A front structure for a vehicle body including a front frame which extends in the longitudinal direction of the side of the engine room of the vehicle. The front frame is formed of an outer frame and an inner frame connected together to form a closed cross section. A dashboard lower panel is disposed near the rear edge of the front side frame and extends vertically. A front floor extends rearward from the lower edge of the dashboard lower panel. A side sill extends in the longitudinal direction along the side of the front floor and is formed of an outer frame and an inner frame connected together to form a closed cross section. The side sill has a projection on its inward side at front end thereof which is connected to the rear portion of the front side frame.

A front structure is known in the art comprised of a side sill extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, disposed in the side portion of the floor panel and connected to a rear portion of a front side frame and a lower portion of a front pillar at the front end thereof. The front side frame extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and is connected to a side wall constituting part of an engine room. For example, Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 59-122973 discloses a front structure having a side sill. A step portion is provided on the upper surface of the side sill at the front end thereof. The front pillar is connected to the step portion at the lower portion thereof. On the other hand, it is well known in such a front structure that the rear end of the front side frame and the front inside surface of the side sill are connected to each other through a flange member. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,575 discloses a front structure having a strut mounting tower connected to the side wall constituting part of an engine room. A strut member is mounted to the strut mounting tower at the upper portion thereof, and the upper portion of the strut member inclines to the inside of the vehicle body.
In the front structure of a vehicle as described above, the strut member inclines to the inside of the vehicle body so that when the load front the strut member inputs to the strut mounting tower. The component force of the load to the inside direction acts on the strut mounting tower. The front side frame receives the component force, because the front side frame and the strut mounting tower are connected to the same side wall. The rear end of the front side frame is connected to the front inside surface of the side sill so that the component force acts at the right angle direction to the connecting plane between the front side frame and the side sill. This structure is disadvantageous because of the unreliability of the connection between the front side frame and the side sill.


A frequency divider (50) comprises complementary components (e.g., CMOS transistors) which are placed in two complementary portions (10, 20) with similar structures. The portions are coupled by four lines (131-134). Each line (e.g., 131) is coupled to a pair of transistors including a pull device (e.g., 271) and a hold device (e.g., 291). The devices receives identical signals from another line (e.g., 134) and the input signal X in the same, non-inverted form. The devices have complementary logical functions because of their complementary structures (serial.backslash.parallel) and complementary components (P-FET, N-FET). When a line (e.g., 131) is pulled to a reference line (e.g., 91), contention between the devices is substantially avoided. There is no need to provide the input signal X in a non-inverted and in an inverted form.

Frequency dividers receive an input signal X of the input frequency f.sub.X and generate an output signal Y of the output frequency f.sub.Y =f.sub.X /N, most of them with an integer division ratio N. Usually, frequency dividers are implemented as T-flip-flops or blocks with digital logic elements, such as inverters, AND-gates, OR-gates, transfer gates and the like. Such logic elements inherently exhibit delay. For example, an inverter transfer signals with a delay time t.sub.D. If t.sub.D is significantly shorter than the binary states change of an incoming signal (e.g., t.sub.D <1/f.sub.X), than t.sub.D can be neglected. However, if t.sub.D is in the range of the input signal X (e.g., t.sub.D .apprxeq.1/f.sub.X), the output signal Y can come too late and can be unreliable.
The delay time t.sub.D and therefore the speed of any frequency divider is influenced by many factors, such as, for example, the carrier flight time, the charging time of capacities, propagation delay, and contention. The speed depends therefore on the manufacturing technology and on the circuit design. For example, the speed of a present day CMOS frequency divider using a T-flip-flop is limited to about f.sub.X =500-600 MHz. For higher frequencies, other technologies, such as, e.g., BiCMOS or ECL are often used. For modern telecom applications, there is the need to integrate frequency dividers into CMOS signal processing chips. To save costs, the frequency divider should be designed in the same technology as the rest of the chip and additional manufacturing steps should be avoided.
Examples of prior art approaches are described in:
1! U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,752--Yokomizo;
2! Published Application JP-5-347554--Mon;
3! Craninckx et. al.: A 1.75 GHz/3V Dual-Modulus Divide-by-128/129 Prescaler in 0.7-.mu.m CMOS, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, V.31, No.7, July 1996;
4! Rogenmoser, R., et. al.: A 1.16 GHz dual modulus 1.2-.mu.m CMOS prescaler, Proc. IEEE 1993 Custom Integrated Circuits Conf., San Diego, May 1993, pp. 27.6.1-4;
5! Foroudi, N., and Kwasniewski, T.: CMOS High-Speed Dual-Modus Frequency Divider for RF Frequency Synthesis, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, v. 30, No. 2, 02/1995; and
6! Rogenmoser, R., et. al.: 1.57 GHz Asynchronous and 1.4 GHz Dual-Modulus 1.2-.mu.m CMOS prescalers, IEEE 1994 Custom Integrated Circuits conference.
FIG. 1 shows a master-slave arrangement of prior art frequency divider 99 (hereinafter T-FF 99). FIG. 1 is a combination of FIGS. 1A-B of reference 2!. T-FF 99 has a master side (in FIG. 1 left) and a slave side (right) which receive input signal X and inverted input signal X. The underlining of the symbol indicates the inversion. On the master side, the input of inverter 1 is coupled to the output of inverter 2 (inverted outputs are denoted with a circle). The output of inverter 2 is coupled to the input of inverter 1. PMOS 3 is coupled between the input of inverter 1 and high supply line VDD. PMOS 3 is gated by input signal X. NMOS 4 and NMOS 6 are serially coupled between input of inverter 1 and low supply line VSS. NMOS 6 is gated by inverted input signal X. NMOS 4 is gated by signal Q from the slave side. PMOS 9 is coupled between the input of inverter 2 and high supply line VDD. PMOS 9 is gated by input signal X. NMOS 8 is coupled between input of inverter 2 and NMOS 6. NMOS 8 is gated by signal Q from the slave side. On the slave side (FIG. 1 right), the inputs and outputs of inverter 10 and inverter 11 are cross-coupled. PMOS 12 is coupled between in input of inverter 10 and high supply line VDD. PMOS 12 is gated by inverted input signal X. NMOS 13 and NMOS 16 are serially coupled between the input of inverter 10 and low supply line VSS. NMOS 16 is gated by input signal X. The gate of NMOS 13 is coupled to the output of inverter 2 of the master side. PMOS 14 is coupled between the input of inverter 11 and high supply line VDD. PMOS 14 is gated by inverted input signal X. NMOS 15 is coupled between output of inverter 10 and NMOS 16 and gated by the output of inverter 1 of the master side.
Signals Q and Q (inverted Q) are available at the inputs of inverter 10 and 11, respectively. T-FF 99 divides the input frequency f.sub.X of input signal X to output frequency f.sub.Y of signals Q and Q by N=2: that is f.sub.Y =f.sub.X /2. It is a drawback of prior art T-FF 99 that the input signal is supplied in a not-inverted (X) and in an inverted form (X). The inverter which is required to obtain X causes a delay limiting the maximum input frequency f.sub.X.
Reference 4! shows a dynamic frequency divider circuit having a true-single phase clock input (see 4!, FIGS. 2A-B). The frequency divider of reference 3! is a master-slave arrangement in a standard ECL-D-flip-flops arrangement which was implemented in CMOS (see 3!, FIGS. 6A-B). Both the master and the slave receive the input signal and the inverted input signal. The frequency divider in 1! comprises a D-type flip-flop receiving the input signal, a D-type flip-flop receiving the inverted input signal and an additional gating circuit at the output to speed up operation. The frequency dividers known in the art required either an inverted clock input or a full swing input signal for operation.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need to provide an improved frequency divider and method which overcomes some or all of the deficiencies of the prior art.


A method and system for monitoring a mobile ad-hoc network node (e.g. a network enabled aircraft) is provided. The method includes, receiving a message notifying when the ad-hoc node is preparing to join the ad-hoc network; and determining based on a threshold value, when the ad-hoc node should be joining a monitoring system that tracks the status and availability of ad-hoc nodes. The method generates a status message if the ad-hoc node fails to join the monitoring system. The message is received by the monitoring system via and external source to the ad-hoc network. The system includes a data center that receives the message notifying when the node is preparing to join the ad-hoc network; and determines based on a threshold value, when the ad-hoc node should be joining the ad-hoc network and monitoring system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to network monitoring, and more particularly, to a method and system to manage ad-hoc network nodes.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer networks exist and operate in various forms. Networks include local area networks, wide area networks, wireless networks, the Internet and others. An ad-hoc network, as used herein throughout the specification is a network that is constantly changing. An ad-hoc network node is an entity that is capable of joining or leaving the ad-hoc network at any given time.
Various entities exist that may fall within the ad-hoc network node concept described above. For example, aircrafts, ships, boats, trains, buses and even automobiles can be classified as ad-hoc network nodes if they are monitored using a network. With today's changing global society it is important to efficiently and reliably monitor these ad-hoc network nodes. The term node and ad-hoc network node; and network and ad-hoc network are used interchangeably throughout this specification.
Conventional monitoring systems fail to effectively monitor ad-hoc network nodes. For example, in the case of aircrafts, currently, ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) a standard message format incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, SITA Flight Briefing Service and other similar systems report data on aircraft flight operations by sending and receiving radio frequency or facsimile messages from a ground station. ACARS and SITA collect information on an aircraft and send messages from the aircraft to a ground station where the messages are sent to a computer.
Although useful, the data reported by ACARS and the other available systems is delayed and sometimes interrupted or not available for a number of reasons, such as the aircraft being out of range, or weather conditions, etc.
Real-time aircraft location/position data (may also be referred to as navigation data), for example, longitude and latitude of an airborne aircraft may be collected via satellites. An airplane communicates with one or more satellite and data is sent to a satellite gateway. The gateway in turn provides navigation data to one or more ground stations. Real-time information and ACARS messages are often un-correlated and hence under utilized.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and system that can receive plural data inputs and efficiently monitor ad-hoc network node (for example, aircraft) status.

