1. An embodiment of an attention monitoring eye-view image and attention recording apparatus includes an eyeglass frame, at least one first optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for capturing an image corresponding to a field of view of a user, and at least one second optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for tracking movement of at least one eye of the user to determine a direction within the field of view to which the at least one eye is directed. The eye-view image recording apparatus further includes at least one accelerometer to track the head movement of the user and at least one processor to determine the user's mental attention level and the direction within the field of view to which the at least one eye is directed, and generating a subset of the captured image based on the determination.

Cameras and camcorders are two main devices that people use to take pictures and create movies. To use these devices, one uses a viewfinder or display to select a scene or frame. As one is engaged in scene selection, he/she concentrates on what is being recorded. This is fine for professionals whose main job is taking photos or recording movies. However, the majority of camera and camcorder users are individuals who use these devices for personal use. For example, parents usually videotape their children during birthday parties and other special occasions such as children's performances at schools. As one tries to capture a moment carefully, he/she has to split his attention between recording the event and enjoying the experience. In effect, there is a contradiction between focusing on recording and enjoying the experience fully. Additionally, existing image and video recorder devices cannot be carried around all the time because of their bulk and weight; consequently, we miss to capture many unexpected and one of a kind moments.

Method and apparatus for an attention monitoring eye-view recorder


Provided are method and apparatus for sending V2X service, and method and apparatus for configuring resources. The method for sending V2X service includes that a first OBU acquires sending resources for sending a V2X service, where the sending resources include resources required for sending V2X service data and scheduling information of the V2X service, the scheduling information is used for specifying information required for resource scheduling for the V2X service data; and the first OBU sends, on the sending resources, the scheduling information and the V2X service data to a second OBU. Frequency-domain multiplexing is performed in a same subframe in the sending resources for scheduling information and the V2X service data, and the scheduling information specifies that resource configuration is performed, in same and/or different subframes, for the V2X service data.

The rapid development of social economy leads to the rapid growth of the quantity of autos in China and thus the frequent occurrence of road traffic accidents, which have become one of the important factors affecting the sense of public safety in China in recent years. The traffic safety has become one of the basic issues affecting social harmony and improvement of people's livelihood. China urgently needs to improve traffic safety in terms of technology, policy, education, etc. Among them, the improvement of vehicle safety design is an important part.
Technologies for improving vehicle safety are mainly divided into passive safety technologies and active safety technologies. Passive safety technologies are used to protect people and articles inside and outside a vehicle in an accident. Active safety technologies are used to prevent and reduce vehicle accidents and to prevent people from being harmed. Active safety technologies are the key and trend in the development of modern vehicle safety technologies.
It has become a new way for countries to try to solve road traffic safety problems by using advanced wireless communication technologies and a new generation of information processing technologies on the basis of a communication collision warning system to implement real-time information exchange between vehicles and between vehicles and roadside infrastructure, inform each other of the current status (including position, speed, acceleration and driving path of the vehicle) and the known road environment information, cooperatively acquire road hazard conditions, and provide collision warning information in time to prevent road traffic safety accidents.
Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) refers to providing vehicle information through sensors, on-board terminals and electronic tags mounted on vehicles, implementing Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) intercommunications using various communication technologies, and effectively using information by way of extraction, sharing, etc. and effectively controlling and providing comprehensive services for vehicles by use of an information network platform. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of sending traffic and scheduling information to a vehicle through a network information platform in the related art.
In recent years, with the development of new mobile communication technologies, the Long Time Evolution (LTE) technology starts to be used in the world to solve problems in the research on application of V2X communication.
A Roadside Unit (RSU) has a function of gateway of receiving requests from a vehicle and ensuring the access of the vehicle to the Internet, as well as functions of data operation, storage and forwarding.
Vehicle-to-Roadside-Unit (V2R) is also referred to as V2I. The main features of V2R communication are described below.
(1) When an RSU broadcasts, broadcast messages are sent only to vehicles within the coverage area of the RSU.
(2) Single-hop transmission between an RSU and a vehicle prevents the adverse effects such as low packet transfer success rate and low network throughput caused by multi-hop.
(3) An RSU can quickly receive detected passing vehicles, traffic lights and some traffic information, and can process, reorder and select such information before sending the information to a vehicle.
The above three aspects ensure that a vehicle passing by an RSU is connected to the RSU so as to reliably accesses the Internet or download data stored in the RSU in real time.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of Device-to-Device (D2D) communication in 3GPP in the related art. As shown in FIG. 2, D2D user plane data is sent through an air interface PC5 between UEs and not through an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), while D2D control plane signaling passes through the EPC. D2D communication includes a scenario where a UE is within an LTE coverage area and a scenario where a UE is outside an LTE coverage area. D2D includes discovery and communication. A UE participating in D2D may schedule resources through an eNB or select resources from a resource pool to send data. D2D communication data is sent four times, i.e., the same data is sent four times. Incremental Redundancy (IR) provides reliability to a receiving UE merging data sent four times.
D2D communication includes resource scheduling SA and service data transmission. Resource scheduling specifies configuration of resources for of service data, and is sent twice. D2D discovery or communication uses LTE Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) resources and a Single-carrier Frequency-Division Multiple Access approach.
In the process of researching and practicing the D2D technology in the related art, the following problems occur: the D2D technology is applicable to a low-speed scenario with a small number of UEs, so resource scheduling information and service data are sent separately, where scheduling information is sent twice and communication data is sent four times. However, in LTE V2X, the D2D technology in the related art cannot meet the requirements of a high-speed scenario with a large number of UEs.

Method and apparatus for sending V2X service, and method and apparatus for configuring resources


A torque converter slip control device used in an automatic transmission of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle has a torque converter to transfer engine torque to an input shaft of the automatic transmission. A feed-forward slip control subroutine controls a hydraulic circuit in a feed-forward control to vary the coupling efficiency of a lockup clutch to cause the torque converter to allow slippage at a rate suitable for cancelling a fluctuation of engine torque when the internal combustion engine is at rotational speeds higher than a preselected rotational speed higher than a predetermined fuel injection recovery speed at which an injection of fuel by a fuel system is recovered during the detection of the deceleration state of the vehicle by a deceleration senser. A feed-back slip control subroutine controls the hydraulic circuit in feed-back control to vary the coupling efficiency of the lockup clutch to make a difference of rotational speed between input and output shafts of the torque converter suitable for cancelling a fluctuation of engine torque when the internal combustion engine is at rotational speeds lower than the preselected rotational speed during the detection of the deceleration state of the vehicle by the deceleration sensor.

Normal internal combustion vehicle engines with automatic transmissions produce torque fluctuations caused by inertia due to the reciprocating movement of pistons, pressure fluctuations produced in the internal combustion chambers of cylinders, etc. which are transmitted to driving axles and the car body of the vehicle, resulting in increased vibrations of the car body and a deterioration of fuel economy.
Generally, automatic transmissions are cooperated with torque converters. The normal torque converter allows some slippage, even at cruising speeds. This is due to the fact that the only connection between pump and turbine is the transmission fluid. To prevent this slipping action, and thus improve fuel economy, a number of torque converters are equipped with a lockup feature. For better fuel economy and far more comfortable driving, some automatic transmissions are operative in different drive modes, namely an economy drive mode in which fuel economy is regarded as more important and a power drive mode in which driving power is regarded as more important, which are selected according to driver's preference or driving conditions.
In an attempt at eliminating the transmission of torque fluctuations and, thereby, performing a sufficient transmission of generating power of the vehicle engine, an automatic transmission with a torque converter disclosed in, for example, Japanese Pat. Unexamined Publication No. 57-33253 entitled Torque Transmitter filed Aug. 4, 1980 and laid open Feb. 2, 1982, is adapted to detect slippage produced between input and output shafts of the torque converter and vary the fluid coupling efficiency of a lockup clutch so as to control the torque converter to make the detected slippage substantially equal to an intended slippage.
In more detail, in order to control this slippage action, the lockup clutch is controlled by a slip control device such as one comprising means for detecting the release of an accelerator pedal, timer means for counting the duration of time for which the accelerator pedal is continuously released, feed-forward control means for controlling the lockup clutch with a signal corresponding to a preselected or predetermined slippage to be allowed by the torque converter for a preselected or predetermined period of time after the release of the accelerator pedal, and feed-back control means for controlling the lockup clutch to cause the torque converter to allow an intended target slippage until the release of the accelerator pedal is suspended after the preselected period of time. The torque converter is controlled to allow slippage by controlling the lockup clutch in feed-forward control until the preselected or predetermined duration of time after the release of the accelerator pedal is counted up. Until the release of the accelerator pedal is suspended after the preselected duration of time, the torque converter is controlled to vary slippage by controlling the lockup clutch in feed-back control so as to converge it to the intended target slippage.
According to the above slip control device, during a wide range of fluctuations of engine torque which will be produced immediately after the accelerator pedal is released, the torque converter can be controlled to regulate slippage quickly in feed-forward control for the preselected period of time so as to cancel or absorb such fluctuations of engine torque. After the duration of the preselected period of time at which fluctuations of engine torque become small, the torque converter is controlled in feed-back control so as to allow a minimum slippage which is enough to cancel or absorb the small fluctuations of engine torque.
This slip control device can prevent more effectively the torque converter from being subjected to such an unsteady control as accompanied by hunting which is apt to occur immediately after the release of the accelerator pedal followed by a wide range of fluctuations of engine torque, in comparison with torque converters of the type being controlled only in feed-back slip control. In addition, the slip control device can make a delay of control as small as possible, so as to thereby prevent the vehicle engine from rapidly lowering the speed of its own rotation due to the delay of control. This leads to a prolonged time period of fuel cut-off.
A problem in association with the automatic transmission of the type varying the fluid coupling efficiency of the lockup clutch and being shiftable between the different drive modes, economy and power drive modes, is that the automatic transmission exerts a load on the vehicle engine due to the input and output shafts of the torque converter locked together. The vehicle engine therefore can not exhibit its best accelerating performance due to the load exerted on the engine by the automatic transmission with its input and output shafts locked together. The loads also leads to a loss of the generating power of the vehicle engine, notwithstanding that the vehicle engine should operate with a high accelerating performance during the power drive mode.
Another problem is a difficulty of properly changing the torque converter control between feed-forward and feed-back slip controls responding to various decreasing speeds of rotation of the vehicle engine. This difficulty is caused due to the fact that the slip control device controls the torque converter to operate in feed-forward control during a predetermined period of time immediately after the release of accelerator pedal and in feed-back control after the predetermined period of time and that no engine speed is reflected on changing the torque converter control between feed-forward and feed-back slip controls.
Because, when an engine is decelerated by releasing an accelerator pedal, engine speed or vehicle speed will be lowered at different rates generally according to changing road and load conditions, if engine speed or vehicle speed is lowered at a high rate, the engine speed sometimes becomes excessively lower than a fuel injection recovery speed before the predetermined period of time passes. In this case, it is impossible to increasingly change the time period of fuel injection cut-off by feed-back control around the fuel injection recovery speed at which fluctuations of engine torque is in an narrow range.
It may be permissible to shorten the predetermined period of time during which the slip control device controls the torque convertor to operate in feed forward control, in order to deal with the fact that it is impossible to increase the fuel injection cut-off time period. However, if the predetermined period of time is shortened too much, the vehicle engine sometimes remains in a speed range wherein relatively large fluctuations of engine torque after the shortened predetermined period of time are caused. In such a case, the torque converter by feed-back control, can not cancel the large fluctuations of engine torque, resulting in unsteady slip control such as hunting.


