A method and apparatus for combining a plurality of laser beamlets to form a single annular beam using spectral beam combination. This invention includes a plurality of laser sources that emit a plurality of beamlets, wherein each one of the plurality of beamlets has a different wavelength; a beam annularizer that includes a plurality of optical units arranged to receive the beamlets, and configured to convert each beamlet into a respective annular beam that has an annular cross-sectional power profile; a beam-intersection transform element configured to point each respective one of the plurality of annular beams in an angular intersection arrangement toward a first location; and a spectral beam combiner at the first location configured to combine the plurality of wavelengths in the plurality of annular beams into a first annular spectrally combined beam.

High-efficiency diffraction gratings are often useful in laser systems that employ very-high-power laser beams. In particular, systems that use spectral-beam combining to increase the total power of a single collimated laser beam to power levels of one megawatt or more have a need for high-efficiency (low-loss) diffraction gratings.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,199,924 to Brown et al. issued Apr. 3, 2007, titled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SPECTRAL-BEAM COMBINING OF HIGH-POWER FIBER LASERS," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,199,924 Brown et al. describe an apparatus and method for spectral-beam combining light from a plurality of high-power fiber lasers that, in some embodiments, use two substantially identical diffraction gratings in a parallel, mutually compensating configuration to combine a plurality of separate parallel input beams each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, a single diffraction grating is used to combine a plurality of different wavelengths, wherein the input laser beams are obtained from very narrow linewidth sources to reduce chromatic dispersion. In some embodiments, diagnostics and adjustments of wavelengths and/or positions and angles are made dynamically in real time to maintain the combination of the plurality input beams into a single high-quality output beam.
United States Patent Publication 2011/0091155 by Yilmaz et al., titled "IN-LINE FORWARD/BACKWARD FIBER-OPTIC SIGNAL ANALYZER," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In Publication 2011/0091155 (which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,755,649 on Jun. 17, 2014), Yilmaz et al. describe an optical connector having a plurality of directional taps and connecting between a plurality of optical waveguides (such as a connector between a waveguide that is part of, or leads from, a seed laser and/or an initial optical-gain-fiber power amplifier, and a waveguide that is part of, or leads to, an output optical-gain-fiber power amplifier and/or a delivery fiber), wherein one of the directional taps extracts a small amount of the forward-traveling optical output signal from the seed laser or initial power amplifier (wherein this forward-tapped signal is optionally monitored using a sensor for the forward-tapped signal), and wherein another of the directional taps extracts at least some of any backward-traveling optical signal that may have been reflected (wherein this backward-tapped signal is optionally monitored using a sensor for the backward-tapped signal).
U.S. Pat. No. 7,872,794 issued to Minelly et al. on Jan. 18, 2011 with the title "HIGH-ENERGY EYE-SAFE PULSED FIBER AMPLIFIERS AND SOURCES OPERATING IN ERBIUM'S L-BAND," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,872,794, Minelly et al. describe an apparatus and method that provide an optical-fiber amplifier having at least one erbium-doped fiber section and an optical pump coupled to the erbium-doped fiber section, wherein the apparatus is operable to amplify signal pulses to high energy in the erbium-doped fiber section, the pulses having a wavelength in the range of about 1565 nm to about 1630 nm. In some embodiments, the amplifying fiber is ytterbium-free.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,876,803 issued to Di Teodoro et al. on Jan. 25, 2011 with the title "High-power, pulsed ring fiber oscillator and method," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,876,803, Di Teodoro et al. describe a ring laser includes a large-core rare-earth-doped fiber ring-connected with a free-space path having an electro-optic switch, output coupler, and intracavity band-pass filter to enforce lasing operation in narrow wavelength range. In some cavity-dumped modes, the laser is configured in a similar manner, except that an output coupler is omitted since the optical power is extracted from the laser cavity by the electro-optic switch itself. The same laser can be configured to operate in Q-switched and/or cavity-dumping modes as well as in hybrid modes (e.g., partial Q-switch, followed by cavity dumping, or even CW (continuous wave)). In some embodiments, the laser can be used as, or inject laser light into, a regenerative solid-state amplifier, or a Raman laser, or can be also used to generate visible, ultra-violet, mid-infrared, and far-infrared (THz) radiation via nonlinear wavelength conversion processes. The various embodiments can use a power oscillator or seed-plus-amplifier MOPA configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,526,110 to Honea et al. issued Sep. 3, 2013, titled "SPECTRAL-BEAM COMBINING FOR HIGH-POWER FIBER-RING-LASER SYSTEMS," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,526,110 Honea et al. describe a ring-laser system that includes a plurality of ring-laser gain elements and a spectral-beam-combining output stage configured to combine a plurality of beams coming from the gain elements into an output beam and that includes chromatic-dispersion compensation. In some embodiments, the output stage includes a plurality of highly reflective dielectric-coated focussing elements. In some embodiments, the output stage includes a plurality of high-efficiency dielectric-coated grating elements. In some embodiments, the output stage includes a mostly reflective but partially transmissive output mirror and a highly reflective beam-reversing mirror configured to reflect a majority of a backward-traveling signal beam such that it becomes forward traveling. In some embodiments, each gain element further includes a photonic-crystal-rod power amplifier. Some embodiments have an amplitude modulator configured to pulse the plurality of beams, and a timing controller configured to synchronize the pulses of the plurality of beams. Some embodiments further include a non-linear wavelength-conversion device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,503,840 to Hu et al. issued Aug. 6, 2013 titled "OPTICAL-FIBER ARRAY METHOD AND APPARATUS," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,503,840, Hu et al. describe a method and apparatus for forming an optical-fiber-array assembly, which includes providing a plurality of optical fibers including a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, providing a fiber-array plate that includes a first surface and a second surface, connecting the plurality of optical fibers to the first surface of the fiber-array plate, transmitting a plurality of optical signals through the optical fibers into the fiber-array plate at the first surface of the fiber-array plate, and emitting from the second surface of the fiber-array plate a composite output beam having light from the plurality of optical signals. Optionally, the first surface of the fiber-array plate includes indicia configured to assist in the alignment of the plurality of optical fibers on the first surface of the fiber-array plate. In some embodiments, the second surface of the fiber-array plate includes a plurality of beam-shaping optics configured to shape the composite output beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,493,651 to Hu et al. issued Jul. 23, 2013 titled "Apparatus for optical fiber management and cooling," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,493,651 an apparatus and method that provides management and cooling of an optical fiber by looping the optical fiber around the inner surface of a heat-conductive cylinder and around the outer surface of the heat-conductive cylinder, such that the optical fiber enters and exits the heat-conductive cylinder on substantially the same plane. Some embodiments use a continuous groove on the inside and outside of the cylinder for guiding and managing the optical fiber. Some embodiments use a plurality of protruding fiber guides for guiding and managing the optical fiber. Some embodiments use an integrated tube for guiding and managing the optical fiber. In some embodiments, the optical fiber looped on the inner surface and outer surface are spaced apart substantially equally. In some other embodiments, the optical fiber loops are spaced further apart for portions of the fiber carrying higher power.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,441,718 to Mead issued May 14, 2013 titled "Spectrally beam combined laser system and method at eye-safer wavelengths," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,441,718, Mead describes a method and system in which fiber-laser light is Raman shifted to eye-safer wavelengths prior to spectral beam combination, enabling a high-power, eye-safer wavelength directed-energy (DE) system. The output of Ytterbium fiber lasers is not used directly for spectral beam combining. Rather, the power from the Yb fiber lasers is Raman-shifted to longer wavelengths, and these wavelengths are then spectrally beam combined. Raman shifting is most readily accomplished with a "cascaded Raman converter," in which a series of nested fiber cavities is formed using fiber Bragg gratings.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,411,712 to Honea, et al. issued Apr. 2, 2013 titled "Beam diagnostics and feedback system and method for spectrally beam-combined lasers," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,411,712, Honea, et al. describe an apparatus and method for control of lasers (which use an array of optical gain fibers) in order to improve spectrally beam-combined (SBC) laser beam quality along the plane of the SBC fiber array via spectral-to-spatial mapping of a portion of the spectrally beam-combined laser beams, detection of optical power in each of the spatially dispersed beams and feedback control of the lasers for wavelength-drift correction. The apparatus includes a diffractive element; a source of a plurality of substantially monochromatic light beams directed from different angles to a single location on the diffractive element, wherein the diffractive element spectrally combines the plurality of light beams into a single beam. A controller adjusts characteristics of the light beams if one of the light beams has become misadjusted. In some embodiments, the controller adjusts the wavelength tuning of the respective fiber laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,199,399 to Savage-Leuchs issued Jun. 12, 2012, titled "Optical gain fiber having segments of differing core sizes and associated method," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,199,399, Savage-Leuchs describes an apparatus and method for amplifying laser signals using segments of fibers of differing core diameters and/or differing cladding diameters to suppress amplified spontaneous emission and non-linear effects such as four-wave mixing (FWM), self-phase modulation, and stimulated Brillouin and/or Raman scattering (SBS/SRS). In some embodiments, different core sizes have different sideband spacings (spacing between the desired signal and wavelength-shifted lobes). Changing core sizes and providing phase mismatches prevent buildup of non-linear effects. Some embodiments further include a bandpass filter to remove signal other than the desired signal wavelength and/or a time gate to remove signal at times other than during the desired signal pulse. Some embodiments include photonic-crystal structures to define the core for the signal and/or the inner cladding for the pump. Some embodiments include an inner glass cladding to confine the signal in the core and an outer glass cladding to confine pump light in the inner cladding.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,179,594 to Tidwell, et al. issued May 15, 2012 titled "Method and apparatus for spectral-beam combining of fanned-in laser beams with chromatic-dispersion compensation using a plurality of diffractive gratings," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,179,594, Tidwell, et al. describe an apparatus and method for spectral-beam combining of light from a plurality of high-power lasers (e.g., fiber MOPA lasers) that, in some embodiments, use substantially identical diffraction gratings in a 1-D non-parallel, mutually compensating configuration to combine non-parallel intersecting input beams in one plane each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, an output grating and one or more input gratings in a 1-D parallel, mutually compensating configuration combine non-parallel input beams in one plane into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, a 2-D plurality of input gratings in a non-parallel configuration combine a plurality of non-parallel input beams not in one plane each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a set of intersecting beams in one plane directed towards an output grating that compensates for chromatic dispersions introduced by the input gratings.