A system and method are provided for binding a semantic to an event. The system includes a first network entity capable of transmitting a subscription message including an event package and a semantic description describing a semantic associated with the event package. The system also includes an event server capable of receiving the subscription message. The event server is thereafter capable of generating a semantic package identifier associated with the event package and the semantic description to thereby bind the event package to the semantic description. The event server is further capable of sending a first notify message to the first network entity, where the first notify message includes the semantic package identifier.

Event subscription and notification in network environments is becoming increasingly commonplace and important. Event subscription generally allows a first network entity to subscribe to event notifications from a second entity. Common examples of events include "presence" and "location;" however, the number and types of events are endless. For instance, conventional instant messaging services permit a first user to subscribe to a presence event for a second user. As such, during the period of the subscription, the first user receives updates as to the presence status (e.g., online or offline) of the second user. The subscription may be for a single inquiry, which will return a response of "present" or "not present" for the second user. The subscription may also be for a set period of time, which may result in multiple updates, or for other options (e.g., status change notifications, ongoing notifications, etc.)
Various protocols may be used for event subscription and notification. For example, the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) may be used for such purposes (see, e.g., IETF request for comment document RFC 3261, entitled: SIP: Session Initiation Protocol, July 2002, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety). SIP was generally developed to allow for initiating a session between two or more endpoints in the Internet by making these endpoints aware of the session semantics. Accordingly, devices (or users that run certain applications on these devices) are registered with the SIP backbone so that an invitation to a particular session can be correctly delivered to these endpoints. To achieve this, SIP provides a registration mechanism for devices and users, and it applies mechanisms such as location servers and registrars to route the session invitations appropriately. Although SIP is primarily a tool for initiating a communication session between endpoints, extensions to SIP have been proposed to provide event registration and trigger notification (see e.g., IETF document RFC 3265, SIP-Specific Event Notification, July 2002, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety). Such a proposal, however, neither specifies the semantics of specific events, nor systems and methods for uploading event information.
The SIP event framework, which would enable event-based information provisioning to any node in the Internet, is supposed to become a key element within the SIP infrastructure. However, the current Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standardization process for extensions to the SIP event framework, namely the definition of particular event packages that are required for provisioning of particular information, requires such extensions to run through an extensive process, starting from drafting a proposal to becoming a request for comment (RFC) document. If the usage of the SIP event framework for a large variety of events is envisioned, such a standardization process may soon become a significant bottleneck for the deployment of SIP event-based techniques. Such standardization becomes even more difficult if the usage of SIP events for information provisioning is considered based on some dynamic or ambiguous application semantic. In this regard, the required consensus within the standardization typically heavily delays any deployment of the particular event package. Hence, it seems undesirably difficult to use SIP events for such ambiguous or dynamically determined application semantic.
As a typical scenario, consider the provisioning of location information through SIP events. Apart from bare sensor information, SIP "location" events may be desirable even for derived location information, such as city, county, or state. Further, an application may desire to specify the usage of particular sensors in determining the location information. Hence, it is generally not sufficient to subscribe to some "location" information without having an unambiguous agreement of the semantic of the information that will be provided by the SIP event server.
In another typical scenario, SIP events may be used to provide notifications as to whether or not a particular user is "available," such as may be used in call routing decisions. The semantic of "available," however, is typically dependant upon several factors. The decision whether or not a device or a user is available may consider one or more different inputs, such as schedule and location, schedule only, connectivity of certain devices, presence of other users, current activity, and/or status of particular sensors (e.g., a tilt sensor on the phone may indicate that a mobile station has been placed face down to thereby reject calls). Furthermore, the semantic may also depend upon the current situation of the user. For example, "available" may be differently defined in private situations compared to business situations. Due to the variety of interpretations of the same event, then, it is often desirable to have an unambiguous understanding of the semantic before a subscription before subscribing to a respective event.
As a consequence of the extensive standardization process, current SIP events are merely defined for rather simple, non-ambiguous semantics, such as presence. Any more complex application semantic is assumed to be implemented within the SIP client, such as an end user or application, placing the burden of realizing the application semantic on the client. However, it is desirable to enable more complex application semantics even in SIP event servers, e.g., through the implementation of reasoning functionality and rule-based semantics in order to provide more complex, semantic-rich information through SIP events. Placing such functionality in the SIP event server may be advantageous due to the fact that the SIP event server may have better computational power and memory to implement the functionality. Also, the SIP event server may have better (or even exclusive) access to resources that are required to implement the desired application semantic. In addition, through the consistent re-use of particular semantics, the cost of the entire service may be reduced.

Systems and methods for event semantic binding in networks


An exemplary embodiment provides for a source of white light having at least one white light emitting device composed of a transparent glass/quartz chamber, a vacuum chamber including an optically active element, a spacer, a focusing lens, an IR laser diode, where the optically active element arranged in the vacuum chamber is a thin-layer oxide matrix doped with rare earth ions selected from the group of Nd, Yb, the concentration of dopant ions being in the range of 0.0001 to 100 at %.

In the prior art, there are several methods of obtaining white light by processes different from the phenomenon of black body radiation, i.e. incandescence. Methods based on the use of organic phosphors excited in the ultraviolet range (UV) and based on inorganic phosphors doped with transition metal ions or rare earth metal ions dominate among them.
European Patent Application EP 1 475 380 A1 discloses the use of organic compounds for generating white light, on the basis of the phenomenon of electroluminescence. The disadvantage of this solution is the lack of stability of light emission of a particular colour and gradual change of light colour towards yellow, and high wear of OLEDs, which makes the solution according to this invention not meet the expectations put upon modern lighting.
US Patent Application US 2005/0253113 A1 discloses the use of glasses doped with ions of lanthanides excited in the UV range to the range of blue light for obtaining white luminescence constituted of a plurality of narrow spectral lines occurring in the blue, green and red range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The colour of the such obtained light makes only impression of white light—the light is generally considered as "cold" and unfriendly in perception.
US Patent Application No US 2011/0309303 A1 discloses the use of oxyfluoride matrices co-doped with lanthanide ions for generating white light using optical pumping with infrared radiation. Emission of white light by means of matrices according to this invention uses the phenomenon of up-conversion through a combination of spectrally narrow emission lines characteristic for f-f transitions of lanthanide ions.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 7,088,040 B1 discloses the use of the phenomenon of up-conversion in matrices made of NaYF4 doped with Er and Yb, of YLiF4 doped with Tm and Yb, of YF3 doped with Tm and Yb, and of YF3 doped with Er and Yb ions. The radiation in this invention is absorbed by one of the dopant ions—the so called sensitizer (here Yb ions), and the radiation characteristic of the emitting lanthanide ions (the so called activator, here Er and Tm ions) on the third degree of oxidation is obtained by multiphoton processes, while this radiation is characterised by narrow spectral emission lines.

Source of broadband white light generated on oxide matrices highly doped with rare earth ions, excited by infrared radiation

INSTYTUT NISKICH TEMPERATUR I BADAN STRUKTURALNYCH PAN IM


The present invention includes systems, methods, and computer readable media for locating, sorting, and modifying images for future use. A conversion engine submits search requests to an image search engine and accepts the received results. The conversion engine arranges the search results according to selected visual characteristics of the image. Editing tools can then convert the results of the image search into vector based images which can be easily manipulated and enable users to modify the re-ranked images for future use.

Computer generated documents have historically, like their pre-computer counterparts, contained only text. However, during the past 5-10 years, as computer hardware has become more powerful, storage capacities have increased, and presentation software has become more sophisticated, users have begun to introduce images into documents and presentations.
However, finding images appropriate for a particular presentation is often prohibitively difficult. Users can generate the images themselves, but this process requires that the users have advanced facility with an image generation program and the time necessary to produce an image of reasonable presentation quality. Users can use a pre-generated image, but locating appropriate images is extremely difficult and time consuming. Pre-existing images can be modified, but a pixel by pixel modification process is often nearly as time consuming as generating the image from scratch.
What is needed is a mechanism for obtaining pre-existing images and converting them to a format that allows them to be easily modified.

System and method for generating usable images


An envelope tracking (ET) integrated circuit (ETIC) supporting multiple types of power amplifiers. The ETIC includes a pair of tracker circuits configured to generate a pair of low-frequency currents at a pair of output nodes, respectively. The ETIC also includes a pair of ET voltage circuits configured to generate a pair of ET voltages at the output nodes, respectively. In various embodiments disclosed herein, the ETIC can be configured to generate the low-frequency currents independent of what type of power amplifier is coupled to the output nodes. Concurrently, the ETIC can also generate the ET voltages in accordance with the type of power amplifier coupled to the output nodes. As such, it is possible to support multiple types of power amplifiers based on a single ETIC, thus helping to reduce footprint, power consumption, and heat dissipation in an electronic device employing the ETIC and the multiple types of power amplifiers.

