A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) ballast driver includes first, second and neutral AC voltage terminals, a full wave rectifier between the first AC voltage terminal and the neutral AC input terminal, and a separate branch between the second AC voltage terminal and the neutral AC input terminal. A resonator circuit includes at least two inductors and provides its output voltage to a CFL lamp. The driver includes a first state detector circuit to monitor the first AC voltage terminal, and a second state detector circuit to monitor the second AC voltage terminal. The first and second state detector circuits activate respective first and second switches. The first switch shunts one inductor of the resonator circuit, and the second switch shunts another inductor of the resonator circuit. The driver can be housed in a CFL having a capper, a three-way lamp base adjacent to the capper and an arc tube.

A typical incandescent three-way lamp produces three levels of light intensity (i.e., low, medium, and high) using two lamp filaments within the same optical housing. The two filaments are typically of different wattages. For example, one lamp filament can be a low wattage filament, and the other filament can be a high wattage filament.
Conventionally, these two filaments are connected in parallel to the lamp base. The lamp base itself has two contacts and a neutral contact. Each of the filaments operates at full voltage when activated.
Proper installation of the three-way lamp is achieved by using a three-way lamp socket, which has three contacts instead of the usual two for a single filament lamp. This third contact is typically off center in the bottom of the socket, and makes contact with the second filament circuit.
The three-way lamp is controlled using a three-way switch, which itself has four positions. Starting from the 'off' position, the switch can sequentially connect power to one filament (typically the lower wattage filament,), then the other filament, and then both filaments.
A standard compact fluorescent lamp does not typically provide three levels of lighting when connected to a three-way switch. Instead the standard compact fluorescent lamp can be modified to include two different arc tubes in parallel to the lamp base, where each of the arc tubes operates at full lumen output when activated by the three-way switch. This dual arc tube solution requires two ballasts, one to drive each of the arc tubes.

Compact fluorescent lamp three-way ballast driver


A combination therapy for treating cancer including a DNA damaging agent deliverable to cancer cells and operatively arranged to activate only under a low oxygen condition and a non-thermal plasma deliverable to cancer cells. The non-thermal plasma and the DNA damaging agent individually and in conjunction promote cell toxicity.

Melanoma is the most rapidly progressing malignancy in the United States, accounting for 75% of all skin cancer-associated deaths. Lucas, R. et al., "Global Burden of Disease of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation", Environmental Burden of Disease Series, No. 13, News Release, World Health Organization, 2006. Currently, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) device is being tested for the treatment of melanoma. DBD requires that the target tissue be placed between two metal plates that are used as typical type electrodes. Gregory, F. et al., "Floating Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma in Air Promoting Apoptotic Behavior in Melanoma Skin Cancer Cell Lines", Plasma Chemistry & Plasma Processing, Volume 27, Issue 2, pp 163-76, April 2007; Sensenig, R., et al., "Non-thermal Plasma Induces Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells via Production of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species", Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Volume 39, Issue 2, pp 674-87, February 2011. Multiple rapid pulses of DBD plasma therapy can cause electro-deformation of cells, which opens pores and disrupts cellular membranes. Nuccitelli, R., et al., "Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Cause Melanomas to Self-destruct", Biochem. and Biophys. Res. Commun. 343, pp 351-360, 2006; Qin, H., et al., "Molecular Dynamics Analysis of High Electric Pulse Effects on Bilayer Membranes Containing DPPS and DPPS", Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions, Volume 34, Issue 4, pp 1405-11, 2006. Although surgical incision is still the best way to remove primary melanoma, there is still a need to target cells that escape surgical resection.
In recent years, atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasmas have been used in various medical applications. Laroussi, M., "The Biomedical Applications of Plasma: A Brief History of the Development of a New Field of Research", Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions, Volume 36, pp 1612-4, 2008. Since non-thermal plasmas do not give off heat they can be therapeutic. Non-thermal plasmas are non-toxic, and can promote sterilization.
Currently, non-thermal plasma is being investigated for its potential role in wound healing, tissue incision, protein destruction, cell and tissue modification, bacterial inactivation as well as cancer treatment. See, respectively, Fridman, G., et al., "Blood Coagulation and Living Tissue Sterilization by Floating-Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Air", Plasma Chemistry & Plasma Processing, Volume 26, Issue 4, pp 425-42, August 2006; Vankov, A. et al., "Nanosecond Plasma-mediated Electrosurgery with Elongated Electrodes", Journal of Applied Physics, Volume 101, pp 124701-7, 2007; Stoffels, E., et al., "Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Charged Species and Their Interactions with Cells and Tissues", Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions, Volume 36, Issue 4, pp 1441-57, 2008; Gaunt, L. F., et al., "Bactericidal Action of the Reactive Species Produced by Gas-Discharge Nonthermal Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure: A Review", Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions, Volume 34, Issue 4, pp 1257-69, 2006; Kim, G. C., et al., "Air Plasma Coupled with Antibody-conjugated Nanoparticles: A New Weapon Against Cancer", J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., Volume 42, pp 032005-10, 2008; and Esser, A. T., et al., "Towards Solid Tumor Treatment by Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields", Technol. Cancer Res. Treat., Volume 8, Number 4, pp 289-306, August 2009.
Non-thermal plasma is an ionized gas with electron densities of 1011-1014 [1/cm3] and typical energies of 1-5 [eV]. Despite its high energy, non-thermal plasma exhibits near room temperature characteristics due to the low number density of electrons. Thus, non-thermal plasma is suitable for biological applications such as cell and tissue processing.
A plasma torch is a good source of reactive species, which have been shown to induce apoptosis due to the energetic electrons. Klaunig, J. E., et al., "The Role of Oxidative Stress in Carcinogenesis", Annual Rev. Pharmacol. and Toxicol., Volume 44, pp 239-67, February 2004. Recent studies have shown that non-thermal plasma can induce apoptosis to a limited extent. Gregory, F. et al., "Floating Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma in Air Promoting Apoptotic Behavior in Melanoma Skin Cancer Cell Lines", Plasma Chemistry & Plasma Processing, Volume 27, Issue 2, pp 163-76, April 2007.
Tirapazamine (referred to in the art as SR-4233 or TPZ) is an investigational drug for treating cancer. At sufficiently low levels of oxygen (referred to in the art as hypoxia), commonly found in solid tumors in humans, TPZ is activated to a toxic radical, causing cell death. It is characteristic of tumor cells to be resistant to treatments of radiotherapy and many anti-cancer drugs. TPZ is a powerful cytotoxic agent that encourages programmed cell death (referred to in the art as apoptosis) by inducing disruptions in single and double stranded DNA, as well as chromosomal breaks. Additionally, TPZ causes cells to become more sensitive to other ionizing radiation and other cytotoxic agents. As such, since TPZ is activated to its toxic form preferentially in the hypoxic areas of solid tumors, the benefits of the combination of TPZ with conventional anti-cancer treatments can be realized.
The chemical structure of TPZ is a benzotriazine di-N-oxide and its chemical name is 3-Aminobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazine 1,4-dioxide. It was originally formulated in 1972 for use as an herbicide, or weedkiller, and was not used clinically until over a decade later, in 1986. Clinically, TPZ has had only been minimally effective in trials; however, it has been used as a central compound in the development of several more recent compounds that have better cancer-treating properties.
As shown below, TPZ recycles between the inactive and active states:
For example, P450 (cytochrome) oxidoreductase (otherwise known in the art as POR), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocycstein methyltransferase reductase (otherwise known in the art as MTRR), and FAD-dependent oxidoreductase domain containing 2 (otherwise known in the art as FODRED2) can be suitable reductases; however, any suitable reductase known in the art is contemplated. For example, it is believed that tirapazamine produces hydroxyl and/or benzotriazinyl radicals as DNA damaging reactive species. The free radicals that are generated within the nucleus of the cell cause single- and double-stranded breaks in DNA, base damage, and cell death. Tirapazamine also inhibits topoisomerase II, an enzyme that is responsible for cutting both strands of a DNA helix simultaneously in order to manage super coils and avoid tangling of the chromosomes. The inhibition of this enzyme results in impaired ability of the cell to repair radiation-induced DNA breaks. Tirapazamine causes hypoxic cells to become more sensitive to the damaging effects of ionizing radiation. Moreover, tirapazamine can downregulate HIF-1α (or HIF1α) expression by decreasing HIF-1α protein synthesis. HIF-1α expression can indicate a cancer that is resistant to anticancer drugs, for example, topoisomerase I inhibitors. However, tirapazamine has not been used with non-thermal plasma clinically because of its toxicity.
Therefore, there is a long-felt need for a combination therapy for treating cancer. There is also a long-felt need for a combination therapy for treating cancer featuring a non-thermal plasma and a plasma torch. Additionally, there is a long-felt need for a therapy for primary and recurrent melanoma. Furthermore, there is a long-felt need for a combination therapy for treating cancer featuring a non-thermal plasma and a DNA damaging agent that promotes cell death where the DNA damaging agent is arranged to activate only under a low oxygen condition. There is also a long-felt need for a non-thermal plasma device which is versatile and effective at inducing apoptosis and/or necrosis and reactive oxygen species. Finally, there is a long-felt need for a combination therapy for treating cancer where the components of the therapy promote cell toxicity individually and in conjunction.

