A fixture for holding and positioning reamers and other objects for grinding has a support base connectable to a flat horizontal surface and its upper portion is positioned at an angle relative to the horizontal surface. A cylindrical sleeve rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the support base has an eccentric longitudinal bore and a radial flange at its rearward end. A cylindrical spindle rotatably received within the eccentric bore has a mounting flange at its forward end to receive a chuck for holding an object to be ground and a rear flange adjacent the sleeve radial flange. A handle extending from the sleeve rotates the sleeve about its longitudinal axis. An axial guide flange between the support base and sleeve moves the sleeve forward or rearward upon rotation of the sleeve. A retractable rod connected between the spindle flange and sleeve flange selectively locks the spindle and sleeve together for rotation as a unit about the longitudinal sleeve axis or releases the spindle for rotating only the spindle about its longitudinal axis relative to the sleeve. The spindle rotates partially about the centerline of the sleeve when locked with the sleeve whereby the object being ground is eccentrically rotated in a radial spiral motion when the handle is pivoted. When the axial guide flange is angularly positioned the object being ground moves simultaneously forward or rearward and in a radial spiral motion. When the spindle and sleeve are unlocked the object being ground may be rotated only about its own longitudinal axis and positioned to grind subsequent surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to grinding fixtures, and more particularly to a grinding fixture capable of selectively moving a workpiece forward and rearward relative to a grinding wheel while simultaneously rotating it eccentrically, and of rotating the workpiece concentrically to grind predetermined angular and curved surfaces.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The grinding or re-working of drill bits, taps, reamers, etc., requires accurate and uniform grinding of the multiple angular and curved surfaces. Some tools, such as reamers, are fluted to define wings, and require exceedingly careful treatment to avoid accidental grinding of adjacent surfaces while producing a proper conical reaming configuration and clearance behind the leading edge of each wing portion. There are several patents disclosing grinding fixtures which have been designed to produce various angular and curved surfaces on drill bits, taps, reamers, etc.
Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,672,714 discloses a fixture having a V-block and a cylindrical barrel resting in the V-block and having a flange at one end to engage the end of the V-block. The barrel is rotated while in tangential contact with the V-surfaces and has an eccentric bore. A tool holding sleeve is slidably and rotatably mounted in the eccentric bore and has a flange at one end. The barrel flange has a series of circumferentially spaced indexing holes and the sleeve flange is provided with an indexing pin which will engage selective ones of the indexing holes. The sleeve may be withdrawn partially from the barrel, rotated, and returned to a plurality of angular positions.
Detrow, U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,854 discloses tap grinding fixture having a support base with a vertically extending bracket revolvably mounted thereon and which terminates in a circular head. Another bracket having a coacting circular head is revolvably connected to the first circular head and has a forwardly extending portion disposed off center from the circular head and terminating in a ring member. A cylindrical body structure having an end flange is adjustably secured to the ring member. The body structure has a longitudinally extending bore therethrough with a cylindrical tube assembly mounted in the bore. The cylindrical tube assembly includes a pair of coacting inner and outer eccentric sleeves adjustable one with respect to another. A chuck spindle is carried by the inner sleeve and projects beyond opposite ends of the sleeves. An actuating disc is mounted on the outer sleeve adjacent the end of the body structure and an indexing plate is mounted on the spindle adjacent the actuating disc. An actuating lever extends outwardly from the actuating disc for controlling the movement of the chuck spindle in an orbital path. A number of indexing plates must be installed for various different taps according to the number of their flutes.
Studler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,538 discloses a grinding tool having a fixed casing with a spindle received in a bore in the casing. The spindle has a chuck at the forward end and a bushing is disposed at the rear of the casing bore to guide the spindle. The rear end of the spindle extends beyond the bushing. The spindle has a cam face on its forward side toward the bushing. A double faced cam collar is mounted on the spindle and cooperates with a cam follower arm carrying a ball. When the spindle rotates continuously in one direction, the cam faces ride up on the ball to move the tool toward and against the grinding wheel under spring pressure.
Farnsworth, U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,633 discloses an index mechanism for a chuck having a housing and a spindle assembly rotatably mounted in the housing which grips the workpiece for rotation therewith. The indexing mechanism comprises a cylindrical member secured to the spindle assembly and a series of balls fixed circumferentially around the cylindrical member with adjacent balls abutting against one another to form a V-shaped space between each pair of balls. A plunger shiftably mounted on the housing has a portion insertable into the space between the balls to prevent rotation of the spindle assembly relative to the housing.
Zapart, U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,702 discloses an indexing fixture comprising a generally rectangular rigid upstanding housing having a longitudinal bore. A fixed cylindrical hollow tubular member is secured in the bore and has a rear flange engaging the rearward wall of the housing. A hollow tubular spindle is slip fitted in the fixed tubular member and has a front flange positioned forwardly of the housing front wall. A toothed indexing wheel is secured to the rearward portion of the spindle. A collet-receiving manipulating ring is loosely keyed to the indexing wheel and rotates freely thereon. A rotatable indexer member extends down through the top of the housing to be moved into the rotary path of the indexing wheel. A detent is disposed adjacent the front flange to be moved into engagement with a dog mounted on the front flange.
Bernard et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,596 discloses a drill chuck supporting cradle which is mounted for limited rotation on a tiltable cross feed table. The cradle is provided with a band or bridge affixed at one side of the cradle and attached at the other side by an eccentric so that the band can be tightened to hold a chuck in fixed relation to the cradle. The cross feed table is supported by a standard which has a pair of stop pins which limit the pivotal movement of the table.
Zapart, U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,202 discloses a grinding fixture which has a rotatable workpiece-holding spindle which may be indexed at any selected angular division of a circle. The device utilizes at least two circumferentially spaced indexers radially insertable into and retractable from interspaces between adjacent teeth spaced at ten degree intervals around the circumferential face of an associated rotatable spindle.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a fixture for holding and positioning reamers and other objects for grinding which has a support base connectable to a flat horizontal surface and its upper portion is positioned at an angle relative to the horizontal surface. A cylindrical sleeve rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the support base has an eccentric longitudinal bore and a radial flange at its rearward end. A cylindrical spindle rotatably received within the eccentric bore has a mounting flange at its forward end to receive a chuck for holding an object to be ground and a rear flange adjacent the sleeve radial flange. A handle extending from the sleeve rotates the sleeve about its longitudinal axis. An axial guide flange between the support base and sleeve moves the sleeve forward or rearward upon rotation of the sleeve. A retractable rod connected between the spindle flange and sleeve flange selectively locks the spindle and sleeve together for rotation as a unit about the longitudinal sleeve axis or releases the spindle for rotating only the spindle about its longitudinal axis relative to the sleeve.
The spindle rotates partially about the centerline of the sleeve when locked with the sleeve whereby the object being ground is eccentrically rotated in a radial spiral motion when the handle is pivoted. When the axial guide flange is angularly positioned the object being ground moves simultaneously forward or rearward and in a radial spiral motion. When the spindle and sleeve are unlocked the object being ground may be rotated only about its own longitudinal axis and positioned to grind subsequent surfaces.


A chamber of a plasma system includes a chamber wall defining a plasma processing area, a substrate supporter configured to support a substrate in the plasma processing area, and a liner located in the plasma processing area and separating the chamber wall from the plasma processing area. A liner for a plasma system and a method for installing a liner to a plasma system are also provided.

In the fabrication of modem semiconductor devices, the deposition of a thin layer on a semiconductor substrate by chemical reaction of gases is one of the primary steps. Such deposition process is referred to generally as chemical-vapor deposition (CVD). Typical thermal CVD processes supply reactive gases to the substrate surface where heat-induced chemical reactions take place to produce a desired layer.
Plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) techniques, on the other hand, promote excitation and/or dissociation of the reactant gases by the application of radio frequency ("RF") energy to a reaction zone near the substrate surface, thereby creating plasma. The high reactivity of the species in the plasma reduces the energy required for a chemical reaction to take place, and thus lowers the temperature required for such CVD processes as compared to conventional thermal CVD processes. These advantages are further exploited by high density plasma (HDP) CVD techniques, in which dense plasma is formed at low vacuum pressures so that the plasma species are even more reactive.

Chamber of plasma system, liner for plasma system and method for installing liner to plasma system

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


To provide a communication terminal capable of selecting a communication interface corresponding to a communicable wireless network without the use of a route determination dedicated packet. A packet generation means 93 generates a packet based on data for receiving a service from a destination device. A control means 94 selects a communication interface 91 from among a plurality of communication interfaces 91, instructs a packet processing means 95 to send a packet generated by the packet generation means 93 to the communication interface 91, and when a response packet for the packet is not input until a timeout determination reference time, selects a different communication interface 91 from the communication interface 91, instructs the packet processing means 95 to send a copy of the packet to the communication interface 91.