Mobile communication devices have become increasingly common in current society for providing wireless communication services. The prevalence of these mobile communication devices is driven in part by the many functions that are now enabled on such devices. Increased processing capabilities in such devices means that mobile communication devices have evolved from being pure communication tools into sophisticated mobile multimedia centers that enable enhanced user experiences.
A fifth-generation new radio (5G-NR) wireless communication system is widely regarded as a technological advancement that can achieve significantly higher data throughput, improved coverage range, enhanced signaling efficiency, and reduced latency compared to the existing third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) communication systems. A 5G-NR mobile communication device usually transmits and receives a radio frequency (RF) signal(s) in a millimeter wave (mmWave) RF spectrum that is typically above 6 GHz. Notably, the RF signal(s) transmitted in the mmWave RF spectrum may be more susceptible to propagation attenuation and interference that can result in substantial reduction in data throughput. To help mitigate propagation attenuation and maintain desirable data throughput, the 5G-NR mobile communication device may be configured to transmit the RF signal(s) based on such spatial multiplexing/diversity schemes as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and RF beamforming. As such, the 5G-NR mobile communication device typically employs a power management circuit(s) to drive a power amplifier(s) for amplifying the RF signal(s) before feeding the RF signal(s) to an antenna(s).
Notably, the 5G-NR mobile communication device may include multiple types of power amplifiers (e.g., differential power amplifier, single-stage power amplifier, multi-stage power amplifier, balanced power amplifier, etc.), each adapted to and/or optimized for a specific type of application and/or transmission scheme. For example, a differential power amplifier or a multi-stage power amplifier is more efficient for amplifying a same RF signal for transmission based on a spatial diversity scheme, while a balanced power amplifier will be better suited for amplifying different RF signals for transmission based on a spatial multiplexing scheme. In this regard, it is desirable to configure the 5G-NR mobile communication device to efficiently support a variety of power amplifiers based on as lesser number of power management circuits as possible.

Envelope tracking integrated circuit supporting multiple types of power amplifiers


A tapping sleeve for attaching a branch line to a main fluid conduit. The tapping sleeve has upper and lower sleeve members, bolted together around the main fluid conduit. Shell gaskets seal between the sleeve members and the main fluid conduit and a branch gasket seals around a side opening in the upper sleeve member. Metal shell gasket retaining rings secure the shell gaskets in place and a metal branch gasket retainer secures the branch gasket. In the preferred embodiment, the retainer is a retaining ring. In an alternate embodiment, the branch gasket is secured by a shoulder formed by extruding the upper sleeve member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to pipe connectors. In particular, the invention relates to tapping sleeves for use in attaching a branch pipe to a main pipe in a fluid supply system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,176, issued Oct. 7, 1969, to Gilchrist, discloses a tapping sleeve having a circular branch gasket for sealing between the tapping sleeve and the main fluid conduit. The branch gasket extends around a side opening in the tapping sleeve and is located in an inner gasket recess defined by a radially extending flange.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,373, issued Nov. 24. 1987, to Morriss, Jr., discloses another type of tapping sleeve. In this patent, the tapping sleeve has a pair of shell gaskets that seal between the tapping sleeve and the main fluid conduit. The shell gaskets cooperate to extend completely around the main fluid conduit.


The present invention provides a liquid detergent composition containing a specific amount of surfactant (A); a specific amount of a polymer compound (B) having the polyether chain moiety (i) and the polymer chain moiety (ii) composed of polymerization units derived from the specific unsaturated monoethylenic monomer; and water, wherein component (A) contains a specific amount of a specific alkoxyl nonionic surfactant (a1), and component (B) is a polymer compound having the polyether chain moiety (i) composed of polymerization units derived from an epoxide having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and the polymer chain moiety (ii) composed of polymerization units derived from one or more unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and maleic acid, the polymer compound having a graft structure wherein one of the chain moieties (i) and (ii) is the main chain and the other is a side chain.

Recent increase in the environmental consciousness leads strong desire for the development of a detergent with low environmental load. A detergent having higher concentration of a cleaning component than that of conventional detergent, or a concentrated detergent, appears as being very effective for decreasing its own size to reduce an amount of resin used for container, a transportation cost, a waste after use, and the like, resulting in reduction of loads on the environments.
Such a surfactant-rich liquid detergent composition however has problems of difficulty in stably blending a builder component in addition to storage stability of the composition itself. For example, polyacrylic acid polymers are known to have good properties of dispersing mud and preventing re-deposition of the mud. These polymers are generally difficult to be stably blended in an aqueous surfactant system. In some cases, an aqueous surfactant system blended with a polyacrylic acid polymer causes clouding, separation such as phase separation, and/or precipitation of a base material in the solid form in a solution during storage.
In addition, when a concentration of the surfactant that is a cleaning ingredient of a liquid detergent is increased, the liquid detergent tends to cause thickening and/or gelation. To control thickening and/or gelation, there is a method of adding a large amount of organic solvent to such a liquid detergent to decrease a water content. The method however has a dissolution problem by formation of liquid crystals due to dilution with water in washing.
JP-A 2008-7705, JP-A 2008-7706 and JP-A 2008-7707 describe concentrated liquid detergent compositions containing a specific nonionic surfactant. These compositions still have a problem of solubility in water. There is no suggestion about stable blending of a polymer.
JP-A 10-60476 and JP-A 10-60496 describe liquid detergents containing a polymer produced by graft polymerization of a polyether compound such as polyethylene glycol as the main chain with a monoethylenic monomer component mainly composed of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. These prior patents disclose concentrated surfactant systems, but do not consider the dissolution problem during dilution.
JP-A 2004-155937 describes a polymer having two segments for dispersing a nonionic surfactant and a water-insoluble solid matter, where the nonionic surfactant is salted-out by addition of a large amount of water-soluble inorganic salt. The patent discloses a concentrated and solid-dispersed liquid detergent containing a polymer of a polyethylene glycol acrylate and acrylic acid as the polymer having two segments. The patent relates to a technique of stably dispersing droplets of the nonionic surfactant accompanied with the water-insoluble solid matter in an aqueous phase prepared as having a high salt concentration in the liquid detergent of multi-phase, not in a uniform system.
JP-A 2005-187742 discloses a surfactant composition containing a nonionic surfactant prepared by addition of EO and PO, a polymer, and a water-soluble inorganic salt dispersed in the composition. U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,102 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,215 disclose detergents containing a copolymer prepared from a monomer having a carboxyl group and a monomer having a polyglycol group. WO-A98/023712 discloses a surfactant composition containing a nonionic surfactant, prepared by addition of EO and PO, and a polymer.


A controller determines whether or not the map data that includes the position information of the user device and the position information of the other party can be displayed on the screen of the display panel at a predetermined reduced scale. When the result of the determination specifies that the map that includes the position information of both parties cannot be displayed at the predetermined reduced scale, the controller 11 splits the display panel into two screens, and displays the map data that include the user device position information and the map data that include the other party position information on separate screens. When the result of the determination specifies that the map that includes the position information of both parties can be displayed, the central control device displays the single map data that include the position information of both parties on the single screen of the display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device that controls the screen of a display panel, and a recording medium that records a program which is executed by the foregoing electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable telephone devices, which have a navigation function to obtain the current position information of the device user and the current position information of the other party so as to display the position information of both parties on a map, have been in practical use as pedestrian aids in recent years. In addition to a conventional art which displays a map that includes the position information of the device user and a map that includes the position information of another party on separate screens, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H07-152997 discloses a technology which displays a map that includes the position information of the device user and a map that includes the position information of another party on a single screen as a technology of displaying the position information of both parties on a map via the navigation function.
The former conventional art is capable of expanding and displaying the respective maps separately by displaying a map that includes the position information of the device user and a map that include the position of another party on separate screens. The user is thus able to confirm the details of the respective locations of himself and the other party. The latter conventional art allows the user to easily confirm the distant relationship between himself and the other party by displaying the maps that include the position information of both parties on a single screen.
In the former conventional art, however, it is difficult for the user to confirm the distant relationship between himself and the other party, and in the latter conventional art, it is difficult for the user to confirm the details of the respective surroundings of himself and the other party. A problem therefore arises inasmuch as a user cannot confirm the information he wishes to confirm by displaying either screen alone.

Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.


A dynamic claims adjudication system is provided that implements a dynamic claims adjudication process to provide flexible determination of the adjudication rule set to be used to adjudicate a claim for a particular prescription drug regardless of the mandates of the formulary and the rigidity of the tier into which the drug is placed on the formulary. The claims adjudication system and corresponding methods dynamically determine the adjudication rule set to be used to adjudicate a claim based on an analysis of criteria and identification of a tier changing criteria. Accordingly, the rigidity of conventional formulary based claims adjudication is eliminated in favor of dynamic and flexible real time claims adjudication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to prescription drug benefits programs and more specifically relates to an improved dynamic claims adjudication system for adjudicating consumer purchases that are covered by such programs.
2. Related Art
Conventional systems for electronic claims adjudication by pharmacy benefits management ("PBM") companies have been around for some time. A PBM is an administrator of prescription drug programs. PBMs are primarily responsible for adjudication and paying claims for covered prescription drugs that are purchased by consumers who are members of the prescription drug benefit program. Other typical PBM services include developing and maintaining the drug formulary (the list of drugs covered by the prescription drug benefits program and their associated tiers), contracting with pharmacies, and negotiating discounts and rebates with drug manufacturers. Conventional PBM claim adjudication systems are typically employed when a member attempts to purchase a drug and the drug purchase is to be wholly or partially covered by a prescription drug benefits program. A prescription drug benefits program may be provided to the member through an employer health plan (e.g., ERISA plans, self insured plans, managed care plans, Taft-Hartley trust plans, etc.), or a privately purchased health plan, a government sponsored plan (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid or any other city, state or local or federal government plan) or directly from a PBM provider. In such a transaction, the originating entity (e.g., a pharmacy) electronically transmits a claim to the PBM through a switch company for adjudication of the claim. The PBM adjudicates the claim to validate, among other things, that the member has a valid prescription drug benefits program, that the prescribing doctor is valid, and that the drug is covered by the prescription drug benefits program. The PBM sends an electronic response back to the pharmacy that denies the transaction or approves the transaction and also identifies the co-pay amount.
At a high level, the overall process of adjudicating drug purchase claims covered by the variety of prescription drug benefits programs offered under various types of health care plans is similar such that the pharmacy electronically transmits a claim to the PBM, the claim is adjudicated, and an electronic response is sent back to the pharmacy. However, one of the significant challenges faced by PBMs during claim adjudication is that certain claims need to be adjudicated differently. For example, claims that are covered by a prescription drug benefits program provided under a Medicare Part D plan are adjudicated differently than claims that are covered by a prescription drug benefits program provided by a privately purchased health plan.
One significant drawback of conventional adjudication of prescription drug purchase claims is that they adjudicate claims in real time based on the formulary, which imposes rigid drug classifications that, for all members and all transactions, define the universe of available drugs and their associated tiers. The formulary also dictates the copays of the various drugs that are available and the respective adjudication rule set to be used to adjudicate a claim for a particular drug on a particular tier. Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that overcomes these significant problems found in the conventional systems as described above.


A communication method is provided. In the method, if a first logical channel of a terminal device does not have an uplink resource for carrying a scheduling request (SR) and the terminal device is in a first SR state, remaining, by the terminal device, in the first SR state and/or a first buffer status report (BSR) state until data of the first logical channel and/or a BSR are/is sent, where the BSR is used to indicate buffer status information of a logical channel group including the first logical channel. When a logical channel of the terminal device does not have an uplink resource for carrying the scheduling request, a problem that the terminal device cannot obtain an uplink transmission resource can be resolved.

Currently, multiple air interface formats and multiple transmission time intervals (TTI) are introduced into a 5G system. In order to distinguish the multiple air interface formats and the multiple transmission time intervals, at least one scheduling request resource is configured for user equipment (UE), and each logical channel of the UE corresponds to at least one scheduling request resource. That is to say, when the UE sends a scheduling request (SR) message to a network device on a specific scheduling request resource, it indicates that the UE requests the network device to allocate an uplink resource with a specific air interface format and with a specific TTI length.
However, for a plurality of logical channels corresponding to the UE, when the UE has a data transmission requirement on a logical channel, if currently the logical channel does not have a resource for carrying the scheduling request message, the UE cannot request an uplink transmission resource for to-be-transmitted data on the logical channel.

Communication method and communications apparatus


A voice transmission system for a conventional gas mask or face mask includes a body enclosing a microphone, an amplifier assembly and a speaker. The microphone is mounted within a cavity formed in the body, while the amplifier assembly and speaker are mounted within a main compartment of the body. The microphone, amplifier assembly, speaker and a set of batteries are electrically interconnected. The batteries are enclosed within one or more battery compartments in the body. A mounting assembly having a bracket with threaded, resilient segments is also connected to the body. The resilient segments of the bracket are designed to releasably couple the body to the voice emitter passage of the mask without penetration or structural modification of the mask. The voice transmission system is designed to receive a person's voice from a voice diaphragm located in the voice emitter passage of the mask, amplify the voice, and externally transmit the voice through the speaker.

Protective gas masks or face masks are well known in the art. The masks provide breathing capabilities while protecting the mask user from noxious gases, smoke, etc. However, people wearing the masks often have a need to communicate with one another, particularly during emergency situations. Accordingly, several voice transmission or communication systems have been developed for this purpose.
For example, Lewis U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,333, discloses a gas mask communication system including a generally U-shaped holder connected to the mask. Preferably, the holder includes the amplification speaker in one end portion and the batteries for operating the speaker system in another end portion. The batteries and amplification system are connected in circuit with a microphone inside the mask adjacent the user's mouth. Additional or parallel speakers can be plugged into the Lewis mask communication system including, for example, a speaker attached to the belt of the wearer.
Ingels U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,936, Bloom U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,129, and Duncan U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,360, disclose face mask communication systems having a microphone carried in the face mask and an amplifier or speaker externally coupled to the face mask for support elsewhere, such as around the waist of the user.
The above-identified voice transmission and communication systems however, can have certain disadvantages. For example, the attachment of the amplifier or speaker to the waist can add weight and bulk to the unit and can partially limit the mobility of the wearer. Further, the direction of the amplifier or speaker on the waist does not necessarily follow the direction of the person's head. In other words, as the person turns their head to talk, the direction of the amplifier or speaker on the waist does not necessarily follow the person's head if the body does not simultaneously turn. By having the face and speaker potentially as much as 90.degree. apart in direction, the efficiency and effectiveness of these communication systems can be diminished.
Additionally, during installation (or removal and/or replacement), of some of these systems, the communication system must penetrate and structurally alter the mask in order to reproduce the user's voice. Penetrating and altering the mask however, can raise safety issues, requires additional assembly, and can make it difficult to remove and/or replace the voice transmission system, particularly during emergency situations.

381
FSC 379
FSC 181
FSC 2
FSC 24
FSC 128
FSC 411


A method for forming aluminum metallization for contacting a conductive element in an integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same, is disclosed. According to a first disclosed embodiment, a first aluminum alloy layer is formed within the contact, optionally with a barrier layer between it and the underlying electrode. An etch stop layer is formed thereover, of a material which has a low etch rate to an aluminum etchant species. A second, thicker, aluminum alloy layer is formed thereover. The second aluminum layer is etched until the etch stop layer is reached; the mask for defining the metal line may have an edge within the dimensions of the contact opening. After removal of the exposed etch stop layer, a timed etch removes the first aluminum alloy layer, without exposing the bottom of the contact. The metal line may thus be safely formed, without requiring an enclosure around the contact opening. According to an alternate embodiment, conductive or semiconductive sidewall spacers may be formed, upon which the metal etch can stop, leaving a metal line within the contact dimensions. A further alternative embodiment uses a conductive etch stop layer which covers the entire contact, and upon which the metal etch can stop within the contact opening.