A clutch and/or brake module has a heat sink which is attached to a transmission housing for the purpose of discharging heat. The brake module further has a brake disc, which is connected to a rotational member formed by a shaft (schematically indicated by a center line). The brake disc is provided on one side with a lining and faces with this side towards the heat sink. The brake is a dry brake and is not lubricated. The brake module further has an actuation system (cylinder with piston movable therein, schematically indicated by an arrow) which can exert an axial pressing force directly on the brake disc. The brake disc is located axially between the heat sink and the actuation system. The cooling plate is secured to a transmission housing, a part of which is schematically shown.

Such a clutch and/or brake module is generally known. In the known clutch and/or brake module the friction disc (on both sides provided with a lining) is located between two heat sinks and the pressure force is applied on one of the heat sinks. The discharge of heat of the axially movable heat sink is often the limiting factor of the performance of the brake or clutch.


A sheet-processing machine operating in cycles, inter alia a shaping press, during which a cyclic excess air pressure is produced in a covered part of the machine, where the covered part has an opening (6) on the perimeter of which a diaphragm is fixed, the diaphragm being made of an elastic material which is substantially impermeable and resistant to the oil lubricating the machine (9).

The invention relates to a machine for processing sheets and operating in cycles during which a moving part of the machine produces a cyclic excess pressure of air in a covered part of the machine.
In many machines of the kind defined hereinbefore, a sequence of excess pressures and negative pressures, ranging from a few millibars to few tens of millibars, results from the movement of a part or set of moving parts which in cyclic manner partially or totally move into and out of a part of the machine protected by a body.
The general function of a body is to protect, but not to form a completely sealing-tight envelope. Machine bodies usually have a number of openings or slots for control rods or levers, cables, drive shafts and the like.
The moving parts generally have to be lubricated with grease or oil in order to operate. During normal operation of these parts, a small but not negligible quantity of grease or oil in contact with the moving parts is sprayed into the surrounding atmosphere in the form of drops or droplets or evaporates. Some constituents of the lubricating products may evaporate selectively.
Owing to the movement of air and the excess pressure produced by the moving parts, air enters and exits from the covered part. The outgoing air entrains drops or droplets or evaporated constituents of the lubricating product. These drops or vapours produce a smell which may inconvenience the machine operators in the workshop containing the machine. It is therefore desirable to find means to prevent such products from spreading in the workshop atmosphere.
In the special case of automatic shaping presses for paper or cardboard packaging, droplets or oil vapour may also be adsorbed on to the sheets of paper or cardboard being shaped. There is therefore a risk that the cut blanks for forming folding boxes may after shaping contain traces of machine oil or grease or may even have undesirable smells, and will therefore be judged unsuitable for use, especially in the food or pharmaceutical sector.
The aim of the invention is to propose means for reducing or eliminating evaporation of oil due to operation of the said machines.
This object, in the case of a machine of the kind defined in the preamble, is obtained by forming an opening in the body of the covered part where the cyclic pressure variation occurs, a diaphragm being fixed around the perimeter of the opening and made of a material which is elastic, substantially impermeable and resistant to the products lubricating the said part of the machine.
As a result of the instantaneous internal excess pressure, the diaphragm inflates and increases the volume of the covered part by an additional volume which is instantaneously occupied by at least a part of the air which, in the absence of the device, would escape into the atmosphere.
According to the invention the diaphragm material is elastic. Owing to its elasticity, the diaphragm returns to its initial position during each cycle.
A sheet of flexible but non-elastic material will not be suitable. Tests by the applicants have shown that a diaphragm made of a sheet of flexible but substantially non-elastic plastic tends to rattle undesirably during each machine cycle. A skilled man might think a priori that if a sheet of plastic in the form of a pocket were disposed and fixed to the periphery of an opening in the body, the pocket would inflate and deflate during each operating cycle of the machine. Tests however have shown that in reality, such a chamber of flexible but non-elastic material inflates gradually during a transitory phase after starting the machine and finally remains almost completely inflated; the air inflow/outflow balance at each cycle of the assembly comprising the body fitted with a pocket or chamber of flexible but non-elastic material remains positive until the chamber has completely inflated. When the steady inflated state is reached, the system becomes totally ineffective.
On the contrary, in the case of an elastic diaphragm, the inflow/outflow air balance stabilises very quickly after a few machine cycles owing to the elasticity of the diaphragm, which tends to bring it back to its inoperative position.
Preferably the diaphragm material is substantially permeable to air.
During the phase of excess pressure inside the body and inflation of the diaphragm, air leaks through the other openings in the body are reduced by the diaphragm but are not zero. A diaphragm impermeable to oil but permeable to air acts as a filter which lets through some air at each excess-pressure phase and thus reduces the maximum value of the excess pressure. This decrease further reduces leaks through the other openings.
The diaphragm can be in the form of a bladder or pocket, the edges of which are secured to the edges of a corresponding opening in the body, e.g. by means of a flange. A pocket of this kind can be concertina-shaped.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the body comprises a frame forming the edges of the opening to which the diaphragm is fixed and by which the diaphragm is covered. Preferably in that case the diaphragm is slightly stretched on the frame, even when the machine is inoperative, to avoid rattling during cyclic operation. The diaphragm is stretched alternately towards the interior and towards the exterior of the frame when the machine is in operation.
To prevent the movement, i.e. vibration, of the diaphragm being behind the phase or even in phase opposition with the operating cycle of the machine, the dimension of the frame and the diaphragm material can be chosen so that the relaxation time of the fabric-covered frame is less than the cycle period of the machine.

Abstract: The diaphragm can be a fabric (3) substantially permeable to air and stretched on a frame (2) surrounding the opening (6).


A safety switch is coupled to a control line of a vehicle starting system, and includes a first electrical connector that terminates a second branch of the control line, a first resistor that connects a first branch of the control line to a first voltage source, a switch element having a first end connected to a second voltage source, and a second end terminated by a second electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector, and a second resistor connected in parallel with the switch element. The switch element makes or breaks electrical connection between the first and second ends according to a detected position state of an engine hood of the vehicle. The starting system is enabled so as to permit remote-controlled activation of the vehicle only when a voltage drop, the magnitude of which is between the voltage outputs of the first and second voltage sources, is present at the control line.

