A hydraulically adjustable suspension apparatus for an automobile has a proportional type of solenoid operated valve assembly for controlling the pressure or flow rate of a pressurized fluid introduced into a cylinder tube through a fluid passage. The fluid passage is formed in a piston rod so as to communicate a cylinder tube with a hydraulic control circuit. The solenoid operated valve assembly is integrally attached to either the piston rod or the cylinder tube outside of the cylinder tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suspension device for an automotive vehicle and, more particularly, to a hydraulically adjustable suspension device which is suitable for orientation or attitude control as well as leveling control of the automotive vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to maintain a nearly constant curb height or road clearance, i.e., distance from a bumper, frame, etc. to the ground, regardless of load changes on the vehicle body, various kinds of level adjustable suspension systems have been made commercially available.
For the purpose of providing a brief background that will enhance an understanding of the present invention, reference is made to FIG. 7, which is an illustration of a practical structure of a known hydraulically adjustable suspension system.
In FIG. 7, a pair of, for instance, rear hydraulic suspensions 10 includes respective hydraulic cylinders 11. Each hydraulic cylinder 11 includes a cylindrical tube 11T and a piston rod 11P which reciprocally slides in the cylindrical tube 11T. The piston rod 11P is provided with an accumulator 12 for assisting the piston rod 11P in moving up and down quickly, yet smoothly, through a damping force generating mechanism, such as a pressure reducing valve 13, which removes or reduces oscillation of hydraulic pressure circulated between the hydraulic cylinder 11 and the accumulator 12. The piston rod 11P protrudes from and is retracted into the cylindrical tube 11T. The hydraulic suspensions 10 are operated by a suspension control hydraulic (SCH) circuit, including a hydraulic oil pump 1 driven by an engine (not shown).
Hydraulic oil pump 1 draws out oil contained in an oil tank 2 through an oil intake pipe 3 and discharges and delivers pressurized oil through an oil feed pipe 4. The feed oil pipe 4 is provided with a valve and an accumulator, in that order from the oil pump 1. More particularly, in the system shown in FIG. 7, the oil feed pipe 4 is provided with a check valve 5 for preventing back flow of the discharged oil toward the oil pump 1 and an accumulator 6 for reserving the pressurized oil. The oil feed pipe 4 branches off into four branch oil feed pipes 4A (two of which are shown) for the front and rear hydraulic suspensions 10. A flow rate control means, such as a servo control valve 7, which is a proportional type of solenoid operated hydraulic servo valve, is connected to each branch oil feed pipe 4A. The servo control valve 7, which may be of any well known type, has a spool (not shown) which is operated by a solenoid (not shown) so as to occupy three operative positions. These positions are an oil feed position (A), in which the servo control valve 7 allows oil to be applied to the cylinder 10 for expansion, an oil discharge position (B), in which the servo control valve 7 allows oil to be discharged from the cylinder 10 for retraction, and a normal position (C), between the oil feed position (A) and the oil discharge position (B), in which the cylinder 10 is kept neutral. With a change in intensity of solenoid current, the servo control valve 7 causes the spool to be continuously displaced so as to vary the valve opening linearly. Generally, because of the spool, each servo control valve 7, when in the normal position (C), may allow oil leakage in the branch oil feed pipe 4A, a feed-return oil pipe 8, and a oil return pipe 9.
Feed-return oil pipe 8 is connected between the servo control valve 7 and the suspension 10. The oil return pipe 9 is connected between the servo control valve 7 and the oil tank 2. Specifically, the oil return pipes 9 are joined together so as to form a common return pipe portion 9A, through which oil is returned into the oil tank 2. In each feed-return oil pipe 8, there is provided a pilot pressure check valve 14 for preventing oil leakage from the cylinder 11 through the servo control valve 7 when it is in the normal position (C) during, for example, long periods of engine stoppage. If there is actually oil leakage, the road clearance of the vehicle will be decreased by at least the weight of the vehicle. The pilot pressure check valve 14 functions as a normal check valve so as to prevent back flow of the discharged oil from the cylinder 11 toward the oil tank 2 through the feed-return oil pipe 8 before it is subjected to high pilot pressure oil passed through a pilot pressure control valve 16, which will be described later. On the other hand, the pilot pressure check valve 14 allows a flow of oil in both directions in the feed-return oil pipe 8 while it is subjected to high pilot pressure oil passed through the pilot pressure control valve 16.
Pilot pressure control valve 16, which may be, for instance, a three port, two position electric solenoid operated directional valve, is connected to the oil feed pipe 4 at a juncture with the branch oil feed pipes 4A and the oil return pipe 9 through connecting oil pipes 17 and 18, respectively. The pilot pressure control valve 16 is connected to both of the pilot pressure check valves 14 through a connecting oil pipe 15A branching off into two pilot pressure oil pipes 15. One of the two pilot pressure oil pipes 15 is connected to each of the pilot pressure check valves 14. The pilot pressure control valve 16, thus arranged, selectively connects and disconnects the oil flow between the oil feed pipe 4 and the oil return pipe 9.
Oil feed pipe 4, upstream of the check valve 5, and the common return pipe portion 9A of the oil return pipe 9 are communicated with each other by means of an oil unload pipe 19 with a stop valve 20. The stop valve 20, which is a two port, two position electric solenoid operated valve, occupies two positions, i.e., a load position (D) and an unload position (E). The stop valve 20 is normally forced to occupy the load position (D) so as to close the unload oil pipe 19, thereby loading pressurized oil into the accumulator 6. However, when pressurized oil in the oil feed pipe 4 reaches a predetermined active pressure, which is detected by a pressure sensor, the stop valve 20 is forced to the unload position (D) and opens the oil unload pipe 19, thereby allowing pressurized oil from the oil pump 1 to circulate into the oil tank 2 through the opened oil unload pipe 19. The pilot pressure control valve 16 may be adapted to ordinarily communicate the oil return pipe 9 and the pilot pressure oil pipe 15 with each other. In such a case, the pilot pressure control valve 16 is electrically caused, simultaneously with the change in position of the servo control valve 7 to the oil discharge position (B), to communicate the oil feed pipe 4 and the pilot pressure oil pipe 15 with each other so as to open the pilot pressure check valves 14. Alternatively, the pilot pressure control valve 16 may be electrically caused, upon starting of the engine, to communicate the oil feed pipe 4 and the pilot pressure oil pipe 15 with each other so as to open the pilot pressure check valves 14.
The solenoid operated valves 7, 16 and 20 are electrically controlled by a control unit (not shown) according to vehicle conditions, such as a total vehicle loads and vehicle speeds, so as to provide the most desirable road clearance.
In a known hydraulically adjustable suspension system constructed in this way, once the oil pump 1 is actuated by the engine, the pressurized oil discharged from the oil pump 1 accumulates or is loaded in the accumulator 6 through the check valve 5. Then, when the pressurized oil is detected to have reached the predetermined active pressure, the stop valve 20 is forced to occupy the unload position (E), so as to open the oil unload pipe 19, thereby allowing pressurized oil from the oil pump 1 to circulate into the oil tank 2 through the opened oil unload pipe 19. As a result, pressurized oil in the oil feed pipe 4 is maintained at the predetermined active pressure. If a road clearance of the vehicle decreases due to increased vehicle loads, a level sensor detects the decrease in road clearance and causes the suspension control hydraulic (SCH) circuit to shift servo control valves 7 to the oil feed position (A) from the normal position (C). This allows the pressurized oil in the accumulator 6 to be fed to the hydraulic cylinders 11 of the suspensions 10 through the pilot pressure check valves 14, respectively, so as to expand the hydraulic cylinders 11 and elevate the vehicle, thereby maintaining a given road clearance of the vehicle. If, however, the road clearance of the vehicle increases due to decreased vehicle loads, the suspension control hydraulic (SCH) circuit shifts servo control valves 7 to the oil discharge position (B) from the normal position (C), allowing pressurized oil in the hydraulic cylinders 11 of the suspensions 10 to flow to the oil tank 2 through the feed-return oil pipes 8 and the oil return pipes 9 via respective pilot pressure check valves 14. As a result, the hydraulic cylinders 11 contract and lower down the vehicle, so as to maintain a given clearance between the road and the vehicle.
While maintaining a given clearance between the road and the vehicle, the piston rods 11P of the cylinders 10 may possibly undergo positional changes relative to their respective cylinder tubes 11T which are different from one another, due to inertial forces generated during steering. This may result in an inclined vehicle attitude. If in fact there are differences in suspension levels among the four suspensions 10, level sensors detect the levels of the suspensions 10 so that the respective servo control valves 7 can be properly managed so as to be selectively shifted to their oil feed positions (A) and oil discharge positions (B). The openings of the servo control valves, therefore, can be managed according to the differences for vehicle attitude control.
From a layout standpoint, the servo control valve 7 must be arranged between the cylinder 11 and the oil pump 1 and oil tank 2, and between the oil feed pipe 4 and the feed-return oil pipe 8 and the oil return pipe 9. Also, the servo control valve 7 is most practically located between the oil pump 1, which is typically located near an engine, and one of the hydraulic cylinders 11, which must be directly incorporated in a suspension 10. Consequently, there is a problem in that the known hydraulically adjustable suspension system lacks readiness and space in which the servo control valves can be assembled.
Another problem with the known hydraulically adjustable suspension system is that the hydraulic cylinder 11 is somewhat sluggish in response to shifting of the servo control valve 7. This is because when the servo control valve 7 shifts to the oil feed position (A) from the normal position (C), oil passing through the servo control valve 7 takes an excessive time to reach the hydraulic cylinder 11 because of the length of the feed-return oil pipe 8 between the servo control valve 7 and the hydraulic cylinder 11. This results in a high resistance of the feed-return oil pipe 8 to oil flow. If the hydraulic cylinder 11 is sluggish in response, particularly while the vehicle travels at a high speed, controlling attitude of the vehicle stably is difficult, even though a vehicle attitude control is performed. This adversely affects the safety of the vehicle as it travels.