Combination therapy for treating cancer and method for treating cancer using a combination therapy


Level shifters, memory systems, and level shifting methods are described. According to one arrangement, a level shifter includes an input configured to receive an input signal in a first voltage domain, an output configured to output an output signal from the level shifter in a second voltage domain different than the first voltage domain, a plurality of pull-down devices, and wherein one of the pull-down devices is coupled with the input and the output, a plurality of cross-coupled devices coupled with the pull-down devices and configured to provide transitions in the output signal as a result of transitions in the input signal, a plurality of current limiting devices coupled with the cross-coupled devices and configured to limit a flow of current from a source to the cross-coupled devices, and a plurality of dynamic devices configured to selectively provide charging current from the source to the cross-coupled devices.

Level shifters are known in the prior art and are utilized to convert signals in a certain voltage domain to signals in another voltage domain. For example, level shifters may convert signals in a lower voltage domain (e.g., 0-1 V) to corresponding signals in a higher voltage domain (e.g., 0-5 V). In some applications, level shifters are used to implement operations in memory applications to store digital information using a plurality of memory cells.
Numerous parameters are considered in the design of level shifters for use in memory. For example, level shifters are designed for robustness across technology process corners and to operate at fast speeds. In addition, some memory arrangements may use thousands of level shifters, and accordingly, real estate, I/O delay and power requirements of the level shifters are also considered in memory designs.
At least some embodiments are directed towards level shifters, memories, and level shifting methods as described more fully below.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for producing at least one local coating on a substrate is provided, as well as a combinatory substrate having such a local coating, a mask that is removable in a non-destructive manner being arranged on the substrate in a first step; the mask having at least one perforation, the perforation being at least partially filled with a reactive solution in a second step; and a coating reaction of the reactive solution with the substrate surface being induced in a third step to form the local coating.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for producing and testing composite systems.
The discovery and development of new substances and materials is a primary goal of the material sciences, of chemistry and the science of pharmacology. However, the search for suitable compounds is often very costly and time-consuming. To be able to conduct this search more effectively and inexpensively, a systematic methodology, which has become known as "combinatory chemistry", was introduced in the pharmaceutical and then also in other application fields quite a few years ago. Here, several potentially interesting compounds are produced and analyzed quasi in parallel. The advantage of this method is that it allows automation, so that high processing speeds are possible in a minimum of time.
The basis of this method is the use of substrates on which a multitude of chemical compounds that may possibly have a useful property are applied spatially separate from each other. In some cases the production of such substrates constitutes a challenge. For instance, if possible materials for electrodes are to be tested with the aid of a combinatory substrate, the corresponding electrodes are galvanically deposited by hand or anodically oxidized according to the deposition methods currently in use.
For each electrode material to be deposited, the entire substrate is immersed in a corresponding electroplating dip, the substrate is electrically contacted at least in the region of the electrode material to be deposited, and a sufficient quantity of the metallic electrode material is deposited by applying a corresponding galvanic voltage between substrate and electroplating dip. To obtain electrodes of the second type, anodic oxidation of the deposited electrode material in an appropriate metallic salt solution may be carried out in addition. In a final step, the substrate is taken out of the electroplating dip, and a rinsing operation is implemented. The number of the various electrode materials provided on a substrate is thus equal to the number of individual deposition operations that must be carried out.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device that allow the production of local coatings on a substrate in an effective and thus inexpensive manner.

Method for producing a local coating and combinatory substrate having such coating


A leveling tool having: a body, including a first face and an opposite second face, the first and second faces defining a thickness between them, the body defining a first side surface, a second side surface opposite said first side surface, a first end surface, and a second end surface substantially opposite said first end surface; at least one level indicator disposed within the thickness; and a clip removably attachable to each of the first and second faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates to measuring tools and devices, and more particularly compact leveling tools.
2. Description of the Related Art
Leveling tools are commonly used in a variety of industrial fields. In their most basic form, they allow the user to determine whether a surface is level. Leveling tools typically consist of a transparent sealed vial that is mounted in a frame. The vial contains some liquid, typically a non-polar liquid such as alcohol or ether, but is not entirely filled. This allows a small bubble of gas to remain in the vial. Since the vial is sealed, the position of the gas bubble within the tube indicates whether the vial is level. The frame includes a long flat side surface often oriented parallel to the vial. The flat side surface may be placed on a flat surface to quickly and accurately determine whether the flat surface is level.
The spirit level, used by many workers in building construction, has two or more level vials positioned at right angles with respect to each other. This allows the leveling tool to register vertical as well as horizontal positions. Such spirit levels have been in common use for hundreds of years. Typical levels are often several feet in length.
One particular type of spirit level is the "torpedo" (or canoe) level, so named for its shape. "Torpedo" levels are typically small (often as small as 2 or 3 inches) and have tapered ends. The body of such levels generally contain two or three level vials. The "torpedo" level is useful for making measurements in small spaces and may be carried in a toolbox or pocket.
Several attempts have been made to improve levels including: adding magnets to the face or side surface of the leveling tool to allow it to be temporarily fixed to metal surfaces, providing additional level vials at different angles to allow leveling at multiple angles/orientations, indenting the side surface of the body to allow it to more easily rest upon cylindrical surfaces, and adding movable parts that allow for adjusting relative positions of the level vials with respect to the body of the level. Despite these improvements, a need remains for an improved leveling tool that simply and effectively levels at multiple angles, that can be inserted into confined work spaces, and that is easily transported and carried on a job site.


A mobile device may obtain time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements from wireless signals transmitted by a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes may include synchronized nodes that are synchronized to a time reference and an unsynchronized node that has a time synchronization error relative to the time reference. An estimated location of the mobile device can be determined based on the TDOA measurements. Another estimated location of the mobile device can be determined based on other data, such as the mobile device scanning an object having a known location. The time synchronization error can then be determined based on a distance between these estimated locations. Once the time synchronization error has been determined, it can be used to correct subsequent TDOA measurements involving the unsynchronized node.

Signals from satellite-based positioning systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), are often used to determine locations of mobile devices. GPS signals, however, are not always received reliably, such as when the receiver is located inside a building. In addition, the accuracy of GPS location fixes for many receivers is no better than about 10 meters.
As an alternative to GPS, wireless signals transmitted by terrestrial signal sources can be used to determined locations of mobile devices. In one approach, a terrestrial signal source transmits a wireless signal that includes an indication of its transmission time. A mobile device receives the wireless signal at a reception time. The difference between the reception time and the transmission time is the time it took for the wireless signal to propagate from the signal source to the mobile device. The propagation time can then be related to the distance between the mobile device and the signal source based on the speed of light. If distances between the mobile device and multiple signal sources are determined in this way, the location of the mobile device can be determined by triangulation. This approach, however, is subject to error when the mobile device's time reference is not synchronized with the signal source's time reference.
In an alternative approach, a mobile device can receive a first wireless signal transmitted by a first signal source and a second wireless signal transmitted by a second signal source, with each of the first and second wireless signals including a respective indication of its transmission time. Based on the transmission times and reception times of the respective wireless signals, the mobile device can calculate a difference between the propagation times for the wireless signals transmitted by the first and second signal sources. The propagation time difference is often described as a "Time Difference of Arrival" (TDOA) measurement. Based on the speed of light, the TDOA measurement can be used to define a set of possible locations for the mobile device. Typically, the possible locations lie on hyperbolas having foci corresponding to the locations of the two signal sources used for the TDOA measurement. The mobile device may also obtain one or more additional TDOA measurements, based on wireless signals transmitted by one or more additional pairs of signal sources, to define one or more additional sets of possible locations for the mobile device. The location of the mobile device may then be calculated based on where the sets of possible locations (e.g., hyperbolas) defined by the TDOA measurements intersect.
The TDOA approach has an advantage in that it reduces or eliminates mobile-device time synchronization errors associated with the mobile device using a time reference that is not synchronized with that of the signal sources. For example, by calculating a propagation time difference, the mobile-device time synchronization errors in the individual propagation times from the signal sources can cancel out. Nonetheless, the calculated propagation time difference can be subject to signal-source time synchronization error if the two signal sources are not synchronized to the same time reference. Thus, signal sources used for TDOA measurements are typically synchronized to the same time reference, such as a time reference based on GPS signals, in order to avoid signal-source time synchronization errors.