This application claims priority of Taiwan patent application no. 090215437, filed on Sep. 7, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a safety switch for a vehicle starting system, more particularly to a safety switch for ensuring that remote-controlled activation of a vehicle is possible only when an engine hood is in a closed state.
2. Description of the Related Art
When starting a vehicle, the driver of the vehicle will, through the action of a starting system, activate an ignition system for driving operation of an engine system and a linkage system of the vehicle. Aside from using a key to start a vehicle, it is also known heretofore to use a remote controller for remote-controlled activation of the vehicle.
However, untimely activation of the remote controller while the vehicle is being repaired will expose a mechanic to danger. With reference to FIG. 1, because an engine hood of the vehicle is normally in an opened state when repairing the latter, a safety switch 2 can be coupled to a control line 11 of the starting system 1 such that remote-controlled activation of the vehicle is enabled only when the opened state of the engine hood is detected by the safety switch 2. As shown in FIG. 1, one end portion 111 of the control line 11 is connected to the starting system 1. The other end 112 of the control line 11 is formed with first and second branches 12, 13. The first branch 12 is connected to a +5V voltage source. The second branch 13 is terminated by a first electrical connector 14. The safety switch 2 has a first end 21 terminated by a second electrical connector 22 that complements the first electrical connector 14. As such, electrical connection between the starting system 1 and the safety switch 2 is established when the first and second electrical connectors 14, 22 are inter-engaged. The safety switch 2 further has a grounded second end 23. The safety switch 2 conducts, i.e. electrical connection between the first and second ends 21, 23 is made, such that a ground voltage is provided to the control line 11 via the safety switch 2 when the engine hood is in an opened state. The safety switch 2 is cut-off, i.e. electrical connection between the first and second ends 21, 23 is broken, such that the +5 voltage is provided to the control line 11 when the engine hood is in a closed state. As such, when the starting system 1 receives a remote control signal for remote-controlled activation of the vehicle from a remote controller (not shown), the starting system 11 will first detect the voltage signal present at the control line 11. If the +5 voltage is present at the control line 11, the starting system 1 will be enabled to permit remote-controlled starting of the engine system of the vehicle. Otherwise, if the ground voltage is present at the control line 11, the starting system 1 will be inhibited from permitting the remote-controlled starting of the engine system of the vehicle. Therefore, activation of the vehicle by remote control can be avoided when the engine hood is in the opened state so as to result in a safer environment for mechanics.
However, it is noted that the connection between the first and second electrical connectors 14, 22 is likely to loosen over a period of time. When the first and second electrical connectors 14, 22 are improperly connected, the safety switch 2 will be unable to provide the ground voltage to the control line 11 in the event that the engine hood of the vehicle is in the opened state. Under such a condition, the +5 voltage will always be present at the control line 11, thereby resulting in the possibility of undesired starting of the engine system by remote control.
In addition, when the safety switch 2 breaks down and is always cut-off, no indication is provided as to the need to replace the safety switch 2.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a safety switch for ensuring that remote-controlled activation of a vehicle starting system is possible only when an engine hood is in a closed state.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety switch that can indicate the need to replace a broken switch element thereof.
According to the present invention, a safety switch is adapted to be coupled to a control line of a starting system of a vehicle. The starting system is operable so as to detect a voltage signal present at the control line upon receipt of a remote control signal for remote-controlled activation of the vehicle from a remote controller. The voltage signal indicates position state of an engine hood of the vehicle. The safety switch is adapted to inhibit the starting system so as to prevent the remote-controlled activation of the vehicle when the position state of the engine hood corresponds to an opened state, and is adapted to enable the starting system so as to permit the remote-controlled activation of the vehicle when the position state of the engine hood corresponds to a closed state. The control line has an end portion formed with first and second branches. The safety switch comprises:
a first electrical connector adapted to terminate the second branch of the control line;
a first resistor adapted to connect the first branch of the control line to a first voltage source that has a first voltage output;
a switch element having a first end adapted to be connected to a second voltage source that has a second voltage output lower than the first voltage output, and an opposite second end, the switch element being adapted to detect the position state of the engine hood, and making electrical connection between the first and second ends when the position state of the engine hood corresponds to the opened state, and breaking the electrical connection between the first and second ends when the position state of the engine hood corresponds to the closed state;
a second electrical connector for terminating the second end of the switch element, the second electrical connector complementing the first electrical connector so as to be adapted to connect the switch element to the second branch when the second electrical connector engages the first electrical connector; and
a second resistor connected in parallel with the switch element between the first and second ends.
When the first and second electrical connectors are properly connected, and the position state of the engine hood corresponds to the opened state, the voltage signal at the control line corresponds to the second voltage output in view of the connection between the second branch and the second voltage source via the first and second electrical connectors and the switch element, thereby inhibiting the starting system so as to prevent the remote-controlled activation of the vehicle.
When the first and second electrical connectors are properly connected, and the position state of the engine hood corresponds to the closed state, the voltage signal at the control line corresponds to a voltage drop that is less than the first voltage output and greater than the second voltage output in view of the connection between the second branch and the second voltage source via the first and second electrical connectors and the second resistor, thereby enabling the starting system so as to permit the remote-controlled activation of the vehicle.
When the first and second electrical connectors are improperly connected such that the switch element is disconnected from the second branch, the voltage signal at the control line corresponds to the first voltage output, thereby inhibiting the starting system so as to prevent the remote-controlled activation of the vehicle.
Preferably, a light emitting diode is connected in series with the second resistor between the first and second ends of the switch element, and can indicate whether or not the switch element is broken and needs to be replaced.

Safety switch for a vehicle starting system


The present invention provides a novel method (400) for packaging sponge or porous polymeric devices, e.g., scrubbing brush. The method includes a step of providing a porous polymeric member (401), which has an outer surface and may also include inner surfaces. The member is substantially free from impurities (e.g., ions, particles) that may be distributed on the surface and through the member. Preferably, the method treats the devices using a preservative to prevent bacteria growth during storage or shipping of the devices. The brushes are removed from the wash treatment and placed within containment packages.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of objects. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for cleaning and packaging a sponge or porous polymeric product such as an ultra clean "scrubbing" brush or surface treatment device for the manufacture of integrated circuits, for example. Merely by way of example, the present invention is applied to a packaging method for a scrubbing device for the manufacture of integrated circuits. But it will be recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; it can also be applied to the manufacture of semiconductor substrates, hard disks, and the like.
In the manufacture of electronic devices such as integrated circuits, the presence of particulate contamination, trace metals, and mobile ions on a wafer is a serious problem. Particulate contamination can cause a wide variety of problems such as electrical "opens" or "shorts" in the integrated circuit. These opens and shorts often lead to reliability and functional problems in the affected integrated circuit. Mobile ion and trace metal contaminants can also lead to reliability and functional problems in the integrated circuit. The combination of these factors is the main source of lower device yields on a wafer, thereby increasing the cost of an average functional device on the wafer.
Chemical-mechanical polishing ("CMP") is a commonly used technique for planarizing a film on a wafer prior to subsequent processing of the wafer. CMP often requires introduction of a polishing slurry onto a surface of a film on the semiconductor wafer as the wafer is being mechanically polished against a rotating polishing pad. The slurries typically are water based and can contain fine abrasive particles such as silica, alumina, and other abrasive materials. After polishing is complete, the processed wafers must be cleaned to completely remove residual slurry and other residue from the polishing process to ready the surface for other processing steps such as etching, photolithography, and others.
To clean residual slurry material from the polished surface, cleaning brushes have been used. A cleaning brush of this type often comprises a member that is cylindrical in shape, which generally rotates along a center axis of the cylindrical shaped member. The cleaning brushes are also often made of a foam or porous polymeric material such as polyvinyl alcohol ("PVA"). A combination of rotational movement of the brush and force or pressure placed on the brush against the wafer causes residual slurry materials to be removed from the surface of the wafer. Unfortunately, it has been found that the brushes themselves often contain residual materials from the brush manufacturing process. These residual materials include, among others, residual particles and impurities such as ions and particulate contamination. Given that brushes received directly from a manufacturer are often "dirty" it is difficult to maintain the cleanliness of an integrated circuit manufacturing process by using such dirty brushes. Other impurities also may be introduced to the brush during the packaging process.
In some cases, conventional sponge or porous polymeric materials such as PVA attract microorganisms. More particular, microorganisms such as bacteria often introduce themselves on the wet surfaces and pores of the materials and reproduce at significant rates. These microorganisms contaminate the pores and surface area of the material. They also form particulate contamination, which should not be introduced in the manufacture of electronic devices such as integrated circuits. Furthermore, the microorganisms often degrade the quality of the material, which shortens it's life and resiliency. These and other microorganisms can also degrade the porous polymeric product material.
From the above, it is seen that an improved technique for maintaining cleanliness of a surface treatment device is highly desired.

Method for packaging sponge or porous polymeric products


The present disclosure relates, inter alia, to compositions and methods for treating viral diseases and cancer. There are disclosed lipophilic antiviral and anticancer acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters, preparation thereof, and methods of using the compounds to treat viral diseases and cancer.

