breaks surprisingly, the resulting costs are high.
The lubricant is usually oil, and there are various types of devices for monitoring its properties. The said devices can be used for determining the need for oil change, but this does not indicate the condition of the belt of a belt roll. In addition to the ageing of oil, the devices can also be used for detecting microparticles which are contaminants in the oil. It is hence possible to detect, for example, small metal particles which come off the bearings of the shoe roll, and this can be used as a basis for making conclusions of the condition of the machine component in question. However, the condition of the belt of a belt roll is still not ascertained.

Method and device for monitoring the condition of shoe roll


A single-use storage and dispensing container is provided for use with small volumes of consumer products. The container is generally sleeve-like, sealed at both ends to contain the flowable material, and is scored or otherwise includes a break point for rupture by a user to dispense the container contents. Application of a threshold pressure to the container by the user will cause the container to rupture at the break point, dispensing flowable material therefrom. The container is suitable for one-handed use. Various cross sectional shapes of the sleeve are possible.

The demand for single use packaging of consumer products is ubiquitous, penetrating the food, automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries in particular. Flowable products such as salt, sugar, milk, creamer, ketchup, vinegar, jam, honey, perfume, oil, lotion, soaps, sanitizers, powders, makeup, auto car cleaners, lubricants, catalytic products, hand sanitizers, and gels are all currently available in individual-size, single use packages. Generally, liquid, cream and gel products are packaged in flaccid foil wrapping to preserve freshness, while flowable solids are typically packaged for single use in a paper envelope. While these forms of packaging are inexpensive and easily manufactured, they are deemed inconvenient to the user in opening and dispensing product.
For example, a user dispensing ketchup from a foil envelope typically will require both hands to open the package. Alternatively, one-handed opening is possible with assistance from the user's teeth. In either case, dispensing ketchup from the torn foil package is messy, and the user will likely end up with ketchup on at least a few fingers of one hand. In addition, it is typical that ketchup will also leak onto the outside of the package. Placement of the sloppy package on a nearby counter or table will result in further mess to the table, providing potential for bacterial growth and cross contamination.
Paper envelopes for dispensing flowable solids are similarly inconvenient. Form example, a user attempting to add sugar to a cup of coffee will usually put the cup down on a table, or otherwise balance it, to free both hands to open the sugar package. The user tears the package, and is then found holding a shred of paper in one hand, and an open package of sugar in the other hand. The sugar is added to the coffee, and the paper in each hand is discarded. During this process, there is ample opportunity for the user or another individual to knock over the cup of coffee.
Further, safety is a major concern when handling hot, corrosive, acidic, or other hazardous materials, particularly while manipulating a container and operating a vehicle or otherwise performing a complicated task. In any of these situations, the potential exists for personal injury or property damage.
Waste is also an issue in our society. Sources of waste in small volume packages include incomplete evacuation of contents, spillage of contents, and property and environmental damage by spillage or improper dispensing of toxic materials. Discarded single use containers are also a source of visible trash worldwide.
Further, existing small volume single-use packages such as those mentioned above are generally not suited for long-term storage. For example, paper packages must be kept away from wetness, and perfume containers (typically made of glass) must be safely stored to avoid breakage.


An instrument for crimping a suture fastener to a surgical suture is disclosed. The instrument has a shaft and an expanded receiving face configured to receive the suture fastener and to provide a smoothing radius for a distal end of the shaft. The instrument also has an anvil in the distal end of the shaft. The instrument further has a hammer in the distal end of the shaft and moveable relative to the anvil for crimping the suture fastener therebetween and received in the expanded receiving face. The instrument also has a pusher moveable in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and configured to engage at least one of the hammer and the anvil for urging the hammer and the anvil together.

