A battery compartment for a condenser microphone includes a battery space configured to hold a battery; a battery outlet open to a portion of a peripheral wall of the battery space and allowing removal of the battery in the battery space; a lid covering the battery outlet; and a ribbon having one end portion fixed to an internal wall of the battery space and the other end portion disposed to be pulled out from the battery outlet and wrapping around an external periphery of the battery. The ribbon is conductive and the fixed end portion is grounded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery compartment for a condenser microphone effectively preventing noise generated by a high-frequency current propagating from a battery unit to an electric circuit.
2. Related Background Art
An end of a battery must be hooked with a fingernail to remove the battery from a battery compartment of a conventional device that includes, as a power source, a cylindrical dry-cell battery, such as a size AA battery, loaded in the battery compartment. The end of the battery, however, cannot be readily hooked with a fingernail for removal in the case where a spring terminal provided inside the battery compartment strongly holds the terminal of the battery or in the case where the space is narrow between the end of the battery and the internal wall of the battery compartment. To address the circumstances, a ribbon is provided inside a battery compartment to facilitate removal of the battery, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined patent application Publication No. 2004-039598.
Such a ribbon is used to facilitate removal of the battery in a condenser microphone that includes an internal battery as a power source or a power supply that includes a battery to supply external power to a microphone provided with no battery. In general, a condenser microphone is supplied with power from a phantom power supply apparatus if it is connected to the power supply apparatus, while being supplied with power from a battery loaded in a microphone main body or a power supply if it is not connected to a phantom power supply apparatus.
A typical power supply provided with a conventional battery compartment for a condenser microphone is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8C. The power supply 100 has an output terminal 101, an input terminal 102, and a battery compartment 103 loaded with a battery 107. The output terminal 101 is connected to an external phantom power supply apparatus through a microphone cable (not shown in the drawings) having a 3-pin microphone connector. The 3-pin input terminal 102 is connected to a condenser microphone main body (not shown in the drawing). The battery compartment 103 includes a lid 104, a battery space 105, and a ribbon 106. The ribbon 106 is composed of woven non-conductive fabric or a resin film. One end portion of the ribbon 106 is fixed to the internal wall of the battery space 105.
To load the battery 107, the ribbon 106 is placed along the internal wall of the battery space 105, as shown in FIG. 8A; the battery 107 is placed on the ribbon 106; and the lid 104 is closed. To remove the battery 107, the lid 104 is opened and the other end portion of the ribbon 106 is held and pulled up, as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C. Thus, the battery 107 can easily be removed from a battery outlet, which is an open portion of the battery space 105.
Strong electromagnetic waves applied to a condenser microphone or a power supply connected thereto cause a high-frequency current to flow into the condenser microphone or the power supply. A semiconductor of an electric circuit inside the condenser microphone or the power supply detects the current, which generates noise. In a condenser microphone or a power supply that includes a battery in particular, a high-frequency current from a battery compartment propagates to an electronic circuit and generates noise. With recent spread of cellular phones, they are more frequently used proximate to condenser microphones or power supplies, thus causing the circumstance to be more significant.

Battery compartment for condenser microphone


A lens is fitted into a metal ring that covers the outer peripheral surface of the lens and can be soldered to a fixture member. The side cylindrical part of the metal ring is expanded toward the outer peripheral direction thereof by the pressure of the optical material put inside it, and, thus expanded, it defines the final dimension of the metal ring. One of the two openings formed on both sides of the side cylindrical part of the metal ring is so designed as to have a curving cylindrical part that extends from the side cylindrical part, and this curving cylindrical part is folded toward the optical functional face of the optical device to construct a metal ring-fitted optical device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a metal ring-fitted optical device, and to the metal ring-fitted optical device. In particular, the invention relates to a method for fabricating a metal ring-fitted optical device, which is applicable to fabrication of an optical device having an optical functional face formed on its both surfaces and having, around its side face, an outer peripheral side part for positioning the device relative to the fixture to which the device is fitted; and relates to the metal ring-fitted optical device.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of conventional optical devices is shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, in which a small-diameter aspherical lens 70 made of optical glass and having a diameter of, for example, 1 mm or so is fitted to a V-grooved fixture (V-GROOVE) 60. As illustrated, the lens 70 is fitted into the V-groove 64 of the carrier 62 mounted on the stand 61 on which the lens 70 faces the laser diode 63 also mounted on the stand 61. In this structure, it is easy to make the optical axis OD of the laser diode 63 correspond to the optical axis OL of the lens merely by fitting the lens 70 into the V-groove 64 in the carrier 62 provided that the dimensional accuracy of the lens 70 relative to its outer peripheral face 71 is ensured. In that condition, this structure does not require any optical axis alignment control.
In the lens-fitting structure of the illustrated case, the lens 70 is fixed to the carrier 62 with the V-groove 64 formed therein, via an adhesive applied between them. However, using the adhesive 80 for fixing the lens 70 is problematic in that handling the adhesive 80 is troublesome and the component that evaporates from the adhesive 80 may deteriorate the atmosphere around the lens. Accordingly, it is desired to fit the lens to the carrier with solder, not using such an adhesive.
For soldering the lens in the manner as above, the peripheral part of the lens must be previously metallized. For metallizing such small-sized lenses, metal sputtering around lenses may be taken into consideration. However, since the lenses are small-sized, it is difficult to accurately handle them for metallization. In addition, the optical functional faces of the lenses must be protected so as not to be metallized. For these reasons, it has heretofore been impossible to efficiently produce the desired lenses.
To solve the problems, a method has been proposed of forming a solderable, thin-walled metal ring around the peripheral side face of a lens.
The lens of the type is so designed that a glass lens is fitted into a solderable, thin-walled metal ring, and this is therefore solderable. In addition, since its sidewall is covered with a metal ring, the glass lens inside the metal ring is damaged little as compared with nude glass lenses. Moreover, the glass lens fitted in such a thin-walled metal ring is better than a glass lens fitted in a thick-walled lens barrel, since the effective diameter of the metal ring-fitted lens could be almost the same as the outer diameter of the non-protected nude glass lens alone. The metal ring-fitted lens of the type may be fabricated, for example, as follows:
Briefly, a cylindrical mold to define the outer shape of the glass lens to be formed is set in an electromagnetic induction furnace, while the upper and lower pressing molds to be fitted into the cylindrical mold to thereby form the light-entering face and the light-emitting face of the glass lens are in the furnace above and below the cylindrical mold, and a lens material is put into the cavity surrounded by the molds. In that condition, the pressing molds are pressed toward the cylindrical mold to thereby form the intended optical faces of the glass lens while, at the same time, a metal ring is fitted to the side periphery of the lens being molded in that manner.
In this embodiment, a metal ring of which the outer diameter is somewhat smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical mold is disposed inside the cylindrical mold, and an optical glass pellet, a type of optical material is put inside the metal ring. With that, the cylindrical mold is heated with the induction current from the coil disposed outside the cylindrical mold so as to soften the glass pellet inside the metal ring at a predetermined temperature, and thereafter the thus-softened glass pellet in the metal ring is pressed by the upper and lower pressing molds to thereby form the lens face of a desired shape, while, at the same time, the metal ring is pressed and expanded by the pressure applied to the glass material toward the cylindrical mold disposed around the metal ring, and then this is cooled. Through the process, a metal ring-fitted lens having a predetermined outer shape is fabricated.
According to the lens fabrication method as above, when the glass material in the metal ring is compressed by the molds that surround it, the metal ring around the glass material expands outside owing to the inner pressure applied thereto and, as a result, it is pressed against the inside wall of the cylindrical mold disposed outside it and the glass material is then solidified as such to thereby have the thus-expanded shape. Thus solidified, therefore, the lens may have the desired shape. The degree of thermal shrinkage to be caused by cooling the glass material and the metal ring can be previously estimated. Accordingly, the lens thus fabricated may have the desired dimension by controlling the size of the cylindrical mold to be used.
In the prior-art fabrication method mentioned above, the pressing molds to press the glass material toward the cylindrical mold do not enter the opening of the metal ring in which the glass material forms a lens. When the glass material is pressed according to this method, all of the pressed glass material could not be completely housed inside the metal ring, and some glass material may be often forced out of the metal ring since the size of the metal ring and that of the glass pellet vary.
As a result, the outer peripheral shape of the lens could not be accurately formed, and even if the thus-fabricated lens is fitted to a fixture part, it could not be disposed in the predetermined site. This is one problem with the method. Another problem with the method is that the excess glass material having been forced out of the metal ring will be broken or cracked and will often damage the surface of the lens.
To solve the problem with the excess glass material forced out of the metal ring, a method may be taken into consideration of forming the lens surface by pressing at least one of the pressing molds into the inside of the metal ring.
In this method, however, the outer diameter of the pressing molds must be smaller than the inner diameter of the metal ring. Therefore, in this method, there will be a space, though narrow, between the pressure mold and the metal ring in the direction of the diameter of the metal ring.
As a result, the glass material being molded will be forced out through the narrow space by the pressing force of the mold and it will form thin flakes having been forced out of the narrow space. The thus forced-out thin flakes form impurities and will be broken to damage the normal face of the lens formed.