The present disclosure relates, inter alia, to compositions and methods for treating viral diseases and cancer. In one aspect it relates to lipophilic antiviral and anticancer acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters, preparation thereof, and methods of using the compounds to treat viral diseases and cancer.
Viruses are infectious particles that can replicate their DNA and RNA only within host cells. Viral infections may lead to mild or severe illnesses in humans and mammals. Examples of viral infections include hepatitis B and C, smallpox, herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, adenovirus, chickenpox, BK virus, JC virus and precancerous lesions caused by infections with the human papillomavirus (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, vaginal and anal intraepithelial neoplasia). Viral infection may also lead to cancer in humans and other species. Viruses known to cause cancer include but are not limited to human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV and Epstein Barr virus (EBV). Vaccination has been successful in preventing infection from many viruses. Antiviral agents are known that interfere with viral DNA or RNA synthesis and viral replication and are used to prevent or treat viral infections in mammals and humans. For example, combinations of antiviral drugs are used to treat AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, herpes simplex viruses, cytomegalovirus and influenza. Despite these successes, viral diseases remain an important public health problem and improved antiviral agents and anticancer agents are needed. For example, there is presently no approved antiviral treatment for human papillomavirus infections.
Many antiviral drugs are nucleoside or nucleotide analogs. Examples of antiviral nucleoside analogs include azidothymidine, acyclovir, ganciclovir, lamivudine and emtricitabine. Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs) are a class of nucleotide analogs and are effective antiviral agents. Adefovir, tenofovir and cidofovir are ANPs that have been approved for clinical use against human infections with HBV, HIV and CMV, respectively.
ANPs are known in the art not to be absorbed readily from the gastrointestinal tract of mammals because of their molecular weight and the presence of the double negative charge on the phosphonate. Because of their poor oral pharmacokinetic properties, ANPs are usually converted to prodrugs to produce clinically useful therapeutic agents. It has been demonstrated that masking one or both negative charges with promoieties improves the uptake and transport into the small intestinal enterocytes where the promoiety is cleaved, releasing the ANP into the circulation; examples include tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and adefovir dipivoxil. Another approach is to prepare alkoxyalkyl or alkyl monoesters of ANPs to increase oral bioavailability of the drug. With the alkoxyalkyl ANP monoester approach, side effects may occur when non-targeted tissues such as the small intestine are overexposed. For example, in enterocytes, enzymatic cleavage of the promoiety by a phospholipase C or an acid sphingomyelinase to the ANP may result in local toxicity because of further anabolic phosphorylation to the ANP diphosphate which may inhibit enterocyte DNA synthesis. Lipophilic ANP diester compounds of the invention are anticipated to undergo less cleavage from intact prodrug to ANP in the small intestine enterocytes following oral administration reducing GI side effects and releasing more drug substance into the circulation and producing higher levels of the drug substance in the blood.
ANPs or their alkyl or alkoxyalkyl monoesters may exhibit limited uptake in certain target tissues such as the central nervous system. An additional advantage of nucleoside phosphonate diesters is the masking of the remaining negative charge on the phosphonate oxygen with a second masking group which can increase penetration of the drug substance into the central nervous system (CNS) for treatment of CNS viral infections (for example, HIV or JC virus) or for treatment of brain cancers such as glioblastoma. Cancer cells rapidly synthesize DNA and undergo uncontrolled cell division. The lipophilic acyclic nucleoside phosphonate (ANP) diester compositions described herein can be metabolized to their diphosphates which inhibit or block DNA synthesis and cell division in target cancer cells, leading to cell death while having substantially lesser effects on non-malignant cells. Exposure of various types of cancer cells to acyclic nucleoside phosphonates diesters of the invention may result in much greater cytotoxicity than that observed in normal non-malignant cells. For example, leukemias, lymphomas, brain neoplasms such as glioblastoma and cervical cancer cells may be more susceptible to the cytoxic effects when exposed to lipophilic ANP diesters than the corresponding non-malignant cell lines. Lipophilic acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters exhibit more selective toxicity, improved access to the central nervous system and effective topical uptake for treatment of skin cancers, viral skin infections, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), vaginal and anal intraepithelial dysplasia, venereal warts and related infections caused by the human papillomavirus when compared to acyclic nucleoside phosphonate monoester compositions.
Compounds disclosed herein having both ANP phosphonate negative charges masked with functional groups provide for more effective use as topical agents for treatment of skin cancers and viral infections. In particular, compounds disclosed herein provide for efficacious treatment for infections of the cervical, vaginal, rectal and penile epithelium with the human papilloma virus including the high risk subtypes such as 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, 82 which are associated with cervical, rectal, penile and vaginal cancer and venereal warts.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

The Regents of the University of California


A heat exchanger apparatus including a heat exchange element and a substrate support. A clamp member is coupled to the heat exchange element and the substrate support by expanding the clamp member to an expanded state sufficient to surround a portion of the substrate support and the heat exchange element, and contracting the clamp member to couple the clamp member to the substrate support.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wafer temperature control apparatus for semiconductor wafer processing systems and, more specifically, the invention relates to a heat exchanger apparatus for a semiconductor wafer support in a semiconductor processing system that maintains the wafer at a substantially constant temperature during processing of the wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor wafer temperature control apparatus is useful in a variety of applications, particularly in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices using processes that require the wafers to be maintained at stable temperatures. In particular, a resistive heater may be utilized in, for example, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processing chambers to heat a wafer during processing and maintain the wafer at an elevated temperature to facilitate film deposition.
Typically, a heater assembly is a portion of a semiconductor wafer support (known as a susceptor) and is comprised of a platen that is fabricated of aluminum or other thermally conductive material with a top surface having a generally circular shape for supporting a semiconductor wafer within a process chamber. The wafer support also includes a shaft which is coupled to the bottom of the platen and supports the platen in the process chamber. A heating element is mounted in or under the platen and is arranged to be in thermally conductive contact with the surface of the platen such that a wafer supported by the platen can be heated during processing.
One manufacturing technique for a heater assembly is a cast-in method wherein the heating element is cast-into the platen as the platen is formed, i.e., a resistive heating element is inserted into molten platen material (aluminum) during the platen manufacturing process. To accomplish the insertion of the heating element into the molten platen material without melting the heating element, the melting point of the heating element must be substantially higher than the melting point of the platen material. This means that if stainless steel or aluminum are used as the heating element, the types of materials which may be used for the platen are limited.
Another manufacturing technique for a heater assembly is a machined platen manufacturing technique wherein the heating element is placed in a channel that is milled into the bottom surface of the platen. The channel is filled with a high temperature epoxy and a cover plate is then secured (welded) over the channel to seal the heating element and epoxy into the platen. Unfortunately, the high temperature epoxy has a limited life expectancy over which it sufficiently supports the heating element and provides good thermal conductivity to the platen. Over time, the epoxy breaks down and ceases to be a good thermal conductor. As such, the useful life of a platen is limited by the useful life of the heater element and its mounting structure.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved temperature control apparatus that provides effective thermal conductivity between a platen and a heat exchange element (e.g., a heating element) without the use of epoxy or without strict limits on the materials used to fabricate the platen and heat exchange element.

Heat exchanger apparatus for a semiconductor wafer support and method of fabricating same


Timely testing of die on wafer reduces the cost to manufacture ICs. This disclosure describes a die test structure and process to reduce test time by adding test pads on the top surface of the die. The added test pads allow a tester to probe and test more circuits within the die simultaneously. Also, the added test pads contribute to a reduction in the amount of test wiring overhead traditionally required to access and test circuits within a die, thus reducing die size.

FIG. 1 illustrates a semiconductor wafer 101 comprising multiple die 102. After the wafer 101 is manufactured all die 102 on the wafer must be tested to identify good die from bad die. The testing of all die on wafer can be a time consuming process, especially when the die contain multiple complex digital and/or analog circuits, which is the current trend in the semiconductor industry.
FIG. 2 illustrates a more detail example of one of the die 102. As seen in FIG. 2, the die 102 contains multiple embedded circuits A-I. The circuits A-I could be any type of circuits such as digital signal processor cores, microprocessor cores, mixed signal circuits such ADCs and DACs, peripherals, or memories. Each circuit A-I has input 201 and output 202 terminals. The die has input 203 and output 204 pads for connecting to external circuitry. Internally, the circuits A-I are connected together at their input 201 and output 202 terminals via connections 206, allowing them to function together. Certain of the circuits A-I are connected to the die input 203 and output 204 pads via connections 205 and 207 to allow external communication. Typically, during the test of the die 102, each circuit A-I is individually tested. The following examples in FIGS. 3 and 4 describe how a conventional test approach can be used for selecting and testing the circuits A-I of die 102.
FIG. 3 illustrates a prior art test approach whereby the die is configured to connect the input 201 and output 202 terminals of circuit E to the die input 203 and output 204 pads via test bussing paths 301-304. A similar test approach where inputs and outputs of embedded circuits are bussed to die pads for testing, as shown in FIG. 3, is described in TI U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,173.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example test arrangement 400 consisting of die 102 to be tested, tester 401 to supply test patterns, and probe mechanism 402 for making connections between tester 401 and pads of die 102. It is assumed that Die 102 is configured for testing circuit E as described in regard to FIG. 3. During test, the tester 401 outputs test stimulus patterns to the input terminals 201 of circuit E via input pads 203 and test bussing paths 301 and 302, and inputs test response patterns from output terminals 202 of circuit E via test bussing paths 303 and 304. In this example, it is assumed that circuit E does not contain design for test features, such as scan design, so functional testing must be performed on circuit E by manipulation of all, or at least a significant number of, the circuit E input and output terminals.
When testing of circuit E is complete, another circuit, such as D may be selected and connected to the input 203 and output 204 pads, via additional test bussing paths, like 301-304, and tested like circuit E was described being tested. During the testing of die 102, all circuits A-I will eventually be selected and tested in the manner described above. Since some of the circuits A-I are directly connected on at least some of their input 201 and output 202 terminals to input 203 and output 204 pads, fewer additional test bussing paths may be required for their testing. However, all circuits A-I that have input 201 and output 202 terminals that are not functionally connected to input 203 and output 204 pads will require a test bussing path to be configured during test.
While the test approach of using configurable test bussing paths to select and test embedded circuits, as described above, is a simple process, it introduces two key problems. The first problem is that the additional test bussing paths required for selecting and testing the circuits adds circuitry and wiring overhead to the die, thus increasing die size and potentially increasing the amount of noise and crosstalk produced during functional operation of the die. The second problem is that when some of the input 203 and output 204 pads are being used to test one of the circuits A-I, they cannot necessarily also be used to test another of the circuits A-I. For example, since some of the input 201 terminals of circuits D and E are connected during test to a common set of input 203 pads, via test bus 301, it is not possible to test circuits D and E simultaneously. Thus, testing of the circuits A-I of die 102 may need to occur in a one-at-a-time fashion, which leads to longer die test times. The present invention, as described in detail below, provides solutions for these two problems.


