A recoil booster for use with a sound suppressor for a firearm includes a hollow piston configured to be coupled to the firearm, a cap assembly, and a housing configured to be coupled to the sound suppressor. The cap assembly is removably coupled to the housing and includes an inner periphery configured to slidably guide a head portion of the piston. The housing includes an internal shoulder configured to abut the head portion of the piston in a nominal position of the booster. When the cap assembly is uncoupled from the housing, the piston is removable from the booster by sliding the head portion of the piston forward out of the cap assembly.

It is known that firearm sound suppressors or "silencers" reduce or modify the amount of recoil or kickback and the sound level of a muzzle blast (caused by the discharge of pressurized burning gases from the firearm). However, in many conventional firearms such as auto-loading handguns, the barrel of the firearm must freely tilt to permit extraction and ejection of a projectile casing, thereby enabling the cycling of the action and automatic reloading of a new round into the firing chamber. Firearm sound suppressors for centerfire pistols typically add too much weight to the barrel to allow normal recoiling and tilting of the barrel to work the automatic reloading action. As a result, conventional firearm sound suppressors have included recoil boosters (hereinafter "boosters") that increase the amount of recoil acting on the barrel of the firearm by temporarily decoupling the weight of the sound suppressor from the barrel.
One example of a prior booster is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,122 to Brittingham, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This prior booster includes an elongate piston threadably coupled to a firearm barrel and a housing coupled with a sound suppressor and disposed coaxially about the piston. The piston includes a head portion with a plurality of spokes about a periphery, the spokes configured to slide closely along the inner periphery of the housing and abut an end wall of the housing in a rest or nominal state of the booster. A spring disposed around the piston biases the head portion into abutting engagement with the forward end wall of the housing in the nominal state. In operation, the pressurized gases released during discharge of the firearm would force the sound suppressor and the housing forward such that the piston head slides relatively rearward along the inner periphery of the housing against the bias of the spring, thereby temporarily decoupling the weight of the sound suppressor from the firearm barrel.
When the prior booster is to be disassembled for cleaning or for changing to a new piston, the piston head and the corresponding spokes must be dragged along the entire length of the inner periphery of the housing in the booster. As the firearm is discharged numerous times, discharged powder and other particulate matter forms a soot-like deposit along various surfaces of the sound suppressor. The deposits may build up enough along the inner periphery of the housing such that sliding the piston head through the full length of the housing becomes difficult or impossible. Furthermore, the piston head is being pulled against the bias of the spring, which further increases the difficulty of disassembly, or, if the spring is removed, provides no assistance in removal of the piston.
Therefore, it would be desirable to improve the booster used in a firearm sound suppressor and address some of the problems with conventional boosters.

Recoil booster for firearm sound suppressors


A method for producing stinky brine for use in production of stinky tofu and a fermentation broth used therefore is provided. The method for producing stinky brine includes steps of inoculating a fermentation broth with microflora for producing the stinky brine. The fermentation broth includes at least 85˜153 g/L of tryptone and 15˜27 g/L of soytone, which may further include a trace amount of glucose, sodium chloride, dipotassium phosphate or a combination thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing stinky brine for use in the production of stinky tofu.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stinky tofu is a delicacy for many Chinese because of the particular smell and flavor. The smell and flavor primarily comes from the fermentation of stinky brine. Traditionally, stinky tofu is made by immersing uncooked tofu in stinky brine at room temperature from one day to a week. The stinky brine is traditionally obtained from a blend of cabbages, bamboo shoots, tofu, shrimps, salt and the like as the original material under an open fermentation for one week or more.
However, the texture and taste of stinky brine is not always consistent because the original materials are from nature and the ingredients are likely to change during different seasons of the year or different years, or the like. Also, traditionally, sanitary conditions for producing stinky brine my not be so favorable, due to the requirement for open fermentation for several weeks.
To solve the consistency and sanitary problems, standards for producing stinky brine has been considered.
Taiwan Patent No. 1496731 discloses a method for producing stinky tofu which starts from preparing stinky brine. The stinky brine consists of cabbages, bamboo shoots, shrimps and salt in a specific ratio. The stinky brine was then inoculated with specific microflora for fermentation in an open space. Then, the fermented stinky brine was used for production of stinky tofu.
China Patent No. CN101147548 also discloses a method for producing fried stinky tofu. The method starts from preparing the stinky brine by boiling a blend of 12˜13% of amaranth stems, 12˜13% of bamboo shoots, 4˜6% of fresh soybean milks, 2˜3% of ginger, 2˜3% of licorice roots and 0.2˜0.3% of Chinese red peppers in water at first and adding 4˜6% of millet wine, 4˜6% of salt and 9˜11% of pickled mustard after the blend was cooled. The prepared stinky brine was then statically fermented in a closed container for four months to one year. Then the fermented stinky brine was used for production of stinky tofu.
For stinky brine fermentation, Lee et al discloses the optimal conditions for producing ammonia. Cabbages, bamboo shoots, tofu, shrimps and salt as the brine materials were used and the brine materials were fermented under a static fermentation for 4˜6 weeks (Lee, S. F., et al., Optimal conditions for ammonia production of stinky brine, the fermented broth used to make stinky tofu. Taiwanese Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science (April 2001) 39(2):162-164). Lee et al detected the ammonia nitrogen concentration of the fermented stinky brine by using the Nessler method and indicated that the ammonia nitrogen concentration could be a quantitative indicator of fermentation degree.
For seeking scientific formulations and methods for producing stinky tofu which has consistency and meeting sanitary requirements, the inventors have studied the conditions relating to the smell and flavor of stinky tofu.

Method for producing stinky brine for use in production of stinky tofu and fermentation broth used therefor

Food Industry Research & Development Institute


A system is provided to ensure a timely secure data erase by determining an erasure deadline for each physical volume of a plurality of physical volumes and calculating a remaining time for each physical volume. The remaining time is calculated for each physical volume by comparing a current date to the erasure deadline of each physical volume respectively. The physical volumes may then be sorted based on the remaining time and the physical volume with a shortest calculated remaining time will be selectively secure data erased.