Malleable suture fasteners such as the sleeves sold under the trademarks Ti-KNOT® and COR-KNOT® by LSI Solutions, Inc. are a significant improvement over hand or instrument-tied knots in laparoscopic surgical procedures. The sleeves, which are made of a malleable material that has proven safe with prolonged exposure to body tissue, are slid over two or more strands of suture and deformed or crimped to secure the strands of suture.
An exemplary crimping instrument is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,086, entitled "CRIMPING INSTRUMENT WITH MOTION LIMITING FEATURE", assigned to LSI Solutions, Inc., of Victor, N.Y. FIG. 1 illustrates such a crimping device 20, having a handle 22 with an actuator 24 that is movable relative to the handle 22. A hollow shaft 26 extends from the handle 22 to a distal end 28 of the shaft 26. The distal end 28 of the shaft 26 can be seen more clearly in the partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A.
Suture ends 30 can be threaded through a crimping sleeve 32 held between a hammer 34 and an anvil 36. The suture ends 30 pass out a hole in the side of the shaft 26, and the device can be used to position the crimping sleeve 32 at a desired location on the suture 31 relative to a surface 38 through which the suture 31 has been secured (for example, tissue, a replacement anatomical structure such as a heart valve, or an augmentive anatomical structure such as a heart valve annulus).
Squeezing the actuator 24 towards the handle 22 causes a wedge 40, located in the shaft 26, to advance and to force the hammer 34 into the crimping sleeve 32. The hammer 34 crimps the crimping sleeve 32 against the anvil 36, and the suture 31 is held tightly by the deformed sleeve 32. A blade 42 may also be incorporated within the shaft 26 and can be simultaneously moveable by the actuator 24 in order to trim the suture ends 30.
Such instruments for attaching suture fasteners 32 have proven to be very effective. The Ti-KNOT® and COR-KNOT® devices from LSI Solutions, Inc. (information available at www.lsisolutions.com) have been widely accepted by surgeons for the recognized benefits of time savings, ease of use, and reliability. (See, for example, "New Knot Tying Technique for Minimally Invasive Approach to Mitral Valve Repair", an abstract by Rodriguez, Sutter, and Ferdinand presented at the AATS 2011 Mitral Conclave in New York, N.Y. in 2011 or "Use of Automatic Knot-Tying and Cutting Device is Shortening Aortic Cross-Clamp Times in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery", an abstract by Gersak and Robic presented at the 26th Annual EACTS Meeting in Barcelona, Spain in 2012.)
Devices like the COR-KNOT® device enable many types of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), or, more specifically, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). MIS is a type of surgery performed through one or more small incisions or access sites created in a patient. MIS has been shown to have at least equivalent morbidity and mortality outcomes as compared to conventional approaches, with reported advantages of reduced postsurgical pain, better respiratory function, shorter hospital stay, and improved cosmesis. Such advantages are increased with ever smaller sized MIS access points. As a result, it is very desirable to have smaller and smaller MIS tools which can enable the use of such smaller MIS access points. In other MIS approaches, specifically, for example MICS for aortic valve replacement, a smaller device tip, especially with more rounded edges, would be easier to position remotely and would reduce the potential for device-related tissue trauma and/or prosthetic damage.
The outside of the prosthetic valve shall be close in size to the space available at the aortic root. The larger a replacement aortic valve's blood passage area is relative to the opening in the outflow track of the left ventricle, the more blood can pass through without flow disturbances. After removing the diseased native valve, it is therefore desirable to install a replacement prosthetic valve with the largest possible diameter into the aortic root. Replacement heart valves usually have a sewing ring attached to and just peripheral to the valve leaflet. This ring is typically several millimeters wide, is designed to be sutured to the aortic root, and can then be secured in place with mechanical knots. Given the narrow space available over the sewing ring between the valve leaflets and the aortic root, a mechanical knot delivery device about the same size as the radial width of a sewing ring is desired. A narrower MICS device tip would enable less challenging placement of the mechanical knot into this narrow space as well as easier device tip positioning and removal. A narrow device tip can also enable the use of larger diameter valves for improved blood flow.
Unfortunately, it is not a simple matter to reduce the size of all of the components in a device such as the current COR-KNOT® device because such changes could also impact the size (and therefore the operating properties) of the mechanical crimping sleeve 32. Devices such as the COR-KNOT® device are always put through rigorous testing and qualification procedures, both internally with the manufacturer and externally, such as when obtaining Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Community (CE mark)clearance. Currently, the outside diameter of the COR-KNOT® device shaft 26 is approximately two-hundred thousandths of an inch. The inside diameter of the shaft 26 is approximately one hundred seventy-six thousandths of an inch, while the titanium sleeve 32 has an outside diameter of approximately forty-nine thousandths of an inch. Subtracting the room needed for the sleeve 32 within the shaft 26, this means that the current COR-KNOT® device only has about one hundred twenty-seven thousandths of an inch to accommodate the hammer 34, anvil 36, travel space for the wedge 40, and various associated tolerances. Reducing the size of the crimpable sleeve to gain more room in a smaller shaft could potentially require a different size crimpable sleeve. The current sleeve has been very successfully used in over 250,000 patients throughout the world. This sleeve size has proven completely reliable and useful with a broad range of common surgical sutures; no failures have been reported after securing over 1.8 million sutures. This sleeve size is remarkably effective and well-received; changing its dimensions or configuration would have the potential to render it less efficacious. Likewise, it would be unwise to change the operating features of the hammer 34 and anvil 36 which impart the reliable crimped configuration for the proven suture sleeve 32. Still, it would be desirable to have a crimping device 20 with smaller shaft 26 dimensions in order to enable use with ever smaller MIS access points and in MICS applications.
Therefore, there is a need for a surgical crimping instrument having smaller dimensions when compared to the currently available devices, which are already quite small. Furthermore, there is a need for such a reduced dimension surgical crimping instrument to have continued compatibility with existing uncrimped sleeves for loading and crimping them to an identical configuration to ensure the continuation of reliability and performance from such proven sleeves. Finally, there is a need for such devices to place a premium on patient safety, so it would also be desirable for this surgical crimping instrument to have even further enhanced tissue protection features.