In modern integrated circuits, the material of choice for upper-level conductive interconnection systems has been aluminum, including doped aluminum and aluminum alloys. Aluminum is an attractive material for integrated circuit metallization due to its high conductivity and low cost. The processing required to form aluminum metallization is also relatively easy, as it can readily be evaporated or sputtered onto the wafer. Aluminum also is able to form good ohmic contact to both p-type and n-type doped semiconductor material, such as silicon. In addition, aluminum is quite compatible with conventional semiconductor processes, such as used to form bipolar and metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices, unlike other metals such as copper or gold which can diffuse into active regions and degrade device performance.
Certain drawbacks do exist for aluminum-based metallization systems, however, particularly as geometries enter the sub-micron regime. A well-known limitation of aluminum is its poor step coverage, particularly for vertical or retrograde sidewalls of contact openings through insulating layers such as silicon dioxide, and especially for sputtered aluminum, due to the shadowing effect of steep contact walls. In addition, mechanical stress in the aluminum film can cause voids therein. Stress-induced voids and step coverage faults of sufficient size can each cause an open in a metal line or contact. Furthermore, since aluminum metallization is subject to electromigration, and since the rate of electromigration increases with current density through the film, necking or narrowing of an aluminum line due to such voids or poor steps locally increase the current density thereat. As a result, the electromigration rate increases at a narrowed location of the film, greatly increasing the electromigration failure rate.
A prior technique for addressing these limitations of aluminum metallization systems includes the use of refractory metal plugs, such as tungsten plugs, to fill contact openings in insulating layers. According to one example of this technique (for which many specific methods are well known in the art), after the opening of contacts through the insulating layer, a layer of tungsten is deposited by CVD over the wafer in such a manner as to conformally fill the contact opening, and is subsequently etched back to expose the surface of the insulating layer with the tungsten remaining in the contact opening. Alternatively, selective tungsten deposition has been used (the tungsten depositing on silicon but not on silicon dioxide) to fill contact openings. In either case, a subsequently deposited aluminum layer can readily make contact to the tungsten plug.
While the tungsten plug technique has many advantages, including good step coverage in all contacts, compatibility with planarized processing, and tolerance of misalignment in the etch of overlying aluminum lines (since the aluminum can be etched selectively relative to the tungsten), the tungsten plug process adds complexity to the manufacturing flow. In addition, deposited tungsten is vulnerable to poor adhesion and high contact resistance, requiring the use of additional sputtered barrier films prior to the deposited tungsten, and the associated added process complexity therewith.
Our copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 621,367, filed Nov. 30, 1990, now abandoned, assigned to SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc., and incorporated herein by this reference, describes an aluminum plug process which addresses these limitations of both conventional aluminum films and tungsten plug processes. This process is also described in Chen, et al., "Planarized Aluminum Metallization for Sub-0.5 .mu.m CMOS Technology", IEDM Digest of Technical Papers, paper 3.4.1 (IEEE, Dec. 1990), pp. 51-54, also incorporated herein by this reference. According to this process, aluminum is sputtered at low enough rates, with the wafer at an elevated temperature, such that the sputtered aluminum migrates along the surfaces of contact openings to the bottom. Continued sputtering, either at the same or an increased rate, completely fills the contact opening, in effect forming an aluminum plug therein.
This process has provided dramatic results in forming sub-micron metallization with complete step coverage. In patterning and etching the overlying metallization lines, however, great care is preferably taken so that the edge of the overlying line does not lie within the contact opening. If the edge of the metal line overlies the contact, the metal line and plug may both be etched by the metal etch process all the way to the underlying layer, causing junction leakage and other degradation thereat. As a result, prior to the subject invention, the preferred layout of the metal lines included its widening at contact locations by a sufficient distance (referred to as the "enclosure") to compensate for the worst case misalignment. While this widening of the metal lines at the contact locations eliminates the problem of etching through the plug into the underlying contacted layer, the layout of the integrated circuit must include sufficient space for the enclosure. Particularly in regularly laid-out circuits such as memories, significant added chip size may result.
By way of further background, it is known to use insulating sidewall filaments to narrow contact openings, such that metal lines making contact therethrough need not be widened to provide misalignment tolerance. Such a technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,732. However, as described in this reference, the insulating sidewalls also increase the series resistance of the contact, as the cross-sectional area of the ohmic contact is reduced (see column 5, line 64 through column 6, line 26) of the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,732. Such increase in the series resistance is of increasing concern as the contact openings become smaller, especially to sub-micron dimensions.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method of forming an integrated circuit metallization system which eliminates the need for enclosure around contact locations.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a method which allows the filling of contact openings with the same metallization as that of the metal lines.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a method which fills contact openings with aluminum.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a method which does not reduce the contact area and thus increase the contact resistance.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the following specification, together with its drawings.

Integrated circuit metallization with zero contact enclosure requirements


Disclosed is a method for preparing a grape wine vinegar and a grape wine vinegar using the same, and more particularly a preparation method for grape wine vinegar and a grape wine vinegar using the same, which involves performing an alcoholic fermentation using grapes and yeast, followed by an aging process, and then introducing a vinegar starter into grape wine to cause an acetic fermentation, thereby creating a grape wine vinegar with improved taste and flavor and many health benefits due to high contents of organic acid and antioxidant components in addition to the ether component of grapes.

Wine, the collective name for fruit wine, commonly refers to grape wine. What Koreans call wine is, on the other hand, alcoholic beverages made from plants or fruits. Depending on the base plant or fruit used, the wine can produce its characteristic color, aroma, and taste. A good harmony between taste and aroma results in fine wines with a good flavor. The aroma of wine is especially a crucial factor to the quality and acceptability of wine products, one of the most important keys in determining the quality of wine, including the quality rating, the degree of aging, etc. As a matter of fact, the wine with a good flavor has a great effect on the production of wine-fermented vinegar.
The word vinegar derives from the Old French word "vinaigre", a compound of "vin (wine)" and "aigre (sour)", as it suggests that vinegar is made from grape wine using acetic fermentation. In this connection, the areas famous for the quality of wine products are also famous for the production of wine vinegars. Accordingly, the term "grape wine vinegar" as used herein refers to vinegar obtained by the fermentation of wine made from grapes.
"Donguibogam (Principles and Practices of Eastern Medicine)" states that vinegar is innoxious, tastes sour, makes our body warm, removes furuncles and other abscesses including hard lumps, remedies puerperal vertigo and any kind of vertigo from profuse bleeding, cardiac diseases, and stress diseases, helps soothe a sore throat, and detoxifies toxins in foods such as fish, meats, medicinal herbs, or wild edible greens. That's why vinegar has been known from ancient times to have loads of health benefits.
There are lots of health benefits of vinegar: (1) High in organic acids like acetic acid, citric acids, etc. and helps absorb minerals and vitamins. (2) Helps remove lactic acid buildup in muscle and recover from fatigue. (3) Supports production of corticosteroids and detoxification of liver. (4) Prevents or improves hardening of the arteries and reduces blood pressure. (5) Aids in blood circulation and metabolism to make the body younger. (6) Removes extra nutrients to prevent or improve obesity due to a reduced caloric intake. (7) Improves the functions of intestines and makes the skin healthy. (8) Has a diuretic effect to help rid the body of excess sodium and maintain the blood clean. (9) Useful as an antiseptic and antibiotic with its excellent antibacterial properties. (10) Helps the body fluids become less alkaline to boost the life energy. As all these beneficial functions of vinegar are widely known, the consumption of vinegar for the purpose of skin care, health promotion, weight loss, or the like is on the rise. Yet, the vinegars using natural ingredients are much preferred to the synthetic vinegars of which the harmful risks are being disclosed.
As a prior art related to the present invention, a wine vinegar and its preparation method is disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-1781839, which relates to a method of preparing a wine vinegar by adding yeast to a grape filtrate using grapes not of merchantable quality to prepare an alcohol fermented solution and then introducing acetic acid bacteria, members of the genus Acetobacter, to activate acetic fermentation and create a wine vinegar. Another prior art related to the present invention is stated in Korean Patent No. 10-1416174 under the title of "A grape vinegar with an anticancer effect and its preparation method", which relates to a method of preparing a vinegar that includes activating alcoholic fermentation using grapes and then introducing acetic acid bacteria, members of the genus Acetobacter, into the resultant alcohol fermented solution to activate acetic fermentation and create a vinegar.

Manufacturing method of grape wine vinegar, and grape wine vinegar using by the same


The disclosed method and system may be used for creating advanced protection means for secure items (e.g. bank notes, identity documents, certificates, checks, diploma, travel documents, tickets) and valuable products (e.g CD-ROMs, DVD's, prescription drugs, products with affixed labels, watches). Secure items are authenticated by shape level lines. The shape level lines become apparent when superposing a base layer comprising sets of lines and a revealing layer comprising a line grating. One of the two layers is a modified layer which embeds a shape elevation profile generated from an initial, preferably bilevel, motif shape image. By modifying the relative superposition phase of the revealing layer on top of the base layer or vice-versa (e.g. by translation or rotation), shape level lines grow and shrink dynamically. In the case that these shape level lines are present, the secure item is accepted as authentic. Otherwise the item is rejected as suspect.