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,107 to Hamilton, et al. issued Jun. 20, 2006 titled "Spectral beam combination of broad-stripe laser diodes," is assigned to the owner of the present application, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,107, Hamilton, et al. describe a method and apparatus for improving the beam quality of the emissions from a multimode gain medium such as a broad-stripe laser through the use of SBC techniques is provided. In order to achieve the desired beam quality without a significant reduction in output power, discrete lasing regions are formed across the gain medium using an etalon or similar device located within the SBC cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,094,689 to Koplow issued Jan. 10, 2012, titled "Laser systems configured to output a spectrally-consolidated laser beam and related methods," and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,094,689, Koplow describes a laser apparatus that includes a plurality of pumps each of which is configured to emit a corresponding pump laser beam having a unique peak wavelength. The laser apparatus includes a spectral beam combiner configured to combine the corresponding pump laser beams into a substantially spatially-coherent pump laser beam having a pump spectrum that includes the unique peak wavelengths, and first and second selectively reflective elements spaced from each other to define a lasing cavity including a lasing medium therein. The lasing medium generates a plurality of gain spectra responsive to absorbing the pump laser beam. Each gain spectrum corresponds to a respective one of the unique peak wavelengths of the substantially spatially-coherent pump laser beam and partially overlaps with all other ones of the gain spectra. The reflective elements are configured to promote emission of a laser beam from the lasing medium with a peak wavelength common to each gain spectrum.
EXEMPLARY DIFFRACTIVE ELEMENTS that can be used in some embodiments of the present invention include:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,006 titled "Hybrid metallic-dielectric grating" issued Jun. 22, 2004 to Barton et al. and is incorporated herein by reference. This patent describes a diffraction grating having a metallic base layer and layers of dielectric materials of varying refractive index, where a bottom interface of the layers is adherent to the metallic base layer. The dielectric layers are periodically spaced on top of the metallic base layer, leaving the metallic base layer exposed in regions. This grating allows for the polarization-insensitive reflective properties of the base metallic layer to operate in conjunction with the polarization sensitive diffraction properties of the multilayer grating structure to provide near 100% diffraction efficiency over a reasonable wavelength bandwidth, independent of the polarization of the incident beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,822,796 to Takada et al. titled "Diffractive optical element" (incorporated herein by reference) describes a method for making blazed gratings having asymmetric grooves with dielectric coatings. U.S. Pat. No. 6,958,859 to Hoose et al. titled "Grating device with high diffraction efficiency" (incorporated herein by reference) describes a method for making blazed gratings having dielectric coatings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,436 titled "Multilayer dielectric diffraction gratings" issued May 25, 1999 to Perry et al., and is incorporated herein by reference. This patent describes the design and fabrication of dielectric grating structures with high diffraction efficiency. The gratings have a multilayer structure of alternating index dielectric materials, with a grating structure on top of the multilayer, and obtain a diffraction grating of adjustable efficiency, and variable optical bandwidth.
Even with high-efficiency multi-layered dielectric diffraction gratings such as those described above, a non-negligible amount of energy is absorbed in the grating, which heats and distorts the grating. A diamond layer in thermal contact with the grating can improve heat transfer. EXEMPLARY DIAMOND-LAYER COOLING SUBSTRATES that can be used in some embodiments include:
PCT Publication No. WO 2013/062584, which published May 2, 2013, of PCT Patent Application PCT/US11/58352 titled "Devices including a diamond layer" filed Oct. 28, 2011 by Liang et al., is incorporated herein by reference. Liang et al. describe a device that includes a substrate layer, a diamond layer, and a device layer. The device layer is patterned. The diamond layer is to conform to a pattern associated with the device layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,813 to Ravi, which issued Dec. 14, 2004 and is titled "Stress-reducing structure for electronic devices," is incorporated herein by reference. Ravi describes an electronic apparatus having a heat transfer/stress-reducing layer combined with a device layer and methods of fabricating such electronic apparatus provide a means for incorporating a heat transfer layer in an integrated circuit. A structure with a diamond layer incorporated beneath a device layer provides a heat transfer layer for the structure. In an embodiment, a compliant layer is formed between a diamond layer and a substrate to provide stress reduction. In another embodiment, a diamond layer is formed as a layer of islands of diamond from nucleation centers to provide stress reduction.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,330 to Ravi, et al., which issued Mar. 10, 2009 and is titled "Methods of forming a high conductivity diamond film and structures formed thereby," is incorporated herein by reference. Ravi, et al. describe a method of forming a high thermal conductivity diamond film and its associated structures comprising selectively nucleating a region of a substrate, and forming a diamond film on the substrate such that the diamond film has large grains, which are at least about 20 microns in size. The larger grained diamond film has greatly improved thermal management capabilities and improves the efficiency and speed of a microelectronic device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,846,767 to Sung issued Dec. 7, 2010 titled "Semiconductor-on-diamond devices and associated methods," and is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 7,846,767 describes semiconductor-on-diamond (SOD) substrates and methods for making such substrates. In one aspect, a method of making an SOD device is provided that includes etching depressions into an etch surface of a semiconductor substrate to a uniform depth, depositing a diamond layer onto the etch surface to form diamond-filled depressions, and thinning the semiconductor substrate at a thinning surface opposite the etch surface until the diamond filled depressions are exposed, thus forming a semiconductor device having a thickness substantially equal to the uniform depth.
CONVENTIONAL DIFFRACTIVE BEAM SHAPERS include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,762 issued to Leger et al. on Mar. 21, 1989 titled "Coherent beam combining of lasers using microlenses and diffractive coupling," and is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,762 describes a diffractive lenslet array receives light from multiple lasers. The lenslet array is spaced apart from a partially reflecting mirror by a distance Z=n×d2/λ, where n is an integer or half integer, λ is the laser wavelength and d is the spacing of the lenslets in the array. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus is a unitary design in which the lenslets are etched into one surface of a substrate and a parallel surface is coated to form the partially reflecting mirror. The lenslets abut one another to produce a fill factor (percentage of array containing light) close to one and each of the lenslets is a multistep diffractive lens. Diffractive spreading over a round trip distance from lasers to mirror and back again causes feedback light from a single lenslet to couple into adjacent lenslets. The light from all the lenslets is coupled back into the laser waveguides efficiently only when the wavefront at each of the lenslets is flat, that is, when the phase of the feedback is uniform across a lenslet. Uniformity is achieved when the separation between lenslet array and mirror is the Talbot self-imaging condition set forth above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,004 to Leger issued Sep. 26, 1995 titled "Phase grating and mode-selecting mirror for a laser," and is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,004 describes a method for making a custom phase-conjugating diffractive mirror for a laser resonator comprising the steps of: (a) choosing a specified beam mode profile ai (x,y) that will suit need of a designer, (b) calculating the mode profile b(x′,y′) which is a value of the specified ai (x,y) that is propagated to the reflection surface of the diffractive mirror and (c) calculating mirror reflectance t(x′,y′) which reflects phase conjugate of b(x′,y′). A method for fabricating such a mirror is shown. Another aspect of the invention is the addition of a phase-adjusting element into a laser resonator, and compensating for the addition of a phase-adjusting element in the design of other phase-adjusting elements such as the mirrors.
Other Beam Shapers
United States Patent Application Publication 2011/0249320 by Savage-Leuchs et al. titled "High beam quality and high average power from large-core-size optical-fiber amplifiers" (which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,830,568 on Sep. 9, 2014), and United States Patent Application Publication 2011/0249321 by Savage-Leuchs et al. titled "Signal and pump mode-field adaptor for double-clad fibers and associated method" (which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,767,286 on Jul. 1, 2014), are assigned to the owner of the present application, and are incorporated herein by reference. In these publications, Savage-Leuchs et al. describe an apparatus, method and use for improving and merging core pumping and cladding pumping to enable high-power fiber-laser systems having excellent beam quality while using large-core (LMA) step-index gain fibers at very high optical power, wherein the core pumping includes mixing a laser seed optical signal (having a signal wavelength) with optical core-pump light (having a core-pump wavelength that is near the signal wavelength) in a manner that matches the modes of the seed optical signal and the pump light. Savage-Leuchs et al. also describe mode-matching double-clad fibers. In some embodiments, a first fiber section that has a first core, wherein the first core has a first core diameter connects to a mode-field adaptor, wherein the mode-field adaptor includes a first portion having a central volume that has a substantially constant index-of-refraction radial profile and a diameter larger than the first core diameter, and a second portion that has a graded-index (GRIN) central volume, wherein the GRIN central volume has a central axis and a graded index-of-refraction radial profile having an index that gradually decreases at larger distances from its central axis and a length selected to focus light into the core of a second fiber wherein the second core has a diameter that is larger than the first core diameter, and wherein the second fiber section is double clad. Some embodiments are polarized.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,943 (hereinafter, "Djeu"), titled "Methods for fabricating lenses at the end of optical fibers in the far field of the fiber aperture," issued Oct. 31, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference. Djeu describe a microlens affixed in the far field of an optical fiber to spatially transform a beam either entering or exiting the fiber. In a first embodiment, a droplet of photo polymer is placed on the end of an optical fiber and the fiber is spun to create an artificial gravity. The droplet is cured by UV radiation during the spinning. In some embodiments, the method described by Djeu is modified such that lenslets are suitably formed on surface 512 of base plate 510, wherein the lenslets provide the annularizing and the focussing of the beams 560.
There remains a need in the art for improved systems and methods for beam shaping in spectral-beam-combination systems, methods and devices.