Crimping instrument with reduced dimension, continued compatibility, and tissue protection features


A system and method of operating a communication system is described. A communication interface receives a first user request for a voice service from a communication device. In response to receiving the first user request, the communication interface transfers an initial message requesting access to the voice service. The communication interface receives a response to the initial message that indicates that the voice service is not available. After receiving the response, the communication interface receives a second user request from the communication device. A processing system processes the second user request to determine if the second user request indicates an emergency service. If the second user request indicates the emergency service, then the communication interface transfers a call request for the emergency service. If the second user request does not indicate the emergency service, then the communication interface notifies the communication device that the voice service is not available.

Many technological advances have resulted in the provisioning and delivery of telephony services over packet networks. In past circuit switched telephony networks, a user may be presented with dial tone played out by the network upon taking a phone off-hook. In packet networks, dial tone is emulated by a device local to the user. Often, the user's modem or other residential system emulates the dial tone previously provided by circuit switched networks. This is necessary because dial tone indicates the availability of telephony services to the user.
When telephony service is not available in a circuit switched network, the user is presented with a fast busy signal from the network indicating that no connections are available for a call. Likewise in a packet network, an emulated fast busy signal may be presented to the user during congestion conditions. However, many emergency service regulations require packet telephony providers to provide the ability to override congestion controls when a caller dials such services. Unfortunately, by emulating a fast busy signal upon a user going off-hook, the user is discouraged from placing the call to an emergency service.


Enteric coated multiparticulate formulations that use L-menthol as an active ingredient are disclosed. In one embodiment, the multiparticulate formulation comprises a plurality of particulates having a reduced release under gastric conditions and an elevated release at neutral pH. The particulates comprise a core comprising L-menthol as an active ingredient. The L-menthol is supplied to the core as an at least 80% pure L-menthol material. An enteric coating is over the core. The enteric coating is effective to release at least about 80% of the L-menthol within about two hours of being placed in a substantially neutral pH environment. Other aspects of the invention include methods of making and methods of using the multiparticulate formulations.

