An electronic device, such as a microprocessor, with a timing circuit. The timing circuit contains a phase locked loop that, during a first interval, checks whether a control signal in the phase locked loop is between a maximum allowed value and a minimum allowed value. When the control signal in the phase locked loop is above a maximum allowed value or below a minimum allowed value, the control circuit disables the phase locked loop for a second interval. When the control signal in the phase locked loop is below a maximum allowed value and above a minimum allowed value, the timing circuit indicates that the output of the phase locked loop is stable.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic devices and more specifically to clock or timing circuitry for use in such devices.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Computer data processors are widely used in modern electronic systems. For example, most desktop computers are built around a microprocessor chip. The microprocessor chip is a computer data processor that can be programmed to perform many data processing functions. Microprocessors perform arithmetic operations or logical operations that can be combined into many types of programs, such as those used to do accounting or word processing.
Other computer data processors are designed for specialized functions. One example is a digital signal processor (DSP). A digital signal processor is kind of microprocessor that is configured to quickly perform complex mathematical operations used in processing digitized signals (e.g. audio or video signals).
FIG. 1 shows a high-level block diagram of a computer data processor. FIG. 1 could represent a general purpose computer data processor or it could represent a special purpose data processor, such as a digital signal processor. FIG. 1 illustrates a processor chip 100. Within processor chip 100 is a microprocessor core 110. In operation, microprocessor core 110 reads instructions from memory and then performs functions dictated by the instruction. In many cases, these instructions operate on data that is also stored. When an operation performed by microprocessor core 110 manipulates data, the data is read from memory and new data is generally stored in memory after the instruction is executed.
FIG. 1 shows that processor chip 100 includes an on-chip instruction memory unit 112 and an on-chip data memory unit 116. Both the instruction memory unit 112 and data memory unit 116 are controlled by a memory management unit 114. Instruction memory unit 112 and data memory unit 116 each contain memory that stores information accessed by microprocessor core 110 as instructions or data, respectively.
Integrated circuit 100 also includes a memory interface 122 that can read or write instructions or data in memory 150. Memory 150 is off-chip memory.
It is traditional for a processor chip to contain a clock generator 160 that generates a clock, CLK. The CLK signal provides timing to circuitry in the microprocessor core and related circuitry. In some instances, multiple clocks of different frequencies or phases are derived from the CLK signal to satisfy timing requirements of various components. In other instances, clock generator 160 can be programmed to change the frequency or phase of CLK signal.
Many clock generators derive timing signals from a phase locked loop. FIG. 2 shows in block diagram form circuitry that can be contained within clock generator 160. The circuitry of FIG. 2 uses a phase locked loop (PLL) 210 to generate the CLK signal. Phase locked loop 210 includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 212. Many designs for voltage controlled oscillators are known. One such design involves a ring oscillator where the delay for a signal propagating around a ring can be controlled and establishes the frequency of oscillation.
The output of VCO 212 is provided to comparator 211, which converts the output of the VCO 212 into a digital signal. The digital signal out of comparator 211 is provided to divide-by-N counter 220. The value of N is usually programmable.
The output of divide-by-N counter 220 is provided to a phase detector 218. The second input (XTAL) of phase detector 218 is obtained from an oscillator, often a crystal. Phase detector 218 compares the output of divide-by-N counter 220 with the output of the crystal oscillator. When the two signals are equal, the output of phase detector 218 is zero. In this condition, the phase locked loop is said to be "locked".
The locked condition occurs when VCO 212 is producing an output that has a frequency N times the frequency of the crystal. By varying N, a clock of a controllable frequency can be produced.
The output of phase detector 218 is used in a negative feedback loop to drive VCO 212 to the locked condition. The output of phase detector 218 is provided to charge pump 216. Charge pump 216 produces a control voltage. The output of charge pump 216 is filtered by low pass filter 214 and then applied as a control input to voltage control oscillator 212. When the loop is not "locked," the output of phase detector 218 should, in "normal" operating states, change the control voltage so that VCO 212 changes its output frequency and phase to more closely match the frequency and phase of the XTAL input. Eventually, the output of VCO 212 will be driven to a state where the loop should become locked.
A phase locked loop provides a convenient way to generate relatively stable timing signals of controllable frequency. However, when first turned on or when its operation is disrupted, a phase locked loop requires time to reach a locked state. The process of a loop becoming locked is sometimes called "settling." During the settling interval, the output of the phase locked loop might not be at the desired frequency or might vary in phase. Accordingly, it is usual for a timing circuit to include a delay element that inhibits use of the phase locked loop output by other sub-circuits in the digital system until a settling time has passed.
Thus, pursuant to the prior art, FIG. 2 shows use of a level detect circuit 240 that produces an output indicating that the power supply voltage, Vdd, has risen above some level that should be acceptable for operation of the phase locked loop circuitry. In turn, the output of level detect circuit 240 is used to reset counters 242 and 244, both of which are clocked by the XTAL signal, when Vdd is acceptable. The output of counter 242 then enables the phase locked loop.
It is undesirable for the phase locked loop to run before the supply voltage exceeds an appropriate level. In normal operation, the negative feedback loop in the phase locked loop should drive the loop to "lock" in the desired stable condition. However, if the appropriate power supply level is not supplied to the phase locked loop, the loop might not operate properly and might instead "lock" in an unintended operating state. By delaying operation of the loop when power is first applied until a time when the power supply voltage should have reached an appropriate level, chances of the loop locking in an unintended state are reduced.
Circuitry of FIG. 2 provides these delays. The output of counter 242 is indicated as a signal named PURST. When asserted (e.g. placed in a logical high state), the PURST signal indicates that a predetermined amount of time has passed since detection of some minimum Vdd level. The output of counter 244 enables other circuitry in integrated circuit 100. Counter 244 produces the ENABLE output some time after the phase locked loop 210 has been enabled. Counter 244 counts long enough (i.e. an interval predetermined by the circuit designer) that the output of phase locked loop 210 should be stable at the time the remaining circuitry within integrated circuit 100 is enabled.
It would be desirable to further reduce the chances of the timing circuitry of an electronic circuit, such as an integrated circuit containing a microprocessor core, from producing unintended operating states. That is, a need exists for a clock generation circuit that performs even more reliably.