Hydraulic suspension device for automobile


The invention provides methods and compositions for increasing the dry strength of paper. The invention utilizes a tailored strength agent whose size and shape is tailored to fit into the junction points between flocs of a paper sheet. The strength agents is in contact with the slurry for just enough time to collect at the junction points but not so much that it can migrate away from there.

The invention relates to compositions, methods, and apparatuses for improving dry strength in paper using a process of treating a pulp slurry with a combination of strength agents.
As described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,465,623, 7,125,469, 7,615,135 and 7,641,776 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/962,556, a number of materials function as effective wet-end dry strength agents. These agents can be added to the slurry to increase the tensile strength properties of the resulting sheet. As with retention aids however they must both allow for the free drainage of water from the slurry and also must not interfere with or otherwise degrade the effectiveness of other additives present in the resulting paper product.
Maintaining high levels of dry strength is a critical parameter for many papermakers. Obtaining high levels of dry strength may allow a papermaker to make high performance grades of paper where greater dry strength is required, use less or lower grade pulp furnish to achieve a given strength objective, increase productivity by reducing breaks on the machine, or refine less and thereby reduce energy costs. The productivity of a paper machine is frequently determined by the rate of water drainage from a slurry of paper fiber on a forming wire. Thus, chemistry that gives high levels of dry strength while increasing drainage on the machine is highly desirable.
As described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,740,743, 3,555,932, 8,454,798, and US Published Patent Applications 2012/0186764, 2012/0073773, 2008/0196851, 2004/0060677, and 2011/0155339, a number of compositions such as glyoxalated acrylamide-containing polymers are known to give excellent dry strength when added to a pulp slurry. U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,937 teaches that an aqueous dispersion of a cationic amide-containing polymer can be made wherein the dispersion has a high inorganic salt content. U.S. Pat. No. 7,323,510 teaches that an aqueous dispersion of a cationic amide-containing polymer can be made wherein the dispersion has a low inorganic salt content. European Patent No. 1,579,071 B1 teaches that adding both a vinylamine-containing polymer and a glyoxalated polyacrylamide polymer gives a marked dry strength increase to a paper product, while increasing the drainage performance of the paper machine. This method also significantly enhances the permanent wet strength of a paper product produced thereby. Many cationic additives, but especially vinylamine-containing polymers, are known to negatively affect the performance of optical brightening agents (OBA). This may prevent the application of this method into grades of paper containing OBA. U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,443, teaches that the use of combinations of polyamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins with anionic polyacrylamide additives with specific charge densities and molecular weights can enhance the dry strength of a paper product. However, these combinations require the use of more than optimal amounts of additives and are sometimes practiced under difficult or cumbersome circumstances. As a result there is clear utility in novel methods for increasing the dry strength of paper.
The art described in this section is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is "prior art" with respect to this invention, unless specifically designated as such. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 CFR §1.56(a) exists.


An endoluminal prosthesis having a tubular graft comprising a first biocompatible material having a first weave density comprising yarns aligned in a first direction interwoven with yarns aligned in a second direction, and a second biocompatible material having a second weave density less than the first weave density comprising yarns aligned in a first direction interwoven with yarns aligned in a second direction, the second biocompatible material spirally positioned throughout the entire length of the tubular graft around a central axis with respect to the first biocompatible material. An elongate member is attached along the length of the tubular graft. The tubular graft includes first regions comprising the first biocompatible material and second regions containing the second biocompatible material. The elongate member is attached to the first regions of the tubular graft.

The physiological passageways and cavities of human and animal bodies, for example, blood vessels and ducts, occasionally weaken or even rupture. One common surgical intervention for weakened, aneurismal or ruptured passageways or ducts involves the use of an endoluminal prosthesis to provide some or all of the functionality of the original, healthy passageway or duct and/or preserve any remaining vascular integrity by replacing a length of the existing passageway or duct wall that spans the site of failure or defect. Endoluminal prostheses may be of a unitary construction or may be comprised of multiple prosthetic modules.

Endoluminal device with kink-resistant regions


A method for the rapid and controlled synthesis of mixed metal oxide nanoparticles using relatively low temperature plasma oxidation of liquid droplets of predetermined mixed metal precursors is disclosed. The resulting nanoparticles reflect the metal precursor stoichiometries and the mixed metal oxide's metastable phase can be controlled. The synthesis of mixed transition metal oxide comprising binary metal oxides, ternary mixed metal oxides, quaternary mixed metal oxides and pentanary mixed metal oxides are demonstrated herein.