A virtual tape system is a tape management system such as a special storage device or group of devices and software which manages data such that the data appears to be stored entirely on tape cartridges when portions of the data may actually be located in faster, hard disk storage. Programming for a virtual tape system is sometimes referred to as virtual tape server (VTS), although these terms may be used interchangeably, unless otherwise specifically indicated. A virtual tape system may be used with hierarchical storage management (HSM) system in which data is moved as the data falls through various usage thresholds to slower but less costly forms of storage media. A virtual tape system may also be used as part of a storage area network (SAN) where less-frequently used or archived data can be managed by a single virtual tape server for a number of networked computers.
In prior art virtual tape storage systems, such as International Business Machines (IBM) MAGSTAR Virtual Tape Server, at least one virtual tape server (VTS) is coupled to a tape library comprising numerous tape drives and tape cartridges. The VTS is also coupled to a direct access storage device (DASD), comprised of numerous interconnected hard disk drives.
The DASD functions as a tape volume cache (TVC) of the VTS subsystem. When using a VTS, the host application writes tape data to virtual drives. The volumes written by the host system are physically stored in the tape volume cache (e.g., a RAID disk buffer) and are called virtual volumes. The storage management software within the VTS copies the virtual volumes in the TVC to the physical cartridges owned by the VTS subsystem. Once a virtual volume is copied or migrated from the TVC to tape, the virtual volume is then called a logical volume. As virtual volumes are copied from the TVC to a MAGSTAR cartridge (tape), they are copied on the cartridge end to end, taking up only the space written by the host application. This arrangement maximizes utilization of a cartridge storage capacity.
The storage management software manages the location of the logical volumes on the physical cartridges, and the customer has no control over the location of the data. When a logical volume is copied from a physical cartridge to the TVC, the process is called recall and the volume becomes a virtual volume again. The host cannot distinguish between physical and virtual volumes, or physical and virtual drives. Thus, the host treats the virtual volumes and virtual drives as actual cartridges and drives and all host interaction with tape data in a VTS subsystem is through virtual volumes and virtual tape drives.
One issue of VTS systems is the management of data within the tapes. The VTS system may have a number of duplicate, invalid, latent or unused copies of data. After a virtual tape volume is created and/or modified (one or more records are written to the volume) and closed, the virtual tape volume is copied onto the physical tape (logical) volume. The image of the virtual volume copied to a physical volume when the virtual volume was closed is a complete version of the virtual volume at the point in time the virtual volume was closed. If a virtual volume is subsequently opened and modified, when the virtual volume is closed, that image of the virtual volume is also copied onto physical tape, however the virtual volume does not overwrite the prior version of the volume since the virtual volume may have a different size than the previous version. So at any point in time, there may be several versions of the same volume serial number that reside on one or more physical tape volumes.
Moreover, physical volumes within a VTS are arranged in groups that are called "pools," with each physical volume including one or more logical volumes. Each of the physical volumes managed by the VTS system is assigned to one of 32 pools, for example. It is understood that each pool of physical volumes is assigned a name and may have one or more parameters associated therewith. For example, typical parameters associated with a pool include, but are not limited to: a media type (e.g. physical volumes having 10 Gbyte tape or 20 Gbyte tape); and a rule(s) for managing volumes in a pool. One rule may involve the concept of "reclamation" whereby the VTS monitors what percentage of data associated in a particular physical volume is still valid. That is, over time, data space occupied by a logical volume needs to be reclaimed from a physical volume when the data is no longer used or needed by the host, i.e., has expired. Thus, if any volume(s) in the pool falls below a reclaim percent threshold, then a reclamation process will be performed to take the valid logical volume(s) off the physical volume and put the valid logical volume on another physical volume-potentially combining multiple partially full physical volumes and filling up the other.
If a virtual volume is removed from the physical volume and put on to another physical volume, the data on the first physical volume is deleted but has not been overwritten, and thus, the data may be recovered. Further, data associated with the most current version of a virtual volume may be expired or considered latent or unusable by the customer, but the virtual volume still will exist on the physical tape volume and could be accessed.
Recently, enterprises have become more dependent on the ability to store, organize, manage and distribute data. Accordingly, "information life-cycle management," the process of managing business data from conception until disposal in a manner that optimizes storage, access, and cost characteristics has become increasingly important. In particular, the significance of how data is "deleted" or disposed of has increased as confidential data has begun to play a more vital role in business transactions and stricter regulations are imposed on maintaining customer privacy.
To protect confidential or sensitive data (e.g., credit card information, social security number) and to maintain customer privacy it is advantageous to perform a secure data erase on certain data so that the data is unrecoverable. A secure data erase is defined herein rendering data permanently unreadable by any reasonable means. Prior art methods of prioritizing data to be securely erased are performed by a first in, first out priority basis, ensuring that the physical volume that was first added to the queue for secure data erase is secure data erased first. For example, in the prior art method the process to determine which physical volume should be secure data erased next looped through each pool of physical volumes beginning with pool 1 and continuing through all pools to the last pool (e.g. pool 32). Therefore, the list or queue of physical volumes to secure data erase is created by evaluating and listing all of the physical volumes within pool 1 to be secure data erased, then evaluating and listing all of the physical volumes within pool 2 to be secure data erased, and so on, continuing to the last pool (e.g. pool 32), until all of the physical volumes in all the pools that require secure data erase are evaluated and listed on the queue. The secure data erase process is then initiated, and with a first in, first out process the prior art process begins with a secure data erase of the physical volumes in the order that they are listed in the queue. Thus, the VTS performs a first secure data erase on those physical volumes that are in pool 1, then when the physical volumes within pool 1 are secure data erased, the VTS begins secure data erase on the physical volumes within pool 2, and so on, continuing until the process reaches the last pool (e.g. pool 32).
The prior art process as described is sufficient provided the VTS can manage all of the physical volumes to be secure data erased within the time remaining to the erasure deadline or there is no backlog of physical volumes to be secure data erased. In reality the VTS system can become overloaded and, for example, while a physical volume within pool 23 is being secure data erased a physical volume within pool 32 may pass its secure data erase (SDE) deadline. Therefore, physical volumes that have the shortest remaining time to the SDE deadline may be overlooked or postponed. This could put long-expired physical volumes which may contain sensitive data (e.g., credit card information, social security number) at risk for being accessed and retained.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a VTS system that gives priority for secure data erase to physical volumes closest to their SDE deadline. Thus, what is needed is a method and a system that guarantees that old or expired versions of a virtual volume cannot be accessed after a certain time interval (e.g. a grace period), through any reasonable means.

System for selectively performing a secure data erase to ensure timely erasure

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a video display appliance from which a video signal processing unit and a PC signal processing unit are separated and to which the separated signal processing units are detachably connected or connected by a communication cable. The video display appliance includes an interface receiving a digital video signal to be displayed on the panel and a detection signal indicating a connection state of the signal processing apparatus from the signal processing apparatus, a microcomputer for controlling operation of the video display appliance according to the detection signal transmitted from the interface, a scaler for converting a video signal transmitted from the interface to match a resolution of the panel under the control of the microcomputer, and a driving circuit for driving the panel by using the video signal inputted from the scaler. The signal processing apparatus can be detachably connected to the video display appliance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video display appliance with a separated signal processing unit receiving a video signal inputted from an external signal source, and more particularly, to a video display appliance from which a video signal processing unit and a PC signal processing unit are separated and to which the separated signal processing units are detachably connected or connected by a communication cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the recent developments to the field of the video display appliances, such as LCD projectors, several products providing new technology and various functions have been released in the market. Due to these functions that have been previously unused in the past, the dimension and weight of the product have increased.
The construction of a conventional LCD video display appliance will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD video display appliance includes three external jacks (not shown), a video signal processing unit 106 for processing signals each inputted from the respective jacks, a scaler/microcomputer 130 for converting signals transmitted from the signal processing unit 106 to match a resolution of the LCD panel, and a driving circuit 140 for driving the LCD panel.
The signal processing unit 106 includes a video decoder 110 receiving and processing a video signal 100, such as CVBS, S-video or YPbPr, a deinterlacer 112, an A/D converter 120 receiving and processing a PC signal, and a TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) receiver 122 receiving and processing a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) signal.
As described above, most LCD projectors are adapted to be connected to various AV appliances and PCs, as well as the ability to receive TV signals. In order to receive the input signal from various appliances, the projector is provided at a rear side or a lateral side thereof with several jacks for various input sources, such as CVBS, YPbPr, S-video, sound, PC signal, DVI signal and the like. However, due to various jacks and signal processing units for processing the various input signals, the design of the product is more complicated, and the weight and manufacturing cost of the product are significantly increased.

