A method for multi-addressed transmission of cells in a switching structure of a communication system operating in the asynchronous transfer mode. Instead of internal routing information (ri) for non-multi-addressed cells (Z), row index information (zi) and multi-addressing information (rsi) are inserted into an internal cell header (IKZ) of the communication system of multi-addressed cells (RZ). After the reception of a multi-addressed cell (RZ) in a switching element (KE) of the switching structure, a prescribed row (Z1 . . .Zn) of a multi-addressing matrix (RSM), that is provided with routing information (kri) that is individually associated to switching elements, is identified with the assistance of the row index information (ZI). The switching paths of the multi-addressed cell (RZ) in the respective switching element (KE) are defined by the routing information (kri) individually associated to the switching elements. The routing information (kri), that is individually associated to the switching elements and is formed of path information (wi) and of row index or cell routing information (zi, zri), is calculated by a communication system controller (ST) with the assistance of the subscriber signalling information and is entered into the multi-addressing matrix (RSM). In this method the structure of the internal cell header (IKZ) of the communication system is preserved.

Switching structures or switching networks operating according to an asynchronous transfer mode are provided for future communication systems, particularly broadband networks. In this asynchronous transfer mode, packets having a fixed length, these being referred to as cells in the technical field, are transmitted in uninterrupted fashion on every transmission section. These cells are composed of 48 octets for the useful information and of 5 octets of cell routing information for the cell header. When no useful information is to be transmitted at the moment, specifically marked idle signals are transmitted.
A switching network operating according to the asynchronous transfer mode is structured into one or more switching stages, similar to the switching network of traditional digital communication systems, whereby the individual switching stages are meshed with one another such that a largely blocking-free switching structure arises. The input and output lines of such a switching structure are identified from the cell routing information recited in the cell header of the cell, i.e. from virtual routing information and virtual channel information. These switching-oriented information are derived from the multi-addressing and destination information signalized by the subscribers of a communication system, i.e. telephone numbers of the destination subscribers.
It is known from the publication "ATM-Technologie fuer zukuenftige Breit-bandnetze" of Siemens AG, page 17, right-hand column, to additionally identify routing information for the switching of a cell through a switching structure from the cell routing information recited in the cell header of the cell and to attach this to the cell. With the assistance of these internal routing information, the respective cell seeks the defined path through an n-stage switching structure under self-control, i.e. without the cooperation of a central communication system controller. As used herein the term "self-control" refers to the self-routing of cells. The additional, internal routing information are inserted into an internal cell header of the communication system and are set in front of the respective cell. After the self-switching of the cell through the switching structure, the internal cell header of the communication system is again removed.
The data scope of the cell routing information or of the internal cell header of the communication system is essentially defined by the plurality of switching stages, whereby one information string, for example, one byte is usually provided for a switching stage, these being compiled to form a block. Internal cell headers of the communication system are being defined to an increasing degree that have a prescribed plurality of information strings matched to the maximum plurality of switching stages, for example 5 bit octets or bytes for 5 switching stages.
In the case of multi-address transmission of cells to a plurality of output lines of the switching structure, the self-control principle of the cells can no longer be maintained without further measures given internal cell headers of the communication system structured in this way.

Method for multi-address transmission of cells in a switching structure of a communication system operating in the asynchronous transfer mode


A testing device and method for testing scissors are disclosed. The testing device includes a mount device. The mount device includes a first mount feature for mounting a first grip end of the scissors thereon and a second mount feature movable with respect to the first mount feature for mounting a second grip end of the scissors thereon. The testing device additionally includes a feed device positioned to provide a test media between a first blade and a second blade of the scissors. The testing device further includes a position sensor associated with the mount device for measuring movement of the second grip end, and a load sensor associated with the mount device for measuring a load required for the scissors to cut the test media.

Scissors are utilized in a wide variety of applications, ranging from various uses in the home to uses in manufacturing plants and processing plants. One particular application is scissors is in food processing plants. In these plants, scissors are used to process various particular parts of animals. For example, scissors may be used to trim skin or fat, to separate meat from bone, or to cut meat into separate portions.
One issue that has arisen during the use of scissors in any application, and specifically in food processing applications, is the sharpness of the blades of the scissors. During use, the blades are gradually dulled. Duller blades cause cuts to be inaccurate and imprecise, and can cause injuries to the workers using the scissors. Further, and particularly in food processing applications which can require repetitive use, the increased pressure required for cutting due to dulling of the blades can cause musculoskeletal injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Thus, methods and apparatus for monitoring the sharpness of the blades of scissors are desired in the art. However, currently known testing apparatus have a variety of disadvantages. For example, currently known testing apparatus monitor only the peak force required for cutting by scissors, and provide no information regarding increases or decreases in force throughout cutting or where along the blades of the scissors the peak force requirements occur.
In view of the above, an improved testing device and method for testing scissors would be desired in the art. For example, an improved testing device and method that provide improved force and position information for the scissors blades during testing would be particularly advantageous.

Testing device and method for testing scissors


Disclosed herein is a thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) employing an air flow system by the introduction of a gap. The gap may be formed by also introducing a housing portion for selective layers of the TFT LCD. Also disclosed herein is a method of implementing the same.

Electronic displays are provided in many contexts to electronically render digital information to a viewer. The electronic displays receive information, and render the information through lighted cells in patterns that reflect the texts and pictures employed to convey the information.
Various electronic technology and semiconductor concepts are employed to implement electronic displays. One such concept is a thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) device. These devices are employed in various contexts, such as computing devices, televisions, mobile devices, and more commonly, in vehicle-based display implementations (such as instrument clusters and infotainment systems).
FIG. 1 illustrates a side-view of an exemplary TFT LCD 100. FIG. 2 illustrates the same side-view of the TFT LCD 100 with an explanatory diagram illustrating various effects associated with illuminating the TFT LCD 100 with a light 200 generated from a backlight 110.
The TFT LCD 100 is shown without a housing for illustrative purposes. The TFT LCD 100 is coupled to a backlight source 110 (not shown). The backlight 110 provides light 200 that is either propagated through (or not allowed to propagate through) based on the pattern chosen by a processor coupled to, and configured to drive the TFT LCD 100.
The first layer physically closest to the backlight 110 is a rear polarizer 120. The rear polarizer 120 is provided to polarize the light 200 so as to prepare the light 200 to be receivable by the liquid crystal layer 150. As shown in FIG. 2, as light 200 propagates through the rear polarizer 120 (at point 201), the light 200 signal strength is reduced by 50% (to create light 210). The TFT LCD 100 also includes a glass layer 130, physically disposed on the rear polarizer 120, and in between the rear polarizer 120 and a color filter 140.
As shown, a liquid crystal layer 150 is also disposed in between the color filter 140 and another glass layer 160. The color filter 140 allows the selective control of color. As light 210 is propagate through the color filter 140, the signal strength of the light is once again reduced by approximately 70%, thereby creating light 220.
Light 220, after propagating through the liquid crystal layer 150 (selectively controlled to be either on/off related to an electronic coupling controlling the state of the liquid crystals), is propagated through the glass 160 and through a front polarizer 170. The front polarizer 170 compensates the polarization effects introduced by the rear polarizer 120. After which, light 220 is viewable by any viewer of the TFT LCD 100.
Heat 202 associated with this transformation of light is dissipated through the rear polarizer 120, the first glass layer 130, and the color filter 140 to the TFT LCD 100. The liquid crystal layer 150 has numerous crystals which are affected by the heat 202. If light 200 is of a certain strength, deleterious effects associated with overheating the liquid crystal cells 150 may be introduced, and ultimately effect the proper operation of the liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer 150.
Each glass layer (glass layer 130 and glass layer 160) may effectively serve as a substrate associated with the TFT associated with individual control. For example, one layer may be employed to control content (i.e., whether a specific pixel is on/off) while another may be employed to control color. The TFT LCD 100 shown in FIG. 1 is exemplary, with the TFTs used to control content and color being interchangeable.