Following the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991, nanomaterials have attracted great research interest due to their unique properties that allow them to be ideal building blocks in important applications such as catalyst supports, absorbent, batteries, solar cells, capacitors, sensors, and polymer composite. Mixed metal oxide nanoparticles are particularly useful in applications such as forming stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction and nitrogen oxide reduction and as semiconductors for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Depending on the intended application, the mixed metal oxide may require a specific stable phase, such as being provided as a perovskite, pyrochlore, solid solution, or spinel.
Mixed metal oxides have traditionally been synthesized using a solid-state route that involves the mechanical milling of oxides, carbonates or nitrates. However, the solid-state route requires a long processing time and elevated temperatures and pressures to produce the mixed metal oxide. Wet chemical methods, such as sol-gel processes, co-precipitation, solvothermal techniques, and pyrolysis in air, have attempted to overcome the deficiencies of the solid-state route. However, these methods tend to be multi-step and laborious processes that require prolonged heat treatments and, therefore, produce low yields of product which are primarily restricted to equilibrium phases. Further, it can be difficult to control the size, composition, and phase of the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles. More recently methods for preparing mixed metal oxide nanoparticles have included flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) methods such as vapor-fed flame spray pyrolysis, liquid-fed flame spray pyrolysis, and liquid-fed flame assisted spray pyrolysis. But these FSP methods are limited to zirconium, aluminum, titanium, and silicon based oxides for preparation of the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles, and/or the method generates environmentally harmful gases, such as volatile chlorides.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a more economical and efficient method of producing a variety of mixed-metal oxide nanoparticles of uniform size, novel composition and high-purity with predictable phases. Preferably, these mixed-metal oxide nanoparticles may comprise two, three, four, five, and potentially more metals.

Production of mixed metal oxide nanostructured compounds

University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.


This document relates to food products containing highly conjugated heterocyclic rings complexed to an iron ion and one or more flavor precursors, and using such food products to modulate the flavor and/or aroma profile of other foods. The food products described herein can be prepared in various ways and can be formulated to be free of animal products.

Food is any substance that is either eaten or drunk by any animal, including humans, for nutrition or pleasure. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and can contain essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells in an effort to produce energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.
Food typically has its origin in a photosynthetic organism, such as a plant. Some food is obtained directly from plants, but even animals that are used as food sources are raised by feeding them food which is typically derived from plants.
In most cases, the plant or animal food source is fractionated into a variety of different portions, depending upon the purpose of the food. Often, certain portions of the plant, such as the seeds or fruits, are more highly prized by humans than others and these are selected for human consumption, while other less desirable portions, such as the stalks of grasses, are typically used for feeding animals.
Current plant-based meat substitutes have largely failed to cause a shift to a vegetarian diet. Meat substitute compositions are typically extruded soy/grain mixtures which largely fail to replicate the experience of cooking and eating meat. Common limitations of plant-based meat substitute products are a texture and mouth-feel that are more homogenous than that of equivalent meat products. Furthermore, as these products must largely be sold pre-cooked, with artificial flavors and aromas pre-incorporated, they fail to replicate the aromas, flavors, and other key features, such as texture and mouth-feel, associated with cooking or cooked meat. As a result, these products appeal largely to a limited consumer base that is already committed to vegetarianism/veganism, but have failed to appeal to the larger consumer segment accustomed to eating meat. It would be useful to have improved plant-based meat substitutes which better replicate the aromas and flavors of meat, particularly during and/or after cooking.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and compositions for affecting the flavor and aroma profile of consumables


A mechanism to reduce load of a hydraulic cylinder having a body, a stem movable within the body, and a piston rod connected to the stem. The mechanism includes a mechanism body attached to the body and defining a recess, and a retainer attached to the mechanism adjacent the opening of the recess so that the retainer substantially fills the opening of the recess, and having an aperture that receives an end of the piston rod. The mechanism further includes a cap attached to the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder within the recess, the cap having a diameter greater than the diameter of the aperture in the retainer, and a spring connected to the cap at a first end and to the retainer at a second end so that as the piston rod moves relative to the failsafe mechanism body, to reduce load transfer between the piston rod and the cylinder body.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to running tools for use in oil field applications. In particular, embodiments disclosed herein relate to running tools for use in subsea drilling operations.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Drilling systems are often employed in subsea oil and gas exploration. Such systems include a wide variety of subsea equipment, including tooling used to operate and service such equipment. Such tooling can include hydraulic tools having components, such as hydraulic cylinders, and can be exposed to harsh conditions such as hang-off loads and/or bending loads. Such loads can expose a running tool's components, including hydraulic cylinders and piston rods to tension, compression, high pressure, and bending stresses. Furthermore, user error, or improper attachment of tools to subsea equipment, can lead to increased load stress in the piston rods of hydraulic cylinders and other components. The increased load stress can be caused by tension, compression, and bending forces.