Video display appliance and signal processing apparatus detachably connected thereto


A vehicle steering device may include a rotatable input shaft, a motor in communication with an input augmentation shaft, the input augmentation shaft and the input shaft sharing a longitudinal axis, and the motor further having a stator stationary with respect to rotation of the input shaft. The vehicle steering device may further include a differential mechanism for providing variable ratio steering to the steering device. The differential mechanism may be a harmonic drive differential or a planetary gearing system. In one embodiment, an external wave generator may be used within the harmonic drive differential gearing mechanism. The vehicle steering device may include a sensorless synchronous machine.

This invention relates generally to vehicle steering devices, and more particularly, this invention relates to vehicle steering devices having variable ratio steering.
Motor vehicles, such as cars and trucks, require a steering system to control the direction of travel of the vehicle. The steering system controls the direction of travel of the vehicle through the control of one or more sets of road wheels. Such steering systems commonly transmit a driver's intent from a steering wheel to the road wheels via a mechanical steering linkage. Thus, movement of the steering wheel by the driver causes a corresponding movement of the road wheels. Hydraulic and/or electric motor assisting systems are commonly used in combination with such mechanical systems. These assisting systems reduce the driver effort necessary to actuate the mechanical system.
For a vehicular steering system with active steering, such as that used in an automotive active front steering system, a given motion of the hand-wheel to an input shaft may be supplemented by an additional motion, such as that from a differential steering actuator, including, for example, an augmentation motor, to an output shaft, translating into a motion of the steerable road wheels that does not necessarily correspond to the given motion of the hand-wheel. Consequently, when the differential steering actuator is inactive, the motion of the steerable road wheels directly corresponds to the hand-wheel motion due to the articulated mechanical linkage, just as in conventional systems.
The term "active steering" relates to a vehicular control system, which generates an output that is added to or subtracted from the front steering angle, wherein the output is typically responsive to the yaw and/or lateral acceleration of the vehicle. Active front control steering may improve vehicle handling stability on a variety of road conditions. Stability control may be continuously active. For higher vehicle speeds, vehicle sensitivity of steering may be smaller. At lower vehicle speeds, park solution sensitivity may be increased and driver workload reduced. Thus, in some situations, an active steering control system may react more quickly and accurately than an average driver to correct transient handling instabilities. In addition, active steering can also provide for variable steering ratios in order to reduce driver fatigue while improving the feel and responsiveness of the vehicle. For example, at very low speeds, such as that which might be experienced in a parking situation, a relatively small rotation of the hand-wheel may be supplemented using an active steering system in order to provide an increased steering angle to the steerable road wheels.
Active Front Steering "AFS" typically uses a differential mechanism to achieve a controlled ratio change or position augmentation. These mechanisms possess characteristics that make inclusion in an automotive steering system difficult. These characteristics include lash from input to output, friction to ground, and the speed change through the differential device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,654 shows a vehicle steering apparatus that has an electric motor connected with a steering shaft and thus the electric motor assembly rotates together with the steering wheel. The electric motor (stator) is rotated and has a spiral cable for electric power for any angle of the steering shaft in the connected electric motor. Since all of the embodiments of the apparatus include a stator of the electric motor rotating together with the steering shaft, a spiral cable is implemented to maintain electrical continuity for proper functioning of this apparatus. Rotation of a complete electric motor has large inertial forces and has additional assembly of a spiral cable that has additional issues including noise, friction, inertia, and durability.


Certain example embodiments relate to a coated article including a low-E coating. In certain example embodiments, a titanium oxide inclusive bottom layer stack and/or a NiCr-based layer(s) are designed to improve b* coloration values and/or transmission of the coated article. These layer stack portions also advantageously permit a double-silver coated article to achieve (i) an LSG value (Tvis/SHGC) of at least 2.0, (ii) an SHGC value of no greater than 35%, and (iii) a U-value (BTU h−1 ft−2° F.−1) (e.g., x=12 mm) of no greater than 0.30. In certain example embodiments, the titanium oxide based layer may be an interlayer provided in a bottom portion of the layer stack between first and second layers comprising silicon nitride. Coated articles according to certain example embodiments may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, other types of windows, or in any other suitable application.

Coated articles are known in the art for use in window applications such as insulating glass (IG) window units, vehicle windows, and/or the like.
In certain situations, designers of coated articles often strive for a combination of desirable visible transmission, desirable color values, high LSG (Tvis/SHGC) values, low emissivity (or emittance), low SHGC values, and low sheet resistance (Rs). High visible transmission for example may permit coated articles to be more desirable in certain window applications, whereas low-emissivity (low-E), low SHGC, high LSG, and low sheet resistance characteristics permit such coated articles to block significant amounts of IR radiation so as to reduce for example undesirable heating of vehicle or building interiors.
U.S. Patent Document 2005/0202254, commonly owned and hereby incorporated herein by reference, discloses a coated article having the following layers on a glass substrate, from the glass substrate outwardly.
Layer
Glass Substrate
TiO2
Si3N4
ZnO
Ag
NiCrOx
SnO2
Si3N4
SnO2
ZnO
Ag
NiCrOx
SnO2
Si3N4
While the aforesaid coated article is heat treatable, and has many desirable and good characteristics, it does have one or more of the following problems: (a) its LSG values (Tvis/SHGC) being too low, and (b) its SHGC values being too high.
U.S. Patent Document 2008/0070044, commonly owned herewith, discloses another coated article. While the aforesaid coated article is heat treatable, and has many desirable and good characteristics, it does have one or more of the following problems: (a) its LSG values (Tvis/SHGC) being too low, (b) its SHGC values being too high, and (c) undesirable b* value.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, one or more of the above-identified problems can be solved. While certain preferred embodiments solve all of the above problems, other embodiments of this invention may only solve one or two of the above-identified problems.

Coated article with low-E coating having titanium oxide layer and/or NiCr based layer(s) to improve color values and/or transmission, and method of making same


A system for measuring distances includes a display for displaying a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound dataset, a user interface for translating a slice plane through the 3D ultrasound dataset to define a first image plane at a first location and a second image plane at a second different location, and a processor for automatically determining a distance between the first and second image planes. A method of measuring distances and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to diagnostic ultrasound systems, and more particularly, to a method and system for measuring dimensions in volumetric ultrasound data.
Physicians often rely on medical images to diagnose and assess a patient's medical condition. When assessing the medical condition it is often desirable to measure a distance between two different features. For example, during aortic valve replacement, it is important to measure the distance between the aortic valve plane and the onset of the coronary blood vessels. At least one conventional ultrasound system utilizes a virtual caliper to measure the distance between the aortic valve and the onset of a coronary artery. More specifically, the operator acquires a single two-dimensional (2D) image, also referred to herein as a slice plane, that includes both the aortic valve and the onset of a coronary artery. The operator then utilizes the conventional virtual caliper to measure the distance between the aorta and the left coronary on the 2D image.
This conventional measurement process relies upon the capability to position the ultrasound probe such that the 2 structures of interest are visible simultaneously in one single plane. This may prove to be difficult or even impossible. Another method is to use one volumetric acquisition and to reconstruct a single plane. However, it is often difficult to orient a single reconstructed slice plane such that the slice plane has sufficient visibility of the two features to enable the operator to properly mark and perform the distance measurement.

