A transponder (14) for communicating with an interrogator (12) has a high Q-factor resonant circuit (34) of frequency f.sub.1 for receiving RF powering signals. The transponder also has a tuning circuit (56,58) which when in electrical communication with the resonant circuit (34) is operable to form a lower Q-factor resonant circuit (60) of frequency f.sub.3 for receiving RF communications from the interrogator unit. The transponder also includes a demodulator (66) which is in electrical communication with said resonant circuit (34). Additionally, the transponder (14) also included a control circuit (40) which receives a demodulated data signal from the demodulator (66). The control circuit (40) is further connected to the tuning circuit (56,58) and is operable to connect the tuning circuit (56,58) to the high Q-factor resonant circuit (34) in order to form the lower Q-factor resonant circuit (60). Control circuit (40) also converts the RF powering signals to a DC current for storing energy. The energy is stored in an energy storage device such as a storage capacitor (46). Other devices, methods and systems are disclosed.

Heretofore, in this field, a powering antenna has often been provided with the interrogator in addition to the communicating antenna. This powering antenna is provided for the powering of a transponder not having its own internal power supply. The powering antenna may be a high Q-factor antenna to effect maximum power transfer to the transponder, Because of the flexibility afforded by having a separate power antenna in the interrogator which may be optimized for power transfer to the transponder, the transponder antenna may be optimized for communicating with the interrogator's communicating antenna. An example of this type of system is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,444 by Uebel and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,471 by Tyburski et al. In such systems the RF coupling can be separately designed for the power transfer link and the communications link. The disadvantage in such a system is the inherently greater cost and size involved in a transponder having two separate circuits for powering and communicating. Another known technique allowing for somewhat optimized powering and communication links is to provide separate transmit and receive antennas in the transponder. In this way the downlink (i.e., the communication link from the interrogator to the transponder) can be designed for efficient power transfer. Because the transponder is desirably compact and power-efficient, the uplink (i.e., the communication link from the transponder to the interrogator) can be optimized to the transponder's transmit antenna. Communication can still be effectively carried out over the downlink because of the lesser need for power and cost efficiency in the interrogator transmitter design. An example of this type of system can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,148 by Cardullo et al. As before, the disadvantage in such a system is the inherently greater cost and size involved in a transponder having two separate circuits, this time for receiving and transmitting.
Yet another known technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,774 by Schuermann, et al. In this technique, communication and power transfer is preferably accomplished by a single resonant circuit in each of the interrogator and the transponder thereby minimizing cost, size and power efficiency. The resonant circuit in each of the interrogator and the transponder is used for both communication and power transfer in this prior art. For optimal power transfer the prior art device uses highly tuned, high Q-factor resonant circuits.
Generally in prior an circuits using highly tuned, high Q-factor resonant circuits for communication, the preferred modulation technique is 100% amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulation or another modulation technique where the frequency is not modulated (e.g., PSK, QPSK). These modulation techniques allow the link to continue to operate within its tuned frequency. The modulation percentage in ASK refers to the percentage by which the amplitude of the carrier is reduced from its maximum. For example, On-Off Keying (OOK), also called 100% ASK, means that one logic level will be represented by maximum carder while the other logic level will be represented by an absence of a carrier. Further illustrating, 50% ASK means that one logic level will be represented by maximum carrier while the other logic level will be represented by a carrier having an amplitude of 50% of maximum.
The reason that frequency shift keying (FSK) is difficult to use for communicating between two highly tuned, high Q-factor resonant circuits is that the power transfer between two high Q-factor resonant circuits drops off rapidly as the carrier frequency deviates from the tuned frequency. Inherently the carrier frequency within FSK modulation deviates from the tuned frequency. ASK modulation can be used with high Q-factor tuned circuits and where high data transmission speed is not the primary consideration. Within a high Q-factor circuit, however, the ringing of the resonant circuit takes a significant time period to subside, thereby limiting the data transfer rate. Ringing can be reduced by reducing the modulation percentage or reducing the Q-factor.


A distribution network may efficiently communicate items/item details in a private manner, with different access rights tailored to various tenants residing within a same or different customer landscape. A first input comprising a flat file with items/item details, is received. A second input comprising permissions entries for per-user, per-item direct access rights (e.g., view, read, write, delete) is also received. The first and second inputs are recursively processed to find nearest ancestors having the direct access rights, with a hash maintained including the nearest ancestors. An effective permitted structure (e.g., tree comprising root and leaf nodes) is generated by recursively adding descendant items having inherited access rights, to the nearest ancestors. Ultimately, descendant item(s) are privately distributed to a user with an access right according to the effective permitted structure. Embodiments may be particularly suited to the private distribution of analytics content (e.g., dimensions, stories, views) to various tenants.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Software systems permit enterprises to generate and accumulate volumes of data such as product data, financial data, human resources (HR) data, and the like. To aid the enterprise in gleaning meaningful insights from the mass of data, intelligent analytics systems have been developed. These analytics systems afford insights—statistics, facts, trends, and the like determined from the enterprise data. Example insights include, e.g., highest rated product, revenue, margin, actual sales, forecast sales, and the like. Specific types of analytic content can comprise dashboards, Key Performance Indicator (KPI) definitions, and planning scenarios.
Various entities can generate analytic content. For example, a service provider may provide the analytics system. Other entities that generate analytic content can include but are not limited to third-party developers, and OEMs. A service provider offering the analytics system can provide one or more dashboards as analytics content, which a customer using the analytics system access enterprise data and insights. In this manner, best-of-breed analytics content can be provided, and each customer is not required to create their own analytics content.
A distribution network may be used to communicate content from the analytics system to various consumers, such as individual customers and tenants. Where the analytics content is in the form of a flat file (such as an adjacency list), the granting of access rights tailored to various types of consumer can pose a challenge.

Assigning access control for flat data structure


A crimp press having an eccentric guide in which an eccentric tang having a bearing runs. In contrast to the known eccentric guides, the eccentric guide is not straight but instead has a curved region on one side. As a result, during the first 90.degree. of the eccentric shaft rotation, the tappet covers the greatest part of the stroke path, and in the second 90.degree. of rotation of the eccentric shaft, only a short stroke path is executed, during which the deformation of the contact takes place. A crimp press with the eccentric guide has a more lightweight structure, is equipped with a smaller reduction gear and requires a lower rotational speed of the drive motor, as compared to conventional crimp presses.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an impact or crimp press for joining contact parts to a conductor, in which an electric motor, via a reduction gear, drives an eccentric shaft which has an eccentric tang that moves in a guide and vertically reciprocates a tappet and a crimping tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various versions of impact or crimp presses of this type are available on the market. In principle, a distinction is made between presses that work with an eccentric and those that use a knee lever system. Crimp presses that use knee lever systems are on the decline, because they have many parts subject to wear and correspondingly dictate voluminous construction with relatively high dimensional accuracy. Crimp presses that have eccentrics are more widely used. In crimp presses that have eccentrics, the induction of force is relatively unfavorable and a high gear reduction ratio is necessary, for example, by means of a spur wheel or worm gears. The high gear reduction, however, requires that the drive motor be accelerated from 0 to approximately 4000 to 5000 rpm and then decelerated to 0 rpm, for each working cycle. Accordingly, the drive motors are heavily loaded and tend to overheat, which considerably reduces their service life.


In a steam generator equipping a nuclear power station and having inverted U-Lubes connected to a tube plate or sheet (12) and surrounded by an inner envelope (26) having a lower flow distribution plate (41) in its bottom part, the space (46) known as a waterway between the tube plate (12), the flow distribution plate (41) and the hot and cold branches of the tubes contains a deflection and purging box (44). The latter extends over the entire length of the waterway and in height up to the upper edge of the lower envelope (26). It is provided on its lower face with purging orifices (50) and fulfils both a deflection function and a secondary fluid drainage function in the vicinity of the tube plate (12).