Communication interfaces in a plurality of different wireless communication systems are mounted on a communication terminal such as cell phone or Smartphone. For example, a communication interface for wireless Local Area Network (LAN) and a communication interface for Long Term Evolution (LTE) may be mounted on a communication terminal.
Patent Literature 1 describes therein a route control method for transmitting a route search frame to a plurality of routes through which a transmission source device leads to a transmission destination, and determining a route through which the route search frame is earlier received at the transmission destination, a route with a less number of times of retry, or a route with less line loads thereby to determine a route to be used.
Patent Literature 2 describes therein a structure in which a base device and a remote device are provided, the base device transmits a group ID to which the remote device belongs and a unique ID of the remote device and detects the presence of a response signal from the remote device thereby to search a communication route. The group ID to which the remote device belongs and the unique ID of the remote device are input by an operator of the base device, for example.
Patent Literature 3 describes therein a communication device for transmitting a negotiation packet, and when a response for the negotiation packet is not received within a defined period of time, changing a communication condition.

Communication terminal, communication method, and communication program


A method of controlling a drivetrain of a vehicle in which the drivetrain comprises a motor, a transmission with starting gears and a clutch located between the motor and transmission, a manual shift lever, and a control unit, for controlling the transmission and clutch, that communicates with a speed sensor, and an accelerator pedal and shift lever actuation sensors. When starting off from coasting, a starting gear is determined in a manner that can be influenced by the driver via actuating the manual shift lever. To assist the driver, it is checked whether the transmission is in neutral and the clutch is engaged, if the vehicle speed is within a specified speed range. If so, the clutch is disengaged, another gear is engaged, and starting is initiated in combination with situation-dependent clutch engagement and carried out as a function of accelerator pedal actuation, provided the shift lever has not been actuated.

To adapt to the rolling resistance and rolling speed at the time, manual transmissions in some types of motor vehicles, particularly heavy utility vehicles, have more than one starting gear. Accordingly, when starting up from a coasting vehicle situation, the driver is faced with the problem of selecting and engaging the starting gear best suited for the current rolling resistance, determined essentially by the load status and the road inclination, and the current rolling speed.
In this connection the term 'coasting vehicle' is understood to mean a forward movement of the motor vehicle within a speed range above a lower reference speed close to the vehicle's being at rest and below a higher reference speed corresponding to a low driving speed, during which the transmission is in the neutral driving position N and/or the clutch is completely disengaged. Coasting of the vehicle can occur during ordinary driving operation, for example in urban traffic in the form of coasting before reaching a red traffic-light, from which, in the chosen example when the light turns green, it is often desired to accelerate again without the motor vehicle previously having come to rest. But vehicle coasting can also take place from rest, if the motor vehicle is on a downhill stretch and begins rolling when the parking brake or the working brake is released but before a starting gear has already been engaged and/or the clutch engaged.
It is true that with an automated drivetrain of the type mentioned at the beginning, on starting up from the coasting condition in most cases the starting gear to be engaged is determined automatically at least as a function of the current driving or rolling speed and perhaps also of the current deflection path of the accelerator pedal. However, unless at the same time the current load status and/or the road inclination are also determined sufficiently accurately and taken into account when determining the starting gear, the starting gear determined automatically may not be suitable for the actual driving situation at the time. In such a case, in a modern automated drivetrain the possibility exists that the starting gear determination can be influenced by the driver by actuating the manual shift lever, or that the starting gear determination carried out automatically by the transmission control unit can be corrected or changed by the driver by actuating the manual shift lever.
A first drivetrain of this type is described in EP 0 602 685 B1. This known drivetrain also comprises a manual shift lever which, in the upshift direction and in the downshift direction has a respective first or third shift position close to the neutral position and a second or fourth shift position farther away from the neutral position, and which is also provided with at least one pressure switch.
With the drivetrain, if the driving speed is above a specified minimum speed, a movement of the manual shift lever to the first shift position when a gear is engaged brings about a shift to the next-higher gear, provided that in the next-higher gear the rotation speed limits of the drive motor are respected; otherwise, the shift command is ignored. When the transmission is in its neutral position or if at the same time the pressure switch is actuated, then in contrast movement of the manual shift lever to the first shift position initiates a shift to the highest permissible gear. If the measured shift lever is moved to the second shift position, then if the speed is higher than the specified minimum value and a gear is engaged, then provided this is permissible a shift takes place to the second-higher gear or, if necessary, to the next-higher gear. In contrast, if the transmission is in neutral or if the pressure switch is actuated at the same time, movement of the manual shift lever to the second shift position also brings about a shift to the highest permissible gear.
If the manual shift lever is moved to the third shift position, then if the speed is higher than the specified minimum and a gear is engaged, provided that this is acceptable, a shift to the next-lower gear takes place. In contrast, if the transmission is in neutral or if at the same time the pressure switch is actuated, movement of the manual shift lever to the third shift position beings about a shift to the lowest permissible gear. If the manual shift lever is moved to the fourth shift position, then if the speed is higher than the specified minimum speed and a gear is engaged, provided that this is permissible, a shift takes place to the second-lower gear or if necessary to the next-lower gear. If the transmission is in neutral or if at the same time the pressure switch is actuated, then movement of the manual shift lever to the fourth shift position initiates an emergency shift to a still permissible, extreme low gear.
Thus, the known drivetrain offers a number of operating options which, however, can also lead to erroneous operations by the driver. Besides, no distinction is made between vehicle coasting at a relatively low travel speed and an open drivetrain at higher speed. Disadvantageously, the driver is assisted only indirectly when selecting an optimum starting gear, namely in that the engagement of an impermissible gear is prevented.
Another drivetrain of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,458 A. In this drivetrain a manual shift lever is provided, which can be moved in an upshift direction for the manual initiation of an upshift and in a downshift direction for the manual initiation of a downshift. When the transmission is shifted to its neutral position and the current driving speed is above a specified minimum reference speed, a "start from vehicle coasting" operating mode is activated, in which a single movement of the manual shift lever in the upshift direction brings about the engagement of an automatically determined gear appropriate for the travel speed at the time.
If the drivetrain comprises a clutch that can be actuated by the driver by means of a clutch pedal, for this function a signal from an actuation sensor that indicates the disengaged condition of the clutch must also be present. Thus, in selecting the appropriate starting gear the driver is assisted directly, but has to actuate the manual shift lever for this. Since the starting gear is automatically determined only as a function of the current travel speed, this preselected starting gear may not be appropriate and this may sometimes call for corrective action by the driver in the form of further manual shift lever operations. In the case of this drivetrain too, no distinction is made between a vehicle coasting at relatively low speed and a disengaged drivetrain at higher speed.

Method for controlling a drive train of a motor vehicle


Disclosed are an facilitating debugging electronic device, system and method, reasonably integrates the power-supply interface and the signal interface of the electronic device, matches the conventional output end of the electronic device with the master device, realizes the debugging of electronic devices including semi-finished products of PACKAGE (SMD)/PCBA/COB modules and electronic products, partly overcomes the technical problem of the increase of product volume and cost, which caused by setting different interfaces on electronic devices for various testing, burning and correcting purposes. The present disclosure also partly realizes the debugging of electronic devices with fewer external interfaces, which contributes to the miniaturization of electronic devices such as semi-finished products of PACKAGE (SMD)/PCBA/COB modules and electronic products, and guarantees the quality of electronic products by implementing the waterproof, dustproof and pleasing design of the housing structure of devices and achieves economic and social benefits.

Debugging: testing and/or adjusting machines, instruments and the like.
During the mass production of electronic products (includes finished electronic devices and semi-finished electronic devices of PACKAGE (SMD)/PCBA/COB stage), various, diversified and multistage testing and burning, setting, correcting are demanded.
In the existing art, common debugging methods include:
1. Connect the electronic device to be tested to a testing host through a reserved testing/correcting interface of an electronic device, and then work the corresponding testing program on the testing host. Such method requires reserved testing/correcting interfaces on the electronic devices, and therefore part of the interface resource and product area are occupied, which may increase the cost and not beneficial to the miniaturization of electronic products at the same time.
2. Reserved testing/correcting interfaces may be shared with other I/O interfaces sometimes, for fully utilizing interface resource and reduce the cost of electronic products. However, because of the variety and diversification of product applications, I/O interfaces are required to be connected to a variety of electronic components, the sharing manner of the reserved testing/correction interface and other I/O interfaces of the electronic device may be easily interfered by the external circuit, which may further influence the electric property of the reserved testing/correcting interface.

Facilitating debugging electronic device, system and method thereof


A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a metallic article involve providing a non-metallic feedstock, for example in the form of an oxide of a desired metal or a mixture of oxides of the components of a desired metal alloy. A manufacturing apparatus has a reduction apparatus for electrochemically reducing the feedstock to a metallic product and a processor for converting the metallic product to a metallic powder. The powder is fed into an additive-manufacturing apparatus for fabricating the metallic article from the metallic powder. At least the reduction apparatus and the processor, and preferably also the additive-manufacturing apparatus, are collocated, or located in the same container, or in the same building, or on the same site.