Method and system for determining time synchronization errors in time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements


The present disclosure describes a method and a system for interconnecting a first and a second three-phase alternating electric networks. The system comprises a first transformer having secondary windings for producing a first and a second secondary three-phase voltages, each phase of the first secondary voltage being out of phase with respect to one of the phases of the second three-phase voltage by a first angle; a second transformer having secondary windings for producing a third and a fourth secondary, three-phase voltages, each phase of the third secondary voltage being out of phase with respect to one of the phases of said fourth voltage by a second angle different from said first angle; a plurality of variable reactive impedances for establishing between each phase of the first and second voltages and two phases of said third and fourth voltages, two single-phase interconnections of variable susceptances, respectively; and a regulator for operating the variable reactive impedances to vary the susceptances of the interconnections so as to establish a desired transfer of electric active power from one of the first and second networks to the other network while maintaining at a desired level an electric reactive power engaged in said transfer of active power.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for interconnecting two three-phase alternating electric networks operating synchronously or asynchronously at alternating voltages of equal or adjacent frequencies. To carry out such interconnection, the method and system use interconnections in quadrature.
In the present specification and in the appended claims, the term "network" is used to designate both independent three-phase electric networks for the transport or distribution of electric energy or portions of such networks.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Most of the systems for interconnecting two alternating electric three-phase networks presently in operation are constituted by direct current interconnection ties comprising electric power converters carrying out from one network to the other an AC-DC-AC conversion of the electric current. Such an interconnection system has the disadvantage to require compensators for neutralizing the internal reactive power in order to maintain the voltage of the interconnection points at a desired level, as well as filters for attenuating the harmonics generated by the interconnection system.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,198 (ROBERGE et AL) issued on Nov. 4th, 1986, to the same Applicant, interconnection of two three-phase networks (each comprising phases A, B and C) by means of a plurality of variable reactive impedances is described. The variable impedances are operated to establish (a) three first interconnections, each having a first susceptance, between the phases A, the phases B and the phases C of the first and second networks, respectively, (b) three second interconnections, each having a second susceptance, between the phase A of the first network and the phase C of the second network, between the phase B of the first network and the phase A of the second network, and between the phase C of the first network and the phase B of the second network, respectively, and (c) three third interconnections, each having a third susceptance, between the phase A of the first network and the phase B of the second network, between the phase B of the first network and the phase C of the second network, and between the phase C of the first network and the phase A of the second network, respectively. A regulator measures electric parameters associated with at least one corresponding phase of the first and second networks and operates the three-phase variable reactive impedances in accordance with the so measured parameters in order to vary the susceptances of the interconnections. By appropriately varying the first, second and third susceptances, a desired transfer of active power from one of the two networks to the other can be established, while maintaining the reactive power engaged in such a transfer of active power at a desired level.
A drawback of the interconnection system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,198 is that the ratings of the elements of the interconnection system, in particular the variable impedances, must be selected to support a relatively important quantity of reactive power (vars) for each watt of active power transferred. The rating vars/watt of the impedances is accordingly high, thereby increasing the costs of the interconnection system.

Method and system for interconnecting in quadrature two synchronous or asynchronous three-phase networks


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thiodicarboxylic acid ester which has high long-term storage stability without inhibiting antioxidant properties and wear-resistant properties of the thiodicarboxylic acid ester.

Lubricating oils are used in various fields of technology, such as engine oils, driving system oils, processing oils, and grease. The basic effects thereof are to adjust friction and prevent wear. It is required to improve antioxidant properties of lubricating oils for achieving a long-term use thereof. In addition to these basic effects, lubricating oils exhibit various effects (such as hydrolysis stability and anticorrosive properties) and are applied to various uses. Lubricating oil additives exhibiting a plurality of effects resulting from one kind of additive have been known. For example, zinc dithiophosphoric acid has been known in the art as an additive exhibiting both antioxidant properties and wear-resistant properties. Additives as above exhibiting a plurality of effects are advantageous because amounts of other additives can be reduced, there is no need to add other additives, the cost of lubricant oil can be reduced, and problems resulting from many kinds of additives present therein (for example, a problem that one additive counteracts the effect of the other additive and the like) can be solved.
Thiodicarboxylic acid esters such as thiodipropionic acid esters have been known as sulfur-based antioxidants (for example, see Patent publications 1 and 2). It has been known that the additives have wear-resistant properties as well as antioxidant properties (for example, see Patent publication 3). Thiodicarboxylic acid esters exhibit two properties, i.e., antioxidant properties and wear-resistant properties, but they have the drawbacks of poor storage stability and an increase in acid value of products during a long-term storage. In general, the increase in acid value of an additive is not preferable because properties of the additive are inhibited and performance of a lubricating oil composition comprising the additive is inhibited. In particular, as the acid value of thiodicarboxylic acid esters is gradually increased over time, the acid value is different, depending on the timing for use. Therefore, in general, thiodicarboxylic acid esters have not been used as lubricating oil additives because it is difficult to obtain lubricating oil compositions comprising the same and having stable performance.

Lubricating oil additive composition and method for improving storage stability of lubricating oil additive composition

Abstract: In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a lubricating oil additive composition which is characterized by containing a compound (A) represented by general formula (1) and a compound (B) represented by general formula (2) and by having an acid value of 0.01-0.4 mgKOH/g.

Abstract: (in the formula, R1 and R4 each independently represent a hydrocarbon group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms and R2 and R3 each independently represent an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms)

Abstract: (in the formula, R5 represents a hydrocarbon group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms and R6 and R7 each independently represent an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms).


A flow control system comprises includes a fluidic control device having a main fluid path for a flow of fluid through the device, and a control fluid path for a control flow of fluid through the device. At least part of the control fluid path coincides with at least part of the main fluid path to control the flow of fluid out of the fluidic control device. A valve is associated with the control fluid path. The valve is movable between an open condition to allow fluid to flow along the control fluid path to effect the aforesaid control of the fluid flow out of the fluidic control device, and a closed condition to inhibit or prevent fluid flow along the control fluid path.

This invention relates to flow control systems. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to flow control systems for use in gas turbine engines. Embodiments of the invention relate to flow control systems for modulating secondary flow in a gas turbine engine.
In gas turbine engines, it is often necessary to be able to control a secondary fluid flow, for example in cooling air or in the flow of engine oil.


This invention is in the field of medical intervention related to the lacrimal system. The invention relates to a lacrimal system device and methods of using the device for drug delivery to an eye, sinuses and/or periocular tissues.

A variety of challenges face patients and physicians in the area of ocular and respiration disease or disorder management, including adequate drug delivery to the eyes or nasal passage and treatment of dry eyes. In ocular management, for example, many current ocular drug delivery systems require repetitive manual drug administration and are often ineffective due to a lack of patient compliance or inadequate drug concentrations reaching the eye. Many current tear flow blockage techniques also have drawbacks, including being irreversible in nature.
A previously used approach of drug delivery to an eye or periocular tissues can be to place a removable, drug-releasing punctal implant into a punctum. It is believed that by allowing for the sustained release of one or more drugs, the present punctal implants can overcome some of the drawbacks associated with current drug administration (i.e., manual drop instillation), such as poor patient compliance, waste, untimely application, or non-localized delivery. One approach to blocking of tear flow from the eye is to place a removable, but retainable, punctal implant into the punctum, commonly called punctal plugs. Such punctal plugs have been suggested to provide an avenue for extended release drug delivery, however they suffer from several drawbacks including: dislodgement and displacement (especially if a patient rubs the eye or lid too vigorously or sneezes), limited medication reservoir capacity, and uneven delivery of therapeutic agents in patients with poor tear production as agent dispersal is dependent upon distribution via dilution in available tears on the tear film of the eye. What is needed is a device that can supply long term, steady release of therapeutic agents to treat subjects in need of delivering active agents to the eye and/or periocular tissues.

The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate


A start timing instructing device includes a sensor attachable to the body of a player to detect changes in angle and/or acceleration associated with a backswing movement of the player. A variable resistor sets a start timing associated with a predetermined angle and/or acceleration data and has a volume by which the set start timing is adjustable. A microprocessor calculates an angle and/or acceleration data of the backswing movement based on the detected angle and/or acceleration and generates a start timing instruction if the calculated angle and/or acceleration data meet the angle and/or acceleration data which have been set and adjusted through the variable resistor and the volume. The microprocessor controls a stimulator attached to the body of the player to generate a vibration, sound or electric stimulation upon receiving the start timing instruction so as to inform the player of the body start timing for the downswing.

Conventional golf swing training machines include machines which conduct the downswing (for example, see patent document 1). They provide a ball hitting action training machine to obtain stability in hitting (for example, see patent document 2) and in addition, as they may be "action analyzing training machines", disclosed in patent document 3. The "action training machines" photograph the player's form, etc. with a camera and allow the player to correct his/her form by recognizing differences between his/her own form and the ideal form by repeating slow-motion replay, stop-motion replay, etc. Further, a method as disclosed in the publication of patent document 4 has been developed, in which the player's golf swing form is photographed with a camera and, while tracking a specific part of the player's body, for example, the center of the forehead, as a target using pattern recognition, a wave pattern of the trajectory and a video image of the swing form are synthesized and the synthesized image is displayed, and correcting training machines are disclosed in the publication of patent documents 5, 6, etc.

Device for instructing downswing in golf swing


A method of designing an integrated circuit device having a plurality of arrays of cells on a chip and a plurality of circuit blocks larger in scale than the cells and embedded among the arrays of cells, including the steps of placing the cells and the circuit blocks in a region of a chip, grouping adjacent ones of the circuit blocks, generating a group power supply ring around the grouped circuit blocks and a block power supply ring around another one of the circuit blocks, and generating a grid-shaped pattern of internal power supply interconnections on the chip which are connected to the group power supply ring or the block power supply ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of designing an integrated circuit device, and an integrated circuit device designed by such a method, and more particularly to an improvement in power supply ring interconnections for circuit blocks such as macros in an integrated circuit device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large-scale integration (LSI) circuit devices have a network of power supply interconnections for supplying electric energy to circuits on LSI circuit chips. Circuit blocks such as macros can be embedded in gate arrays, which are a type of LSI circuit. In such gate arrays, blocks that have a circuit scale greater than cells comprising basic cells are embedded in a region where basic cells are arranged regularly. Standard cell chips have an array of circuit cells arranged in a column, the circuit cells having different sizes along the column and also different bulk structures respectively. In such standard cell chips, large-scale circuit blocks are embedded among arrays of circuit cells.
Generally, a ring of power supply interconnections is disposed around blocks, and connected to power supply terminals of the blocks. The ring of power supply interconnections is connected to a grid pattern of power supply interconnections in a cell array region outside of the blocks.
ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) such as gate arrays and standard cells are generally designed using an automatic interconnection designing software package as a designing tool. According to a process of mechanically providing blocks with a power supply ring using such a designing tool, however, if a plurality of blocks are positioned closely to each other, it is difficult to generate power supply interconnections while effectively utilizing an available space.