Method and system for measuring dimensions in volumetric ultrasound data


A system includes reception of a configuration set definition file defining the structure of one or more customizing tables of a software application, reception of a configuration data file including data for the one or more customizing tables, and, during activation of the software application in a run-time system, generation of the one or more customizing tables based on the configuration set definition file, generation of a service to access the configuration data file, and population of the one or more customizing tables with data of the configuration data file.

Development of a software application includes creation of design-time programming artifacts. Developers create these artifacts by writing code and storing the code into various "source" files. In order to generate an executable application, certain ones of the artifacts are flagged as active, validated, and compiled into corresponding runtime artifacts. The runtime artifacts are then deployed for execution.
Software development systems provide support for this file-based software development process. This support includes editing environments as well as systems which provide versioning and lifecycle management for the source files.
Operation of a software application may rely on tabular data, such as configuration data, which is preferably shipped along with corresponding versions of the software application. However, existing software development systems are incapable of efficiently managing tabular data. As a result, existing systems are not suitable for establishing a common lifecycle for code and tabular data of a software application.


An RFID tag includes a booster antenna, a feeding loop, an RFID module, and a sheet-like insulating base. The insulating base includes first and second sides that are opposite to each other. The booster antenna is comprised by one metal wire having one end on the first side of the insulating base and the other end on the second side of the insulating base and includes a first curved portion that reverses a direction of the metal wire extending from the one end and a second curved portion that reverses a direction of the metal wire, which is reversed by the first curved portion, to connect to the other end. Moreover, the RFID module is disposed in a region surrounded by the metal wire including the first curved portion and the second curved portion.

In recent years, RFID systems have been used as an information control system of goods, where the RFID systems have an RFID tag attached to goods to communicate with a reader/writer in a noncontact manner using an electromagnetic field to transmit predetermined information. This RFID tag includes an RFIC element configured to store the predetermined information and to process an RF signal, and also includes an antenna element for transmission and reception of information. As such an RFID tag, various configurations have been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
PATENT DOCUMENT 1: EP 2405054 B
PATENT DOCUMENT 2: JP 4697332 B1
However, it has been demanded recently to improve productivity of RFID tags such as the RFID tags disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

RFID tag and method for manufacturing RFID tag


An apparatus has a motion vector estimation module to perform motion vector estimation on a current frame and on a previous frame of image data to produce a current phase and a previous phase, a motion vector generation module to generate motion vector fields for the current and previous phases, and a motion vector interpolation module to find interpolated motion vectors for an interpolated phase that have minimal differences between motion vectors in the current and previous motion vector fields and to product interpolated motion vectors.

Frame interpolation creates an image frame from neighboring images. The neighboring images may be fields in an interlaced video format, used to form a frame of data, or neighboring frames of a soon-to-be-created frame. Higher frame rates are generally desirable.
In the simplest approach, one could increase the frame rate by repeating the most recent frame until the next frame is ready for display. However, this does not account for moving objects which may appear to jump from frame to frame and have flickering artifacts instead of the appearance of smooth motion.
Motion estimation and motion compensation techniques may alleviate many of these issues. These techniques rely upon motion vectors to shift the image data for the moving object to the correct position in interpolated frames, thereby compensating for the motion of the object. Difficulties arise in the estimation of motion and the selection of the correct motion vector in the regions of the image where the moving object resides. These regions may have background areas that are initially uncovered in the background, but become covered by the object in motion. Similarly, these background regions may be initially covered by the object, and then become uncovered as the object moves away. In either case, selection of motion vectors becomes difficult. These regions will be referred to as 'occluded.'
The difficulties arise because no matching block can be found in the occluded regions for an image at a first time to an image at a second time. This typically leads to selection of the incorrect motion vector. The coincidence of the selection of the correct motion vector complicates the frame interpolation process, since that process typically uses data from two frames, but only one of the frames has the correct information. It becomes difficult to identify which is the proper frame.

Frame interpolation and motion vector reconstruction


Biodegradable polymers may be used as binders for impregnating or coating fibrous webs. The resulting web is degradable and also the fibers within the web may be more easily recycled.

Recently there has been increasing interest in the field of biodegradable polymers. Such polymers have been used in medical and pharmaceutical applications in the past. Typically, such polymers are polymers of one or more of lactic acid, glycolic acid, hydroxy butyric acid and hydroxy valeric acid. These type of polymers arc of interest as they degrade to "naturally" occurring by products and they arc degraded by microbes in the natural environment. Additionally as the polymers are esters they may be hydrolysed under relatively mild conditions.
WO 90/01521 published Feb. 22, 1990 discusses the lactide polymers. The patent application proposes using this type of polymer in commodity plastic applications such as molded products. The patent application does not disclose using the polymers as a binder for or in fibrous webs.
Imperial Chemical Industries PLC (ICI) have a significant patent portfolio in the field of hydroxy alkanoates such as copolymers of hydroxy butyrate and hydroxy valerate, sometimes referred to as PHBV. ICI have proposed that such polymers could be used in injection molding applications for household wares such as containers and the like. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,477,654 issued Oct. 16, 1984; 4,910,145 issued Mar. 20, 1990; 4,391,766 issued Jul. 5, 1983; 4,360,488 issued Nov. 23, 1982; and 4,360,583 issued Nov. 9, 1982 are representative of the ICI patents. These patents relate to processes for the production of poly hydroxy butyric acid (PHB) or copolymers of hydroxy butyric acid and hydroxy valeric acid (PHBV) by growing a microorganism, extracting the polymer from the microorganism and molding the polymer. However, the patents do not suggest using the polymer as a binder in a fibrous web.


A deformation structure includes at least one first layer and a second layer, which are arranged spaced apart from one another in a deformation direction and such that they can be displaced relative to one another. The first layer and the second layer have complementary protrusions and recesses, which are designed in such a way that the protrusions of the first layer and recesses of the second layer, as well as the protrusions of the second layer and recesses of the first layer can dip into one another. The first layer and the second layer are connected to one another via deformable web elements in such a way that, with a high impulse in the deformation direction, the protrusions of the first layer dip into recesses of the second layer, and protrusions of the second layer dip into recesses of the first layer, such that a deformation of the deformation structure occurs at a low force level in the deformation direction, and with a low impulse in the deformation direction, the protrusions of the first layer impinge on the protrusions of the second layer such that a deformation of the deformation structure occurs at a high force level in the deformation direction.