The inventive method requires advancing a three-dimensional imaging balloon catheter to the site of a lesion to be imaged, inflating or molding the balloon to image the lesion, deflating the balloon, withdrawing the catheter from the body lumen and re-inflating the balloon which reassumes its memorized shape. Stress and thermal mapping of the balloon is then done by direct observation or by numerical analysis of the material strain and color of the re-inflated 3D imaging balloon.

The present invention relates to thermal and stress mapping of a body lumen, and more particularly to analyzing the material strain and color of the surface of a lesion molding balloon to classify the type of lesion and whether it is vulnerable to rupture.
It is widely recognized that plaques or lesions can be classified into three broad categories: calcified or hard plaque lesions, fibrous or soft lesions and inflamed soft lipid filled plaques or lesions. The diagnosis of the type of lesion drives the particular treatment of the lesion, whether it is removal of the lesion by rotablator, predilatation by balloon angioplasty, delivery of a stent, with or without predilatation, or the like.
In particular, the identification of inflamed plaques or lesions is important since these lesions are at greatest risk of rupture, which can lead to a large thrombus or blood clot, which can completely occlude the flow of blood through the artery, leading to injury of the heart or brain. An inflamed or vulnerable lesion is characterized by its cap thickness, lipid pool size and inflammation or temperature. This is discussed in great detail in WO 97/10748 published Mar. 27, 1997 and entitled "Detecting Thermal Discrepancies In Vessel Walls", the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. As discussed in the published PCT application, considerable evidence indicates that plaque rupture triggers 60-70% of fatal myocardial infarctions. As is well known in the art, and described in the published PCT application, an inflamed plaque is hotter than the surrounding tissue. This published PCT patent application relates to using an infrared fiberoptic system to locate inflamed heat producing plaque. However, the device described in this PCT published application is very expensive, making it available in a limited number of procedures. What is needed is a more inexpensive method for classifying plaques or lesions, and in particular determining which plaques are hard, soft or inflamed, which drives the treatment after diagnosis.