Titanium is conventionally commercially manufactured using the Kroll and Hunter processes. These processes are carried out at very large scale, are energy intensive and involve the use of polluting materials, such as chlorine. The product of both processes is a solid mass of titanium sponge, and substantial further cost and energy consumption is required to fabricate titanium or titanium alloy articles from the titanium sponge, using consolidation, remelting and machining processes.
It is instructive to consider the ratio between the mass of titanium sponge that has to be manufactured using the Kroll or Hunter process to the mass of titanium which is used in a finished product made from that titanium sponge. (Titanium or titanium alloy components are often specified for use in aeroplanes because of the high strength and low density of titanium, and so the skilled person sometimes refers to the ratio mentioned above as the "buy-to-fly" ratio.) The ratio is typically between 3:1 and 10:1. The wasted material is typically lost during machining, and has an undesirably-high oxygen content, such that it cannot easily be recycled. The high "buy-to-fly" ratio is an important factor in the high cost of conventional titanium manufactured articles, and the undesirably-high embedded energy in those articles.
Although these considerations are described here with reference to titanium and titanium alloys, similar problems arise in the fabrication of articles made from other metals.
There is therefore a technical and commercial need for an alternative approach to the fabrication of metal articles such as titanium and titanium alloy articles.

Manufacturing apparatus comprising collocated reduction apparatus, processor and additive-manufacturing apparatus


A multilayer capacitor has a capacitor element, inner electrodes arranged within the capacitor element, and first to fourth terminal electrodes. Electrode parts of the first to fourth terminal electrodes cover ridges formed between first and third side faces, first and fourth side faces, second and third side faces, and second and fourth side faces. The capacitor element has an element part. The element part is formed such as to overlap the electrode parts when seen in a second and a third directions and keep away from respective areas about the electrode parts when seen in a first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer capacitor.
2 . Related Background Art
Known as this kind of multilayer capacitor is one comprising an element body made of a dielectric material, a plurality of inner electrodes formed within the element body, and a plurality of terminal electrodes formed on the element body (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-148174).


A printed circuit board unbalanced dipole antenna is provided for a wireless communications device. Digital and/or transceiver circuits are mounted on first portion of the printed circuit board that is positioned within a main body of a chassis of the device. A radiator is formed from a printed conductive line overlying a circuit board dielectric layer of a second portion of the printed circuit board. The printed conductive line has a first end for connection to the digital and/or transceiver circuits via a transmission line, and a second un-terminated end. The circuit board dielectric layer is positioned with an antenna section of the chassis that extends outward from the main body of the chassis. To shorten the overall length of the antenna, the printed conductive line is an alternating pattern of a plurality of first sections with a first orientation and a plurality of second sections with a second orientation. The printed conductive line may be formed on a single side of the dielectric layer, or alternatively, on a first and second side of the dielectric layer and electrically connected by a plurality of vias.

The size of portable wireless communications devices, such as telephones, continues to shrink, even as more functionality is added. As a result, the designers must increase the performance of components or device subsystems while reducing their size, or placing these components in less desirable locations. One such critical component is the wireless communications antenna. This antenna may be connected to a telephone transceiver, for example, or a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.
Wireless communications devices, a wireless telephone or laptop computer with a wireless transponder for example, are known to use simple cylindrical coil antennas as either the primary or secondary communication antennas. The resonance frequency of the antenna is responsive to its electrical length, which forms a portion of the operating frequency wavelength. The electrical length of a wireless device helical antenna is often an odd multiple of a quarter-wavelength, such as 3.lambda./4, 5.lambda./4, or .lambda./4, where .lambda. is the wavelength of the operating frequency, and the effective wavelength is responsive to the dielectric constant of the proximate dielectric.
Wireless telephones can operate in a number of different frequency bands. In the US, the cellular band (AMPS), at around 850 megahertz (MHz), and the PCS (Personal Communication System) band, at around 1900 MHz, are used. Other frequency bands include the PCN (Personal Communication Network) at approximately 1800 MHz, the GSM system (Groupe Speciale Mobile) at approximately 900 MHz, and the JDC (Japanese Digital Cellular) at approximately 800 and 1500 MHz. Other bands of interest are global positioning satellite (GPS) signals at approximately 1575 MHz and Bluetooth at approximately 2400 MHz.
Typically, better communication results are achieved using a whip antenna, as opposed to the above-mentioned helical antennas. Using a wireless telephone as an example, it is typical to use a combination of a helical and a whip antenna. In the standby mode with the whip antenna withdrawn, the wireless device uses the stubby, lower gain helical coil to maintain control channel communications. When a traffic channel is initiated (the phone rings), the user has the option of extending the higher gain whip antenna. Some devices combine the helical and whip antennas. Other devices disconnect the helical antenna when the whip antenna is extended.
The whip antenna has a physical length, when extended, related to the antenna operating frequency. When withdrawn, the whip antenna must fit within the constraints of the wireless device chassis. Therefore, as the wireless device chassis decreases in size, the extended length of conventional whip antennas has necessarily decreased. A shorter whip antenna can be made to operate at the same frequency as longer whip antennas by using higher dielectric constant materials in the antenna fabrication. However, the use of higher dielectric constants makes for a lower gain antenna, and a poorer performing wireless device.
One popular solution to the above-mentioned length problem has been to fabricate the whip antenna as a wire with a telescoping tube section. When the antenna is withdrawn, the wire section is withdrawn into the tube, with the tube being withdrawn into the chassis. When extended, the combination of the wire and tube section defines the antenna length.
Many wireless telephones that are noted for their small size still have a whip antenna portion extending from the chassis body, even in the withdrawn position. This extending portion can become tangled in a trouser pocket or purse as the user extracts the phone to answer a call. One solution to this problem is to wear a belt-mounted holster to carry the phone, or to mount a belt clip on the phone. However, this solution at least partially defeats the purpose of making the phone small enough to be pocketsize.
It is known to use a portion of a circuit board, such as a dc power bus, as an electromagnetic radiator. This solution eliminates the problem of an antenna extending from the chassis body. However, these radiators are extremely inefficient "antennas", typically providing poor gain and directionality. These types of radiators are also susceptible to crosstalk from other signals on the board. Further, these types of radiators can also propagate signals that interfere with digital or radio frequency (RF) on the circuit board. Electromagnetic communications through these radiators can also be shielded by other circuits, circuit groundplanes, the chassis, or other circuit boards in the chassis.
It would be advantageous if an efficient antenna could be developed that did not extend out from the chassis body of a wireless phone, as a typical whip antenna does in the withdrawn position.
It would be advantageous if a wireless telephone chassis could be made with minimal extending portions, such as the extending portions resulting from the housing of antennas.
It would be advantageous if an efficient antenna could be formed on a wireless telephone circuit board.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Printed stubby unbalanced dipole antenna


A method and system to improve scanner throughput is provided. An image from a reticle is projected onto a substrate using a continuous linear scanning procedure in which an entire column of die or cells of die is scanned continuously, i.e. without stepping to a different location. Each scan includes translating a substrate with respect to a fixed beam. While the substrate is translated, the reticle is also translated. When a first die or cell of die is projected onto the substrate, the reticle translates along a direction opposite the scan direction and as the scan continues along the same direction, the reticle then translates in the opposite direction of the substrate thereby forming an inverted pattern on the next die or cell. The time associated with exposing the substrate is minimized as the stepping operation only occurs after a complete column of cells is scanned.

Scanners are photolithography tools used to form patterns on substrates such as semiconductor substrates, i.e. wafers. Scanners are considered a type of stepper and are used to create millions of microscopic circuit elements on the substrate surface. A die or chip typically includes millions of these microscopic circuit elements that combine to form an integrated circuit or other semiconductor device. Each substrate includes hundreds or even thousands of individual die.
The microscopic circuit elements that combine to form an integrated circuit or other semiconductor device, are produced in a pattern of transparent and opaque areas on the surface of a quartz plate called a reticle. The scanner passes light through the reticle, projecting an image of the reticle pattern onto the substrate. The image is focused and reduced by a lens and projected onto the surface of the substrate that is coated with a photosensitive material called photoresist. The reticle may include one die or chip, or it may include a cell of multiple die, as its exposure field. The multiple die that combine to form the cell that appears on the reticle, may be the same die or the die may differ from one another. In steppers, the image of the reticle is projected onto the substrate during the exposure operation which includes exposing the entire exposure field during each exposure "shot". The exposure field may include an individual die or cell of multiple die, as above. A scanner does not expose the entire field at once but rather exposes the substrate through an exposure slit that is generally at least as wide as the exposure field, but only a fraction of its length. The stage holding the substrate is translated relative to the fixed exposure slit so that the entire exposure is projected from the reticle onto the substrate as the beam scans across the die and the substrate. Subsequent manufacturing operations such as developing, form a photomask out of the photoresist material after the image from the exposure field of the reticle has been projected onto the photoresist. The photomask is used in subsequent processing operations.
A substrate typically includes the individual die or chips arranged in columns and rows. The operation of patterning an entire substrate to produce hundreds or thousands of die that are arranged in the rows and columns, is a time-consuming operation. This time-consuming operation must be carried out at multiple device levels in the sequence of fabrication operations used to form an integrated circuit or other semiconductor device.
It would therefore be advantageous to reduce the time required to expose an entire substrate using a scanner.