The present invention provides photoelectric conversion elements, wherein the long wavelength sensitivity, the fill factor, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency are improved. In order to provide photoelectric conversion elements wherein light deterioration is reduced, the field durability enhanced, and the temperature characteristic improved, a p-layer composed of amorphous silicon type semiconductor containing hydrogen, an i-layer composed of amorphous silicon-germanium type semiconductor containing hydrogen and further including microcrystalline germanium, and an n-layer composed of amorphous silicon type semiconductor containing hydrogen are laminated on a substrate, the i-layer being formed at a substrate temperature from 400.degree. to 600.degree. C. by microwave plasma CVD, the particle diameter of said microcrystalline germanium ranging from 50 to 500 angstroms. Also, the content of microcrystalline germanium varies in the layer thickness direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photoelectric conversion elements with the photovoltaic effect which are suitably applicable to solar cells and photosensors. Solar cells are used as components for solar light power generation systems, electronic calculators, and night indicator lamps, for example. Also, photosensors are employed as components of facsimile apparatuses, image scanners, and factory automation (FA) equipment.
In particular, the present invention relates to photovoltaic elements of the pin-type composed of non-single crystalline silicon type semiconductor material. Also, this invention relates to photovoltaic elements having an amorphous silicon-germanium semiconductor layer in the photovoltaic layer. Also, this invention relates to photovoltaic elements containing microcrystalline germanium. Also, this invention relates to photovoltaic elements wherein the doping layer (p-layer and n-layer) and the i-layer are formed by microwave plasma CVD (MWPCVD).
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, much research has been conducted for the purpose of using amorphous silicon-germanium in photoelectric conversion elements, e.g., photovoltaic elements. For example, a photovoltaic element for efficiently converting long wavelength light into electric power by using an amorphous a-SiGe layer for photoelectric power generation, or a photosensor using an a-SiGe layer for the photovoltaic layer are applications making effective use of the feature that the light sensitivity thereof is very close to the sensitivity of the human eye. Also, it is superior for detecting long wavelength light. However, it has been found that the a-SiGe photovoltaic layer of the photovoltaic element of the present invention is different from conventional a-SiGe in terms of Raman scattering, electron beam diffraction, and high resolution electron microscopic observation
Conventionally, microcrystalline germanium (mc-Ge) has been used for temperature sensors, optical power sensors, and infrared sensors. Examples are shown in "A high-accuracy quick-response optical power sensor with .mu.c-Ge:H thin film", S. Kodato, Y. Naito, K. Kuroda, S. Kodama, Sen Actuators A, vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 63-68, and "Thermoelectric characteristics of microcrystalline germanium thin film and its application to sensors", Etsunobu Naito, Yasuji Uchida, Kazuo Mizuno, Setsuo Yoshidatsuchi, Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Sensor Technology Research Meeting on Materials.
However, a photovoltaic element with mc-Ge contained in the photovoltaic layer has not been reported. Also, there have been few researches concerning such application, resulting in too low a quality for application to photovoltaic elements.
On the other hand, regarding the film forming apparatus, several studies for making photovoltaic elements have been conducted using the MWPCVD method, which has a higher deposition rate and is superior in source gas utilization efficiency. For example, the following article discloses forming the i-layer by a MWPCVD method: "a-Si solar cell by microwave plasma CVD", Kazufumi Higashi, Takeshi Watanabe, Toshikazu Shimada, Proceedings of The 50th Scientific Lecture Meeting in The Japanese Society of Applied Physics, p. 566. In this photovoltaic element, a good quality i-layer is obtained at higher deposition rate by MWPCVD.
Also, examples of articles disclosing forming the doping layer by MWPCVD include:
"High Efficiency Amorphous Solar Cell Employing ECR-CVD Produced p-type Microcrystalline SiC Film", Y. Hattori, D. Kruangam, T. Toyama, H. Okamoto and Y. Hamakawa, Proceedings of the International PVSEC-3, Tokyo, Japan (1987) p. 171, and
"HIGH-CONDUCTIVE WIDE BAND GAP P-TYPE a-SiC:H PREPARED BY ECR CVD AND ITS APPLICATION TO HIGH EFFICIENCY a-Si BASIS SOLAR CELLS", Y Hattori D. Kruangam, K. Katou, Y. Nitta, H. Okamoto and Y. Hamakawa, Proceedings of 19th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (1987) p. 689.
In these photovoltaic elements, a good-quality p-layer is obtained by using the MWPCVD method for forming the p-layer. However, in these examples, mc-Ge is not referred to.
The above-mentioned a-SiGe solar cell had a problem that the open-circuit voltage is too low and the fill factor (FF) is small, although the a-SiGe layer can be used in the photovoltaic layer to efficiently convert light ranging from short wave to long wave into electric power. Further, if the a-SiGe layer is used in the photovoltaic layer, light deterioration (reduced electrical characteristics after subjecting the photoelectric conversion element to light illumination for a long time) is problematical. Also, photosensors using the a-SiGe layer as the photoelectric conversion layer had a problem with the residual image characteristic.

Semiconductor device containing microcrystalline germanium & method for producing the same


A hybrid surge protector for a network interface device (NID) is disclosed. The hybrid surge protector includes a fail-safe spring connected to the ground electrode of a three-electrode gas tube. Tabs on the fail-safe spring are held away from the gas-tube end electrodes by a fusible element. The hybrid surge protector also includes metal-oxide varistor elements (“MOVs”) in contact with the gas-tube end electrodes and with the ground electrode via an MOV spring. This arrangement provides for two initial paths to ground-one path from the gas-tube end electrodes to the ground electrode through the gas tube, and another from the gas-tube end electrodes to the ground electrode through the MOVs and the MOV spring. The dominant path to ground starts as the MOV ground path but switches to the gas-tube path as the gas tube becomes activated. Another path to ground via the fail-safe spring is also available should the gas tube overheat. A surge protection module that includes the hybrid surge protector is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surge protectors, and in particular to surge protectors for network interface devices.
2. Technical Background
Telephone service is provided by a telephone company ("provider") to a number of different customers of the provider, commonly referred to as "subscribers." Each subscriber may purchase as many separate telephone lines as desired and equip his or her home or business with various types of telephone equipment. Subscribers are responsible for proper operation of the telephone equipment at their end, and the provider is responsible for proper operation of the telephone network up to the interface between the provider wiring and the subscriber wiring.
A telephone network interface device ("NID") serves as the demarcation point between the provider wiring and the subscriber wiring. A NID serves the function of isolating the provider portion of the system (i.e., the provider wiring) from that of the respective subscribers. Such isolation is desirable for a number of important reasons, including segregating the responsibility for faults or malfunctions that may occur in the respective parts of the system.
In practice, NIDs are typically mounted to an exterior wall of a house or building. Conventional NIDs generally include a container or housing, the interior of which is divided into a provider portion and a subscriber portion. Provider wiring typically enters the NID and terminates in the provider portion. The subscriber wiring typically enters the NID and terminates in the subscriber portion. At least one interconnect apparatus is located between the two portions and generally operates to connect the subscriber wiring to the provider wiring.
The provider portion also typically contains protective devices such as surge protectors to protect equipment and users from excess voltages. Surge protectors operate by diverting voltage surges, also known as overvoltages, on a telecommunications line to ground. Such surge protectors utilize various types of protection elements to divert unacceptable levels of voltage to ground. A surge protector that utilizes a single protection element may not offer sufficient protection against a prolonged voltage surge. A surge protector utilizing more than one type of protection element can provide redundancy or improve the performance of the surge protector. What is needed is a low-cost surge protector for a NID that provides such redundancy, that has a fast response, and that is usable in a variety of presently deployed NIDs.