Failsafe system and method for reducing load in a hydraulic cylinder


The present invention provides a nitrogen dioxide absorbent for the exhaust gas purifying facility designed to remove by absorption or adsorption of NO.sub.2 from a gas (such as ventilation gas from road tunnels) containing NO.sub.x in low concentrations. The absorbent is composed of a porous carrier and a basic amino acid and/or organic amine compound supported thereon. The absorbent is produced by impregnating a porous carrier sequentially with two aqueous solutions each containing in an amount of, for example, 0.5-3.0 mol/l (preferably 1.0-2.0 mol/l) of basic amino acid and 0.5-3.0 mol/l (preferably 1.0-2.0 mol/l) of organic amine compound, or impregnating a porous carrier with a solution containing 0.5-3.0 mol/l (preferably 1.0-2.0 mol/l) of basic amino acid and/or 0.5-3.0 mol/l (preferably 1.0-2.0 mol/l) of organic amine compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitrogen dioxide (NO.sub.2) absorbent or adsorbent for automotive exhaust gas purifying facilities to remove NO.sub.2 by absorption or adsorption from ventilation gas discharged from road tunnels which contains nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) in low concentrations.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conceivable common way of removing by absorption NO.sub.2 (which is an acidic gas) from NO.sub.x -containing gas is by reaction with alkali for fixation into nitrate or nitrite. In actual practice, however, very little NO.sub.2 is absorbed when air containing several ppm of NO.sub.2 is bubbled in an aqueous solution of KOH.
In contrast, NO.sub.2 in very low concentrations as above can be absorbed and removed effectively by the use of a solid absorbent consisting of a porous carrier (such as titania or alumina which has solid acid properties) and KOH impregnated into and supported on the carrier, which had previously been proposed by the present inventors. (See Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 211427/1998.)
The present inventors studied in detail the nitrogen dioxide absorbent composed of a carrier of solid acid or activated carbon and a hydroxide of strong alkali (such as K and Na) supported thereon. As the result, they found the following problems involved in it.
In the ase of a carrier of solid acid:
(1) A nitrogen dioxide absorbent composed of a carrier of solid acid and a hydroxide of strong alkali (such as K and Na) supported thereon is low in absorption rate unless NO.sub.x contain s nitrogen monoxide (NO) in an amount equal to or more than NO.sub.2. See FIG. 1. PA0 (2) If NO.sub.x contains NO in an amount equal to or more than NO.sub.2, the absorbing rate of NO.sub.2 is approximately linearly proportional to its concentration at 10 ppm or above. (Incidentally, the absorbing rate of NO is constant regardless of its concentration under the same absorbing condition.) However, in concentrations at 5 ppm or below, the absorbing rate of NO.sub.2 begins to decrease with decreasing concentration; it is very low at 1 ppm or below. This tendency becomes remarkable according as more NO.sub.2 is accumulated in the absorbent. See FIG. 2. PA0 (3) If NO.sub.x contains NO in an amount equal to or more than NO.sub.2 and if NO.sub.x is not accumulated initially in large amounts on the surface of the absorbent, NO and NO.sub.2 are absorbed almost equally and hence the absorbent is rapidly consumed. PA0 (4) Activated carbon (well known as an adsorbent of NO.sub.2) adsorbs NO.sub.2 alone and adsorbs and absorbs NO.sub.2 efficiently even in the absence of NO. However, its absorbing rate decreases at 1 ppm or below according as the accumulated amount of NO.sub.2 increases. PA0 (5) Activated carbon releases as much NO as one-half to one-quarter the amount of NO.sub.2 adsorbed. PA0 (6) An absorbent composed of activated carbon and a strong alkali hydroxide supported thereon absorbs NO and NO.sub.2 almost equally in the initial stage, like an absorbent employing an acid solid as the carrier; however, its absorbing rate of NO decreases according as the accumulated amount of NO.sub.x increases on the surface of the absorbent. After a large amount of NO.sub.x has accumulated, it reversibly releases as much NO as one-half to one-quarter the amount of NO.sub.2 absorbed. This results in an increase in NO concentration in the gas phase. See FIG. 3. PA0 (1) NO.sub.2 in low concentrations does not react directly with alkali. PA0 (2) At first, NO.sub.2 is adsorbed to the carrier. The adsorbed NO.sub.2 then changes into a compound which readily reacts with alkali. Finally, this compound reacts with alkali for its fixation. PA0 (3) Presumably, the compound in (2) readily reactive with alkali is N.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the case of solid acid carrier supporting strong alkali, and it is N.sub.2 O.sub.4 in the case of activated carbon carrier supporting strong alkali. EQU NO+NO.sub.2.fwdarw.N.sub.2 O.sub.3 EQU 2NO.sub.2.fwdarw.N.sub.2 O.sub.4 PA0 (4) In either case, those compounds in (3) decompose into nitric acid or nitrate (which is stable) and nitrous acid or nitrite (which is unstable). EQU N.sub.2 O+2MOH.fwdarw.2MNO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O EQU N.sub.2 O.sub.4 +2MOH.fwdarw.MNO.sub.3 +MNO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O PA0 (5) The nitrous acid or nitrite is oxidized into nitric acid or nitrate (which is stable) or decomposed into NO, which is released. EQU 2MNO.sub.2 +O.sub.2.fwdarw.2MNO.sub.3 EQU 2MNO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O.fwdarw.NO.sub.2 +2MOH+NO (released) PA0 (6) Usually, strong alkali nitrite is not readily decomposed but is oxidized into nitrate, and weak alkali nitrite is readily decomposed into NO. PA0 (a) The absorbent should have a catalytic action to denature NO.sub.2 into a compound readily reactive with alkali. PA0 (b) The absorbent should have alkali densely arranged around the active site of the catalyst in (a) so that the denatured product of NO.sub.2 reacts with alkali. PA0 (c) The resulting alkali nitrate and nitrite in (b) should have moderate stability so that it fixes the adsorbed NO.sub.2 in a stable manner and permits it to diffuse rapidly outward from the vicinity of the active site for NO.sub.2 denaturation in (a). PA0 (1) the solid acid carrier or activated carbon carrier provided with the denaturing catalytic action on NO.sub.x, and PA0 (2) the basic amino acid and organic amine compound or alkali hydroxide supported on the carrier.
In the case of a carrier of activated carbon:
The present inventors have interpreted these phenomena as follows.
(where, M: alkali metal)
It is concluded from the foregoing discussion that a d esirable nitrogen dioxide absorbent should meet the following requirements.
The concept mentioned above is depicted in FIG. 4.
NO.sub.2 in the gas phase is adsorbed at the active sites of the catalyst and is denatured there into a form readily reactive with alkali. The denatured product rapidly reacts with alkali hydroxide near the active site, and the resulting nitrate and nitrite are retained stably. The active site of the catalyst becomes vacant, and the cycle of adsorption-denaturation can be repeated.
The thus formed nitrate or nitrite has its anions (NO.sub.3.sup.- or NO.sub.2.sup.-) dispersed into the vicinity from near the active site. Thus free alkali is regenerated near the active site, and it repeats its reaction with the denatured product forming at the active site.
At an early time when the absorption of NO.sub.2 has just begun, alkali is present in large amounts near the active site and hence the rate of absorption is limited by the rate of absorption of NO.sub.2 to the active site. Accordingly, as the amount of NO.sub.2 absorbed increases, the rate of absorption is limited by the rate of diffusion into the vicinity of the active site.
The present inventors had previously proposed a carrier of titania (TiO.sub.2) impregnated with a manganese (Mn) salt, followed by drying and firing. This carrier meets the requirement of (a), or it has a catalytic action for denaturation of NO.sub.2. See Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 192049/1996.
The present inventors had also proposed a nitrogen dioxide absorbent employing a carrier impregnated with a hydroxide of alkali metal (such as K and Na). See Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 211427/1998.
The above-mentioned absorbent was capable of efficient absorption of NO.sub.2 in low concentrations (1 ppm or below). This was a remarkable improvement as expected. However, it was found that the rate of absorption of NO.sub.2 in low concentrations rapidly decreases according as NO.sub.2 accumulates on the surface of the absorbent. See FIG. 5. A probable reason for this is that strong alkali nitrate or nitrite is so stable that it does not permit its anions (NO.sub.2.sup.- or NO.sub.3.sup.-) to readily diffuse from near the active site, with the result that free alkali rapidly decreases near the catalytic active site.


A touch screen panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: first and second substrates each being divided into a touch active region and a touch non-active region that is located outside the touch active region; second sensing electrodes at the touch active region on a first surface of the first substrate; first sensing electrodes divided into at least two groups respectively at the touch active regions on different surfaces of the first and second substrates, a group of the at least two groups being on a second surface of the first substrate or at least one surface of the second substrate; and outside wirings connected to the first and second sensing electrodes, the outside wirings and the sensing electrodes on a same one of the substrates being at a same plane.