Thermal and stress mapping of body lumens


Methods of manufacturing stacked nanowires MOS transistors are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes forming a plurality of fins along a first direction on a substrate. The method also includes forming stack of nanowires constituted of a plurality of nanowires in each of the fins. The method also includes forming a gate stack along a second direction in the stack of nanowires, the gate stack surrounding the stack of nanowires. The method also includes forming source/drain regions at both sides of the gate stack, the nanowires between the respective source/drain regions constituting a channel region. A stack of nanowires may be formed by a plurality of etching back, laterally etching a trench and filling the trench. The laterally etching process includes isotropic dry etching having an internally tangent and lateral etching, and a wet etching which selectively etches along respective crystallographic directions.

Field
The disclosed technology relates to methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and particularly to methods of manufacturing stacked nanowires MOS transistors.
Description of the Related Technology
Higher density semiconductor manufacturing, with corresponding decreases to sub-20 nm scale fabrication of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices, led to development of three dimensional multi-gate such as fin field effect transistors (FinFET) and tri-gate devices. FinFET and tri-gate devices enhance gate control, suppress current leakages, and reduce short-channel effects, when compared to conventional single-gate silicon (Si) or silicon on insulator (SOI) MOSFETs with a dual gate SOI arrangement, by suppressing short-channel effects and drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effects, which has a lower junction capacitance and may implement a light-doping of the channel. A threshold voltage may be adjusted by setting a work function of the metal gate so that a driving current which is about two times larger may be obtained, and decrease requirements for an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). As compared with a dual-gate device, in a tri-gate device, the gate surrounds a top surface and two side surfaces of the channel region, and the ability of gate control is further enhanced.
Further advantages may be possible with gate-all-around nanowires multi-gate devices with better gate control more effective suppression of short channel effects, and advantages in the scale-down process for a sub 14 nm technique. However, sufficient driving current can't be provided in an equivalent silicon area due to smaller conductive channels.
For example, for a device with an equivalent line width of about 1 μm, the dimensions of the gate-all-around nanowires device need to meet the following requirements: d*n+(n−1)*s=1 μm and π*d*n>1 μm, in which d is a diameter of a single nanowire, n is the number of nanowires, and s is the interval (spacing) between the nanowires. Thus, for diameters of about 3, 5, 7 and 10 nm, the intervals between the nanowires have to be smaller than 6.4 nm, 10.6 nm, 15 nm and 21.4 nm, respectively. To obtain a gate width which is equivalent to that of bulk silicon of about 1 μm, the parallel arrangements of the nanowires device should be more compact. Based on the current exposure and etching technique for FinFET (the intervals between the fins is about 60 nm), it is difficult to manufacture a stereo arrangements for such a nanowires with tiny intervals.
One way to increase the driving current of a transistor is to implement a stack of gate-all-around nanowires arrangement along a vertical direction. However, attempts to implement a stack of gate-all-around nanowires have not been compatible with conventional manufacturing processes, and have been costly. For example, an existing approach for making stacked nanowires is to grow alternating layers of Si and SiGe, by a method of heterochronous epitaxial growth on a buried oxide (BOX) layer, and selectively remove SiGe by a method such as wet etching so as to leave a stack of Si nanowires. Such a method is seriously limited by the quality of epitaxial grown thin layers and greatly increases the cost.
Therefore, there is a need for nanowires MOS transistor devices, and methods to manufacture nanowires MOS transistors for which the equivalent width of the conductive channel is increased, and the driving current is enhanced.

Method of manufacturing stacked nanowire MOS transistor

Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences


Water is passed from a relative flow thereof in a horizontal direction, into a substantially vertical passage and through a bed of absorption material in a fluidized state, in order to extract a substance from the water. The static pressure of the water is increased by passing the water through a diffuser means before it passes into the vertical passage.