Enhanced scanner throughput system and method


An improved image sensing wheel alignment system for calculating vehicle wheel alignments having a detector array for receiving an input image containing vehicle wheel alignment information. An image sensor controller controls the detector array to receive the input image during an acquisition period, the image sensor controller examining signals from the image detecting elements individually at a plurality of times during the acquisition period to determine exposure levels for image detecting elements. An output image from the image detecting elements at the end of the acquisition period contains wheel alignment information for use in calculating vehicle wheel alignments.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vehicle wheel alignment systems and, more particularly, to image sensors and processors that are used to determine the angles of vehicle wheels and the distances between vehicle wheels.
2. Related Art
Aligning vehicle wheels within specific tolerances is important for optimal control of the vehicle and for consistent wear of the tires. Alignment is performed primarily by adjusting camber, caster, toe, and steering axis inclination. As part of calculating the alignment angles for the vehicle, the angles of the wheels must be determined. The angles can be determined relative to an external reference, such as found in machine vision systems, or relative to the other wheels, such as found in wheel-mounted systems. It is known that these angles can be measured using an electro-optical transducer that incorporates a solid state detector array. In the case of machine vision systems, the detector array may have multiple columns and rows forming an area to capture a two-dimensional image, and in the case of wheel-mounted systems, the detector array may only need to be linear, having a single row with as few as two receptor elements. (In the present application, an "element" may include one or more pixels.) In either case, the image on the detector must be analyzed meticulously so that accurate alignment angles can be calculated.
Wheel-mounted alignment systems typically have sensor heads on each wheel of the vehicle, and each sensor head has an emitter and a receiver that works in combination with at least one other sensor head along the vehicle's sides and across the vehicle. The receiver units may have photodiodes as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,104 or a charge coupled device (CCD) as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,018,853 and 5,519,489, and the emitter units may have a single source as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,302,104 and 5,018,853 or multiple sources as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,471. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. Angles and distances are calculated according to the positions of the spots or lines that are detected by the linear arrays.
Machine vision alignment systems typically use a solid state camera with an array detector mounted some distance away from the vehicle to obtain an image of a wheel mounted target. The target incorporates an accurately reproduced pattern that has known control features, as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,750, incorporated herein by reference. The position of the features in the image are found and the orientation of the wheel can be calculated by well known algorithms. Some machine vision systems do not use a predefined target but identify particular geometric features on the wheel or tire, such as raised lettering or the circular wheel rim, and use characteristics of the geometric features, such as area, height, width, centoid, corner location, etc., to determine positions and orientations. Co-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/439,153, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses such a system.
In wheel alignment systems, the imaging requirements are somewhat different than a standard camera. Very precise measurements are preferably made at a rate of at least 2 Hz. on static or very nearly static scenes. (Of course, sampling frequencies even slower than 2 Hz could also be used.) This requires stable, low-noise images that have excellent focus and contrast. The accuracy of the measurement depends on the precision with which edges, centroids, corners, lines or boundaries can be determined. Methods for analyzing the image must take into account the possible sources of inaccuracy and compensate for them. To obtain these images, current wheel alignment systems use analog receivers that cannot be integrated onto an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) with the image processor or the analog to digital converter.
CCD technology has become the dominant method for constructing the solid state receiver arrays. While many alignment systems have been made using CCD elements, the detector has some characteristics that are not ideal for a robust economical product. The CCD element is an expensive component that requires additional support electronics to create a digital output for processing or imaging. It requires a number of timing and control signals as inputs, many of which require different voltages. Supply voltages, clock phases and control signals must be carefully controlled so that extraneous electrical noise is not introduced into the system. The analog output of the CCD element must be converted to a digital format using a separate amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter.
The pixel structure of a CCD element also makes it susceptible to blooming. When light falls on each pixel, photons are converted to electrons which accumulate in the active area of the pixel. If the light is intense or the amount of time the electrons are allowed to accumulate is long, the capacity of the pixel structure to hold the charge will be exceeded. The charge then spills into adjacent pixels and blooming occurs. Most CCD elements have some form of anti-blooming control which minimizes the problem, but it cannot be fully prevented.
There are essentially three different types of CCD structures which may be used in wheel alignment systems, and each type has particular disadvantages. The interline transfer CCD structure has alternating rows or columns of pixels and collectors resulting in a low fill factor and making it susceptible to distortion. Between each row or column of pixels is a row or column for shifting the pixel charge, thereby reducing the photosensitive area to a small percentage of the sensor's total area. This low fill factor may distort intensity profiles, thereby increasing the possibility in machine vision systems that edges and centroids of objects in the image are improperly located. The full frame CCD structure has a high fill factor but requires an external shutter to control the integration time of the device. The extra cost and complexity of the shutter is detrimental for an economical system. A frame transfer CCD structure does not require a shutter and can have very high fill factors but can be susceptible to creating image smear since the exposure is controlled by shifting the entire image into a light protected storage area after the integration time period has elapsed. The shifting process takes place one line at a time so the last line into storage has been shifted through every other line position on the image. The shift is not instantaneous so some new charge is collected with every shift until the light protected area is reached. This smear effect is not usually a problem if the image transfer time is a small fraction of the total integration time. Where system cost is an issue, high frame rates are not possible and the effects of smear must be considered.
Additionally, with all CCD elements, it is not possible to address an individual pixel for read out. If the object of interest only occupies a small portion of the image, it is necessary to read out the entire image before the object can be analyzed. The lack of sub-array read out capability imposes a speed penalty on the system.
As evident from the above discussion, the use of a CCD for an image sensor puts some burdens on the wheel alignment system in terms of electronic design considerations. The result of these restrictions is increased system cost and loss of flexibility.
There are other imagers on the market that address some of these problems. For example, CMOS imagers are available that address some of the blooming problems.
Current CMOS imagers generally have two types of electronic shutter control or exposure control. Both of these types specify the exposure for the entire array with the goal of trying to keep the exposure uniform across the array. The first type is commonly referred to as a snap shot mode or still mode. This mode is generally used to acquire a single image at a time. In this mode the imager array is initially reset (pixel wells are cleared of all charge), then the imager array is allowed to integrate light and accumulate charge for a period of time, then the imager array is clocked out.
The disadvantage of these snap shot modes is the array is active and still integrating while being clocked out. This can cause a general intensity gradient across the image which is undesirable. At additional cost and complexity a mechanical shutter can be used to block the light during the clock out stage. Alternately a light source (flash) can be turned on during the integration phase to increase the light level, then turned off during the clock out phase to reduce the effect of integrating light during the clock out phase.
The second general exposure mode is referred to as video mode, or rotating shutter, or continuous shutter. This mode is generally used for continuous video applications. In this mode the exposure is controlled on a row-by-row basis. In order to describe how these modes work, it is helpful to first define the term "row time" which is the time required to clock out a single row. By way of illustration, assume an imager specifies its exposure in increments of row times. First the entire imager array is placed in a reset state. Then starting at the top of the imager, the first row is allowed to integrate for a specified number of row times. Meanwhile, after one row time has expired, the second row is allowed to start integrating. After another row time has expired the third row is allow to start integrating and this continues down the array. Now when the specified integration time has expired for the first row, it is then clocked out, and then reset. Immediately thereafter the second row is clocked out then reset and this continues down the array where the operation then wraps back around to the top and continues. One way to think of this mode is to visualize an exposure window (where the array is integrating) that travels from the top of the array to the bottom and then rotates around back to the top, and the row following the exposure window is clocked out and reset until the exposure window wraps back around.
The rotating shutter mode has an advantage over snap shot mode in that the pixels are only exposed for the specified integration time so there is not additional unwanted light as with snap shot mode. The disadvantage of rotating shutter mode is if something moves in the scene, there will be a discontinuity in the image because the bottom pixels are being integrated at a different time than the top pixels. Also there is a maximum limit to the integration time that is dependent on the size of the image being acquired and the desired frame rate. The integration time can be expanded by specifying a larger image or by adding more blanking time between frames, but this slows down the overall frame rate. The other disadvantage of the rotation shutter is when a camera wants to acquire a single frame, the software has to wait for the next top of frame before acquiring the image. Additionally if using external lighting, the lights have to be turned on when the first row is being integrated and left on until the entire array has been clocked out. This can be difficult to coordinate and typically the lights are on longer than would be required for a similar exposure in snap shot mode. The brighter lights can be irritating to the user of the camera system.
Recently, a paper by Acosta-Serafini, P. M.; Masaki, I.; Sodini, C. G. ("A ⅓" VGA Linear Wide Dynamic Range CMOS Image Sensor Implementing a Predictive Multiple Sampling Algorithm with Overlapping Integration Intervals", IEEE 2003 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, pp. 485ff.) described a method where the integration time of a pixel or group of pixels can be controlled individually. This is quite different from what is described above. The paper describes a technique for finding and controlling optimum integration time at each pixel site. The goal of the paper was to produce a high dynamic range imager. The technique for controlling the exposure at individual pixel sites is to basically hold some pixels in a reset state longer than others. So the overall exposure time is dictated by the pixel that requires the longest exposure, the other pixels are controlled to limit their exposure time by holding them in reset longer so their integration time is a fraction of the overall time.
In the paper, the total integration time is divided into integration slots of different duration, which are temporally arranged to have a common ending with the longest integration slot matching the total integration time. At the (potential) beginning of each integration slot (in the total integration interval), a pixel check occurs for each pixel. If saturation is predicted, the pixel is reset and allowed to integrate for a shorter period of time (the next integration slot). If saturation is predicted not to happen, the pixel is allowed to integrate for the remainder of the current integration slot. For any given pixel that has predicted saturation (i.e., over-exposure by the end of the total integration interval), the pixel check is repeated at the start of the next integration slot. So a given pixel can be reset numerous times during the total integration interval, if needed to keep that pixel from over-saturating.
The pixel site and A/D portion of the imaging device in said paper basically has a fixed dynamic range. Adjusting the exposures at individual exposure sites can increase the effective dynamic range of the device. In this fashion the resolution of the integration time is added to the resolution of the A/D converter. As a result, dim areas of the scene can be amplified by increasing the integration time so the full resolution of the pixel and A/D converter can be used. For bright areas of the scene, the integration time can be likewise reduced.
This technique could also be applied to produce an apparent logarithmic response to the imager. The pixel site response is basically linear but the brightness and integration time values for each pixel can be directly mapped to single logarithmic brightness values, which more closely emulates the human eye. Of course, other mathematical responses (such as a polynominal curve response) can also be implemented in a similar manner using the present invention.
In addition to the system disclosed in said paper, there is at least one imager with wide dynamic range that extends to very dim images. The imager sold under the trade designation HDRC by IMS Vision of Stuttgart, Germany has such capabilities. That imager is said to be capable of sensing over illumination levels of between 0.001 lux and 500,000 lux. It is a CMOS imager recommended for e.g., vehicle mounted cameras, welding and furnace monitoring, surveillance, vehicle night vision sensors, and security cameras.
Outside the CMOS area, there are other potential approaches. For example, there is a CCD chip sold by Fuji under the trade designation SuperCCD SR that has two separate photo detectors at each pixel site. One photo detector has much lower sensitivity than the other. This structure provides a way to discriminate between light and dark areas of the scene, without unnecessarily losing detail in either area.
Conventionally, image sensor wheel alignment systems use retroreflective targets mounted to the wheel tire assemblies, in combination with strobe lighting surrounding the imagers to help identify the regions of interest in the scene and to measure the relevant orientations of the targets. Retroreflective targets are, however, relatively expensive, while the strobe lighting can prove aggravating to the technician using the system.
There exists, therefore, room for improvement.