The present invention relates to a deformation structure and to a pedestrian protection device having a deformation structure which is arranged between a body outer skin element and a body member element.
A known front end of a motor vehicle has for example a bumper crossmember, which is fastened to front ends of longitudinal members, and a bumper fascia, wherein a soft foam which is deformable at a comparatively low load level is arranged between the bumper fascia and the bumper crossmember in order to protect pedestrians. On account of pedestrian protection, the soft foam is arranged to protect a pedestrian possibly from a direct immediate collision with a hard, stiff structure of the motor vehicle, such as for example the bumper crossmember.
Furthermore, there is a requirement that the motor vehicle remains damage-free in the event of a collision in a very low speed range of up to for example 4 km/h in which the pedestrian protection is not relevant on account of the low speed.
Moreover, in the case of a somewhat higher speed, which is likewise still not relevant for pedestrian protection, there is a requirement that damage during a collision is as small as possible and for example a radiator structure which is situated in the front-end region is not damaged. It would be helpful for this purpose for the structure which is situated in front of the bumper crossmember to already have a sufficient capability to absorb collision energy.
The various requirements are in part in opposition to one another and require a comparatively long vehicle overhang at the vehicle front and hence a higher weight and a disadvantageous influencing of the driving dynamics.
In order to solve the thus resulting conflict of goals, DE 102010054641 A1 for example has proposed a bumper arrangement having a crossmember which is fastened to the vehicle body via crash boxes. There is formed in the direction of travel in front of the crossmember a pedestrian protection element for a soft impact of a pedestrian. Additionally provided is a pivotable energy absorption element which can be pivoted in front of the pedestrian protection element and as a result allows increased energy absorption during collisions in which a higher collision energy absorption capability of the crash structure of the motor vehicle is required.
DE 102012112636 A1 likewise shows a bumper arrangement having a bumper crossmember and a pedestrian protection element which can be switched by means of an actuator from a stiff state into a comparatively soft state which serves for pedestrian protection.
What is common to the bumper arrangements described in DE 102010054641 A1 and DE 102012112636 A1 is the fact that a crash or precrash sensor system is required therefor, with it being possible to switch on the basis of the starting signals of the sensor system between a hard, stiff state of the crash structure with high collision energy absorption capability and a soft state of the crash structure with low collision energy absorption capability of benefit for pedestrian protection.
Furthermore, DE 102016204264 A1 discloses a deformation structure of the type in question which has at least one first layer and one second layer which are arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another and displaceable with respect to one another in the deformation direction or load direction. The first layer and the second layer have complementary projections and depressions which are formed in such a way that the projections of the first layer and the depressions of the second layer and also the projections of the second layer and the depressions of the first layer can dip into one another. The first layer and the second layer are connected to one another by way of deformable web elements in such a way that, with a high impulse in the deformation direction, the projections of the first layer dip into the depressions of the second layer and also the projections of the second layer dip into the depressions of the first layer, with the result that a deformation of the deformation structure in the deformation direction occurs at a relatively low force level, and in such a way that, with a low impulse in the deformation direction, the projections of the first layer impinge on the projections of the second layer, with the result that a further deformation of the deformation structure in the deformation direction occurs at a relatively high force level.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a deformation structure and a pedestrian protection device having the deformation structure for a motor vehicle, wherein the deformation of the deformation structure occurs more reliably at the relatively high force level.
This object is achieved by a deformation structure and by a pedestrian protection device in accordance with the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent patent claims.
A deformation structure according to the invention, which can also be referred to as an energy absorption structure, has at least one first layer and one second layer which are arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another and displaceable with respect to one another in the deformation direction or load direction. The first layer and the second layer have complementary projections and depressions which are formed in such a way that the projections of the first layer and the depressions of the second layer and also the projections of the second layer and the depressions of the first layer can dip into one another. The first layer and the second layer are connected to one another by way of deformable web elements in such a way that, with a high impulse in the deformation direction, the projections of the first layer dip into the projections of the second layer and also the projections of the second layer dip into the depressions of the first layer, with the result that a deformation of the deformation structure in the deformation direction occurs at a relatively low force level, and in such a way that, with a low impulse in the deformation direction, the projections of the first layer impinge on the projections of the second layer, with the result that a further deformation of the deformation structure in the deformation direction occurs at a relatively high force level. The projection of the first layer and the projection of the second layer are designed to be complementary to one another in such a way that, with the low impulse in the deformation direction, a form fit between the projection of the first layer and the projection of the second layer occurs in the lateral direction, i.e. a direction transversely with respect to the deformation direction, that is to say a direction substantially perpendicular to the deformation direction, at least in the lateral direction.
The deformation structure is deformable at different energy levels in dependence on a load case, i.e. a collision impulse, and thus has different stiffnesses. The "switching" between the two stiffnesses occurs here automatically independently of a sensor system or an actuator. The setting of the stiffnesses is brought about here by a specific geometrically complementary configuration of the first layer and of the second layer and the connection of the layers by way of the web elements. At the low impulse, projections of opposite layers impinge on one another. The form fit between the projections reduces a probability that the first layer and the second layer are offset further from one another in the lateral direction, that is to say a direction transversely with respect to the deformation direction, i.e. a direction parallel to the extent of the layers, and that the projections of the two layers come out of engagement again and possibly result in the deformation of the deformation element occurring in an undesired manner at a low force level. According to the invention, it is accordingly ensured that the adjacent layers are mutually supported on opposite projections in a reliable manner and the further deformation of the deformation element occurs at the relatively high force level. In other words, the opposite projections, or the projections which come into an opposite position in the courses of the collision, have complementary geometries which allow a mutual form fit of the opposite projections that act in particular in the lateral direction.
According to one development of the deformation structure according to the invention, the projection of the second layer or the projection of the first layer has a depression which is adapted in such a way that the projection of the first layer—or the projection of the second layer if the depression is formed in the first layer—can engage into the depression, with the result that a movement of the first layer and of the second layer with respect to one another is inhibited at least in the lateral direction, that is to say at least impeded or even prevented.
The depression allows a form fit between the opposite projections in the lateral direction. The projection which engages into the depression of the opposite projection cannot deflect laterally if a collision force acts in the collision direction of the deformation element, since for this purpose lateral edges of the depression would have to be overcome, which in turn is made more difficult by the acting collision force. The projection which engages into the depression butts against the corresponding edge of the depression during a lateral movement.
According to a further development of the deformation structure according to the invention, the projection of the second layer and/or the projection of the first layer has/have a step which is adapted in such a way that the projection of the first layer—or the projection of the second layer if the step is formed on the first projection—can engage with the step in such a way that a movement of the first layer with respect to the second layer is inhibited at least in the lateral direction, that is to say at least impeded or even prevented.
The mode of action of the step is similar to the depression, with the step inhibiting a movement of the adjacent layers in only one lateral direction (transverse direction) whereas the aforementioned depression can also inhibit a movement in a further, in particular the opposite lateral, direction. For this purpose, the step can be configured to be sufficiently high so as to ensure that, in the case of the collision with the low impulse, the corresponding projection comes into engagement with the step of the opposite projection.
It is also possible to combine a depression and a step on a projection with one another, i.e. to form a projection with a depression additionally with a step which is higher than the edge of the depression.
According to one development, the first layer and the second layer can also be displaced in a direction parallel to one another as a result of deformation of the web elements.
In particular, the web elements can be formed in the deformation structure in such a way that they fail in a brittle and/or plastic manner with the high collision impulse and wherein the web elements act in a manner corresponding to a film hinge with the low collision impulse.
Here, the web elements formed as a film hinge can bring about a pivoting movement of the first layer and the second layer with respect to one another in which the first layer and the second layer are displaced parallel to one another and in the deformation direction, that is to say toward one another.
As a result, a defined pivoting movement of the first layer and of the second layer toward one another is possible, and the stiffness-increasing position of the first layer and of the second layer with respect to one another can be assumed in a reliable manner.
With the high collision impulse, the failure of the web elements prevents the pivoting movement of the first layer and of the second layer with respect to one another. Owing to the failure of the web elements, the first layer and the second layer are displaced toward one another only in the deformation direction substantially without lateral deflection movement.
According to a preferred development, the web elements are formed as wall elements or surface elements which extend in the width direction of the first layer and of the second layer. It is particularly possible here for the web elements to extend over an entire width of the deformation structure.
In the deformation structure according to the invention, the first layer and the second layer are preferably substantially identically formed or shaped.
This facilitates production of the deformation structure. Furthermore, complementary projections and depressions are possible in a simple manner as a result.
According to a preferred development of the deformation structure, the projections of the first layer and the depressions of the second layer and also the depressions of the first layer and the projections of the second layer are arranged opposite one another in a starting position of the deformation structure.
As a result, with a low collision impulse, the deformation structure can be deformed in the deformation direction at a relatively low force level.
The deformation structure can preferably be formed from a plastics material.
As a result, the deformation structure can be configured to be lightweight and corrosion-resistant.
Here, the deformation structure can preferably be formed in one piece.
As a result, production is simplified and a number of components is thus particularly low.
The production of the deformation structure from plastic, in particular the one-piece deformation structure, can occur for example by extrusion or by an additive manufacturing method.
As a result, the deformation structure can be produced particularly efficiently at low costs.
According to a particularly preferred development, the first layer and the second layer are in each case designed in the form of a wavy plate. Here, wave crests and wave troughs form the projections and depressions.
The projections and depressions (wave crests and wave troughs) can preferably have a trapezoidal configuration.
This geometric configuration makes it possible for the projections and depressions of the opposite layers to be readily slid into one another.
The deformation structure according to the present invention can have a plurality of layers, wherein two adjacent layers in each case form a first layer and a second layer. For example, the deformation structure can have three, four, five, six or more layers.
According to a preferred development of the deformation structure, the connecting webs are arranged in a layer interspace of two adjacent layers, and the connecting webs of two adjacent layer interspaces are oriented in opposite directions with respect to their displacement action. What is meant here by displacement action is for example a pivoting movement in opposite directions.
This is intended to achieve uniform deformation of the deformation structure having the plurality of layers with the low collision impulse.
The present invention also relates to a pedestrian protection device for a motor vehicle having a deformation structure according to the invention. Here, the deformation structure is preferably arranged between a vehicle outer skin element and a body member element.
Here, the deformation structure is supported on the body member element during a collision impulse.
The vehicle outer skin element can be a bumper fascia. The body member element can be a bumper crossmember.
The pedestrian protection device according to the invention having the deformation structure does away with the need for a collision sensor system and an actuator system in order, where appropriate, to actively lock or unlock a mechanical mechanism and thus to be able to switch as required between a structure with a "soft" deformation behavior and a "stiff" deformation behavior. The pedestrian device according to the invention having the deformation structure acts automatically dependent on a collision impulse which in turn depends on a collision speed of the motor vehicle. The deformation direction is in particular a collision direction and, in the application for pedestrian protection in the motor vehicle front, is substantially a vehicle longitudinal direction.
In principle, however, the scope of protection of the deformation structure according to the invention also extends to all other application areas in the motor vehicle sector or else to other technology fields in which deformability of a deformation structure at different load levels depending on a load case is required.
Accordingly, with the low collision impulse and thus the low collision speed of the motor vehicle, a pivoting movement of the opposite layers occurs in such a way that the projections of the opposite layers are situated opposite one another and are supported on one another. The deformation structure accordingly acts in a stiff manner. With the high collision impulse and thus the high collision speed, there occurs no pivoting movement of the opposite layers, with the result that the opposite projections and the depressions of the opposite layer can be displaced in one another. The deformation structure thus reacts more softly over a longer deformation distance.
For example, the pedestrian protection device can be designed in such a way that, with a collision impulse which is produced up to a threshold value speed of the motor vehicle, the deformation structure reacts more stiffly, and is deformed with a higher force. At the low collision speed, a collision load can thus be transferred to the body element situated behind—at a very low speed—or, in order to protect components situated behind, energy is sufficiently absorbed by the deformation structure—at a somewhat higher speed which is, however, below the threshold value speed. In each case, the repair costs can thus be reduced, wherein, in particular at the very low speed—for example in the event of what are referred to as parking prangs—the repair costs can possibly be limited to repairing paint damage, for example.
The threshold value speed can be for example 20 km/h or the like.
Furthermore, the pedestrian protection device can be designed in such a way that, with a collision impulse which is produced from and including the threshold value speed of the motor vehicle, the deformation structure reacts more softly and is deformed with a lower force. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a frontal collision of the pedestrian with the vehicle from the threshold value speed, since lower collision forces act here on the pedestrian.
Developments of the invention which are specified above can be combined with one another in any desired manner where possible and expedient.
There follows a brief description of the figures.