Thin-film transistor liquid crystal display with an air flow system


A method and a system for forming a copper indium gallium sulfur selenide (CIGSSe) absorption layer and a cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer under non-vacuum condition is disclosed. A coating layer is formed on the back electrode layer on the substrate by mixing the slurry on the back electrode layer, and the coating layer formed on the back electrode layer is densified by a densification device after initially dried, and then a primary selenization/sulfurization reaction process is carried out to form a primary CIGSSe layer, and then a thermal process is carried out to improve the lattice match of the primary CIGSSe layer, and then an impurity cleaning process is carried out by using potassium cyanide or bromide to remove the impurities of cuprous selenide and copper sulfide, and then a rear-stage selenization/sulfurization reaction process is carried out to produce the required rear-stage CIGSSe absorption layer. Finally, a CdS buffer layer is formed on the CIGSSe absorption layer by a chemical bath deposition method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a system for forming a copper indium gallium sulfur selenide absorption layer and a cadmium sulfide buffer layer, and more specifically to a method and a system which carry out a two-step selenization/sulfurization reaction under non-vacuum condition to form an absorption layer of good quality.
2. The Prior Arts
Due to a rising global trend in green energy, the copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cell, which is a complex quaternary alloy, has been studied and developed as a potential energy source in industry. The CIGS solar cell is not restricted by the raw materials, and can be manufactured on a large-area flexible substrate. The conversion efficiency per unit solar cell is up to 20%, and the conversion efficiency of a solar cell module is also up to 14%.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional CIGS solar cell is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, a CIGS solar cell includes a substrate 10, a back electrode layer 20, an absorption layer 30, a buffer layer 40, a transparent conductive layer 50, and a front electrode layer 60 sequentially stacked from bottom to top. The incident light L enters the CIGS solar cell from the top.
The substrate 10 is generally made of glass. Molybdenum is used for making the back electrode layer 20. The absorption layer 30 consists of a quaternary compound including the elements of copper, indium, gallium and selenium, and the absorption layer 30 is an N type semiconductor layer. The buffer layer 40 includes zinc sulfide, which is a P type semiconductor layer. The transparent conductive layer 50 includes indium tin oxide (ITO) or zinc oxide (ZnO). The front electrode layer 60 may be made of nickel and aluminum, and it is usually formed as a mesh-like pattern. First, a nickel layer is formed on the transparent conductive layer 50 to avoid forming metal oxides having high resistance, and then an aluminum layer is formed thereon.
There is a p-n junction 35 between the N type absorption layer 30 and the P type buffer layer 40 for absorbing the incident light to generate the free electron-hole pairs. Moreover, the back electrode layer 20 has a positive voltage and the front electrode layer 60 has a negative voltage. The back electrode layer 20 and the front electrode layer 60 connect to an outside load through the positive contact 22 and the negative contact 62, respectively, for outputting electric power.
Conventionally, the processes for fabricating CIGS solar cell can be generally divided into the vacuum processes and the non-vacuum processes. In the vacuum processes, the evaporation method and sputtering method are mainly used. However, in the vacuum processes, the expensive process equipments are required, the material utilization efficiency is low, and the fabricating cost is high. In the non-vacuum processes, the ink method is generally used and by which the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and thereby the non-vacuum processes have great development potential. However, the compactness of the formed CIGS absorption layer is relatively low so that the quaternary compound with the large particle size is not easily formed. As a result, many grain boundaries exist in the absorption layer, and when the light falls onto these grain boundaries, it may not be successfully converted into electric energy so that the photovoltaic conversion efficiency becomes low.
Therefore, it is needed a method and a system which may improve the absorption efficiency and the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the CIGS absorption layer under non-vacuum condition, and provide a good lattice match of cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer with CIGS absorption layer to form a better p-n junction, so as to further solve the above problem of the prior art.

Method and system for forming copper indium gallium sulfur selenide absorption layer and cadmium sulfide buffer layer under non-vacuum condition


A hydraulic control device of construction machinery is disclosed. The device includes a main merging/diverging valve, operating levers operated to actuate plural actuators, an operating condition judging section, and a pattern collating section. When a load pressure of each actuator is high, a discharge pressure of each discharge oil path is also high, and when a total of the discharge pressures exceeds a predetermined set pressure, the main merging/diverging valve is switched to a diverging position, and when the total of the discharge pressures drops to below the set pressure, the main merging/diverging valve is switched to the merging position.

A conventional hydraulic drive device for construction machinery, such as a hydraulic excavator, disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-36681 (Patent document 1) includes: a variable capacity type first hydraulic pump driven by a drive source such as an engine; a first hydraulic actuator group driven by the pressure oil discharged by the first hydraulic pump; a first operating valve group interposed between the first hydraulic pump and the first hydraulic actuator groups; a variable capacity type second hydraulic pump driven by the drive source mentioned above; a second hydraulic actuator group driven by the pressure oil discharged by the second hydraulic pump; and a second main operating valve group interposed between the second hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic actuator group. This hydraulic drive device connects a pressure oil supply line of the first hydraulic pump and a pressure oil supply line of the second hydraulic pump via a first merging/diverging valve, and controls switching of the first merging/diverging valve, thereby switching each pressure oil supply line to a merging position or diverging position.
In addition, according to Patent document 1, in order to relieve shock that may occur during switching to a merging position or diverging position, a bypass oil path is disposed so as to connect, via a pressure compensation valve with a checking function, an oil path between the pressure compensation valve on the one hydraulic pump side and the actuator and an oil path between the other variable capacity type hydraulic pump and the main merging/diverging valve. By disposing the bypass oil path in such a manner, pressure oil can be kept flowing in a supplied-side hydraulic circuit from a supplying-side hydraulic circuit via the bypass oil path when the merging/diverging valve is switched to the diverging position from the merging position. This makes it possible to avoid a change in flow rate during the switching to the merging or diverging position, or any resultant shock. Accordingly, this prevents noises emitted when shock occurs, or operation degradation resulting from a change in flow rate or pressure.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.

Hydraulic control device of construction machinery


There are provided a fluid flow control valve and an orifice for a fluid flow control valve. The orifice defines two seats against which a diaphragm of the valve can be urged. Each seat defines a particular contour, including one or more channels, slots, and or protrusions that form flow control passages through which fluid flows between the diaphragm and the orifice. The orifice can be configured in either of two orientations so that either seat can be disposed toward the diaphragm. As the pressure differential across the valve increases, the diaphragm is urged more firmly against the seat facing the diaphragm and the diaphragm partially closes the flow control passages, thereby regulating the flow to a substantially uniform volumetric rate. The contours of the two seats can be the same, or each seat can be different to provide a unique controlled flow rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to fluid flow control valves and, more particularly, to a fluid flow control valve having an orifice that defines a seat. An elastomeric diaphragm is urged against the seat by a pressure differential occurring across the diaphragm so that fluid flows through flow control passages defined between the diaphragm and the seat. Increasing pressure differential across the diaphragm causes the diaphragm to constrict the flow control passages through deflection of the diaphragm.
2. Description of Related Art
Fluid flow control valves are used for regulating fluid flow to a substantially constant flow rate over a range of pressure differentials, such as about 0.1 bar to 10 bars. In such valves, the diaphragm typically comprises a solid body of elastomeric material. When urged against a seat of an orifice, the diaphragm deforms, the degree of deformation increasing with increasing pressure differential across the diaphragm. As the deformation of the diaphragm increases, the flow control passages between the diaphragm and the seat become smaller. The valve is designed such that over the range of pressure differentials of interest, the changing flow area of the flow control passages offsets the changing pressure differential so as to maintain the flow rate substantially constant.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,122 to Zhang, et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention describes a fluid flow control valve that has a housing with a fluid flow passage that extends therethrough between openings for flow into and out of the fluid flow passage. An orifice with a seat at one end is disposed in the passage, and a diaphragm is disposed in the passage so that an end face of the diaphragm opposes the seat of the orifice. The seat is configured so that one or more flow control passages are defined between the seat and the end face of the diaphragm. In normal forward flow through the valve, fluid flows between the outer peripheral surface of the diaphragm and the inner surface of the housing and then is turned radially inwardly by the orifice and flows through the flow control passages between the end face of the diaphragm and the orifice seat. The seat can be contoured to include at least two different shapes of channels, each promoting localized bending of the diaphragm at a different pressure differential and thereby permitting an expansion of the working pressure range to very low pressure differentials.
The valve described above is designed to control the flow of fluids over a particular range of pressure differentials and to achieve a particular desired flow rate. Therefore, different valves formed of different components are typically manufactured for achieving different desired flow rates. This increases the cost and complexity of the manufacturing process. Thus, there exists a need for an improved device that can control the flow of fluids over a range of pressure differentials. The device should be cost efficient to manufacture, and preferably should provide a long service life.
The present invention provides a fluid flow control valve and an orifice for such a valve. The orifice defines two seats against which a diaphragm of the valve can be urged. Each seat defines a particular contour, including one or more channels, slots, and or protrusions that form flow control passages through which fluid flows between the diaphragm and the orifice. The orifice can be placed in either of two orientations so that either seat can be disposed toward the diaphragm. As the pressure differential across the valve increases, the diaphragm is urged more firmly against the seat facing the diaphragm and the diaphragm partially closes the flow control passages, thereby regulating the flow to a substantially uniform volumetric rate. The contours of the two seats can be the same, or each seat can be different to provide a unique controlled flow rate. Thus, the orifice and the valve of the present invention can be used to control a flow of fluid to multiple desired flow rates over a range of pressure differentials, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the manufacturing process.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the valve includes a housing that defines a fluid flow passage and an orifice disposed in the fluid flow passage. Each of the first and second seats of the orifice has a main support surface that defines at least one channel, slots, and/or protrusions. A deformable and bendable elastomeric diaphragm is disposed in the fluid flow passage with an end face disposed toward one of the seats of the orifice and urged thereagainst by the flow of fluid through the valve. The orifice can be reversed in the housing so that the diaphragm is disposed against the opposite one of the seats. The diaphragm can also be reversible and can define identical contours on either side. A retainer with a plurality of legs can be provided for engaging the housing and retaining the diaphragm in a coaxially aligned configuration with the orifice. According to one aspect of the invention, an outer surface of the orifice defines frustoconical portions for engaging an inner mating portion of the housing. According to another aspect, the orifice can define a groove on its outer surface for receiving a sealing ring that engages the mating portion of the housing.