The present invention relates generally to the field of anti-counterfeiting and authentication methods and devices and, more particularly, to methods and security devices for authenticating security documents and valuable products by revealing the shape level lines of a spatial elevation profile.
Counterfeiting of security documents such as bank notes, checks, certification documents, identification cards, passports, travel documents, tickets, etc. has become a serious problem, due to the availability of high-quality and low-priced color photocopiers and desktop publishing systems. The same is also true for valuable products such as CDs, DVDs, software packages, prescription drugs, watches, beverages, foodstuff, cosmetics, clothes, fashion articles etc. that are often counterfeited. The present invention discloses a novel security element and authentication means offering enhanced security for security documents and valuable products which need to be protected against counterfeits.
Various means have been introduced in the prior art for counterfeit prevention. Existing anticounterfeit and authentication means include the use of special paper, special inks, watermarks, micro-letters, security threads, holograms etc. Nevertheless, there is still a need to introduce further security elements, which do not considerably increase the cost of the produced documents or valuable products.
Prior art "phase shift" based methods reveal a latent binary image whose existence, and whose presence is used as a means of authenticating a document. One known method in which a latent binary image is made visible consists in encoding that latent image within a document (see background of U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,559 to McGrew, background of U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,484 to Seder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,280 to P. P. Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,812 to Koltai et. al., and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/810,971 Assignee Trustcopy). In "phase shift" based methods, a base layer made of a line grating, or respectively a periodic dot screen is printed on the document, but within the predefined borders of the binary latent image, i.e. on the latent image foreground, the same line grating (respectively, the same dot screen) is printed at a different phase, generally shifted by half a period. Close to the borders of the latent image, the line screen, respectively the dot screen, may be printed at intermediate phases (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,971 B1 to Shen-ge Wang). For a layman, the foreground of the latent image printed on the document is difficult to distinguish from its background; but when a revealing layer comprising an identical, but non-shifted line grating or grating of lenticular lenses, respectively a dot screen, is superposed on the document, the latent image pre-designed on the document becomes recognizable, since, within its pre-defined borders, the revealed binary latent image (foreground) appears at a different phase, i.e. at a different intensity compared with the background intensity.
Such phase shift techniques are characterized by the fact that the boundaries of the revealed latent image don't move when displacing the revealing layer on top of the base layer. One limitation of these phase shift techniques resides in the fact that photocopying does generally not destroy the line grating, respectively the dot screen, printed at different phases on the latent image background and foreground. A second limitation resides in the fact that it is relatively easy to recover a binary latent image by revealing it with a revealing line grating of a period close to the line screen, respectively dot screen period. With standard desktop publishing software, counterfeiters may then recreate a similar latent binary image by combining a periodic line grating, respectively dot screen, with the same periodic line grating, respectively dot screen, shifted by half a period, inserted within the borders of the binary latent image.
A variation of the phase shift technique relying on a phase sampling technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,717 to Alasia. A further variation of the phase shift technique using conjugate halftone screens is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,703 to Shen-ge Wang. Additional variations of the phase sampling techniques comprising screen element density, form, angle position, size and frequency variations are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,812 to Koltai et. al. A further variation of the phase shift technique consists in having similar line segments printed in registration on two sides of a thick transparent layer: thanks to the parallax effect, the superposition of both layers can be viewed either in phase or out of phase depending on the observation angle, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,491 B1 to P. Zeiter et al. A further variation of the phase shift technique consists in printing line segments at different pseudo-random phases in the foreground and the background of a latent image. In the background of the latent image, the identical line segments are printed in registration on the two sides of a security document. In the foreground of the latent image, the identical line segments are printed in registration, but one side of the document is printed at complementary intensities (black instead of transparent and transparent instead of black). In case of misregistration between the line segments printed on both sides of the document, the latent image is not apparent any more (patent application Ser. No. 10/284,551 to Z. Fan et. al.).
The present invention distinguishes itself from prior art phase shift techniques by the fact that it does not embed a hidden latent image within an image and therefore also does not reveal such a latent image. In the present invention, an elevation profile is embedded within one of the layers and the elevation profile's level lines are revealed thanks to the superposition of the two layers.
Prior art "moiré based" methods rely on the superposition of a dot screen (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,249,588, 5,995,638, and 6,819,775, to Amidror and Hersch), respectively a band grating (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/270,546 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/879,218 to Hersch and Chosson) incorporating within the replicated dots, respectively within the replicated bands, variable intensity shapes, and a revealing layer made of a dot screen, respectively a line grating. The revealed moiré shapes are enlarged and transformed instances of the replicated variable intensity shapes. In contrast to these moiré based methods, in the present invention, the shapes of the revealed level lines are not enlarged instances of replicated base layer shapes, but look like offset lines of the shape boundaries from which the elevation profile is derived that is embedded into one of the layers (see section "Detailed description of the invention").
Chapter 10 of the book by I. Amidror, The Theory of the Moiré Phenomenon, Kluwer, 2000, entitled "Moiré between repetitive non-periodic layers" describes the theory of the superposition of curvilinear line gratings by relying on Fourier series decomposition and spectral domain analysis. Chapter 11 of the same book gives an overview over the indicial method enabling obtaining the geometric layout of the superposition of curved line gratings. In problems 11.4 and 11.5 of Chapter 11 and in the paper by J. S. Marsh, Contour Plots using a Moiré Technique, American Journal of Physics, Vol. 48, Jan. 1980, 39-40, a moiré technique is described for drawing the contour plot of a function g(x,y) which relies on the superposition of a straight line grating and of a curved line grating whose lines have been laterally shifted by an amount equal to g(x,y). These book chapters, together with problems 11.4, 11.5 and the paper by J. S, Marsh however (a) do not consider generating a shape elevation profile from a preferably bilevel motif shape image, (b) do not mention the possibility of having level lines moving between shape borders and the shape centers and (c) do not consider contour plots of a function as a means of authenticating a security document or a valuable product.
The geometric properties of the moiré produced by the superposition of two rectilinear or curvilinear line gratings are described by K. Patorski, The moiré Fringe Technique, Elsevier 1993, pp. 14-16. Moiré fringes (moiré lines) produced by the superposition of two line gratings (i.e. set of lines) are exploited for example for the authentication of bank notes as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,473, Self-verifying security documents, inventors Taylor et al. Neither Patorski's book, nor U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,473 consider modifying a line grating according to a shape elevation profile nor do they consider generating a shape elevation profile from an initial, preferably bilevel, motif shape image. They also don't mention the possibility of having, by superposing base and revealing layers, level lines moving between motif shape boundaries and motif shape centers.

Authentication of secure items by shape level lines

Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)


A system for viewing a shared virtual reality having a plurality of virtual reality headsets. Each headset producing a shared virtual reality that is viewed by persons wearing the headsets. The system comprises a communication network to which each headset is in communication to send and receive a virtual orientation and a virtual position associated with each person of the persons wearing the headsets. The system comprises a computer in communication with each headset through the network which transmits a virtual audience that is viewed by each headset. The virtual audience formed from the virtual orientation and the virtual position associated with each person wearing the headset over time as each person views the virtual story, so each person views in the headset the person is wearing the virtual story, the virtual orientation and virtual position of each other person of the persons wearing the headset. A method for viewing a shared virtual reality. A non-transitory readable storage medium which includes a computer program stored on the storage medium in a non-transient memory for viewing a shared virtual reality.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention. The following discussion is intended to provide information to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that statements in the following discussion are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Existing solutions for storytelling in shared virtual reality do not support a large group of audience members to be physically co-located and also to be able to see the head positions and head orientations of all of the other audience members. This lack of awareness of the position and attention focus of other audience members can lead to a lack of group engagement in an audience. In effect, each audience member feels as though they are the only person experiencing the physically collocated story.