Layout algorithm for generating power supply interconnections for an LSI circuit


An adjusting device for a power nailer includes a connection member connected to the barrel of the nailer and the trigger and an adjusting bolt are respectively connected thereto. The adjusting bolt is threadedly connected to the connection member and an end of the adjusting bolt is connected to a movable member which is connected to an end of a link of a safety device. A retaining member such as a torsion spring is connected between the movable member and the link. By rotating the adjusting bolt, the link is adjusted a distance to the nose of the nailer. The retaining member allows different types of the links and the movable members to be connected each other.

Conventional power nailers or staplers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,729, U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,896 and publication number 2003/0019901 include a safety device and an adjustable device installed close to the nose of the nailer. However, it is experienced that the safety device is composed of a plurality of links and the adjustable device is located at the middle portion of the safety device, so that the links shake when operating the adjustable device. The adjustment cannot be precisely completed due to the shaking. Besides, the adjustable device is located away from the handle or the trigger so that the user has to use one hand to hold the handle and operate the trigger, and the other hand to operate the adjustable device. Furthermore, the adjustable device and the safety device are secured correspondingly so that different safety devices or adjustable device cannot be replaced.
The present invention intends to provide an adjustable device that is located close to the trigger and connected to the safety device by a retaining member which allows different types of safety devices or adjustable devices to be connected with each other.

Adjustable device for adjusting safety device of power nailers


The invention is bedding for covering one or more persons in bed, with extra fabric at the head end of the bed to prevent drafts and to facilitate tucking bedding around bed occupant(s). The wide head bedding has a top edge, a foot edge, two side edges and at least one obtuse angle connecting the foot edge to at least one side edge so that the top of the bedding is wider than the bottom. In addition, the invention includes methods of making a bed with wide head bedding to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the bed.

This invention relates to bedding articles. Specifically to blankets, sheets, comforters, spreads, bed coverings and the method of making a bed using these articles.
There are many bedding articles on the market and in use in households and institutions all over the world, including sheets, blankets, comforters and spreads. These articles are made by many different manufacturers and of many different materials. They typically come in standard sizes to fit standard mattresses. They all serve the same basic purpose, to provide a layer of material for covering a person or persons in bed.
One very common likeness of these bedding articles is that they are rectangular in shape, with the head end and the foot end of the bedding articles having the same width. When people sleep or lie in bed there is a strong tendency to move around and cause openings between the bed coverings and mattress allowing cold air or drafts on the bed occupant(s). In addition, the bed occupant(s) may wish to tuck the bed coverings under one or both sides of the upper body. However, standard rectangular bed coverings typically do not provide sufficient material for bed occupant(s) to adequately prevent drafts. The present invention provides for extra material at and near the head end of the bed so that a person or persons in bed will be able to use that extra material to cover themselves, to prevent drafts, or to tuck under or around their body.

Wide head bedding and method for making a bed fitted with wide head bedding


This invention provides volatile, intramolecularly coordinated amido/amine alane complexes, H.sub.2 Al{(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)NC.sub.2 H.sub.4 NR.sup.3 }, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl. These aluminum complexes show extremely high thermal stability and deposit high-quality aluminum films at low temperatures. They are capable of selectively depositing aluminum films on metallic or other electrically conductive substrates with wide process window.

The present invention relates to the synthesis and use of new aluminum compounds as precursors for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to obtain high-quality aluminum films. More particularly, the present invention relates to new precursors for chemical vapor deposition of aluminum, which are non-pyrophoric and stable in the gas phase at elevated temperatures to maintain their molecular integrity, and use thereof.
Chemical vapor deposition of aluminum films has attracted much attention as conventional deposition techniques such as sputtering are expected to be problematic for processing ultra large scale integration (ULSI) devices in the microelectronics industry. However, CVD method requires organoaluminum precursors which are volatilized and decomposed to produce aluminum films.
Triisobutylaluminum (TIBA) is one of the organoaluminum precursors which has received the most attention among the trialkyl aluminum compounds as CVD precursors because of its ability to deposit high-purity aluminum films (A. Malazgirt et al., Metallugical Transactions B 1980, vol. 11B, 225; M. A. Green et al., Thin Solid Films 1984, vol. 114, 367; and B. E. Bent et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, vol. 111, 1634). However, TIBA has a tendency to decompose to the less volatile diisobutylaluminum hydride in the gas phase (K. W. Egger, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1969, vol. 91, 2867) and gives aluminum films of poor reflective properties (R. A. Levy et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 1987, vol. 134, 37C). Dimethylaluminum hydride (DMAH) has been reported to be a substantial improvement over TIBA or other alkyl aluminum complexes (R. Bhat et al., J. Cryst. Growth 1986, 77, 7), but a later study showed that the levels of carbon contamination in the Al.sub.x Ga.sub.I-x. As layers deposited from DMAH were identical to those obtained from trimethylaluminum (A. C. Jones et al., J. Cryst. Growth 1990, 100, 395).
Donor-acceptor complexes of alane (AliH.sub.3) such as trihydrido(trialkylamine)aluminum (D. R. Carley et al., U.S. Pat. No., 3,375,129) have been reported to be used for aluminum plating since the late 1960s and have recently attracted much attention as precursors for CVD of aluminum (W. L. Gladfelter et al., Chem. Mater. 1989, 1, 339). These tertiary amine alanes are less air-sensitive than the trialkylaluminums. Since there is no aluminum-carbon bonds in these compounds, carbon incorporation in the deposited films is minimized. A major problem for these complexes is their low thermal stability. Trimethylamine alane (TMAA) has been used as a precursor for CVD of aluminum and demonstrated high growth rates and low growth temperatures. Despite its high stability compared to other amine alane complexes, a disadvantage of TMAA as a practical CVD precursor is that it is a solid with a relatively high melting point. A few alane complexes with bulkier amines, such as triethylamine, diethylmethylamine and dimethylallylamine, are known to be liquids (J. K. Ruff et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1960, 82, 2141). However, the thermal stability of tertiary amine alane complexes decreases as the amine gets bulkier.
Though dimethylethylamine alane (DMEAA) has been reported to be the optimal tertiary amine alane complex since it is a volatile liquid with considerable thermal stability (W. L. Gladfelter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,099), several problems still remain to be solved. DMEAA dissociates to give free amine, alane, and aluminum during storage as well as during vaporization processes. Excess amine is added to the precursor vessel to avoid the dissociation of the precursor during storage. However, this cannot solve the problems arising from the intrinsically poor vaporization behavior of DMEAA at elevated temperatures originating from its thermal instability. Aluminum particles have been reported to be observed in the gas phase during the CVD process using DMEAA (M. G. Simmonds et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 1991, A9, 2782).

Amidoalane precursors for chemical vapor deposition of aluminum


The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for generating and executing queries. A query is received. A set of structure elements associated with the query is determined, wherein the structure elements are used for accessing, in a database, data tuples associated with the set of structure elements. Optionally, the set of structure elements is reduced for accessing data tuples to the structure elements selected. Contributing structure elements are added to the reduced set to not produce objects in the result set but for creating associated objects. Contributing structure elements are handled in an optimized way to keep the data set on which the query result set is calculated as small as possible. This is done by using the smallest set of characteristics in the group-by clause for retrieving the data set to calculate the requested set of structure elements. A result set of the query is provided.

Users can use database queries, for example, to access specific information in a database. For example, databases can be relational, hierarchical, in other forms or structures, and/or some combination thereof. Query languages can use standard commands, including structured query language commands that provide a level of abstraction and ease-of-use for users to identify the information to be queried. For example, users can enter and modify queries manually. Further, queries can be generated automatically based on user selections, e.g., from user interfaces that allow a user to identify particular fields and/or information to be displayed and conditions and/or parameters for identifying the information.
Some queries, depending on their scope and structure, can be quite complex. Further, some queries can become inefficient and/or may require a significant amount of execution time for the query to run. For example, some queries may perform JOINs of tables or other structures, and some query processing can result in large numbers of tuples of information being accessed, e.g., when Cartesian products occur. Other query inefficiencies may exist.