Essential oils have been used for their bioactivity for quite some time. Some essential oils are currently being used as medicaments. For example the plants mentha piperita or mentha arvensis, are the two primary sources of peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is effective at treating the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These symptoms can include pain, discomfort, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea. Clinical trials have demonstrated significant alleviation of the symptoms associated with IBS through the use of peppermint oil in single unit capsules coated with the cellulose acetate-phthalate enteric polymer or other enteric-coating polymers.
For maximal efficacy in the treatment of IBS and to avoid related complications, peppermint oil should be locally delivered to the intestines, while avoiding the stomach. If peppermint oil is released from its dosage form prior to passing through the pyloric sphincter into the intestines, it can irritate the mucous membranes in the digestive tract. Releasing peppermint oil directly into the stomach can cause heartburn (gastric irritation) and gastro-esophogeal reflux disease. Therefore, since peppermint oil is usually administered orally, it should preferably be prepared with an enteric coating.
Enteric-coated single unit capsules for treating irritable bowel syndrome that contain peppermint oil currently exist. But, even though the enteric coated single unit capsules are meant to delay the release of peppermint oil until after the capsule enters the intestines, this approach to treating IBS has several drawbacks. The drawbacks include premature release of the peppermint oil from the capsule in the stomach, resulting in heartburn. Also, the accidental chewing of the capsule causes the enteric coat to rupture prematurely and release the oil in the stomach. Using current formulations of peppermint oil, significant doses are required to achieve an efficacious concentration of peppermint oil in the body. For example, each of the above referenced capsules contains about 200 mg of peppermint oil and must be taken three times a day, 30-60 minutes prior to a meal. The dose can be increased to two capsules taken three times daily in some situations.
Enteric-coated peppermint oil is typically administered as a single-unit formulation. However, in a single-unit formulation, the amount of peppermint oil absorbed by the intestines can vary from dose to dose for several reasons. First, single-unit enteric capsule formulation can get attached to the esophagus because of the muco-adhesive properties of the enteric coat and therefore not enter the stomach within the desired time frame. The single unit enteric coated capsules, like enteric coated single unit tablets have been shown to not release the active ingredient from the single unit formulation because the single unit's size is too large to pass through the constriction in the stomach's pylorus valve. The enteric coat of the capsule may also prematurely crack or rupture because of the force created by the swelling of the gelatin (or hypromellose) seal coat against the thinner outer enteric coat. Peppermint oil containing capsules have a lower specific gravity than the stomach contents, and tend to float rather than settle and then pass through the pylorus constriction between the stomach and the lower intestines.
Non-disintegrating tablets or capsules given with food may stay in the stomach for long times, 10 to 15 hours, before they are emptied into the small intestine. Small particles, with diameters less than 3 mm, are emptied from the stomach more regularly, regardless of whether they are given with food. The 10 to 15 hours that an enteric coated hard gelatin or hypromellose capsule can get exposure to gastric conditions in a fed state may cause the enteric coat to rupture and the hard gelatin (or hypromellose) seal coat to dissolve, resulting in the peppermint oil being released in the stomach and causing heartburn or gastric irritation.
Even when the single unit enteric coated capsule passes through the pylorus intact in a timely fashion, when it reaches the small intestine the coating dissolves and a bolus of oil is released in the intestine. This dosage dumping, a situation in which the active ingredient is released and gives very high local exposure in a segment of the intestine, is also undesirable because it prevents uniform and steady exposure of peppermint oil in the G.I. lumen. This high local exposure to one section of the G.I. lumen may actually aggravate symptoms of IBS.
Single-unit formulations are also significantly influenced by the quantity of food in the stomach. Gastric emptying rates of single unit doses are erratic and unpredictable. Single-unit enteric-coated tablets or capsules taken with food may stay in the stomach for many hours before being emptied into the small intestine. As a result, single-unit formulations present both inter and intra-subject variability with respect to the bioavailable concentration of active ingredient. According to regulatory guidelines, enteric-coated single-unit capsules can never be bioequivalent with multiple-unit enteric-coated dosage forms. A single-unit enteric preparation containing peppermint oil was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,667, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety except to the extent it may be inconsistent with this application.
The currently available delayed release single unit dosage forms containing enteric-coated peppermint oil have another limitation. They dump their primary active ingredient, L-menthol, when the enteric layer disintegrates. The terminal half life of L-menthol is ˜1.34 hours. Therefore, the systemic exposure of L-menthol is limited to approximately 4 hours, resulting in the need for frequent (usually three times a day) to relieve the symptoms of IBS. The use of a single unit non-disintegrating delayed release dosage form is undesirable due to unpredictable absorption and longer residence time in the stomach.