As illustrated in FR-A-2 333 200, a steam generator equipping a nuclear power station conventionally comprises a vertically axed, outer envelope, whereof the inner space is subdivided into two portions, by a horizontal plate known as a tube plate or sheet. The ends of the tubes of a bundle of inverted U-tubes are fixed to the tube plate and issue below the same respectively into an admission collector or manifold and into a discharge collector or manifold for the water flowing in the primary circuit of the reactor, known as primary water. The water flowing in the secondary circuit of the steam generator, known as secondary water and is a mixture of so-called feed water coming from outside the steam generator and so-called recirculated water from the upper part of the steam generator. The feed water is injected into that part of the steam generator located above the tube plate by a toroidal or semitoroidal supply distributor. The supply distributor is normally placed above an annular recirculation space formed between the outer envelope and an inner envelope covering the tube bundle and having a lower edge is spaced from the tube plate.
In such a steam generator, it is essential to prevent to the greatest possible extent the stagnation of secondary water in certain areas adjacent to the tube plate. Thus, the water may contain mud or slurry, whose deposition on the tube plate around the tubes of the bundle can lead to rapid corrosion of the tubes necessitating their sealing. When an excessive number of steam generator tubes becomes inoperative, it is necessary to replace the entire steam generator. This is obviously undesirable from the standpoint both of cost and the resulting nuclear power station shutdown time. In order to limit these secondary water stagnation areas in the vicinity of the tube plate, distribution plate having an opening in its central portion is positioned in the lower part of the inner envelope and surrounding the tube bundle.
Another problem which arises in the area of the steam generator located immediately above the tube plate relates to the homogenization or equalization of the temperature of the mixture between the feedwater introduced into the generator by its supply manifold and the recirculation water from the water/steam separators located in the upper part of the generator and which drops again through the annular recirculation space. It is also desirable to ensure a good regulation of the flow rates of the mixture before it rises in the inner envelope around the tubes of the bundle.
This problem is generally solved by placing on the tube plate in the space normally known as a waterway and which is formed between said plate, the flow distribution plate and the hot and cold branches of the tubes of the tube lane blocking device.
Moreover, it is also desirable to have a purge immediately above the tube plate, so as to allow removal or sampling of the secondary fluid in this area and to carry out purging mainly in the areas where the secondary fluid flow is at a lower speed, particularly in the center of the tube plate.
In order to fulfil this function, in the waterway there are generally two pipes having holes in the lower part and connected to a purging circuit positioned outside the steam generator. This purging circuit makes it possible to check the chemical concentrations of the secondary fluid, so as to maintain them at acceptable values. IL also makes it possible to sample suspended materials contained in the secondary fluid in the vicinity of the tube plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,178 describes a steam generator equipped with a purging pipe in the vicinity of the tube plate and having L-shaped deflecting means above the purging pipe, at the base of the inner envelope covering the tube bundle.
Although prior art deflection and purging devices operate in a satisfactory manner , they suffer from the disadvantage of requiring the addition within the steam generator of a relatively large number of separate parts, which complicates the assembly of the generator, increases its price and makes maintenance more difficult.

Steam generator equipped with an improved deflection and purging device


A mesh of existing infrastructures is usable to identify user identities and communications devices with physical objects (e.g., transportation vehicles, apparel, etc.). A system can receive image data representative of images of physical objects captured (e.g., by a camera) at locations. The system can also receive signal data representative of signals from communications devices. Based on time data and location data associated with the image data and the signal data, the system can, after multiple iterations, determine whether one of the physical objects is correlated with one of the communications devices. In response to a correlation, the system can store in a record data (e.g., a container, database, etc.) data elements representative of the physical object and a second data element associated with the communications device.

Communications devices, such as mobile phones, smart watches, laptops, cars with OnStar, Wi-Fi cameras, RFID cards, etc. are ubiquitous. Each person may carry one or more devices that have some kind of digital mobile signature (e.g., identifier), be it cellular in nature, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or RFID. Some of these digital signatures usually can be used to identify an individual, and sometimes can at least be used to identify the device. Even though the devices may change through time, each of the devices carried by an individual usually has a distinguishable signature from another individual or another device, and individuals can carry each of such devices for several years. Public image capturing devices have also become more and more ubiquitous, whether they are storefront security cameras, traffic cameras, tollbooth cameras, or other cameras placed in a variety to locations to monitor events and persons. The ubiquitous nature of cameras and receivers that can receive signals from communications devices can present opportunities to gather and correlate information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Identification using mobile device signatures and cameras


Disclosed are an apparatus, method, and system for transmitting and receiving high-speed data in point-to-point (P2P) fixed wireless communication. In an apparatus for transmitting high-speed data in P2P fixed wireless communication, an amplitude zero autocorrelation waveform (CAZAC) sequence generator generates and outputs a CAZAC sequence. A frame generator generates a frame in which the CAZAC sequence is arranged as part of a preamble before a payload including actual data. A continuous wave (CW) generator generates and outputs a CW signal. A multiplexer receives the CW signal output by the CW generator, and arranges and outputs the CW signal in a position before a signal output by the frame generator.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus, method, and system for transmitting and receiving high-speed data in point-to-point (P2P) fixed wireless communication, and more particularly, to an apparatus, method, and system for transmitting and receiving high-speed data in P2P fixed wireless communication that may wirelessly transmit high-speed data using digital modulation/demodulation in transmission of a single carrier (SC) scheme of P2P fixed communication using microwave and millimeter wave bands.
2. Related Art
In general, a millimeter wave band refers to a high frequency between 30 GHz and 300 GHz, and has characteristics of a short wavelength and strong straightness close to light. Accordingly, the millimeter wave band is suitable for gigabit per second (Gbps)-level ultra-high-speed broadband transmission, and for low-power short-distance communication in the range of around 1 km due to atmospheric oxygen attenuation.
A frequency of the millimeter wave band is used for communication within university campuses, communication between buildings within a company, island to land communication, high-speed wireless local area network (LAN) communication, and intelligent transport systems (ITS) road side communication by constructing a backbone network for use in P2P fixed wireless transmission, and will also be useful for constructing a wireless communication network to establish a connection between a mobile communication base station and a base station controller in a mountain region or the like in which it is difficult to install an optical cable.
The millimeter wave frequency is internationally used for limited purposes of a wireless personal area network (WPAN), radar, an image sensor, fixed P2P communication, and the like. Recently, technical development and standardization (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.3c) of WPAN technology for transmitting uncompressed high-definition (HD) level video using a wide frequency bandwidth in a band of 60 GHz are actively ongoing.
In the case of the millimeter wave, a band of 7 GHz at 60 GHz and a wide band of a total of 10 GHz at 70/80 GHz at which each band is 5 GHz are allocated as frequencies for fixed communication all over the world. A wide bandwidth is significantly advantageous for transmission of high-speed data at Gbps or higher. Thus, many studies are being conducted on wireless communication as means for replacing a wired network because an optical communication rate is rapidly increasing to several tens of Gbps or higher due to the explosive growth in Internet use.
Currently, studies of the millimeter wave band (30 to 300 GHz) are actively ongoing to meet overwhelming domestic and international demand for wideband and ultra-high speed for information communication. A band of 20 to 40 GHz, which is a boundary between a millimeter wave band and a microwave band, is currently being extended for fixed and mobile on the basis of advanced technologies in satellite communication and military communication, and its application examples are a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS) in the US, a microwave video distribution system (MVDS) in Europe, and a broadband wireless local loop (BWLL) in Korea. A frequency band, which is gradually receiving attention, is a band of 60 GHz.
A band of 60 GHz (about 55 to 65 GHz) is available in various application fields because broadband transmission is possible and absorption attenuation of radio waves by oxygen is large. Its representative application examples are a satellite cross link, a military application field, a vehicle anti-collision system, various commercial large-capacity wireless systems, and the like. Application examples of the commercial system are a large-capacity, short-distance communication system, a wireless LAN, and a wireless home link, and the like. In addition, studies of a mobile communication system in which optical band communication is possible in connection with optical communication are actively ongoing. At present, a 60 GHz application system is expected to appear from fourth-generation mobile communication.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a general transmission/reception system for use in P2P fixed communication using an analog scheme.
In FIG. 1, a P2P fixed communication system for wirelessly transmitting Gbps-level data using an analog scheme, particularly, an amplitude shift keying (ASK) scheme, is shown.
In the existing method as shown in FIG. 1, an Ethernet signal input from an Internet network is converted into an electrical signal capable of being processed through an optical to electrical (O/E) converter, and the electrical signal is up-converted into a desired frequency band in the ASK scheme using a diode modulator. After a variable attenuator is used to adjust output power, final output power obtained using a high power amplifier is transmitted on a radio channel of a millimeter wave band using an antenna. A received signal input to a reception stage through an antenna is processed in a reverse process.
As described with reference to FIG. 1, a P2P fixed communication method using an analog signal has an advantage in that implementation is simple and easy. However, this method has a limitation in that it will continuously increase a transmission rate in the future because frequency use efficiency is bad. In addition, because the analog signal is not available for reception sensitivity improvement and a digital signal processing function for reducing an error, the performance improvement of the entire system is largely limited.