Efficient query optimization for selective use of structure elements


An improvement to a seat having relatively adjustable sections to improve the rocking means of each separate seat section to move back and forth in a longitudinal rocking, move downwardly and sliding backwardly, to thereby more effectively and efficiently assist in the comfort of the individual. The improvement includes a seat rocking member such as an arch shaped suspension affixed to the lower portion of each seat half and affixed at only one side to the upper surface of the base. The resilience of the arch shaped suspensions permits and limits the seat to move downwardly and slide backwardly, when a force such as the weight of a person pushes downwardly on the seat. The resilience of the arch shaped suspensions further permits and limits the seat to rock back and forth to thereby enable the user to independently rock back and forth in a front to back rocking arrangement on each seat half.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved rocking seat design and construction. In particular, the present invention relates to therapeutic seat design and constructions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, posture chairs and various seat configurations used as an integral part of the posture chair are known in the prior art. One of the inventors of the present invention is Joseph A. Berg and is a pioneer in having developed and patented several seating arrangements which have helped to provide greater comfort to individuals as they sit on a seat. The following patents have been issued to either inventor Joseph A. Berg individually or to co-inventors Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,323 issued Joseph A. Berg on Jul. 16, 1957 for "Self-Aligning Seat Construction" (hereafter "the '323 Patent").
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,195 issued Joseph A. Berg on Mar. 5, 1963 for "Self-Aligning Seat Construction" (hereafter "the '195 Patent").
3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,442 issued Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames on Jul. 31, 1973 for "Seat Having Relatively Adjustable Sections" (hereafter "the '442 Patent").
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,757 issued Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames on Sep. 13, 1977 for "Seating Structures With Flexible Backs" (hereafter "the '757 Patent").
5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,485 issued Joseph A. Berg and Loren W. Eames on Jun. 18, 1991 for "Front And Back Adjustable Rocking Seat Support Arrangement For Seat Having Relatively Adjustable Sections" (hereafter "the '485 Patent").
In each of these Patents, the object was to provide a seat construction which readily responded to or accommodated itself to the position of the body of the person occupying it. The object was to provide a seat which was self-aligning and which was so constructed that it allowed each side of the body of the occupant of the seat to move normally and independently of the other without restraint.
The '323 Patent discloses a seat having two separate halves. Each half is supported independently by coil spring members mounted between the seat half and the base plate.
The '195 Patent discloses an improvement over the '323 Patent. The seat disclosed in the '195 Patent also includes two separate independent halves. Each half is supported by a resilient cushioning pad placed underneath the seat half.
The '757 Patent discloses a seat unit having a flexible seat back. The seat back is separated into two halves to support a user's back at opposite sides of the user's spine.
The '422 Patent discloses an improvement over the '323 Patent and the '195 Patent. Each seat half of the '422 Patent is supported by a universal joint support which allows the seat half to be rocked. Each seat half further comprises a localized recess offset rearwardly from the universal joint for receiving the ischial tuberosity bones of the user of the seat.
The '485 Patent discloses an improvement over the '442 Patent. The improvement of the '485 Patent comprises a seat rocking means such as a cylindrical rod affixed to the lower portion of each seat half and a pair of spaced apart resilient receiving means for each seat half to movably and rotatably support a seat half on the base of the seat. The improvement restricts the movement of each separate seat section to move only back and forth in a longitudinal rocking motion as compared to the universal movement of the '442 Patent.
The seat having adjustable sections as disclosed and claimed in the '485 Patent had many beneficial effects. However, one disadvantage of the '485 Patent is that it has too many mechanical moving components and it is therefore too expensive to manufacture. Another disadvantage of the '485 Patent is that an adjustable device has to be used to limit the amount of front rocking motion. The adjustable device was created for that purpose only and it adds additional mechanical requirements. Therefore, to correct this problem with the seating arrangement disclosed in the '485 Patent, it is necessary to eliminate the adjustable device and also to reduce the mechanical components on the seating arrangement. Another purpose is to reduce the cost in manufacturing the seating arrangement for the consumer sector.
Various other posture seating and seat arrangements are known in the prior art and the following patents are representative of such arrangements:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 633,087 issued to Johnson on Sep. 12, 1899 for "Chair" (hereafter "the Johnson Patent").
2. U.S. Pat. No. 1,990,661 issued to Middleton on Feb. 12, 1935 for "Vehicle Seat" (hereafter "the Middleton Patent").
3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,941 issued to Grosfillex on Jul. 23, 1968 for "Article For Seating Furniture" (hereafter "the Grosfillex Patent").
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,699 issued to Dungan on May 20, 1986 for "Sit-Kneel Chair" (hereafter "the Dungan Patent").
5. German Patent Publication No. 35 13 985 A1 published on Oct. 30, 1986 for "Tilting Chair Providing Back Pressure Relief" (hereafter "the German Patent").
The Middleton Patent discloses a vehicle seat and is of interest as being disposed upon a multiplicity of spherical members. However, the spherical members do not have a front and back locking and rocking arrangement.
The Dungan Patent is for the well known sit-kneel chair and discloses a pivotally mounted seat. However, movement is dependant upon a single bolt as opposed to the sphere and pin locking and rocking arrangement.
The Johnson Patent discloses a rocking chair including a seat which may tilt forward and rearward. However, the mechanism which consists of an arc shape support block is different than the present invention arrangement.
The Grosfillex Patent discloses a seat construction. The seat is supported on the leg frame by a pair of front hook devices and a rear clamping device.
Finally, the German Patent discloses a tilting chair of interest with respect to the ball. However, the tilting is performed by a spring and not by a locking and rocking arrangement.
Therefore, there is a need for an improvement on the rocking means of the seat having relatively adjustable sections as disclosed in the '485 Patent which will permit each of the seat halves to move independently of each other but in a modified manner.


A connector for an osteosynthesis system is intended to provide a connection between a rigid correction rod of circular cross section and a transverse connection element of a spinal osteosynthesis system. The connector comprises a hook having a first semicylindrical seat oriented substantially along a first axis to receive the correction rod in a sliding manner. The connector also having a second seat having an axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The second seat opening into the first seat to receive a substantially spherical end of a transverse rod of the transverse connection element. The second seat comprises a tapped hole with an axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the second seat in order to receive a clamping screw which will exert pressure on the spherical end of the transverse rod, the spherical end coming to bear on the correction rod.

The present invention concerns the field of spinal osteosynthesis, and more particularly the field of correction of the alignment of the vertebrae by means of a system comprising correction rods, hooks which can be fixed on the vertebrae, and transverse connection rods.
Such systems form a torsionally rigid correction frame.
As an example of the prior art, reference may be made to European patent EP95910695, published under number EP750477. This patent describes in particular a fixation hook for interconnecting a correction rod of a spinal osteosynthesis system and a rigid transverse rod and for clamping the correction rod against the transverse rod, said fixation hook comprising:                a body;        a passage defined by edge portions in said body for receiving the transverse rod, said passage having a first height at least equal to the thickness of the transverse rod, extending along the entire length of said body, opening freely out at one end and terminating at one end in an aperture defined in said body, and having a second height exceeding the thickness of the transverse rod;        a curved strip portion extending from said body so that a correction rod can lodge therein, said aperture being provided in a connection zone between said body and said curved strip portion;        a tapped hole defined in said body, which hole opens into said passage and is positioned in such a way that the axis of said tapped hole is in proximity to a free end portion of said curved strip portion;        a clamping screw inserted via a screwthread into said tapped hole in order to clamp a transverse rod in said passage on a correction rod lodged in said curved strip portion;        by which means the clamping screw, when it clamps said transverse rod, exerts a clamping force along a line which is offset in proximity to the free end portion of said curved strip portion in relation to the central axis of the correction rod in such a way as to cause a pivoting movement of the transverse rod about said correction rod.
Another known European patent published under number EP446092 describes another device for rigid transverse connection between two spinal osteosynthesis rods. This device comprises two fixation elements, each consisting of a hook which is adapted to be able to engage on a rigid transverse rod in a sliding manner, and equipped with means for locking it on the transverse rod. This hook is made up of a body and two blades separated by a gap having a width corresponding to that of the transverse rod, and a support bearing for the hook on the transverse rod is formed on the body between the blades, which blades extend on each side of the transverse rod when the hook straddles the latter. Two hooks combined with a rectangular transverse rod form a relatively simple transverse connection device which can be fitted in place quickly and has a high degree of rigidity in torsion and in flexion.
The transverse connection systems of the prior art require perfect parallelism of the two connection elements formed by rods or plates. In the case where the rods are not parallel, the surgeon has to bend the transverse connection element to adapt the fixation elements on the connection elements.
The solutions in the prior art permit free fixation in the frontal plane or in the sagittal plane, or in a combination of these two planes of rotation. However, they do not permit all of the desired relative orientations. They do not make it possible to avoid the operation of adapting the transverse elements by torsion, or to avoid arrangements which are not favorable to the overall rigidity of the osteosynthesis system in relation to the prominence of the implants.