Multiparticulate L-menthol formulations and related methods


The disclosure provides an inductor and a method for producing the same. The inductor includes a first core made of a first magnetic material; at least two windings, configured to be twisted with each other and embedded within the first core, each winding having a pair of terminals extending out of the first core.

Currently, common and differential mode inductors are used in circuits for suppressing common mode and differential mode interferences respectively. FIG. 6 shows a specific application of common mode (CM) and differential mode (DM) inductors in the prior art, in which three DM inductors (one for each phase) and one CM inductor are used in a LCL filter. Alternatively, one 3-phase DM inductor plus one CM inductor, or one 4-leg inductor with both DM and CM inductances are also known. Although there are various kinds of different inductors, it is still desired to provide an inductor with smaller size and weight.

Inductor and method for producing the same


A miniature baby blanket for comforting a child. The blanket has a small slit in one corner for attaching the blanket to a button or a snap on the child's clothing. The slit can also be used with a strap to attach the blanket to the child's car seat, high chair, or crib. The blanket is of flannel and has a satin edging to make it attractive to babies. The invention includes a kit of three blankets to be used in rotation. A method of comforting a child by attaching the blanket to the child's clothing is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to blankets for comforting a child, and specifically to a miniature baby blanket having a satin edging and a slit in one corner for attaching the blanket to the child's clothing, car seat, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Small children frequently become attached to a particular comfort object or lovey. The comfort object helps a baby to relax and feel comfortable, particularly in stressful situations or when falling asleep. Since the comfort object helps a baby to comfort himself or herself comfort objects are a considerable convenience for caregivers. Blankets are often adopted by babies as comfort objects.
Ordinary baby blankets have several disadvantages as comfort objects. Typical baby blankets are primarily intended to cover or wrap a sleeping baby. The baby blanket therefore has a length of three feet or more, considerably longer than the length of the baby. The most common way for a child to use a comfort object is by holding it against his face, often while sucking a thumb at the same time. When held in this position by a sitting or standing child, the typical blanket drags on the floor or the ground. When used as a comfort object, such a large blanket tends to become entangled around the baby. The blanket can easily end up covering the baby's face, which may be a risk factor for crib death. The blanket can also be stepped on, tripping a beginning walker.
The typical baby blanket is easily dropped. Very young infants lack the coordination to hang on to an object for any length of time. Older babies often make a game of deliberately dropping things from their high chair or crib. A caregiver may spend a considerable amount of time picking up the blanket again and again and returning it to the baby.
Ordinary baby blankets are also easily misplaced. The baby may drop the blanket anywhere, either in the house, the car, or outside. Continually locating the blanket is a frustrating task, particularly under pressure from a crying baby. The blanket can also be lost permanently, which can lead to a time-consuming search for a duplicate blanket that the baby will accept.
Given the normal tendency of babies to spit up, overflow their diapers, smear food, and generally make a mess, baby blankets require frequent laundering. For an older baby capable of walking, the laundering is increased by the blanket dragging on the floor and the ground. Due to the baby's attachment, it is difficult for the caregiver to take a soiled blanket away for laundering. This can lead to a vicious cycle in which laundering is postponed and the baby becomes attached to the gamy smell of the unwashed blanket. When the blanket is finally washed, the baby may reject the clean-smelling blanket. The convenience of having a comfort object is lost.
Examples found in the patent literature describe a variety of baby blankets, often having the above disadvantages. U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,903 by Farrell discloses a baby blanket having a holding compartment for holding a baby. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,090 by Ranalli discloses a blanket for covering a child in a car seat fitted with a harness. The blanket has apertures through which the restraining members of the harness can be passed. The blanket has an interior portion that lies between the child and the car seat and an exterior portion for wrapping around the child after the harness has been secured.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