Apparatus, method, and system for transmitting and receiving high-speed data in point-to-point fixed wireless communication

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


The doffing time of a flyer can be considerably shortened when a carrier carrying empty bobbins is brought in a single sequence of movements, without interim or intermediate storing, from a substantially vertical transport-starting position into a predetermined inclined position and thus into alignment with an inclined bobbin rail. The full bobbins are accordingly conveyed in analogous manner.

The present invention broadly relates to the process of replacing full bobbins by empty bobbins at a spinning machine and pertains, more specifically, to a new and improved method of automatically exchanging full bobbins for empty bobbins at a flyer, i.e. a flyer frame or roving frame. The present invention also relates to a new and improved apparatus for automatically exchanging full bobbins for empty bobbins at a flyer, i.e. a flyer frame or roving frame.
Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a new and improved method of the type as described and which method may encompass the steps of tilting the full bobbins out of their substantially vertical operating position into an inclined position, lifting the full bobbins in their inclined position to doff the full bobbins and bringing the full bobbins into a substantially vertical position. The method includes in analogous manner the steps of tilting the empty bobbins out of a substantially vertical position into an inclined position, lowering the empty bobbins in the inclined position and bringing the empty bobbins into their substantially vertical operating position. The replacement of full bobbins by empty bobbins is accomplished by a doffing apparatus separate from the flyer.
In a known apparatus for automatically doffing cops or full bobbins and replacing them with empty tubes, the predecessor of which is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,679, granted Jul. 19, 1988, the empty tubes are suspended at a carrier with integrated transit beam in the transport-starting position, the empty tubes having been transferred to the carrier from the suspension transport means arriving from a ring spinning machine. In substantially vertical downward travel, the carrier positions the empty tubes in two lengthwise rows at an interim or intermediate storing conveyor in the lower part of the roving frame and extending along the face of and substantially parallel to the latter, i.e. upon a conveyor comprising a plurality of pegs and displaceable by one half the longitudinal pitch between the axes of adjacent cops. The carrier is then again lifted. The conveyor is displaced by a half of the pitch with respect to the arrangement or layout of the full bobbins in the flyer. Substantially at the level of the flyer support bed, the flyer comprises a horizontally disposed guide bar which extends over the entire length of the machine and projects at one end therefrom by a certain distance, and a doffing carriage is mobile along the entire machine face by means of the aforesaid guide bar.
In the vertical position the doffing carriage is aligned with the interim or intermediate storing conveyor and can be brought by means of a lever construction into an inclined position in which it defines an acute angle to the flyer. In this inclined position the doffing carriage is aligned with a cop carrier which has been lowered from the operating or spinning position and tilted into an inclined position, and which cop carrier holds at spindles the full bobbins to be replaced by empty tubes. At the lower end of its pneumatic cylinder the doffing carriage has twelve gripping elements by means of which it doffs the full bobbins or cops from the cop carrier in groups and places them on the pegs of the interim storing conveyor between the empty bobbins or tubes which are already present thereupon. When the whole flyer has been cleared the interim storing conveyor is again displaced by a half pitch, i.e. by one half the longitudinal distance between the axes of adjacent full bobbins. The doffing carriage is now in a position to lift the empty bobbins or tubes by groups from the interim storing conveyor, to bring them into the inclined position and to deposit them onto the spindles at the cop carrier. The cop carrier with the complete number of empty bobbins or tubes again tilts into the substantially horizontal position and is vertically lifted into the correct position for commencement of spinning. The carrier then is again lowered in order to engage the full bobbins at the interim storing conveyor and to vertically convey them into their upper removal or discharge position. From this removal or discharge position the full bobbins or cops are plugged onto transport means by a pivotable lever arm in order to supply subsequent ring spinning machines with roving bobbins.
The mode of operation by groups of the doffing carriage, both for the full bobbins as well as for the empty bobbins, and the interim storing at the conveyor, lead to substantially long doffing times during which spinning cannot take place. Moreover, this known flyer doffer is relatively complicated and requires a corresponding constructional expenditure. The doffing carriage is displaced after use on the guide bar to one side out of the working range of the spindles and remains in this position on the flyer, whereby substantial space is required and accessibility is strongly impaired.