Hays Fluid Controls, a divison of Romac Industries, Inc.


A method and associated system for interfacing between a caller application and a service module. A service module builds a service module data structure pursuant to a previously received request. The request includes at least one caller application attribute describing the request. The service module data structure includes a generic service document and at least one service module attribute. Each service module attribute is stored in a relational table of the service module data structure. The requests serviced within the service module data structure, resulting in instantiating the generic service document. The generic service document is returned to the caller application. Building each service module attribute includes: constructing the generic service document and creating at least one container in the generic service document. Each container is respectively associated with each service module attribute in each mapping of at least one mapping.

A conventional service application that is shared by multiple caller applications cannot extend a data model of a caller application in a data model of the conventional service application. Also, the conventional service application interferes with the data model of the caller application in performing a service requested by the caller application. Also, the conventional service application uses a data interface that may confuse identities of data elements of caller applications. Thus, there is a need for a system and associated method that overcomes at least one of the preceding disadvantages of current methods and systems for a data interface of a shared service application.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Extensible data interface for shared service module

International Business Machines Corporation


A nitride semiconductor device includes a conductive oxide film with high reliability is provided. The nitride semiconductor device having a nitride semiconductor layer includes a conductive oxide film on the nitride semiconductor layer and a pad electrode on the conductive oxide film. The pad electrode includes a junction layer that contains a first metal and is in contact with the conductive oxide film, and a pad layer that contains a second metal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor device employing a nitride semiconductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nitride semiconductors have been used for light emitting devices such as light emitting diode (LED) and laser diode (LD), light receiving devices such as solar batteries and optical sensors, and electronic devices such as transistors and power devices. Especially, light emitting diodes utilizing a nitride semiconductor have been widely used in a traffic signal, a large-scale display, and a back light source etc.
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device employing a nitride semiconductor basically has a structure where a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer are stacked on a substrate and electrodes are disposed respectively to electrically connect to the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer. Also, there has been a known structure for the electrode which is electrically connected to the p-type semiconductor layer, in which an electrode made of a transparent material is disposed on the entire surface of the p-type semiconductor layer and a pad electrode made of a metal is disposed thereon. A full-surface electrode made of a transparent material on the p-type semiconductor layer is provided to diffuse the electric current injected from the pad-electrode into the semiconductor, and to transmit and extract light that is emitted from the nitride semiconductor light emitting device.
A metal thin film and a conductive oxide film such as ITO, ZnO, In2O3, and SnO2 used as such full-surface electrode on the p-type semiconductor layer are described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-196633.
When a conductive oxide film is used as the full-surface electrode, a pad electrode is provided to connect the full-surface electrode with an external circuit. Rh, Pt, and W are cited as a metallic material having good adhesion with the conductive oxide film, and the pad electrode has been formed by using such metals.
However, in the pad electrode disposed on the conductive oxide film as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-196633, adhesion strength with the conductive oxide film is not enough for providing adequate reliability.
For this reason, in the structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2005-11857, an opening is formed in the ITO portion so as to connect the p-side pad electrode and the p-type nitride semiconductor directly through the opening. With this structure, adhesion with the pad electrode may be improved, however, supply of electric current to the nitride semiconductor layer is not uniform enough. In addition, when the material for the pad electrode is simply selected in view of the adhesion between the conductive oxide film and the pad electrode, there has been a problem that sufficient flow of current between them can be hardly obtained.


An arrangement of an internal combustion engine with at least one first and one second nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter is provided, wherein the first nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter is arranged within a low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation circuit. A method for operating the arrangement is furthermore provided, wherein the nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converters can be used for the production of ammonia under operating conditions with a high load by providing rich exhaust gas conditions.

Nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converters (also referred to as NOx storage cats or lean NOx traps, LNT) are used for the temporary adsorption of nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines. In addition, they perform the functions of oxidative aftertreatment of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC). Nitrogen oxides which form during lean-burn operation of an internal combustion engine can be stored in an LNT; for this purpose, the LNT oxidizes the nitrogen monoxide (NO) contained in the lean exhaust gas to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and subsequently stores this in the form of nitrates. Examples of adsorbents that are used in the coating of the LNT are barium oxide and/or other oxides.
Once the storage capacity of the LNT is exhausted, the LNT must be regenerated. In a regeneration event (purge), rich, substoichiometric exhaust gas conditions are provided, e.g. by operating the internal combustion engine with a corresponding fuel/air mixture; during this process, the stored nitrogen oxides are desorbed again and are reduced to nitrogen over catalytically active components of the LNT with the aid of the components in the rich exhaust gas (CO, HC). In addition to a purge brought about solely for regeneration, the LNT is, of course, also regenerated when the exhaust gas becomes substoichiometric by reason of a power demand of the internal combustion engine, for example.
In the LNT, the stored nitrates furthermore react with molecular hydrogen, which is produced by incomplete combustion of the fuel and also by reactions in the LNT under rich exhaust gas conditions, as a result of which ammonia is also produced during regeneration. This ammonia can be utilized by storing it downstream in a catalytic converter for selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The stored ammonia is used in the SCR to reduce nitrogen oxides to nitrogen under lean exhaust gas conditions. To enable the SCR catalytic converter to have a higher storage capacity, it is advantageous to install it sufficiently far downstream to ensure that optimum operating temperatures are obtained for it. The corresponding temperature range is a function of the specific SCR coating and is known to a person skilled in the art.
Among the factors which limit the storage capacity of an LNT is the temperature of the exhaust gas. Modern LNTs can store nitrogen oxides with varying efficiency in a temperature range of 250-550° C. Moreover, the storage capacity can be restricted by the space velocity of the exhaust gas. When the internal combustion engine is operated under a high load, e.g. during an acceleration event, high exhaust gas temperatures and mass flows are achieved, and these can exceed the technological limits of the LNT, severely reducing the nitrogen oxide storage capacity of the LNT owing to the gas temperature and space velocity. Under these conditions, nitrogen oxides cannot be stored in the LNT. It is possible to counteract the escape of nitrogen oxides under high loads by switching between different combustion modes, depending on the engine load, depending on the saturation of catalysts, and depending on the exhaust gas temperature. These modes include states involving lean exhaust gas and a state involving rich, substoichiometric exhaust gas (see applications DE 10 2016 210 897.2 and DE 10 2016 210 899.9).
However, the inventors herein have recognized an issue with the above approach. In exhaust systems with two LNTs, when the downstream LNT demands purge, excess ammonia may be generated in the upstream LNT. Further, when post-injection of fuel to the engine is used to generate the rich exhaust for purge of the downstream LNT, more fuel than actually necessary for carrying out the purge may be supplied, in part because the downstream LNT may flow exhaust gas at a lower mass flow rate than the upstream LNT.
Accordingly, the inventors herein provide systems and methods to at least partly address the above issues. In one example, an arrangement for a vehicle including an internal combustion engine with an exhaust tract includes a low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line branching off from the exhaust tract downstream of a turbine and an exhaust gas aftertreatment system arranged in the exhaust tract. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system includes a first nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter (also referred to as a first LNT), a second nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter arranged downstream of the first nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter (also referred to as a second LNT), a particle filter arranged downstream of the first nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter and upstream of the second nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter, and a first feed device for introducing fuel into the exhaust tract and arranged downstream of the branching off of the exhaust gas recirculation line and upstream of the second nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter.
A first aspect of the disclosure relates to an arrangement of an internal combustion engine with an exhaust tract, from which at least one low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation line branches off and in which an exhaust gas aftertreatment system is arranged. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system comprises at least one first nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter (LNT), at least one second LNT, which is arranged downstream of the first LNT, at least one particle filter, which is arranged downstream of the first LNT, and at least one first feed device for introducing fuel into the exhaust tract, which device is arranged downstream of the branching off of the exhaust gas recirculation line and upstream of the second LNT.
The arrangement according to the disclosure is advantageous because it allows external fuel injection upstream of the second LNT. As a result, it is sufficient for rich exhaust gas to be made available for regeneration or a substoichiometric mode by post-injection only for the first LNT, while the exhaust gas for regeneration or a sub stoichiometric mode of the second LNT is provided by external introduction of fuel into the exhaust tract. Therefore, a reduced quantity of additionally injected fuel (in comparison with operation without external fuel injection) is required for the first LNT. It is thereby advantageously ensured that less fuel is carried into the engine oil, which is less severely diluted as a result, leading to less severe impairment of the lubricating properties of the oil. Furthermore, restrictions in respect of the material temperature limits of a turbocharger turbine arranged in the exhaust tract are of lesser weight if the conditions for a substoichiometric mode are brought about by introducing fuel into the exhaust tract. In addition, less fuel is required for the substoichiometric mode or regeneration of the second LNT than in the case of the first LNT since the exhaust gas mass flow through the second LNT is lower than that through the first LNT. Moreover, the first LNT can remain in the lean exhaust gas during a substoichiometric mode or regeneration of the second LNT. Furthermore, it is not necessary to reduce the oxygen quantity stored in the first LNT in order to achieve rich exhaust gas conditions in the second LNT, and this likewise has a favorable effect on fuel consumption. Moreover, the ammonia which can form in the first LNT under conditions of high load and rich exhaust gas can advantageously be used for further reduction of the nitrogen oxides in the second LNT.
In this case, rich-mixture operation of the internal combustion engine may be triggered, especially under conditions with a high load and high exhaust gas temperatures resulting therefrom. Under these conditions, the first LNT no longer operates as a storage catalytic converter but immediately converts the nitrogen oxides present in the exhaust gas to nitrogen with the aid of the reducing agents (carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons) which are likewise present in the exhaust gas. In this way, nitrogen oxides are advantageously removed from the exhaust gas emerging from the internal combustion engine under high-load conditions. Moreover, the level of enrichment in the exhaust gas may be adjusted so that, under these conditions, ammonia is formed over the catalytically active components of the first LNT by the reaction of hydrogen with nitrogen oxides as soon as previously stored oxygen has been removed from the first LNT. In an example, this ammonia can be used for further, downstream reduction of the nitrogen oxides with the aid of the second LNT.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

System and method for exhaust gas aftertreatment with lean NOx trap and exhaust gas recirculation


A sail mounting frame extends upwardly from the hull of a boat and is constructed of a lower section and an upper section which rotate relative to each other about a first axis of rotation which extends generally vertically upwardly with respect to the hull of the boat. An overhung axle is rotatably journaled to the mounting frame upper section for rotation about a second axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the axle. A circular convex sail is supported by a correspondingly shaped support frame, which support frame is mounted on the free end of the axle for rotation of the sail about both the first and second axis of rotation. The sail is constructed from a plurality of triangularly shaped, flexible sail segments which are selectively adjustable relative to the sail support frame between a closed position wherein all of the sail segments cooperate to form a substantially continuous circular convex form, and open positions wherein each of the sail segments are disposed at angles of attack relative to the wind to cause the sail segments to react to the winds to thereby rotate the sail about the second axis of rotation to power an auxiliary propulsion system for the boat.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wind driven sailing system for a boat. More particularly, it relates to a sailing system which powers a boat in the manner of a conventional sail and which also serves as an energy generating source for an auxiliary manner of propelling the boat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Through evolution sailboats today typically are constructed with an upright elongate mast fixed to the deck or other portion of the boat hull. A forestay typically interconnects the top of the mast or masthead to the bow of the boat and a backstay extends from the masthead to the stern of the boat to thereby brace the mast in the fore and aft directions. Shrouds interconnect the masthead with the hull on each side of the boat to brace the mast in the transverse directions. The mast serves to support a triangularly shaped main sail, with the forward edge of the main sail mounted along the height of the mast to lie closely adjacent the rear or trailing side of the mast. A generally horizontally disposed, rearwardly extending boom is pivotally mounted on a lower portion of the mast to swing about the mast. The boom is adapted to be connected to the main sail along the bottom edge thereof and serves to vary the angle of the sail relative to the hull of the boat as the boom is selectively pivoted about the mast.
The main sail, for instance when the boat is on a reaching course, reacts with the wind to propel the boat through the water. To achieve maximum cruising speed, the sail is pivoted about the length of the main sail in response to the course of the boat and the direction of the wind. If the boat is on a reaching course heading diagonally into the wind, for instance on a port reach, the trailing edge of the sail is permitted to extend rearwardly from the mast towards the starboard side of the boat to thereby produce an airfoil shape. The sail divides the wind moving past it into twin currents of air which move at unequal velocities due to the sail's air foil shape. Because the air traveling along the leeward side of the sail has a further distance to travel then the air moving along the windward side of the sail, the air at the leeward side of the sail must move faster in order to reach the sail's trailing edge at the same time as the wind traveling along the windward side of the sail. It is a well-known law of physics that as a fluid accelerates it exerts less pressure on the surfaces which it flows past. Thus, the air pressure on the leeward side of the sail is relatively less than the pressure on the windward side of the sail, thereby producing a continuum of individual force components acting towards the leeward of the sail in a direction normal to the surface of the sail. The totality of all of the individual forces acting on the sail produces a lateral or heating force component acting laterally of the boat tending to push the boat sideways and a thrust force component acting along the length of the boat tending to push the boat forwardly and thus permitting the boat to travel diagonally into the wind. Thus, by steering a zig-zagged pattern, it is possible for a sailboat to actually reach an upwind destination.
When sailing laterally of the direction of the wind, with the wind blowing from the port side over the beam, the sail is opened up further than when sailing into the wind so that the trailing edge of the sail actually extends laterally sideways beyond the starboard side of the boat. The reaction between the wind and the sail is essentially the same as that described above when steering a course diagonally into the wind; however, when sailing laterally of the wind a larger forward propelling, thrust force is produced while a smaller transverse or heeling force is produced.
When running, or sailing in the direction of the wind, the sail is permitted to extend essentially perpendicularly to the length of the boat so that the boat's forward movement comes simply from the wind pushing against the sail.
However, no matter what course one desres to sail relative to the wind, movement of the boat is always dependent on the existence of a wind. Without any wind a sail simply cannot provide any propulsion force. Furthermore, a sailboat that is powered only by sails is difficult to maneuver in close quarters. Thus, when entering and leaving crowded areas, such as a marina, an auxiliary power source, such as an outboard motor, is commonly employed. Moreover, even if the sails of a boat are rigged for foul weather, the boat propelled only by sails is difficult to handle during a storm when the seas are rough and the wind is blowing at a high speed.
Thus, most boats cannot rely solely on sails as their only source of propulsion. Rather, an auxiliary power source, such as an inboard or outboard motor powered by gasoline, diesel or an electric battery, is usually required to augment the sail. But with the escalating price of petroleum fuels, the expense of operating even an auxiliary gasoline or diesel engine for a sailboat, has been increasing dramatically. Furthermore, because of the inherent inflammability of petroleum fuels, boating regulations only permit a limited quantity of fuel to be carried on a boat unless adequate structure and ventilation regulations are met. It is usually economically impractical to build many smaller size sailboats in such a manner to meet these regulations; thus, the limited amount of fuel which these boats are allowed to carry seriously hampers their maximum cruising range.
Rather than utilizing a conventional sail, in another type of wind powered boat, a windmill is used to propel the boat. In one such type of boat the rotating propeller of the windmill is mechanically coupled to drive a conventional ship's screw. Examples of this type of boat are disclosed by Dobbins U.S. Pat. No. 2,408,412; and by Lindsey U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,426.
Another type of windmill boat is disclosed by Dore U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,434 wherein a windmill has been utilized to essentially replace the gasoline engine of an outboard motor. As with the two previously discussed patents, the windmill is mechanically coupled to the well-known propeller of the outboard motor.
Another example of a windmill type of boat is disclosed by Maki et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,506,847, wherein the propeller of a windmill is mechanically coupled to a pair of paddles which extend downwardly into the water at the rear of the boat. The paddles pivot back and forth about their upper ends, which upper ends are pivotally connected to the boat to thereby push the boat through the water. The paddles are designed to also alternatively open and close so that when the paddle is pivoting rearwardly, the plane of the paddle extends transversely of the length of the boat to create a forward propulsion force. However, when the paddle is pivoting forwardly toward the boat, the paddle lies in a plane longitudinally of the boat thereby causing very little drag in the water.
As discussed above with respect to boats powered by a conventional sail, windmill powered boats also require the existence of a wind for propulsion. Thus, when no wind is blowing, boats utilizing windmills have no source of propulsion.