Method and apparatus for fiber-laser output-beam shaping for beam combination


The present invention provides a compact design and provides an improved viewable area. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention comprises a container having a height, a depth and a width. The container comprises a main cavity, a lower cavity, at least one side cavity and a filtration system. The lower cavity is located below the main cavity and a first plate separates the lower cavity from the main cavity and allows limited fluid communication between the lower cavity and main cavity. The volume of the lower cavity is substantially less than the volume of the main cavity. The side cavity is located adjacent to the main cavity and a second plate separates the side cavity from the main cavity and allows limited fluid communication between the side cavity and main cavity. The side cavity has a volume less than the main cavity and more than the lower cavity.

Aquariums are a popular way to raise aquatic animals and plants for pets, as well as for aesthetic purposes. Aquariums are also used for business, scientific and educational purposes. However, such an aquarium generally occupies large spaces since there should be provided a filter device therein as well as about 10 and 20 gallons of water. Some larger aquariums require substantially more water.
It is understood that aquarium water is changed to remove a build-up of chemicals, which the aquarium filter cannot remove. It is also commonly understood that frequent water change is expected due to secrets of aquatic animals and food waste which are known to pollute the water in the aquarium. To meet the need there have been introduced various filter devices to minimize the frequency of water change.
Further, because of deficiencies in current filtration design, it has therefore been necessary to maintain a large volume of water to act as a buffer in both fresh and salt water aquariums so to avoid poisoning of the aquatic animals. For example, each gold fish typically requires 1-10 gallons of water, depending on its size, to avoid poisoning and maintain water clarity, even when aquarium water is purified by typical filtration systems driven by a pump.
Therefore, aquarium enthusiasts have searched for the perfect aquarium system that will reduce aquatic pollutants efficiently to enable maximum use of the aquatic living area. Traditionally, an aquarium filer is employed for this purpose.
The most common aquarium filter is a power filter which hangs on the outside of the aquarium over the top edge thereof. It includes a siphon tube which carries water from the aquarium into the filter box which is located on the outside of the tank. Water entering the filter box flows over various types of filter media to remove particulate matter from the water. The water passes through filter carbon to remove chemicals impurities from the water which is then pumped back into the aquarium using a filter pump.
Another type of aquarium filter used is a canister type filter which is posited outside and, usually, below the aquarium. Intake and output hoses hang over the aquarium edge and are connected to the canister filter on the floor. Water is fed by gravity through the intake hose from the aquarium to the canister. The aquarium water is both mechanically and chemically treated and pumped back into the aquarium by a pump contained in the canister. Examples of canister type filters include the Hagen Fluval filter marketed by Hagen USA Mfg., Co.; and Marine Land canister filter marketed by Aquaria, Inc.
An internally mounted power filter is still another type of aquarium filter. Such filters comprise a small canister with a built-in pump which is submerged inside the aquarium. Water enters the bottom of the canister and flows through a filter sleeve which removes particulate and chemical waste. The filtered water is then pumped out the top of the canister and back into the aquarium. Examples of this type of filter are the Supreme Ovation internal filter marketed by Danner Mfg. and the Hagen Fluval internal filter sold by Hagen USA Mfg. Co.
Still another type of filter employed in aquariums is the undergravel filter which consists of a perforated raised plate which rests on the aquarium floor. Riser tubes are provided on either end of the filter and extend into the top of the aquarium. Gravel is placed on top of the plate to a thickness of about 2″, or one pound per gallon. Air lines from an external pump are placed in the riser tubes to the bottom plate and an air stone is placed at the end of the air lines. Air is forced by the pump to the air stones thereby forcing air bubbles to travel up through the tubes to the water surface creating turbulence or current. Water is then pulled through the gravel and forced up the riser tubes. Waste from the aquarium is drawn through the gravel bed where bacteria break down any ammonia or nitrites to less harmful nitrates. A biological filter does not, however, remove all chemical wastes and by itself is considered a very inefficient form of filtration. Examples of such undergravel filters include filters marketed by Perfecto Mfg. and Penplex Mfg.
Yet another type of filter commonly used in aquariums is a wet/dry trickle type filter which includes a skimmer box that hangs inside the aquarium at the top. Siphon tubes are provided for carrying water from the aquarium to a pre-filter which is mounted directly behind the skimmer box on the outside of the aquarium. Water passes through foam sleeves in a pre-filter to trap particulate matter. The water then travels through the hose in a tank typically positioned beneath the aquarium. As water enters the tank beneath the aquarium, it flows onto a drip plate or spray bar in a dry chamber of filters which may contain biomedia. Water drips over and through the biomedia to the bottom section of the tank. Bacteria colonies grow on the biomedia which feed on waste products in the water passing over them. From there, the water gathers in the bottom of the filter tank and then passes through a carbon filter or other filter to remove chemical wastes from the water. If necessary, water is then passed through dolomite, crushed coral or crushed clam shells to buffer the water which is then pumped through the return hose back to the aquarium. Wet/dry filters can include mechanical, chemical and biological filters.
An alternative type of surface skimming filter is accomplished by drilling a hole through the bottom of a conventional aquarium and extending a tube to the surface of the water. This creates a surface skimming action. In this case, a hose could be connected to the tube and directed into an external wet/dry filter.
An alternative form of the wet/dry filter is an internally mounted wet/dry filtration system which includes an integrated pump and for small aquariums. The filter is placed inside the aquarium against a wall with the top of the filter at the water level. Water enters the filter and then passes through the filter cartridge which removes particulate and chemical waste materials. A portion of the water is then pumped into a drip plate in a dry chamber for biological filtration. The remaining water is then pumped directly back into the aquarium so as to bypass the dry area.
While some of the filters described above improve the water quality, they still do not allow a substantial decrease in the area of the aquarium. In fact, most of the filters are bulky and large, thus either increasing the size of the aquarium itself or increasing the size of the entire system. Further, the combination of a filter with hoses or boxes external to the aquarium is not efficient and, additionally, takes up substantial space. Moreover, most enthusiasts will agree that a large, aesthetically pleasing viewing area is the most important factor in purchasing an aquarium, however; with most filters being bulky and large, a smaller and less pleasing viewing area is the result.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved aquarium that will support aquatic animals in a minimal amount of water and, additionally, reduce the space required for other components to facilitate a compact design and provide an improved viewable area.