Hybrid surge protector for a network interface device


An apparatus for injecting a radiopaque dye into an artery of a patient during intraoperative arteriography, where the plunger of a syringe containing the injectate is driven by a separate but connected hydraulic sub-system operated by a surgeon who is at a location that is remote and safe from the radiation, and where the hydraulic sub-system provides for the surgeon, the feel and control of a conventional syringe operated manually in the immediate vicinity of the patient.

This invention concerns intraoperative angiography for vascular reconstructive surgery, and more particularly, apparatus for injecting radiopaque dye into a new artery during arteriography.
Vascular reconstructive surgery has progressed significantly in recent years with the development of new surgical techniques producing obvious benefits to the patients involved. A detailed description of this surgery will not be attempted here, because this patent application concerns apparatus used in conjunction with such surgery and presumes a reasonable familiarity with the basic surgical procedures.
While pre-operative arteriograms are normally obtained and utilized in connection with vascular reconstruction, intra-operative arteriography (also abbreviated "IOA") has not become routinely practiced for various reasons, including the belief by some surgeons that intraoperative arteriography is not necessary, and the concern by surgeons for the damage to their personal health due to the cumulative effects of repeated radiation exposure they experience, should they conduct IOA with every arterial reconstructive procedure. The more recent experience with IOA indicates strongly that this procedure is more than merely useful, and in many cases will provide critical information that will call for immediate corrective surgery. More particularly, IOA can provide immediate identification of technical errors at the suture line, platelet thrombi, atherosclerotic debris, previously unrecognized or unappreciated stenosing lesions just beyond the distal anastomosis, or rotation or kinking of the graft, thereby enabling the immediate corrective surgery. Subsequent or unrecognized graft failure is thus obviated; unrecognized bleeding can also be found if extravascular pooling of the contrast medium occurs, particularly at sites remote from insertion of the needle used for the angiogram. The value of IOA in cases of vascular trauma is also evident, particularly to avoid constricting anastomosis in medium-sized or small arteries and to delineate unrecognized areas of injury. Further description of these known medical procedures is found in the article, "Routine Intraoperative Angiography" in Archives of Surgery, Volume 110, February, 1975, by Irving I. Dardik, M.D., et al.
The basic problem considered herein is the radiation exposure experienced by the surgeon during intraoperative arteriography because he is very close to the patient while he manually injects the radiopaque dye into the patient's artery, as x-ray radiation is directed to the area of vascular reconstruction. Even though the x-ray beam is collimated and the surgeon wears a lead vest or apron, there remains some radiation danger due to imperfect collimation and/or scatter, which on a cummulative basis can be detrimental.
The reason for the surgeon's close proximity to the radiation is the requirement for his personal and continuous control of the injection which he can maintain by virtue of his direct observation and his "feel" of the injectate flow and/or resistance to flow while the syringe plunger is operated by his thumb and fingers. With regard to this radiation danger, obviously the surgeon and his operating team feel more confident and clearly are more safe when they retreat behind a lead-lined wall or leaded glass window while the x-ray radiation occurs. Unfortunately the surgeon cannot carry out personal, manual injection while he is at a remote location.
One might consider a remote, electronically controlled injecting device which is invulnerable to x-ray radiation and which is operated by switches and levers in the radiation-safe location. While attractive in theory, such is not really feasible for the following reasons. A patient who receives the radiopaque dye during IOA is in the midst of surgery with new untested arterial grafts or other vascular reconstruction. An existing injecting machine such as the "Angiomat 3000" is designed for pre-operative angiography, where the injection rate is pre-set to be automatic and thus does not have features to sense and react properly to the many possible problems that could have developed or been discovered during surgery. Such a machine not only lacks the surgeon's versatility, it was not designed to deal with the intraoperative conditions. In fact, no machine is known that is able to register and simulate the surgeon's experienced "feel", judgment and reactions. Cost of equipment in medical care is another factor that must not be dismissed; highly expensive apparatus is avoided when not proven to be essential, and the problem or danger remains until a less expensive solution is found.
One might also consier providing a hose of about a 30-foot length filled with radiopaque injectate, with a needle on the remote end for insertion in the artery and a syringe on the near end behind the lead wall. This is highly impractical as it would require a fluid system starting in the non-sterile hallway with its destination in the patient's artery, via a hose lying on the floor or draped from one IV pole to another; also this would consume an excessive quantity of radiopaque dye to fill the entire length of hose, while only a small portion of the fluid would actually be injected.
For the reasons discussed above, intraoperative arteriography has not become a routine procedure; however the available evidence indicates IOA should become the rule rather than the exception. The present invention as described in subsequent sections, is an apparatus that permits the surgeon to have the benefits of conventional, manual injection in the immediate proximity of the patient during IOA, while he is actually at a remote location and behind lead-lined walls and safe from radiation. The invention is summarized below, followed by a detailed description of a preferred embodiment.


A water purifier removes harmful materials from tap water by electrochemical oxidation-reduction and distillation without using any filters. The water purifier has an electrochemical oxidation-reduction unit which removes heavy metals and organic materials from tap water by an electrochemical oxidation-reduction reaction, thus providing pre-purified water. A distillation unit heats the pre-purified water in order to vaporize the water while distilling off harmful materials. The vapor is discharged from the distillation unit and is condensed by a condenser while flowing in a vapor guide pipe, thus providing finally-purified water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to water purifiers used for removing various harmful materials from tap water such as city water thereby providing pure potable water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several types of water purifiers, which remove various harmful materials from tap water such as city water thereby providing pure potable water, have been proposed in the prior art.
FIG. 1 shows an example of typical water purifiers. As shown in the drawing, the typical water purifier includes a pre-processing filter 2 which removes various harmful organic materials such as chlorine from tap water supplied through a faucet 1. The above water purifier also includes a membrane 3 which removes various heavy metals, cancer-causing materials and bacteria from the water processed by the pre-processing filter 2. The water purifier further includes a post-processing filter 7 which removes odors such as poisonous gas from the water processed by the membrane 3.
The above water purifier is a reverse osmotic water purifier which purifies tap water using reverse osmotic pressure thereby providing pure water. However, the above water purifier has a problem in that filters such as the pre-processing filter, membrane and post-processing filter of the water purifier have to be replaced after the lapse of predetermined processing time.
In the prior art, natural-filtering type water purifiers, serial-filtering type water purifiers and ion exchange resin type water purifiers also have been proposed. However, the above water purifiers also use filters so they have the same problem in that the filters have to be replaced after the lapse of a predetermined processing time.
That is, in the typical water purifiers used for removing the harmful materials from tap water and providing pure potable water, the filters must be changed with new ones after the lapse of a predetermined processing time. The typical water purifiers are thus inconvenient to the users. Another problem of the above typical water purifiers is that if the filters are not replaced at the proper time, the operational reliability of the water purifiers will be reduced.


In response to a path monitoring task for a particular source/destination pair, a network controller determines whether stored information includes paths for the particular source/destination pair. When the stored information includes paths for the particular source/destination pair, a subset of source ports is selected that covers all the paths for the particular source/destination pair. A probe message is sent to cause an ingress switch to send probe packets using the subset of source ports. Paths for the particular source/destination pair are computed based on received probe packets. A determination is made whether a topology for the data center network has changed by comparing the paths computed based on the receive probe packets for the particular source/destination pair with the paths included in the stored information for the particular source/destination pair.

As data centers embrace virtualization technologies, more and more data center networks are adopting overlay technologies over a CLOS network based architecture, in which Operation and Management (OAM) functions are very important for daily management and performance monitoring. Examples of overlay technologies include Cisco System's Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VxLAN) and Network Virtualization Overlays (NVO3).
Software-defined networking (SDN) centralizes and simplifies control of network management by allowing network administrators to manage network services through abstraction of higher-level functionality. Such an abstraction and simplification is well aligned with the evolution of the data center network.

Efficient path detection and validation between endpoints in large datacenters


A programmable controller with an I/O signal converting circuit having an input element and an output element, comprises a signal I/O unit having a plurality of element sockets capable of replaceably accommodating both the input element and the output element; a selecting unit for selecting the type of the accommodated element; and a signal storing and sending unit. Each element socket may accommodate the input and output elements. Therefore, the space required to install the I/O circuits is reduced, and the number of input and output elements can be arbitrarily set.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to programmable controllers for automatically controlling electronic devices, and more particularly to a programmable controller capable of variably setting a number of input/output signals for the electronic devices.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A block-type programmable controller, which is typical of conventional programmable controllers, has all of its electric circuits contained within a housing. This includes the input/output (I/O) elements required by the controller to convert received information signals into a form suitable for information storage and processing. If a particular I/O element experiences problems or fails completely, replacement of the I/O element is difficult given the enclosed structure of the circuits. Replacement usually involves replacing the whole unit or swapping a card within the unit even if only a single I/O element is defective. Furthermore, the manufacturer is generally the only party able to replace I/O elements.
To overcome such shortcomings, a block-type programmable controller, as shown in FIG. 19, with a replaceable output element is known in the art. In FIG. 19, reference numerals 51, 52 designate a control unit and a power unit contained in a case; 53, an input unit for receiving information signals from an electronic device under control; 54, an output unit for sending information signals to the controlled electronic device; and 57, a replaceable output element for level converting output data signals. The output element 57 is replaceable via a connecting socket (not shown).
However, only the output element 57 is typically replaceable in the conventional programmable controller shown in FIG. 19. Any defective elements in the input unit must still be corrected by replacing the whole input unit 53 or swapping a card within the input unit.