Method for fabricating metal ring-fitted optical device, and metal ring-fitted optical device


A light source system capable of dissipating heat includes a AC power supply for outputting a first power, a switch device for adjusting an output ratio of the first power according to a light setting, a light emitting device for generating a light source, and a control device for generating an active signal sequence, an heat-dissipation signal sequence and a burst signal according to lighting features of the light emitting device, and combining the active signal sequence and the heat-dissipation signal sequence, to generate a driving signal sequence, for timely outputting the driving signal sequence according to the burst signal, so as to generate the control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source system capable of effectively dissipating heat, and more particularly, to a light source system capable of improving light degradation, and adjusting output luminance and chrominance of light.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In daily life, people need to change luminance and chrominance of light for different environments. For example, soft light is for dining, and bright but not harsh light is for reading. Therefore, for conveniently controlling light, different methods are provided in the prior art, such that users can change the luminance and chrominance of light emitted by a light-emitting device, such as a light emitting diode, via a switch. Since the luminance and chrominance of light emitted by a light-emitting device are related to amplitude, duty cycle, or total power of an input power, the above method alters amplitude, duty cycle or total power of the input power, to adjust the luminance and chrominance of light. A method of altering the duty cycle is often realized by angular modulation, such as pulse width modulation (PWM).
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a conventional light source system 10. The light source system 10 includes a light-emitting device 100, a switch device 102 and a pulse width modulation device 104. The light-emitting device 100 can be a light emitting diode, and is utilized for generating a light source according to received power. The switch device 102 can be an on-off switch, and is utilized for receiving control signals triggered by a user and transmitting the control signals to the pulse width modulation device 104. The pulse width modulation device 104 is utilized for transforming an input signal VIN into an output signal VOUT according to signals provided by the switch device 102, and transmitting the output signal VOUT to the light-emitting device 100 to emit light. When the user needs to control luminance and chrominance of light emitted by the light-emitting device 100, the user can utilize the switch device 102 to adjust pulse width of the output signal VOUT, i.e. T1, such that the light-emitting device 100 can emit light according to requirements.
Via the pulse width modulation device 104, the user can adjust luminance and chrominance of the light generated by the light source system 10. However, a circuitry of the pulse width modulation device 104 is very complicated, resulting in high production cost which limits its applications. Besides, utilizing the waveform generated by the pulse width modulation device 104 would still have the following problems:
First is light degradation, which means that luminance of the light emitting diode degrades as operating time increases under the same driving power, is most obvious when the light emitting diode is initially activated. In other words, luminance degradation is most obvious when a light emitting diode is turned on at the first time. Therefore, although the light emitting diode has long life time, the light degradation and deterioration of fluorescent powder and packaging materials would reduce luminous flux after long-term operation. When the luminous flux decreases to a specific degree, the effective life of the light emitting diode is over, i.e. can not meet requirements of illumination or backlight applications.
Second is heating of a light emitting diode chip. Though volume of a packaged light emitting diode is not small, surface area of a light emitting diode chip in some products is often less than 1 mm2. In such a situation, the operating current density is great, such that the diode is significantly heated. If the heat can not be dissipated, the chip will be damaged easily. In addition, in order to meet requirements of illumination, a plurality of light emitting diodes are cascaded, causing significant temperature rising after long-term operation. In order to dissipate heat effectively, extra heat-dissipation areas need to be added, resulting in more complexity of external structures design.
Therefore, utilizing PWM in a light dimmer would still face light degradation and overheating. Thus, there is a need of improvement.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Light source system capable of dissipating heat


A disclosed method for implementing time decay in the analysis of streaming data objects is based on the age, referred to herein as the forward age, of a data object measured from a landmark time in the past to a time associated with the occurrence of the data object, e.g., an object's timestamp. A forward time decay function is parameterized on the forward age. Because a data object's forward age does not depend on the current time, a value of the forward time decay function is determined just once for each data object. A scaling factor or weight associated with a data object may be weighted according to its decay function value. Forward time decay functions are beneficial in determining decayed aggregates, including decayed counts, sums, and averages, decayed minimums and maximums, and for drawing decay-influenced samples.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to data analysis and, specifically, to temporal data analysis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Temporal data analysis in data warehouses and data streaming systems may implement time decay methods to evaluate the relative temporal importance of data objects. Time decay operations based on time measurements from the current time backward may not be scalable for generalized implementation in business systems.


Communication techniques enable efficient communication to an UE (User Equipment) that is subject to a dominant interference signal that is transmitted by a different base station. Disclosed interference cancellation techniques, both UE-centric and network-centric, are suitable to this situation. These techniques are particularly advantageous when undesirable or difficult to introduce changes in the physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layers at the existing base stations. UE-centric framework refers to an approach largely implemented by UEs to include pico or femto cells. Network-centric framework closed-loop coordination between base stations and UEs mitigate interference thereby improving network performance. In particular, an interfering base-station can help a “victim” UE by adjusting downlink pilot and control power and to adjust traffic data rates responsive to information that the “victim” UEs provide, including information about the interfering link and performance of the cancellation itself sent over the air or using the backhaul.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically but not exclusively to various electronic circuitry or algorithms for interference management in a wireless network.
2. Background
Wireless networks are widely deployed to provide various services to consumers, such as telephony, data, video, audio, messaging, broadcasts, etc. Wireless networks enable broadband communications over a regional, nationwide, or even global region. Such networks are sometimes referred as Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs). One common example of a WWAN is a cellular network that supports CDMA2000, a telecommunications standard that uses Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) to send voice, data, and signaling between mobile subscribers. Another example of a WWAN is a cellular network that provides broadband Internet access to mobile subscribers, such as Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), both of which are part of the CDMA2000 family of air interface standards. Other examples include WCDMA, HSPA, LTE (Long Term Evolution) and LTE-Advanced. These cellular networks generally provide coverage over multiple cellular regions, with a fixed-site base station located in each cell to serve mobile subscribers.
In one particular exemplary use in a network, a terminal may communicate with a serving base station on the forward and/or reverse link. On the forward link, the terminal may observe high interference from an interfering base station. On the reverse link, the serving base station may observe high interference from an interfering terminal. The interference on each link may degrade performance of data transmission sent on that link. In future revisions of wireless standards such as LTE, there is a need to support base stations of different powers (e.g., high-powered macrocells and lower-powered picocells). Additionally, there may be some cells (henceforth referred to as femtocells) that operate under "restricted association," or Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) i.e., they only allow some user terminals (UEs) to connect to them. For example, these UEs may belong to users who subscribe to a special access plan offered by the operator.
In a traditional homogeneous deployment, an UE typically connects to the cell with the highest geometry (i.e., signal to noise ratio). However, in some cases such as disjoint links, it could connect to a weaker cell as the strongest forward link geometry cell may not be the same as the strongest reverse link cell (or vice versa). Moreover, in a heterogeneous deployment, there are benefits in allowing the UE to connect to a weaker base station. For example, an UE may connect to the cell with the lowest path loss to minimize interference caused to the network, even though its geometry is lower. Similarly, in the case of restricted association, an UE may be forced to connect to a weaker geometry base station as it may not have permission to access the strongest geometry base station.

Inter-cell interference cancellation framework


A curable silicone composition comprising: (A) an organopolysiloxane represented by the average unit formula: (R13SiO1/2)x(R22SiO2/2)y(R3SiO3/2)z (R1 are alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, aryl groups, or aralkyl groups; R2 are alkyl groups or alkenyl groups; R3 is an alkyl group, aryl group, or an aralkyl group, provided that, in a molecule, at least 0.5 mol % of R1 to R3 are the alkenyl groups, at least one of R3 is the aryl group or the aralkyl group; and x, y and z are numbers satisfying: 0.01≤x≤0.5, 0.01≤y≤0.4, 0.1≤z≤0.9, and x+y+z=1); (B) a straight-chain organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in a molecule; (C) an organopolysiloxane having at least two silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms in a molecule; and (D) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. A cured product exhibiting excellent dispersibility of phosphor and having crack resistance is formed.