An automatic document feeding and scanning apparatus includes an automatic document feeder and a flatbed scanner mechanism. The flatbed scanner mechanism includes a casing, a scanning module and a scanning platform. The scanning platform has a first scanning window and a second scanning window for fixing a first transparent plate and a second transparent plate, respectively. In addition, an inner periphery of the second scanning window and an edge of the second transparent plate have complementary profiles.

Various machines such as printers, scanners and faxing machines are common peripheral devices of a computer system. These machines are usually equipped with automatic document feeders.
FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional automatic document feeding and scanning apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1A, the scanning apparatus 1 comprises an automatic document feeder 1a and a scanner mechanism 1b. The automatic document feeder 1a is installed in an upper cover 2. The automatic document feeder 1a has an outlet 14. The use of the automatic document feeder 1a may successively feed a stack of sheet-like articles and eject the sheet-like articles out of the outlet 14.
The scanner mechanism 1b comprises a scanner casing 10, a transparent platform 11, a glass plate 12, a frame 13 and a scanning module 3. The scanner casing 10 is disposed under the automatic document feeder 1a. The scanning module 3 is disposed within the scanner casing 10.
The transparent platform 11 and the glass plate 12 are fixed in the scanner casing 10. In a case that a flatbed scanning operation is performed, the flatbed-scanning document to be scanned is supported on the transparent platform 11. The light beams emitted from the scanning module 3 are transmissible through the glass plate 12. As such, in a case that a sheetfed scanning operation is performed, the scanning module 3 may scan the sheetfed-scanning document through the glass plate 12.
FIG. 1B is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 1A. The frame 13 is arranged between the transparent platform 11 and the glass plate 12. The frame 13 comprises a protrusion 13a and a vertical wall 13b. The protrusion 13a is used for supporting the glass plate 12 such that the glass plate 12 is coupled with the vertical wall 13b. By the frame 13, the transparent platform 11 and the glass plate 12 are fixed on the scanner casing 10. In addition, the frame 13 may facilitate guiding the sheetfed-scanning document to the outlet 14.
The structure for fixing the sheetfed-scanning glass plate 12, however, still has some drawbacks. Generally, the frame 13 for fixing the glass plate 12 is made of plastic material. If the frame 13 is subject to plastic deformation, the protrusion 13a may be shifted downwardly. Once the scanning module 3 is moved under the glass plate 12, the protrusion 13a is possibly hit by the moving scanning module 3. In this circumstance, the scanning module 3 fails to successfully move to the region under the transparent platform 11 to perform the scanning operation. If the protrusion 13a is removed and the glass plate 12 is directly bonded to the vertical wall 13b of the frame 13, the problem of hitting the protrusion 13a by the moving scanning module 3 could be eliminated. However, since the glass plate 12 is no longer supported by the protrusion 13a, the glass plate 12 is possibly detached from the frame 13 if the scanning apparatus has been used for a long term. In this circumstance, the use life of the automatic document feeding and scanning apparatus is shortened.

Automatic document feeding and scanning apparatus


Touch panel operation devices, methods, and programs set a touch-off determination time, and determine that the touch-off has occurred if the state at which the touch panel detects the user not touching the touch panel has continued for the set touch-off determination time or more after the touch-off was detected. When the user is touching the touch panel, the devices, methods, and programs acquire a touch coordinate, select an object corresponding to the acquired touch coordinate, and scroll-display the selected object based on a displacement of the acquired touch coordinate. The devices, methods, and programs determine whether the touch coordinate was acquired and displaced just before the touch-off was detected, and if the touch coordinate was acquired and displaced just before the touch-off was detected, set the touch-off determination time to be longer than if the touch coordinate was acquired and not displaced just before the touch-off was detected.

1. Related Technical Fields
Related technical fields include touch panel operation devices, touch panel operation methods, and computer programs for performing a selection operation of a selectable object using a touch panel.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, devices provided with a liquid crystal display such as in-vehicle navigation devices, portable information equipments including PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) and cellular phones, portable music players, portable game devices, personal computers, and the like are likely to have a touch panel on the front face of the liquid crystal display to accept a user's operation. The devices provided with a touch panel display selectable objects such as buttons and the like on the liquid crystal display. If the devices detect that a user has touched the position corresponding to a displayed selectable object, the devices execute processing for selecting the selectable object
In the processing for selecting the selectable object on the devices provided with the touch panel, the selectable object basically continues selected from when a "touch-on" where a state in which the user is not touching the touch panel transits to a state in which the user is touching the touch panel has been detected to when a "touch-off" where the state in which the user is touching the touch panel transits to the state in which the user is not touching the touch panel has been detected. A scroll operation of the selectable object can be executed by moving (dragging) the touching position with the selectable object continued selected.
The touch panel here employs a system such as a resistive system (a pressure sensitive system), a capacitance system, or the like. The touch-on and the touch-off are detected based on a change in pressure or capacitance generated when a part of the user's body (for example, a finger) or a pen has touched the touch panel. When performing the above-mentioned scroll operation, the finger of the user or the like may temporarily lift up from the touch panel against the user's intention or the pressure the touch panel is being pressed may be reduced while dragging. If the touch-off is determined in such case, the scroll may be stopped against the user's intention. The reason will be described below.
For example, FIG. 13 illustrates a scroll operation to scroll a map image 102 in a direction of an arrow 103 when the map image 102 displayed on a liquid crystal display 101 of a navigation device is being selected. In the scroll operation, the user performs a touch-on at a coordinate X1 displayed on the map image 102 and drags by moving the finger along the arrow 103. Here, if the finger of the user or the like temporarily lifts up from the touch panel or the pressure the touch panel is being pressed is reduced at a point X2 while dragging, the touch-off may be determined at the point X2. As a result, the selection of the map image 102 is canceled at the point X2 and the scroll is terminated. Further, a new touch-on is detected at a point X3 that is in the vicinity of the point X2. Thereby, a button 104 placed in an area including the point X3 where the touch-on was detected is selected against the user's intention.
Especially, the above-mentioned problem is likely to occur in touch panels employing a resistive system. Because the touch-off is detected against the user's intention when the pressure the touch panel is pressed decreases, even if the finger of the user or the like continues touching the touch panel.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the following method is considered. The touch-off is not determined immediately after the touch-off was detected. That is, after the touch-off was detected, if the touch-on is detected within a predetermined time period, the touch-off is not determined under the assumption that the selection continues. Only if the touch-on is not detected within the predetermined time period, the touch-off is determined. For example, Japanese Patent Application; Publication No. 2002-366286 discloses a technology that, in a key input processing device including a unit that detects ON/OFF of a key at a predetermined interval, an OFF of a key input is determined when two or more OFFs have been sequentially detected.

Touch panel type operation device, touch panel operation method, and computer program


A method for fusing sensor information detected by a host vehicle and at least one remote vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication equipped vehicle includes collecting visual data from an optical sensor of a vision sub-system, and collecting V2V data from remote vehicles. The method further includes executing a control logic including a first control logic for generating a base lane model and a base confidence level, a second control logic that fuses together the V2V data, the base lane model, and the base confidence level, and a third control logic that generates from the fused lane model, the V2V data, the base lane model, and the base confidence level, a final lane model and final confidence level, and assigns a priority to the final lane model.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Motor vehicle sensing systems are known which can identify to a host vehicle other proximate motor vehicles and warn an operator of the host vehicle of the other vehicle's movements which may intersect the driving path of the host vehicle. Other motor vehicle sensing systems are known which can utilize the data received from the above noted sensing system and institute changes such as to reduce a host vehicle driving speed, apply brakes, provide audio and visual warning signals and the like. Known systems may utilize camera systems that receive visual data related to the one or more other vehicles and may utilize a computer system to perform calculations and generate vehicle command instructions. Other known systems include the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) system which allows multiple vehicles to communicate to each other.
While conventional vehicle communication and sensing systems are effective, there is room for improved vehicle communication and sensing systems that improve the data quality, failsafes, diagnostics, robustness, and accuracy of vehicle communication and sensing systems.

Sensor fusion of camera and V2V data for vehicles


An apparatus and method for providing uniform X-Ray irradiation to material carried in a plurality of containers. The apparatus includes an X-Ray tube providing a linear source of irradiation and also a 4 pi (360 degrees) irradiation. The material to be irradiated is placed in containers suspended on a vertical carousel wheel type structure. The individual containers are mounted receive irradiation throughout the rotation of the wheel. The tube is mounted approximately at the axis or center of the wheel. In operation, the containers of material are rotated around the tube, and due to their orientation and the 4 pi irradiation from the source, each and all the containers receive a uniform irradiation for the material contained therein.