In relation to the production or extraction of for example dissolved, suspended or chemically bonded substances, such as uranium or other metal compounds, from water, an apparatus and a process have been disclosed in the above-mentioned copending application (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 25 50 751) wherein the water, which is flowing in a substantially horizontal direction in relation to the apparatus, is caused to flow substantially in a vertical direction, through a fluidized bed of adsorber particles which bond the substances. In this process, a plurality of fluidized beds are disposed in projecting cantilever arms carried by a carrier member, with the water flowing over the arms and also therethrough. In this arrangement, the cantilever arms have adjustable guide surfaces for influencing and guiding the flow of water.
Since for example seawater but also other water contains the substances which are to be considered for extraction, only in an extremely diluted form, for example with a metric ton of seawater containing only about 3 mg of uranium, in order to produce such substances from water it is necessary to pass extremely large amounts of water through the apparatus. Thus, in order to produce uranium in a quantity which is economically attractive, it is necessary for water to be passed through the apparatus, in an amount which is of the order of magnitude of thousands of millions of tons. The specific nuclear energy content of water in the sea is thus very low. This means that only a very small fraction of this energy can be used for the entire production process, per unit of water to be treated, in order for the energy balance sheet to show a positive figure at the end of the operation.
Accordingly, for economically producing for example uranium, using the process referred to above, it is necessary to take the energy which is required for fluidizing the bed of adsorber particles, from other energy sources present in the sea. The natural sea currents or possibly also the current in a river offer themselves as possibilities in this respect. It has been found however that the kinetic energy in currents of this kind is at such a low level that it is not possible to utilize this energy for maintaining the above-mentioned fluidized bed, without special measures being taken, such as the guide surfaces in the above-mentioned process. However, these guide means are often not sufficient to achieve the required effect.

Process and apparatus for extracting a substance from a body of water


A method of monitoring physiological parameters for diagnosis and treatment of congestive heart failure in a patient. The method includes implanting at least one sensing device in a cavity of the patient's cardiovascular system, preferably so that the sensing device passes through and is anchored to a septum of the heart and, to minimize the risk of thrombogenicity, a larger portion of the sensing device is located in the right side of the heart and a smaller portion of the sensing device is located in the left side of the heart. Electromagnetic telecommunication and/or wireless powering of the sensing device is performed with an external readout device. The method can be used to perform effective monitoring, management, and tailoring of treatments for patients suffering from congestive heart failure, as well as many other diseases.