Method of and apparatus for automatically exchanging bobbins at a flyer


One of pairs of an exciter and a sensor is selected in accordance with the detection signal which is derived from an exciter waveform induced in an artery transmitted therethrough. The pairs of exciters and sensors are arranged on a substrate in various formations. A/D converters are provided to respective detection signals. A frequency of the oscillation signal supplied to the exciter is controlled by various oscillation signal generation circuits. Bandpass filtering for extracting the exciter waveform, low-pass-filtering for extracting a natural blood pressure waveform, phase difference detection processes are provided by a microprocessor, wherein the bandpass filtering and low-pass-filtering processes may be replaced with a bandpass filter and a low pass filter, and their outputs are selected by a switching circuit and supplied to the microprocessor through one a/d converter. The frequency of the oscillation signal is controlled to an optimum frequency by detecting the detection signal and estimating the attenuation, dispersion, phase shift with respect to different frequency and by determining one of the different frequency in accordance with the estimation result. The waveform of the oscillation signal is controlled to an optimum waveform similarly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus for noninvasively, continuously measuring blood pressure and a method of noninvasively measuring continuous blood pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus for noninvasively, continuously measuring blood pressure is known. An apparatus and a method for measuring an induced perturbation to determine a blood pressure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,649. In this prior art apparatus, a monitor for continuously determining a patient""s physiological parameter includes a means for obtaining a periodic calibration measurement of the patient""s physiological parameter. An exciter, positioned over an artery of the patient induces an exciter waveform into the patient""s arterial blood. A noninvasive sensor, positioned over the artery, senses a hemoparameter and provides a noninvasive sensor signal output representative of the hemoparameter. A processor receives the calibration measurement and noninvasive sensor signal output. The processor determines a SC offset based on the calibration measurement and processes the noninvasive sensor signal to continuously determine the patient""s physiological parameter.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a superior noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus and a superior method of noninvasively measuring continuous blood pressure.
According to this invention, there is provided a first noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus including: an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal having a desired frequency and a desired amplitude; a substrate; a plurality of exciters arranged on the substrate in a direction responsive to the oscillation signal for inducing exciter waveforms in an artery and a blood in the artery of a living body; a plurality of sensors respectively arranged on the substrate in the direction a predetermined interval apart from the exciters for receiving induced exciter waveforms transmitted through the artery from the living body and outputting detection signals; a multiplexer for effecting recurrently switching and time-divisionally outputting outputs of the sensors; a determining and selecting portion responsive to the multiplexer for determining one of the outputs in accordance with a predetermined judging condition and for selecting and outputting one of the outputs; a calibration hemadynamometer for detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; a calculating portion for receiving the absolute values from the hemadynamometer and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and one of the outputs from the determining and selecting portion and the absolute values; and a display for displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted by the calculation portion.
In the first noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the substrate correspondingly arranges the exciters and the sensors such that each pair of each of the exciters and each of the sensors is arranged in the direction and the exciter and the sensor of each pair are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the direction, the apparatus further including an attaching unit for attaching the substrate to the living body.
In the first noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the substrate may correspondingly arranges the exciter and the sensors such that each pair including two of the sensors and one of the exciter arranged between the two of the sensors with the predetermined distance is arranged in the direction, the apparatus may further include an attaching unit for attaching the substrate to the living body.
The first noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus may further include: a plurality of a/d converters for respectively a/d-converting the detection signals and supplying converted signals to the determining and selecting portion as the outputs of the sensors.
According to this invention, there is a second noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus-is provided which includes: an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal having a desired frequency and a desired amplitude; an exciter arranged responsive to the oscillation signal for inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and blood in the artery of a living body; a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted through the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; a calibration hemadynamometer for detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; a calculating portion for receiving absolute values from the calibration hemadynamometer and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and the detection signal and the absolute values; and a display for displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted by the calculation portion.
In the second noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the oscillator may include: a clock signal generation circuit for generating a clock signal; a processor responsive to frequency control data and the clock signal for successively generating frequency signal data indicative of amplitude in time base in accordance with the frequency control data; a d/a converter for converting the frequency signal data; and a filter for low-pass filtering an output of the d/a converter and outputting the oscillation signal of which frequency is controlled in accordance with the frequency data.
In the second noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the oscillator may include: a clock signal generation circuit for generating a clock signal; a numerically-controlled oscillator responsive to frequency control data and the clock signal for successively generating frequency signal data indicative of amplitude in time base in accordance with the frequency control data; a d/a converter for converting the frequency signal data; and a filter for low-pass filtering an output of the d/a converter and outputting the oscillation signal of which frequency is controlled in accordance with the frequency data.
In the second noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the oscillator may include: a clock signal generation circuit for generating a clock signal; a processor responsive to frequency control data for generating at least one cycle of frequency signal data and storing one cycle of frequency signal data in a look-up table; an address signal generating circuit for generating an address signal in response to the clock signal to operate the look-up table to successively read and output one cycle of frequency data indicative of an amplitude of the oscillation signal; a d/a converter for converting one cycle of frequency data; and a filter for low-pass filtering an output of the a/d converter and outputting the oscillation signal of which frequency is controlled in accordance with the frequency data.
In the second noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the oscillator may include: a PLL circuit responsive to frequency control data for successively generating a frequency signal; and a filter for low-pass filtering the frequency signal and outputting the filtered frequency signal as the oscillation signal of which frequency is controlled in accordance with the frequency data.
According to this invention, there is provided a third noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus which includes: an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal having a desired frequency and a desired amplitude; an exciter responsive to the oscillation signal for inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and blood in the artery of a living body; a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted through the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; an aid converter for a/d-converting the detection signal; a calibration hemadynamometer for detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; a microprocessor including a filter portion and a calculating portion, the filter portion band-pass-filtering the detection signal from the a/d converter, the calculating portion receiving the absolute values from the calibration hemadynamometer and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and the detection signal from the filter portion and the absolute values; and a display for displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted by the calculation portion.
According to this invention, there is provided a fourth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus which includes: an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal having a desired frequency and a desired amplitude; an exciter responsive to the oscillation signal for inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and-a blood in the artery of a living body; a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted through the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; a calibration hemadynamometer or detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; a bandpass filter for band-pass-filtering the detection signal from the sensor, an a/d converter for a/d-converting the detection signal from the bandpass filter; a microprocessor including a calculating portion for receiving the absolute values from the calibration hemadynamometer and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and the detection signal from the a/d converter and the absolute values; and a display for displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted by the calculation portion.
According to this invention, there is provided a fifth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus which includes: an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal of which frequency is controlled; an exciter responsive to the oscillation signal for inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and blood in the artery of a living body; a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted trough the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; a calibration hemadynamometer for detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; a frequency determining portion responsive to-the sensor for controlling the oscillator to successively control the frequency at different frequencies and determining one of the difference frequencies in accordance with the detection signal outputted at different frequencies, and then, controlling the oscillator to continuously generate the oscillation signal at one of the different frequencies; a calculating portion responsive to the frequency determining portion for receiving absolute values from the calibration hemadynamometer and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and the detection signal at one of the different frequencies and the absolute values; and a display for displaying a continuous blood pressure successively outputted by the calculation portion.
In the fifth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the frequency determining portion may detect attenuations in the detection signal at different frequencies and determine one of the difference frequencies in accordance with a minimum of the attenuations.
In the fifth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the frequency determining portion may detect dispersions in amplitudes of the detection signal at different frequencies and determine one of the different frequencies in accordance with a minimum of the dispersions.
In the fifth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the frequency determining portion may detect phase shifts in the detection signal at different frequencies and determine one of the difference frequencies in accordance with a maximum of the phase shifts.
In the fifth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the frequency determining portion may detect attenuations in the detection signal at different frequencies, detect dispersions in amplitudes of the detection signal at the different frequencies, and detect phase shifts in the detection signal at the different frequencies, obtain estimation values at the different frequencies through an estimating function for estimating the attenuations, the dispersions, and the phase shifts, and determine one of the difference frequencies in accordance with the estimation values at the different frequencies.
According to this invention, there is provided a sixth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus which includes: an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal of which waveform is controlled an exciter responsive to the oscillation signal for inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and-a blood in the artery of a living body; a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted through the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; a calibration hemadynamometer for detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; a waveform determining portion responsive to the sensor for controlling the oscillator to control the oscillation signal successively have different waveforms and determining one of the difference waveforms in accordance with the detection signal outputted at different waveforms and then, controlling the oscillator to continuously generate the oscillation signal at one of the different waveforms; a calculating portion responsive to the frequency determining portion for receiving absolute values from the calibration hemadynamometer and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and the detection signal at one of the different waveforms and the absolute values; and a displaying for displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted by the calculation portion.
In the sixth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the waveform determining portion may detect attenuations in the detection signal at the different waveforms and determine one of the difference waveforms in accordance with a minimum of the attenuations.
In the sixth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the waveform determining portion may detect dispersions in amplitudes of the detection signal at the different waveforms and determines one of the difference waveforms in accordance with a minimum of the dispersions.
In the sixth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the waveform determining portion may detect phase shifts in the detection signal at the different waveforms and determine one of the difference waveforms in accordance with a maximum of the phase shifts.
In the sixth noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus, the waveform determining portion may detect attenuations in the detection signal at the different waveforms, detect dispersions in amplitudes of the detection signal at the different waveforms, and detect phase shifts in the detection signal at the different waveforms, obtain estimation values at the different waveforms through an estimating function for estimating the attenuations, the dispersions, and the phase shifts, and determine one of the difference waveforms in accordance with the estimation values at the different waveforms.
According to this invention, there is provided a first method of noninvasively measuring continuous blood pressure including the steps of; generating an oscillation signal of which frequency is controlled; providing an exciter responsive to the oscillation signal inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and blood in the artery of a living body; providing a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted trough the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; controlling the oscillation signal to successively control the frequency at different frequencies and determining one of the difference frequencies in accordance with the detection signal outputted at different frequencies; continuously generating the oscillation signal at one of the different frequencies; receiving absolute values and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the-oscillation signal and the detection signal at one of the different frequencies and the absolute values; and displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted.
According to this invention, there is provided a second method of noninvasively measuring continuous blood pressure including the steps of: generating an oscillation signal of which waveform is controlled; providing an exciter responsive to the oscillation signal inducing an exciter waveform in an artery and blood in the artery of a living body; providing a sensor arranged a predetermined interval apart from the exciter for receiving the induced exciter waveform transmitted through the artery from the living body and outputting a detection signal; detecting absolute values of a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure of the living body; controlling the oscillation signal to successively control the frequency at different waveforms and determining one of the difference waveforms in accordance with the detection signal outputted at different waveforms; continuously generating the oscillation signal at one of the different waveforms; receiving absolute values and successively calculating and outputting an instantaneous blood pressure value from a phase relation between the oscillation signal and the detection signal at one of the different waveforms and the absolute values; and displaying a continuous blood pressure variation from the instantaneous blood pressure successively outputted.

Noninvasive continuous blood pressure measuring apparatus and a method of noninvasively measuring continuous blood pressure

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In an exemplary hidden refresh method for a pseudo SRAM, a system clock is received. A duty-on period of the system clock signal is adapted for performing a data access operation such as write or read operation. A refresh clock signal subjected to the control of the system clock signal is generated. A duty-on period of the refresh clock signal is non-overlapped with the duty-on period of the system clock signal. A refresh control pulse then is triggered by a starting edge of the duty-on period of the refresh clock signal to activate a word line, for performing a refresh operation.

Memory plays an indispensable role in computer industries. Usually, a traditional memory is classified into a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM) according to its data storage capability. DRAM is advantageous for its small size, but requires periodic refresh to prevent data loss due to current leakage. SRAM is advantageous for its simple operations, but occupies a large chip area.
In order to combine the advantages of both DRAM and SRAM, a pseudo SRAM consisted of a DRAM macro core with a traditional SRAM interface has been proposed. In the pseudo SRAM, an on-chip refresh circuit that frees the user from the need to take care of refresh task. Compared with traditional CMOS SRAM, pseudo SRAM has advantage in higher density, higher speed, smaller die size and DRAM compatible process.
Nowadays, various types of hidden refresh methods for pseudo SRAM have been proposed and also have respective advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, there still is a need to provide a new refresh strategy for pseudo SRAM.