Disclosed are a hook re-entry prevention device and a recording medium, in which a program for executing the method thereof in a computer is recorded thereon. A state information management module sets or releases a state information flag which indicates whether a hook function is called. If the state information flag is set when the hook function is called, a re-entry prevention module determines that the calling of the hook function has been conducted from the inside of a hook layer and returns a value to a system layer. According to the present invention, an entry/breakaway layer which is independent from the hook layer functions in such a manner that the hook layer is safely isolated from the hook, thereby preventing hook re-entry caused by the callback of an original function of a lower function while a hook routine within the hook layer is performed during a dynamic API hooking.

API hooks collectively refer to techniques that bypass the call flow of a function to another location through specific manipulation with regard to a general API call process. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a basic call structure, and an API filtering process based on a hook. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a hook function B intervenes in a process in which a target function C is called by an original function A. A hook layer that is introduced in order to fully realize the hook technique should not be influenced by a hook.
The ideal structure of a hook layer, such as that shown in FIG. 3, should provide support so that hook and substitution/filtering processing can be performed in connection with a plurality of functions. The hook layer itself should not be influenced by the hook. In order to support such a structure, a hook layer should not use a hook target API, or should clearly know addresses used to call hook target API original functions and selectively call a hook API and an original API as desired. When the hook layer does not use the hook target API, an operation inside the hook layer has nothing to do with an API hook. However, it is not easy to prevent the hook layer from using the hook target API. That is, the case in which the hook layer does not use the hook target API is possible only when there is no direct connection between the hook target API and a run time binary for a lower original function. Accordingly, since it is necessary to implement an emulator for supporting program operation on a heterogeneous OS platform or the form of emulating a hook API, this scheme is not suitable for the implementation of a hook layer.
For the above-described reason, a conventional implementation is made such that a hook layer manages addresses used to call hook target API original functions. Additionally, the hook layer is prevented from being influenced by the hook by additionally using auxiliary methods. Here, the programming scheme for implementing a hook layer in the form of managing addresses used to call hook target API original functions varies depending on the technique of the API hook. First, there is a method of performing no hook on modules that belong to a hook layer and lower layers by performing a hook exception on a unit runtime module, such as *.exe or *.dll, that belongs to the hook layer when a function address that is called by an API caller, such as an IAT hook, is modified. A condition that is required in this method is that runtime modules that belong to a hook layer should be accurately identified. Next, there is a method of configuring a hook layer by causing all runtime modules belonging to a hook layer to know addresses used to call the original functions of a hook target API and to call appropriate addresses at a program step. In this method, all runtime modules that belong to the hook layer should know the accurate list and addresses of APIs in which hooks are being performed.
However, in reality, there is a problem in that it is not easy to implement management/programming that can fulfill requirements for configuration of an ideal hook layer. As an example, when module-based exception handling is performed, there is a strong possibility of a runtime module that is made to belong to a hook layer because of the extension of functionality not being fixed. For this reason, a problem with the configuration and update management of the hook layer is inevitably magnified. Furthermore, since the information of an exception module based on the configuration of an OS and the configuration of main and lower versions may be added, the verification of the patches of an OS becomes very important. Meanwhile, the scheme for directly calling the addresses of an original API is problematic in that it is difficult to provide support to a module, the modification of the source of which is impossible, such as a third party module inside the hook layer, and, in particular, in that a program becomes complicated in proportion to the number of hook target APIs.
In order to solve the above problem, exception handling has been hitherto performed using the path of a file image, the pattern of a file image and the pattern of the issuer of an electronic signature depending on the decision of a developer. In this case, the burden of accurate list management is reduced, but the burden of the addition of a new module and the burden of the management of a list of a third-party module and the lower layer modules of a hook layer still remain.

Hook re-entry prevention device and recording medium, in which program for executing method thereof in computer is recorded thereon


In one set of embodiments, a storage system can execute a repair process for a first component of a file or object stored on the storage system, where the repair process is initiated in response to the first component becoming inaccessible by the storage system, and where the file or object is split across a plurality of components including the first component. The executing can include, for each chunk in an address space of the first component starting from an initial chunk pointed to by a cursor: (1) determining whether the chunk is mapped to the first component, (2) if the chunk is mapped to the first component, copying data for the chunk from a mirror copy of the first component to a second component in the plurality of components, and (3) updating the cursor to point to a next chunk in the address space.

RAID-F is a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) storage scheme that enables a file or object to be split (i.e., striped) across multiple storage devices/nodes of a storage system in a flexible manner. In a scenario where a file/object is striped via RAID-F, it is possible for one of the striped portions (referred to herein as a "component") to become unavailable for some period of time. This may occur due to, e.g., a software or hardware failure at the storage device/node where that component is stored. When this happens, a RAID-F component repair process is typically carried out that replicates the data in the unavailable component to one or more other available components. However, in certain cases this repair process can fail before it completes, which can require a significant amount of system resources to handle.

Efficient handling of RAID-F component repair failures


For the manufacture of a dry preform intended for reinforcing a composite structural member of an aircraft, a digitally controlled automatic machine similar to an embroidery machine deposits and stitches successive layers of continuous reinforcing fibres. In each layer the fibres are oriented and distributed according to a predetermined scheme. A preform is obtained having a predetermined three-dimensional shape in which the reinforcing fibres are distributed and oriented an in optimum manner.