Method and system for monitoring ad-hoc network nodes


In various embodiments, image sensors include photosensitive pixels, associated vertical CCDs, sense nodes each accepting charge from one or more of the vertical CCDs, and readout circuitry accepting signals from the sense nodes.

CCD image sensors typically include an array of photosensitive areas (or "pixels") that collect charge carriers in response to illumination. The collected charge is subsequently transferred from the array of pixels and converted to a voltage from which an image may be reconstructed by associated circuitry. FIG. 1 depicts a conventional CCD image sensor 100 that contains an array of pixels 110 (each of which may include or consist essentially of a photodiode) arranged in columns. A vertical CCD (VCCD) 120 is disposed next to each column of pixels 110, and the VCCDs 120 are connected to a horizontal HCCD (HCCD) 130. Following an exposure period, charge is transferred from the pixels 110 into the VCCDs 120, which subsequently shift the charge, row-by-row in parallel, into the HCCD. The HCCD then transfers the pixel charge serially to output circuitry that includes a floating diffusion sense node 140 and an output buffer amplifier 150. The charge from the HCCD is converted, pixel-by-pixel, into voltage at the sense node 140 and amplifier 150, and the signal is then transferred to additional circuitry (either on-chip or off-chip) for reconstruction into an image.
Systems such as digital cameras utilizing CCD image sensors typically need to operate at high frame rates for, e.g., machine vision applications and video display. For cameras using conventional CCD image sensors, these high frame rates can result in high power consumption to generate so many horizontal scanning CCD clocking voltages and currents. Much of the power is generally lost to heat, which degrades the operation of the camera through higher imager dark current. Other potential disadvantages include increased readout noise due to the high signal-sampling frequency utilized during the readout operation.
One technique that has been utilized to address the power-consumption and noise issues with CCD image sensors is the separation of the pixel array and the readout circuitry onto separate chips, which are then bonded together. For example, FIG. 2 depicts an image-sensor system 200 consisting of an imaging array chip 210 and a readout chip 220. As described above with respect to FIG. 1, fabricated on chip 210 are columns of pixels 230 (individual pixels are not depicted for convenience) each adjoined by a VCCD 240. A readout circuit 250 is fabricated on the discrete chip 220, and chips 210, 220 are electrically and physically connected in hybrid fashion via multiple ball bonds 260. However, hybrid systems such as system 200 are expensive and involve complicated fabrication steps, as typically the chips 210, 220 are each fabricated with different semiconductor fabrication processes. Moreover, these hybrid systems are often less reliable than single-chip solutions due to the chip-to-chip interconnections. Thus, there is a need for monolithic CCD image sensors having reduced power consumption, low noise, and high reliability.


This invention relates to an acid resistant adhesive composition, comprising at least one polychloroprene; at least one epoxy silane; at least one amine silane; at least one unsaturated silane; and at least one organic solvent. The acid resistant adhesive composition according to the present invention exhibits excellent initial peel strength and final peel strength after being soaked in electrolyte solution and shows good acid resistant property.

Lithium ion batteries have been widely used as rechargeable batteries in portable terminal devices such as cell phones, laptops, cameras and the like due to their high energy output despite their extremely thin shape and compact size.
One of the limitations for the development of the lithium ion battery is the packaging material to house the positive electrode, the negative electrode, the separator and electrolyte solution of the lithium ion battery. The electrolyte solution in the lithium ion battery typically contains lithium salts, such as LiPF6 and LiBF4, serving as electrolytes. In the presence of water, the lithium salts will be hydrolyzed to form hydrofluoric (HF) acid and cause corrosion to metal surfaces. Therefore, the packaging materials are commonly made of a polymer layer attached to a metal layer, such as a polyethylene (PE) layer or polypropylene (PP) layer attached to an aluminum layer or a nickel layer. The polymer layer functions as a protection layer for the metal layer against the corrosion of the electrolyte solution.
However, polymer materials usually have small polarizability and are extremely difficult to be adhered. In order to bond the polymer layer to the metal layer, the surface of the polymer layer is often required to be treated firstly. Chromate conversion treatment has been proven to be one of the most effective methods for this purpose. Grafting modification is also used to improve the bonding strength between polymer layer and metal layer. The polymer layer grafted with a polar monomer can have a higher surface polarity which will improve the adhesion strength between the polymer layer and the metal layer.
Although much progress has been made in the development of attaching a polymer layer to a metal layer, the peel strength between the two layers is not high enough to meet the demand of packaging materials used for lithium ion batteries. In addition, the process for the treatment of the surface of the polymer layer is also complicated and costly. Therefore, there is a need for developing an acid resistant adhesive composition for improving the bonding between the polymer layer and the metal layer and protecting the metal layer from the corrosion of the electrolyte solution.


Sequentially applying two different coatings, in two steps, to metallic surfaces. Metallic surfaces are contacted at temperatures from 10-100xc2x0 C. with aqueous solution A and then with aqueous solution B, or vice versa, wherein