Hidden refresh method and operating method for pseudo SRAM


An elongate hollow cylindrical member houses electronic circuitry and has disposed on its surface, on either end, a live electrode and a spaced common electrode. The electronic circuitry includes a difference amplifier, and electromyogram signals detected by the electrodes are applied to opposite polarity inputs of the difference amplifier. As the electromyogram signals are of substantially equal amplitude and phase, the electromyogram signals will be subtracted from each other in the difference amplifier to provide a substantially zero output due to electromyogram signals at the output of the difference amplifier. However, electrocardiograph signals, being of opposite phase, will be added in the difference amplifier so that the output of the difference amplifier is substantially due to only the electrocardiograph signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to heart rate monitors for use in association with exercising apparatus and/or exercising procedures. More specifically, the invention relates to such a monitor which eliminates the effects of muscle artifact in the detection of a user's heart rate.
2. Description of Prior Art
Heart rate monitors for use in association with exercising apparatus and/or exercising procedures are known in the art, and one such monitor is illustrated in my U.S. Pat. No. Des. 254,569, Mar. 25, 1980, Lekhtman et al. My previous monitor, which is cylindrical in shape and which is grasped by both hands of a user, is designed to eliminate noise signals in the detection of a user's heart rate. However, such a monitor does not eliminate the effects of muscle artifact which is brought about when a user, in exercising, moves his arm or squeezes the monitor with his fingers. As electromyogram signals are in the same frequency range as electrocardiograph signals, the presence of these signals will affect the accuracy of the measured heart rate.


Methods and method and apparatus are disclosed herein for marking electronic documents with one or more persistent selection marks. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving input representing one or more marks on a document image; determining whether the one or more marks represents a selection of a persistent selectable area that delineates information in the document image; and storing data corresponding to the selection to enable a user in the future to obtain the information in the document image by performing an action with respect to the one or more marks.

Systems for sketching are an established art in computers. Tablet personal computers (PCs) are the latest in a long series of pen-based computers, which includes the Apple Newton of Apple Computer of Cupertino, Calif., the Palm Pilot of Palm Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. and the Go pen-based computer. Tablet input devices are used for a wide array of artistic endeavors, most notably with the Corel program Painter and Adobe Photoshop.
Pen systems are in general optimized for the creation of content via pen. However, when examining typical office activity, the pens are actually only seldom used for such activities. Particular populations, such as researchers, take extensive notes via pen. Most clerical office workers, and indeed most manufacturing, marketing, and sales workers seldom take extensive pen-based notes. Instead, pens are used to annotate and modify pre-existing content. For example, standardized forms are filled out, white paper drafts are reviewed, and reports are signed.
One form of annotation is the delineation of specific regions of the content. For example, is it quite common to underline words or phrases. Circling or boxing particular paragraphs or words is also quite common. Bracketing is widely used to make less obtrusive marks. Such marks are forms of selection, similar to the ordinary sweep selection used in most word processor programs today. However, unlike the selections made in a word processor, which are typically made for the selector as a prelude to performing an action, pen-based annotations are often a selection intended for someone else.
A concrete example is useful. Suppose an executive, Phil, is reviewing the yearly financial report. He notes a serious problem with the financial figures for one particular page. He would like to have his CFO, Bob, take a look at the particulars. He marks the areas of interest on the page with a pen, and writes a small note about the perceived problem. He then passes the document to his secretary, with a note saying "Please send a clean copy of these pages with a note from me to the board members, and then get me a meeting with Bob." Such an interaction works well with pen and paper. However, attempting to do the same with an electronic system involves one of several unpleasant choices. Phil might print and mark the document, but then the CFO may have a hard time finding the electronic original. Phil might learn how to add "sticky notes" comments to the document. This almost never occurs in practice, because Phil always finds it easier to just do it the hard way once, rather than learning a new feature of the specific program in use.
There are numerous pen based computing projects, covering most aspects of ephemeral selection, gesture recognition, and pen annotation. Furthermore, there are many ephemeral selection methods, comprising the usual array of gestures such as marquee selection, sweep selection, and so on.
Margraff et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/034,491, entitled "Method and System for Implementing a User Interface for a Device Employing Written Graphical Elements", filed on Jan. 12, 2005 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/035,155, entitled "Method and System for Implementing a user Interface for a Device Through Recognized Text and Bounded Areas," filed on Jan. 12, 2005, cover the idea of making persistent marks which are action verbs, and taking the specified actions based on tapping of the persistent marks.


A micro-electro-mechanical (MEMs) mirror device for use in an optical switch is disclosed. A “piano”-style MEMs device includes an elongated platform pivotally mounted proximate the middle thereof by a torsional hinge. The middle portion of the platform and the torsional hinge have a combined width less than the width of the rest of the platform, whereby several of these “piano” MEMs devices can be positioned adjacent each other pivotally mounted about the same axis with only a relatively small air gap therebetween. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention electrostatic charges, which build up on exposed dielectric surfaces causing the mirror's angular position to drift over time, are minimized by positioning the hot and ground electrodes at different levels separated by a vertical surface, and placing the dielectric material on the vertical surface.

Conventional MEMs mirrors used in optical switches, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,535,319 issued Mar. 18, 2003 to Buzzetta et al, for redirecting beams of light to one of a plurality of output ports include an electro-statically controlled mirror pivotable about a single axis. Tilting MEMs mirrors, such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,404 issued Dec. 10, 2002 in the name of Edward Hill, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0052569, published Mar. 20, 2003 in the name of Dhuler et al, which are incorporated herein by reference, comprise a mirror pivotable about a central longitudinal axis, and a pair of electrodes, one on each side of the central longitudinal axis for actuating the mirror. The Dhuler et al reference discloses the positioning of electrodes at an angle to the mirrored platform to improve the relationship between the force applied to the mirror and the gap between the mirror and the electrodes. The MEMs mirror device, disclosed in the aforementioned Hill patent, is illustrated in FIG. 1, and includes a mirror platform 1 with a rectangular planar surface 2 pivotally mounted by torsional hinges 4 and 5 to anchor posts 7 and 8, respectively, above a substrate 9. The torsional hinges may take the form of serpentine hinges, which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 6,327,855 issued Dec. 11, 2001 in the name of Hill et al, and in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0126455 published Sep. 12, 2002 in the name of Robert Wood, which are incorporated herein by reference. In order to position conventional MEMs mirror devices in close proximity, i.e. with a high fill factor, fill factor=width/pitch, they must be positioned with their axes of rotation parallel to each other. Unfortunately, this mirror construction restraint greatly restricts other design choices that have to be made in building the overall switch.
When using a conventional MEMs arrangement, the mirror 1 positioned on the planar surface 2 can be rotated through positive and negative angles, e.g. ±2°, by attracting one side 10a or the other side 10b of the planar surface 2 to the substrate 9. Unfortunately, when the device is switched between ports at the extremes of the devices rotational path, the intermediate ports receive light for fractions of a millisecond as the mirror platform 1 sweeps the optical beam past these ports, thereby causing undesirable optical transient or dynamic cross-talk.
One solution to the problem of dynamic cross-talk is to initially or simultaneously rotate the mirror about a second axis, thereby avoiding the intermediate ports. An example of a MEMs mirror device pivotable about two axes is illustrated in FIG. 2, and includes a mirror platform 11 pivotally mounted by a first pair of torsion springs 12 and 13 to an external gimbal ring 14, which is in turn pivotally mounted to a substrate 16 by a second pair of torsion springs 17 and 18. Examples of external gimbal devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,652 issued Mar. 4, 2003 to Brenner, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,421 issued Sep. 24, 2002 to Yu et al. Unfortunately, an external gimbal ring greatly limits the number of mirrors that can be arranged in a given area and the relative proximity thereof, i.e. the fill factor. Moreover, the external gimbal ring may cause unwanted reflections from light reflecting off the support frame. These references also require at least four electrodes to actuate each mirror.
Another proposed solution to the problem uses high fill factor mirrors, such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,947 issued Mar. 18, 2003 to Nasiri et al, which include hinges hidden beneath the mirror platform. Unfortunately, these types of mirror devices require costly multi-step fabrication processes, which increase costs and result in low yields, and rely on four different pairs of electrodes for actuation.
Another problem inherent with closely packed micro-mirrors is angular drift caused by a build up of electrostatic charge on exposed dielectric or insulating surfaces. The electric field generated by these electrostatic charges perturbs the electric field generated by the applied voltage from the electrodes, thereby causing the angular position of the platform to drift over time.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a MEMs mirror device that has minimum angular drift over time due to a raised or sunken ground electrode with a vertical gap therebetween.