1. Field
Aspects of embodiments according to the present invention relate to a touch screen panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch screen panel is an input device that selects instructions displayed on a screen (such as an image display device, etc.) using a person's hand or an object to input instructions from a user.
To this end and in one embodiment, the touch screen panel is provided on a front face of the image display device and converts positions that are directly touched by a person's hand or an object into electrical signals. Therefore, the instructions selected at the touched positions are received as the input signals.
As the touch screen panel can replace a separate input device, such as a keyboard or a mouse, that is operated by being connected with the image display device, the application field of the touch screen panel is being gradually expanded.
Types of the touch screen panel include a resistive type, a light sensing type, and a capacitive type, etc.
In the capacitive type touch screen panel, when the person's hand or the object touches the touch screen panel, the conductive sensing electrode senses the change in capacitance generated by adjacent sensing patterns or ground electrode, etc., thereby converting touched positions into the electrical signals.
The capacitive-type touch screen panel does not have a degradation of image quality problem that occurs in the resistive-type touch screen panel due to an air layer that exists between two transparent substrates on which upper electrodes and lower electrodes are formed.
In particular, when sensing electrodes provided on the capacitive-type touch screen panel are formed on a single film substrate, the capacitive-type touch screen panel may be implemented as a light and slim touch screen panel while providing the improved quality of image over the resistive-type touch screen panel.
However, in the case of the film-type touch screen panel according to the related art, all the sensing electrodes and the outside wirings connected thereto are formed on one surface of the film substrate, thereby increasing a dead space (black matrix region) in which the outside wirings are disposed, such that it is difficult to manufacture the film-type touch screen panel having high definition and large area.


Power management for a touch controller is disclosed. The touch controller can include a transmit section for transmitting stimulation signals to an associated touch sensor panel to drive the panel, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the transmit section to reduce power during the transmission. The touch controller can also include a receive section for receiving touch signals resulting from the driving of the panel, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the receive section to reduce power during the receipt of the touch signals. The touch controller can also include a demodulation section for demodulating the received touch signals to obtain touch event results, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the demodulation section to reduce power during the demodulation of the touch signals. The touch controller can also selectively reduce power below present low levels during idle periods.

Many types of input devices are presently available for performing operations in a computing system, such as buttons or keys, mice, trackballs, joysticks, touch sensor panels, touch screens and the like. Touch sensitive devices, such as touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease and versatility of operation as well as their declining price. A touch sensitive device can include a touch sensor panel, which can be a clear panel with a touch-sensitive surface, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) that can be positioned partially or fully behind the panel so that the touch-sensitive surface can cover at least a portion of the viewable area of the display device. The touch sensitive device can allow a user to perform various functions by touching the touch sensor panel using a finger, stylus or other object at a location dictated by a user interface (UI) being displayed by the display device. In general, the touch sensitive device can recognize a touch event and the position of the touch event on the touch sensor panel, and the computing system can then interpret the touch event in accordance with the display appearing at the time of the touch event, and thereafter can perform one or more actions based on the touch event.
To achieve a certain ease and versatility of operation, touch sensitive devices can have significant power requirements, which can be due to the components required to operate the touch sensitive device as well as the functions performed on the device. Such power requirements can unfortunately lead to shorter battery usage between recharges, reduced functionality to conserve power, or larger touch sensitive devices to house more powerful power supplies.


A closed loop feedback circle drive system utilized onboard a motor grader includes an operator input device, a blade, and a multi-speed hydraulic motor having a motor output shaft. The motor output shaft is mechanically linked to blade such that motor output shaft rotation drives rotation of the blade about a blade rotation axis. A controller is operably coupled to the operator input device and to the multi-speed hydraulic motor. The controller is configured to: (i) receive blade rotation commands via the operator input device to rotate the blade about the rotation axis in a commanded manner; and (ii) control the multi-speed hydraulic motor to implement the blade rotation commands, while repeatedly adjusting the rotational speed of the motor output shaft to reduce variations in a rotational velocity of the blade due to changes in blade loading conditions occurring during motor grader operation.

A motor grader is often equipped with a circle drive system for adjusting the rotational position of a blade-circle assembly; that is, an assembly including a relatively large, generally circular structure or "circle" beneath which a blade is suspended. Conventionally, a circle drive system includes either a hydraulic cylinder arrangement or a fixed displacement hydraulic motor for rotating the blade-circle assembly and, therefore, the blade about a blade rotation axis perpendicular to the motor grader's direction of travel. As a specific example, in one common design, the circle is imparted with a toothed inner periphery, which forms a large annular gear engaged by a smaller gear or pinion. The pinion is mechanically linked to the output shaft of a fixed displacement hydraulic motor, whether directly or indirectly through intervening gearing, such as a gearbox reduction. During motor grader operation, operator commands received via a joystick (or a similar input device) are relayed to a valve actuator, which is mechanically linked to a spool contained in a directional control valve. The valve actuator adjusts the translational position of the spool within the directional control valve in accordance with the operator commands. This regulates the direction and rate of hydraulic fluid flow through the fixed displacement hydraulic motor, which, in turn, drives rotation of the pinon to turn the blade-circle assembly about its rotation axis in the commanded manner.