Curable silicone compositions are used as sealing agents, protective agents, coating agents, or the like for optical semiconductor elements in optical semiconductor devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDs). Examples of such a curable silicone composition include curable silicone compositions comprising: a straight-chain organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups and at least one aryl group in a molecule; a branched-chain organopolysiloxane represented by the average unit formula: (RSiO3/2)a(R2SiO2/2)b(R3SiO1/2)c(SiO4/2)d(XO1/2)e (in the formula, R are the same or different monovalent hydrocarbon groups, however, in a molecule, from 0.1 to 40 mol % of all R are alkenyl groups and 10 mol % or greater of all R are aryl groups; X is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and a is a positive number, b is 0 or a positive number, c is 0 or a positive number, d is 0 or a positive number, e is 0 or a positive number, and b/a is a number from 0 to 10, c/a is a number from 0 to 0.5, d/(a+b+c+d) is a number from 0 to 0.3, and e/(a+b+c+d) is a number from 0 to 0.4); an organopolysiloxane having at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in a molecule; and a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst (see Patent Documents 1 and 2); and a curable silicone composition comprising: a straight-chain organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups and at least one aryl group in a molecule; a branched-chain organopolysiloxane represented by the average unit formula: (RSiO3/2)f(R2SiO2/2)g(R3SiO1/2)h (in the formula, R are the same or different monovalent hydrocarbon groups, however, in a molecule, 0.5 mol % or greater of all R are alkenyl groups and 25 mol % or greater of all R are aryl groups; and f, g, and h are numbers satisfying:
0.30≤f≤0.60, 0.30≤g≤0.55, f+g+h=1.00, and 0.10≤h/(f+g)≤0.30); an organopolysiloxane having on average at least two aryl groups and on average at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in a molecule; and a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst (see Patent Document 3).
In Patent Documents 1 and 2, as the branched-chain organopolysiloxane, a branched-chain organopolysiloxane having a siloxane unit represented by formula: R′2SiO2/2 (in the formula, R′ are the same or different, and alkyl groups having from 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl groups having from 2 to 12 carbons) has not been specifically described. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes that the content of the branched-chain organopolysiloxane exceeding 150 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the straight-chain organopolysiloxane, leads to reduction in adhesion of the resulting cured product to substrate and thus is not preferable.
In general, such a curable silicone composition is used by blending a phosphor to convert the emission wavelength from the LED; however, because of poor dispersibility of the phosphor, the phosphor aggregates, thereby causing a problem in that the light from the LED becomes uneven. Furthermore, another problem exists in that, when light is emitted continuously by applying a high current to an LED sealed with a cured product of such a curable silicone composition, the cured product is cracked.

Curable silicone composition, cured product therefrom, and optical semiconductor device


An RFID transponder comprising a housing for mounting on or in a workpiece having a metallic surface, where the RFID transponder is provided for inductive coupling to an RFID reader, where that side of the RFID transponder which is to face the metallic surface is provided with a ferrite component for guiding the magnetic flux from and to a side of the RFID transponder which is to face away from the metallic surface, and where the ferrite component comprises a composite material composed of a first plastic and ferrite powder and forms a first part of the housing, which is to face the metallic surface. Such an RFID transponder is small and robust and additionally simple to produce.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Transponders and, more particularly, to an RFID transponder comprising a housing for mounting on or in a workpiece having a metallic surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile data memories that can be read contactessly are often used for identifying goods, machines and other articles. Here, optically readable barcode labels are increasingly being replaced by electromagnetically or magnetically writeable and readable radiofrequency identification (RFID) labels, i.e., RFID transponders. In preferred configurations, these RFID transponders operate without a dedicated power supply, such as a battery.
Different technologies are used in RFID transponders depending on the case of use. Thus, for labeling garments and other far field applications, for example, the RFID transponders are coupled to the reader by radio, i.e., by electromagnetic waves. However, inductively coupled RFID transponders will be considered below. These can be coupled to a writing and reading device, reader for short, by an alternating magnetic field and are often used in industrial applications in which short distances have to be bridged (i.e., near field detection).
Inductively coupled RFID transponders regularly have one or more transmitting and receiving coils by which the magnetic flux generated by a reader is converted into an AC voltage, where the AC voltage initially supplies the operating electronics of the RFID transponder with energy, and then contains information transmitted from the reader to the RFID transponder and information transmitted from the RFID transponder to the reader. With respect to the function of the RFID transponder, it is essential that the magnetic flux generated by the reader is substantially conducted through the area of the coil. However, this is problematic in cases in which the RFID transponder is operated on a metallic surface or in a depression in a metallic workpiece. In these cases, often a large portion of the magnetic flux is conducted through the metallic workpiece and laterally past the transmitting and receiving coil (or simply coil), where the energy of the alternating magnetic field is largely converted into heat by eddy current losses and is therefore no longer available for supplying the RFID transponder. Conversely, the emissions of the RFID transponder in the case of an arrangement on a metallic workpiece are also allowed to be conducted directly into the metallic workpiece, such that an undesirable attenuation can likewise be observed.
In order to solve the foregoing problem, it is known to provide between the transmitting and receiving coil of the RFID transponder and a metallic surface or a metallic workpiece a ferrite core (this also includes plate-shaped and pot-shaped components composed of ferrite material). As a result, the magnetic flux, i.e., the magnetic field lines, substantially coming from a receiving side opposite to the metallic workpiece, are conducted through the area of the transmitting and receiving coil and are thereafter conducted away from the metallic workpiece to the receiving side again.
However, the introduction of a ferrite core has disadvantages. Thus, the mounting of this component is an additional manufacturing step, where it is often necessary to provide separate spacers for spacing apart the ferrite core with respect to the metallic surface of the metallic workpiece. Ferrite cores furthermore have the disadvantage that they are very brittle and can therefore hardly be processed subsequently by a user. Consequently, ferrite cores usually have to be procured from a manufacturer in their finally required form, such that a subsequent change in the design of the RFID transponder, for example, changes in the dimensions of the coil or of a housing, have the effect that a new series of ferrite cores has to be designed, ordered, manufactured and supplied. The mounting of the ferrite cores is also associated with expenditure because there is the risk of cracks and fractures because of the brittle material. An already completed transponder having such a ferrite core is also sensitive to mechanical effects that can lead to cracks and fractures in the ferrite and thus to a deterioration in the maximum reading and receiving distance (range). Therefore, it is customary to encapsulate the transponders with ferrite cores in impact-resistant plastic housings which absorb the mechanical loads. However, this increases the structural size of the RFID transponders constructed in this way.

Inductively coupled radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder


Vehicle identification number (VIN) data acquisition and stamping center control, wherein a main computer supplies VIN data to a PLC disposed at the stamping center, and the PLC stores a quantity of VIN data, up to a predetermined maximum, in an input buffer memory of the PLC in order to permit the stamping center to continue operating even when the network connection with the main computer is broken. The PLC also includes an output buffer memory in which stamped VINs may be stored until the network connection is restored, at which point the stamped VINs are transmitted to the main computer. Alternative semi-automatic and manual modes of operation permit the stamping center to continue operating even when the supply of VIN data from the input buffer memory is exhausted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed toward stamping operations and, more particularly, toward data communications for vehicle identification number stamping operations.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicle identification numbers (sometimes referred to as VINs hereinafter), which are stamped on or adjacent the dashboard of vehicles, and must be carefully controlled to correspond, in a one-to-one relationship, with the resulting vehicles. Traditionally, the VINs are generated by a dedicated computer system, such as a mainframe computer, a central computer system, or the like (hereinafter referred to as the main computer). The generated VINs are transmitted individually, via a data communications link such as a factory-wide network, to a programmable controller provided at a remote VIN stamping center. The VIN stamping center, upon receipt of the VIN, adjusts a series of ring dies so that the desired VIN is stamped into a vehicle dashboard, and the stamping center communicates confirmation of same to the main computer. Thereafter, the main computer generates and transmits a subsequent VIN to the stamping center, and the stamping process continues.
The foregoing system works well under normal conditions. However, should there be an interruption in the network connection between the stamping center and the main computer, the VIN stamping operation is interrupted. Conventionally, if the network connection is interrupted, the VIN stamping operation must either stop, or must proceed manually. Manual operation is problematic, as it requires significant care to ensure that the appropriate VIN is selected and stamped, and to ensure that the stamped VIN is correctly recorded at the time of stamping and then later in the main computer when the network connection is restored.
In response to this problem, it has been proposed to provide a local computer adjacent the VIN stamping center. In this countermeasure, the local computer is connected to the main computer via the network connection and receives one or more VINs to be used sequentially. The local computer transfers the VINs to the stamping center PLC via a further network connection, and transfers stamped VINs (VINs used in the stamping operation) to the main computer. When the local computer has exhausted its supply of stored VIN""s, it transmits a request to the main computer, and further VIN""s are transmitted to the local computer for subsequent use.
Unfortunately, even in this improved system, if any interruption in communication is experienced, the VIN stamping operation is interrupted. For example, if there is break in the network connection between the local computer and the stamping center, of if the local computer fails, the VIN stamping operation will be interrupted. Further, if there is a break in the network connection between the local computer and the main computer, the supply of VINs to the stamping center will ultimately be interrupted.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method and for a system that will insure that an interruption in communication of VINs from the main computer to the stamping center will not prevent normal stamping of VINs by the stamping center. There further exists a need in the art for method and system for locally storing stamping results in the event that data communication to the main computer is interrupted.
The present invention is directed toward a method and a system for insuring that a temporary break in communication between the main computer and the stamping center will not prevent normal stamping of VINs by the stamping center. The present invention is further directed toward a method and system for locally storing stamping results in the event that data communication to the main computer is interrupted, and for subsequent communication of stored stamping results to the main computer when data communications are restored. Finally, the present invention is directed toward a system and method comprising alternative VIN data input means to the stamping center, as may be necessary during extended or prolonged interruption of a data communication between the main computer and the stamping center.
In accordance with the present invention, a vehicle identification number data acquisition and stamping method for a vehicle identification number stamping center is provided. The method includes the steps of generating a plurality of vehicle identification numbers in a main computer, transmitting the plurality vehicle identification numbers to a programmable logic controller disposed at the stamping center, storing the plurality of individual vehicle identification numbers in an input buffer memory of the programmable logic controller, and serially accessing individual ones of said plurality of vehicle identification numbers for use in a stamping operation.
In further accordance with the present invention, a quantity of vehicle identification numbers is monitored and, when the quantity falls below a predetermined minimum, the main computer is requested to send further vehicle identification numbers to the programmable logic controller. In this manner, the programmable logic controller normally contains a quantity of vehicle identification numbers between the predetermined minimum and the predetermined maximum, the predetermined minimum being selected such that the stamping operation can continue uninterrupted even when the communications link between the programmable logic controller and the main computer is not operational.
In further accordance with the present invention, the programmable logic controller, following a successful stamping operation, transmits the stamped vehicle identification number to the main computer. When the communications link is not operational, the programmable logic controller stores the stamped vehicle identification number in an output buffer for later communication to the main computer upon reestablishment of the communications link. The output buffer is adapted to hold a quantity of stamped vehicle identification numbers that is at least equal to, and preferably significantly greater than, the predetermined maximum number stored in the input buffer to permit the stamping operation to proceed unimpeded in a manual or semi-automatic mode of operation even when the communication between the programmable logic controller and the main computer is interrupted for an extended period of time.