Connector for an osteosynthesis system intended to provide a connection between two rods of a spinal osteosynthesis system, osteosynthesis system using such a connector, and method of implanting such an osteosynthesis system


An automotive lightguide includes a main guide portion with a light entrance surface and a reflective rear edge surface; and an exit lens joined to the main guide portion, the exit lens having an exit surface with an arcuate exit profile. In use, light rays from a light source enter the main guide portion through an entrance surface, travel through the main guide portion and reflect off the rear edge surface to the exit lens which images the reflected light rays as a light beam pattern having a predetermined sharp horizontal cutoff and a predetermined horizontal spread, the arcuate profile of the rear edge surface determining the horizontal cutoff and vertical spread of the light beam pattern with respect to the horizontal optical axis H-H, and the exit profile of the exit lens determining the horizontal spread of the light beam pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a lightguide used in a vehicle LED headlamp to generate a low beam or a fog beam. The lightguide forms a sharp horizontal cutoff with horizontal spread, and finds application in automotive beam patterns including SAE low beam, SAE\ECE Fog, and other uses. The lightguide provides a main body with a reflective rear edge surface whose arcuate profile determines a horizontal cutoff and an exit lens whose arcuate exit profile determines a horizontal spread of the emitted light beam pattern. Lightguides are used in motor vehicles, but are not limited thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, a single LED light source was used to make beam patterns with different horizontal cutoffs and horizontal spreads. In low beam and fog pattern applications, in the prior art, LED light sources were used with reflectors, thick lens, and elliptical with projector lens. Internal mirrors, shields or folders were used to form horizontal spreads.
Other lightguides are known in U.S. Pat. No. 7,607,811 (Okada); U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,860 (DeLamberterie); EP 1992868 (Gasquet); EP 1992868 (DeLamberterie); EP 1895228 (Gasquet); U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub 2009/0135621 (Muegge); U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub 2009/0091944 (DeLamberterie); U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub 2006/0285347 (Okada); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,672 (Du).
U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub 2009/0091944 (DeLamberterie) discloses various high beam patterns obtained by a planar light source using a curved reflector having a concave parabolic rear reflective surface and providing a vertical light exit aperture through which parallel light rays produced by a light source pass out of the reflector in a collimated manner (FIG. 3). DeLamberterie FIG. 12 discloses a horizontal cutoff being achieved by disposing the light source so that the optical focus of the parabolic rear edge is situated on the rear edge of the light source instead of being situated at the center of the light source. DeLamberterie FIG. 13 discloses an embodiment where the vertical light exit aperture is convex towards the front, in an elliptical profile, and the rear reflective surface has a hyperbolic profile with a convexity turned towards the rear. In this embodiment, a first focus is situated on the light source, and a second focus is merged with a focus of the light exit aperture. The light rays passing out of the reflector are parallel to the optical axis.

Lightguide with horizontal cutoff and horizontal spread


A low DC power rail-to-rail buffer amplifier is suitable for liquid crystal display application. The buffer amplifier comprises: a dc bias stage, a pair of complementary differential amplifiers, a second stage amplifier, and output stage. The dc bias stage is used for the dc bias of the differential amplifiers and the second stage to obtain a rail-to-rail operation. This buffer amplifier can be operated in the power supply ranges of 5.5 V to the breakdown voltage. Simulated results show that the circuit draws only 5.3 μA static current.

With the evolution of compact, light-weight, low-power and high quality displays, there is a large demand to develop a low-power dissipation, high-speed, high resolution and large output swing Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD) driver. An LCD driver is generally composed of column drivers, gate drivers, a controller, and a reference source. The column drivers are especially important for achieving high-speed driving, high resolution, low-power dissipation and large output swing. A column driver generally includes registers, data latches, digital-to-analog converters (DAC's) and output buffers. Among those, the output buffers determine the speed, resolution, voltage swing and power dissipation of the column drivers. Due to the thousands of output buffer amplifiers built into a single chip, the buffer should occupy a small die area, and its static power consumption should be small. The output buffer should offer an almost rail-to-rail voltage driving which can accommodate higher gray levels. Also, the settling time should be smaller than the horizontal scanning time. For a UXGA (1600×1200) display, the pixel clock frequency is 162 MHz and its horizontal scanning time is only 9.877 μs.

Low DC power rail-to-rail buffer amplifier for liquid crystal display application


Novel superhard dielectric compounds useful as gate dielectrics discovered. Low temperature methods for making thin films of the compounds on substrate silicon are provided. The methods comprise the step of contacting a precursor having the formula H3X—O—XH3, wherein X is silicon or carbon with a compound comprising boron or nitrogen in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or with one or more atomic elements in a molecular beam epitaxial deposition (MBE) chamber. These thin film constructs are useful as components of microelectronic devices, and specifically as gate dielectrics in CMOS devices.

Recently, the challenge of creating smaller dimensions in microelectronic devices has demanded the use of new materials for the gate dielectric—either thinner silicon oxide layers or new compounds having a higher dielectric constant.
Silicon dioxide (SiO2) is a classical refractory material and the most common gate dielectric in microelectronic devices. Its structure is made up of SiO2 tetrahedra in which each oxygen forms two bonds with neighboring Si atoms ((SiO4)−4 tetrahedra connected through bridging oxygens). The performance of SiO2-containing devices is limited by dopant diffusion out of poly-Si and direct tunneling through SiO2, and when off-state, power dissipation becomes comparable to active power.
Current efforts are focused on replacing SiO2 with nitride (Si3N4) or oxynitride (SiOxNy) films with K ˜5-7.5 [1-6] or with alternative higher K (˜20-30) films [7,8]. In recent years, nitride oxides (silicon oxynitrides) have been widely investigated as possible substitutes for SiO2 because of their higher stability and durability, their ability to prevent boron diffusion, and their higher dielectric constant. The introduction of three-coordinate nitrogen into SiO2 increases the cross-linking in the structure, resulting in a compound having higher density, strength, and hardness in comparison to the pure silicon oxide. Compounds in the Si—O—N system exhibit good thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability, as well as diffusive barrier and dielectric properties [9]. In addition, Si2N2O has superior oxidation resistance and thermal shock resistance compared to Si3N4. Most of the reported Si—O—N systems are amorphous and appear to have a higher dielectric constant than the pure oxide.
However, crystalline materials with well-defined compositions and structures have been sought which will give significant improvements in mechanical and electrical properties over more amorphous forms of these compounds. The synthesis of phases with well-defined composition and structure is desirable because it may lead to significant improvements and/or controllability in the mechanical, electrical, and dielectric properties [10, 11].
One such phase is stoichiometric, silicon oxynitride (Si2N2O), a refractory material having all the aforementioned and desirable properties. Si2N2O has the high-pressure B2O3 structure [12] and is composed of SiN3O tetrahedral, corner-linked by O and N atoms. This structure is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this structure, the oxygen bridges two Si (as in SiO2) and the N and Si atoms are, respectively, in three and four fold coordination as in Si3N4 [13].
The synthesis of this compound and the search for related silicon-based dielectric materials has been the focus of intense research because of their potential for enhanced performance compared to SiO2 and Si3N4 based devices [14,15]. However, despite their attractive properties, a suitable synthesis technique for silicon oxynitrides and related dielectrics at relatively low processing temperatures, as required in silicon device technology, is still lacking.

Superhard dielectric compounds and methods of preparation

Arizona Board of Regents, acting for and on behalf of, Arizona State University


Methods and systems for laser soft marking, especially for semiconductor wafers and devices, are provided. A laser-marking system for marking a semiconductor wafer to form a softmark on the wafer is provided. The system includes a laser subsystem for generating one or more laser pulses and a controller operatively connected to the laser subsystem. The controller sets a laser pulse width of the one or more laser pulses to selectively provide one or more laser output pulses having one or more set pulse widths that affect the depth of a softmark that is to be formed. The mark depth is substantially dependent on the one or more set pulse widths. The controller further sets a pulse energy of the one or more output pulses to selectively provide the one or more output pulses having a set total output energy that is within an acceptable process energy window for producing the softmark.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and systems for laser soft marking, especially for semiconductor wafers and devices.
2. Background Art
Lasers have been used for laser marking semiconductor wafers for decades. A listing of representative patents and publications generally related to laser marking is now provided. U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,090 relates to dot marking of wafers. The following representative patent references relate to various aspects of laser marking of wafers and electronic assemblies, illumination, and inspection/reading marks: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,656; 4,945,204; 6,309,943; 6,262,388; 5,929,997; 5,690,846; 5,894,530; 5,737,122; and Japanese Patent Abstract 11135390.
The following representative references provide general information on various laser marking methods and system configurations and components: "Galvanometric and Resonant Low Inertia Scanners", Montagu, in Laser Beam Scanning, Marcel-Dekker, 1985, pp. 214-216; "Marking Applications now Encompass Many Materials", Hayes, in Laser Focus World, February 1997, pp. 153-160; "Commercial Fiber Lasers Take on Industrial Markets", Laser Focus World, May 1997, pp. 143-150. Patent Publications: WO 96/16767, WO 98/53949, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,965,042; 5,942,137; 5,932,119; 5,719,372; 5,635,976; 5,600,478; 5,521,628; 5,357,077; 4,985,780; 4,945,204; 4,922,077; 4,758,848; 4,734,558; 4,856,053; 4,323,755; 4,220,842; 4,156,124.
Published Patent Applications WO 0154854, publication date Aug. 2, 2001, entitled "Laser Scanning Method and System for Marking Articles such as Printed Circuit Boards, Integrated Circuits, and the Like" and WO 0161275, published on Aug. 23, 2001, entitled "Method and System for Automatically Generating Reference Height Data for use in a Three-Dimensional Inspection System" are both assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Both applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The visibility of laser marks as seen by a vision system (or by operator visual inspection) may depend on several factors including mark depth, debris, etc. which in turn depend on laser material-interaction. For certain wafer marking applications the conventional wisdom leads to relatively large marking depths which may provide for good readability, but increasing susceptibility to subsurface damage.
Wafer marking systems have long been provided by the assignee of the present invention. WaferMark™ system, produced by the assignee of the present invention for several years, is believed to be the first industrial laser marking system on silicon wafer. Specifications include a 120 μm marking dot diameter hard marking for 300 nm wafers. This meets the SEMI standard specification M1.15. A "soft marking specification" exists for wafer back side soft marking, including marking rough surface back side wafers up to 200 mm wafer. On the "Sigma Clean" system, a backside-marking option is provided for both front and backside marking for up to 200 mm wafer.
There are roughly two kinds of laser marks currently used by the industry, namely soft marks and hard marks. Various marking systems for producing both "hard marks" and "soft marks" are manufactured by the assignee of the present invention. One such currently available system is the GSILumonics Wafermark® Sigma Clean® is used to produce a type of softmark called Supersoftmark®. This mark is generally characterized as "debris free". These marks are typically produced with diode pumped, q-switched pulse laser systems. Such Supersoftmarks® are produced with the laser system typically operating in a narrow "energy window", a range of energies having an upper limit and lower limit wherein acceptable marking occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,656, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, is the foundation of the current laser technology for soft marks. It describes a method which is characterized by the steps of irradiating by means of a laser pulse, a surface segment which has a surface area corresponding to 1.5 times to 6.5 times the surface area of the desired surface pattern, and adjusting the energy of the laser pulse so that only in the center of the surface segment, and on a surface corresponding to the surface pattern, the semiconductor material is melted and partially vaporized. The pattern generated usually has, relative to the original semiconductor surface, a raised annular rim and a recessed center, as shown in FIG. 5.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,656, the depth of the recess can be controlled by energy density, i.e., the depth of the recess will be increased if there is a corresponding increase of the energy density in the center of the pulse.
It is well known, however, that the process window for the energy density for generating such marks (commonly known as the super soft marks) is very small. Therefore, the adjustment of the depth of the recessed area by changing the energy density on the part is very limited. In addition, there are certain depth ranges that cannot be achieved by simply adjusting the energy or energy density.
For example, one can increase the laser energy from 970 μj to 980 μj to get the upper energy limit of the super soft mark, shown in FIG. 6. Since the energy process window for super soft mark in only around 10 μj in this case, the difference in depth between the two marks is very small. If one has to generate a mark with a depth about 2 μm, for example, it is very difficult, and perhaps impossible, with of laser marking technology developed to date.
As the semiconductor fabrication technologies evolve, soft marks on wafers with different mark depths are required to accommodate the new processes. It is, therefore, very desirable to have a laser marking technique that provides easy adjustment for the marking depth of the super soft marks.