Closed loop feedback circle drive systems for motor graders


A real-time sequence-based anomaly detection system is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the intrusion detection system is incorporated as part of a software wrapper. Event abstraction in the software wrapper enables the intrusion detection system to apply generically across various computing platforms. Real-time anomaly detection is enabled through the definition of a distance matrix that defines allowable separation distances between pairs of system calls. The distance matrix indirectly specifies known sequences of system calls and can be used to determine whether a sequence of system calls in an event window represents an anomaly. Anomalies that are detected are further analyzed through levenshtein distance calculations that also rely on the contents of the distance matrix.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to intrusion detection, and more particularly, to systems and methods for implementing real-time sequence-based anomaly detection.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An organization""s network security plan typically includes various lines of defense. Firewall systems represent a common first line of defense. Firewalls generally represent a security enforcement point that separates a trusted network from an untrusted network. In operation, firewalls screen all connections by determining which traffic should be allowed and which traffic should be disallowed based on a predetermined security policy.
Inevitably, this first line of defense will fail. The second line of defense of the network security plan is intrusion detection. After an intruder has successfully penetrated the perimeter and gained access to systems within the protected network, a mechanism must exist to quickly detect the intruder and minimize the damage that the intruder can inflict.
Intrusion detection is based on the general assumption that the behavior of the intruder differs from that of a legitimate user in ways that can be quantified. The variance between the respective behaviors will presumably increase where the intruder is operating in a manner calculated to produce increasingly malicious results. In general, the characterizations of the typical behavior of authorized users as compared to the characterizations of the behavior of intruders will not be mutually exclusive. It is therefore a goal of intrusion detection system designers to minimize so called xe2x80x9cfalse positives,xe2x80x9d i.e., characterizations of legitimate behavior as that of an intruder.
Intrusion detection systems that monitor for intrusive behavior need to collect data on the dynamic state of the system. Various types of dynamic state information can be collected. For example, some intrusion detection systems collect profiles of user behavior that are generated by audit logs. Other systems look at network traffic or attempt to characterize the behavior of privileged processes.
Once a behavioral characteristic is selected, it is used to classify data. Classification techniques can be divided into two categories. A first category is represented by techniques that look for known intrusion signatures. This category of techniques, known as misuse intrusion detection techniques, encodes intrusion signatures or scenarios and scans for occurrences of those signatures. Accordingly, these techniques require prior knowledge of the nature of the intrusion. In one example, misuse intrusion detection systems use an expert system to fit data to known intrusion signatures.
A second category of classification techniques is represented by those techniques that look for anomalous behavior. In anomaly intrusion detection, it is assumed that the nature of the intrusion is unknown, but that the intrusion will result in behavior different from that normally seen in the system. Anomaly intrusion detection systems use models of normal or expected behavior to monitor systems. These models form the basis of the determination of whether observed behavior deviates substantially from what is expected.
One example of an anomaly intrusion detection system is described in S. A. Hofmeyr, S. Forrest, A. Somayaji, xe2x80x9cIntrusion Detection Using Sequences of System Calls,xe2x80x9d Journal of Computer Security, 6:151-180, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In the Hofmeyr approach, a program is viewed as a black box, and therefore no specialized knowledge of the internal functioning of the program is required. The internal functioning of the program is inferred indirectly through the observation of the program""s normal behavior.
The behavior of the program is observed through the monitoring of system calls that access system resources. In the Hofmeyr system, short sequences of system calls were assumed to represent a good simple discriminator for several types of intrusions. Accordingly, in a first stage, profiles of observed sequences of system calls that occur in the conventional and acceptable operation of the program are recorded. These stored profiles form the basis by which the intrusion detection system can determine whether the system calls of a monitored process conform to the profiles of expected behavior. Deviations from the stored profiles would indicate an anomalous operation of the program.
To generate a database of profiles, the stream of system calls generated by a particular program is traced to identify all unique sequences of a given length, k, that occurred during the trace. Each program of interest has a different database that is specific to a particular architecture, software version and configuration, local administrative policies, and usage patterns. The following example illustrates the construction of a database.
Suppose the system observes the following trace of system calls (excluding parameters):
open, read, mmap, mmap, open, read, mmap
A window of size k is moved across the trace, recording each unique sequence of length k that is encountered. For example, if k=3, then the following unique sequences result:
open, read, mmap
read, mmap, mmap
mmap, mmap, open
mmap, open, read
Hofmeyr stores these sequences as trees, with each tree rooted at a particular system call. The set of trees corresponding to the above example is illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated, each system call tree is rooted at the first system call in the sequence. For example, the open-read-mmap tree is rooted at the open system call. As further illustrated, the sequences mmap-read-open and mmap-open-read are rooted at the same system call. This combination of sequences reduces the total number of nodes in the forest of trees.
Notwithstanding the savings gained through the reduction in nodes, this conventional storage mechanism still places a significant burden on the intrusion detection system. For example, consider a database that contains 1318 unique system call sequences of length ten. If each of these 1318 unique system call sequences are stored independently, 13180 nodes would be required, wherein each node corresponds to a system call. Storing the 1318 sequences as trees as per an example in the Hofmeyr reference, however, can reduce the number of nodes to 7578 nodes. The storage of the sequences as trees increases the storage efficiency as compared to storage of the 1318 unique system call sequences independently. Notwithstanding the gain in efficiency relative to the independent system call sequence storage, the storage of 7578 nodes still represents a significant storage burden. This inefficiency has a great impact on the ability of the intrusion detection system to operate effectively in real time. Accordingly, what is needed is a mechanism for increasing the operational efficiency of a sequence-based anomaly intrusion detection system.
The present invention meets the aforementioned needs by providing an intrusion detection system that operates efficiently in real-time. Computational efficiency is generated through the representation of known sequences of system calls in a distance matrix. The distance matrix indirectly specifies known sequences by specifying allowable separation distances between pairs of system calls. The distance matrix is used to determine whether a sequence of system calls in an event window represents an anomaly. Anomalies that are detected are further analyzed through levenshtein distance calculations that also rely on the contents of the distance matrix. In a preferred embodiment, the intrusion detection system is incorporated as part of a system call software wrapper. It is a further feature of the present invention that event abstraction enables the intrusion detection system to apply generically across various computing platforms.

Sequence-based anomaly detection using a distance matrix


The present invention relates to the blending of key nutritional and hormonal components for successful application through a controlled drop applicator to satisfy plant requirements for growth. More specifically this invention provides a micronutrient composition for enhancing plant growth made of a mixture of gibberellic acid dissolved in triethanolamine. The gibberellic acids are: Gibberellic acid 4, Gibberellic acid 7, Gibberellic acid 9, Gibberellic acid 12. The gibberellic acids are mixed with kinetin dissolved in an alcohol; tryptophan dissolved in a humic acid solution; and a sufficient amount of a chelating agent.

This invention is directed to liquid foliar hormonal products that are designed for use in low water volume sprayers. Foliar feeding of plants presents many technical challenges. Plants put up many barriers to the retention, entry, and transport of active agents such growth inhibitors and stimulators. In addition, environmental conditions and plant factors (age, architecture, leaf morphology and leaf arrangement) may decrease the activity of a plant modulator. Adjuvants are commonly used to improve a plant modulator performance.
The use of liquid fertilizers and hormonal blends, foliarly applied, on professionally managed turf is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,655. The '655 patent addresses the proper blends of gibberellic acids (GA), auxins (AUX) and cytokinins (CYT) to optimize plant growth. Proper blending of the hormonal components must be combined with proper application to the turf to ensure optimum growth and health. Therefore, all foliar products utilizing the stated hormonal blend must be used in traditional commercial sprayers that can maintain a recommended spray volume of 25-40 gallons per acre (GPA). A standard commercial spray rig has a 100 to 150 gallon tank mounted to the frame. This permits numerous nutritional and hormonal products to be added to the tank without incident because of the high degree of dilution.
But, based on the evidence of increasing environmental regulations, particularly water usage and runoff, manufacturers of spray rigs are redesigning their equipment to use ultra-low volumes of water. In some instances the equipment discharges water volumes in the 2-4 gibberellic acid range while tank sizes range from 8 to 14 gallons. This technology is known as the "Controlled Drop Applicator" (CDA). U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,401, provides an example of the newly designed spray nozzles that are required to provide these ultra-low water volumes. The design of these nozzles makes it imperative that the liquid formulations passing through this orifice do not contain rigid particulates or other components that will cause clogging. Because of the low-volume tanks and low spray rates, only one or two nutritional and hormonal products can be added at one time. However, as many as twenty different nutrients and hormones are needed for proper plant growth, thus multiple spray applications must be made to adequately cover the agronomic needs of the plant. This is not practical because of the demands of a golf course or sports stadium.
The manufacturers of liquid foliar fertilizers and hormonal products are now challenged to redesign their products to comply with the trend toward these ultra-low spray volumes. This is not a straight-forward exercise, as the chemical limitations do not allow concentrating these products by 10-fold. Furthermore, higher concentrations of products increase the likelihood of particulate formation and increased chance for clogging of the nozzles.

Composition and use with controlled drop applicators


A barbecue tongs is provided wherein the arms are yieldingly outwardly biased. The tongs incorporate an arm pivot limiter for each of outward pivotal movement and inward pivotal movement as well as an arm lock that holds the arms in an almost fully jaws closed configuration for convenient storage. The tongs utilize a slidable U-shaped sleeve at the rear end which can have either one of two positions selected by a user. In one position, the arm lock is operational while in the second position the outward pivot limiter is operational.