The present application is related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,212,255 and 6,614,876 issued to Randol E. Kirk, the inventor hereof, which patents are incorporated herein by reference. The present application is also related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,099 issued to Gueorgui Guerorguiv titled "Irradiation System and Method Using X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Reflector" and to US Patent Publication 2007/0025515 titled "X-ray Tube With Cylindrical Anode" issued to of Randol E. Kirk and Daniel F. Gorzen. In fact, the present application discloses one specific system wherein the X-ray tube with a cylindrical anode has an extremely beneficial use. US Patent Publication 2007/0025515 is also incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention generally relates to a more efficient apparatus and method for irradiation of material utilizing X-rays. While the invention will be described for use for the sterilization of food products, the invention is also applicable to various fields in which efficient irradiation of material is in demand including industrial and medical sterilization.
The FDA has approved the use of ionization radiation from three different sources of irradiation that produce essentially equivalent pathogen reduction. The three approved sources are gamma rays from radioactive cobalt-60 or cesium-137, linear accelerators producing electron energies less than ten million volts, and X-Rays generated from equipment energies of less than five million volts.
Each of said types of sources are in present use throughout the USA for the sterilization of food products. The present invention utilizes an X-Ray source of irradiation that is believed to have a number of advantages over the other two types of sources that need not be discussed in detail herein. Such other sources are generally much larger in size and scale are much higher in initial cost, and pose higher safety hazards normally requiring more sophisticated irradiation protection.


A time-to-digital converter includes a first delay line, a second delay line, comparators, and an encoder. The first delay line includes first resistors coupled in series and receives a first signal through a start node. The second delay line includes second resistors coupled in series and receives a second signal through a node corresponding to an end node of the first delay line. The comparators compare first voltages of nodes on the first delay line with second voltages of corresponding nodes on the second delay line. The encoder generates a digital code based on outputs of the comparators. Therefore, the time-to-digital converter may decrease a chip size thereof and lower power consumption, and the time-to-digital converter may increase a range of a maximum delay time between two signals.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a high-resolution time-to-digital converter.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A time-to-digital converter (TDC) is used to measure a time difference between a standard signal and a comparison signal. Conventionally, the TDC is used in a laser range finder, and recently the TDC is used in an all-digital phase locked loop (ADPLL).
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional TDC including a signal delay line.
Referring to FIG. 1, the TDC 100 includes a delay line 110 transmitting a first signal, a standard line 120 transmitting a second signal, and comparators 130. The comparators 130 compare voltages of nodes on the delay line 110 with voltages of nodes on the standard line 120. The voltages of nodes on the standard line 120 correspond to the voltages of nodes on the delay line 110, respectively.
A time difference between the first signal and the second signal may be calculated from output signals of the comparators 130.
Each of the delay elements DELAY of the delay line 110 is usually implemented with an inverter, and a delay time of such inverter is about 50 picoseconds. Therefore, the TDC 100 in FIG. 1 may have a resolution of about 50 picoseconds.
The resolution of a TDC is required to be increased in order to implement a high-frequency ADPLL.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional TDC including a vernier delay line.
The TDC 200 in FIG. 2 differs from the TDC 100 in FIG. 1 in that the TDC 200 in FIG. 2 includes two delay lines 210 and 220. There is a difference between a delay time of a delay element DELAY in the first delay line 210 and a delay time of a delay element DELAY in the second delay line 220. For example, the delay time of the delay element in the first delay line 210 may be about 50 picoseconds and the delay time of the delay element in the second delay line 220 may be about 60 picoseconds.
Therefore, the TDC 200 may have a resolution of about 10 picoseconds.
As described above, a TDC including a vernier delay line may have a higher resolution than a TDC including a single delay line. A relatively large chip size, however, is required to implement the TDC including the vernier delay line. Also, the TDC including the vernier delay line has a narrow range of maximum delay time between two signals, and the TDC including the vernier delay line needs much more power than the TDC having only the single delay line.


A system capable of determining wavefront characteristics, such as air induced wavefront aberrations, includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device executing a phase diversity algorithm. The FPGA device can be a stand-alone device or comprise multiple FPGAs. The device receives an “in-focus” and an “out-of-focus” image having a known optical difference from that of the “in-focus” image. The device then performs as many phase diversity algorithm iterations as desired to reach an expression for the wavefront aberrations induced on the collected image data. The resulting wavefront data may be used to produce an enhanced image of the original image data. Example applications include remote sensors and targeting systems, and both passive imaging and active projection systems that compensate for wavefront anomalies.

Numerous remote target applications, such as high-bandwidth communications and long distance imaging systems, now use over-the-air optical signals for information transfer. Tactical high-energy laser (HEL) systems, for example, communicate optical signals over large distances for object identification and aimpoint controls in laser guided weapons systems. These systems allow operators to identify objects from distances large enough to protect operator safety, but close enough to allow somewhat accurate identification.
Despite showing promise, there are limitations to using optical signals in these applications. One limitation is the effect the atmosphere has on optical signals. In a targeting system, for example, a laser beam may travel long distances through turbulent air before the laser beam reaches its target. This air turbulence can produce a twinkling or blurring effect that degrades the laser beam. The beam distortion and expansion that results from this turbulence alters the wavefront on the laser beam and prevents proper beam focusing, which in turn can mean that the detected image may be indiscernible or unusable.
A few adaptive optics techniques have been proposed to correct for the wavefront anomalies experienced by a laser beam or an optical signal, in general, during propagation. These techniques, however, are only as accurate as the wavefront sensors they employ. Hartmann wavefront sensors, which measure wavefront distortion using point sources as a reference beam against an obtained image, are problematic because they require the generation of a separate reference beam, if a star or point source is not immediately available. This requirement adds to device complexity and can introduce additional sources of scattered light.
In contrast to these point source-based techniques, phase diversity techniques use an extended scene to determine the wavefront anomalies created by the optical aberrations of the imaging system or propagation path. Phase diversity algorithms use at least two images. In the case of the two-image phase diversity configuration, one image contains an additional known aberration with respect to the other image. Phase diversity can be used to correct for blurriness in an image as may result from atmospheric anomalies and thermal blooming. Yet, current phase diversity algorithms require time-consuming microprocessor processing. These microprocessor systems are programming intensive at the front end and, due to the sequential nature of code execution and other factors, too slow at the back end when the algorithm is executed. No matter the processing speed of the microprocessor core, such systems may take seconds or minutes to complete a full phase diversity correction cycle of an object image. This is too slow for many applications, including real time imaging.

Closed-loop wavefront sensor using field programmable gate array


A method for controlling a vehicle's speed includes adopting a desired speed vset for the vehicle; determining by means of map data and location data a horizon for the intended itinerary which is made up of route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment; effecting the following during each of a number of simulation cycles (s) each comprising a number N of simulation steps conducted at a predetermined frequency f: making a first prediction of the vehicle's speed vpred—cc along the horizon with conventional cruise control when vset is presented as reference speed, which prediction depends on the characteristics of said segment; comparing the predicted vehicle speed vpred—cc with vmin and vmax, which demarcate a range within which the vehicle's speed is intended to be; making a second prediction of the vehicle's speed vpred—Tnew along the horizon when the vehicle's engine torque T is a value which depends on the result of said comparison in the latest preceding simulation cycle (s−1); determining at least one reference value for how the vehicle's speed is to be influenced on the basis of at least one of said comparisons in that simulation cycle (s) and the predicted vehicle speed vpred—Tnew; sending to a control system in the vehicle said at least one reference value with respect to which the vehicle is thereupon regulated. The invention comprises also a module for controlling a vehicle's speed.