This invention relates to a process for forming a coating and an organic coating.
The invention is particularly concerned with at least two different coatings on metallic surfaces and preferably on aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc or of an alloy containing aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium and/or zinc.
The term xe2x80x9cconversion coatingxe2x80x9d is a well known term of the art and refers to the replacement of native oxide on the surface of a metallic material by the controlled chemical formation of a film on the metallic surface by reaction with chemical elements of the metallic surface so that at least some of the cations dissolved from the metallic material are deposited in the conversion coating. Other coatings are formed on the surface of the metallic material without or without significant deposition of constituents dissolved by chemical reactions with the metallic material.
In the search for alternative, less toxic coatings than chromium containing coatings, research has been conducted on non-conversion coatings and on conversion coatings based e.g. on zirconium and/or titanium as well as fluoride containing aqueous solutions instead of chromium bearing solutions.
However, there is considerable room for improvement in the adhesion and corrosion protection properties of prior titanium/zirconium-fluoride based coatings. The need for improvement is particularly true for coatings on certain metal alloys, such as 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000 and 6000 series aluminum alloys, which coatings can have variable adherence or no adherence.
Over the years there have been numerous attempts for the replacement of chromating chemicals by ones less hazardous to the health and the environment. Their major disadvantage is that they either form coatings with poor paint adhesion properties or there are working concentrations required showing a risk of blue discoloration which does not disturb performance but makes the process undesirable in the eyes of the users. Zirconium and titanium based coating processes have found some applications in certain market niches, but they have failed in the past 25 years to replace chromating as a pretreatment prior to painting especially of aluminum, magnesium, zinc or their alloys.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface treatment process for the surface of a metallic material which overcomes, or at least alleviates, one or more of the disadvantages or deficiencies of the prior art. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an aqueous, titanium/zirconium-fluoride containing coating solution for use especially together with a further organic coating or paint. Specifically, it was an object of this invention to propose such a process to suit industrial requirements of short time formation of the coating and of near-ambient operating temperature.
It has been discovered that the combination treatment of a titanium/zirconium-fluoride treatment with an application of self assembling molecules can greatly promote corrosion resistance and paint adhesion of the coating.
According to the present invention, there is provided a process of treating metallic surfaces showing at least two separate steps for applying two different coatings one after the other, whereby the metallic surfaces are contacted at a temperature in the range of from 10 to 100xc2x0 C. first with an aqueous solution A and later on with an aqueous solution B or vice versa characterized in that the solution A contains an effective amount of zirconium, hafnium, titanium, silicon and/or boron as well as of fluoride in the form of ions and/or complex ions able to pickle the metallic surface and to generate a coating on the pickled metallic surface and that the solution B contains an effective amount of one or more compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X*, where Y is an organic group with 2 to 50 carbon atoms, where X as well as Z is a groupxe2x80x94each same or differentxe2x80x94of OHxe2x80x94, SHxe2x80x94, NH2xe2x80x94, NHRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94, CNxe2x80x94, CHxe2x95x90CH2xe2x80x94, OCNxe2x80x94, CONHOHxe2x80x94 (=hydroxamic), COORxe2x80x2 (=alkyl ester), acrylamide-, epoxide-, CH2xe2x95x90CRxe2x80x3xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94, COOHxe2x80x94, HSO3xe2x80x94, HSO4xe2x80x94, (OH)2POxe2x80x94, (OH)2PO2xe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)POxe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)PO2xe2x80x94, SiH3xe2x80x94, Si(OH)3xe2x80x94, where Rxe2x80x2 is an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, where Rxe2x80x3 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and where the groups X and Z are each bound to the group Y in their terminal position, where Y* is an organic group with 1 to 30 carbon atoms, where X* as well as Z* is a groupxe2x80x94each same or differentxe2x80x94of OHxe2x80x94, SHxe2x80x94, NH2xe2x80x94, NHRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94, CNxe2x80x94, CHxe2x95x90CH2xe2x80x94, OCNxe2x80x94, CONHOHxe2x80x94 (=hydroxamic), COORxe2x80x2 (=alkyl ester), acrylamide-, epoxide-, CH2xe2x95x90CRxe2x80x3xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94, COOHxe2x80x94, HSO3xe2x80x94, HSO4xe2x80x94, (OH)2POxe2x80x94, (OH)2PO2xe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)POxe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)PO2xe2x80x94, SiH3xe2x80x94, Si(OH)3xe2x80x94,  greater than Nxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94PO(OH)2xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Nxe2x80x94[CH2xe2x80x94PO(OH)2]2-where Rxe2x80x2 is an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, where Rxe2x80x3 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
The process according to the invention may be characterized in that the metallic surfaces consist essentially e.g. of aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc or of an alloy containing aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium and/or zinc. p In the following it is not distinguished between the metallic surfaces and the already coated metallic surfaces, especially, if both possibilities may be possible at the same time, e.g. with reaction products and deposited compounds of the solution A not to make the text too complicate as the expert in the art knows what is meant. Furtheron, it is not distinguished by this term, if there is a very thin xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d oxide and/or hydroxide layer. This oxide and/or hydroxide layer is typically extremely thin, mostly of few nm thickness. The solution A according to the invention may react chemically with the metallic surface by depositing cations in the coating being dissolved from the metallic material, but must not. Therefore, the coating is not generally called a conversion coating, although this may be in some cases a conversion coating.
Further on, it is preferred to have in the solution A concerning the fluoride content of the solution a high or very high percentage of complex fluoride and no or a low percentage of fluoride ions. In the case that in the same solution A titanium and zirconium would be present, it is preferred that the content of titanium is higher than the content of zirconium. On the other hand, it may be often preferred to have a content mainly or only of zirconium referring to chemical elements selected from the group of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and boron. Normally, no further additive is necessary for the use of solution A; in the case that a further additive is necessary, then surfactants, acids, or alkaline materials may be added. The coating formed by contacting the metallic surface may be a conversion or may be a non-conversion coating, depending on the type of metallic surface and on the contacting conditions. This coating is favorably located directly on the very thin oxide/hydroxide layer formed on the metallic surface or even directly on the metallic surface and contains often titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron as well as hexafluoride and/or oxide/hydroxide. In the process according to the invention, the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* used in the solution B may preferably show a group Y with 3 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferred with 4 to 20 carbon atoms, much more preferred with 4 to 16 carbon atoms, especially preferred with 9 to 14 carbon atoms as well as a group Y* with 2 to 24 carbon atoms, more preferred with 3 to 20 carbon atoms, much more preferred with 4 to 16 carbon atoms, especially preferred with 9 to 14 carbon atoms. It is preferred that the groups X* and Z* of the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* are each bound to the group Y* in their terminal positions. In preferred embodiments, the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* are able to form self assembling molecules which may form a layer, especially a thin layer or even a monolayer, of these self assembling molecules (SAM) on the metallic surfaces.
These compounds may show a group Y or Y* that is a linear unbranched group. Alternatively, these groups Y or Y* may be a linear group branched with at least one functional group, preferably branched with at least one alkyl group and/or one aromatic group. The functional groups may stand aside from the linear group.
The most effective constituent of the solution B may be a compound XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* with a group Y or Y* that has an even number of carbon atoms. Besides this most effective constituent which may have self assembling molecules there may be any surfactant in the solution B to improve the rate of deposition of self assembling molecules. Often compounds are used according to the process of the invention which may be able to form self assembling molecules and which may organize themselves parallel one to the other and in about perpendicular to the metallic surfaces with the hydrophobic regions of the molecules located at the metallic surfaces and with the hydrophilic regions of the molecules extending into the liquid away from the metallic surfaces. Nevertheless, there is no necessity that these compounds organize their molecules in such a way to generate coatings. There is the target to form a uniform coating quality as far as possible and an at least randomly distribution of islands of molecules of the solution B, but not the necessity of totally covering the metallic surfaces. Often even a very short exposure of the solution B to a metallic surface may lead to a random distribution of at least one of the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X*, nevertheless, sometimes a longer contacting time may be preferable for a high surface quality.
For the process according to the invention it is preferred that at least one compound of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* is present in the aqueous solution as salt and/or acid.
The more effective constituents of the solution B may be compounds XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* with an unbranched straight-chain alkyl group with 3 to 30 carbon atoms as Y or Y*. Preferably, this group Y or Y* has 4 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferred 4 to 18 carbon atoms, much more preferred 5 to 14 carbon atoms and most preferred 10 to 14 carbon atoms.
In specific embodiments, the compound XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* may have as Y or Y* an unbranched straight-chain group consisting of 1 to 4 aromatic C6H4 nuclei connected in the para-position, or a group consisting of 1 or 2 unbranched, straight-chain alkyl residues each with 1 to 12 carbon atoms or 1 to 4 aromatic C6H4 nuclei connected in the para-position.
The most effective constituent of the solution B may be a compound XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* with a group Y or Y* that is an unbranched, straight-chain alkyl group with 6 to 14 carbon atoms or a p-CH2xe2x80x94C6H4xe2x80x94CH2-group or a p,pxe2x80x2-C6H4xe2x80x94C6H4-group.
The most effective constituent of the solution B may be a compound XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* with a group (OH)2PO2xe2x80x94 or (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)PO2xe2x80x94 as X or X*. The most effective constituent of the solution B may be a compound XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* with a group (OH)2PO2xe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)PO2xe2x80x94, OHxe2x80x94, SHxe2x80x94, NHRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94, CHxe2x95x90CH2 or CH2xe2x95x90CRxe2x80x3xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94 as Z or Z*.
In preferred embodiments, the aqueous solution may contain at least one compound of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* selected from the group of:
1-phosphonic acid-12-mercaptododecane,
1-phosphonic acid-12-(N-ethylamino)dodecane,
1 -phosphonic acid-12-dodecene,
p-xylylene diphosphonic acid,
1,10-decanediphosphonic acid,
1,12-dodecanediphosphonic acid,
1,14-tetradecanediphosphonic acid,
1-phosphoric acid-12-hydroxydodecane,
1-phosphoric acid-12-(N-ethylamino)dodecane,
1-phosphoric acid-12-dodecene,
1 -phosphoric acid-12-mercaptododecane,
1,10-decanediphosphoric acid,
1,12-dodecanediphosphoric acid,
1,14-tetradecanediphosphoric acid,
p,pxe2x80x2-biphenyldiphosphoric acid,
1-phosphoric acid-12-acryloyldodecane,
1,8-octanediphosphonic acid,
1,6-hexanediphosphonic acid,
1,4-butanediphosphonic acid,
1,8-octanediphosphoric acid,
1,6-hexanediphosphoric acid,
1,4-butanediphosphoric acid,
aminetrimethyleneposphonic acid,
ethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonic acid,
hexamethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonic acid,
diethylenetriaminepentamethylenephosphonic acid and
2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid.
In the process according to the invention the time of contacting the metallic surfaces with the solution. A may be in the range of from 0.001 seconds to 10 minutes. Applications in the coil industry may need contacting times in the range of from 0.001 seconds to 30 seconds, whereas other applications may often necessitate contacting times in the range of from 1 minute to 3 minutes. For the contacting of wheels, a time range of from 10 seconds to 5 minutes are preferred and of from 30 seconds to 2 minutes are more preferred. For the coil coating process, a contacting time range of from 0.002 to 20 seconds is preferred, of from 0.01 to 8 seconds is more preferred. For the contacting of singular metallic parts, a time range of from 10 seconds to 10 minutes is often preferred and of from 20 seconds to 6 minutes is more preferred. If the contacting time is very short, the percentage of the metallic surface being covered with at least one of the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and X*Y*Z*Y*X* may be relatively low and/or the molecules of these compounds may be not or only partially assembled. The longer the contacting time, the higher may be the percentage of metallic surface covered with at least one of these compounds. The longer the contacting time, the higher may be the percentage of molecules that are arranged perpendicular to the metallic surface as a reason of the self assembling effect. Although compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and X*Y*Z*Y*X* with Y or Y* having 10 to 14 carbon atoms gave excellent results of corrosion inhibition and paint adhesion, it has been found that even in the cases that these compounds should not form a continuous coating on the metallic surface, but only a smaller or higher percentage of coating islands distributed on the metallic surface and/or that these compounds did not or only partially arrange perpendicular to the metallic surface, the such prepared coatings were astonishingly good concerning paint adhesion and corrosion inhibition.
The aqueous solution A may have a pH value in the range of from 1 to 5, preferably in the range of from of 2 to 4 and more preferred in the range of from 2.5 to 3.5 if the concentration of fluoride anions is in the range of from 10 to 1000 mg/L, but the pH value is preferably in the range of from 1 to 3 if the concentration of fluoride anions is in the range of from 6,000 to 18,000 mg/L. At a lower pH value than 1, a suitable coating according to the invention will be generated, but normally significantly higher pH values will be used. At a pH value higher than 5, an instability of the solution A may occur in some cases; but if this instability does not occur due to the specific conditions, an acceptable coating will be created. The pH value may be adjusted within the regular coating process to values of e.g. 4.0 or 4.2 minimum, preferably by adding a fluoride containing compound, which may be in a water soluble form, to cut the pH value down to e.g. 4.2. The buffering of the solution A may be made favorably by any addition, e.g. of sodium fluoride or ammonium bifluoride.