Apparatus is provided for treating a condition such as obesity. The apparatus includes a set of one or more electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient. A control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the body of the stomach a signal, configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross-sectional area of a portion of the body of the stomach for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.

The present invention relates generally to treatment of obesity, and specifically to invasive techniques and apparatus for treating obesity.
Invasive treatments for obesity are often recommended for patients with a body mass index (mass/height2 [kg/m2]) which is greater than 35 or 40. For such patients, their weight is commonly associated with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. Preferably, the invasive treatments are accompanied by changes in lifestyle, such as improved eating habits and an appropriate exercise regimen.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,991 to Forsell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,604 to Vincent, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,454 to Bangs, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,449,368, 5,226,429 and 5,074,868 to Kuzmak, which are incorporated herein by reference, describe mechanical instruments for implantation in or around the stomach of an obese patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,691 to Chen et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a gastric pacemaker for treating obesity and other conditions. The pacemaker includes multiple electrodes which are placed at various positions on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and which deliver phased electrical stimulation to pace peristaltic movement of material through the GI tract.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,872 to Cigaina, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes apparatus for applying electrical pulses to the distal gastric antrum of a patient, so as to reduce the motility of the stomach and to thereby treat obesity or another condition.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,188,104 and 5,263,480 to Wernicke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference, describe a method for stimulating the vagus nerve of a patient so as to alleviate an eating disorder.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,104,955, 6,091,992, and 5,836,994 to Bourgeois, U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,326 to Bardy, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,507 to Wingrove, which are incorporated herein by reference, describe the application of electrical signals to the GI tract to treat various physiological disorders.
PCT Patent Publication WO 99/03533 to Ben-Haim et al., entitled, xe2x80x9cSmooth muscle controller,xe2x80x9d and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/481,253 in the national phase thereof, both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present patent application and are incorporated herein by reference, describe apparatus and methods for applying signals to smooth muscle so as to modify the behavior thereof. In particular, apparatus for controlling the stomach is described in which a controller applies an electrical field to electrodes on the stomach wall so as to modify the reaction of muscle tissue therein to an activation signal, while not generating a propagating action potential in the tissue. In the context of the present patent application and in the claims, the use of such a non-excitatory signal to modify the response of one or more cells to electrical activation thereof, without inducing action potentials in the cells, is referred to as Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC). Use of an ETC signal is described with respect to treating obesity, by applying the ETC signal to the stomach so as to delay or prevent emptying of the stomach. In addition, a method is described for increasing the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, by applying an ETC signal to a portion of the tract in order to increase the contraction force generated in the portion.
PCT Patent Publication WO 97/25098, to Ben-Haim et al., entitled xe2x80x9cElectrical muscle controller,xe2x80x9d and the corresponding U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/101,723, which are assigned to the assignee of the present patent application and are incorporated herein by reference, describe methods for modifying the force of contraction of a heart chamber by applying an ETC signal to the heart.
It is an object of some aspects of the present invention to provide improved apparatus and methods for treatment of medical conditions which relate to the gastrointestinal tract.
It is a further object of some aspects of the present invention to provide improved apparatus and methods for treating obesity.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition such as obesity comprises a set of one or more electrodes which are applied to one or more sites of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a patient. A control unit preferably drives the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to the GI tract, so as to modulate contraction of muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and to thereby treat the condition.
In a preferred embodiment, the electrodes are applied to the stomach, and the control unit drives the electrodes to apply an enhancement signal which includes, as appropriate, the ETC signal and/or an excitatory signal. Thus, the enhancement signal may induce contractions and/or increase or otherwise modify the contraction forces generated by muscles of the stomach.
For some applications, the enhancement signal is applied so as to modify a contraction pattern of some of the stomach""s muscles, in order to reduce the cross-sectional area of a portion of the stomach. The narrow ring thereby generated reduces the volume of a region of the stomach, and increases the sensation of satiety felt by the patient compared to that which would be felt without the application of this embodiment of the invention. For example, the enhancement signal may cause an xe2x80x9cindentingxe2x80x9d of the stomach wall, whereby food is limited in its ability to vacate the esophageal region of the stomach. Consequently, this portion of the stomach is stretched more than usual for the volume of food ingested, and an earlier sensation of satiety is induced. This embodiment thus employs electrical signals to cause a narrowing of the stomach analogous to that produced mechanically by the gastric bands described in the Background section of the present patent application. Unlike these prior art mechanical bands, however, this application of the present invention allows the extent of the narrowing to be moderated in real time by the control unit without mechanical intermediaries (e.g., modulation of fluid pressure).
Alternatively or additionally, the enhancement signal is applied, prior to and/or during a meal, so as to reduce the overall size of the stomach, thereby increasing the tension in the wall of the stomach when food is in the stomach. This increased tension typically yields a corresponding increase in the patient""s sensation of satiety, and thus substantially reduces the likelihood of the patient overeating.
Further alternatively or additionally, repeated application of the enhancement signal engenders a long-term shortening of muscle fibers of the stomach, and, consequently, a reduction of the size of the stomach, even at times when the signal is not being applied. Thus, for example, the enhancement signal may be applied, intermittently throughout the day, over a period of days, weeks, or months, so as to induce desired structural changes in the stomach which last, preferably, for at least several days or weeks after removal of the signal. Advantageously, due to the stomach""s reduced size, it is typically stretched during and after a meal to a greater extent than would occur without application of the enhancement signal, and thus greater sensations of satiety are felt by the patient. Optionally, the signal may be applied when the patient""s stomach is expected to be relatively empty (e.g., each morning for one hour prior to the patient waking up), so as to maximize the extent to which the muscle fibers are able to shorten in response to the signal.
For some patients, it is desirable to apply the enhancement signal according to a schedule, whereby constriction of the stomach induces a feeling of satiety at times when the patient might choose to eat but should not be eating. At other times, e.g., when the patient is sleeping, the signal is typically not applied. Alternatively or additionally, the enhancement signal is (a) applied during one or more meals during the day, so as to reduce the patient""s appetite during those meals, and (b) removed during meals eaten during the remainder of the day, so as to prevent nutritional deficiencies which might occur in some patients from any inappropriate, excessive use of the signals described herein.
In a preferred embodiment, the enhancement signal is applied to muscle in one portion of the stomach, so as to induce and/or modify a contraction of the stimulated muscle which, in turn, causes stretching of stretch-receptors in an adjacent portion of the stomach. This form of contraction-mediated stretching simulates the normal satiety signaling of the stomach""s stretch-receptors, without the patient having eaten the quantities of food which would normally be required to trigger this satiety response.
Alternatively or additionally, some or all of the electrodes are placed in a vicinity of the pyloric sphincter, and the control unit drives the electrode set to apply the enhancement signal so as to increase a contraction force of the sphincter. The increased force typically reduces the sphincter""s cross-section, and thereby generally extends a period of time in which partially-digested food remains in the stomach.
In a preferred embodiment, one or more electrodes are applied to or in a vicinity of respective sites of the arterial supply of the patient""s small intestine. Typically, the control unit drives some or all of the electrodes to apply signals which cause a controllable level of constriction of the arteries to which these electrodes are coupled. The constriction produced thereby preferably transiently and controllably reduces the blood flow to the small intestine, and, it is believed, thereby reduces the total number of calories which are ultimately absorbed into the patient""s bloodstream during and after eating a meal.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition, including:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to the sites, configured such that application thereof decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach.
Preferably, the set of one or more electrodes includes a first set of one or more electrodes, and the apparatus includes a second set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a pyloric sphincter of the stomach. The control unit is preferably adapted to drive the second electrode set to apply an ETC signal configured such that application thereof increases a contraction force of the sphincter and extends a period of time in which partially-digested food remains in the stomach.
Further preferably, the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that application thereof decreases the cross-sectional area of the portion of the stomach by at least 20%, for a substantially continuous period greater than about one minute.
Still further preferably, the portion of the stomach includes a first portion of the stomach, and the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that ingestion of food by the patient in conjunction with application of the ETC signal to the first portion induces stretching of a stretch-receptor in a second portion of the stomach that induces a sensation of satiety.