Today's traditional cruise controls maintain a constant reference speed which is usually set by the driver. The value of the reference speed is only altered when the driver him/herself adjusts it while driving. The reference speed is then passed to a control system which controls the vehicle in such a way that, if possible, the vehicle maintains the reference speed. If the vehicle is equipped with an automatic gear change system, its gears change so that it can maintain desired speed.
When cruise control is used in hilly terrain, the cruise control system will try to maintain set speed both uphill and downhill. This sometimes results in the vehicle accelerating over the crest of a hill and potentially into a subsequent downgrade on which it has then to be braked to avoid exceeding the set speed, which is a fuel-expensive way of running the vehicle. Even in cases where it does not accelerate over the crest, the vehicle may of course need to be braked downhill to avoid exceeding the set speed.
To reduce fuel use on undulating roads in particular, economical cruise controls such as Scania's Ecocruise® have been developed. The cruise control tries to estimate the vehicle's current speed and also has knowledge of the historical running resistance. The economical cruise control may also be provided with map data with topographical information. The vehicle is then located on the map, e.g. by means of GPS, and the running resistance along the route ahead is estimated. The vehicle's reference speed may thus be optimised for different types of road in order to save fuel.
An example of a cruise control which uses topographical information is described in the document entitled "Explicit use of road topography for model predictive cruise control in heavy trucks" by Erik Hellström, ISRN: LiTH-ISY-EX—05/3660—SE. The cruise control here is by real-time optimisation, and a cost function is used to define the optimisation criteria. A large number of different solutions are calculated and evaluated, and the solution resulting in least cost is employed. The considerable number of calculations involved makes it necessary to use for the purpose a processor with a suitably large capacity.
In other forms of cruise control the number of possible solutions is reduced by choosing instead to iterate from one solution along the vehicle's intended itinerary. However, the topography of the carriageway, the weight of the vehicle and the performance of the engine may result in differences in demand for processor capacity for determining the reference speed. More calculations are required in the case, for example, of a heavily laden truck with medium-high engine power travelling on an undulating road than in that of a lightly laden truck with a high engine power travelling on a relatively level road. This is because the truck in the first case is likely to accelerate on each downgrade and slow down on each upgrade, whereas in the second case the truck will run quite evenly.
The processor incorporated in the system will therefore be subject to relatively large demands, since the load upon the processor may vary greatly from situation to situation. For example, its capacity needs to be large enough to cope quickly with situations where a large number of calculations have to be done. It therefore needs to be dimensioned to cope with such situations despite the fact that they occur during only a limited proportion of the processor time used.
The dissertation entitled "Efficient Simulation and Optimal Control for Vehicle Propulsion" by Anders Fröberg, Linköping 2008, describes how various control strategies are simulated in order to arrive at speed profile, fuel consumption and run time along a section of intended itinerary. This is followed by evaluating which is the most advantageous control strategy, on the basis of a cost function with a parameter λ which indicates how important run time is. The parameter does however depend on the weight of the vehicle if it is desired to achieve the same relationship between reduction in fuel consumption and gain in run time. Moreover, comfort requirements are not catered for.
The object of the present invention is to propose an improved system for controlling a vehicle's speed so that the amount of fuel used can be minimised and, in particular, in such a way that the load upon the processor becomes lighter and more even. A further object of the invention is to be able to set the cruise control so that it is possible to choose to prioritise smaller amount of fuel or shorter run time.

Method and module for controlling a vehicle's speed


The invention provides proteins from gonococcus (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), including amino acid sequences, the corresponding nucleotide sequences, expression data, and serological data. The proteins are useful antigens for vaccines, immunogenic compositions, and/or diagnostics. They are also useful for distinguishing between gonococcus and meningococcus and, in particular, between gonococcus and serogroup B meningococcus.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a bacterial pathogen. There is currently no effective vaccine against N. gonorrhoeae infection. It is an object of the invention to provide proteins and nucleic acid useful in vaccine study and/or manufacture.
N. gonorrhoeae is related to N. meningitidis. Sequence data are now available for serogroup B of meningococcus [e.g. WO99/24578; WO99/36544; WO99/57280; WO00/22430; WO00/66791; Tettelin et al. (2000) Science 287:1809-1815] and also for serogroup A [Parkhill et al. (2000) Nature 404:502-506]. It is a further object of the invention to provide proteins and nucleic acid useful in distinguishing between gonococcus and meningococcus and, in particular, between gonococcus and serogroup B meningococcus.

Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics S.R.L.


The present invention is a process for reducing the smoke emissions from a jet fuel engine by combusting a jet fuel range hydrocarbon in a jet engine wherein prior to combusting the jet fuel in the engine the jet fuel is treated by the following process: (a) contacting the jet fuel with at least one adsorbent in at least one adsorbent bed under suitable process conditions such that the smoke point of the jet fuel is increased and (b) recovering the jet fuel.

Smoke emissions in jet engines are caused in part by particulates resulting from uncombusted portions of the jet fuel which result in part from impurities in the jet fuel. Combustor deposits in the jet engine are also a problem resulting from impurities in the fuel. In previous practice smoke emissions from jet engines were reduced by engine designing to maximize engine efficiency in combusting a high percentage of the jet fuel. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have jet fuel compositions and methods of making such compositions which lack the undesirable impurities and have reduced tendencies to cause smoke emissions.

Reduction of jet engine smoke emissions by contacting jet fuel with a carbon molecular sieve adsorbent


A method for securing vehicle data that includes a plurality of data messages includes the steps of determining a sequence for the plurality of data messages, selecting a plurality of identifier values for the plurality of data messages such that each of the plurality of identifier values are at least two bit errors removed from another, and assigning one of the plurality of identifier values to each of the plurality of data messages, based at least in part on the sequence.

In today's vehicles, data messages are often encoded by computer systems or processors before they are transmitted between vehicle modules along a vehicle bus to protect against memory fault errors. For example, an initial checksum may be calculated for the data message before it is transmitted. The initial checksum may then be transmitted along with the data message and then compared with a subsequent checksum that is calculated after the data message and the initial checksum are transmitted along the vehicle bus. If the checksums do not match, then appropriate remedial action may be taken.
For additional protection against memory fault errors, each data message may include an identifier that is encoded. Typically such data message identifiers use two binary digits (bits), and are encoded using an additional two bits, for example by calculating a one's complement of the data message identifier and transmitting the one's complement along with the data message along the vehicle bus for subsequent comparison with the data message identifier. However, such encoding techniques, such as using a one's complement of an identifier for a data message, may not always provide optimal protection against memory fault errors.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved method for securing data in vehicles. It is also desired to provide an improved program product for securing data in vehicles. It is further desirable to provide an improved system for securing data in vehicles. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Methods and systems for securing vehicle data


A method and apparatus for estimating velocity in a subsurface region. Seismic data for a subsurface region may be received. One or more attributes for the seismic data may be calculated. A posterior distribution may be generated. The posterior distribution may represent one or more probabilities of one or more velocities for the attributes. A velocity with uncertainty may be determined for the subsurface region based on the posterior distribution. A pore pressure with uncertainty may be determined based on the velocity with uncertainty.

1. Field of the Invention
Implementations of various technologies described herein generally relate to methods and systems for estimating velocities with uncertainty.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion within this section.
When drilling a well, a fluid is inserted into a well-bore to maintain the integrity of the well-bore wall. If the pressure of the fluid in the well-bore is lower than the pore pressure (the pressure of the fluids in the formation surrounding the well), the fluids in the formation could enter the well-bore.
The fluid inserted into the well-bore to maintain the integrity of the well-bore wall is known as a mud. The mud is a fluid with suspended particles. A mud-weight is the amount of pressure that the mud applies to the well-bore wall. To prevent a kick, the driller uses an appropriate mud-weight. A kick is a collapse of the well-bore wall due to fluids with a pore pressure greater than the pressure within the well-bore. In one such scenario, flammable liquids, such as gas, could enter the well-bore and ignite.
Typically, the pore pressure increases as the well-bore is dug. Accordingly, the mud weight may be increased. However, the mud weight may not exceed a minimum stress of the well-bore. The minimum stress is an amount of pressure against the well-bore wall that may induce fractures in the surrounding formation. A fracture may lead to the loss of drilling fluid, which is very costly.
An increase in mud pressure increases the pressure along the entire length of the well-bore wall. If the mud pressure is higher than the minimum stress in a more shallow part of the well-bore, the well-bore wall may fracture. As such, a range of pressure is maintained within the well-bore that is greater than the pore pressure but less than the minimum stress. The pore pressure and the minimum stress provide a mud-weight pressure window, and this window may be used to decide the depth of casing points.
The casing points are depths within the well-bore where casing shoes are inserted. For example, when the pore pressure at a lower well-bore depth exceeds the minimum stress at a more shallow depth, a casing shoe may be inserted to protect the integrity of the well-bore wall at the more shallow depth.
The casing shoes are steel tubes that are cemented into place to protect the integrity of the well. Once the casing shoe is inserted, the mud-weight may be increased at the lower depth without inducing fractures at the more shallow depth. The casing shoes are very expensive and are typically ordered ahead of time due to the logistics involved in planning and digging wells.