Method and system for laser soft marking


In order to allow for a flexible network configuration and establish an alternative path without performing communication between optical branching units in the event of a failure on a path in an optical communication system to which a plurality of optical branching units are connected, the optical branching unit includes optical add-drop unit for outputting an input WDM signal to any of a plurality of paths on a per-wavelength basis, light wavelength detecting unit for detecting a wavelength of the input WDM signal, a wavelength database storing, on a per-wavelength basis, information about sections through which optical signals contained in the WDM signal pass, and control unit for changing a setting of the optical add-drop unit so that a path of an optical signal of a wavelength passing through a particular one of the sections bypasses the particular section when all wavelengths stored in the wavelength database are not detected in the particular section by the light wavelength detecting unit.

Optical submarine cable systems are the basis of global networks. Thanks to advances in higher bit rate modulation technology and wavelength multiplexing technology, some optical submarine cable systems achieve traffic capacities greater than 1 terabit per second.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a conventional configuration of an optical submarine cable system related to the present invention. An optical submarine cable system 900 includes submarine cables 901 containing protected optical fibers, optical submarine repeaters 902 which compensate for attenuation along the optical fibers, optical branching units 903 each of which splits a submarine cable into two, and landing stations (stations A to F) 904 which are installed on land. The optical branching units 903 branch or couple wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) signals input from adjacent landing stations A to F or optical branching units 903. The optical branching units 903 are classified to a "fixed type" which branches or couples pairs of optical fibers while regarding two optical fibers as one pair and an "optical add-drop type" which branches optical signals of different wavelengths in one fiber pair.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a ring network system and a node unit that are used in an optical submarine cable system and include through, add, and drop functions.

Optical branching unit and optical branching method


A user can share digital content with another user or device using dynamically-generated barcodes. A user might request to share an electronic book (“e-book”), stored on a first device, with another user having a second device. The first device can generate a barcode that includes not only information about the identity of the e-book, but also information about the user or the first device, which can help to determine rights and/or access restrictions for the content. The second device can capture an image of the barcode generated on a display of the first device, and use information extracted from that image to attempt to obtain a copy of the e-book. Other types of barcodes can be generated based at least in part upon the context, such as where a user is attempting to locate a physical copy of a type of digital content in a retail location.

As the popularity of electronic books and other types of electronic media is increasing, there is an increasing desire to improve the ways in which media such as electronic book ("e-book") content is managed. For example, a person might want to obtain a copy of an electronic book that another person is reading. Using conventional approaches, the person wanting a copy must manually enter information for the e-book into an electronic device, or the person having the book can locate and send a URL from which the book can be obtained. Either approach can be somewhat time consuming, particularly where the manual entry or searching is done on a small mobile device that requires a user to select small virtual keys on a touch screen. Even in cases where a person owns a sharable copy of an e-book, that person generally must obtain and manually enter an email address or other identifier in order to provide that copy to the other person. If a copy is to be shared with multiple persons, the process becomes even more time consuming.

Dynamic barcode generation for content location


In the present invention, only an abnormality of detection of a rotating direction of a motor is detected and therefore, with simple processing and by using a table for judging the abnormality of the detection of a rotating direction of a motor and the rotating direction of the motor, the abnormality of the detection of a rotating direction and the rotating direction of the motor are judged at one time.

An electric power steering apparatus for applying a steering assist force to a steering mechanism of an automobile by a rotating force of a motor transmits a driving force of the motor by a transmitting mechanism such as a gear or a belt through a reduction gear to apply the steering assist force to a steering shaft or a rack shaft. An example of a structure of such an electric power steering apparatus is shown in FIG. 1 and will be described.
A shaft 102 of a steering wheel 101 is coupled to tie rods 106 of steered wheels through a reduction gear 103, universal joints 104a and 104b, and a pinion rack mechanism 105. The shaft 102 is provided with a torque sensor 107 for detecting steering torque of the steering wheel 101, and a motor 108 for assisting a steering force of the steering wheel 101 is coupled to the shaft 102 through the reduction gear 103. The motor control of the electric power steering apparatus is controlled by a control unit 109 by inputting a torque value detected by the torque sensor 107, a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor (not shown), a rotation angle of the motor detected by a Hall sensor 110, and the like to the control unit 109. The control unit 109 is mainly composed of a CPU and performs a motor control by using a internal program in the CPU.
In this electric power steering apparatus, the motor 108 is an important object to be controlled and a rotation angle sensor and a rotation position sensor are mounted to a rotor of the motor 108 to detect actual rotation angle and rotation position which are used for the motor control. At the same time as this, those sensors are monitored whether they are operating properly or not. An example of the motor control of such an electric power steering apparatus will be described by using a disclosure of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-184774.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a motor control disclosed in the above official gazette and a basic operation of the motor control is as follows. First, a magnetizing current command value id* and a torque current command value iq* represented by a d axis and a q axis are obtained. Next, current iu, iv, and iw actually passing through a motor M is measured and converted from three phase to two phase to obtain feedback current idf and idq. Deviations of the feedback current idf and the current iqf from the magnetizing current command value id* and the torque current command value iq* are calculated, respectively, and the deviations are input to a proportional integral circuit (PI circuit) to calculate voltage command values Vd*, Vq*. The calculated voltage command values Vd*, Vq* are converted from two phase to three phase to calculate three-phase voltage command values Vu, Vv, Vw. Command values of a PWM control are determined based on the voltage command values Vu, Vv, Vw, and a driving circuit performs a PWM control of the motor M based on the command values.
Here, a rotation angle sensor and a Hall element 216 as a position detecting sensor are mounted to the motor M. An angle θ of the rotor is calculated in an angle detecting circuit 210 based on a signal detected by the rotation angle sensor, Hall sensor signals from the Hall element 216 and the angle θ of the rotor are input, and an abnormality of the rotation angle sensor and an abnormality of the Hall element are detected by an abnormality detection processing circuit 200.
In this abnormality detection processing circuit 200, a detection abnormality of the Hall element 216 and a detection abnormality of the angle θ of the rotor are detected.
With this method of detecting the abnormality of the rotation angle sensor and the abnormality of the Hall element 216 which is the position detecting sensor, only the abnormal condition of the Hall element 216 which is the position detecting sensor is detected, so a rotational direction when the Hall element 216 is operating normally cannot be detected. Moreover, processing takes much time in referring to a table of criteria of judgment for judging whether the sensors are abnormal or normal, because a plurality of conditional statements are used. Moreover, because both the rotation angle sensor and the Hall element 216 are used, an abnormality judging processing becomes complicated.
The present invention has been made with the above-described circumstances in view and it is an object of the invention to provide a control unit for an electric power steering apparatus with which, by using simple position detecting sensors such as the Hall sensors, it is possible to judge an abnormality of rotational direction detection or a rotational direction when the rotational direction detection is normal in a short processing time and it is possible to detect a steering wheel relative steering angle by using information about the obtained rotational direction.