Sunken electrode configuration for MEMs Micromirror


An additive composition for a slurry contains a first salt of polymeric acid including a first polymeric acid having a first weight average molecular weight and a first base material, and a second salt of polymeric acid including a second polymeric acid having a second weight average molecular weight and a second base material. A slurry composition is prepared by mixing the additive composition, a polishing particle composition, and water. When implementing a chemical mechanical polishing using the slurry composition, a favorable polishing selectivity is realized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an additive composition, a slurry composition including the additive composition, and a method of polishing an object using the slurry composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to an additive composition including a salt of a polymer acid, a slurry composition including the additive composition, and chemical mechanical polishing of an object using the slurry composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
As information media such as computers have seen widespread use, semiconductor device technologies have rapidly progressed. From a functional aspect, semiconductor devices should exhibit rapid operating speeds, large capacities, and high degrees of integration. To this end, manufacturing techniques have been developed to improve device performance and characteristics.
One such technique is chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), which was been developed in the 1980s. In CMP, a surface portion of a layer formed on a substrate is planarized through polishing. This technique is used, for example, when fabricating an shallow trench isolation (STI) structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,052 issued to Yu et al. discloses a method of fabricating an STI structure by applying CMP techniques.
FIGS. 1A-1E are sectional views for explaining a method of manufacturing an STI structure using the conventional polishing method.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a trench 12 is formed at the upper portion of a substrate 10 that is comprised of silicon. The trench 12 is formed via a photolithography process by using photoresist patterns as an etching mask.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a polish stop layer 14 is formed on the trench 12 and the substrate 10. Usually, the polish stop layer 14 is a silicon nitride layer that is comprised of a silicon nitride material. The polish stop layer 14 is formed by a chemical vapor deposition method.
Referring to FIG. 1C, a silicon oxide layer 16 is formed of silicon oxide material on the polish stop layer 14 so as to fill and bury the trench 12.
Referring to FIG. 1D, the silicon oxide layer 16 is polished to expose the polish stop layer 14a formed under the silicon oxide layer 16 and on the substrate 10, but not on the trench 12. Accordingly, silicon oxide material 16a remains only in the recessed portion of the trench 12.
Referring to FIG. 1E, the exposed polish stopping layer 14a is etched to expose the surface portion of the substrate 10. As the result, an STI structure 16b is formed on the substrate 10.
In CMP, an over-polishing technique is adopted for polishing a portion of the silicon nitride layer. The over-polishing utilizes the difference in polishing rates (i.e., removal rates) between the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer. The polishing rate of the silicon oxide layer is controlled to be faster than that of the silicon nitride layer. Through over-polishing, the silicon oxide layer formed on the silicon nitride layer can be completely polished.
The difference in the polishing rate between the two layers is controlled by a slurry composition used during polishing. Generally, an oxide based slurry composition including silica as polishing particles is used for the over-polishing. When this slurry composition is used for the over-polishing process, the polishing rate of the silicon oxide layer is 4-5 faster times than that of the silicon nitride layer.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view for explaining a dishing phenomenon generated during manufacturing of an STI structure by the conventional polishing method. This state is obtained after completing the over-polishing using the oxide based slurry composition. The silicon nitride layer 22 on the substrate 20 is exposed and the silicon oxide layer 24 remains only within the recessed portion of the trench.
However, after completing the over-polishing, a dishing feature is generated around the mouth portion of the trench A. This dishing phenomenon occurs when the silicon oxide layer filled within the mouth portion of the trench A is polished. In addition, erosion occurs between the neighboring trench portions B through an over-polishing of the silicon nitride layer formed at the portion between the trench portions B. In particular, at the regions where the trench patterns are formed minutely, more severe dishing and erosion features are generated.
Dishing and erosion is generated from low polishing selectivity, which is the ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide layer to the polishing rate of the silicon nitride layer. The resultant non-planar surface features are factors which can result in defects when implementing subsequent processes.
To overcome low polishing selectivity, it has been suggested to form a relatively thick silicon nitride layer to minimize dishing and erosion. However, this techinque is not appropriate for the manufacture of more recently developed semiconductor devices having multi-layer structures.
As a result, slurry compositions which result in even faster polishing rates of the silicon oxide layer relative to that of the silicon nitride layer have been developed. These kinds of slurry compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,444 issued to Farkas et al., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. Hei 1998-106988, Hei 1998-154672, Hei 1998-270401, Hei 2001-31951, Hei 2001-35820 and Hei 2001-319900 and Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-108048.
Particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,249 issued to Canaperi et al. discloses a slurry composition having a silicon oxide layer polishing rate which is about 28 times faster than that of a silicon nitride layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,505 issued to Morrison et al. also discloses a slurry composition in which a polishing rate of a silicon oxide layer can be controlled to about 30 times faster than that of a silicon nitride layer.
Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-108048 discloses a slurry composition including a cerium oxide slurry, a dispersing agent as an additive and water in order to control a polishing rate of a silicon oxide layer to about 50 times faster than that of a silicon nitride layer.
As described above, various methods concerning the development of the slurry composition have been reported to improve a polishing selectivity. However, for the manufacture of the more recent semiconductor devices requiring a design rule of 0.13 μm or less, a slurry composition exhibiting an even higher polishing selectivity is required.

Additive composition, slurry composition including the same, and method of polishing an object using the slurry composition


The invention relates to a preparation comprising a carrier phase and at least one further phase which cannot be mixed with the carrier phase or only partially mixed therewith, wherein the change in ambient conditions alters the viscosity of the carrier phase. The invention also relates to a method for the production thereof and to particles and implants containing said preparations. The inventive preparations can contain various active substances with a delayed release action.

The invention provides a composition comprising a carrier phase and at least one additional phase, said at least one additional phase being immiscible with the carrier phase or being partially miscible with the carrier phase, whereby a change in ambient conditions alters the viscosity of the carrier phase.
Drugs can be administered parenterally as a depot formulation for the treatment of certain diseases. Besides classical dosage forms, such as oily suspensions, modern dosage forms on the basis of biocompatible/biodegradable polymers can be used. The implants (single-unit systems) or microparticles (multiparticulate systems) are prepared from the solid polymeric carriers and are then placed in the body by implantation or injection.
For the implant preparation, the drug is mixed with the carrier (e.g., a polymer) and is then processed into the desired implant shape (e.g., cylinder, pellet, film, fiber), for example, by extrusion or compression at elevated temperatures. Such solid implants are then usually placed in the body by a surgical procedure or through hollow needles with a large diameter.
Drug-containing microparticles can be used in order to circumvent such surgical procedures with implants, which are highly undesired by patients. Suspensions of these particles can be injected with a syringe through an injection needle. These microparticles are prepared outside the body by various processes, such as, for example, the solvent evaporation technique, the organic phase separation technique, or a spray-drying technique. In the solvent evaporation method, which is frequently used for the preparation of biodegradable microparticles, a drug is dissolved or dispersed in a solution of a biodegradable polymer (e.g., polylactic acid) in a solvent (e.g. methylene chloride), which is not miscible with water. This drug-containing polymer phase is then emulsified in an external aqueous phase and forms drug-containing polymer droplets. The microparticles are obtained after evaporation of the solvent through the solidification of the polymer and are then separated from the aqueous phase (e.g., by filtration) and dried.
Commercially available biodegradable microparticle products (e.g., Decapeptyl, Enantone) consist of a dry powder of the microparticles and an aqueous suspension vehicle. The microparticles and the aqueous suspension vehicle are stored separately, for example, in two-chamber syringes or in two ampoules, because of the hydrolytic instability of the biodegradable polymers. The microparticles are then suspended in the aqueous suspension vehicle just prior to the administration and are then injected.
The preparation of these biodegradable particle products is very elaborate and has to be done under sterile or aseptic conditions. In addition, most microencapsulation processes are difficult or not at all transferable to the production size and are dependent on many process and formulation variables. The suspension of the microparticles and the subsequent injection can also cause difficulties (e.g., agglomeration, residual microparticles in the syringe, clogging of the needle, etc.).
Besides the water-insoluble polyactic acid derivatives and other water-insoluble polymers, hydrophilic polymers can also be used as carrier materials for microparticles and implants. Microparticles of hydrophilic polymers (e.g., polysaccharides, such as alginates or chitosan, cellulose derivatives, protein-(collagen) derivatives) can be prepared, for example, through spray-drying or w/o-emulsification techniques, whereby the drug-containing aqueous polymer solution is either spray-dried or emulsified into an external oil phase, whereby the particles are obtained after removal of the water, washing, filtration and drying. Like the processes for the preparation of polyactic acid microparticles, the microencapsulation techniques with the hydrophilic polymers are also very elaborate.
A composition based on a drug-containing polymer solution was developed in order to avoid problems with the preparation and administration of implants or microparticles U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,763). Thereby, a solution of polylactic acid (or a derivative) is injected into the body, for example, intramuscularly or subcutaneously, and an implant is formed in-situ through the precipitation of the polymer in the tissue. The implant is therefore not formed outside, but inside the body. The polymer solution has to be injectable through a needle; it therefore cannot be too viscous. The possible polymer content is therefore primarily limited through the viscosity of the polymer solution and not through the solubility of the polymer. In addition, precipitation of the polymer during the injection of the polymer solution can negatively influence the injection of the remaining polymer solution. Disadvantages of this method are also the use of high amounts of solvents with toxicity and compatibility problems and, after injection into soft tissue, the somewhat uncontrollable solidification of the polymer with a not exactly defined surface area of the implant. This can lead to irreproducible release profiles. In addition, the drug can be released rapidly prior to the solidification of the polymer solution. This so-called burst-effect is usually undesirable.
Some systems were developed, whereby a solidification/viscosity increase of drug-containing polymer solutions after administration/injection in the body was caused primarily by a temperature-change or by a pH-change or by special substances (e.g., ions), and not by diffusion of the solvent. These systems have the same disadvantages as the system described in the previous paragraph.