Shared room scale virtual and mixed reality storytelling for a multi-person audience that may be physically co-located


A hearing aid faceplate assembly includes a faceplate having a volume control/switch receiving aperture. A volume control/switch integrated circuit assembly is mounted within the aperture. The volume control/switch integrated circuit assembly includes a module substrate, an amplifier mounted to the substrate and a volume control mounted to the substrate and electrically coupled to the amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a volume control. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular volume control and integrated circuit assembly for use in a hearing aid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the largest costs of doing business encountered by hearing aid manufacturers is the cost associated with hearing aids which are returned. In fact, it is not uncommon for 20% of all hearing aids manufactured by any particular manufacturer to be returned. This is caused by several factors.
First, different users of hearing aids prefer different frequencies of sound to be amplified by the hearing aid. Since all hearing aids do not pass and amplify the exact same frequencies in the exact same manner, people who use hearing aids may prefer one hearing aid over another merely because the users prefer the way it sounds. Before actually using a hearing aid, there is no sure way that a user can tell if the sound of the hearing aid will be satisfactory.
A second factor which is responsible for a high number of hearing aids being returned is the fact that physically fitting a hearing aid to a particular user is not an exact science. Typically, the user of a hearing aid has a mold of their ear taken. In manufacturing a hearing aid, the manufacturer may or may not exactly duplicate the mold. Therefore, different hearing aids from different manufacturers may be more or less comfortable for the user even though the manufacturers all used the same mold.
For these reasons, before a user purchases a hearing aid, they typically order several different hearing aids from several different manufacturers. The user tries each of these hearing aids and keeps only the hearing aid which the user prefers based on sound, comfort and performance. The remaining hearing aids are returned to their respective manufacturers. This is a common and widely accepted practice in the hearing aid industry.
Hearing aids generally comprise a mold portion which contacts the users ear, a hearing aid faceplate and electronic components. The electronic components include a microphone for picking up sound, an amplifier for amplifying the sound, an on-off switch, a volume control which the user operates to control the volume of the sound, a speaker for providing the amplified sound to the user and a power source, such as a battery, for powering the hearing aid. The electronic components are typically assembled on the hearing aid faceplate using known assembly techniques such as soldering, glueing and heat staking. Once the electronic components are assembled on the hearing aid faceplate, the assembled faceplate is mounted in the mold portion to form a completed hearing aid.
In past hearing aids, each of the electronic components was a separate component which was separately assembled on the hearing aid faceplate. This made assembly very labor intensive and costly. Also, this made the cost of doing business due to returned hearing aids very high. Since each of these components were separate, salvaging them and reworking them into new hearing aid faceplates required a labor intensive process which was very costly.
In addition, the volume control component in past hearing aids was generally heat staked or glued into the hearing aid faceplate. This process required the use of solvents or glues which were potentially damaging to the volume control and other electronic components of the hearing aid.

Miniature modular volume control and integrated circuit assembly for use with a hearing air


A method for transporting fibre channel (FC) traffic over a packet-switched communication network includes identifying a sub-sequence of repetitive FC signals in a first sequence of FC words accepted over a FC link from a source FC device. The first sequence of FC words is translated into a second sequence of data packets in accordance with a communication protocol supported by the packet-switched communication network. The second sequence includes a repetition indication packet that identifies the sub-sequence of repetitive FC signals. The second sequence of the data packets is transported to a receiver over the packet-switched communication network using the communication protocol.

Fibre channel (FC) is a high-speed serial interconnection interface, which is used in various storage and networking applications. FC has been standardized by working group T11 of the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS). FC standards are available at www.t11.org.
Some FC standards and drafts define the transport of FC traffic over different backbone networks. For example, the Fibre Channel Backbone 3 (FC-BB-3) draft, version 7.0, published by task group T11.3 of the INCITS, Jan. 17, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference, defines the functions and mappings necessary to tunnel fibre channel links, or bridge fibre channel networks, across wide area networks (WAN). This document describes mapping models of FC to Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and Transparent Generic Framing Procedure (GFP-T).
Methods for carrying FC traffic over IP networks are also described by Rajagopal et al. in an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) 3821, entitled "Fibre Channel over TCP/IP (FCIP)," July, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. The FCIP mechanisms allow the interconnection of islands of FC storage area networks over IP-based networks to form a .unified storage area network in a single FC fabric. This RFC, as well as other IETF RFCs cited hereinbelow, is available at www.ietf.org/rfc.

Transparent transport of fibre channel traffic over packet-switched networks


An electrical test lead includes an insulated electrical cable having a proximal end and a distal end, an electrical connector disposed at the proximal end of the cable and connected to a test instrument, and an electrically conductive magnetic probe disposed at the distal end. The probe is adapted to magnetically attach to a test point in an electrical system and to provide an electrical connection from the test point through the probe, the cable and the connector to the test instrument. Together, the test lead and the test instrument may be used as an electrical test kit. The test lead may further include an additional electrical test lead component magnetically attached, and electrically connected, to the electrically conductive magnetic probe and extending therefrom. An additional electrically conductive magnetic probe or a non-magnetic electrical connector may be disposed at the distal end of the additional electrical test lead component.

1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical test leads, and in particular, to test leads that allow physical and electrical contact of test instruments to a device under test using a magnetic probe to connect to the device.
2. Background
Electricians, automotive technicians and other personnel are frequently required to use various test instruments to test electrical equipment and systems such as circuit panels, power supplies (including car batteries), automotive electronics, and the like. The test instruments may include digital multimeters, phase meters, oscilloscopes, and the like. Conventionally, testing the equipment requires connecting test leads to the test instrument and then establishing electrical contact between the opposite ends of the test leads and appropriate test points on the equipment under test. For this purpose, each test lead typically includes a first suitable electrical connector for connecting the lead to the test instrument and a second suitable electrical connector for making electrical contact with the test points on the equipment under test. Both electrical connectors are generally of conventional construction, with the first electrical connector often being a plug-type connector, such as a banana-type connector, and the second electrical connector being a test probe, a clip (such as an alligator clip or any of various other types of clips suitable for temporary attachment to the test point), or the like.
Often, the electrician, technician or other tester must hold the test instrument in one hand while he manipulates one of the test probes with his other hand, thus preventing him from carrying out any other activities (since both hands are occupied). Clip-type connectors may free one hand, but require a suitable attachment point in order to work.
Another issue faced by electricians and other testers is the frequent presence of potentially lethal voltages and currents that are present in and around the equipment under test. When using the test probes, or when trying to attach a clip to the equipment under test, the user thus faces the prospect of an electrical shock or even electrocution.
Thus, a need exists for a more convenient and potentially safer type of test lead that allows the operator to couple his test lead from his test instrument to a common (possibly ground) point on the equipment under test during the entire troubleshooting or other test exercise, with no other intervention from the operator except the initial placement of the electrical connector.

Magnetically coupled electrical test lead


A power-driven hammer drill 1 includes a rotary lever 8 for transmitting and disabling the transmission of the rotation of a motor 5 to a tool bit 4 and a slide lever 9 for transmitting and disabling the transmission of hammer blows to the tool bit 4. The rotary lever 8 is formed with a chamfer 52, whereas the slide lever 9 is formed with a straight portion 54 and a cut-out 53 which conforms to the circular edge of the rotary lever 8. When the slide lever 9 is in the lowermost position with the rotary lever 8 fitted in the cut-out 53, the rotary lever 8 is in the position to disconnect the rotation of the motor 5 to the tool bit 4, and while in this position, the slide lever 9 cannot be slid to its uppermost position, in which hammer blows cannot be transmitted to the tool bit 4. When the slide lever 9 is located in the uppermost position and the chamfer 52 of the rotary lever 8 is in the rearmost position, in which hammer blows cannot be transmitted to the tool bit 4 but rotation can be transmitted to the tool bit 4, the straight portion 54 opposes the chamfer 52 across a narrow gap so that the rotary lever 8 cannot be rotated to the rotation disabling position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hammer drill. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hammer drill having a rotation transmission mechanism which is provided between a motor and a tool bit attached to the top of a drill housing and which rotates the bit, and having a impact transmission mechanism provided also between the motor and the tool bit for transmitting hammer blows to the tool bit.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a common practice in the art to which the present invention pertains to provide a change-over device for the rotation transmission mechanism and for the impact transmission mechanism for switching between transmission and disconnection of drive power from the motor, thus changing the operation mode of the hammer drill. The Applicant disclosed in Japan Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 9-57650 a large hammer drill which incorporates a crank mechanism, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The hammer drill includes a sleeve which functions as a first change-over device for selectively transmitting rotation from the motor to the tool bit when slid to one position and disconnecting the motor rotation when slid to another position. The hammer drill additionally includes a link which functions as a second change-over device for selectively transmitting reciprocating motion of the piston to the tool bit when slid to one position and disconnecting the reciprocating motion when slid to another position. Moreover, a rotary selector knob is provided in this tool for allowing the operator to simultaneously select a combination of the slide positions of the two change-over devices, i.e., one of the three possible operation modes of the hammer drill. When a rotation-plus-hammer mode is selected, both rotation and hammer blows are transmitted to the tool holder. In a hammer-only mode, only hammer blows are transmitted to the tool holder. In a neutral mode, the tool bit is manually freely rotatable in either direction, thus allowing the operator to change the rotational angle of the tool bit.
From a viewpoint of convenience, it would be preferable to have such a large hammer drill with a crank mechanism as described above be able to operate in a rotation-only mode in addition to a rotation-plus-hammer mode and a hammer-only mode. The structure of the selector knob renders implementation of a rotation-only mode in the hammer drill very difficult. Significant changes in the design and thus increase in the manufacturing cost would be inevitable if these three modes are to be realized without altering the basic structures of the impact transmission mechanism and the rotation transmission mechanism. One possible means to achieve this goal is to provide two separate operating members for independently operating a sleeve provided for transmission of rotation separate and a link provided for transmission of hammer blows. One drawback of this configuration is that since each operating member has a position in which rotation or hammer blows are disconnected (an "off" state), the operator may unintentionally and inconveniently place the hammer drill in an off-off state, in which neither rotation nor hammer blows are transmitted to the tool bit, thus rendering the tool inoperative.