An array of flash memory cells includes a first sector comprising a plurality of rows wherein each row is connected to a control-gate line, a first row comprising a first flash memory cell in the first sector, a first control-gate line connecting control-gates of flash memory cells in the first row, a second row in the first sector and comprising a second flash memory cell sharing a common source-line and a same bit-line with the first flash memory cell, a second control-gate line connecting control-gates of memory cells in the second row wherein the first and the second control-gate lines are disconnected from each other, a second sector comprising a plurality of rows wherein each row is connected to a control-gate line, and a positive high-voltage (HV) driver connected to the first control-gate line in the first sector and a control-gate line in the second sector.

Flash memory has become increasingly popular in recent years. A typical flash memory comprises a memory array having a large number of memory cells arranged in blocks. Each of the memory cells is fabricated as a field-effect transistor having a control-gate and a floating-gate. The floating-gate is capable of holding charges and is separated from source and drain regions contained in a substrate by a layer of thin oxide. Each of the memory cells can be electrically charged by injecting electrons from the drain region through the oxide layer onto the floating-gate. The charges can be removed from the floating-gate by tunneling the electrons to the source through the oxide layer during an erase operation. The data in a memory cell is thus determined by the presence or absence of a charge on the floating-gate.
Flash memory cells come in two major types: stack-gate flash cells and split-gate flash cells. FIG. 1 illustrates two exemplary split-gate flash memory cells 2 and 20. Flash memory cell 2 includes floating-gate 4, control-gate 6 over floating-gate 4, insulation layer 8 electrically insulating floating-gate 4 and control-gate 6, and word-line 10 formed over channel region 12 and on sidewalls of floating-gate 4 and control-gate 6. Word-line 10 controls the conduction of channel 12, which is located between bit-line node 14 and source 16. During a program operation, a voltage is applied between bit-line node 14 and source 16, with, for example, a bit-line node voltage of about 0.4V and a source voltage of about 4V. Word-line 10 is applied with a voltage of 1.5V to turn on channel 12. Therefore, a current flows between bit-line node 14 and source 16. A high voltage, for example, about 10V, is applied on control-gate 6, and thus electrons are programmed into floating-gate 4 under the influence of a high electrical field.
Flash memory cells 2 and 20 have a common source 16. Typically, control-gate 22 of flash memory cell 20 is connected to control-gate 6, and bit-line node 24 is connected to bit-line node 14. During the program operations of flash memory cell 2, a low voltage, for example, 0V, is applied on word-line node 28, and thus a channel region under word-line node 28 is closed. Such a connection scheme, however, suffers drawbacks. In order to expedite the program operation, a high voltage is preferably applied on source 16 to increase program currents. However, because bit-line node 14 is connected to bit-line node 24 of flash memory cell 20, and further because source 16 is shared by flash memory cells 2 and 20, the same voltage applied between bit-line node 14 and source 16 will also be applied between bit-line node 24 and source 16. Due to the high voltage applied on control-gate 22 (due to the high voltage applied on control-gate 6), a weak program occurs to flash memory cell 20, which causes a small amount of electrons to be programmed into floating-gate 26. Such an effect is typically referred to as disturb.
The disturb causes a significant reduction in the sizes of program windows, in which the program operations of flash memory cell 2 can be programmed without causing substantial disturb to flash memory cell 20. Program currents, hence program speeds, are thus limited. Accordingly, new program methods are needed.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A first storage device receives a first reservation preemption command from a host using a target port. The first reservation preemption command includes a port identifier of the target port, a to-be-checked reservation key, and a logical unit number (LUN). The first storage device encapsulates the to-be-checked reservation key, the LUN, the port identifier of the target port, and a port identifier of the forwarding port to obtain a second reservation preemption command. Further, the first storage device sends the second reservation preemption command to a second storage device using the forwarding port. The second storage device performs a reservation preemption operation based on the port identifier of the target port. When a split brain occurs in a host cluster, data consistency of different storage arrays can be ensured without relying on a Fiber Channel switch, thereby ensuring applicability in more scenarios.