An encoding device, a method of encoding, and decoding device for point cloud compression of a 3D point cloud. The encoding device is configured to generate, for the three-dimensional (3D) point cloud, at least a set of geometry frames and a set of occupancy map frames for points of the 3D point cloud. The encoding device is also configured to select an occupancy precision value based on a quantization parameter (QP) associated with at least one generated geometry frame in the set of geometry frames, subsample at least one occupancy map frame in the set of occupancy map frames based on the selected occupancy precision value, and encode the set of geometry frames and the set of occupancy map frames into a bitstream for transmission.

A point cloud is a collection of three-dimensional (3D) points with attributes. The attributes can include the geometry coordinates, color, normal, texture coordinates, material properties, motion etc. In a video-based point cloud (V-PCC) approach for processing point clouds, for each input point cloud frame, the geometry and attributes are clustered based on some criteria (e.g., normal direction, distance to projected frames, contiguity, etc.) and projected onto different planes (e.g. xy, yz, zx plane). Each of the clusters shows up as a patch when projected on their respective planes. The patches are sorted and packed into 2D video frame(s) storing the geometry and texture information of the point cloud. Each of the 2D video frames is then encoded with a video codec such as HEVC, AVC, VP9, VP8, JVET, AVC etc. The patches can be irregularly shaped, so a binary occupancy map is used to indicate the pixels in the geometry and texture video that contain valid points. The compressed videos and the compressed occupancy map are multiplexed together with some auxiliary information used for patch creation to make the output bitstream. The output bitstream can be received by a decoder to recreate the point cloud.

Adaptive selection of occupancy map precision


An object of the present disclosure is to provide a radio-layer mechanism, which brings the IP and radio protocol layers closer and simplifies the radio protocols for future mobile networks, so that the extreme high transmission speed that these networks will be capable of may be efficiently utilized. The object is achieved by a method (900) in an access point adapted to schedule transmissions of packets to and/or from a radio communication device. The method comprising determining (910) radio resources needed for at least one packet to be sent to a radio communication device, scheduling (920) the at least one packet without segmentation on radio resources, whereby all the necessary amount of radio resources that a transmission of the at least one packet will need can be scheduled at a time, and transmitting (930) scheduling information indicating the scheduled resources to the radio communication device.

Radio communication devices such as User Equipments, UEs, are enabled to communicate wirelessly in a radio communications system, sometimes also referred to as a radio communications network, a mobile communication system, a wireless communications network, a wireless communication system, a cellular radio system, or a cellular system.
The communication may be performed, e.g., between two user equipments, between a user equipment and a regular telephone, and/or between a user equipment and a server via a Radio Access Network, RAN, and possibly one or more core networks, comprised within the wireless communications network.
Radio communication devices are also known as e.g., UEs, mobile terminals, wireless terminals, terminals and/or mobile stations, mobile telephones, cellular telephones, sensors and actuators with wireless capabilities, or laptops with wireless capability, just to mention some examples. The UEs in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the RAN, with another entity.
The wireless communications network covers a geographical area which is divided into cell areas, with each cell area being served by a network node such as a Base Station, BS, e.g. a Radio Base Station, RBS, which sometimes may be referred to as e.g. eNB, eNodeB, NodeB, B node, Base Transceiver Station, BTS, access node, or access point, depending on the technology and terminology used. The base stations may be of different classes such as, e.g., macro eNodeB, home eNodeB, or pico base station, based on transmission power and thereby also cell size. A cell is the geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the base station at a base station site. One base station, situated on the base station site, may serve one or several cells. Further, each base station may support one or several radio access and communication technologies. The base stations communicate over the radio interface operating on radio frequencies with the user equipments within range of the base stations.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional Long-Term Evolution, LTE, protocol stack for downlink, which is used for general data communications. As shown in FIG. 1, Radio Link Control, RLC, and Medium Access Control, MAC, layers have packet manipulation, segmentation and concatenation, and retransmission functionalities. These protocol layers together pack user data into physical layer containers and take care of retransmissions in case of failed transmissions. The size of the physical layer containers and their transmission schedule, including their Transmit Time Intervals, TTIs, have to fit the basic fixed time framing hierarchy. Transmission blocks may vary in size, and they may accommodate full Internet Protocol, IP, packets, but typically they will only accommodate part of the IP packets. The transmission blocks are subject to Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request, HARQ, in case of failed delivery.
Scheduling information, such as for example, the allocation of time and/or frequency and/or antenna resources, is conveyed from a Base station, e.g. an eNodeB, to a terminal, e.g. a UE, via shared or dedicated control channels, which are closely monitored by all active terminals, e.g., all active UEs. The scheduling period, i.e., the TTI in LTE is the subframe, which is, e.g. 1 ms long. By reading the scheduling information at the beginning of each subframe, a UE may know during which time periods to receive or transmit signals.
There are further procedures in LTE and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, UMTS, such as Discontinuous Reception, DRX, which allow less busy UEs to enter dormant cycles, when they read control channels less frequently and hereby can save battery power.
Transmission characteristics are different over wireline and mobile networks, and communications designed for IP networks do not match the protocol stack of mobile networks, which has a protocol stack that implement functionalities related to the nature of radio communications and user mobility. A typical solution to extend traditional wireline data communications to wireless nodes is to insert adaptation mechanisms between the IP protocol stack and the radio network protocol layers. That adaptation entirely hides the wireless network details for applications running over IP or similar networks. However, the interworking of wireline and wireless networks may suffer from performance degradation and inefficiency for many applications. Cross-layer optimization between the IP and mobile network protocol stacks becomes particularly important for future radio networks, which approach wireline networks in transmission speeds.
Mobile networks employ framing in their physical layers, so they have multilevel time periodicity, e.g., a hierarchy of superframes, frames, and subframes, so transmissions in either uplink or downlink directions are organized around this framing. The size of the data containers, the scheduling, and the TTIs are all matched to the given frame structure. In the transmission scheme in LTE, the IP packets are segmented on the wireless layer to fit the size in a container of physical layer transmission blocks. This means that the IP packets may need to be split up to fit in the available container set. By dividing the IP packets there is a risk that not all packets arrive successfully at the receiver, which leads to out-of sequence arrival and delays.
The wireless protocol layers in LTE barely know anything about the processes and connection states in IP level. The wireless layers might be aware of the Quality-of-Service, QoS, class and packet-delivery requirement, e.g. if in-order, lossless delivery is aimed for. But in today's mobile networks, for example, simultaneous retransmissions of the same information piece may happen over the TCP/IP and wireless layers. Also the interruptions caused by handovers can severely impact the flow control mechanisms of Transmission Control Protocol, TCP, and as a consequence, UEs cannot utilize the bandwidth that the wireless links can provide.
Scheduling information, such as the assignment of time and/or frequency and/or antenna resources, is continuously transmitted on shared or dedicated channels, which means there is power waste. Recent modifications to existing standards introduce Discontinuous Reception, DRX, and/or Discontinuous Transmission, DTX, features to provide a more power-economic mode.

Flexible transmission scheme for wireless communication


Methods and apparatus are provided for a Universal functionality Module (UFM). The apparatus comprises a programmable logic device (PLD) configured to be reprogrammed in real time and a means for universally interfacing the PLD with any effectuator device. The UFM loads a startup personality bit stream from a boot memory, which allows it to read a pin configuration associated with a effectuator device. The UFM receives a function personality associated with the pin configuration, writes the function personality to programmable logic device, and initiates the function personality.