In a preferred embodiment, the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the signal over a sufficient time period so as to engender a long-term structural change of the stomach.
Typically, the electrode set is adapted to be applied in contact with muscle tissue of the stomach.
The control unit is preferably adapted to configure the ETC signal such that the decreased cross-sectional area impedes passage of ingesta through the stomach.
Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the stomach.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the control unit is adapted to configure a timing parameter of the ETC signal responsive to timing of natural gastric electrical activity. The ETC signal is typically applied as a series of biphasic pulses. Preferably, the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal to have a duration of at least about 1 second. Further preferably, the duration is at least about 3 seconds.
For some applications, the apparatus includes at least one stimulating electrode, and the control unit is adapted to drive the stimulating electrode to apply an excitatory signal to muscle tissue of the stomach in conjunction with driving the electrode set to apply the ETC signal. In these cases, the control unit is typically adapted to drive the stimulating electrode to apply gastric pacing pulses to the stomach.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to receive a patient signal, input by the patient, and to drive and withhold driving the electrode set responsive to the patient signal.
The control unit is typically adapted to drive the electrode set in accordance with a schedule programmed into the control unit. For example, the control unit may be adapted to drive the electrode set during at least one meal eaten by the patient during a 24 hour period, and to withhold driving the electrode set during another meal eaten by the patient during the 24 hour period. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is adapted to withhold driving the electrode set during time periods designated as times when the patient generally does not eat.
For some applications, the control unit is adapted to drive at least one of the electrodes to apply an excitatory pulse in conjunction with the ETC signal. Preferably, the control unit is adapted to drive the at least one electrode to apply the excitatory pulse as a biphasic pulse. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is adapted to drive the at least one electrode to initiate applying the ETC signal at least about 100 ms following a termination of the excitatory pulse. Preferably, the control unit is adapted to drive the at least one electrode to initiate applying the ETC signal less than about 1000 ms following a termination of the excitatory pulse.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set while the patient is eating. The control unit may, for example, be adapted to receive a patient signal, input by the patient, indicative of the patient eating. In this case, the control unit is preferably adapted to receive by way of the patient signal an indication of a nutritional quality of food being eaten by the patient and to configure a parameter of the ETC signal responsive to the patient signal.
Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus includes a sensor which is adapted to convey to the control unit a signal responsive to the patient eating. As appropriate, the sensor may include a blood sugar sensor or a mechanical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor includes a sensing electrode, adapted to be coupled in a vicinity of a gastrointestinal tract of the patient. For some applications, the sensing electrode includes one of the one or more electrodes.
Preferably, the sensor is adapted to convey the signal responsive to a quantity of food ingested by the patient, and the control unit is adapted to withhold driving the electrode set, as appropriate, responsive to the quantity (e.g., if the quantity is less than a threshold quantity).
In a preferred embodiment, the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that application thereof decreases the cross-sectional area of a region of the stomach, and maintains the decreased cross-sectional area in the region for a duration greater than about 10 seconds.
In a preferred embodiment, the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that application thereof increases intra-gastric pressure, thereby inducing a sensation of satiety.
For some applications, the apparatus includes a second set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of the lower-esophageal sphincter. The control unit is preferably adapted to drive the second electrode set to apply a signal to the sphincter, configured such that application thereof increases a contraction force generated by the sphincter.
There is further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition, including:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a pyloric sphincter of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to the sites, configured such that application thereof increases a contraction force of the sphincter and extends a period of time in which partially-digested food remains in the stomach.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that driving the electrode set to apply the ETC signal increases the contraction force for a substantially continuous period greater than about 1 minute.
As appropriate, the electrode set may be adapted to be applied in contact with muscle tissue of an antral portion of the stomach and/or in contact with muscle tissue of the sphincter.
There is still further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition, including:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the body of the stomach a signal configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross-sectional area of a portion of the body of the stomach for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to configure the signal such that application thereof decreases the cross-sectional area of the portion or a substantially continuous period greater than about 10 seconds.
There is yet further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition, including:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a first portion of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the portion of the stomach a signal configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the portion, and configured such that ingestion of food by the patient in conjunction with application of the signal induces stretching of a stretch-receptor in a second portion of the stomach.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the signal to a body of the stomach, and to configure a parameter of the signal such that the increased level of contraction of the muscle tissue impedes passage of ingesta through the stomach and increases a level of tension in a fundic wall of the stomach.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition, including:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites on an arterial supply of small intestine of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply a signal to the sites, configured such that application thereof induces constriction of one or more arteries in the arterial supply and decreases a quantity of digestion products which are absorbed into blood of the patient from the small intestine.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to determine an approximate time of initiation of eating, and to initiate driving the electrode set to apply the signal at least ten minutes subsequent thereto. Typically, the control unit is adapted to determine the approximate time of initiation of eating responsive to receiving a patient signal, input by the patient.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a sensor which is adapted to convey to the control unit a signal indicative of food being in a gastrointestinal tract of the patient.
There is additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for treating a condition, including:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the stomach, over a sufficient time period, a sequence of pulses configured so as to engender a long-term structural change of the stomach.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to configure the sequence of pulses as an Excitatory-Tissue Control (ETC) signal. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is adapted to configure a parameter of the sequence of pulses such that the application of the pulses over the time period is such as to engender a continuation of the structural change for at least two days following a termination of the application of the pulses.
Preferably, the control unit is adapted to configure a parameter of the sequence of pulses such that the application of the pulses over the time period is such as to reduce a characteristic length of muscle fibers of the stomach. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit is adapted to configure a parameter of the sequence of pulses such that the application of the pulses over the time period is such as to reduce a characteristic size of the stomach.
For some applications, the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the pulses for at least two days. Preferably, the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the pulses for at least two weeks.
In a preferred embodiment, the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set in accordance with a schedule programmed into the control unit. For example, the control unit may be adapted to drive the electrode set at times when the patient""s stomach is generally empty, or during a meal eaten by the patient.
There is yet additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for treating a condition, including:
applying an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient; and
configuring the ETC signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach.
There is still additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for treating a condition, including:
applying an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a pyloric sphincter of a stomach of a patient; and
configuring the ETC signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites increases a contraction force of the sphincter and extends a period of time in which partially-digested food remains in the stomach.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for treating a condition, including:
applying a signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient; and
configuring the signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of a portion of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross-sectional area of the portion for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.
There is further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for treating a condition, including:
applying a signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a first portion of a stomach of a patient; and
configuring the signal such that the application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the portion and stretches a stretch-receptor in a second portion of the stomach.
There is still further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for treating a condition, including:
applying a signal to one or more sites on an arterial supply of small intestine of a patient; and
configuring the signal such that application thereof to the sites induces constriction of one or more arteries in the arterial supply and decreases a quantity of digestion products which are absorbed into blood of the patient from the small intestine.
There is yet further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for treating a condition, including:
applying a sequence of pulses over a time period to one or more sites of a stomach of a patient; and
configuring the sequence of pulses such that application thereof to the one or more sites engenders a long-term structural change of the stomach.
The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken together with the drawings, in which:

Acute and chronic electrical signal therapy for obesity


This invention provides coated and three-dimensional, low density abrasive articles which comprise color stabilized alkali metal hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resin.

"Phenolic resin" is a term that describes a wide variety of resin products which result from the reaction product of phenols with aldehydes. Phenols react with formaldehydes under both acidic and basic conditions. If a base catalyzed mixture of phenol and formaldehyde contains one or more moles of formaldehyde per mole of phenol, it will produce a thermosetting (one-step) resin. Such resins which are termed "resoles" are commonly used commercially. Common base compounds which are employed as a catalyst for resole resins include the hydroxides of alkali metals such as sodium, potassium, or lithium. While alkali metal hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resins have been in use for a considerable period of time, they have one significant disadvantage. Such resins darken as they age, are heated or are otherwise cured. (See e.g., Chemistry and Application of Phenolic Resins, A. Knop and W. Scheib, Springer-Verlg, 1979, p. 185). The darkening is believed to be dependent on the presence of negative ions from the metal hydroxide catalyst causing loss of hydrogen in ionic form from the phenolic hydroxyl groups, a condition which favors oxidation, resulting in the formation of the intensely red phenoquinone. (See, e.g., Chemistry of Organic Compounds, C. Noller, W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia and London, 1965, p. 553 and "The Effect of Catalysts on the Thermal Stability of Phenolic Resins", D. B. V. Parker, Royal Aircraft Establishment Technical Note No. CHEM. 1229, March, 1957, p. 6) The extent of darkening is known to be dependent on the curing or use temperature of the resin and the time of exposure to such temperature.
Alkali metal hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resins are commonly used as a component of the bond system of abrasive products, such as coated, bonded, and three-dimensional, low density abrasive products. The resin darkening problem is particularly pronounced in coated abrasive and three-dimensional, low density abrasive products because of the more visible presence of the bond system. Furthermore, abrasive bond systems may comprise colorants to identify the manufacturer, type of product, application, etc. The darkening of the resin can interfere with the desired coloration, resulting in an unwanted variation in the product color. Since the darkening increases with the temperature and exposure time, the product color may be variable, and thus unacceptable for aesthetic or other reasons.
Page 7 of Parker discloses cured resoles, also designated as "resols", catalyzed by ammonia, magnesia, or small quantities of sodium hydroxide are yellow-brown or orange rather than the purple or nearly black color produced when larger quantities of sodium hydroxide are used. The focus of Parker's work, however, was on the effect of catalysts on the thermal stability of phenolic resins.
Resol comprising ammonium-based salts have been used in articles unrelated to abrasive products. For example, U.S.S.R. Pat. No. 526521, published Aug. 30, 1976, discloses a pressed article having a light tone, wherein the article contains wood filler, resol, fire proofing agents comprising diammonium hydrogen phosphate and ammonium sulfate, a hardener, and a lubricant.
Japanese Pat. No. 49113895, published Oct. 30, 1974, teaches a transparent cured resol, prepared by refluxing sodium hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resin and ammonium chloride and then removing any particulate by filtration. The abstract of this Japanese patent does not disclose a use for the transparent resin, nor does it suggest a color stabilized resol.
Japanese Pat. No. 56027392, published Mar. 17, 1981, describes the use of acid ammonium salts as additives to a resol to provide improved storage stability for color-developer sheets.
The use of ammonium-based salts as grinding aids in grinding wheel type abrasive articles is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,308,983 discloses abrasive articles, such as grinding wheels, containing a fluoroborate, such as ammonium fluoroborate or an alkali metal fluoroborate (e.g. potassium fluoroborate or sodium fluoroborate) with improved performance characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,529 teaches sulfur-free resinoid bonded abrasive wheels comprising ammonium chloride and cryolite which offer stainless steel cut performance approximately equal to wheels containing sulfur or sulfide fillers. A sulfur-free resinoid bonded abrasive wheel containing cryolite, ammonium chloride, and chilled iron grit to provide improved heat resistance is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,351.
A grinding wheel comprising ammonium chloroferrate or ammonium chlorofluoroferrite as a grinding aid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,263,016, and 4,370,148, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,325 discloses an abrasive article in the form of an abrasive disk comprising
A.sub.x Me.sub.y.sup.II Me.sub.z.sup.III Hal.sub.E.nB.sub.f C.sub.g Hal.sub.e.mH.sub.2 O.oNH.sub.3, wherein A is an alkali metal ion or ammonium ion; x is a number between 0 and 10; Me.sup.II is a bivalent metal ion, i.e. Mn, Ca, Mg, Zn, Sn, Cu, Co, or Ni; y is a number between 0 and 2; Me.sup.III is a trivalent metal ion, i.e. Al, B, Ti, z is a number between 0 and 2; Hal represents a halogen; E is a number between 1 and 10; n is a number between 0 and 10; B is an alkali metal ion or ammonium; f is a number between 0 and 1; C represents bivalent element (e.g. Ca, Mg, Zn, Sn, or Mn); g is a number between 0 and 1; e is a number between 1 and 2; m is a number between 0 and 10; and o is a number between 0 and 10.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,420 teaches abrasive bodies such as grinding wheels or cutting wheels having halogen-containing compounds as a filler and including ammonium-halogen-based compounds.
Grinding wheels comprising anhydrides of strong inorganic acids or acid salts of strong inorganic acids with ammonium are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,049.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,188 discloses an abrasive disk comprising abrasive grains, a bonding agent and pellets, wherein the pellets further comprise a binding agent (including phenolic resin), a pulverulent filler, and ammonium chloride.
Coated abrasive and three-dimensional, low density coated abrasive articles differ significantly from bonded abrasive articles such as grinding wheels or cutting wheels. For example, grinding wheels are typically formed as a relatively deep or thick (three-dimensional) structure of abrasive granules adhesively retained together in a wheel. In contrast, a coated abrasive article typically comprises a support member, abrasive granules, and one or more layers of a bond system which serve to bond the abrasive granules to the support member. A coated abrasive article may further comprise additional non-bonding layers such as, for example, a supersize. Furthermore, a coated abrasive article generally has a significantly higher ratio of bond system to abrasive granules than a grinding wheel.
A three-dimensional, low density abrasive article comprises a three-dimensional, low density web structure, abrasive granules, and a bond system which serves to bond the abrasive articles to the web structure. Like a coated abrasive, a three-dimensional, low density abrasive article generally has a significantly higher ratio of bond system to abrasive granules than a grinding wheel. Furthermore, a three-dimensional, low density abrasive article typically has a void volume within the range from about 85% to 95% whereas the void volume of a grinding wheel is usually substantially less than 85%.
Assignee acknowledges that coated abrasive product comprising alkali metal hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resin and ammonium fluoroborate was sold in the 1970's. The ammonium fluoroborate was an occasional contaminate in a potassium fluoroborate grinding aid which was present in the size or supersize layer of some coated abrasive products. Although alkali metal hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resin comprising the ammonium fluoroborate-contaminated potassium fluoroborate was observed to affect the color of the resin, the effect was viewed as undesirable. The ability to color stabilize a cured resole with ammonium fluoroborate or any other ammonium-based salt was not recognized.
The art does not disclose or teach a means of providing coated or three-dimensional, low density abrasive articles comprising color stabilized alkali metal hydroxide catalyzed phenolic resin.