Power-driven hammer drill having an improved operating mode switch-over mechanism


A coil of stock material from which air turning vanes are formed. The material includes a central striated bend area which facilitates the formation of increments of the material severed from the coil into desired arcuate configurations. An air guide assembly formed of the vanes of the stock material is likewise described for conducting air with high efficiency about the bends between adjacent ducts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a stock material from which air turning vanes may be formed, and to an air guide assembly formed therefrom, such assembly being used in air conduits such as air conditioning and heating ducts.
2. The Prior Art
It is conventional in order to increase the flow efficiency of air moving in the air ducts of air heating and cooling installations to provide air guides at the bends or corners.
In accordance with U.S. Pats. No. 2861,597 of Nov. 25, 1958 and No. 2959,195 of Nov. 8, 1960, the air guides may be comprised of a spaced pair of parallel rails. The rails may include paired projections having slots converging toward the center line of the rails. Arcuate sheet metal scoops or vanes extend between the spaced rails, the transverse edges of the rails extending into the slots of the protuberances and being secured therein to define a three dimensional structure.
The structure is mounted in the corner or bend area of a duct and minimizes turbulent flow so as to increase the efficiency with which air moves in the ducting.
The vane members which extend between the rails have heretofore been supplied as precurved elongate sheet metal elements from which increments are cut in accordance with the spacing of the rails, which spacing is, in turn, dictated by the transverse dimension of the duct.
The use of stock vane materials of the type described is economically undesirable both from the standpoint of wastage of material and from the standpoint of efficiency of air conduction.
By way of example, where the vane material is supplied in eight foot lengths and a vane length of one and one half feet is required, it will be evident that portions of the eight foot length must be discarded
Similarly, from the flow efficiency standpoint, it is desirable that the entry and exit edges of the vane will run parallel to the input and output axes of the duct.
While stock material thus may be prebent to conduct air about a 90.degree. turn, leaving the entry and exit edges of the vane material parallel to the input and output duct axes, such vane material will exhibit less than optimal flow and guidance characteristics where installed at a duct bend of less than 90.degree..
Obviously it is impracticable to supply precurved lengths of duct material adapted to accommodate each and every angular bend within a ducting system.
U.S. Pat. No. 2972,358 of Feb. 21, 1961 discloses a vane runner fitting wherein the angular relationship between the vane and vane rail is adjustable, such that flat blades or arcuate blades of preformed configuration may be swiveled or tilted relative to the mounting rails.
While such device enables manipulation of a preformed blade somewhat to increase flow efficiency, it still fails to solve the problems inherent in the use of precurved vanes or provide optimal results where nonconventional (non 90.degree.) bends are encountered.

Stock material for forming air turning vanes and air guide devices


A method of controlling an electric motor in an electric power assisted steering system, the motor being arranged so as to apply a force to part of a steering mechanism of a vehicle, in which the method comprises calculating a force demand indicative of an assistance force dependent upon the torque applied by a user (TD) to the steering mechanism that it is to be applied to the steering mechanism to reduce the exertion required by the user to steer the vehicle; combining the force demand with an overlay force demand (TER) indicative of a force which it is desired to overlay over the assistance force, to generate a combined assistance force (TA); and controlling the motor according to the combined assistance force, such that together with the force applied by the user, a total force is applied to the steering mechanism, in which, in order to generate the combined assistance force the torque applied by the user is subjected to a non-linear boost function and in which the overlay force demand is combined with the force demand such that, for an arbitrary change in the overlay force demand the change in the total force is independent of the torque applied by the user over a range of torques applied by the user.

This invention relates to a method of controlling a motor in an electric power assisted steering system.
Electric power assisted steering (EPAS) systems are well known in the prior art. Generally, the steering mechanism of a vehicle couples rotational movement of a steering wheel into movement of the road wheels of the vehicle. An electric motor can be used to assist the driver with the movement of the wheels by applying a torque to the system that is coupled into the steering mechanism. A torque sensor in part of the steering mechanism indicates the torque being input to the steering mechanism by the driver; the system uses this to determine how much assistance torque to apply using the motor.
A standard, prior art, EPAS system can be seen in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Typically, the driver controls the steering via a handwheel 100. A torque sensor 101 is provided, as discussed above, in the steering mechanism of a vehicle; typically this could be located in the handwheel, steering column or pinion assembly. This produces a torque signal TD indicative of the torque applied to the steering mechanism by the driver. The torque controller 102 uses TD to generate an assistance torque demand TA. This assistance torque TA is indicative of a force to be generated by the motor in order to assist the driver with turning the steering wheel in order to move the road wheels 105.
The assistance torque thus generated is generally scaled so that it represents the reduction that is to be achieved in the torque in the steering column and thus the assistance to the driver. The assistance torque TA is generally dependent upon not only the measured torque TD but also the vehicle speed. Furthermore, the assistance torque TA is generally boosted from the measured torque TD by a non-linear boost function, such as is described in European Patent Application publication no EP 0 947 413.
In the motor controller circuit 103, the assistance torque demand TA is converted into a set of signals for controlling the motor 104 so that it produces an amount of torque proportional to the assistance torque demand TA but scaled by factors depending on the mechanical connection of the motor to the steering mechanism; for example, the mechanical ratio of any gearbox used, the mechanical polarity of the gearbox and the efficiency of the mechanical driveline. In some cases, the steering ratio is a non-linear function of the steering angle; in these instances, it is possible to schedule the calculation according to a measurement of steering angle. In other cases it may be desirable to compensate the conversion between TA and the motor control variables by other parameters that are known to affect the physical parts, for example the motor temperature.
In general, a steering system may comprise a number of transformations between linear (or quasi-linear) motion and rotary motion. Typically in a steering system with a rack & pinion steering gear, the driver will apply a force to the rim of a handwheel that is translated into a torque in the steering column. This torque is substantially transmitted to the pinion of the steering gear (there is some modulation and frictional loss in the intermediate shaft). The rack and pinion mechanism translates the applied pinion torque into a rack force. The rack force is then substantially coupled into the steering arms of the road wheel hubs by a linkage (there can be modulation of the forces by the kinematics of the suspension).
The steering arms translate the linkage forces into a torque that is substantially applied along the steering axis of the suspension and hence onto the contact patch between the tyre and road. An electric power assisted steering (EPAS) system typically measures the input torque applied to the handwheel, column or pinion; and applies assistance power via a mechanism on the column, pinion, steering gear or directly about the road wheel steering axis.
It is possible to relate the various forces in the system to the various torques in the system according to the physical dimensions of the active parts in the mechanism. Similarly the electro-motive force from the assistance motor can be substantially related back to an equivalent torque that is applied on the handwheel. Whereas "force" has been used throughout, we include in that term both linear forces and rotational torques. However, in some embodiments it may be desirable to limit the invention to one or the other. Furthermore, it will be recognised that these quantities can be represented in units that are comparable; therefore this description does not consider the scale factors that are necessary to achieve equivalence.
It is also known, for example from the European Patent Application published as EP 0 640 903, that other controller functions can generate torque demands. These include damping control, active return control and feedback from systems such as lane guidance systems. These generally provide a torque "overlay"; that is, an extra torque offset that is to be added or subtracted from the assistance torque.
Due to the recent proliferation of EPAS systems and electronic control systems in vehicles such as cars in general, there is a growing desire to integrate torque request signals generated from external sources and include them as part of the overall EPAS torque generation process.
In general such external torque requests can be split into 2 cases:                a) those that are introduced with the intention of modifying the handwheel torque that is perceived by the driver, for example, to apply a bias to the driver's steering effort. This will be referred to as "driver overlay".        b) Those that are introduced with the aim of compensating for disturbances or other physical loads applied to the steering system. For example, the vehicle chassis may transmit unwanted forces into the steering system that can be estimated and directly opposed by the additional torque from the motor. These requests shall be referred to as "output overlay" since the output of the actuator is the important part.
The nonlinear boost curve in the EPS system causes the assistance torque to be non-linearly related to the driver torque. Hence a driver overlay torque will be non-linearly related to the assistance torque and the output overlay torque. It is usually desirable for any torque overlay strategy to limit the amount of driver torque that is needed to overcome the torque demand from other vehicle control systems.
We can therefore identify at least two problems that may be solved:                i) to modify the assistance torque demanded by the normal controller in a way to give a consistent driver overlay independently of the nonlinear boost curve setting, and        ii) to introduce an output overlay torque that is limited in terms of the size of change in the torque that the driver must apply to the handwheel to overcome it.