Programmable controller with input/output signal converting circuit for variably setting a number of inputs and/or outputs


A voltage generator that prevents latch-up includes: a charge pump circuit that is controlled by first through third enable signals, boosts an internal power voltage generated from an external power voltage, and generates first through fourth voltages; a detector that detects the first through third voltages and generates first through third flag signals that go logic high when the first through third voltages reach predetermined respective voltage levels and maintain logic low when the voltages do not reach the predetermined respective voltage levels; and a charge pump controller that receives the first through third flag signals, and generates the first through third enable signals to have the first through fourth voltages sequentially generated. The voltage generator can prevent latch-up that may occur in a boosting mode or in a normal operation mode.

1. Technical Field Invention
The present disclosure relates to a voltage generator of a liquid crystal display (LCD) and, more particularly, to a voltage generator that prevents latch-up.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In a voltage generating circuit, for example, in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device used generally in a charge pump circuit, a specific state called latch-up exists.
Latch-up indicates that a thyristor operation occurs at a PNPN junction included in a CMOS chip, so that excessive current flows through the chip, thereby causing destruction of the chip. Latch-up occurs when input and output voltages exceed a rated level and thus a large current flows in an internal device or when the voltage of a power terminal exceeds a rated level and, thus, an internal device is in a breakdown state. Although latch-up occurs in an instant, once a chip is in a latch-up state, the latch-up state is continuously maintained until the power is blocked by a thyristor structure, thereby ultimately causing destruction of the chip.
Latch-up that can occur in a voltage generator of a liquid crystal display (LCD) is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) including a voltage generator.
Referring to FIG. 1, the LCD 100 includes a timing controller 110, a source driver 120, a voltage generator 130, a gate driver 140, and a liquid crystal panel 150.
The liquid crystal panel 150 includes a plurality of gate lines G1-Gn, a plurality of source lines S1 to Sm crossing the gate lines G1 to Gn, and pixels arranged in regions defined by the gate lines and the source lines.
Each pixel includes a thin film transistor T1, a liquid crystal capacitor CLC, and a storage capacitor CST in which a gate electrode and a source electrode are respectively connected to the gate line and the source line. In such pixels, the gate lines are sequentially selected by the gate driver 140. When a gate-on voltage is applied to the selected gate lines in a pulse form, the thin film transistor T1 of the pixel connected to the gate line is turned on and then a voltage including pixel information is applied to each data line by the source driver 120. The voltage passes through the thin film transistor T1 of the corresponding pixel and is applied to the liquid crystal capacitor CLC and storage capacitor CST. When the liquid crystal and storage capacitors CLC and CST operate, a predetermined display operation is accomplished.
The timing controller 110 receives a current pixel data signal RGB, a vertical synchronization signal V_SYNC, a horizontal synchronization signal H_SYNC, a clock signal MCLK, and a data enable signal DE input from an external device (not shown). When the vertical synchronization signal V_SYNC has, for example, a period of 1/60 of a second, that is, a period of 16.6 [mS], the horizontal synchronization signal H_SYNC has a period of 1/320 of a second, that is, a period of 50 [uS]. Thus, the vertical synchronization signal V_SYNC has a longer period than that of the horizontal synchronization signal H_SYNC.
The timing controller 110 outputs a pixel data signal RGB′ and control signals, in which a data format thereof is converted in order to conform with an interface specification, to the source driver 120. The control signals provided from the timing controller 110 to the source driver 120 include a latch signal TP, a horizontal synchronization start signal STH, and a horizontal clock signal HCLK.
The gate driver 140 responds to the control signals provided from the timing controller 110, that is, a vertical synchronization start signal STV, a gate clock signal GCLK, and an output enable signal OE, and sequentially scans the gate lines G1 to Gn. In this example, the scanning indicates that a gate-on voltage VGH is sequentially applied to the gate lines G1 to Gn and, thus, the pixels of the gate lines G1 to Gn in which the gate-on voltage VGH is applied are in a recordable state.
The voltage generator 130 receives an external power voltage VCI and generates voltages needed to operate the LCD 100, for example, a first voltage (analog power voltage, AVDD), a second voltage (gate-on voltage, VGH), a third voltage (gate-off voltage, VGL), and a fourth voltage (common voltage, VCL). The gate-on voltage VGH and the gate-off voltage VGL are provided to the gate driver 140 and the analog power voltage AVDD is used as an operational voltage of the LCD 100.
When the voltages are generated, latch-up can occur in the conventional voltage generator 130.
FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a PNPN junction of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device 200.
A charge pump circuit (not illustrated) exists in an internal circuit of the voltage generator 130 illustrated in FIG. 1, and the charge pump circuit generally includes the CMOS device 200 illustrated in FIG. 2.
An internal power voltage VCI1 used in the inside of the voltage generator 130 is generated by using the external power voltage VCI illustrated in FIG. 1. The third voltage VGL is an SI-substrate bias voltage.
The latch-up generation in a boosting mode of the voltage generator 130 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
When an emitter voltage of a PNP transistor Q1 is higher than a base voltage, an emitter current flows into a collector terminal. The emitter of the PNP transistor Q1 is connected to the internal power voltage VCI1 through a resistor R1. Because the base of the PNP transistor Q1 is substantially in a floating state before boosting, if the base of the PNP transistor Q1 has an electric potential of 0V that is an arbitrary voltage in an initial stage, an emitter-base voltage is VE=VBE≈0.7V and is forward biased. In this example, the emitter current is IE=(VCI1−VE)/R1.
When a collector voltage of the PNP transistor Q1 is Vc=VGL+IE*R4 and |VGL|<|IE*R4|, Vc is a positive voltage. Thus, an NPN transistor Q2 is turned on. Similarly, an NPN transistor Q3 is also turned on. Because the NPN transistors Q2 and Q3 are turned on, a current path is formed between the second voltage VGH source and a ground voltage VSS source and, thus, excessive current flows. Such an excessive-current state is called latch-up.
As described above, in a boosting mode of the voltage generator 130, when latch-up occurs due to momentary forward biasing, the circuit may be seriously damaged.
In addition, not only in a boosting mode, but also in a normal operation mode of the voltage generator 130, latch-up may occur due to an electric static discharge ESD, a surge voltage, or a faulty operation of a display drive IC DDI.

Voltage generator that prevents latch-up


A filter rule generation apparatus includes a storage unit and a processor. The storage unit is configured to store instructions. The processor, in accordance with each of the instructions stored on the storage unit, executes a process that causes the filter rule generation apparatus to perform extracting a co-occurrence message group per system, based on a co-occurrence probability, from a plurality of logs in which messages are accumulated, the messages being generated within systems, first generating value information representing a degree of similarity in operation between the systems, based on the extracted co-occurrence message group, clustering the systems, based on the value information, and second generating a rule for extracting messages from the logs of the systems included in each cluster, based on the co-occurrence message group in the cluster generated by the clustering.

Such an operation management method exists as to notify an administrator of a message conforming to a predetermined monitoring rule in messages that are output from a monitoring target system including a plurality of systems. FIG. 1 illustrates an operation management procedure in the monitoring target system including the plurality of systems. The monitoring target system in FIG. 1 includes the plurality of systems, e.g., an information processing apparatus group 301 with their machine types and makers being different from each other. A monitoring apparatus 302 monitors the monitoring target system and collects messages issued from the information processing apparatuses within the monitoring target system. An operator apparatus 304 or another equivalent apparatus notifies the monitoring apparatus 302 of a collection target operation message beforehand, and the monitoring apparatus 302 retains this message as a monitoring rule. The monitoring apparatus 302 collects the operation messages each corresponding to the monitoring rule from the systems.
A filter processing unit of the monitoring apparatus 302 itself or a filter processing apparatus 303 operating in linkage with the monitoring apparatus 302 performs filtering the messages for reducing a load on a monitoring operator who administers the monitoring target system. The filtering is a process of, e.g., integrating, aggregating or selecting the collected messages according to the filtering rule. As a result of filtering, an operator apparatus 304 operated by the monitoring operator is notified of a smaller quantity of messages as a monitoring target event than the messages issued from the monitoring target system. The monitoring operator reports, to a person in charge, an event being determined about whether the event needs being handled in the notified monitoring target events after the filtering.
However, a large quantity of messages occur within the system including the plurality of information processing apparatuses as the case may be. There are the messages that are periodically transmitted and the message group occurring due to the same cause in the messages conforming to the predetermined monitoring rule, and a plurality of or, depending on the case, a large quantity of messages containing the same contents are output. Proposed consequently is a mechanism capable of aggregating the message group or selecting a small number of messages and outputting thus-processed message group or messages with respect to the message group generated based on the same cause and the message group containing the same content and occurring a plural number of times. The mechanism configured to aggregate the message group or to select the small number of messages involves generating, e.g., a filter rule beforehand and outputting the messages based on the filter rule.
FIG. 2 illustrates a processing instance, in which the information processing apparatus generates the filter rule, aggregates the message group containing the same content and occurring the plural number of times or selects the small number of messages, and outputs the thus-processes message group or messages. In the monitoring target system of FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus to monitor the monitoring target system accumulates the messages coming from the information processing apparatus group 301 in a message log. The information processing apparatus calculates a co-occurrence probability between messages, a, b, c and other equivalent messages accumulated in the message log. Herein, the term [co-occurrence] connotes that when a certain message occurs, another message occurs concomitantly with the occurrence of the former message. The term [co-occurrence probability] is an index indicating a probability of co-occurrence between the messages and is also said to be an index indicating a relationship between the messages. The information processing apparatus selects, as a monitoring target event, any one of the messages with the co-occurrence probability conforming to predetermined criteria between the messages, and discards other messages. This is because the messages with the co-occurrence probability conforming to the predetermined criteria can be determined to be the plurality of messages occurring due to the same cause. The mechanism described above enables restraint of an output count of messages conforming to the monitoring rule.