Deformation structure and pedestrian protection device having a deformation structure

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A selected thread is scheduled to run on a corresponding master of a multiple threaded processing system. When the priority of the selected thread is high, the selected thread is run on the corresponding master. When the priority of the selected thread is low and the corresponding master is in an operational mode, the selected thread is run on the corresponding master. When the priority of the selected thread is low and the corresponding master is in a low power mode, the selected thread is selectively run on the corresponding master based on an amount of time that the corresponding master has been in the low power mode since its most recent entrance into the low power mode.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to semiconductors, and more specifically, to power usage in semiconductor processors.
2. Related Art
Lower power consumption continues to have importance in data processing systems, due, for example, to widespread use of portable and handheld applications. Most data processing systems today use a smaller, faster, and more efficient memory, referred to as a cache, located on the integrated circuit to reduce the number of accesses to memory (such as main memory or other internal or external memories). It is well known that accesses to cache generally consume less power and result in reduced latencies as compared to accesses to other internal or external memories. Therefore, it is desirable to store those items which will subsequently be requested again in the faster, more efficient cache in order to reduce power and increase performance. Other power conservation techniques are typically utilized in data processing systems. For example, after selected portions of a data processing system have remained idle for a certain amount of time, the power to the selected portions is either reduced or removed. Data processing systems that have multiple cores also implement power conservation by powering down selected cores after periods of inactivity.
Many modern processing systems schedule and execute multiple threads. A "thread" is a series of self-contained instructions that perform an operation, wherein the instructions may be executed concurrently and independently with other threads. Others have scheduled the execution of multiple threads based on a priority basis. Thread schedulers may use timers to determine when a currently executing thread should be preempted by a higher priority thread. Some thread executions also get delayed as a result of needing to wait upon completion of another operation. While waiting, the thread may not have sufficient priority to continue to be executed and therefore be placed on hold in a waiting queue. However, quick transitioning between an active operation and an on-hold operation of a thread can cause greater dissipation of power than if the processing device had completed operation of the thread without having any waiting period. Others have caused a thread to remain inactive for at least a predetermined amount of time as a result. However, in multiple core systems with various types of processing devices, the fixed inactive time causes system inefficiency.

Method and apparatus for activating system components


Osteoconductive/osteoinductive titanium/titanium alloy implant comprising an additional element in the titanium oxide, obtained by anodic oxidation. The implant comprises an additional element in the titanium oxide such as calcium, phosphor or sulphur. The invention also relates to a process of producing the implants.