Method for decreasing downtime in vehicle identification number stamping operations


In the configuration of multiple (M units of) disk subsystems shared from multiple (N units of) hosts, having                an exclusive control command that limits access to all disk subsystems temporarily is provided,        using this exclusive control command, configuration information of all multiple disk subsystems, for example, performance and a setting change, are acquired in point of time series and stored in a management server database (“configuration information database”), then managed in a centralized manner,        a function that associates the file that the application uses with the “configuration information database” is provided using a function that detects the position on the logical unit, and        a means that can retrieve the modified contents of the system configuration and time as keys is provided in the “configuration information database”.

In order to perform centralized management of data extending over multiple external storage systems, for example, multiple disk subsystems, the configuration information of each system is acquired and the whole configuration in which the whole system was integrated needs to be defined. Here, the configuration information, includes, for example, setting concerning an internal access path of a disk subsystem, a logical unit, the capacity or access authority of the logical unit and data move, setting concerning data copying between the disk subsystems, setting or acquisition of a performance control mode or performance data, setting of a maintenance method and a fault or user operation event.
In the past, system administrators periodically collected the configuration or performance of a disk subsystem, fault, expansion and other events (hereinafter referred to as events) that will occur under the system using software that a host computer (hereinafter merely referred to as a host) which uses the disk subsystem manages. That is, a system administrator had to connect the host computer to each disk subsystem and acquire the configuration information of these systems, then provide the definition and necessary setting of the whole system configuration using management software by manual operation.
An art for displaying in mapping mode that a logical volume that can access a disk subsystem from a host corresponds to which physical unit of the disk subsystem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,690. However, there is no suggestion concerning transverse management between multiple disk subsystems.
In order to define the whole configuration in which the whole system was integrated, desirably, a system administrator should collectively perform setting that extends over between the multiple disk subsystems. This is because the configuration of the whole system is defined more easily than it is defined every disk subsystems and the number of times the configuration is checked and redefined is reduced, thereby reducing artificial misoperation. This is because the system operation can also be improved if the setting that extends over between the multiple disk subsystems is performed collectively.
The state is considered in which a certain user A installs a database and another application A in a host computer and multiple disk subsystems are used as an external storage system. Because the size of the file that the application A of the user A uses was reduced, a system administrator S of this external storage system is assumed to have added a logical unit (LU) to a disk subsystem.
However, the disk subsystem may also use another application B (higher performance than for the application A is requested) that the user B uses in another host.
In such case as this, if the added logical unit should have shared a physical resource (physical unit) with a logical unit allocated so that the application B that requests high performance can use it, the addition of this logical unit is affected and performance degradation will be caused concerning the execution of the application B in which importance is attached to the performance.
In other words, although the addition of the logical unit that the system administrator S made and that was made for the user A is a measure for maintaining and increasing the execution of the application A of the user A, the measure will cause degradation of the execution performance of the application B, and is eventually said to be artificial misoperation when it is viewed from the performance aspect of the whole system.
A system administrator normally monitors the performance of an application using a performance monitoring tool. Because the performance monitoring tool monitors the process operating state of the application or the read and write performance of the file that the application uses, a cause in which the addition of the previous logical unit gave rise to the performance degradation of another application cannot be ascertained.
With the sudden spread of the Internet, access requests from many client terminals increase. These access requests are regarded as access from multiple hosts. A storage system that integrates these many types of access also requires a measure that follows the demand of data size, and the opportunity of logical unit expansion in an individual disk subsystem is increasing constantly. It is desired to predict when the logical unit that corresponds to the file that a business-related application uses exceeds a usable capacity and arrange a schedule of planned logical unit expansion. Accordingly, an increasing tendency toward the file size, the position of the logical unit in which the file was stored and the usable capacity are investigated, and the schedule must be arranged from these relationships.
In the prior art, although these pieces of information were collected individually and periodically, there is no means for building these relationships. The measure is no more than a measure that depends on an empirical rule of a system administrator, and the above prediction and planning were very difficult.

Data storage system and control method thereof


The present invention provides a new arrangement of the stem and the cap resistance-welded to the stem, in which the deformation induced by the welding in a portion adjacent to the projection does not cause the failure for the assembly of the module. The cap and the stem of the present module provided first and second portions. The diameter of the second portion is greater than that of the first portion such that, even the welding deforms the first portions of the cap and the stem; the deformed portion is inside of respective second portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical module that provides a body with a stem where a semiconductor optical device is mounted thereon and extends a plurality of lead pins therefrom, and a cap resistance-welded to the stem to form a cavity where the semiconductor optical device is air-tightly sealed.
2. Related Prior Art
An optical module generally provides the body, which includes the stem that is made of metal, mounts the semiconductor optical device and holds the lead pins air-tightly sealed by the seal glass, and the metal cap with a glass plate or a lens in a top thereof to pass the optical signal therethrough. The cap is typically resistance-welded to the metal stem.
In the resistance-welding, at least one of the cap and the stem forms a rib or interposes a member with a projection between the cap and the stem, and a quite large current is supplied and concentrated on the tip portion of the projection to melt the projection as pressing the cap and the stem to each other to fix both members.
A Japanese Patent Application published as JP-H06-140644A has disclosed an optical module that provides a lens holder covering the cap and providing a V-groove into which members for the resistance-welding are set. This arrangement can narrower the are coming in contact at the welding, which enables to increase the current density for the welding, that is, the total current may be reduced and the excess heating of the devices installed in the optical module may be escaped. However, the arrangement of the lens holder mentioned above covers the side of the stem where the projection is also provided. Although it reliably secures the air-tightness, the arrangement inevitably widens the module.
The resistance-welding is necessary to press the members to be welded to each other, which causes the deformation of the welded portions because the mechanical stress is applied to a portion where the Joule heat is generated at the welding. For the optical module, as shown in the prior document mentioned above, the cap is resistance-welded to the stem. The portion adjacent and periphery to the projection of the cap or the stem may be stuck out compared to those before the welding.
Another Japanese Patent Application published as JP-2003-320462A has suggested an arrangement that enables to escape the module from the above subject, in which the projection accompanies with hollows in both sides of the projection. The melted and deformed portion of the projection may be set within the hollows. However, this arrangement of the projection may be unfavorable from the viewpoint of the airtightness after the resistance-welding.
The present invention is to provide an arrangement for the resistance-welding that enables, even when the welding accompanies the mechanical deformation and the large Joule heat, to absorb the deformation and to escape the device in the module from the heating.