The present invention relates generally to the field of implantable medical devices for monitoring physiological parameters. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system utilizing a telemetric implantable physiologic sensor for monitoring patients with Congestive Heart Failure and tailoring their medical management.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which a damaged or overworked heart cannot pump adequately to meet the metabolic demands of the body and/or can do so only with an elevated ventricular diastolic pressure. CHF is a major health problem worldwide, affecting millions of patients and accounts for numerous hospitalizations. Overall, the cost of treating CHF is very high (billions of dollars annually) and involves numerous physician visits. From 1979 to 1999, CHF deaths increased 145% and hospital discharges increased 155%. Survival is poor with 20% dying within one year and only 50% of patients surviving more than 5 years. The many patients suffering from this progressive, fatal disease tend to have an extremely poor quality of life and become increasingly unable to perform routine daily tasks.
Left ventricular (LV) filling pressure is a key factor in the progression of CHF. LV filling pressure represents the diastolic pressure at which the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV) equilibrate, at which time the LV fills with blood from the LA. As the heart ages, cardiac tissue becomes less compliant, causing the LV filling pressure to increase. This means that higher pressures are required from the LA in order to fill the LV. The heart must compensate for this in order to maintain adequate cardiac output (CO); however, increasing the LA pressure strains the heart and over time irreversible alteration will occur.
Left Ventricular End Diastolic Pressure (LVEDP) and Mean Left Atrium Pressure (MLAP) (see FIG. 1) are the primary factors physicians use to evaluate CHF patients. MLAP and LVEDP correspond directly with LV filling pressure and are easy for physicians to identify from LV pressure data. The physician's ultimate goal is to increase cardiac output (CO) while reducing LVDEP. Treatment methods include medications, lifestyle changes, pacemakers, and/or surgery.
The only current method for evaluating intracardiac pressures, including MLAP and LVEDP, is invasive, namely, a cardiac catheterization procedure. Catheterization, however, provides only a snapshot of pressure data, carries morbidity, and is expensive. Following diagnosis of congestive heart failure, physicians would prefer to noninvasively monitor heart condition on a continuing basis in order to optimize treatment. Currently, no technology exists that has this capability.
Furthermore, in certain cases, CHF is complicated by mitral stenosis. This is a very complex situation and requires significantly more precise and continuous pressure data. Atrial fibrillation can develop as a result of this condition, and catheterization to evaluate such cases is considerably more complex since pressure gradients across the mitral valve must also be measured. Doppler echocardiography can be used to evaluate this condition; however, echocardiography again requires a specialized laboratory with specialized equipment and doesn't provide continuous measurements.
The treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) can be greatly improved through continuous and/or intermittent monitoring of various pressures and/or flows in the heart and associated vasculature. Porat (U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,078), Eigler (U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,699), and Carney (U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,040) each teaches different modes of monitoring heart performance using wireless implantable sensors. In every case, however, what is described is a general scheme of monitoring the heart. The existence of a method to construct a sensor with sufficient size, long-term fidelity, stability, telemetry range, and biocompatibility is noticeably absent in each case, being instead simply assumed. Eigler, et al., come closest to describing a specific device structure although they disregard the baseline and sensitivity drift issues that must be addressed in a long-term implant. Applications for wireless sensors located in a stent (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,873 by Govari) have also been taught, although little acknowledgment is made of the difficulty in fabricating a pressure sensor with telemetry means sufficiently small to incorporate into a stent.

Method for monitoring a physiologic parameter of patients with congestive heart failure


A method of providing security for network access radio systems and associated access radio security systems used with the systems. The method includes connecting an access radio having a radio link to a network; communicating between the access radio and a computer over the network using a ping application having ping commands and unique encrypted codes; and enabling operation of the access radio when the access radio is receiving ping commands. Typically, the access radio and the computer are nodes on the network and the network is a local area network (LAN). The ping application sends packets of information from the computer to the access radio and receives a response from the access radio. The ping application must be functioning (i.e., sending and receiving commands between the computer and the access radio) to enable the access radio to communicate via the radio link with a remote network.