In the field of aircraft construction, composite structural members are widely used which have a matrix of thermosetting resin acting as a binder for elongate reinforcing elements. The reinforcing elements are customarily parallel tapes of continuous filaments (or tows) of carbon fibre that are held by a line of stitching so as to form sheets which are cut to size and placed, superposed, in a moulding fixture which is then covered with a vacuum bag and introduced into an autoclave, applying temperature and pressure such as to bring about the polymerization of a thermosetting resin. In some cases sheets of parallel carbon fibres pre-impregnated with resin are used. In other cases sheets that are not pre-impregnated are used, being superposed in the dry state on the moulding fixture, and in the vacuum bag a measured amount of resin is previously arranged which, in the autoclave, permeates the sheets of fibre and polymerizes. This latter technique is known in the art as resin film infusion or resin transfer moulding in the case where use is made of a closed fixture with resin injection for polymerization in an autoclave.
Both the above-mentioned methods give unsatisfactory results when the structural member has a complex three-dimensional shape, particularly when it has curvatures in two non-parallel planes. This is because in order to adapt the sheets to the curved moulding fixture on which they are superposed it is difficult, if not impossible, to arrange the carbon fibres, which are parallel and adjacent in each sheet, according to the course (curve) of the fixture. As a result, the fibres are not oriented according to the curvilinear development of the structural member, and therefore are not oriented according to the maximum stress to which the structural member will be subjected in practice. It is further necessary to avoid the sheets of fibres forming wrinkles or areas that are excessively stretched and thinned out, or that have slits, since this produces a discontinuity or interruption of the path of the stresses that the fibres must withstand in practice.
Some techniques have been proposed (curved braiding, overbraiding) which make it possible to obtain three-dimensional solids (termed "dry preforms" in the art) constituted by fibres with curvilinear or radial orientation, but these techniques are suitable only for producing components of constant thickness. Furthermore, the formation of a dry preform on a curved mandrel is disadvantageous, since the preform must be manipulated and transferred together with the mandrel, otherwise the shape imparted may be lost.

Method for the manufacture of a dry reinforcing preform for a composite structural member of an aircraft


A lamp adjuster for adjusting the aim of a headlamp is disclosed. The lamp adjuster includes an input shaft, a ball stud bracket in threaded engagement with the input shaft and an o-ring mounted on the ball stud bracket. Rotation of the input shaft causes linear translation of the ball stud bracket, thereby adjusting the aim of the lamp.

This invention relates generally to adjuster mechanisms for lamp assemblies. Specifically, this invention relates to a sliding headlamp adjuster mechanism for use in motor vehicles.
In traditional sealed beam style headlamps, the lamp's aim is adjusted by rotating one or more screws that hold the frame of the lamp to the vehicle. Such adjustment is made from the front of the vehicle by inserting a screwdriver or the like between the lamp frame and the vehicle trim and turning the screws to alter the orientation of the lamp and effectuate the desired adjustment. As the design of motor vehicles has evolved, headlamps have continually been reconfigured to improve the aerodynamics and styling of the front end of the vehicle. Modern headlamps are designed so that their lenses follow the contour of the vehicle to provide an aerodynamically efficient exterior surface. Adjustment of these headlamps must still be performed in order to provide an optimal beam of light and to prevent the aiming of light beams toward oncoming vehicles. Such adjustment is made by moving a reflector within the lamp assembly so that light is directed in the desired manner. Automotive manufacturers' demand for aerodynamically efficient headlamp designs has lead to modular designs where the headlamp adjustment mechanism is located within the interior of the engine compartment and positioned such that adjustment can be easily performed without removing any trim pieces. Thus, the constraints of the installation area and the demands of the automobile manufacturers for aerodynamic headlamp designs dictate the location from which adjustment must be made.
There are many adjuster devices designed for use in connection with aerodynamic headlight designs including, among others, the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,707,133 and 5,214,971 to Burton. Modern automotive headlamp assemblies typically include several basic parts: a housing or support frame, a reflector, a lens, a bulb, and one or more adjusters. The support frame houses the reflector and the bulb on a pivotable mounting to allow the aim of the light to be adjusted using the adjusters and provides a mounting surface for attaching adjusters. The lens seals the front of the support frame to protect it from the elements assailing the front end of the vehicle and provides an aerodynamic shape and attractive appearance. The reflector mounts on one fixed ball joint and is adjustable horizontally and vertically using adjusters that interface with the reflector through moving ball joints. The moving ball joints are moved by actuating the adjusters connected to the moving ball joints by a ball stud. Geared angle style adjusters, such as the ones disclosed in the referenced Burton patents, are often used to adjust the aim of the headlamp. However, such devices are designed to allow adjustment of the headlamp from a location behind the assembly, typically from within the engine compartment and immediately behind and above the lamp assembly. Accordingly, such devices cannot be effectively used in vehicles where the area immediately behind and above the lamp assembly is not accessible. One such vehicle design is shown in FIG. 1. In that design, the vehicle fender 23 covers the headlamp assembly 24 rendering the area behind and above the assembly substantially inaccessible without removal of the fender 23 of the vehicle. The area below the headlamp assembly 24 is similarly inaccessible because of the bumper 25 and other vehicle components. Thus, existing geared angle style headlamp adjusters have not been found to be effective for use in such vehicle designs.
Conventionally in a vehicle such as the one shown in FIG. 1, a sealed beam style headlamp is used. However, due to consumer and vehicle manufacturer styling preferences and performance objectives, it is desirable to use a reflector style headlamp in such vehicles. The conventional method for adjusting sealed beam lamps cannot be used to adjust a reflector style lamp and the area immediately above and behind the lamp is inaccessible such that a conventional geared angle style adjuster cannot be used. Thus, headlamp adjusters have been developed that can be used in connection with a vehicle design where the area behind and above the lamp assembly is substantially inaccessible and the use of a reflector style lamp is desired. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,850 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0002290, both to Burton, disclose a sliding style headlamp adjuster that can be used in connection with such vehicle designs. While the Burton adjusters are very effective for this purpose and serve some applications very well, they can be more expensive to manufacture and install than is desired for other applications. In particular, some applications require a minimum number of pieces to assemble, inexpensive and lightweight materials, and a minimum number of assembly steps.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved lamp adjuster that solves these and other deficiencies in the prior art. Of course, the present invention may be used in a multitude of situations where similar performance capabilities are required.


Techniques are provided for detecting natural electrical coherence within the heart and for administering or adjusting therapy based upon whether natural electrical coherence is detected. In one example, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), upon detecting atrial fibrillation, delays administering an atrial defibrillation pulse until a period of natural electrical coherence is detected between the left and the right atria of the heart. The ICD may further delay the pulse until the ventricles of the heart are refractory so as to help prevent triggering ventricular fibrillation. The pulses are administered at a time selected based upon the period of electrical coherence to reduce the amount of electrical energy required within the pulse to reliably defibrillate the heart. Other types of therapy besides defibrillation therapy such as anti-tachycardia pacing pulses may also be timed based upon detection periods of natural electrical coherence. Method and apparatus embodiments are described.