The solution A may preferably be applied to the metallic surface at a temperature of up to 30xc2x0 C. to avoid in every case blue discoloration of the coating. The solution B may preferably be applied to the metallic surface at a temperature of up to 60xc2x0 C. The process according to the invention may be characterized in that in the solution A the concentration of the titanium is in the range of from 0.0001 to 0.1% by weight if titanium is added, the concentration of the zirconium is in the range of from 0.0001 to 0.1% by weight if zirconium is added, the concentration of the hafnium is in the range of from 0.0001 to 0.1% by weight as hafnium added intentionally, whereby only one selected from the group of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and boron has to be present. Instead of or together with at least one of the chemical elements of the group of titanium, zirconium and hafnium, silicon and/or boron may be used. The total amount of all the five chemical elements present in the solution may be in the range of from 0.0001 to 0.2% by weight. Preferably, the concentration of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron each may be in the range of from 0.0008 to 0.05% by weight, more preferred in the range of from 0.001 to 0.02% by weight. A mixture of at least two of them may be favorable to generate a combination effect with improved results, especially of the combination of titanium with zirconium. Furtheron, it is more preferred that the range of the concentration when used for spraying is of from 0.002 to 0.08% by weight of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron each, much more preferred of from 0.005 to 0.025% by weight. The solution A may contain ZrOCl2 which may be very advantageous.
The concentration of the total fluoride may be in the range of from 0.001 to 0.2% by weight calculated as fluoride. The concentration of the total fluoride in the solution A may be preferably in the range of from 0.005 to 0.15% by weight, more preferred in the range of from 0.01 to 2% by weight, much more preferred of from 0.008 to 0.09% by weight. The moiety of complex fluoride anions at the total of the fluoride may be in the range of from 50 to 95%. If there is less titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron in the solution A, then there will be less fluoride necessary; an excess of fluoride with regard to the content of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron enhances the pickling effect and may help to control the thickness of the generated coating. If there is a too high content of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron in the solution A in relation to the total fluoride content, then there will be a thicker coating which may disturb in some cases when a paint will be later applied upon as such a too thick coating may lead to filiform corrosion and a worse paint adhesion; furtheron, there may occur only a very weak pickling effect.
The aqueous solution A shows primarily a pickling effect, but even some deoxidation effect. Then a reaction to generating a coating may occur, which may for example contain hydroxides, oxides and other compounds of aluminum and/or other metallic elements that are constituents of the metallic material together with titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron.
The coating containing titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and/or boron may show a thickness in the range of from 0.1 to 100 nm. Its coating weight may be in the range of from 1 to 100 mg/m2.
The coating containing one or more compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* arid/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* may show a thickness which is measured in the range of from 0.1 to 100 nm, often in the range of from 1 to 20 nm. Its coating weight may be often in the range of from 1 to 20 mg/m2, but it may be even higher than 20 mg/m2 or sometimes even in the range of about 80 or 120 mg/cm2 as for cans and other containers. If the concentration of the solution B is significantly enlarged, the thickness of the generated coating often may remain in the same thickness range as applied with a much more diluted solution B.
The concentration of the solution B may vary in the range of from 0.00001 to about 50%, whereby the upper concentration limit is greatly dependent on the water solubility limit of the used compounds and the specific conditions. If compounds are used with relative short chain length of Y resp. Y* then the water solubility may be much enhanced. If the chain length of Y resp. Y* is in the range of from 10 to 14 carbon atoms, then the water solubility is reduced significantly and there may be a solubility limit of about 1%. This effect is proportional to the chain length and hydrophobicity of the hydrocarbon chain: The longer the hydrocarbon chain, the higher the hydrophobicity properties. Furtheron, the higher the concentration of these compounds in solution B, the greater may be the possibility to generate foam which is undesirable. For example, the dodecanediphosphonic acid may be dissolved in water without further aids in the range of from 100 to 300 mg/L, whereas it can be dissolved in hot water in an amount of up to 600 mg/L. For the amount of dodecanediphosphonic acid dissolved it may be an influencing factor, if the compound added is of low or of high purity. The amount of dissolved dodecanediphosphonic acid can be greatly enhanced by adding organic solvents. Such a proportion of an organic solvent may aid for quicker drying and may help to generate a higher concentration of the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* in the solution B than without such organic solvent. Without any organic solvent, there are often only up to 400 mg/L of compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* in solution B, whereas with an organic solvent, its concentration can be enhanced up to a much higher extent.
It may be favorable, not to use any organic solvent. When an organic solvent is used, it may replace 0.01 to 50% of the water. This solvent may be an alcohol with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, acetone, dioxane and/or tetrahydrofurane.
It is preferred that the solution B contains essentially no further cations added intentionally. Furtheron, it is preferred that solution B contains essentially no nitrites, no nitrates and no peroxocompounds.
The water quality used for the preparation of solution B may be a water quality like natural water of very low hardness or like de-ionized water. The water quality shows preferably an electrical conductivity of less than 20 xcexcS/cm, but in some cases values of less than 200 xcexcS/cm may be sufficient.
Such a solution B containing only pure water and dodecanediphosphonic acid may show a pH value in the range of from 2.5 to 3.5. For the pretreatment of cans and other containers, a pH value in the range of from 0.5 to 2.5 may be preferred. Such a solution may show an electrical conductivity in the range of from 200 to 350 xcexcS/cm, if the pure water used had an electrical conductivity of less than 20 xcexcS/cm. The bath of the solution B may preferably be controlled with a photometer for the phosphorus and phosphate content or via measurement of the electrical conductivity. If the last mentioned method is used for controlling, the range of electrical conductivity may be held for dodecanediphosphonic acid in pure water in the range between 250 and 300 xcexcS/cm. The solution B can be controlled and maintained very easily in a well workable state.
The pH values of the solution B may vary in the range of from 1 to 10, preferably in the range of from 1.5 to 5.5, more preferred for some of the applied compounds in the range of from 1.8 to 4, whereas for others having alkaline additives the preferred range may be of from 7 to 14, preferably in the range of from 8 to 12, more preferred in the range of from 9 to 11. Most of the phosphorus containing compounds of the solution B may be used with such low pH values as mentioned above first, but some may be used with a higher pH value. As further additives to solution B may be used e.g. any alcohol, any silane, any amine, any phosphate, any phosphonate, any surfactant, any organic acid or any mixture of these. These additives may be used as defoamers, stabilizers, wetting agents, corrosion inhibitors and/or hydrophobic agents.
The metallic surfaces may be contacted with the solution A and/or separately with the solution B by dipping, immersing, roll-coating, squeegeeing or spraying, each application type independent from the other for the solution A resp. B. For coil coating, all kinds of application may be used with the exception of dipping; for other applications all types of application may be used. If in the process of spraying the aqueous solution B considerable amounts of foam should occur, then an adjustment of the spray nozzle concerning the flood effect may be necessary. If spraying is used, it is favorable to minimize the formation of foams, e.g. by selection of an angle of about 45xc2x0; then there will be normally no addition of a defoamer necessary.
The time of contacting the metallic surfaces with the aqueous solution B may be selected from the range of I second to 10 minutes, preferably of 5 seconds to 5 minutes. Therefore, it may be used for coil coating applications having a need of contacting times in the range of from 1 to 30 seconds as well as for other applications where there may be contacting times in the range of from 1 minute to 3 minutes. The process according to the invention may be further varied by applying several coatings to generate a multilayer of organic and inorganic layers by applying e.g. solution B, then solution A, then solution B, then solution A and finally solution B again. The multilayer may have at least 3, preferably 5, favorably up to 12 of these layers. Such multilayers are preferably generated with a zirconium rich solution A. It has been detected that there is an interesting chemical interaction between phosphonic acid functional groups and zirconium which may react again with phosphonic acid functional groups and then with zirconium again, e.g. as zirconyl chloride.
The process according to the invention may be started by subjecting the metallic surfaces to cleaning and/or degreasing before applying the first of the aqueous solutions A resp. B to the metallic surfaces. The cleaning and/or degreasing may be done with the help of conventional alkaline cleaners or solvent cleaners or acidic cleaners or cleaner mixtures. This cleaning and/or degreasing is only necessary if the solution B is the first applied aqueous pretreatment/treatment solution, as the solution A is often as acidic that a cleaning and/or degreasing before applying the solution A is favorable, but not necessary. In both cases, it is preferable to use after cleaning and/or degreasing a deoxidation step which may be carried out by contacting the metallic surfaces with an acidic solution typically with a pH value of up to 3 and which may contain any fluoride. On the other hand, the metallic surface may be cleaned and pickled or only pre-annealed before contacting it with one of the solutions A or B.
If the solution A is the first of the two applied solutions A and B, then there may be a cleaning, rinsing, pickling and one or two times rinsing before applying solution A as may be useful for the pretreatment of wheels. If the solution B is the first of the two applied solutions A and B, then there may be a cleaning and one or two times rinsing before applying solution B as may be useful for the pretreatment of wheels or a cleaning, rinsing, pickling and one or two times rinsing before applying the solution B as may be useful for the pretreatment/treatment of cans or other containers. Preferably, in between any of the process steps and the next following process step of contacting with a reactive liquid there is at least one rinsing with water. In most of the steps, especially after cleaning and/or degreasing, tap water may be used for rinsing, but after the deoxidation as well as after contacting with the solutions A resp. B, de-ionized water is preferred. After the coating with the solution B, there is no necessity to rinse the metallic surfaces, as the unreacted material will not impair paint or other materials adhesion being applied to the coated surfaces later on. The coated metallic surfaces may be dried and/or the excess liquid may be blown away after having been coated with. the solution B. The solution B may therefore be applied in a no rinse method. There should be a rinsing in between contacting the metallic surfaces with the solution A and contacting them with the solution B. This is preferred to avoid drag in of the solution A into the solution B as there may be the risk of reaction of both solutions one with the other, causing precipitation and reducing the concentration of active compounds. In the case that first the solution B is applied and afterwards the solution A, it is preferable to have a rinsing in between because of the same reason, but it is not necessary because of the very small concentration of the effective ingredients of the dragged in liquid into the bath of the solution A. Alternatively, the excess liquid of the solution B could be dried or blown away instead of a rinsing. On the other hand, the drying of excess liquid of the solution A instead of a rinsing may be disadvantageous as there may be a decomposition or damage of the possibly later on applied paint or any other similar layer because of a possible reaction of the residue and the subsequently applied layer.
The metallic surfaces coated with the reaction products and deposited compounds of the solution A resp. B may then be coated with a lacquer, a paint, an adhesive, an after rinse, a sealing, a rubber and/or an organic material, especially with a polymeric material. The rubber layer may be useful for a metal to rubber bonding.
It is preferable that first the solution A is applied and then afterwards the solution B. But it may be favorable, too, first to apply the solution B and then the solution A. In this case, the coating as applied with the solution B may be partially or even only to a very small amount dissolved by applying the solution A. Furtheron, if the afterwards applied coating of the solution A should be thicker, the favorable effect of self assembling molecules will decrease or will be hindered and the advantages of this coating in contact with the later thereon applied layer of a paint or any other polymer containing coating will be reduced. If the coating applied with the solution A should be thin, this favorable effect may be partially or even essentially maintained. If the solution A should show a low or very low concentration, the coating applied by this solution will be quite thin. The combination process according to the invention combines the benefits of two treatments together: The solution A provides coatings which provide excellent corrosion protection by inorganic passivation of the surface. The solution B provides organic coatings, sometimes as monolayers, which create a hydrophobic barrier and also promote excellent paint adhesion. The use of both pretreatments result therefore in complementary protection of the metallic surface. Furtheron, the organic molecules of the compounds of the type XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* are reactive especially to zirconium.
The applied coatings are very suitable for applying a lacquer, a paint, an adhesive, an after rinse, a sealing, a rubber and/or an organic material, especially a polymeric material because of excellent adhesive strength, homogeneity of the surface and good reactivity to the functional groups of these further on applied coatings.
The metallic surfaces going to be coated according to the process of the invention may be such of castings, extruded parts, forgings, frames, housings, profiles, sheet stock, small parts, stampings, strips, wheels, wires, parts for aircraft industry, for apparatuses, for automobile industry, for beverage and other containers like cans, for construction or for mechanical engineering.