It is estimated that it currently costs $1 million per kilogram to put a payload on the lunar surface. This restriction is being addressed by miniaturizing components, maximizing functionality of components and eliminating unnecessary components to minimize weight and space requirements. Not only does a component itself take up space and add weight, but most components are accompanied into space with a spare in the unlikely event that the component malfunctions. However, the cost, size, weight and capability of spacecraft components are always issues of concern. Frequently, trade offs must be made between cost, weight and size, and capability.
Spacecraft command and control electronics are indispensable. Their complexity increases geometrically as demand for system capability grows. Command and control electronics monitor the various components of the space craft using a plurality of analog and digital sensors/transducers, make a decision based in part on the sensor input and then cause the space craft to do something via a plurality of actuators that may be analog or digital devices. Combined, transducers, sensors, actuators and peripherals are referred to herein as effectuators.
Conventionally, effectuators not only comprise the functional devices themselves, but also include supporting controllers and input/output interface electronics. These supporting electronics permit the effectuator to communicate with a higher level computer and to translate any commands issued by the computer to analog or digital commands that are executable by the effectuator. Because effectuators are manufactured by number of disparate vendors, some are custom designed, and others are acquired off the shelf, each effectuator commonly has its own unique control circuitry that is usually incompatible with other effectuators. Hence, a significant amount of space and payload capacity is consumed by spare electronics for these disparate devices.
Accordingly, it is desirable to minimize the cumulative size and weight of spare electronics to reduce launch costs and save valuable cargo space. Further, it is desirable to simplify repairs. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.
Although discussed herein in the context of a spacecraft or satellite, the subject matter disclosed herein may be applied to other types of vehicles, effectuators or other electronic systems. Any reference to spacecraft applications is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope of the following disclosure in any way.


To provide a plate supply and discharge device and a printing plate forming device which are capable of transferring plates and printing plates of various sizes and preventing the plates and printing plates from being damaged in the plate supply and discharge device (printing plate forming device). A plate supply and discharge unit (4) which supplies a plate (P1) to a drawing unit (3), receives a printing plate P2, which is obtained by drawing an image on the plate P1, from the drawing unit (3), and delivers it to a processor. The plate supply and discharge unit includes a plate supply table (41) for allowing the plate (P1) to float at atmospheric pressure, moves the plate (P1) in a state of being allowed to float at atmospheric pressure above the plate supply table (41), and supplies it to the drawing unit (3).

In the field of printing such as newspaper printing and magazine printing, image data produced through editing operation is subjected to RIP (Raster-Image-Processing) to generate binary data, and the binary data is recorded on a plate made of aluminum, thereby forming a plate for printing (printing plate). In forming the printing plate, a CTP (Computer-To-Plate) system for drawing an image directly on a plate without using a film or the like has been recently employed. In this CTP system, a CTP plate (hereinafter referred to simply as "plate") coated with a photosensitizer is used as a plate, and a modulated laser beam is irradiated on the surface of the plate according to the binary data, thereby forming the printing plate.
Incidentally, when images are drawn on plates of various sizes or when images are consecutively drawn on a large number of plates, for example, the above-mentioned printing plate forming device is preferably structured such that multiple cassettes for accommodating plates are installed and necessary plates are automatically supplied therefrom to the printing plate forming device. In this case, however, it is necessary to install multiple supply devices for supplying the cassettes and to connect them to the printing plate forming device. This causes such problems that a large installation area is required and the structure of the device is complicated.
Therefore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there has been proposed a plate supply device including: a multiple cassette unit which has multiple cassettes disposed in multiple stages and which selects, from among them, and delivers a cassette for storing plates necessary for forming a printing plate; and an auto loader unit which receives the delivered cassette, ejects the plates one by one from the received cassette, and supplies them to a printing plate forming device.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a plate supply device including: a plate handler which has multiple cassettes disposed in multiple stages and includes an elevator mechanism for allowing the cassettes to independently ascend or descend; and a picker which horizontally moves between the plate handler and an imaging engine, ejects plates from the cassettes, and supplies them to the imaging engine. This plate supply device is structured such that a part of the cassettes are allowed to ascend to thereby form a space in an upper portion of a cassette for storing necessary plates, and then the picker is moved horizontally into the space and positioned in the upper portion of the cassette, thereby ejecting the plates.
According to these plate supply devices, plates can be supplied from multiple cassettes simply by installing a single supply device. This enables downsizing of the device and simplification of the structure of the device.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 3569157    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 2825805

Plate supply and discharge device and printing plate forming device using same


Guide track assemblies for upward acting doors include identical vertical and horizontal linear track sections and a curvilinear transition track section. The linear track sections include spaced-apart elongated slots formed at acute angles with respect to the longitudinal extent of the track sections for cooperation with retainer members mounted on angle-shaped jamb brackets. A header bracket also includes one or more retainer members thereon for disposition in similar elongated slots formed in the curvilinear track section. The linear track sections fit in telescoping relationship within enlarged end portions of the curvilinear track section. The configurations of the header brackets, jamb brackets and track sections facilitate quick assembly and easy positional adjustment of the track sections with respect to a door opening covered by a door guided by the track assemblies.

In the art of upward acting single and multi-panel garage doors and the like, there has been a continuing need to develop door guide track assemblies which are economical to manufacture, easy to install, and can accommodate door installations where low headroom or low ceiling height conditions are encountered. In particular, there has also been a continuing need to develop simplified guide track assemblies which reduce manufacturing costs and the number of different parts required to be carried in inventory by door dealers and installers. Still further, there has been a continuing need to provide door guide track assemblies wherein the guide track members and associated mounting brackets are adapted for ease of installation and wherein the track assemblies may be prepositioned with their cooperating parts connected to each other and then adjusted for final securement to each other. These desiderata together with the ever present need to reduce costs associated with the manufacture and installation of door guide track assemblies have been substantially met by the present invention.
The present invention provides improved guide track assemblies and mounting brackets therefor for use with upward acting garage doors and the like.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, improved guide track assemblies are provided which include three part tracks which make up the entire track length, including a vertical track section, a curved transition track section and a substantially horizontally extending track section. The transition track section may be of a circular radius of curvature or, for low headroom applications, the transition section is preferably formed with generally elliptical radius of curvature or a similar geometry. The elliptical curvature is preferably provided with major and minor axes having a length ratio of about 1.5:1 to 2:1.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the track assemblies include improved mounting brackets for supporting the vertically extending track sections and the transition track sections. The respective mounting brackets are provided with connector or retainer elements which are easily and adjustably connected to the respective track sections. In particular, the mounting brackets are preferably provided with one or more rivet head shaped retainer members mounted thereon and operable to be engaged with a track section at cooperating keyhole-shaped slots. Mounting brackets are also provided with portions which engage the track section to provide a snug fit between the brackets and the track section so that the brackets do not slip out of position during installation procedures.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the invention, a guide track assembly in accordance with the invention is provided with generally straight track sections which are interchangeable between left and right-hand assemblies (opposite sides of the door) and between the vertically and horizontally extending parts of the guide track assemblies. The so-called straight track sections are also adapted to be connected to track mounting brackets in such a way that the retainer portions of the mounting brackets, once the brackets are secured to the door jamb or the wall adjacent the door opening, support the track sections stationary without requiring separate fasteners interconnecting the brackets with the tracks. Still further, mounting brackets are provided which are adapted to be connected to the guide track transition section to accommodate selective positioning of the track assemblies with respect to a wall to which the mounting brackets are attached and also to eliminate the requirement for separate, generally horizontally extending bracket parts for supporting a track assembly.
Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.

Guide track assemblies and mounting brackets for upward acting doors


The present invention is directed to a chucking system. The body of the chucking system preferably houses cam plates which may be driven manually by an independent worm shaft, or hydraulically by a piston/gear rack in lieu of a worm shaft. A face plate preferably houses four master jaws. The jaws may be engaged to the cam plates by pins. The jaws may be moved inward and outward preferably by rotation of the cam plates due to the ascending/descending slope of the slots in the cam plates. Each set of two jaws may be driven independently of the other because of the two separate cam plate mechanisms. The top cam plate is preferably held concentrically to the bottom cam plate by a needle bearing. The entire cam plate may "sandwich" pivot on a center tube which may be anchored in the base of the body and the top face plate.

The present invention relates generally to a chucking system that may be used on machine tools in general to hold parts to be machined.
In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned herein, other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and preferred embodiments.