Optical module with metal stem and metal cap resistance-welded to stem


A method and system for providing control that include providing a workpiece that includes a target shape, providing a cutting tool, providing a 3-D image associated with the workpiece, identifying the target shape within the workpiece image, providing a 3-D image associated with the cutting tool, registering the workpiece with the workpiece image, registering the cutting tool with the cutting tool image, tracking at least one of the workpiece and the cutting tool, transforming the tracking data based on image coordinates to determine a relationship between the workpiece and the cutting tool, and, based on the relationship, providing a control to the cutting tool. In one embodiment, the workpiece image can be represented as volume pixels (voxels) that can be classified and/or reclassified based on target shape, waste, and/or workpiece.

This disclosure relates generally to controls, and more specifically to controlling a tool for shaping a workpiece.
A wide variety of applications call for objects to be formed from general workpieces, where the object formation can include cutting the object from the workpiece. The precision required of the cut may depend on the particular application.
One application that can call for high precision is the shaping of bone during surgery. For example, in a surgery such as a total knee replacement (TKR), the bones to which a prosthetic knee may be attached, typically the femur and the tibia, can be shaped to facilitate stable and effective implantation of the prosthesis.
Some cutting systems achieve increased accuracy by fixating the workpiece, such as bone. Bone fixation can be accomplished using a screw(s) and/or a clamp(s) to secure the bone to a secure positioning brace. Fixation can be used for many robotic orthopedic surgery systems because such systems depend on a fixed target and cannot or do not track the target. Fixation may be used in robotic systems despite the risks to the patient that can include pain, infection, and increased recovery and rehabilitation periods caused by the invasive nature of fixation.
Robotic and other surgical systems may be susceptible to failure that can occur suddenly and can cause damage or injury to the subject. Controllable or detectible failure may be detected before harm is done. Undetectable failure may cause damage when the system appears to be functioning normally. If a robot provides power drive or power assistance to an operator, failure may result when the robot malfunctions because the operator may be unable to react in time or with sufficient force to prevent the robot components from injuring the subject. Robotic systems may also be undetectable failures, since the operator may not be in full or even partial physical control of the robot.
The disclosed methods and systems include a control method that includes providing a workpiece that includes a target shape, providing a cutting tool, providing a 3-D image associated with the workpiece, identifying the target shape within the workpiece image, providing a 3-D image associated with the cutting tool, registering the workpiece with the workpiece image, registering the cutting tool with the cutting tool image, tracking the workpiece and/or the cutting tool, transforming the tracking data based on image coordinates to determine a relationship between the workpiece and the cutting tool, and based on the relationship, providing a control to the cutting tool. The control can include an analog signal, a digital signal, a control to at least partially retract a cutting element associated with the cutting tool, a control to reduce the speed of a cutting element associated with the cutting tool, a control to stop a cutting element associated with a cutting tool, or another control.
The methods and systems can include representing the workpiece image using volume pixels (voxels), and classifying the workpiece image voxels based on the target shape. Accordingly, based on the relationship between the cutting tool and the workpiece, the methods and systems can include re-classifying the voxels based on the relationship.
The methods and systems can include providing an image based on CT scan data, X-ray data, MRI data, fluoroscopy data, and/or ultrasound data. The methods and systems can also include classifying such image data, represented as three dimensional volume pixels or xe2x80x9cvoxels,xe2x80x9d where classifying the image voxels based on the target shape includes distinguishing target shape voxels and workpiece voxels. In an embodiment, distinguishing target and workpiece voxels includes associating target shape voxels with the target shape and associating non-target shape voxels as waste. Color-coding voxels, such as target shape voxels associated with the target shape, can also be performed to distinguish voxels. The images and/or voxels can be displayed to a user to enable a user to view relative positions of the cutting tool and workpiece and/or target shape. In one embodiment, the methods and systems can include re-classifying the voxels based on the relationship.
Classifying and/or re-classifying voxels can include identifying mixture voxels that include part workpiece and part target shape, subdividing the mixture voxels, and iteratively identifying and subdividing mixture voxels to a predetermined voxel resolution. In one embodiment, mixture voxels can be understood to be voxels that can be associated with more than one classification, where exemplary voxel classifications can include target, workpiece, waste, empty, cutting tool, cutting element, or other classifications. Subdividing the mixture voxels can be performed based on an octree data structure. Further, the methods and systems can include recombining voxels having the same classification, where such recombining can generally be performed based on neighboring voxels of the same classification.
The methods and systems can also include a probe that can be calibrated and employed to register the workpiece and/or the cutting tool to the workpiece image and the cutting tool image, respectively. The disclosed tracker can include a tracking method and system based on providing one or more markers on or otherwise associated with the workpiece and/or the cutting tool. The tracker can measure and/or determine at least one position and at least one angle associated with the workpiece and/or the cutting tool, where in one embodiment, the tracker can track in three positions and three angles to provide six degrees of freedom. The tracked data can thus be transformed to an image coordinate system to allow an updating of the respective image positions, angles, etc.
The image updating can also include (re)classifying voxels associated with the workpiece, where the reclassification can be based on the tracking data associated with the workpiece and/or the cutting tool. Such classifying and/or reclassifying can include identifying voxels associated with the workpiece that are eliminated by the cutting tool. The classifying and/or reclassifying can also include identifying mixture voxels, subdividing the mixture voxels, and, iteratively identifying and subdividing mixture voxels until reaching a predetermined voxel resolution. As provided previously, identifying mixture voxels includes identifying voxels having more than one classification. The subdividing can be based on an octree data structure. Voxel recombination of voxels having the same classification can also be performed.
Accordingly, the methods and systems include providing a control based on determining a distance between the cutting tool image and the voxels classified based on the target shape. In one embodiment, the control can be based on increasing the size of the cutting tool image to determine whether the increased size cutting tool intersects with the target image. The cutting tool image can be increased by a fixed amount, and/or based on tracking data associated with the cutting tool. The control provided to the cutting tool can thus be based on the relationship between a cutting element associated with the cutting tool image, and voxels classified based on the target shape.
In an embodiment, the control provided to the cutting tool can be based on the relationship between the cutting tool image and the voxels classified and/or associated with the target shape, where the relationship can be based on collision detection and/or intersection detection between at least part of the cutting tool and voxels associated with the target shape.
In one embodiment, the workpiece image can be understood to be associated with voxels that can be further associated with a three-dimensional grid of voxels, where an image associated with the workpiece can be incorporated into the grid, and grid voxels can be identified as being associated with the workpiece. Some of the workpiece voxels can thus further be associated with the target shape.
The methods and systems include providing a control to the cutting tool by performing at least one of collision detection and intersection detection. Such control can performing at least one of collision detection and intersection detection between at least part of the cutting tool and the target shape of the workpiece image.
In the disclosed methods and systems, identifying the target shape includes classifying voxels associated with the workpiece image as at least one of workpiece and target shape. Accordingly, providing control to the cutting tool can include performing at least one of collision detection and intersection detection between at least part of the cutting tool and the target shape voxels. Providing control can also include providing a control based on a threshold distance between the workpiece image and the cutting tool image.
Also disclosed is a system that includes a cutting tool, a workpiece that includes a target shape, a tracker to provide tracking data associated with the cutting tool and the workpiece, and a controller to control the cutting tool based on the tracking data associated with the cutting tool and the tracking data associated with the workpiece. The cutting tool can include one or more cutting elements that can include one or more blade(s), one or more rotatable blade(s), one or more retractable blade(s), one or more water jet(s), one or more particulate jet(s), one or more lithotriptor(s) and/or one or more ultrasonic lithotriptor(s). The controller can control the cutting tool by providing a control to at least partially retract the cutting element(s), and/or at least partially reduce a rotation rate and/or change a cutting rate of the cutting element(s). The controller can transmit a control signal to the cutting tool, where the control signal includes an analog signal, a digital signal, and no signal.
The systems can include a tracker that includes or otherwise provides tracking data based on at least three positions and at least three angles. The tracker can include one or more first markers associated with the workpiece, and one or more second markers associated with the cutting tool. The markers or some of the markers can be one or more infrared sources, Radio Frequency (RF) sources, ultrasound sources, and/or transmitters. The tracker can thus be an infrared tracking system, an optical tracking system, an ultrasound tracking system, an inertial tracking system, a wired system, and/or a RF tracking system.
The systems also include one or more images associated with the workpiece and at least one image associated with the cutting tool. The workpiece image(s) can be registered to the workpiece, and the cutting tool image(s) can be registered to the cutting tool. Accordingly, the systems include a means to register the workpiece to the image(s) associated with the workpiece, and a means to register the cutting tool to the image(s) associated with the cutting tool. The registration means can include a probe that can be calibrated prior to registration. Registration can be performed by contacting locations on the workpiece and/or cutting tool with the calibrated probe.
The systems thus also include means to provide at least one image associated with the workpiece, and means to provide at least one image associated with the cutting tool. Such means can include Computer Aided Design (CAD), CT scan, MRI data, X-ray, fluoroscopy, and/or ultrasound, although other means can be used. The systems can update the images with tracking data using means to transform the tracking data between different coordinate systems. Such transformations can be mathematically effectuated.
The systems and methods can be applied to a workpiece that includes bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, muscle, connective tissue, fat, neuron, hair, skin, a tumor, and an organ. The cutting tool can include an endoscopic instrument.
The controller can also include a collision detection module and/or an intersection detection module that can determine a relationship between the cutting tool and at least part of the workpiece.
Disclosed is a system that includes a workpiece having a target shape included therein, a tracker to track at least one of a cutting tool and the workpiece, and, a control system, the control system including instructions to cause a processor to track the cutting tool and the workpiece, to determine a relationship between the cutting tool and at least one of the workpiece and the target shape, and to provide a control to the cutting tool based on at least one of the relationship of the cutting tool and the workpiece, and the relationship of the cutting tool and the target shape. The control system can also include an image associated with the workpiece and an image associated with the cutting tool. The image associated with the workpiece can includes an image associated with the target shape, and/or at least part of the workpiece image can be designated and/or otherwise classified as being associated with the target shape.
The system also includes an image registration means, where the image registration means registers the workpiece to an image associated with the workpiece, and the image registration means registers the cutting tool to an image associated with the cutting tool, and wherein the control system includes instructions to update at least positions of the workpiece image and the cutting tool image based on data from the tracker; and, where at least one of the relationship of the cutting tool and the workpiece, and the relationship of the cutting tool and the target shape, are based on the updated image positions.
In the disclosed systems, the relationship between the cutting tool and the workpiece can be based on position data and/or angle data associated with the cutting tool(s) and/or the workpiece, where the position data and angle data can be based on the tracker. The relationship between the cutting tool and the target shape can thus be based on position data and/or angle data associated with the cutting tool and/or the target shape, where the position data and angle data are based on the tracker. The instructions to determine a relationship between the cutting tool and the target shape and/or workpiece can also include instructions to represent the workpiece as a group of volume pixels (voxels), classify voxels corresponding to the target shape, represent the cutting tool as a group of voxels, a surface model, and/or using constructive solid geometry or other geometric modeling, and, based on the tracker data, classify and/or update the voxels. The instructions to classify voxels corresponding to the target shape can include classifying voxels as target shape and classifying voxels as waste, and/or instructions to color-code voxels corresponding to the target shape. In an embodiment, the workpiece can be represented as a surface model
The disclosed methods and systems can include a control for a shaping tool that can be referred to herein as a cutting tool, and in one embodiment, is a freehand shape cutter, but can be understood to be a tool that can cut, shave, and/or grind. References herein to a shaping tool or cutting tool can accordingly be understood to represent a tool that can cut, shave, and/or grind.
The disclosed methods and systems include a freehand shape cutter that includes a handheld cutting tool having a cutting element and a first marker. A second marker can be affixable to a workpiece that includes a target shape. A tracker can track a position of the cutting tool based on a position of the first marker, and also track a position of the workpiece based on a position of the second marker. A controller can control the cutting element based on the position of the cutting tool and the position of the workpiece to prevent the cutting element from invading the target shape.
In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and systems include a method of shaping a bone by determining a target shape of the bone, aligning the target shape with the bone, providing a handheld cutting tool having a cutting element, tracking the bone and the cutting tool, cutting the bone with the cutting tool, and controlling the cutting element to prevent invasion of the cutting tool on the target shape. In such an embodiment, the target shape of the bone can be determined by creating a bone model based on geometrical data of the bone, and establishing the target shape based on the bone model.
In one embodiment, the cutting tool can have six degrees of freedom, and the tracker can track with six degrees of freedom.
The cutting element can include at least one of a blade, a rotatable blade, a retractable blade, a water jet, a particulate jet, a lithotriptor, and an ultrasonic lithotriptor. The controller can control the cutting element by at least one of stopping the cutting element, retracting the cutting element, progressively retracting the cutting element, switching off the cutting element, and interrupting power to the cutting element. The tracked and/or determined positions can be three-dimensional positions that can be tracked substantially simultaneously. Additionally and optionally, the positions can be tracked continuously.
The target shape may be represented in the controller as a virtual template. The workpiece can include, for example, at least one of bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, muscle, connective tissue, fat, neuron, hair, skin, tumor, and an organ that can include skin, brain, meninges, palate, tongue, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, ganglion, heart, artery, vein, arteriole, venule, capillary, lung, trachea, bronchus, bronchiole, alveolus, blood, extremity, and a reproductive organ. A tumor can include a neoplasm, a benign tumor, a hyperplasia, a hypertropy, a dysplasia, an anaplasia, a metaplasia, a metastasis, and a malignant tumor.