Process for providing coatings on a metallic surface

Abstract: solution A contains an effective amount of zirconium, hafnium, titanium, silicon and/or boron, and of fluoride as ions and/or complex ions able to pickle metallic surfaces and generate a coating on the pickled metallic surface and that solution B contains an effective amount of one or more of XYZ, X*Y*Z* and/or X*Y*Z*Y*X* where Y is an organic group with 2-50 carbons,

Abstract: where X as well as Z is a groupxe2x80x94each same or differentxe2x80x94of OHxe2x80x94, SHxe2x80x94, NH2xe2x80x94, NHRxe2x80x94, CNxe2x80x94, CHxe2x95x90CH2xe2x80x94, OCNxe2x80x94, CONHOHxe2x80x94, COORxe2x80x2, acrylamide-, epoxide-, CH2xe2x95x90CRxe2x80x3xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94, COOHxe2x80x94, HSO3xe2x80x94, HSO4xe2x80x94, (OH)2POxe2x80x94, (OH)2PO2xe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)POxe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)PO2xe2x80x94, SiH3xe2x80x94, Si(OH)3xe2x80x94,

Abstract: where Rxe2x80x3 is hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons,

Abstract: and where X and Z are each bound to the Y in their terminal position,

Abstract: where Y* is an organic group with 1-30 carbons,

Abstract: where X* as well as Z* is a groupxe2x80x94each same or differentxe2x80x94of OHxe2x80x94, SHxe2x80x94, NH2xe2x80x94, NHRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94, CNxe2x80x94, CHxe2x95x90CH2xe2x80x94, OCNxe2x80x94, CONHOHxe2x80x94, COORxe2x80x2, acrylamide-, epoxide-, CH2xe2x95x90CRxe2x80x3xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94, COOHxe2x80x94, HSO3xe2x80x94, HSO4xe2x80x94, (OH)2POxe2x80x94, (OH)2PO2xe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)POxe2x80x94, (OH)(ORxe2x80x2)PO2xe2x80x94, SiH3xe2x80x94, Si(OH)3xe2x80x94,Nxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94PO(OH)2xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Nxe2x80x94[CH2xe2x80x94PO(OH)2]2xe2x80x94 where Rxe2x80x2 is an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons, where Rxe2x80x3is hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1-4 carbons.


A method is provided for forming a liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) germanium (Ge)-on-insulator (GOI) thin-film with a smooth surface. The method provides a silicon (Si) wafer, forms a silicon nitride insulator layer overlying the Si wafer, and selectively etches the silicon nitride insulator layer, forming a Si seed access region. Then, the method conformally deposits Ge overlying the silicon nitride insulator layer and Si seed access region, forming a Ge layer with a first surface roughness, and smoothes the Ge layer using a chemical-mechanical polish (CMP) process. Typically, the method encapsulates the Ge layer and anneals the Ge layer to form a LPE Ge layer. A Ge layer is formed with a second surface roughness, less than the first surface roughness. In some aspects, the method forms an active device in the LPE Ge layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to integrated circuit (IC) processing and, more particularly, to a method for smoothing a liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) germanium (Ge) film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ge-on-insulator (GOI) semiconductor devices can be fabricated by depositing Ge, etching the Ge into the desired shape, and depositing an insulator film to encapsulate the Ge features. During a LPE process the Ge melts, but the surface features of the Ge are maintained because the insulator remains solid. Conventionally, the deposited Ge film does not have smooth surface before the LPE process, and the resultant single-crystal Ge film surface retains the pre-LPE process roughness. Active devices (i.e., MOSFETs) built on a rough Ge single-crystal surface face several potential problems. Some of these problems are: (1) gate dielectric reliability; (2) an increase in gate dielectric leakage; and, (3) a decrease in carrier mobility due to surface scattering. While it is possible to smooth the surface after forming the Ge single-crystal film, it is generally acknowledged that the surface quality is improved if the surface can be smoothed prior to the Ge single-crystal formation.
Liu et al. (Yaocheng Liu, Michael D. Deal, and James D. Plummer, "High quality single-crystal Ge on insulator by liquid-phase epitaxy on Si substrate," Applied Physics Letters, vol. 84, no. 14, pp 2563-2565, 2004) described a technique to form single-crystal Ge on dielectric surface using liquid phase epitaxy. Polycrystalline or amorphous Ge was first deposited on an oxide or nitride surface. A small section of this dielectric layer was etched out to allow direct contact of Ge with the underneath Si surface. A rapid heating cycle caused the Ge film to melt. In the subsequent cooling step, a solidification or crystallization front moved from the region above the single crystal silicon seed and swept across the Ge film. With pre-etched Ge strips formed on an insulator, single-crystal Ge dislocation defects are limited to the Si/Ge seeding window.
In this technique, the Ge strip is enclosed by a dielectric layer. The imprint of the surface feature of the original Ge film remains on the surface after the conversion from polycrystalline or amorphous phase, to the single-crystal phase. In order to form very smooth single-crystal Ge film, the polycrystalline or amorphous Ge film must be very smooth before the LPE process.
A smooth Ge film can be deposited easily by physical vapor deposition (PVD). It would be desirable from a commercial fabrication point of view however, to deposit Ge film using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. It is difficult to deposit a very smooth Ge film by CVD on dielectric layer, due to the low melting temperature of Ge.
FIG. 1A and 1B are drawings depicting the surface roughness of a Ge film formed using a CVD process at 260° C. (prior art). FIG. 1A is an atomic force micrograph of Ge film. The Ge was deposited on a nitride surface by chemical vapor deposition at about 260° C. The Ge thickness is about 170 nanometers (nm). FIG. 1B is line scan analysis of the atomic force micrograph. The Ge grain size is about 100 nm to 200 nm, the peak-to-valley roughness is as high as 50 nm.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are drawings depicting the surface roughness of a Ge film deposited using a CVD process at 520° C. with a 3 nm Si buffer layer (prior art). FIG. 2A is an atomic force micrograph of a Ge film. 320 nm of Ge was deposited on a nitride surface at about 520° C. Even with a 3 nm buffer Si to improve roughness, the surface is still very rough. FIG. 2B is a line scan analysis of the atomic force micrograph. The peak-to-valley roughness is more than 90 nm. A comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 reveals that the Ge film surface roughness is a more serious problem at higher deposition temperatures. However, the films of FIGS. 1 and 2 are both too rough for the fabrication of electronic devices on a liquid phase epitaxy Ge film.
Conventionally, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has been applied to improve the surfaces of polycrystalline silicon, as well as silicon-germanium films in the fabrication of thin-film transistors. CMP processes are widely used in IC industry, particularly to smooth dielectric or metal layers. However, there are no conventional processes for polishing a germanium thin-film. Additionally, there are no reports addressing the issue of smoothing single-crystal germanium films formed through liquid phase epitaxy.

Smooth surface liquid phase epitaxial germanium


An apparatus and method for cleaning cylindrical objects such as bolts and pipes is provided. The apparatus includes a support frame to which at least three shafts are rotatably mounted. Each shaft is provided with a circular brush secured to a portion thereof such that the brushes are arranged in a coplanar relationship and spaced apart to define an object receiving passage wherein each of the brushes engages the object when the object is disposed in the object receiving passage. The brushes are caused to be rotated in the same direction but with one of the brushes rotating at a different rate than the other brushes so that the object is caused to rotate in response to the rotation of the brushes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning devices, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved brush apparatus for cleaning the outer surface of cylindrical objects, such as pipes and bolts.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Various kinds of nuts and bolts are used for fastening together various parts of machines and structures. In the maintenance of such machines and structures, the bolts are often removed for inspection. Prior to reinstallation of the bolts, the threads are typically cleaned to remove any foreign matter, such as rust and corrosion, that may have accumulated on the bolts.
In many instances, bolts are cleaned by manually holding the bolt and bringing the bolt into contact with a single rotating wire brush. After initially bringing the bolt into contact with the brush, the bolt must be repeatedly rotated by the individual to clean the entire bolt. It has been appreciated that cleaning bolts in such a manner is tedious, laborious, and time consuming, and furthermore, can result in serious injury to the person handling the bolts.
Thus, several cleaning devices have previously been proposed in an attempt to overcome the problems associated with cleaning bolts, as well as other cylindrical objects, such as pipes. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,448, issued to True. The True device is a hand held device that includes a plurality of brushes mounted to a rotating disc. The brushes and the disc are encompassed in a housing that is provided with a handle. In use, the device is disposed over the end of the tubular member to be cleaned such that the tubular member is positioned between the brushes. A motor is actuated to cause the brushes to be rotated about the tubular member. It will be appreciated that the True device must be manually positioned over a bolt or pipe and thus is still very laborious. Furthermore, bolts and pipes must first be secured in order to receive the device.
To this end, a need has long existed for an improved apparatus for cleaning cylindrical objects, such as bolts and pipes, in an efficient and economical manner. It is to such an improved apparatus that the present invention is directed.