In a data processing system including a host cluster and a plurality of storage arrays, if data migration is performed between a new storage array (which is referred to as a first storage array in the following) and an original storage array (which is referred to as a second storage array in the following), the following steps need to be performed in a preparation phase of the data migration, mapping a to-be-migrated logical unit (also referred to as LU) of the second storage array to the first storage array in an LU number (LUN) mapping manner, establishing a virtual LU in the first storage array, and establishing a correspondence between the to-be-migrated LU and the virtual LU, and after the to-be-migrated LU is mapped to a host using the first storage array, the host may obtain, using multipath software, a plurality of paths that are used to access the to-be-migrated LU. Paths may be divided into two types, a first type of path is a path used to directly connect the host to the second storage array, and a second type of path is a path used to connect the host to the second storage array using the first storage array.
When different hosts (for example, a host A and a host B) perform an input/output (I/O) operation on the to-be-migrated LU, if a split-brain phenomenon (for example, communication interruption) occurs between the host A and the host B, the host A and the host B may send a reservation preemption command to the second storage array to seize control of the to-be-migrated LU. In a preemption process, if the host A sends a reservation preemption command to the second storage array, and the host B sends a reservation preemption command to the second storage array using the first storage array, the second storage array receives the reservation preemption command sent by the host A such that the host A preempts the to-be-migrated LU. The first storage array receives the reservation preemption command sent by the host B. If the reservation preemption command is forwarded in an original state to the second storage array, because the second storage array identifies a source of the reservation preemption command based on a delivery port of the first storage array, the second storage array may not implement preemption performed by the host B on the to-be-migrated LU. In addition, the first storage array may implement, based on the reservation preemption command, preemption performed by the host B on the virtual LU in the first storage array. If the two hosts succeed in preemption, when the data migration is performed subsequently, because the to-be-migrated LU and the virtual LU are occupied by different hosts, data in the virtual LU cannot be consistent with data in the to-be-migrated LU when a command of the host A is inconsistent with a command of the host B. Consequently, data in the original storage array cannot be consistent with data in the new storage array.
To ensure consistency of data, an existing reservation preemption method is generally as follows. The first storage array may use an N_Port_ID virtualization (NPIV) function and use a port of the first storage array to perform one-to-one simulation on host ports of each host. As shown in FIG. 1, a world wide name (WWN) of a P10′ of the first storage array (designated as storage array D) is set to the WWN of the P10, and a WWN of a P11′ is set to the WWN of the P11 of host A. When the first storage array receives a command from a P00 port, the first storage array selects the P10′ corresponding to the P10, and forwards, using the P10′, the reservation preemption command in an original state to the second storage array (designated as storage array C). The second storage array may determine, based on the WWN of the P10′ (that is, the WWN of the P10), that the source of the reservation preemption command is the host A, and then performs an operation of preempting the to-be-migrated LU by the host A.
However, in other approaches, an NPIV technology needs to be implemented based on a Fiber Channel (also referred to as FC) switch. In a networking scenario without the FC switch, the foregoing reservation preemption method cannot be implemented and has a great limitation.

Data processing method and related storage device