Control unit for electric power steering apparatus


An apparatus and method for monitoring pressure between the surface of a body part and a contact surface employ a plurality of pressure sensors disposed in a matrix array between the contact surface and the body part. The sensors produce analog force signals proportional to pressure, and a monitor receives the analog signals and produces output signals, preferably digital, having pressure data corresponding to the pressure at each sensor. A computer processor receives the output signals from the monitor to create a force profile for the sensor array. The sensors may be scanned as a read event in variety of manners, including periodic, continuous and triggered scanning. Where triggered scanning is desired, one or more switches act to initiate a read event. This monitoring apparatus and method is used, for example, to fit prosthetics, to monitor bed-ridden and wheelchair-bound patients, to reduce pain and sores caused by uneven distribution of pressure and to monitor pressure between a cast and a person. The sensors may be mounted on a single sheet or on strips for positioning along the body, and monitoring is accomplished by multiplexing and digitizing the analog force signals.

It is well known that the goals of medicine include both the prevention and the treatment of illness and injury. Since some form of pain to the body often accompanies illnesses and injuries, treatment may include protocols that help suppress or eliminate such pain. Thus, the focus of treatment is mostly directed to this primary pain associated with the trauma of the illness or injury, itself.
However, it is not unusual during the course of treatment for the patient to be subjected to conditions that are not ordinary in day-to-day life. For example, severe injury or prolonged illness can often result in the confinement of the patient to a bed or to a wheel chair. Some injuries, such as broken bones, and even some illnesses, are treated by the application of a support cast to a portion of the body to immobilize and support the body portions during convalescence. In the case of loss of limbs or amputation, treatment may include the provision of an appliance, such as a prosthesis, which may be attached to the body. In each of these cases, a contact surface of the object bears against an exterior surface portion of a body part either due to the weight of the body against the support surface or due to the weight of the item against the body part. The force of gravity therefore creates a pressure which is distributed over the area of contact with this pressure having a magnitude dependent upon such parameters as the area and contour of the contacting surfaces, the weight of the object or the person, the orientation of the contact surfaces to the direction of gravitational force, friction between the surfaces, etc.
Typically, these contact forces are not uniformly distributed over the contacting surface areas so that some localized areas experience a greater pressure than other areas. Areas of greater pressure over small surface areas tend to traumatize the body part, and this trauma can produce aggravating pain to the individual. Indeed, this trauma can be to such an extent as to ulcerate the skin to produce sores which are not only painful but also which may become infected. Further, swelling of the body part approximate to the area of trauma can even increase pressure which only serves to exacerbate the pain and the risk of sores.
For example, when a person is confined to an article of furniture, such as a bed or wheel chair, bed sores may develop on the legs and torso due to the weight of the person against the support surface of the article of furniture. Different pressures may result in a cast due to swelling or shrinkage of a body part confined therein so that portions of the exterior surface of the body part may be subjected to greater pressures and abrasion than other portions; this can again result in pain or ulceration. A prosthesis is usually mounted by receiving the stump (now commonly referred to as a residual limb) of a limb in a socket of the prosthesis so that pressure exists between a surface of the stump and the socket of the prosthesis. Changes in the body weight and muscularture of the person resulting from use of the prosthesis may effect the fit of the prosthesis on the stump which again cause hot spots leading to pain and ulceration of the exterior surface of the stump.
Heretofore, it has not been known to monitor the force profile of pressure over the exterior surface of the body part which contacts a surface of another object, and apparatus to monitor this pressure distribution to provide a force profile is not known to the inventors. There has been a long felt need, though, for an apparatus method which can measure the pressure distribution to produce a force profile of the contacting surfaces either so, that a better fit of a cast or a prosthesis may be had or so that potential hot spots can be identified at an early stage thereby allowing medical personnel to alter the contour or the orientation of the contact surfaces in an effort to help reduce or eliminate the excessive pressure in the localized area. The present invention is directed to the provision of such apparatus and method.

Apparatus and method for monitoring contact pressure between body parts and contact surfaces


A method and system for electrochemically measuring the sensitization to stress corrosion cracking of small pipes of plant structural members in a very short period of time. A micro electrochemical cell for measuring the sensitization is movably disposed within a BWR plant ICM housing or an instrumentation pipe. An electrochemical instrumentation system for performing the electrochemical potential variation such as pulse voltammetry and a remote control system for remotely controlling the electrochemical cell are provided.

The present invention relates to a method of measuring the sensitization of a structural material of a plant and a system for the same, and, in particular to a method of plant operation management based upon a sensitization measuring method concerned with the intergranular stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of a plant structural member made of, for example, a stainless steel. The present invention can be applied in any field where monitoring of the intergranular stress corrosion cracking of a structural member due to sensitization is possible, e.g. a thermal power generating plant and a chemical plant.
Methods of measuring the sensitization have recently been compiled by a subcommittee 63-2 of Boshoku Kyokai in a report published in "Boshoku Gijyutsu (Anti-corrosion technology), Vol. 39 N. 11, 1990). Among these prior art methods, a non-destructive sensitization measuring method of the type into which the method of the present invention is classified is described in "A method of measuring the electrochemical reactivation rate of stainless steel", Japanese Industrial Standard JIS GO 580 (1986). This technique is generally referred to as EPR 25 (Electrochemical Potentio-kinetic Reactivation) method. The nondestructive electrochemical sensitization measuring method is classified into this EPR method. In this method anode polarization is performed measuring method is classified into this EPR method. In this method, anode polarization is performed starting from the natural electrode potential. Immediately after reaching +0.3V using a saturated calomel reference electrode, the potential is swept in an opposite direction. After reactivation, the sweeping is terminated at a potential at which the anode current again becomes zero.
The result is determined by the following formula. The value is rounded to the first decimal place according to JIS Z 8401.
Reactivation rate (%)=(maximum anode current density in active mode in the forward path) / (maximum anode current density in active mode in the return path).times.100.
In the EPR method, the amount of sample liquid and the potential sweeping speed are prescribed as not less than 200 ml and 100.+-.5 mV/min, respectively. Accordingly, reduction in size of the electrochemical cell is limited to 200 ml in these conditions.
In the 33rd discussion on anticorrosion held in Nagano, Japan in 1990 and sponsored by Fushoku Boshoku Kyokai, lecture No. C-201 reports that an increase in anticorrosion current from the grain boundary apparently becomes higher than that in grains by irradiation with a laser beam. However, in this report, the relation between the irradiation with a laser beam and the sensitization of a member has not been studied.
There are a number of scientific literature publications on electrochemical pulse instrumentation. "Electrochemical Methods" published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1980), pp 176 to 206 mainly describe principles of reverse pulse, normal pulse, and differential pulse voltammetry in detail. Concerning the square wave voltammetry, quantitative analysis techniques using peak area are reported in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 36, pp 420 to 424 (1987). However, pulse voltammetry has heretofore been studied from the aspect of an electrical analysis technique of a very small amount of metal ions and as an analysis technique of electrochemical reaction mechanisms. There has been no study to detect the sensitization of structural elements using these pulse voltammetric instrumentation techniques for the management of plant operation. There has been no report that the sensitization of structural members can be detected by using the pulse voltammetric measuring technique.
It is preferable to execute the pulse voltammetry in a pulse mode. In the examples of the present invention which will be described hereafter, normal pulse voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry give excellent results.
The pulse voltammetry which can be performed in accordance with the present invention includes normal pulse voltammetry, reverse pulse voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, differential normal pulse voltammetry, square wave pulse voltammetry, etc.

Method and apparatus for measuring sensitization of structural members


An embodiment is directed to switchover operations with a mobile virtualized network device in a mobile device. The mobile virtualized hardware switchover operations may be used to selectively and temporarily provide virtualized control-plane operations to the data-plane of a non-redundant network device undergoing an upgrade or a reboot of its control plane. A non-redundant network device may operate hitless, or near hitless, operation even when its control plane is unavailable.

Modern networking devices such as switches are configured with a data plane (also referred to as the forwarding plane), a control plane, and a management plane.
The data or forwarding plane comprises an amalgamation of hardware and software components responsible for the routing of packets from one port of the device to another port and are optimized for speed, simplicity, and regularity. The data plane relies on routing and/or forwarding tables that are maintained in high-speed, often customized, memory or tables. In most implementations, data plane components typically include processors that interface with application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and high-speed memory across dedicated data buses or switch fabrics.
The control plane operates with the data plane and is primarily responsible for the populating and updating of the routing or forwarding tables, among other things. Control plane hardware components are typically optimized for customizability, handling policies and exceptions, and are often implemented via microprocessor(s) (often referred to as a host processor(s)) that implement instructions stored in local memory.
During software upgrade operation, particularly for non-redundant switches, the upgrade operation involves bringing down the control plane so the operating system or application executing in that operating space can be updated. While the data-plane can be left running, without the control plane, the routing and forwarding information in the data-plane and protocol state machine changes in the control plane can become stale or lost. Redundant equipment, which has its own independent set of data-plane and control-plane components, are often used in switchover operations to completely take over the role of the upgrading device.

Near-hitless upgrade or fast bootup with mobile virtualized hardware