Disclosed here are unmanned aerial vehicle embodiments including some embodiments having a fuselage, tail, and wings including example embodiments with an adaptable payload section, alternatively or additionally, modular flight surfaces including tail, wings and motor, alternatively or additionally the vehicle configured for short landings with reversible thrust, alternatively or additionally, the unmanned aerial vehicle configured with direct connection to moveable flight control surfaces.

Previously, airframes were limited in their ability to carry payloads, land on short runways, and replace component parts to adapt to changing environments. This was especially true for fixed wing and rotary model aircraft, remote controlled, and drone aircraft. The standard fuselage was used for each and every circumstance which limited the usefulness of the aircraft and minimized the ability for customization.


The instant invention is directed to a process for upgrading heavy oils using a slurry composition. The slurry composition is prepared by a series of steps, involving mixing a Group VIB metal oxide and aqueous ammonia to form an aqueous mixture, and sulfiding the mixture to form a slurry. The slurry is then promoted with a Group VIII metal. Subsequent steps involve mixing the slurry with a hydrocarbon oil and combining the resulting mixture with hydrogen gas and a second hydrocarbon oil having a lower viscosity than the first oil. An active catalyst composition is thereby formed.

Slurry catalyst compositions and means for their preparation and use are known in the refining arts. Some examples are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,486 discloses a process for the preparation of a dispersed Group VI B metal sulfide hydrocarbon oil hydroprocessing catalyst. Process steps include reacting aqueous ammonia and a Group VI B metal compound, such as molybdenum oxide or tungsten oxide, to form a water soluble oxygen-containing compound such as ammonium molybdate or tungstate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,190 discloses a process for the preparation of a dispersed Group VI B metal sulfide catalyst for use in hydrocarbon oil hydroprocessing. This catalyst is promoted with a Group VIII metal. Process steps include dissolving a Group VI B metal compound, such as molybdenum oxide or tungsten oxide, with ammonia to form a water soluble compound such as aqueous ammonium molybdate or ammonium tungstate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,164,075 and 5,484,755, which are incorporated by reference, disclose processes for preparation of high activity slurry catalysts for hydroprocessing heavy hydrocarbon oils produced from Group VI B metal compounds. An aqueous mixture of the metal compound is sulfided with from greater than about 8 to about 14 standard cubic feet of hydrogen sulfide per pound of Group VI B metal. These patents demonstrate a process of forming a slurry catalyst precursor and adding it to a heavy feed oil to form the active catalyst.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,164,075 and 5,484,755 do not demonstrate the criticality of the oil viscosity in the formation of a highly active catalyst composition, nor the significance of using two distinctly different oils in forming such catalyst composition. In the inventions disclosed in these patents, the failure to form the oil and water emulsion or the slurry phase results in an inactive catalyst or a catalyst having low activity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,162,282 and 5,178,749 are directed to processes for hydroprocessing of heavy hydrocarbonaceous oils. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,282, a catalyst precursor is prepared by reacting a Group VI B metal compound with a sulfiding agent in an aqueous environment substantially in the absence of oil. The precursor is heated to convert it to an active catalyst, which subsequently contacts feed at hydroprocessing conditions. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,749, an active catalyst slurry is prepared by sulfiding an aqueous mixture of a Group VI B metal compound with hydrogen sulfide gas. The slurry is introduced, along with the oil to be treated, into a fixed or ebullating bed of hydrodesulfurization-hydrodemetalation catalyst at hydroprocessing conditions. Although both of these patents disclose hydroprocessing with catalyst formed from precursors or slurries comprising Group VI B metal compounds, neither involves the use of two distinctly different oils in the formation of the catalyst.
This application discloses a new slurry catalyst composition that is highly active. This activity results from preparation of the catalyst using a process employing two hydrocarbon oils having appropriate viscosity ranges at 212° F.
The first heavier oil is preferably a vacuum gas oil (VGO) and the second is preferably a light naphtha.

Process for upgrading heavy oil using a highly active slurry catalyst composition


A circuit configuration has a radar equipment for determining a distance or a relative speed. The radar equipment continuously transmits frequency-modulated signals, at modulation rates of different size, depending on the speed of the vehicle in which the radar equipment is installed. A higher modulation rate produces better range resolution for a constant maximum analog frequency, which is advantageous particularly in the low speed range.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a circuit configuration having a radar equipment for determining a distance or a relative speed between a vehicle in which the circuit configuration is disposed and an object, in particular another vehicle, the radar equipment emitting a frequency-modulated radar signal, receiving a reflected radar signal and determining the distance or the relative speed from a comparison of the emitted radar signal with the received radar signal.
Circuit configurations having a radar equipment for determining a distance or a relative speed are used in vehicles in order to make the driver aware of dangerous situations and in order to intervene automatically in the control of functions of the vehicle, such as braking and engine or airbag initiation.
The traffic situation in towns with stop-and-go traffic makes it necessary to measure the distance to a preceding vehicle, particularly at close range, that is to say between 0 and 10meters, quickly and accurately since accurate information about the distance is necessary, particularly at that range.
In a radar equipment which emits a continuously frequency-modulated radar signal that is already known from Published International Application Patent PCT/DE94/01382, corresponding to allowed U.S. application Ser. No. 08/651,564, filed May 22, 1996, different modulation rates are used for close range and for long range. At close range between 0 and 40 meters, mirror-image frequencies are suppressed by using a high modulation rate. The long range up to 400 meters is measured using a low modulation rate.

Circuit configuration having radar equipment for determining a distance or a relative speed


The invention relates to apparatus and methods for constructing diaphragm walls. A guideway tube is provided for casting into a concrete panel along a height of a face of the concrete panel, comprising: an elongate guideway track comprising at least one elongate side wall and an elongate slot along the at least one elongate side wall, the elongate slot having a first width; and, an elongate closure panel comprising: a rear panel portion configured to close the elongate slot enclosing an elongate internal volume, and, a front panel portion of a second width greater than the first width. Preferably the rear panel portion is a close fit within elongate slot sufficient to resist the ingress of slurry and concrete. Preferably the rear panel portion is configured to engage the elongate slot in a manner configured to resist compression forces.