An internal combustion engine in a power unit includes an oil pump that rotates by a transmission mechanism with an endless chain, and a crankcase with an opening formed by protruding walls of side walls of the crankcase in an axial direction. A drive sprocket is fitted to a main shaft of a gear transmission and a driven sprocket is fitted to a shaft end of a drive shaft of an oil pump. When viewed sideways, the protruding walls and mating faces have overlapping parts that partially overlap the driven sprocket. On the other hand, all the shaft end and the remainder of the driven sprocket are exposed inside the opening when the cover is removed. The resulting configuration improves the working efficiency in fitting an oil pump into the crankcase without reducing the rigidity of the crankcase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power unit with an internal combustion engine having an auxiliary machine rotated by a transmission mechanism and a crankcase which houses the transmission mechanism and the auxiliary machine and to which the auxiliary machine is fitted, and a motorcycle which has the power unit.
2. Description of Background Art
It has been known that an oil pump of an internal combustion engine is housed in a space formed by a crankcase (for example, see JP-A No. 2004-143952 ). In the case where the oil pump is rotated by a transmission mechanism with an endless chain, a driven sprocket with the endless chain wound around it is fitted to the drive shaft of the oil pump.
When the oil pump is fitted to the crankcase with the driven sprocket fitted to the drive shaft of the oil pump, first the endless chain wound around the drive sprocket should be wound around the driven sprocket and then, while keeping this condition, the oil pump should be fitted to the crankcase with bolts or the like, so oil pump fitting work is troublesome.
A method of making oil pump fitting work easier may be to fit the driven sprocket with the endless chain wound around it to the drive shaft of the oil pump through an opening made in the crankcase after fitting the oil pump to the crankcase. In this case, if all the driven sprocket is exposed inside the opening when viewed from the axial direction of the crank shaft, it would be easy to fit the driven sprocket to the drive shaft but the opening should be large enough, so the rigidity of the crankcase would deteriorate.
Furthermore, if the endless chain which drives the oil pump is wound around the drive sprocket which is fitted to the crank shaft, there should be space for the endless chain between the crank shaft and the oil pump drive shaft and thus the size of the crankcase should be large around the crank shaft and also the opening should be large, so the rigidity of the crankcase would deteriorate.

Power unit having crankcase to which auxiliary machine is fitted, and motorcycle having power unit


A method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for reducing shallow trench isolation (STI) corner recess of silicon in order to reduce STI edge thinning on tunnel oxides (510) for flash memories (devices M and N). An STI process is implemented to isolate flash memory devices (devices M and N) in the semiconductor structure (200). In the STI process, a nitride layer (210) is deposited over a silicon substrate (280). An STI region (290) is formed defining STI corners (240) where a top surface (270) of the silicon substrate (280) and the STI region (290) converge. The STI region (290) is filled with an STI field oxide and planarized until reaching the nitride layer (210). A local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) is then performed to oxidize the top surface (270) of the silicon substrate adjacent to the STI corners (240). Oxidized silicon is grown to boost the thickness of a later formed tunnel oxide layer (510) at the STI corners (240).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of microelectronic integrated circuits. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process for reducing shallow trench isolation edge thinning on tunnel oxides for high performance flash memories.
2. Related Art
A flash or block erase memory (flash memory), such as, Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (Flash EEPROM), includes an array of cells which can be independently programmed and read. The size of each cell and thereby the memory as a whole are made smaller by eliminating the independent nature of each of the cells. As such, all of the cells are erased together as a block.
A memory of this type includes individual Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) memory cells, each of which includes a source, drain, floating gate and control gate to which various voltages are applied to program the cell with a binary 1 or 0, or erase all of the cells as a block.
As flash memory technology progresses, the density of the memory cells, as well as, the speed of the flash memory increases. Device isolation is necessary in order to achieve higher cell densities. Without proper device isolation, local cells as well as peripheral devices will adversely interfere and interact with each other. Device isolation helps reduce parasitic conduction paths, series resistances, current leakage, and helps maintain threshold voltage control.
Shallow trench isolation (STI) is one technique for device isolation. The STI technique improves the scaling of devices in order to increase cell density throughout the circuit. Currently, the formation of STI precedes the formation of tunnel oxide during device fabrication in the integrated circuit. Further, various clean and etch steps are performed on sacrificial oxide layers prior to tunnel oxide formation in order to achieve a good silicon surface for tunnel oxidation.
However, STI techniques in the prior art undesirably result in tunnel oxide edge thinning at the corners of the memory cell near the boundary with the STI field oxide. More specifically, the cleaning and etching of the sacrificial oxide layers usually consume the STI field oxide and thus lead to STI recess at the corners of the memory cell near the boundary with the STI field oxide. The STI recess in turn leads to the tunnel oxide edge thinning.
Prior Art FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an integrated circuit 100 containing a flash memory device. The portion illustrated in the flash memory device is the active region 120 containing either the source or drain. A tunnel oxide layer 110 is placed on top of the active region 120. Also an STI trench region 130 is shown separating the active region 120 of the flash memory device from other devices, including peripheral devices.
Prior Art FIG. 1 illustrates the thinning of the tunnel oxide region 110 at the corner of the active region 120 of the flash memory device. Distance B in the tunnel oxide region 110 at the corner of the active region 120 is shown to be thinner than distance A, which lies beyond the corner.
Tunnel oxide edge thinning at the corner of the active region 120 of the flash memory device results in poorer memory cell performance, such as, current leakage and fast bit memory erase. More specifically, the fast bit memory erase results in a non-uniform erase of the memory cells throughout the circuit Those cells with fast bit erase tendencies have a lower than desired threshold voltages. Furthermore, the tunnel oxide edge thinning can lead to other performance issues, such as, enhanced gate leakage current, over-erase, decreased gate oxide charge to breakdown, reduced long term oxide integrity, etc.
Thus, a need exists for a fabrication technique that provides better distribution of the tunnel oxide layer on a flash memory device. A further need exists for a fabrication technique that provides less tunnel oxide edge thinning at the corners of a flash memory device near the STI region.
The present invention provides a method of semiconductor structure fabrication wherein the method provides better distribution of a tunnel oxide layer on a flash memory device. Also, the present invention provides for a method of semiconductor fabrication that provides less tunnel oxide edge thinning at the shallow trench isolation (STI) corners of a flash memory device where the STI region and a top surface of the silicon substrate in the active source/drain region of a flash memory device converge.
Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for reducing shallow trench isolation (STI) corner recess of silicon in order to reduce STI edge thinning on tunnel oxides for flash memories. An STI process is implemented to isolate semiconductor devices in an integrated circuit in a semiconductor structure. In the STI process, a nitride layer is deposited over a silicon substrate. An STI region is formed in the silicon substrate defining STI corners where a top surface of the silicon substrate and the STI region converge. The STI region is filled with an STI field oxide. The STI field oxide is planarized until reaching the nitride layer. A local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) is performed to oxidize the top surface of the silicon substrate that is under the nitride layer and adjacent to the STI corners.
The local oxidation forms an oxidized layer of silicon at the STI corners in a LOCOS bird""s beak formation to boost the thickness of a later deposited or thermally grown tunnel oxide layer on a semiconductor flash memory device. The LOCOS process forms a small bird""s beak formation. In one embodiment, to aid in the oxidation of the silicon in the bird""s beak formation, the nitride layer is partially stripped down to a thickness of approximately 700 Angstroms. The partial stripping of the nitride layer also allows for control of the amount of field oxide within the STI region.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the various drawing figures.

Method for reducing shallow trench isolation edge thinning on tunnel oxides using partial nitride strip and small bird""s beak formation for high performance flash memory devices


A telecommunication module is provided which includes a system-data processor for carrying out at least one telecommunication activity, a control data processor for automatically executing at least one control command sequence stored in the telecommunication module, the control command sequence being configured in such a way that it triggers the at least one telecommunication activity of the system processor during execution, and a first connector for connecting the telecommunication module to an external electronic device.