Methods and systems to control a shaping tool


A heavy-duty cargo bin unit configured for rugged use in hostile environments, such as in the oil drilling and production industry. The cargo bin unit is of a generally rectilinear construction, and preferably fabricated of heavy gauge steel. Supports or skids are positioned to allow for the nested stacking of one cargo bin atop the other, such that the lower portion support members would fit snugly within the interior walls of the cargo bin upon which it is placed. The size and configuration of the basket may vary depending upon the application, and the unit may be configured to receive templates for the customized storage of particular items such as drilling tools, bits, etc. A second embodiment of the present invention contemplates a cargo bin dumping system wherein there is provided a cargo bin as disclosed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, with a stinger specifically designed to work with the present system also provided.

Cargo baskets as currently used in oil industry typically include a steel angle iron frame having expanded metal side walls, a floor, and either three skids or the like for providing support and allowing a fork lift to engage thereunder, or four pad eyes situated at opposing corners, each pad eye for engaging a cable to form a lifting sling.
Typically, these bins are of such a quality and construction that the weight of the contents must be monitored or the baskets can be overweighed and fail during use, which can result in serious injuries and damage. Space is often quite limited in the environment in which these lifting baskets are employed, and often users of these prior art bins will stack them upon one another, even though the bins are not configured or reinforced for stacking, which can result in failure of the lower bins due to excessive weight, and/or the collapse of the stacked bins as they do not nest or interlock with the bin upon which they are placed.
Prior art bins also tend to either be specialized to receive only a specific item, or are only an open bin area for receiving items piled upon one another. The prior art is believed to have failed to provide a modular template system for the placement into an existing bin to temporarily convert same to a specific, customized transport and storage system.
Dumping of the contents form prior art bins can also be a problem; flipping an open top bin via a crane involves multiple personnel, requires a crane, and can be quite dangerous. Specialized dump baskets can be expensive and dangerous, such as baskets having false floors which open upon the pulling of a pin or the like.
The prior art has thereby failed to provide a cargo bin which provides a heavy duty, "failsafe" construction which can handle the weight of almost any contents placed therein, while providing a stackable and dumpable system which is economical, safe and effective.


A catheter stabilization device having a release liner and a catheter stabilization member with a permeable first layer and a bottom surface having an adhesive interposed between the release liner and the first layer. The catheter stabilization member includes an elongated continuous retention strip coupled to the first layer is of a deformably rigid material operably configured to have a first static state with a first shape, a dynamic state, generated by an external force, with a second shape different than the first shape, and a second static state, after removal of the external force, with the second shape in a fixed configuration.

In anticipation of various medical procedures, or even for use with certain medical procedures, catheter(s), and other medical tubing are utilized by many individuals. These devices are principally used to provide a passageway into a user's body for insertion of medical instruments, administration of fluids and gases, and drainage or measurements of a user's bodily fluid(s), among other uses. Some exemplary catheters include peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs), peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), central venous catheters (CVCs), implantable ports, Huber needles, dialysis catheters, among others.
After the catheterization process, or the act of inserting a catheter into a user's body is complete, ensuring the catheter is stabilized is one of the most essential requirements. One known method to stabilize catheters includes suturing the catheter to the user's skin. This intrusive method has obvious disadvantages such as increased infection risk, potential scaring from the suturing, and causing additional pain and discomfort to the user during and after the catheterization process. Many medical practitioners also utilize medical grade tape and/or commercially available "dressings" having an adhesive bottom layer to secure the catheter to the user's body. Employing tape and/or dressings, however, have many disadvantageous. Many of these known devices and methods often do not provide a barrier for bacteria, nor do they permit sufficient fluid/moisture transfer from the catheter insertion site to the outside ambient environment. Further, many of these devices and methods also do not allow a user to adequately view the insertion site or ensure the integrity of the catheter stabilization device. Even more problematically, when the tape or dressing is needed or desired to be changed, the removal or attempted removal of the tape or dressing causes displacement of the catheter. In many instances, the displacement or dislodgment of the catheter causes pain or discomfort to the user, and may also require the medical practitioner to engage in a new catheterization process.
Some known devices and methods attempt to solve some of the above-described catheter-stability deficiencies by utilizing rigid plastic or metallic retaining members shaped and sized to surround a portion of the catheter, typically the hub or collar portion. As those of skill in the art will appreciate, catheters are made in various shapes and sizes depending on their use and/or application. As such, medical practitioners and/or medical treatment facility administrators are required to buy catheter stabilization devices for various corresponding catheters. Moreover, for emergency situations or other situations where time is of-the-essence, utilizing these rigid fasteners are commercially and medically impracticable. Even worse, if the wrong sized fastener is utilized, it could cause displacement of the catheter. Lastly, those fasteners made of a metallic material are also problematic as they are incompatible for use in some diagnostic machines, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Some known medical dressings solely utilize the bond of adhesive material itself to a users' skin to retain the catheter. In addition to some of the above-described disadvantageous, these dressings cause an effect called "tenting," wherein a portion of the dressing does not adhere to the user's skin. The larger the tent results in a reduced dwell time and retention performance of the dressing. Therefore, the larger the catheter the reduced performance.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