Concrete embedded retaining walls such as diaphragm walls, known as slurry walls in the USA, have been part of foundation construction for sixty years. Forming the joint between successive panels has always been one of the most difficult and time consuming elements of the process. Existing construction methods of forming joints involves using, and then removing, stop-ends. Precast concrete stop-ends have also been used occasionally.
In one sense precast concrete 'stop-ends' are a retrograde step. This is because double the number of joints in any wall increases the risk of leakage and the nature of the stop-end construction does not lend itself to effective incorporation of water bars, further compromising water tightness. Many construction companies use steel 'stop-ends', known by a variety of terms including 'end stops' and 'shuttering elements'. These 'stop-ends' function as an elongate, vertical shuttering for the concrete to provide a formed end-face of predetermined profile. Typically the stop-ends are the same width as the trench, to prevent concrete from a first concrete panel seeping around and embedding the stop-end in concrete. The stop-end is removed from the trench before pouring the second panel, its purpose being to provide a 'formed' or 'shaped' end face of a first concrete panel e.g. with a shear key recess, against which a second concrete panel can be poured, without requiring cutting or milling to prepare the first panel end face. Removing such stop-ends from the depths required (e.g. 30-80 m) is considerably problematic in practice.
Stop-ends, end-stops and shuttering elements and methods are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,453 RESSI, EP0101350 DUPEUBLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,798, DE69201743, DE0509934 all to DUPEUBLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,963 LEFORT, U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,627 COURTE, GB1590325 COMAR REG, GB1481186 CALDERWOOD, US2013/0255180 and EP2647765 both to DAUBNER, GB2315803 GRABNER, DE202011051438U, DE3430790 ZUBLIN, U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,873 MIOTTI, U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,665 SCHOEWERT, EP0290303 SCHREIBER, and DE9001679U BAUER.
Preparing of a first panel end face is described in FR2594864 ROCHMANN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,940 and EP0333577 CHARLIER, EP0649716 CASAGRANDE, EP0402247 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,959 both to CANNAC, DE19901556 BRUCKNER, ITUD930212 CASAGRANDE, EP1847650 CASAGRANDE, and WO2013007968 COUPLAND.
Provision of couplings e.g. tension joints between reinforcement cages of adjacent panels, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,980, DE3430789, U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,210, and DE3503542 all to GLASER, EP1788157 VELTHORST, EP0833987 LEFORT, IT1150926 FENOUX, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,914 IRWIN CHILDS.
Provision of water-stops and water bars between adjacent panels is described in GB2325262, U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,106, EP0981672 all to SHOTTON, EP0411682 VERSTRAETEN, EP0580926 MIATELLO, US2002/0119013 SHOTTON, FR2708946 and DE4428513 both to SYDORAK, U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,057 HUGHES, U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,054 PICCAGLI, DE4016385 FISCHER, DE3634906 BEINBRECH, EP1983111 STOTZER, and US25102 BUZZELL.
Use of pre-cast concrete panels is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,242 MIOTTI.
General background to formation of diaphragm walls is found in CN101560767 LIXIN TAN, CN101858090 CUI, IT259721 CASGRANDE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,044 CARON, GB1137861 SOLETANCHE, EP1803853 MAURO, RU2005110297 VJACHESLAVOVICH, JP2006070608 MURASAWA, JP10245843 ARIYAMA, CN1143703 AISEN, "FG Joint Forming Mill Innovation and Technology" CASAGRANDE—FG Joint Mill Sales Brochure, "Channel Tunnel Rail Link—Graham Road Deep Vent Shaft." Proc. 5th International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering 13-17 Apr. 2004 COUPLAND, "Diaphragm Walls" by Nicholson (Soletanche Bachy), "Diaphragm Walls", Central PA Geotechnical Conference 23-25 Mar. 2006 RICHARDS, U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,736 UEDA, U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,937 SHIMONOHARA, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,918 LONG.
FR2594864 ROCHMANN and WO2013/007968 COUPLAND describe use of hollow guideways.
The present inventor filed International patent application WO2013/0079868 COUPLAND, the entire contents of which are included for reference. In particular, reference is made to the cutting machine(s) described in WO2013/0079868.
FR2594864 ROCHMANN describes a hollow section 10 with a gasket 16 (FIG. 2), a solid profile 20 e.g. of polyurethane foam (FIG. 3) and an inflatable section 30A (FIG. 4) to prevent entry of concrete. Portion 15 of the reinforcement frame supports the hollow section 10 to avoid tearing when subject to horizontal loads. Blade 54 penetrates channel 58 to destroy the sealing gasket.
ROCHMANN describes a 4 stage process of firstly casting a vertical hollow section in a first concrete panel, next in a first pass pushing out or destroying a gasket and then apparently in a second pass using the opened vertical hollow section as a guide for trimming the wall, before digging and casting the second panel against the trimmed wall. Reverse facing portion 15 of the reinforcement prevents the hollow section from being torn when subjected to horizontal loads.
COUPLAND describes use of guideways with a sacrificial wall portion that may be cut away, "the cutaway portion of the guideway tube 32 may be removed completely, or may be cut open, in either case it is cut away to allow ingress of slurry (and later concrete)".
COUPLAND describes a 3 stage process of firstly casting a vertical guideway tube in a first concrete panel, next in a single pass cutting away a sacrificial portion and using the opened guideway tube as a guide for a trimming the wall, before (or after) this, digging the second panel against the trimmed wall and then casting the concrete to form the second panel.
COUPLAND represented a considerable improvement over ROCHMANN. Nevertheless, further technical challenges remain in this highly challenging process of joining concrete panels at immense depths.
In COUPLAND the opening in the guideway tube provided by the cutting action works well to allow ingress of concrete but is not well defined. Furthermore, the cut may not be formed over the entire length of the guideway tube, which is no problem in COUPLAND, but which can limit the utility of the opening formed.
Furthermore, it is difficult to locate water bars (also known as water-stops) along the vertical end face of a concrete panel. COUPLAND describes using a water bar 146 in guideway tube 32 (FIG. 15). Hydrophilic material in the form of strips 152 may be positioned about pipe 142 of water bar 140 within guideway tube 32. COUPLAND also describes a water seal tube 158 with a sacrificial element 282 into which a water bar 140 can be inserted (FIG. 16B).
Improvements in installation and positioning of water bars are still required particularly when desirous of extending the waterproofing beyond the location of the guideway tube, and/or when it is desired to know the position of the waterproofing more accurately.
Modern hydraulic diaphragm wall milling machines, cutters and grabs are capable of digging to depths of over 60 m with a high degree of positional accuracy. Diaphragm wall panel jointing systems and waterproofing systems have not kept pace with the development of milling, cutting and digging machines.


According to one embodiment, a method for allocating Internet Protocol (IP) addresses includes receiving, while serving as an active inter-chassis redundancy (ICR) device, a plurality of IP address requests from the third network device for the plurality of client devices. The method further includes responsive to determining a second network device is also serving as the active ICR device, allocating to a client device an IP address selected from a first portion of the commonly shared plurality of IP addresses and not a second portion, wherein the first portion is allocatable only by the first network device while the first network device and the second network device are both serving as active ICR network devices in the ICR system, and wherein the second portion is allocatable only by the second network device while the first and second network devices are both serving as active ICR devices.

In communication networks, it is generally desirable to prevent service outages and/or loss of network traffic. By way of example, such service outages and/or loss of network traffic may occur when a network device fails, loses power, is taken offline, is rebooted, a communication link to the network device breaks, etc.
In order to prevent such service outages and/or loss of network traffic, the communication networks may utilize inter-chassis redundancy (ICR). In an ICR system, there are typically two ICR devices (i.e., nodes). During normal operation, one ICR device is configured to be in active state while the other is configured to be in standby state. The active ICR device is responsible for handling network traffic with a plurality other network devices, including, for example, allocating Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to such other network devices.
Each ICR device maintains a local IP pool of IP addresses that can be allocated to such other network devices. Typically, when an active ICR device receives a request for an IP address, it selects from the local IP pool an unallocated IP address, and sends it to the requesting network device. The active ICR device then updates a local IP pool record to indicate that the respective IP address in the IP pool has been allocated and is no longer available for use. The active ICR device also communicates with the standby ICR device to inform the standby ICR device of the IP address that has been allocated. The standby ICR device uses this syncing information to update its local IP pool record, such that both IP pools mirror each other. This helps to prevent the standby ICR device from allocating an IP address that has already been allocated when the standby ICR device transitions to active state.
There are cases where the communication between the ICR devices to sync their IP pools does not provide adequate protection against both ICR devices allocating the same IP address to multiple network devices. For example, both ICR devices may sometimes be (erroneously or otherwise) configured to be active ICR devices. In such a case, IP address requests may be received by an ICR device before the syncing information can be received and processed to sync the IP pool. Another situation is when the communication channel itself is impaired, and syncing information is never received. In such cases, there is a possibility that the same IP address may be allocated by both ICR devices because their IP pools are not synced.

IP address allocation in split brain ICR scenario


A wireless communication system comprises a base station, wherein the base station performs scheduling for determining a resource block allocated to a mobile station, and determines a downlink transmission parameter based on a reception quality reported from the mobile station. The base station determines a transmission parameter by a predetermined first method for determining a transmission parameter when an identical resource block as a resource block allocated to any mobile station is allocated in an area adjacent to an area to which the mobile station is connecting, and determines a transmission parameter by a second method for determining a transmission parameter which selects a transmission parameter having a transmitting efficiency equal to or more than that by the first method for determining a transmission parameter when an identical resource block as a resource block allocated to any mobile station is not allocated in an area adjacent to an area to which the mobile station is connecting.

In a wireless communication system such as OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), a base station performs scheduling by considering combination of a time-axis sample and a subcarrier as a unit based on downlink reception quality information reported from each mobile station to improve use efficiency in a frequency domain. A combination of a time-axis sample and a subcarrier is referred to as a resource block (Non-Patent Documents 1, 2). A resource block in 3GPP is defined in Non-Patent Document 4, on pages 22-24.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration of this kind of a wireless communication system. Areas (60), (61) with which base stations (20), (20a) are able to communicate respectively are referred to as cells. Base station (20) also divides cell (60) into areas (50a), (50b) and (50c), and base station (21) divides cell (61) into areas (51a), (51b) and (51c), and these base stations are capable of communicating with each of areas respectively. Each divided area is referred to as a sector (referring to Non-Patent Document 3).
FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of mobile station (10) and base station (20) in FIG. 17. It shows a block diagram of constituent components required to perform scheduling resource blocks. Control unit (101) in mobile station (10) outputs a resource block received from the base station to reception quality measurement unit (102), and performs an operation of transmitting the reception quality information outputted from reception quality measurement unit (102) to the base station.
Reception quality measurement unit (102) in mobile station (10) measures a reception quality of a resource block. The reception quality of the resource block is calculated by for example SINR (Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio) (Non-Patent Document 4). SINR of the resource block is calculated from received power in a downlink reference symbol unit (a portion in which a reference signal of the resource block is stored) by using the following Equation (1).
                                          SINR            RB                                          (                                          B                0                            ,                              F                n                                      )                          =                              S                                      (                                                B                  0                                ,                                  F                  n                                            )                                                                          ∑                                  m                  =                  1                                M                                                                                S                                                  (                                                            B                      m                                        ,                                          F                      n                                                        )                                                      +            W                                              (        1        )
M represents a total number of sectors in the whole system except for the sector to which file mobile station is connecting at the moment, Bm represents a sector, and sector B0 at m=0 represents a sector (Serving Cell) to which the mobile station is connecting at the moment, and a sector at m>0 represents an adjacent sector in the identical base station or a sector in the neighboring base station. Mobile station (10) is capable of measuring the received power of the reference symbol unit of the resource block in these sectors B0-BM (referring to Non-Patent Document 4). Fn represents nth resource block. Furthermore, SINRRB(B0,Fn) represents received SINR of a signal transmitted from sector B0 in resource block Fn, and SRB(Bm,Fn) represents a received power of a signal transmitted from sector Bm in resource block Fn. W is a thermal noise power.
Mobile station (10) reports the reception qualities measured for each resource block by the above-mentioned calculation to base station (20) at regular intervals (Non-Patent Document 5, 11.5 CQI Reporting for Scheduling).
Control unit (201) in the base station transmits downlink data or reference symbols to mobile station (10), and informs the reception quality information reported from mobile station (10) to resource allocation unit (202) and MCS judgment unit (203). Control unit (201) in the base station performs an error correction coding and data modulation in response to MCS (Modulation and Channel Coding Scheme) determined by MCS judgment unit (203) based on the reception quality information when transmitting downlink data.
FIG. 19 is an illustration showing a configuration of resource allocation unit (202) in base station (20). Allocation determination unit (2021) in resource allocation unit (202) performs resource block allocation (scheduling) for each mobile station by using reception quality reports of each resource block from mobile station (10).
FIG. 20 is an illustration showing a configuration of MCS judgment unit (203) in base station (20). MCS determination unit (2031) in MCS judgment unit (203) selects MCS having maximum transmission rate, for example where an error rate generated is less than or equal to a desired value, for the reception qualities of the resource blocks allocated to each mobile station based on the allocation of the resource blocks in resource allocation unit (202) and the reception quality information.
It is proposed that the interference between cells in OFDM mobile communication system as mentioned above can be reduced by allocating resource block and resetting MCS in Patent Documents 1-3.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. P2005-328519A    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. P2006-33826A    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. P2006-522503A    [Non-Patent Document 1] Y. Ofuji, et al., "IEICE Technical Report [Radio Communication Systems (RCS)]", Vol. 104, No. 598, pp. 101-106, 2006    [Non-Patent Document 2]H. Fujita, et al., "IEICE Technical Report [Radio Communication Systems (RCS)]", Vol. 106, No. 168, pp. 121-125, 2006    [Non-Patent Document 3] 3GPP TR 21.905 V8.1.0(2007-06), "Cell" pp. 8, "Sector" pp. 23    [Non-Patent Document 4] 3GPP TR 36.211 V8.0.0(2007-09), pp. 21-24, pp. 36-41    [Non-Patent Document 5] 3GPP TS 36.300 V8.2.0(2007-09), pp. 52