Abrasive products bonded with color stabilized base catalyzed phenolic resin

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


The present invention is directed to a multi-cuspid back-flow preventer in the nature of a check valve that has a generally annular body portion with axially spaced upstream and downstream ends. A substantially cylindrical passageway extends through the body portion, and a plurality of circumferentially adjacent valve cuspids are connected to the downstream end of the body portion for selectively opening and closing the passageway that extends therethrough. Each valve cuspid is marginated by a rib that extends into the passageway. Breather slots are provided between the successively adjacent valve cuspids, and a mounting flange may be provided at the upstream end of the body portion.

Household appliances such as dishwashers and clothes washers typically have a plurality of cycles that require the introduction of clean water into the appliance. For instance, a clothes washer may have a soak cycle, a wash cycle, and a rinse cycle. Clean water is introduced into the appliance at the beginning of each of these cycles. However, before the clean water is introduced, any waste water present at the conclusion of the previous cycle in the operation of the appliance is discharged. The term "waste water" is used to designate water that has been used in one of the appliance cycles and is contaminated with soap, dirt, or the like. Waste water is typically discharged from the appliance into a sanitary system by a waste water discharge pump. The pump forces the waste water from the appliance, through a drain hose and into a stand pipe (or other drain) that communicates with the sanitary system.
A certain amount of back pressure is required for the most efficient operation of the waste water discharge pump, but only during operation of the pump. Back pressure that develops in the drain hose subsequent to the cyclic operation of the waste water discharge pump can result in reverse flow of the waste water through the waste water discharge pump and into the appliance. This occurrence is known as back-flow, and back-flow is undesirable not only because it contaminates the clean water introduced into the appliance during at least the subsequent cycle in the operation of the appliance but also because the existence of back-flow during operation of the pump can excessively increase the pressure head against which the waste water discharge pump must operate, which can damage the pump. To ensure against the undesirable effects of back-flow, a check valve, or back-flow preventer, is installed in the waste water discharge path, in order to assure a uni-directional flow of fluid therethrough.
One type of well known back-flow preventer commonly in use is typically referred to as a "duck call" check valve. A duck call check valve is manufactured by a two-step process. In the first step the substantially hollow, annular body of the valve--with a diagonally disposed divider wall extending across the hollow interior of the body portion - is molded. In the second step the liquid passageway is formed by slitting a portion of the annular body portion to which the downstream end of the diagonal divider wall joins the cylindrical interior surface of the body portion. In its final form, the valve comprises a generally annular body with an inner valve flap that extends diagonally across the interior of the otherwise hollow, annular interior of the body portion. The resulting configuration provides a normally closed check valve.
The exterior configuration of such a valve is reminiscent of a duck call. Hence, the name duck call check valve is commonly applied to such a valve. When fluid is forced through a duck call check valve, the fluid pressure acts against the valve member, forcing the valve member to fold laterally along a longitudinal reference plane and separate from the interior surface of the valve body along the location where the valve member had been slit during the manufacturing process, thereby creating a passageway through the valve. When fluid tries to flow back through the duck call check valve, the fluid pressure acts against the upstream surface on the valve member, thereby either closing the passageway or assuring that it remains closed inasmuch as the valve member tends to unfold to its closed position when the pressure of the exiting flow drops below a given value for the particular check valve.
One undesirable aspect of most prior art check valves employing resilient valve members, such as the duck call check valve, is the need to utilize a two-step manufacturing process. The second manufacturing step--which often requires an intermediate handling, or positioning, step (as exemplified by the need to slit the body portion when making a duck call check valve)--considerably increases the cost of the valve. The design of the valve is also undesirable in that the pressure required to open the passageway increases the amount of work that the waste water discharge pump must perform. That is, the effort required to maintain the valve in the open position imposes excessive back pressure on the waste water discharge pump.
Another undesirable aspect of the duck call check valve is the shape, and location, of the passageway once it is opened. The eccentricity of the passage through a duck call check valve unduly increases resistance to fluid flow and decreases the efficiency of the waste water removal system. When water is flowing through the duck call check valve, the opened passageway is disposed along one side of the cylindrical passage therethrough. As the water exits the valve, it collides with the corrugated interior surface of the drain hose and the velocity of the exiting fluid decreases, thereby increasing back pressure.
The duck call check valve, and most other back-flow preventer valves, are normally closed. A normally closed valve precludes heat dissipation from the pump outwardly through the drain hose when the pump is not operating.


A method is presented for creating an asymmetrical split-gate structure. The method includes forming a first device, forming a second device, forming a first gate stack between a first set of spacers of the first device, and a second gate stack between a second set of spacers of the second device. The method further includes depositing a hard mask over the first and second gate stacks, etching a first section of the first gate stack to create a first gap and a second section of the second gate stack to create a second gap, and forming a third gate stack within the first gap of the first gate stack and within the second gap of the second gate stack such that dual gate stacks are defined for each of the first and second devices. The method further includes annealing the dual gate stacks to form replacement metal gate stacks.

Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to fabricating a fin-based split-gate high-drain-voltage transistor by work function tuning.
Description of the Related Art
There is great difficulty in maintaining performance improvements in devices of deep submicron generations. Thus, methods for improving performance without scaling down dimensions have become of interest. There is a promising avenue toward higher gate capacitance without having to make the gate dielectric thinner. This approach involves the use of high-k materials. The dielectric constant of such materials is higher than that of silicon dioxide (SiO2). A high-k material can physically be thicker than an oxide and still have a lower equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) value.
High performance small field effect transistor (FET) devices are in need of precise threshold voltage control. As operating voltage decreases, threshold voltages also have to decrease, and threshold variation becomes less tolerable. Every new element, such as a different gate dielectric, or a different gate material, influences the threshold voltage. Techniques exist to tune device thresholds through the modification of the gate work function.

Fabricating fin-based split-gate high-drain-voltage transistor by work function tuning


The present invention discloses a PCI extended function interface and PCI device using such an interface. The PCI extended function interface is suitable for use in a PCI device comprising a master device and at least one slave device. The PCI extended function interface comprises at least one connecting port and a first circuit. The slave device is coupled to a corresponding connecting port and the PCI extended function interface transmits a control signal through the connecting port to control the operation of a corresponding slave device. The first circuit is used to determine the configuration space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a PCI interface and a PCI device, and more particularly, to a PCI extended function interface and a PCI device that uses such a PCI interface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The configuration space in an integrated circuit (IC) is used to provide the IC on the state-of-the-art PCI (Protocol Control Information) device with the supported functions and the related information. However, the information, especially related to the supported functions, included in the configuration space is usually unchangeable. Therefore, when a plurality of IC's that support different functions are desired to be installed in a PCI device, a PCI bridge is required to be established between two IC's. It follows that a signal is firstly transmitted to a first IC in the PCI device when the PCI host (or arbitrator) requires a certain function. If the required function is not provided by the IC, the signal is transmitted through the PCI bridge on the PCI device to the next IC.
Even though such a design allows a PCI device to provide various functions, however, there still exist some problems. To begin with, since the content of the configuration space is usually unchangeable, a PCI bridge is required to serve as a medium between two IC's. Secondly, the cost for circuit design as well as fabrication will increase, since lots of PCI bridges may be required in a multi-functional PCI device.
In view of this, the present invention provides a PCI extended function interface and a PCI device that uses such a PCI interface. By employing the PCI extended function interface for the PCI device of the present invention, the content of the configuration space is thus changeable. The PCI device using such an extended function interface allows a reduced complexity in the PCI design by changing the content of the configuration space, which can do without the PCI bridges between IC's and further reduce the cost for circuit design as well as fabrication.

PCI extended function interface and PCI device using the same