Controlling motors in electric power assisted steering systems


The present embodiments relate to a device and a method for data postprocessing of K-space data acquired using a magnetic resonance tomography device. Each part of a K-space matrix is generated with one recording using a magnetic resonance tomography device in a plurality of recordings with the aid of a plurality of transmitting transmit channels of the magnetic resonance tomography device using excitation signals of one amplitude and phase. A field generated in total by the plurality of transmitting transmit channels is determined through addition of the spatial distribution of field distribution datasets representing a field generated by at least one transmit channel of the plurality of channels. A spatially dependent phase correction of the data is performed for data acquired in one recording using phases resulting from the added field distribution datasets.

The present embodiments relate to magnetic resonance tomography devices and methods for phase-correcting postprocessing of data acquired using a magnetic resonance tomography device during a parallel transmission using a plurality of transmitting devices.
Magnetic resonance tomography devices are described, for example, in DE 102008023467 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,592,813.
In an MR imaging system, transmit phases (or time characteristics of transmitted signals) generated at every point of an area (e.g., a FoV or part of the FoV) may be given by the RF transmission profile of a coil. Phase relationships of transmitted signals generated by RF pulses in different voxels (e.g., three-dimensional points having a small volume) remain constant in time (e.g., during the application of each of the transmitted RF pulses). Global phase offsets, as used, for example, in RF spoiling, are spatially independent and may be corrected by a corresponding phase correction in the receiver or in the data postprocessing using a spatially independent phase correction. Global may be applicable to all transmitters.
In the case of a plurality of transmitters operated in parallel, the resulting B1 field may be varied in phase and amplitude in space (e.g., RF shimming) by adjustment of the phases and amplitudes of each individual transmitter. Phases induced via the RF excitation, which change locally from recording to recording (of an imaging session using the MRT system), overlay one another with the signal phases superimposed for spatial encoding and lead to spatial misregistrations and artifacts.
Spatial distribution of the (e.g., entire) RF field may not change (except for a global phase and amplitude) from one recording to the next. All (corresponding) pulses used for signal generation use the same phase and amplitude responses for the individual transmitters for each recording.
Individual RF pulses are optimized in terms of one criterion and are applied unchanged (except for a global phase and amplitude) in each recording. In conventional imaging using one transmit channel, the global phase and amplitude are a degree of freedom for exerting an influence of the resulting field. The phases generated during the signal generation may also be varied using gradients switched during the transmission. The multidimensionally selective pulses, which simultaneously modulate the gradient amplitude and RF envelope, are also not changed from recording to recording.

Correction of changing local transmit phases during parallel transmission


A connector (1), in particular cable connector, for producing an optical and electrical connection to a mating connector (2). The connector (1) has a connector main housing (3) and at least one housing attachment part (4) and at least one optical waveguide carrier (5), and the housing attachment part (4) is fastened or fastenable releasably to the connector main housing (3) by a releasable and reconnectable connecting device (6). The optical waveguide carrier (5) and at least one electric contact (7) are arranged on the connector main housing (3), and the housing attachment part (4) has at least one electric extension contact (8) which is connectable to the electric contact (7) of the connector main housing (3) by connection of the housing attachment part (4) to the connector main housing (3).

The present invention relates to a connector, in particular cable connector, for producing an optical and electrical connection to a mating connector, wherein the connector has a connector main housing and at least one housing attachment part and at least one optical waveguide carrier, and the housing attachment part is fastened or fastenable releasably to the connector main housing by means of a releasable and reconnectable connecting device.
Connectors of the above-mentioned type are used to connect cables, which have at least one optical waveguide for data transmission, to another cable or to a device, such as, for example, a television camera or film camera or the like. So that the data transmission over such optical connections functions beyond connector and mating connector, the open ends of the optical waveguides in the connector have to be able to be kept very clean and have to be able to be optionally cleaned. In the case of connectors of the type in question, it is known to release the housing attachment part from the connector main housing by the releasable and reconnectable connecting device in order to be able to separately clean the housing attachment part.


A variable length shift register is formed of a plurality of flip-flops arranged to form separate shift registers of different lengths. The shift registers are interconnected by multiplexers which connect either the input or the output of each shift register to the input of an adjacent shift register. Control signals are provided to the multiplexers to controllably select the length of the variable shift register by selectively inserting shift registers into the variable shift register and bypassing others.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shift registers and more particularly, to a shift register the length of which may be varied in accordance with a control signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shift registers are frequently used as delay lines for delaying a digital binary signal by a particular number of clock pulses or time slots corresponding to the length of the shift register. The signal is inputted to one end of the shift register and is clocked therethrough and provided at an output a number of clock pulses later, depending upon the length of the shift register.
There are occasions in logic design where it may be desirable to use a shift register having a variable length, the length depending on a control signal.
Normal shift registers are of a fixed length and therefore do not have the ability to provide a variable delay circuit.


This invention relates to a recombinant vector including a recombinant porcine adenovirus, stably incorporating and capable of expression of at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence. The nucleotide sequence is preferably one which encodes an antigenic determinant of Hog Cholera Virus or Pseudorabies virus. The further invention relates to a method of production of recombinant vectors, to methods of preparation of vaccines based on the vectors, to administration strategies and to methods of protecting pigs from disease.

The productivity of the intensive pig industry depends on the control of infectious diseases. Whilst diseases can be controlled in part by good hygiene and quarantine measures, the industry must still rely on vaccination to protect herds. In a commercial situation, the cost per animal is high in terms of feed and current disease control costs and therefore, the costs in disease prevention and control by any newly proposed vaccine must be cheap, effective and easy to deliver.
Conventionally, vaccines constituting live viral particles have been prepared by virus passage and selection of attenuated forms. Alternatively, killed vaccines were prepared from virulent viruses.
The most recent description of the use of viral vectors in the control of disease in pigs was the deletion mutant of pseudorabies virus for the control of Aujesky's disease. The use of a herpesvirus as a vector has the advantage of being able to stimulate a humoral and cell-mediated response, thus providing possible life long protection. Another advantage is the ability to insert other heterologous sequences in this vector, being expressed from a suitable promoter, to produce antigens for exposure to the animals immune system, thus protecting against two diseases. There are disadvantages of this system. Firstly, there is the issue of latency. Herpesviruses have the ability to intergrate into the neurons in ganglia for the life of the animal. It only requires a suitable stress on the animal to cause the reactivation of the virus and consequently full disease. However, it is now known that the deletion of a specific gene, glycoprotein E, will attenuate the virus and prevent reactivation from latency. Therefore, this deletion vector is now widely used as an eradication vector for Aujesky's disease and subsequently will not be available as a suitable vector for the delivery of other antigens.
It is thus the aim of this invention to provide a delivery vehicle for heterologous sequences of genetic material that is particularly suited to administration on a large scale.
In particular, it is the aim of this invention to provide or enhance means for generation and/or optimisation of antibodies or cell-mediated immunity so as to provide protection against infection with common porcine diseases. It is an additional aim to provide a process for preparation of a suitable means for generation and/or optimisation of antibodies or cell-mediated immunity so as to protect pigs against infection with common porcine diseases. It is a further aim to provide a protection strategy.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.