Filter rule generation apparatus and filter rule generation method


A method for associating a computing device of a customer with a layaway transaction corresponding to the customer is disclosed. The method may begin with a computer system initiating a layaway transaction with a customer. The computer system may then issue a receipt documenting the layaway transaction and comprising a machine readable code. The customer may use a computing device (e.g., mobile telephone) in his or her possession to scan the machine readable code. Accordingly, the computer system may receive, from the computing device, data extracted by the computing device from the machine readable code. The computer system, in response to the receiving, may link the computing device with the layaway transaction. The computer system may then serve an electronic receipt to the computing device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to layaway programs and more particularly to systems and methods for using electronic receipts within a layaway transaction.
2. Background of the Invention
Many point-of-sale (POS) and back office systems currently in use today do not support important emerging technologies, services, and marketing opportunities. For example, many POS and back office systems are limited in their ability to leverage the electronic receipt data they collect. Accordingly, what is needed is an apparatus and method expanding the ability of a wide variety of POS and back office systems, include legacy systems, to make improved use of the receipt data they collect.


A cutting insert is mounted on a holder by means of a locking screw which enables inserts to be exchanged without completely removing the screw from the holder. The insert has a through-hole configured such that a lower end thereof is of cylindrical configuration and includes a tapered section located thereabove. The tapered section expands in cross-section in an upward direction. The locking screw includes a head, the outer surface of which engages the through-hole at diametrically opposite contact locations and imposes a downward force on the insert at each contact location. In one embodiment, the head includes cylindrical surface portions which engage the through-hole at both contact locations. In another embodiment, the head includes a surface expanding in cross-section in an upward direction which engages the through-hole at both contact locations. In a third embodiment, the head includes a cylindrical surface for engaging the through-hole at the first contact location, and an expanding surface for engaging the through-hole at the second contact location.

The present invention refers to a cutting tool for chip removing machining.
Such a cutting tool typically includes a holder body with a cutting insert receiving site including a base surface and side supporting means. A cutting insert is located in the cutting insert receiving site and is supported by the base surface and side supporting means. A locking pin is detachably connectable to the holder body in the area of the cutting insert receiving site. The locking pin is axially displaceable relative to the holder body and has a longitudinal center axis diverging away from the side supporting means as it progresses upwardly. The cutting insert has a fixing hole extending through the insert, and the locking pin has a head insertable into the fixing hole. The design of the head and the fixing hole and the inclination of the longitudinal center axis are so mutually adapted to each other that, in an active position of the locking pin, a lower contact portion of the head engages the inner portion of the fixing hole and an upper contact portion of the head engages the outer portion of the fixing hole. Those contact portions are located on opposite sides of the head of the locking pin.
In an inactive position of the locking pin, i.e., the locking pin being displaced axially away from the base surface by a limited distance, the cutting insert can be mounted in or removed from the cutting insert receiving site. That is, it is unnecessary to completely detach the locking pin from the holder in order to exchange cutting inserts.
Cutting tools of the above-mentioned type previously known, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,740,807 and 3,913,197.
In the arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,807 the cutting insert has a cylindrical hole and the longitudinally spaced portions of the locking screw that engage the hole are frusto-conical with decreasing cross-sections in opposite directions. By studying FIG. 2 of that patent, one can see that a lifting force applied to the cutting insert will be counteracted only by friction forces between the locking screw and the hole of the cutting insert.
In the arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,197, the cutting insert has a hole including two frusto-conical sections converging at the center of the insert. The locking screw is generally of the same design as the locking screw of U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,807. However, when the locking screw engages the upper frusto-conical section of the hole of the cutting insert, a locking force which prevents lifting of the insert will be imposed.
The present invention is primarily related to a cutting tool including a cutting insert having a fixing hole of a standardized configuration, i.e., a hole defined by ISO No. 6987 wherein a lower end of the hole (i.e., an end disposed closest to the base surface of the insert receiving site) is generally cylindrical and adjoins a generally tapered portion thereabove which is of gradually enlarging cross-section in an upward direction. The taper of the tapered portion is to be designed for use with a countersunk head screw having a head taper angle between 40.degree. and 60.degree.. A locking screw according to combination with a hole conforming to ISO 6987, due to the fact that the upper contact portion of the locking screw has a decreasing cross-section towards the upper end of the head of the locking screw. As a result, when using cutting inserts having a through-hole conforming to ISO 6987, it has been heretofore necessary to completely detach the locking pin from the holder in order to exchange inserts.
An object of the present invention is to present a cutting tool having a simple but reliable locking arrangement for a cutting insert having a hole according to ISO 6987 or a similar design, wherein the cutting inserts can be exchanged without completely removing the locking pin from the holder.

Cutting tool with insert and removable locking pin


A full-color illuminating unit includes a first circuit board which is a disk having a hole and a plurality of green lights and red lights installed around the hole. A second circuit board which is a disk includes a blue light installed thereon. A first housing has an isolation plate integrally connected with an inner periphery thereof, thus separating the first housing into a first cavity and a second cavity. The first circuit board is installed in the first cavity while the second circuit board is installed in the second cavity. A boss protrudes from the isolation plate to the first cavity and is in communication between the first cavity and the second cavity. The first circuit board is positioned in place, with the periphery of the hole thereof being around the boss. The blue light is positioned in the boss, with a portion thereof protruding beyond an opening of the boss. A second housing is attached to the first housing, thus enclosing the second circuit board.

The present invention relates to a full color illuminating unit many of which are installed on a plate thus forming a dot matrix display and, more particularly, to an improved full color illuminating unit comprising a blue light positioned in a first physical level and a plurality of red lights and green lights positioned in a second physical level around the blue light.
Conventional dot matrix displays, which employ red, green, and blue light emitting diodes (LED), are becoming more and more popular in advertising. The blue light emitting diodes, in addition to low emitting efficiency, are expensive and difficult to manufacture. The dot matrix display is limited to be used indoors since the brightness thereof is insufficient for outdoor use. Furthermore, the LED type dot matrix display, when used commercially, merely uses red and green LEDs upon economic consideration, and is thus unable to generate all kinds of colors. To eliminate the drawbacks of light emitting diodes, light bulbs of cathode ray type have been used for outdoor advertising. Yet the cathode-ray type light bulbs generate considerable heat and results in heat dissipation problems and affecting the life thereof. The inventor of the present invention has invented a full color dot matrix display and filed a foreign application with a serial number 83842/4. Referring to FIG. 4, the 83842/4 application discloses a full color dot matrix display which comprises a housing 90 including a front panel 81 and a rear plate 82, a first circuit board 96 and a second circuit board 97 provided between the front panel 81 and the rear plate 82, and a plurality of illuminating units 9 arranged in the form of a dot matrix and is mounted on the first circuit board 96 and the second circuit board 97.
Further referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, each illuminating unit 9 comprises a substrate 91, a central blue light bulb 94 of cathode ray type mounted in a central hole 92 in the substrate 91, and a plurality of red and green light emitting diodes 93 (LEDs) mounted around the blue light bulb 94. The LEDs 93 are electrically connected to the first circuit board 96 by pins 95 on the substrate 91. The blue light bulb 94 extends beyond the substrate 91 through a hole 220 in the first circuit board 96 and electrically connects to the second circuit board 97.
However, there are some drawbacks existing in the above example. Firstly, the color combination can not achieve uniformality in some angular ranges. This is because the blue light from the cathode ray type bulb is visible in an angular range up to 75.degree. with respect to a longitudinal central line thereof, yet the light (either red and green) from the LED is visible in another angular range up to 30.degree. as illustrated in FIG. 6. For the above reason, the combination light is not uniform in an angular range from 30.degree. to 75.degree. which is called "non-uniform range". Therefore, any person who stands in the "non-uniform range" will see blue light only. Secondly, the blue light bulb 94 is firmly confined between the first circuit board 96 and the second circuit board 97, thus it is cumbersome to replace a broken blue light bulb 94 in this structure. Unfortunately, the blue light bulb 94 normally has two to three year life time. Thirdly, the display housing 90 is normally installed outdoors and is apt to be splashed by rain, thus any of the illuminating units 9 might get wet and the bulbs therein might be damaged.
Therefore, there has been an unfulfilled need for an improved full color dot matrix display to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.