Titanium metal is so far the most successfully osseointegrated implant material in long-term clinical performance [Adell R. et al., 1990]. Despite excellent biocompatibility of thin native oxide films on titanium implants [Kasemo B. et al., 1986 and Johansson C. B. 1991], however, it is generally known that native titanium oxide seldom forms a direct chemical bond to bone tissue (often defined as inert ceramic biomaterial) [Li J. et al., 1998]. Various surface processing technologies such as plasma spraying, simple immersion/soaking method, ion implantation beam associated deposition have been applied to improve biocompatibility of titanium implants. Developments of clinical implants based on alterations of the surface chemical properties have been associated with so called 'bioactive implant' coated with bioactive materials such as various species of hydroxyapatite, calcium phosphate compound, bioglass and bioceramic on metal implants [Hench et al., 1990]. However, a number of studies have reported poor long-term biological stability, for instance, a delamination (intra- and interfacial fracture) of such coating materials as well as biodegradation [Albrektsson T., 1998 and Gottlander M., 1994]. Among many surface modification methods, anodic oxidation is a valuable process to enforce the multifactorial biocompatibility such as the oxide thickness, chemical composition, surface morphology, crystallinity, surface roughness change and dielectric constant of the surface oxide in titanium implants [Sul et al. 2000a and 2001b]. The average maximum stress recorded 33 MPA in the mechanical properties of a thick oxide layer [Hala J et al 2000]. Michiaki et al. (1989) and Seishiro (1989) reported the thicker oxide layer in few micrometer to few tens of micrometer with few μm of pore size fabricated in the H2SO4+H3PO4 mixed electrolyte system. The cross-cut structures of the thicker oxide layer measured with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was characterized to have the network structure of pore channels and connected channel branches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,237 discloses an anodic oxide film containing both calcium and phosphor, which by a further hydrothermal treatment provides a film comprising a calcium phosphate compound such as hydroxyapatite.
WO 98/51231 discloses modified titanium oxide layers of about 10-200 μm and an increased surface oxide crystallinity and roughness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,390 discloses a process of forming an oxide layer using anodic oxidation followed by a heat treatment.
WO 00/72775 discloses coatings including calcium phosphate compounds. According to WO 00/72777 and WO 00/72776, the surface of oxide layer on the titanium includes about 20% titanium, about 55% oxygen and 20% carbon, the rest of the layer is composed of titanium oxide. The used electrolytes are inorganic and organic acid, for instance the H2SO4+H3PO4 mixed electrolyte system. Cross-sections of the titanium oxide layer disclosed in these documents show a very thick layer exhibiting a network of channels, extension of the channels and connected channel branches; However, the purpose of the channels is mainly to allow the administration of a bone-stimulating agent.
There exists a need for a titanium/titanium alloy implant having an oxide layer exhibiting improved surface properties for a faster and stronger osseointegration.


An operating system and method for use include a core function module, or basic kernel, providing fundamental operating system support and one or more add-on modules that allow customization of the operating system as desired. Add-on modules may provide support or extended capability to the computer including hardware, applications, peripherals, and support. A digital signature may be used to confirm the integrity of an add-on module prior to installation. Certification may be verified to determine if installation of the add-on module is authorized. By withholding certification, a service provider may manage illegal or undesired modifications to a provided computer. Digital rights management may be used to enforce terms of use of the add-on module in keeping with licensing arrangements.

Operating systems typically include functions such as hardware management memory management, disk file systems, a basic graphics engine, and application runtime support. Operating systems are available as monolithic blocks that incorporate all the above functions and often more. Purchasing these large operating systems can represent a significant portion of the cost of an overall computer system. After purchase, the user may find significant functionality available that is not required, or some functions that would be desirable that are not available.

System and method for delivery of a modular operating system


A method of fabricating a diffusion barrier using a gas cluster ion beam apparatus is disclosed. The method includes generating a metal-organic gas that includes a metal-organic compound that includes an element of cobalt (Co) or cobalt and iron (CoFe). The metal-organic gas is combined with a carrier gas that is supplied to the gas cluster ion beam apparatus (GCIB). The GCIB processes the carrier gas to form a beam of gas cluster ions that include the metal-organic compound. The beam irradiates an interface surface of a target material (e.g. an IrMn, PtMn, or MnFe antiferromagnetic layer) and at least a portion of the Co or CoFe remains in contact with the interface surface to form a barrier that prevents a diffusion of manganese (Mn).

A magnetoresistance device is a type of memory device in which data can be stored as an alterable orientation of magnetization. As one example, in FIGS. 1a and 1b, a prior tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) device 200 includes a reference layer 212 (also referred to as a pinning film or pinned layer) that includes a pinned orientation of magnetization M1 that is fixed in a predetermined orientation, a data layer 210 that includes an alterable orientation of magnetization M2 that can be altered by an external magnetic field, and a thin tunnel barrier layer 211 that separates the data layer 210 from the reference layer 212.
A state of the data stored in the data layer 210 is determined by an orientation of the alterable orientation of magnetization M2 relative to the pinned orientation of magnetization M1. For example, if the alterable orientation of magnetization M2 is oriented in the same direction as the pinned orientation of magnetization M1 (e.g. parallel as in FIG. 1a), then a logic "1" is stored in the data layer 210. On the other hand, if the alterable orientation of magnetization M2 is oriented in a direction opposite that of the pinned orientation of magnetization M1 (e.g. anti-parallel as in FIG. 1b), then a logic "0" is stored in the data layer 210.
For the TMR device 200, the state of the data stored in the data layer 210 is determined by measuring or sensing a tunneling resistance across the data and reference layers (210, 212). One value of resistance is indicative of the logic "1" and a different value of resistance is indicative of the logic "0". It is desirable to have the value of resistance for the logic "1" be as far apart as possible from the value of resistance for the logic "0". The further apart those two values are, the higher a signal-to-noise ratio ΔR/R of the TMR device 200. The ΔR is a change in resistance from a logic "1" to a logic "0" or vice-versa and R is a lower of the two resistance values for a logic "1" and a logic "0". A high signal-to-noise ratio allows for accurate sensing of the data in the data layer 210 during a read operation to the TMR device 200. Accurate sensing is a necessity if the TMR device 200 is to be used for data storage (e.g. as a MRAM device). A low signal-to-noise ratio is undesirable because the value of resistance for the logic "0" is not different enough from the value of resistance for the logic "1"; therefore, the state of the data cannot be accurately determined and the TMR device will not be suitable as a memory device for data storage.
In FIGS. 2a and 2b, a plurality of thin film layers of material are required to form the prior TMR device 200. The layers used will depend on a selected topology for the TMR device 200. Typically, the layers are only a few nanometers thick. For example, the tunnel barrier layer 211 can be 1.0 nm thick or less. The data and reference layers (210, 212) can be 10 nm thick or less. The tunnel barrier layer 211 can be made from a dielectric material, such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3), for example. The data and reference layers (210, 212) can be made from one or more layers of a ferromagnetic material. Examples of materials for the data layer 210 include nickel-iron (NiFe) or a sandwich of nickel-iron:colbalt-iron (NiFe:CoFe). Examples of materials for the reference layer 212 include a sandwich of cobalt-iron:ruthenium:cobalt-iron (CoFe:Ru:CoFe) or nickel-iron (NiFe).
One disadvantage of prior the TMR device 200 is that a topology of the TMR device 200 can include a pinning film 214 that is adjacent to the reference layer 212 and is operative to prevent rotation of the pinned orientation of magnetization M1 in response to an external magnetic field (e.g. write currents). The pinning film 214 can be made from a material that includes manganese (Mn), such as IrMn, PtMn, and MnFe, for example. The manganese (Mn) in the pinning film 214 can diffuse (see dashed arrows D) across an interface I between the pinning film 214 and the reference layer 212, particularly at high processing temperatures (e.g. ≧400° C.) that are required to integrate magnetoresistance devices with CMOS circuitry to form a data storage device (e.g. MRAM). The diffusion D of the Mn into the reference layer 212 at those high processing temperatures results in a low signal-to-noise ratio ΔR/R and the low signal-to-noise ratio ΔR/R renders the device useless for data storage purposes. Solutions to the diffusion problem include not using a high temperature CMOS process or providing a diffusion barrier between the pinning film 214 and the reference layer 212 to prevent the diffusion D of the Mn across the interface I. At present, it is not possible to eliminate CMOS circuitry and the high temperatures incumbent to the CMOS fabrication process.
Cobalt (Co) has been found to be an effective Mn diffusion barrier. Prior methods for depositing the Co include sputtering deposition processes that are well understood in the microelectronics art. Unfortunately, in standard sputtering deposition systems the coverage of the Co material is not uniform across the layer the Co is deposited on. Metals (e.g. Co) tend to form island growth, and then coalesce into a continuous film. However, Co has a high saturation magnetization and can therefore impart a large antiferromagnetic coupling to magnetic memory element.
Another solution is to use an artificial antiferromagnet which does not contain Mn; however, artificial antiferromagnet structures require huge magnetic field anneals to set their magnetic state. Obtaining such a large magnetic field across a semiconductor wafer of 8.0 inches or more in diameter is prohibitively expensive. Another solution is to leave a bottom conductor of the magnetic memory element unpatterned; however, an unpatterned conductor increases a probability of reduced device yields due to shorting.
Accordingly, a method for depositing a very thin layer of material for a Mn diffusion barriers is desired. Atomic layer deposition (ALD), used primarily in the semiconductor industry, is one prior method for depositing thin layers of material. ALD is a reactive deposition method as opposed to a direct deposition method. For some materials ALD requires a water precursor, which can be destructive to device materials and/or properties, especially in materials that are susceptible to corrosion, such as the ferromagnetic materials in a TMR junction. ALD creates uniform thin film layers with very controllable thickness; however, the deposited layer is conformal to the underlying topography. If the topography is non-uniform, defects such as asperities and pinholes can result in breaches in the diffusion barrier through which the Mn can diffuse into the reference layer 212.
Consequently, there exists a need for a method of fabricating a manganese diffusion barrier at an interface in a magnetoresistance device. There is also a need for a method of fabricating a manganese diffusion barrier at an interface in a magnetoresistance device that can create a uniform interface surface upon which to deposit the manganese diffusion barrier. Finally, there is a need for a method of fabricating a manganese diffusion barrier that produces a very thin and uniform diffusion barrier on an interface surface.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of fabricating a manganese diffusion barrier