Catheter stabilization device and method of use


A Plating method includes a first plating process S21 of supplying a first plating liquid to a substrate 2 having a recess 12 and forming a first plating layer 13; and a second plating process of supplying a second plating liquid to the substrate 2 and forming a second plating layer 14 on the first plating layer 13 after the first plating process S21. Here, a concentration of an additive contained in the first plating liquid is different from that in the second plating liquid. The first plating process S21 includes a process of forming the first plating layer of a discontinuous film or a particle shape on the substrate 2 by rotating the substrate 2 at a first speed and a process of rotating the substrate 2 at a second speed and at a third speed repeatedly.

In general, there is formed a circuit wiring on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a liquid crystal substrate for forming a semiconductor device. As a method of forming a wiring, there has been used a damascene method in which a recess such as a via or a trench for burying a wiring material such as copper is formed in the substrate and the wiring material is buried in the recess.
Further, in recent years, there has been made an attempt to reduce a mounting area of a part or a whole system by mounting multiple LSIs on a substrate using a three-dimensional mounting technology. In the three-dimensional mounting technology, a recess, e.g., a through-silicon-via (TSV), for burying a wiring material, which connects the LSIs, is formed, for example, in a substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate).
Between an inner surface of a recess in a substrate and a wiring formed in the recess, typically, there is formed a barrier film for suppressing diffusion of atoms constituting a wiring material into an insulating film (an oxide film, PI "polyimide", etc.) on the inner surface of the recess and into the substrate on a rear surface side thereof, or for improving adhesivity therebetween. Further, between the barrier film and the wiring, typically, there is formed a seed film for making it easy to bury the wiring material.
By way of example, in Patent Document 1, there is suggested a method in which a barrier film containing ruthenium is formed on an inner surface of a recess by sputtering, a seed film containing ruthenium and copper is formed on the barrier film by sputtering, and then, copper is buried in the recess by a plating process.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2010-177538
In recent years, there has been developed a manufacturing technique employing a TSV. In this manufacturing technique, a height or a depth of a recess in the TSV is not in a range of several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers in a conventional pre-treatment process but in a range of several microns to several hundreds of microns.
By way of example, a sputtering method which has been typically used for forming a barrier film or a seed film has a high directionality. For this reason, if a recess has a great height or depth, it is difficult to sufficiently form a barrier film or a seed film on a lower portion of the recess.
In order to solve such problems, a plating method such as an electroplating process or an electroless plating process, in which a plating liquid is supplied while rotating a substrate, may be considered. However, if a recess has a small diameter and a great height or depth, a plating liquid within the recess has a low fluidity, which may cause non-uniformity in concentration distribution of the plating liquid between an upper portion of the recess and a lower portion thereof. If there is non-uniformity in the concentration distribution of the plating liquid within the recess, it can be assumed that a thickness of a plating layer such as a barrier film or a seed film formed on an inner surface of the recess varies depending on positions within the recess. By way of example, it can be assumed that a thickness of a plating layer formed on the lower portion of the recess may be smaller than that of a plating layer formed on the upper portion of the recess.
For this reason, there has been developed a method in which a first plating layer is formed by supplying a first plating liquid onto a substrate and then a second plating layer is formed on the first plating layer by supplying a second plating liquid onto the substrate. In this case, the first plating layer is mainly formed on a surface of the substrate and the second plating layer is formed on an inner surface of a recess. However, even if there is used the method of forming the first plating layer and the second plating layer in sequence, it is difficult to uniformly form the first plating layer on the entire surface of the substrate and also uniformly form the second plating layer on the inner surface of the recess.
The exemplary embodiments have been accomplished in view of the foregoing problems. According to the exemplary embodiments, it is possible to uniformly form a first plating layer on an entire surface of a substrate and also uniformly form a second plating layer on an inner surface of a recess, and it is possible to uniformly form a plating layer formed on inner surfaces of recesses on the entire surface of the substrate. Further, the exemplary embodiments provide a plating method and a plating apparatus of improving uniformity in thickness of the plating layer formed on the inner surfaces of the recesses on the entire surface of the substrate, and a storage medium therefor.

Plating method, plating apparatus, and storage medium


A method for processing drilling fluid comprising an oil and water emulsion and solid material includes breaking the emulsion into an oil phase and a water phase, increasing the surface area of the solid material, adsorbing at least some of the water phase to the increased surface area of the solid material, and recovering at least some of the oil phase. The drilling fluid may be moved within a container to break the emulsion and increase the surface area of the solids material. Water phase or solid material may be added to the drilling fluid to maximize the amount of water phase adsorbed into the solid material and minimize the amount of oil phase adsorbed to the solid material. The drilling fluid may be processed while being transported between locations. The solid material may be dried in a thermal dryer to vaporize and recover the water phase and any adsorbed oil phase.

The present invention relates to the drilling of oil and gas well. More particularly, the present invention relates to the processing of drilling fluid, such as drilling waste.
In the drilling of oil and gas wells, a drill bit is used to dig many thousands of feet into the earth's crust. Oil rigs typically employ a derrick that extends above the well drilling platform and that supports joint after joint of drill pipe connected end to end during the drilling operation. The drill pipe or "drill string" thus comprises a plurality of joints of pipe, each of which has an internal, longitudinally extending bore. The drill string bore carries drilling fluid, or "drilling mud", from the well drilling platform through the drill string and to a drill bit supported at the lower, or distal, end of the drill string.
Drilling fluids can be any fluids and mixtures of fluids and solids, such as solid suspensions, mixtures, and emulsions of liquids, gases, and solids, used in operations to drill boreholes into the earth. Most drilling fluids are emulsions, which are a dispersion of one immiscible liquid into another. Chemicals such as emulsifiers can also be used to reduce the interfacial tension between the two liquids to achieve stability.
Two emulsion types are commonly used as drilling fluids. The first is oil-in-water, or direct, emulsion, known as "emulsion mud". Emulsion muds are thus water-base drilling fluids that contain a dispersed oil or synthetic hydrocarbon as an internal phase. The second is water-in-oil, or invert, emulsion, known as an "invert emulsion mud". Invert emulsion muds are thus oil-base muds that contain water as an internal phase.
The drilling fluid lubricates the drill bit and carries away small pieces of rock, or "drill cuttings", such as shale generated by the drill bit as it digs deeper. The cuttings are carried in a return flow stream of drilling fluid through the well annulus and back to the well drilling platform at the earth's surface.
The drill cuttings are then separated from the reusable drilling fluid with commercially available separators known as "shale shakers". Shale shakers operate by vibrating a wire-cloth screen while the drilling fluid flows on top of it. The liquid phase of the drilling fluid and solids smaller than the wire mesh pass through the screen, while larger solids are retained on the screen and eventually fall off the back of the device. Obviously, smaller openings in the screen clean more solids from the whole mud, but there is a corresponding decrease in flow rate per unit area of wire cloth. Some shale shakers are designed to filter coarse material from the drilling fluid while other shale shakers are designed to remove finer particles. Despite the use of shakers, a certain amount of drilling mud, which can contain hazardous oil, adheres to the drill cuttings. Other solids separators include mud cleaners and centrifuges that remove fine and ultrafine solids. Centrifuges comprise a rotating conical drum. Drilling fluid is fed into one end of the centrifuge and the separated solids are moved up the drum by a rotating scroll and exit at the other end.
After solids separation, the drill cuttings are disposed as drilling waste and the reusable drilling fluid is returned to a mud pit where it can be recycled into the well bore. In addition, over time the post-separation drilling fluid becomes too contaminated with fine solids particles that cannot be removed through typical separation techniques. Once the drilling fluid is no longer recyclable, it also becomes drilling waste and must be disposed.
After being run through the solids separators, the drilling waste comprising the drill cuttings and any residual drilling fluid is placed into holding containers. The drilling waste may also include the "recovered" drilling fluid that is no longer reusable in the well. The containers are then loaded onto either a truck or a boat for transportation to the processing facility. The drilling waste is then removed from the containers by washing the drilling waste out of the containers with large amounts of water.
Once emptied from the containers at the processing facility, the drilling waste is then processed using a thermal dryer. A thermal dryer typically consists of a sealed enclosure containing a rotating auger or other transferring means for moving the drilling waste through the enclosure. In the enclosure, the drilling waste is heated either directly or indirectly to evaporate any oil and water. The oil and water vapor are then recovered through condensation and are drawn off as liquids. The residual cleaned solid material is then pushed out of the dryer for bagging and disposal.