This invention relates to tongs adapted for use barbecuing and the like that are equipped with an arm clamp and arm pivot limiters.
Tongs are a basic device for seizing, lifting, or moving objects. Tongs are characterized by having two adjacent long arms. The respective arm front ends function as jaws and pivot between open and closed configurations relative to a hinge-like interconnection existing between the respective arm rear ends in the manner of a class three lever.
The construction, configuration and size of the long arms of a tongs are chosen with regard to the end use intended for the tongs. In the case of tongs intended for use in barbecuing, the arms are relatively long and large so as to permit the user of the tongs to be spaced from the food that is being prepared. Thereby, the user avoids undesirable exposure or contact either with heat radiating from beneath the grill on which the food rests during its cooling, or with hot grease or particles spattering outwardly from the heated grill or food on the grill.
Usually a barbecue tongs is best handled and manipulated by one hand of the user, and usually it is most convenient to have the anus yieldingly biased into an outward, open configuration. Thus, when the hand of the user loosely holds a rearward portion of the tongs, the arms of the tongs maintain themselves in an open configuration, yet, when the user""s hand is closed, compressive force is applied against the bias, and the arms close enabling the arm jaws to grasp a chosen item, such as a piece of food or a red hot coal. Hence, the opening and closing of the hand of the user effectuates opening and closing of the forward end portions of the arms. The other hand of the user is typically concurrently used for other tasks associated with barbecuing food.
However, a problem of classic proportions is associated with barbecue tongs: The arms, so biased, can cause the tongs to be unmanageable, or nearly so. Thus, the outward bias provided for the arms does not limit outward movement of the arms so that the arms can fly open to a uselessly wide extent if not continuously gripped by a user""s hand, but such a gripping is commonly not practical through an entire barbecuing procedure. Also, the outward bias can severely interfere with practical or convenient storage of the barbecue tongs in a confined location when the tongs are not in active use or are not being grasped.
Further, when arms that are so biased are manually pivoted to a jaws closed configuration, the applied manual compression, or jaws closing, force is hard to control under use conditions. Commonly the applied force is somewhat excessive, causing the members of the jaw pair tend to override one another with the result that one jaw slips laterally relative to the other. This override can result not only in an undesirable stress upon the arms and the hinge like, rear end interconnection between the arms, but also in a shifting, mutilation, or, sometimes, an ejection of an object grasped between the closed jaws tendency so that the object is damaged.
Various means have heretofore been provided for limiting (or stopping) the outward and the inward pivoting extent of arm movement in barbecue tongs having outwardly biased arms, and for locking or clamping the anus in a substantially closed position. Commonly, such prior art stop and/or clamp means may involve an auxiliary member that is separatable from, but associatable, in some way, with the arms, and when so associated, effectuates a desired stop effect or clamp effect. Such an arrangement has disadvantages. For example, the auxiliary member can be cumbersome. When, for instance, the tongs so equipped are in use, the auxiliary member may be separated and easily lost or mislaid.
In prior art tongs, sometimes a stop means can interfere with a clamp means. Also, sometimes, a stop or clamp means may be used in a manner that is injurious to the tongs.
In the art of barbecue tongs, an improved structural arrangement is needed that incorporates integrally both an arm stop means and a non-interfering arm clamp means. Preferably the arm stop means can function limit both the outward and the inward pivoting extent of the arms. Such an improved tongs is provided by the present invention.
The present invention relates to improved tongs well adapted for use in barbecuing and the like. The tongs arms are outwardly biased and are equipped with clamp means for locking the arms in a substantially closed position and also with stop means for limiting the extent of outward and preferably also inward pivoting movements of the arms. The stop means and the clamp means are integrated into the structure of the tongs yet they do not interfere either with each other or with normal usage of the tongs.
The inventive tongs incorporate a pair of elongated arms that extend in adjacent aligned relationship relative to one another with each arm having a front end portion and an opposed rear end portion. The respective front end portions coact to comprise a pair of jaws that open and close to grasp a selected object.
The respective rear end portions are pivotably associated together and permit the jaws to advance pivotably towards and away from one another relative to the rear end portions.
A spring extends between the arms and is arranged to yieldingly bias the arms into an outward configuration relative to each other.
A reversibly actuatable clamp means is provided for holding when actuated the jaws in a nearly closed configuration.
A first pivot limiting means is provided that is associated with the clamp means and that limits maximum outward movement of the jaws relative to one another.
The clamp means and the first pivot limiting means employ a flange and a U-shaped sleeve that is slidably associated with the flange. The flange and the sleeve are at the rear end of the tongs. In one position along the flange, the sleeve with the arms in a nearly closed configuration holds the arms in a fixed position. In another position along the flange, the sleeve functions to allow the arms to open only to a predetermined extent.
A second pivot limiting means is provided that is associated with the arms and that limits the inward travel of the arms when the jaws are in a substantially closed configuration.
The inventive tongs overcome the above indicated disadvantages of prior art tongs and provide a new and very useful tong stricture well suited for barbecuing and the like.
Other and further objects, aims, features, purposes, advantages, functions, embodiments and the like will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings of the present specification taken with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.


A disclosed film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by supplying a reaction gas to an upper surface of the substrate in a vacuum chamber includes a susceptor provided in the vacuum chamber, wherein substrate receiving areas are formed along a circle whose center lies in a center portion of the susceptor; a main gas supplying portion provided opposing the susceptor in order to supply the reaction gas to the substrate receiving areas of the susceptor; a compensation gas supplying portion configured to supply the reaction gas to an upper surface of the susceptor in order to compensate for concentration of the reaction gas supplied from the main gas supplying portion along a radius direction of the susceptor; and a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the susceptor relative to the main gas supplying portion and the compensation gas supplying portion around the center portion of the susceptor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film deposition apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate by supplying a reaction gas to an upper surface of the substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor fabrication process, a film deposition method has been known that is called an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method or a molecular layer deposition (MLD) method where after a first reaction gas is adsorbed on an upper surface of a semiconductor wafer (simply referred to as wafer hereinafter) serving as a substrate, a second reaction gas is adsorbed on the upper surface, so that one or more atomic (or molecular) layers are produced through chemical reaction of the first and the second reaction gases on the surface of the wafer, and then this cycle is repeated plural times. Because a thickness of the thin film can be controlled at higher accuracy by the number of the cycles and the deposited film can have excellent uniformity across the wafer, this deposition method is thought to be promising as a film deposition technique that can address further miniaturization of semiconductor devices.
Such a film deposition method may be preferably used, for example, for depositing a dielectric material to be used as a gate insulator. When a silicon oxide film is deposited as the gate insulator, a bis (tertiary-butylamino) silane (BTBAS) gas or the like is used as a first reaction gas (source gas) and ozone (O3) gas or the like is used as a second gas (oxidation gas).
In order to carry out such a deposition method, use of a single-wafer deposition apparatus having a vacuum chamber and a shower head at a top center portion of the vacuum chamber has been under consideration. In such a deposition apparatus, the reaction gases are introduced into the chamber from the top center portion, and unreacted gases and by-products are evacuated from a bottom portion of the chamber. When such a deposition chamber is used, it takes a long time for a purge gas to purge the reaction gases, resulting in an extremely long process time because the number of cycles may reach several hundred. Therefore, a deposition method and apparatus that enable high throughput is desired.
Under these circumstances, there have been proposed film deposition apparatuses having a vacuum chamber and a rotation table that holds plural substrates along a rotation direction, where the reaction gases are alternately supplied to the plural substrates by rotating the rotation table. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a film deposition apparatus including a process chamber divided into plural process spaces to which different reaction gases are supplied from corresponding ceiling portions, and a rotation table that allows the substrates placed thereon to alternately pass through the plural process spaces.
In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a film deposition apparatus including, for example, two reaction gas nozzles that eject different reaction gases toward a rotatable table on which plural substrates are placed. In this film deposition apparatus, the plural substrates can alternately pass through and below the reaction gas nozzles by rotating the rotatable table, thereby alternately supplying the reaction gases to the substrates. Such a film deposition apparatus can improve production throughput because a purge step for purging the reaction gases is not necessary and the plural substrates can be processed in one run.
However, there may be a problem in that a gas concentration is varied along a radius direction of the rotatable table in such a film deposition apparatus where the substrates are exposed to the reaction gases by rotating the rotatable table. This is partly because tangential speeds of the rotatable table become higher toward a circumferential edge from a rotation center portion of the rotatable table, which affects in an unexpected manner a flow pattern of the reaction gases flowing over the rotatable table.
In the film deposition apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, where a purge gas is preferably supplied in order to separate the reaction gases supplied from the corresponding reaction gas nozzles, because an amount of the purge gas flowing into areas where the reaction gases are supplied may vary depending on process conditions, this may lead to a varied gas concentration along the radius direction of the rotatable table.
Moreover, even when the same reaction gas is supplied as a first reaction gas and a second reaction gas, if a target thickness of the film to be deposited and the process conditions such as a rotation speed of the rotatable table, a process pressure, and the like are changed, the flow pattern of the reaction gas may be easily changed, which may degrade thickness uniformity of the film. Because further improvement in film uniformity is desired in view of recent demands for further reduced patterns, a film deposition apparatus capable of improving a reaction gas concentration along a radius direction of a substrate and addressing changes in the process conditions has been desired.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3,144,664 (FIGS. 1, 2, claim 1)
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-254181 (FIGS. 1 and 2)