The invention generally relates to techniques for analyzing the electrical activity of the heart and for administering electrical therapy to the heart.
Atrial fibrillation (xe2x80x9cAFxe2x80x9d) is a heart arrhythmia wherein the atria of the heart beat chaotically thereby providing generally poor conduction of blood into the ventricles of the heart and hence reducing the flow of blood throughout the body. AF, by itself, is typically not fatal. However, AF has been shown to lead to long term health problems such as increased risk of thrombolytic stroke. AF can also cause reduced cardiac efficiency, irregular ventricular rhythm and unpleasant symptoms such as palpitations and shortness of breath.
Hence, it is highly desirable to terminate AF. One technique for terminating AF is to administer an electrical cardioversion pulse to the atria of the heart. The cardioversion pulse, if successful, terminates the chaotic pulsing of the atria and causes the atria to resume a normal beating pattern. In an attempt to insure success, the amount of electrical energy in the cardioversion pulse is set to an amount greater than an atrial defibrillation threshold (xe2x80x9cDFTxe2x80x9d) which represents the minimum amount of energy that typically needs to be applied to the heart to terminate AF. The atrial DFT may vary from patient to patient. To determine the atrial DFT for a particular patient, AF is typically induced within the patient, then cardioversion pulses of varying strengths are applied to determine an amount of energy that can reliably defibrillate the atria of the particular patient.
Patients prone to AF may have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (xe2x80x9cICDxe2x80x9d) implanted therein capable of detecting AF and automatically administering one or more cardioversion pulses to terminate the AF. The atrial DFT for the patient is programmed into the ICD so that a controller of the ICD can determine the appropriate amount of electrical energy to administer within each cardioversion pulse. Typically, about two joules of energy is administered within each pulse. A typical ICD is also capable of detecting a wide variety of other heart disrythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation (VF), and for administering appropriate therapy as well. For VF, the ICD administers a stronger defibrillation pulse sufficient to overcome a ventricular DFT, on the order of ten to twelve joules of electrical energy, directly to the ventricles of the heart.
Although cardioversion pulses have been found to be effective for terminating AF and other atrial tachyarrhythmias within many patients, the cardioversion pulses can be quite painful to the patient. One reason the cardioversion pulses are painful is that the patient is typically conscious and alert at the time the pulse is administered. In contrast, the much stronger defibrillation pulse for terminating VF is typically not administered until the patient has lost consciousness and hence the patient may feel only residual chest pain upon being revived. Because AF is not usually immediately life-threatening, painful shocks for its treatment may be perceived by patients as worse than the disease itself and therefore not tolerated.
Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a technique for reducing the strength of the electrical cardioversion shock to thereby reduce the amount of pain induced in the patient, while still providing a sufficient amount of electrical energy to reliably defibrillate the atria of the heart. Another significant advantage of reducing the electrical energy per cardioversion pulse is that the lifetime of the power supply of the ICD is thereby significantly increased.
It has been found that certain shocking electrode locations and cardioversion waveforms lead to decreased atrial DFT""s. To prevent the cardioversion pulse from inadvertently triggering a VF, the cardioversion pulse is timed so as to occur during a ventricular refractory period occurring immediately subsequent to a contraction within the ventricles. To this end, the ICD also examines the IEGM to detect R-waves representative of contractions within the ventricles and times the application of the cardioversion pulse to occur during the ventricular refractory period.
Another method of cardioversion employs a train of sequential discrete pulses each having a considerably lower energy level than a single cardioversion pulse. Although these various techniques are helpful in reducing the amount of electrical energy per cardioversion pulse, considerable room for improvement remains.
Many of the concerns arising with respect to administering cardioversion pulses to terminate AF also apply to administering cardioversion pulses to terminate ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Heretofore, most techniques, which attempt to reduce the energy per cardioversion pulse are directed to selecting an optimum location for electrodes employed in administering the pulse. Other techniques have been directed to selecting optimal cardioversion waveforms.
For at least the foregoing reasons, it is highly desirable to provide techniques for reducing the strength of atrial and ventricular cardioversion pulses, particularly defibrillation pulses, while still achieving a high likelihood of success, and aspects of invention are directed to these ends.
Insofar as other forms of electrical cardiac therapy are concerned, such as anti-bradycardia pacing, a reduction in the strength of the electrical therapy while still achieving a high likelihood of success is also beneficial. Accordingly, aspects of the invention are also directed to permitting a reduction in the strength of other forms of electrical cardiac therapy besides cardioversion therapy.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for applying an electrical pulse to a heart using an implantable cardiac stimulating device connected to the heart for terminating atrial fibrillation within the heart, wherein the pulse is applied based upon detection of a period of natural electrical coherence in the atria.
In accordance with the method, atrial fibrillation is detected within the heart. Then, a period of natural electrical coherence is detected among a plurality of separate locations within the atria of the heart. An electrical pulse is generated for applying to the heart at a time selected based upon the period of natural electrical coherence. Some of the plurality of locations may be, for example, within the left atria whereas others are within the right atria. As another example, the plurality of locations all may be within the left atria, but located separately from one another. The pulse may be applied, for example, during the period of electrical coherence, immediately after the period, or only after several consecutive periods of coherence have been detected. In any case, it is believed that the strength of the cardioversion pulse can be reduced as compared to pulses administered without regard to natural electrical coherence, while still achieving the same likelihood of successful cardioversion.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for analyzing the electrical activity of the heart using an implantable medical device connected to a heart. In accordance with the method, electrical signals are detected at a plurality of locations within the heart. The electrical signals are compared to identify one or more periods of natural electrical coherence among the signals. Some of the plurality of locations may be, for example, within the left atrium of the heart whereas others are within the right atrium.
In an exemplary embodiment, wherein the implantable medical device includes a cardiac stimulating device, therapy is then selectively administered to the heart at a time based upon detection of the period of natural electrical coherence. The electrical therapy may be, for example, atrial or ventricular cardioversion therapy or pacing therapy. By administering therapy based upon detection of natural electrical coherence, it is believed that the therapy can be more effective.
Apparatus embodiments of the invention are also provided. Other objects, advantages and features of the invention are either specifically described below or will be apparent from the descriptions which follow and from the drawings provided herewith.

Method and apparatus for detecting natural electrical coherence within the heart and for administering therapy based thereon


An actuator (23) includes six suspension members (61) to (64), (71), and (72) that connect a bobbin (5) for holding a lens holder (2) to a suspension base (8), and an aberration-correcting element (9) mounted on the bobbin (5). One-end portions of the two lower suspension members (71) and (72) are fixed to both sides of the aberration-correcting element (9) between which the optical axis of an objective lens (1) is disposed, and the other-end portions of the suspension members (71) and (72) are fixed to both sides of the suspension base (8) spaced in the X-axis direction. First and second driving signals (S1) and (S2) are supplied to the aberration-correcting element (9) through the suspension members (71) and (72).

Optical discs, such as compact discs and minidiscs used for music, DVDs used for movies or the like, and MO discs and CDs-R/W used for, for example, data recording in computers, are presently available.
In optical disc apparatuses that access such an optical disc, that is, perform recording and/or reading, the size of beam spots formed on an information recording surface of the optical disc has been reduced for a higher recording density by shortening the wavelength of a light beam to be applied to the optical disc and increasing the numerical aperture of an optical system.
However, when an optical disc is accessed with an objective lens having a high numerical aperture, spherical aberration is caused by variations in thickness of a light-transmitting layer in the optical disc.
While, in general, it has been considered to increase the numerical aperture of the objective lens by adopting a so-called duplet lens, spherical aberration is also caused by variations in distance between the lenses in this case.
In a case in which the recording capacity is increased by adopting a multilayer information recording surface in the optical disc, spherical aberration is also caused by such a multilayer structure.
In order to correct such spherical aberration, an optical unit has been proposed in which a spherical-aberration-correcting element is provided between an objective lens and a laser source and in which the aberration-correcting element is combined with the objective lens (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-117568 (FIG. 1)).
The optical unit includes an actuator for moving the optical unit in the tracking direction and the focusing direction. An elastic member for supporting the optical unit is made of a conductor, and the conductor is used as a wire.
A signal for driving the aberration-correcting element is superimposed on a signal for driving the actuator and is supplied to the wire. In the optical unit, the driving signal for the actuator and the driving signal for the aberration-correcting element are separated by a signal separating means.
In such an optical unit in which the aberration-correcting element and the objective lens are combined, however, noise is readily produced in the driving signals, and this decreases the S/N ratio and deteriorates the characteristics. Moreover, since means for superimposing and separating the driving signals is necessary, the configuration is complicated, and the production cost and parts cost are increased.
In a case in which an independent wire member only for the aberration-correcting element is provided without superimposing and separating the driving signals, the elastic member (suspension) for supporting the optical unit may be influenced by the weight and tension of the wire member for the aberration-correcting element, and the actuator may be unable to maintain desired dynamic characteristics.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an actuator that reliably ensures desired characteristics in an optical pickup and that advantageously simplifies the configuration.


A container filling plant for filling containers comprising a plastic material with a filling material and a method of operation thereof. The container filling plant has at least one treatment device having a source of a treatment agent, wherein at least one pulse of the treatment agent is configured to be heated to treat the inside surface of a container without destructive effects on the container.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material and a method and device for the treatment of bottles and containers to be filled.
2. Background Information
A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material can possibly comprise a beverage filling machine with a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position having a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material. The filling devices may have an apparatus designed to introduce a predetermined volume of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material. The apparatus designed to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material further comprises an apparatus that is designed to terminate the filling of the beverage bottles upon the liquid beverage filling material reaching the predetermined level in bottles. There may also be provided a conveyer arrangement that is designed to move bottles, for example, from an inspecting machine to the filling machine. Upon filling, a closing station closes the filled bottles. There may further be provided a conveyer arrangement configured to transfer filled bottles from the filling machine to the closing station. Bottles may be labeled in a labeling station, the labeling station having a conveyer arrangement to receive bottles and to output bottles. The closing station and the labeling station may be connected by a corresponding conveyer arrangement.
In the beverage industry, for example, e.g. for the bottling of beverages in bottles or similar containers, it is frequently necessary to sterilize these containers, at least on their interior surfaces, prior to bottling to achieve the required sterility and thus the shelf life of the bottled product.
One process that is widely used is hydrogen peroxide sterilization. In these methods, liquid hydrogen peroxide, for example, is finely atomized and mixed with a current of air, whereby the air is generally a current of sterile air. Then this hydrogen peroxide-air mixture is fed to a vaporizer in which any hydrogen peroxide that is still liquid is completely vaporized. Then this mixture of vapor and air is introduced into the containers to be sterilized, where the hydrogen peroxide immediately condenses on the cold interior walls of the container, where it forms a uniform liquid film. For the subsequent activation of the hydrogen peroxide, i.e. to initiate the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide, it is necessary to heat it to a specified temperature, or to add a specified amount of heat to it, which as a rule is transferred to the hydrogen peroxide by means of an activation medium. In most cases, this activation medium is sterile warm air that is injected into the containers and has been heated to the temperature required for the activation of the hydrogen peroxide.
During the decomposition process, the hydrogen peroxide decomposes into water and free radicals, namely atomic oxygen O and HO groups which essentially perform the actual sterilization. After the conclusion of the sterilization, the containers are blown out by means of rinsing air and/or dry air and dried.
Because the rate of decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide increases superproportionally as the activation temperature increases, as a result of which significant reductions of the cycle times can be achieved, it is theoretically desirable to work at the highest possible temperatures.
Especially with bottles or containers made of plastic, for example PET bottles or containers, an additional problem is that an overheating of these containers above a critical temperature or boundary temperature leads to the destruction or deformation of the containers, and must therefore be avoided throughout the sterilization process.

Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material and a method and device for the treatment of bottles and containers to be filled


A semiconductor memory device having a CMOS memory cell with a floating gate and increasing concentration of dopant in the source, drain and channel regions. Typically the concentration profile is generally exponential across the channel width. The device has relatively high diffusion current densities accelerated toward the surface and directed toward the channel/drain interface. Gate oxidation thickness is reduced over the channel near the drain to create a tunnel "window" in the area of greatest electric field magnitude. The device provides for significantly reduced write times as compared to conventional devices.

This invention is in the field of electronically programmable semiconductor memories of the EPROM or EEPROM type.
Non-volatile, programmable memory storage is provided in CMOS technology through the conventional EPROM (electrically programmable ROM) and EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM) structures. Examples of these structures are given by D. G. Ong in Chapter 9 of MODERN MOS TECHNOLOGY, McGraw-Hill, 1984, at pages 212-216. Each device incorporates a conventional CMOS (complementary metal-oxide silicon) structure in which an intrinsically p-conducting substrate has diffused n-type source and drain regions, between which lies a channel region. A control gate is formed on the semiconductor substrate and spans the channel region between the source and drain regions. The gate is electrically insulated from the substrate by a gate oxide sandwiched between the gate and the substrate surface.
The EPROM structure includes a floating gate located between the channel region and the control gate, and insulated from the control gate by a first layer of gate oxide and from the channel region by a second layer of gate oxide. This EPROM cell is "written" by application of a relatively high positive voltage to the drain region and a higher relatively positive voltage to the control gate. The drain voltage accelerates electrons in the channel region, while the high gate voltage provides channel region electrons with enough energy to be injected across the second gate oxide layer separating the floating gate from the channel. Writing collects or captures channel electrons in the floating gate, which raises the voltage threshold required to make the channel region conductive above that when the floating gate has no channel electrons. Such a cell is referred to as a "written" cell. Conventional CMOS circuitry references a "written" cell as storage of a digital value of "1". An unwritten cell is considered to indicate a data storage value of a digital "0".
In the typical EEPROM cell, a floating gate spans the channel region and extends over the drain region. In the channel region, the oxide layer insulating the floating gate from the substrate surface has a thickness corresponding to the thickness of an EPROM gate oxide layer. However, the gate oxide layer under the portion of the floating gate overlying the drain region is made substantially thinner. The thin oxide layer is referred to as a "tunnel oxide layer" to denote the tunneling mechanism by which electrons are injected through the layer into the floating gate from the drain region and extracted from the floating gate by the drain region, according to the cell biasing. See Ong at pages 213 and 216.
As is known, relatively high voltages and relatively long writing times are required by prior art EPROM structure in order to "write" a cell. Further, the classical EPROM structure requires extraordinary methods to erase a cell. For example, the prior art teaches EPROM erasure by exposure of the memory cell to UV light for a long period of time. The EEPROM structure was developed in an effort to provide relatively faster writing at relatively lower voltages, together with an ability to erase a written cell in situ.
The thrust of development in CMOS non-volatile memory cell technology has been to reduce voltage levels required for operating these devices, thereby enhancing the efficiency of cell operation, and to reduce write and erase times.

MOS memory cell with exponentially-profiled doping and offset floating gate tunnel oxidation


A method of making a high load tool having a hard body of plastic material with compression plates on opposites sides to compress and strengthen the body. The method includes the steps of inserting passage forming pipes into a container and retaining the passage forming pipes in predetermined locations. Epoxy resin is poured into the container to cover the passage forming pipes and then the epoxy resin is cured. Elongated rods are inserted into the passage forming pipes and a pair of load spreader plates are placed at opposite ends of the elongated rods. Threaded bolts are advanced on at least one end of the elongated rods to move the spreader means towards one another and to compressively load the body.

Prior to the present invention, various manufacturing tools of plastic materials such as epoxy with fillers have been made to enable manufacturers to produce metal and plastics components in quantity and quality with economy and efficiency. Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,867 issued July 22, 1986 to W. Martell and L. Weiss, assigned to the assignee of this invention and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses economical epoxy tooling cast directly from full size clay models for subsequent use in manufacturing high quality sheet metal stampings. By use of such epoxy tooling, expensive metal dies can be eliminated to reduce effort and costs for making such components. This prior art patent also discloses epoxy blow molds and injection molds for producing parts from plastics economically and efficiently.
The present invention is of the general category of that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,867, but further improves the tooling performance and durability by strengthening the internal properties of the epoxy body of the tooling. More particularly, longitudinally and laterally extending threaded rods are provided within the tooling and adjustable plates and washers mounted on the rods external to the tooling are used to encase and support the tooling to improve tool strength in areas of high tensile stress. By tightening nuts on the outer ends of the rods, compressive loads are induced into the tooling to match stress loads resulting from the stamping loads and shapes of the parts being processed. Because of the inherent nature of plastic tooling material to expand or contract with temperature change, the force of the compression plates or washers can be effectively adjusted by this invention to match the running temperature of the tool.
Preferably, epoxy tools of this invention for stamping parts from metal blanks are generally operated at room temperatures and the compression devices are torqued from a tool relaxed state to apply predetermined compression loads in areas of the tooling which will experience high tensile stress during stamping operation to prevent tool fracture and optimize tool life. Also, epoxy plastic molding tools of this invention are preferably operated at temperatures well above room temperature have their compression devices torqued after tool heating and expansion to prevent cracking to optimize tool life. After use, the external compressive loads are removed from metal stamping and plastic molding epoxy tools so they will return to their normal unstressed state and not experience internal stress from the compression load devices of this invention.
These and other features, objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, in which:

Method of making plastic tooling with compression adjustment


A system includes one or more processors to receive from a client computing device a request to setup a zone and assign at least one circuit breaker selected from a plurality of circuit breakers to the zone, receive from the client computing device a selection of a control methodology for the zone, receive from the client computing device a control request for the at least one circuit breaker, and generate a message for controlling the at least one circuit breaker, the message formatted according to the control methodology and execute at least one operation to control the at least one circuit breaker in the zone based on the control request and the message.

Circuit breaker panels are found in a variety of settings including residential, commercial, industrial, and other settings. As an example, circuit breaker panels may be installed in auditoriums, churches, performing arts centers, schools, sports venues, theaters, amusement parks, office buildings, industrial buildings, and other locations, and may be used to control audio systems, video systems, and lighting systems, among other systems. Some venues, e.g., churches, may have an audio system and/or a lighting system that may be controlled by a variety of users having limited familiarity with how to operate the one or more systems. In this situation, the church may want an easy-to-use control mechanism for controlling and operating the one or more systems. Other venues, e.g., performing arts centers and sports venues, may have one or more audio systems, one or more video systems, and one or more lighting systems that are setup and used in a variety of different ways depending upon the event. In some situations, a performer that visits the performing arts center may have specific equipment for a particular performance. As an example, a traveling performer touring the United States may utilize specific equipment at each venue. The performing arts center may have to configure power distribution to the one or more audio systems, one or more video systems, and/or one or more lighting systems for different performers, acts, or sports teams multiple times a week, sometimes even multiple times a day. This may be a difficult, burdensome, and tedious task for employees of the performing arts center and/or members of the performer's staff.
Other factors further complicate power control. There are a variety of different control protocols used by audio systems, video systems, and lighting systems. Conventional power controllers may not simultaneously control devices operating on more than one control protocol because of control conflicts. Additionally, in some situations, due to electrical noise, lighting systems and other systems may not be combined with sound systems and other systems using a single circuit breaker panel.
Some performers may have a plurality of portable remote power controllers that are brought to each venue. As an example, a first remote power controller may be used to distribute power and control the one or more audio systems, a second remote power controller may be used to distribute power and control the one or more video systems, and a third remote power controller may be used to distribute power and control the one or more lighting systems.
Additionally, many circuit breaker panels may be hardwired to a variety of different devices making changes to distribution of power to the devices difficult. If a device is to be added to the circuit breaker panel or removed from the circuit breaker panel, the entire circuit breaker panel may have to be rewired.
It is desirable to use power distribution controller systems using different control protocols simultaneously. In addition, it is desirable to use power controller systems that are not as rigid and provide flexibility and adaptability for a variety of situations.

Remote power controller system and method