An apparatus that injects fluid into an inflatable device, dynamically monitors the pressure inside the device, and automatically terminates the inflation and disconnects from the inflatable device when the pressure inside the device reaches a predetermined value preset by the operator. After securing a chuck to the valve of an inflatable device by simply pulling a trigger similar to that of a pistol, the operator initiates the inflation and does not need to intervene further.

1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates to the fields of inflation systems and safety devices.
2. Status of the Related Art
Current art does not contain all the features claimed by the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,967 (Moore, 1994) discloses a specially built tire valve with a built-in pressure indicator that emits a whistling sound when a preset pressure is attained. No adjustment feature on the preset pressure level is disclosed or claimed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,642 (Worth, 1993) discloses a pressure relief valve that can be inserted into a tire valve specially built with an integral on-off feature. The relief valve is preset to discharge air to the environment when a tire is inflated to a pressure greater than a predetermined value. The Moore and Worth inventions require valves that differ greatly from the industry standard and add undesirable wheel rim mass that can cause wheel balancing problems. Neither invention offers the safety benefit of hands-free, automatic disconnect of the inflation system at a desired pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,481 (Zimmerman, 1999) discloses a tire inflation system that permits an operator to open a valve and inflate a remotely located tire through a flexible hose. The operator can set a desired tire pressure level on a pressure regulator located near the valve, and the hose can be disconnected from the regulator when the desired pressure is attained. U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,599 (Chen, 2001) discloses an air hose assembly that permits conventional inflation, and also provides for air release with a sliding mechanism, concentric with the hose assembly, with which the operator can hold the valve open until the desired amount of air is released. Neither invention offers the safety benefit of hands-free, automatic disconnect of the inflation system at a desired pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,037 (Perez, 1978) discloses a safety valve that threads onto a conventional tire valve stem and relieves pressure above a preset value. It offers no inflation capability.

Inflation device with automatic disconnect


This document describes systems and processes for forming synthetic molded slabs, which may be suitable for use in living or working spaces (e.g., along a countertop, table, floor, or the like).

Quarried stone slabs are a commonly used building material. Granite, marble, soapstone, and other quarried stones are often selected for use as countertops due to their aesthetic properties. Despite the visual appeal of quarried stone, quarried stones can be quite expensive to obtain and are generally limited to naturally occurring color schemes.
Engineered stone slabs may be formed from a man-made combination of materials that can provide improved stain-resistant or heat-resistant properties compared to quarried stone. Engineered stone is typically a combination of particulate mineral material and binder, such as a polymer resin or cement. Some engineered stones partly emulate some aesthetic properties of quarried stone, but still fall noticeably short of the complicated look and texture of quarried stone.

Processed slabs, and systems and methods related thereto


A lancing mechanism is adapted to move between a resting, cocking and a puncture position. The lancing mechanism comprises a lancet holder adapted to receive a lancet, a shaft attached to the lancet holder, at least one drive spring and at least one damping spring. The drive spring surrounds at least a portion of the shaft and drives the lancing mechanism from the cocking position to the puncture position. The damping spring moves the lancing mechanism from the puncture position to the resting position. The drive spring is located at least partially within the damping spring.

The quantitative determination of analytes in body fluids is of great importance in the diagnoses and maintenance of certain physiological abnormalities. For example, lactate, cholesterol and bilirubin should be monitored in certain individuals. In particular, determining glucose in body fluids is important to diabetic individuals who must frequently check their blood glucose levels to regulate the glucose intake in their diets.
One method of obtaining a body fluid sample, such as a whole blood sample, is to use a lancing device. The whole blood sample may then be used to determine the glucose concentration of an individual. Existing lancing devices use a lancet to pierce the tissue of the skin, allowing a blood sample to form on the skin's surface. Typically, lancing devices hold the lancet within them when the lancet is not in use, so as to shield the user from injury as well as to assist in preventing or inhibiting contamination.
The whole blood sample is often obtained by piercing the skin of a test subject. In addition to the pain and discomfort inherent with such a puncture, existing lancing devices may cause increased pain to many individuals by failing to properly dampen the lancet after initially piercing the skin. This may result in multiple punctures to the individual's skin, increasing the discomfort to the user. Alternatively, excessive damping can reduce the lancet's force and adversely effect the puncture depth, causing insufficient sample size and the need to lance again.
Additionally, the size of a lancing device (or integrated meter that incorporates a lancing device) is considered by a user. These devices are sometimes transported by a user in a purse or pants pocket. As such, a user may desire a smaller device that requires less space than classic devices. Thus, it would be desirable to have a lancing device and method that address these issues.