A respirator includes a frame, a filter layer, and a face seal member. The frame has an outer side and an inner side. The frame defines an opening therethrough. The filter layer is mounted to the outer side of the frame and covers the opening of the frame. The filter layer is configured to prohibit permeation of aerosol, gas, and/or vapor contaminants therethrough. The face seal member is mounted to the inner side of the frame. The face seal member includes a seal contact area configured to engage a facial surface of a wearer. The face seal member incorporates a phase change material therein. The phase change material is configured to provide localized cooling by absorbing heat emitted by the wearer.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to respirators, and more particularly to respirators that have phase change material to provide thermoregulation for comfort of the respirator wearer.
Typical respirator masks include a protective shell, such as a non-permeable shield or a semi-permeable filter member, that covers the nose and mouth of the wearer to prohibit splatter and contaminants in the air from being inhaled by the wearer. Edges of the respirator typically contact the face of the wearer to seal to the face to prohibit the entrance of un-filtered air into the respirator. The inside of the respirator may define a cavity or a dead space. The air that the wearer breathes is inhaled from the cavity and exhaled to the cavity. Although the respirator may include filter media and/or a valve to allow for air exchange through the respirator, such as to discharge carbon dioxide and to receive oxygen, a substantial amount of exhaled air may be at least temporarily trapped within the cavity of the respirator.
The exhaled air includes heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide. As the heat and moisture builds within the cavity, the wearer may feel hot and sweaty along the nose and mouth, including the facial surfaces that contact the edges of the respirator, and may feel that the air is very stuffy and difficult to breathe. Valves, such as inhalation and exhalation valves, may not sufficiently dissipate the heat and moisture that cumulates to relieve the discomfort experienced by the wearer. In an effort to relieve the discomfort, the wearer may opt to remove the respirator and continue in a task without wearing the respirator. However, removing the respirator exposes the person no longer wearing the respirator to the contaminants in the air, such as fomites, air pollutants, splatter of hazardous chemicals, and the like, which may be harmful if inhaled.


Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented in various devices to provide position assistance data and/or the like to a mobile station with regard to at least one of a plurality of different indoor regions.

1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for use in various devices comprising computing platforms and/or mobile stations to provide position assistance data and/or the like to a mobile station with regard to at least one of a plurality of different indoor regions.
2. Information
The Global Positioning System (GPS) represents one type of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which along with other types of satellite positioning systems (SPS) provide or otherwise support signal-based position location capabilities (e.g., navigation functions) in mobile stations, and particularly in outdoor environments. However, since some satellite signals may not be reliably received and/or acquired by a mobile station within an indoor environment or other like mixed indoor/outdoor environments, different techniques may be employed to enable position location services.
For example, mobile stations may attempt to obtain a position fix by measuring ranges to three or more terrestrial transmitters (e.g., wireless access points, beacons, cell towers, etc.) which are positioned at known locations. Such ranges may be measured, for example, by obtaining a MAC ID address from signals received from such transmitters and obtaining range measurements to the transmitters by measuring one or more characteristics of signals received from such transmitters such as, for example, signal strength, a round trip delay time, etc.
These and other like position location and navigation techniques tend to be of further benefit to a user if presented with certain mapped features. For example, mapped features may relate to or otherwise identify certain physical objects, characteristics, or points of interest within a building or complex, etc. Thus, in certain instances, an indoor navigation system may provide a digital electronic map to a mobile station upon entering a particular indoor area, e.g., in response to a request for position assistance data. Such a map may show indoor features such as doors, hallways, entry ways, walls, etc., points of interest such as bathrooms, pay phones, room names, stores, etc. Such a digital electronic map may be stored at a server to be accessible by a mobile station through selection of a URL, for example. By obtaining and displaying such a map, a mobile station may overlay a current location of the mobile station (and user) over the displayed map to provide the user with additional context.
In certain instances, some of the information that may be provided to and/or otherwise used by a mobile station for navigational or other like purposes may have significant value, e.g., the information may comprise intellectual property or otherwise relate to a proprietary capability, etc. In some instances, some information may be confidential or otherwise relate to some aspect wherein privacy or secrecy may be desired. Thus, it may be useful to not only provide such information in an efficient manner, but to also carefully control the dissemination of such information as it is transmitted, stored, and/or processed by the various devices and communications resources.

Methods and apparatuses for use in providing position assistance data to mobile stations


Methods of processing a device substrate are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of processing a device substrate can include bonding a first surface of a device substrate to a carrier with a polymeric material. The device substrate may have a plurality of first openings extending from the first surface towards a second surface of the device substrate opposite from the first surface. Then, material can be removed at the second surface of the device substrate, wherein at least some of the first openings communicate with the second surface at least one of before or after performing the removal of the material. Then, at least a portion of the polymeric material disposed between the first surface and the carrier substrate can be exposed to a substance through at least some first openings to debond the device substrate from the carrier substrate.

Substrate processing can require a substrate to be temporarily coupled to a carrier substrate. For example, such temporary coupling may be necessary to support the substrate during processing, such as when material is removed from the substrate by mechanical means such as grinding, for example.
Unfortunately, conventional bonding and de-bonding methods have several limitations. For example, some conventional methods can require specialized bonding material and debonding tools that are available only from limited sources. In some cases, the conditions, e.g., heat or pressure that must be applied to debond are not easily integrated with other processing applied to the substrate and may cause cracks or induce stress in the device substrate. In some cases, specialized carrier substrates are required.
Unfortunately, these conventional methods may add to the cost of substrate processing due to need for specialized bonding materials, carrier substrates, and/or expensive de-bonding equipment, and low throughput that may result from these specialized materials and/or equipment.
Thus, improved methods of processing a device substrate are provided herein.