A wireless communication method for selective transmission of data among a group of mobile computing devices. A user's device is used to broadcast a query to determine a group of mobile computing devices within communications range. A list of resulting mobile computing devices is then presented to the user through the device's interface. The user selects at least one of the mobile computing devices from the list for a data transfer. The data transfer is then performed to the selected at least one mobile computing device. Upon completion of the transfer, a confirmation is presented to the user. In this manner, wireless data transfers can be performed with a number of different mobile computing devices within communications range. The user can select a number of mobile computing devices from the list and perform the data transfer to each of the selected number in a single step. The data transfer is performed using a wireless RF communications link. The wireless RF communications link can be compatible with a version of the Bluetooth specification.

Personal Information Devices include the class of computers, personal digital assistants and electronic organizers that tend both to be physically smaller than conventional computers and to have more limited hardware and data processing capabilities. PIDs include, for example, products sold by Palm, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., under such trademark as Pilot, and Pilot 1000, Pilot 5000, PalmPilot, PalmPilot Personal, PalmPilot Professional, Palm, and Palm III, Palm V, Palm VII, as well as other products sold under such trade names as WorkPad, Franklin Quest, and Franklin Convey.
PIDs are generally discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,0398; 5,727,202; 5,832,489; 5,884,323; 5,889,888; 5,900,875; 6,000,000; 6,006,274; and 6,034,686, which are incorporated herein by reference. PIDs typically include a screen and data processor, allowing the PID user to operate a substantial variety of applications relating to, for example: electronic mail, a calendar, appointments, contact data (such as address and telephone numbers), notebook records, a calendar, expense reports, :to do lists: or games. PIDs also often include substantial electronic memory for storing such applications as well as data entered by the user. Due to their substantial variety of applications and uses, personal information devices are becoming increasingly widely used.
One popular application of personal information devices is their ability to easily share information with other properly equipped personal information devices. For example, many types of user information such as electronic mail, calendar events, appointments, contact data, and the like exist in the form of digital data files stored within the memory of the personal information device. When equipped with communications hardware/software, the data files embodying the user information can be easily transferred from one personal information device to another. For example, one such application involves the transferring of electronic "business cards" from one personal information device to another, allowing their respective users to easily exchange contact information.
Infrared (IR) communications technology is one popular means for enabling the wireless transfer of digital data files between personal information devices. When properly configured, one device can transfer selected user information (e.g., electronic business cards) to another device quickly and wirelessly. For example, the user can access a menu of user information via a graphical user interface of the personal information device. The user selects one or more items for transfer and beams the data file to the other personal information device. The use of IR communications technology to effect such transfers is well known.
There is a problem however, in that to utilize IR communications technology, the personal information devices must be within line of sight of one another. For example, there must be an unobstructed view from the IR communications port of one device to the IR communications port of the other device. Additionally, the devices typically must be no more than two to three feet from one another. Care must be taken by the user to avoid sources of interference, such as, for example, bright sunlight.
Due to these limitations, IR communications technology and the techniques required for its effective use does not permit "group" beaming of data. The IR communications technology is directed towards one device directly beaming information to another device. The technology is not suited for beaming information to a group of devices.
The IR communications beaming techniques are not suited for privacy. For example, due to the range and line of sight restrictions, users must conspicuously ensure the IR ports of their respective devices are pointed at and aligned with one another. Others in the room are very likely to notice the pointing and aligning. Hence, an individual cannot IR beam data to another without others in the room being aware of the transaction.
Thus, what is required is a solution that allows the wireless transfer of data between personal information devices without imposing any line of sight restrictions or stringent distance requirements. The required solution should be robust and relatively immune to interference in comparison to prior art wireless beaming techniques. In addition, what is required is a solution that permits group beaming of data, wherein data can be shared with several users. The required solution should permit the private sharing of data with several users without nonselected users within communications range being aware of the data transfer. The present invention provides a novel solution to the above requirements.

Method and system for implementing wireless data transfers between a selected group of mobile computing devices


A method and apparatus for reducing resonance of a loudspeaker by using a model derived from a software simulated loudspeaker are provided. The method includes generating a model to determine resonance characteristics of the loudspeaker based on physical parameters of the audio reproducing device; determining accuracy of the model of the loudspeaker by comparing calculated frequency characteristics of the model of the loudspeaker and measured frequency characteristics of the loudspeaker that is outputting sound; generating a resonance reduction filter based on the model of the loudspeaker according to the determined accuracy; and reducing the resonance characteristics of the loudspeaker by applying the resonance reduction filter to input audio data.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to reducing the resonance of a loudspeaker, and more particularly, to reducing the resonance of a loudspeaker by using a physical model derived from a software simulated loudspeaker.
2. Description of Related Art
Loudspeakers generally are electro-acoustic transducers that convert electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a distance.
Due to the popularity of flat-screen televisions, the thinner display panels become, the thinner loudspeakers become.
In order to make loudspeakers thinner, it is necessary to change the size of permanent magnets and the shape of cones of the loudspeakers. The size of the permanent magnets affects the intensity of magnetic forces and the range of movement of voice coils. A narrow range of movement of the voice coils deteriorates generation performance of low frequencies. Loudspeaker cones are not generally curved in order to effectively generate sound waves according to the range of movement of the voice coils. However, the thinner the loudspeakers become, the shorter the loudspeaker cones become. In this case, since moving directions of the voice coils are not supported, remaining vibration occurs in loudspeaker cones according to the movement of voice coils. The remaining vibration gets stronger in resonance frequencies of loudspeakers and adversely affects sound quality.
Related art methods of improving the material and shape of loudspeaker cones have been used to reduce remaining vibration. However, such related art methods increase manufacturing costs and result in generation of thick loudspeakers.

Method and apparatus for reducing resonance of loudspeaker


A position measuring arrangement is disclosed which comprises a three-grid measuring system. A first grid is illuminated under an angle .alpha.. Two partial beams result from diffraction on the first grid. the two partial beams impinge on a second grid, which may be the scale of the position-measuring arrangement. Diffraction of the partial-beams on the second grid result in four partial-beams of which the two partial-beams lying closest to the grid normal impinge upon a third grid. The third grid again diffracts the partial-beams and brings them into interference. The partial-beams which are intensity-modulated by interference by the third grid impinge upon photodetectors, by which they are transformed into phase-shifted electric signals and fed to and evaluated arrangement.

The present invention relates generally to a photoelectric position-measuring arrangement and more particularly to a photoelectric position-measuring arrangement which includes a plurality of shiftable grids to diffract light from a light source and bring the diffracted partial-beams into interference such that intensity modulations arising through the interference of the partial-beams are transduced by photo-detectors into electrically signals.
Three-grid measuring arrangements are known in the art. For example, DE-C2-24 31 551 discloses a three-grid arrangement, which includes three transparent grids or gratings which are successively penetrated by light incident thereon. This reference further discloses a second arrangement wherein the system consist of only two grids, one which is transparent and the second which is constructed as a reflection grid. In the systems described in this reference, the grid constant of the grids used cannot be smaller than the wavelength of the light used. Therefore, the resolution of the measuring system is limited.
Another three-grid measuring system is disclosed in EP-A1-163 362. The phase grids disclosed in this reference are configured, with respect to the phase stroke and scanning ratio (strip/furrow ratio), such that three light beams result which undergo intensity modulations and which are phase displaced relative to one another (preferably by 120.degree.). The grid constant in this arrangement also cannot be smaller than the wavelength of the incident light.
DE-A1-21 46 310 discloses the so-called two-grid measuring system. In this two-grid measuring system, the grid constants of the grids used are smaller than the wavelength of the incoming light. A theoretical disadvantage, however, of such interferometric two-grid measuring system is that they are sensitive to fluctuations of the grid spacings and are dependent on the spatial coherence of the light which is used.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a position-measuring arrangement which effectively uses three grids which are interferometrically scanned and which also permits the use of grid constants that are smaller than the wavelength of the light used.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a position-measuring arrangement which effectively uses three grids wherein the scanning signals are free of harmonics.

Photoelectric position-measuring arrangement having a plurality of shiftable grids