The present invention relates to a telecommunication module having a system data processor for performing at least one telecommunication activity and a first connector for connecting the telecommunication module to an external electronic device.
Telecommunication modules of this kind are known from the prior art. In general, and also within the context of the present invention, telecommunication modules are defined as telecommunication terminals whose functionality is limited exclusively to setting up, carrying out and terminating telecommunication connections.
Therefore, telecommunication modules have, for example, no man-machine interface (MMI) of their own for direct input and output of data by and to a user. For operating a conventional telecommunication module of this kind, an external electronic device is necessary which is connected to the telecommunication module via a special interface. The telecommunication activities of the telecommunication module are controlled via the external electronic device which is generally termed a control unit or "controller." Data to be transmitted via the telecommunication connection set up is transmitted by the controller to the telecommunication module and data received by the module is, in turn, transmitted from it to the controller. There are telecommunication modules, for example, for interfacing with mobile telecommunication networks (e.g., GSM modules for connections to GSM networks) or to fixed telephone networks (such modules are generally referred to as modems).
External electronic devices may include personal computers (in particular, portable personal computers, such as laptops), as well as other devices such as measuring instruments (e.g., electricity meters, heating meters, weather stations) which can be controlled via the telecommunication module and/or transmit the measured values via the telecommunication module and the corresponding telecommunication network to a central facility.
The disadvantage of telecommunication modules of this kind is that their activities must be started by an external control device, the controller. To operate the telecommunication module, the controller therefore always must be switched on; i.e., even if only in a kind of "standby mode" in readiness for receiving an incoming call. This causes unnecessary power consumption which is undesirable, particularly in the case of battery-operated control equipment.
In order to be able to adapt particular telecommunication modules to specific user requirements, there is, for example, a programming environment and interface, the so-called "MUSE platform" (MUSE: Modular User Software Environment) for the Wavecom company's telecommunication modules (see e.g. http:\\www.wavecom.com\products\index.php). This allows a user to access the operating/system software originally implemented in the telecommunication module so that he/she can selectively modify it. Part of this "MUSE platform" is a software development environment, a so-called "OPEN AT" package which permits the implementation of new, user-created applications in the original module system software. Information about "OPEN AT" can be found, for example, in a Wavecom publication entitled "Take Command With OPEN AT" (Copyright Wavecom S.A. 10/2001) which is available on the Internet at "www.wavecom.com\products\docs\openATstec.pdf".
Using the "OPEN AT" software development environment, new applications can be designed by a user or operator of the telecommunication module, such as at a PC, integrated into the system software of the telecommunication module and then transmitted from the PC to the telecommunication module via a connection to the telecommunication module. This makes it possible to assign additional functionalities to the telecommunication module on a user-specific basis.
One disadvantage of this solution is that the new applications have to be translated into the special system language of the telecommunication module, which makes it costly to create the applications. Another disadvantage is that, by implementing the new applications in the system software of the module, the system software functionality may be changed and, in some cases, impaired (e.g., by modifying the jump instructions or memory addresses within the system software). More serious faults in this area even may, in some cases, touch on the operability of the entire telecommunication module. In some circumstances, such changes in the functionality of the system software may even jeopardize approval of the equipment by the relevant authorities and/or agencies.
Based on the prior art, an object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a low-cost solution for integrating into a telecommunication module additional functionalities and/or applications which can be easily created, set up, modified and/or deleted.

Telecommunication module having a system-data processor for performing at least one telecommunication activity


A system for forming either horizontal or vertical walls characterized by a plurality of beam elements, an arrangement for holding the beam elements to extend parallel to each other with a desired spacing between adjacent beam elements and a filler strip or element inserted between adjacent beam elements. The filler strips have a U-shaped configuration with a crease forming a catch surface for engaging an external shoulder on an edge of each of the beam elements to hold the filler strip with the edge of the leg of the filler strip engaged on a flange of the leg of the beam element. Thus, the mounting of the filler strip is the same regardless of the height of the element relative to the face portions of each of the beam elements. The beam elements can have a flat face portion or be provided with a longitudinally extending depression to subdivide the face portion into two parallel extending subportions.

The present invention is directed to a system for covering a surface such as a ceiling or suspended ceiling, and the system can also be used for covering a side wall. The system utilizes a plurality of beam elements which are substantially a U-shaped cross-section and a mounting arrangement for mounting the beams to extend parallel to each other with a desired spacing between the beams and filler elements which are inserted in a spacing between the beams with a snap fit.
Ceiling systems having parallel beams are known. Examples of such ceiling systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,277,622; 3,313,075 and 4,328,653. These ceiling systems can be used in conjunction with a suspended ceiling consisting of T bars for holding the panels of sound-absorbing material as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,295,284; 4,361,996 and 4,448,006. In addition, the beam elements can be mounted both on curved surfaces and side walls such as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,327.
In many of the above-mentioned systems, there is spacing left between the edges of adjacent beam elements. However, it is known to provide a filler strip or member between the edges as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,410,043 and 3,645,051.


A ring lens assembly for an optical viewing device is presented. The ring lens assembly includes a ring shaped lens adapted for mounting at the end of an optical viewing device for viewing a remote location. The optical viewing device comprises an objective lens section, a relay lens section and an eye piece section. Further, the optical viewing device has an inner tube wherein the optics is housed and an outer tube. A plurality of optical fibers are disposed between the inner and outer tubes to provide illumination of the field of view. The ring shaped lens is a negative curvature lens or a prism-like lens for increasing the field of illumination. Alternatively, the lens is a flat lens and the optical fibers twisted to increase the field of illumination. Also, a cleaning tube is disposed between the inner and outer tubes. The cleaning tube terminates short of the end of the inner tube. An opening or channel is formed at the end of the inner tube adjacent to the cleaning tube. Accordingly, cleaning fluid travels down the cleaning tube and impacts the inner surface of the ring shaped lens. The cleaning fluid is deflected off of the inner surface of the ring lens, flows through the opening in the inner tube and impacts the outer surface of the first lens in the objective lens section thereby providing cleaning action.

This invention relates generally to optical viewing devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a ring lens assembly for an optical viewing device for viewing remote locations which are difficult or impossible to directly access.
Optical viewing devices of the type described herein are well known and used in a variety of applications. For example, such devices are configured as borescopes and used to view or inspect the interior of remote cavities such as engine cylinders and the like. Borescopes thus find extensive utility in the automotive and aerospace industries. In the medical field, such optical viewing devices are configured as endoscopes or laparoscopes. Endoscopes (or laparoscopes) are well known medical instruments which are used to visualize the interior of a body cavity or hollow organ. Endoscopes are used in a variety of operative procedures including laparoscopic surgery where endoscopes are used to visually examine the peritoneal cavity.
Typical prior art optical viewing devices (e.g., borescopes and endoscopes) comprise three main sections including an objective lens followed by a relay lens followed by an eye piece. The relay lens section functions to transmit the image rays obtained by the objective lens along a preselected distance to the eye piece. The relay lens may consist of either a coherent fiber optical bundle or a series of lenses. When the relay lens section is comprised of a series of lenses, the lens series traditionally includes repeated units (e.g., three) with each unit comprising a symmetric arrangement of glass rods and lens groupings. Thus, in a prior art device having three relay sections, a total of six glass rods and associated lens groupings were required. These glass rods are used to preclude or lessen divergence of the image rays as they travel through the optical viewing device. Such glass rods must be of a high optical quality and therefore the glass rods lead to a relatively high manufacturing cost for each optical viewing device. Moreover, in certain prior art viewing devices, the objective lens and eye piece sections also contain glass rods leading to even higher manufacturing costs.
Illumination in the remote location to be viewed is required. A preferred method of transmitting illumination light is to use a bundle of optical fibers surrounding the outer circumference of the optical viewing device. These fibers are generally glass. The field of illumination should be of a size no less than the field of view (FOV) of the optical viewing device. Typically, the FOV may range between 30 to 75 degrees.
The method of illuminating the remote location to be viewed in both U.S. patent application Ser. No. 838,602 filed Feb. 19, 1992 assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 944,212 filed Sep. 11, 1992 assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference is accomplished by using the low cost plastic optical fibers. However, because plastic optical fibers have a relatively small numerical aperture and thus, a small field of illumination, the fibers are twisted (e.g., 15 degrees), the field of illumination is increased and may be tailored to match (or be no less than) the size of the field of view of the optical viewing device.
The devices of U.S. Ser. Nos. 838,602 and 944,212 further include a cleaning tube longitudinally along the length of the optical viewing the device. The cleaning tube is connected to a valve at one end thereof for injecting a cleaning fluid and protrudes outwardly from the other end thereof. The protruding end of the cleaning tube may inadvertantly puncture or otherwise damage tissue within a body cavity when the device is used as an endoscope or a laparoscope.

Ring lens assembly for an optical viewing device


The subject matter disclosed herein relates to previewing documents for colorblind end users.

Colorblind persons have an inability to perceive differences between some of the colors that other people can distinguish. For example, persons with normal color vision may have three types of cone cells within their retinas, and may be referred to as trichromats. Colorblind persons, on the other hand, may have only two types of cone cells within their retinas, and may be referred to as dichromats.
It may not be trivial for persons with normal vision (trichromats) to design visuals that are equally suitable for colorblind as well as non-colorblind viewers. For example, if a trichromatic user were to design a visual, such as a subway map, such a map might be illustrated with a green route and a red route. While such a green route and a red route might be useful for a trichromatic user, they may be less than helpful to a dichromatic user in differentiating between the two routes. More specifically, for a dichromatic user with a red-green-type colorblindness, such a green route and a red route might appear to be substantially of the same color.
Reference is made in the following detailed description to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, wherein like numerals may designate like parts throughout to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. It will be appreciated that for simplicity and/or clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and/or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of claimed subject matter. It should also be noted that directions and references, for example, up, down, top, bottom, and so on, may be used to facilitate the discussion of the drawings and are not intended to restrict the application of claimed subject matter. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of claimed subject matter defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.