Wireless communication system, base station, mobile station, and method for determining transmission parameter


A washing machine includes a wash tub in which wash water is stored, a detergent supply device to supply detergent into the wash tub, and a water supply hose to supply the wash water from an external water supply source to the detergent supply device and subsequently into the wash tub. Movement of the wash water through the water supply hose is carried out by a hydraulic pressure of an external water supply source in an entire region of the water supply hose.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a washing machine having an improved detergent supply method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A washing machine is an appliance to remove dirt adhered to laundry using water and detergent. The washing machine may rotate a wash tub mainly using an electric motor as a main power source and may perform a series of washing, rinsing, and dehydration/drying operations.
The washing machine may include a water supply device to supply water. The water supply device is connected to an external water supply source to enable supply of wash water into the wash tub.
In addition, the washing machine may include a detergent supply device to supply detergent. Conventionally, the detergent supply device may be arranged in an upper region of the washing machine. As wash water is supplied by the water supply device, the wash water may be mixed with detergent stored in the detergent supply device while passing through the detergent supply device and thereafter, may free fall into the wash tub.
Alternatively, the detergent supply device may be arranged in a lower region of the washing machine. In this case, a pump is used to move detergent in the detergent supply device to the upper region of the washing machine thus allowing the detergent to be mixed with wash water and free fall into the wash tub.

Detergent supply device and washing machine having the same


Methods, systems, apparatus and devices for the lens design of an HMPD with eye-tracking capabilities. The integration uses a low-level optical configuration in order to achieve a compact, comfortable, easy-to-use system. The optical system is further designed and optimized for sharing of the optical path between the HMD and the Eye-Tracker with minimal performance loss for both tasks.

Head mounted displays are widely used for three-dimensional (3D) visualizations tasks such as simulators, surgery planning, medical training, and engineering design. Traditionally the head mounted display technology has been based on eyepiece optics. Issues associated with an eyepiece-based system include lack of compactness and large distortion for wide field of view designs, because the aperture stop of the system is located outside of the lens which has promoted other designs such as the head-mounted projection displays.
Head mounted projection display is a technology that is positioned at the boundary between conventional head mounted displays and projection displays such as the computer-automated virtual environment (CAVE). U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,572 issued to Fergason on Apr. 15, 1997 describes an optical system for head mounted display using retroreflectors and discloses a method of displaying an image. Other head mounted projection displays include R. Kijima and T. Ojika, Transition between virtual environment and workstation environment with projective head-mounted display, Proceeding of the IEEE 1997 Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium, Los Alamitos, Calif., pp. 130-137 and C. Cruz-Neira et al., Surround-screen projection-based virtual reality: the design and implementation of the CAVE, Conference of Computer Graphics, Anaheim, Calif. (1993), Proc. Of ACM SIGGRAPH 93, pp. 135-142.
A head mounted projection display (HMPD) consisting of a pair of miniature projections lenses, beam splitters, miniature displays mounted on the helmet, and a flexible, non distorting retro-reflective sheeting material strategically placed in the environment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,229 issued to Fisher on Nov. 5, 1996 which discloses a head-mounted projection display system using a beam splitter and method of making same. K. F. Arrington, and G. A. Geri, "Conjugate-Optical Retroreflector Display System: Optical Principles and Perceptual Issues," Journal of the SID, August 2000, pp. 9-10 describes systems wherein an image on the micro-display is projected through the lens onto the material, and then it is retro-reflected back to the entrance pupil of the eye, which is conjugate to the exit pupil of the optics through the beam splitter.
The HMPD technology has a few distinguishing advantages over conventional eyepiece HMDs as described in H. Hua, Y. Ha, and J. P. Rolland, Design of an ultralight and compact projection lens, Applied Optics, Vol. 42, No. 1, (January 2003). Along with the see-through capability which allows optical augmentation of the real world (augmented reality), the HMPD also provides correct occlusion of computer generated content by real objects. A real object placed between the beam splitter and the retro-reflective sheeting will effectively block rays thus providing occlusion of the virtual image. Because of its flexibility, the retroreflective material can be applied anywhere in the physical space and can be tailored to arbitrary shapes without introducing additional distortion. Compared to conventional eyepiece-based see-through HMDs, utilization of projection optics allows for reduced optical distortion across similar fields of view and an increase in the field of view without sacrificing compactness, since the size of the optics does not scale with field of view.
While head-mounted display technologies have undergone significant developments in the last decade, they have suffered from tradeoffs and limitations in capability, which impose critical effects on visualization accuracy and user performance. Among the tradeoffs and limitations, the ignorance of eye movement is often an overlooked aspect. The functional benefits of an integrated HMPD with eye tracking capability solution for human-computer, multi-modal interfaces, and gaze-contingent foveated displays have been recognized, but very few efforts have been made towards a low-level integration.

Projection-based head-mounted display with eye-tracking capabilities

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A selectively adjustable firearm scope mount is provided which includes a base for mounting to a firearm and a rib for receiving a scope assembly. The rib is preferably selectively positionable relative to the base as determined by a selected one of a plurality of individually and independently adjustable stops. The stops correspond to and are adjusted according to different ranges or cartridge loads and thus the selected relative position between the rib and the base. The stops are preferably carried by a rotatable turret presenting indicia corresponding to the various stops, each stop being positioned within a cavity. The turret may be fixed against undesired rotation by a catch. A pin is removable and replaceable without the need for tools thereby permitting ready substitution a new rib with scope assembly mounted thereto as a modular unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a mount for a telescopic sight on a firearm which permits the shooter to preselect different range settings which can be quickly and easily changed without the need for tools or resighting. The scope mount hereof is also modular and permits the substitution of different telescopic sights on a firearm without the need to reset or adjust the preselected range settings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Both in target shooting and hunting, the use of both iron sights and telescopic sights (hereinafter "scopes") is well known. Iron sights provide no magnification and require that the shooter align the target with the front and rear sights according to the particular sight provided. Scopes, on the other hand, include optics which typically present a magnified image and which also include a reticle such as a dot or cross hairs which the shooter optically places on the image of the target and then fires his shot. Such scopes typically include predetermined fractional degree click adjustments for windage and elevation, and are mounted to the handgun, rifle or shotgun by a base and rings.
The trend in competition shooting, as well as in many types of hunting, is to use scopes instead of iron sights because shooters using scopes can usually shoot more accurately. However, the use of the elevation adjustment on the scope is usually strictly a guess, and the elevation cannot be preset for different ranges, cartridge loads, or for the angle of the shot if other than level. When accuracy is paramount, the scope is adjusted for elevation or windage as determined by bench shooting at a predetermined range or by bore sighting. Once the scope and firearm are "sighted in", the shooter is obviously reluctant to further adjust the elevation setting. In the alternative, the shooter must mentally compensate for each new distance or load by "sighting in" with the cross-hours above or below the image at the target.
There has thus developed a need for a scope mounting which can be preset for several different ranges or loads, which can be used with handguns or long firearms, and which can readily receive a conventional scope and its rings thereon.

Selectively adjustable firearm scope mount


In one embodiment of the invention, a first reference to a first object is recorded in a first list when a first thread in a multi-thread environment invokes a lock operation on the first object. A thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object in the first list is restored when a second thread is created.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of operating systems, and more specifically, to threads.
2. Background
Programming languages that have built-in thread features, such as Java or C#, normally provide associated synchronization mechanisms for coordinating among multiple threads. This necessitates the corresponding Virtual Machine to provide instructions to support the thread synchronization or locking semantics. These thread synchronization and locking semantics are enforced by the run-time system.
For example, in the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) language, the monitorenter/monitorexit instruction is used to implement a synchronized statement in the Java programming language. Each object has an associated monitor. Ownership of a monitor is implemented by a locking mechanism.
Currently, traditional techniques implement locks in a thread-safe manner. In other words, they assume the application has more than one thread. In the lock or monitor implementation, atomic operations are time-consuming operations in the execution path. This is because these operations have little concurrency or parallelism to be exploited. In addition, they need the support and involvement of the processor architecture and the operating system. In a multi-thread environment, a single thread suffers a high overhead in lock and unlock operations.

Thread optimization for lock and unlock operations in a multi-thread environment