Improvements in wireless communication technology have allowed users to easily access networks from remote locations. However, this convenience has come at a price and security has become a growing concern among customers and network providers. As wireless wide area and local area networks become more critical to core business functions, network security has become increasingly more important because of the far-reaching consequences of a breach in security. Essential, confidential business information residing on corporate networks must be easily accessible to numerous users within a corporation, while at the same time, protected from unauthorized users. When corporate networks can be wirelessly accessed from remote locations, the risks are significantly increased. Unauthorized intrusions into a corporate network can result in the theft of valuable corporate information, the corruption of files and data and/or the disruption of network service. No corporation can afford to risk such dire consequences.
Many networks that can be accessed via a wireless device employ encryption, passwords, verification of device types and other security measures to protect against access by an unauthorized third party. Other technologies and access methods can also contribute to network security. Spread spectrum technology, for example, is inherently secure, but it only provides a link level security. For infrastructure networks, manually entered keys or digital certificates may be used that are retained in the device. However, they can be compromised and they reduce the flexibility of installing new devices on the network or replacing devices already connected. Also, if communications based on the passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs) or digital certificates are intercepted during the connection process, these security measures may be bypassed by using the intercepted key exchange information.
Corporations have expressed concerns that radio systems, which are used to access corporate networks, are especially vulnerable to unauthorized users and they could jeopardize the security of confidential corporate information. A thief could easily gain unauthorized access to a corporation's private network by stealing an access radio with built in access authorization from an authorized user and using the stolen radio to log onto the network. Once logged onto the network, the unauthorized user would have unrestricted access and could change, download, destroy or infect operating systems and databases. This risk is the same for any company or government organization that operates a private or public network. Thus, the theft of an access radio and its unauthorized use to access a network's applications and/or information can seriously damage the operations of any organization.
By way of background, access radios connect a network (typically, an in-building LAN—"local area network") to a remote networks via a radio link—where the "other end" of the radio link is often a shared radio on a central antenna. LANs are high-speed, low-error data networks covering a relatively small geographic area (up to a few thousand meters), which connect workstations, peripherals, terminals, and other devices in a single building or other geographically limited area. LAN standards specify cabling and signaling at the physical and data link layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. Ethernet, Fiber Distributed Data Interface ("FDDI"), and Token Ring are widely used LAN technologies.
A network access radio is typically connected to a LAN and communicates with other devices on the LAN, such as servers, computers and databases. The access radio also communicates via a radio link with one or more remote networks and/or devices. In addition to communicating with other devices on the LAN and remote networks and/or devices, access radios can perform radio link security (similar to the security functions performed by a router), virtual local area network (VLAN) support functionality and power and/or network management functions. However, newer access radios are typically small and, therefore, can be easily removed from the LAN and from a building by a thief. The stolen access radio could then be operated by an unauthorized user from another location to access "secure" networks and devices. Accordingly, it is easy to understand why this risk has raised serious concerns with operators of networks with wireless access.
The risks involved with the theft and unauthorized use of an access radio makes it desirable to provide a method and apparatus for enhancing security in network access radio systems that does not impede access by authorized users and provides a level of security that is not compromised by the theft or unauthorized removal of an access radio.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of securing network access radio systems


A system for reducing electrical consumption includes a connection to an incoming power supply of a facility, in parallel, including a hot line, and a neutral line, a ground. Components are connected between the hot line and the neutral line in this order: front capacitors front arc suppressors, at least one front metal oxide varistor line transient voltage surge suppressor having a predetermined capability to suppress undesired power spikes, at least two inductor/metal oxide varistor iterative transformers, at least one of these being a three component iterative transformer with three distinct windings, followed by other components.

a. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to electrical power supply, and more particularly to a system for conserving electrical energy consumption in commercial, industrial, residential, or other energy consumption settings. The present invention system conserves electrical energy consumption with control devices at or near incoming power breakers to increase efficiency relating to loads, distortions, spikes and/or power factors, as well as other deviant characteristics. In addition, this present invention system with a three component iterative transformer that includes three cores and three interconnected windings, improves response time and results in more energy savings than the prior art electric power supply energy saving systems, including those previously developed by the present inventor.
In a typical electrical power consumption setting, electricity is transmitted via power lines or transmission lines to a facility, such as a factory, office, home, etc. The main electrical line is typically connected to a power meter, which in turn is connected to a main breaker box of the facility via a main line. Electricity is distributed to various loads of the facility through various individual circuit breakers in the main breaker box.
In general, and particularly in industrial settings, electrical loads, such as non-linear loads, including DC motors, create harmonic distortions, electrical spikes, and poor power factor, which have negative impact on efficiency and the condition of the load itself (e.g., overheating and reduced motor life). Other internal and external physical conditions also contribute to these and other deviant (inefficient) characteristics that adversely affect electrical consumption. Thus, the present invention is a system for reducing electrical consumption that includes one or more devices that recognize electromagnetic interference with means to suppress line transient voltage surges, means to regulate harmonics distortion, means to enhance power factor correction and means to maintain phase regulation by maintaining phase relationship between voltage and current at times of increased power demands, using newly discovered arrangements of components to achieve these results.
b. Description of Related Art
The following patents are representative of systems and devices for conservation of electric consumption:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,218 relates to an electronic control system for controlling the operation of a plurality of electrical devices which are energized from AC power lines which includes a single, central unit connected to the power lines, which further includes a central transceiver means for transmitting an encoded oscillating signal of one frequency onto the power lines, a central encoding means for encoding means for encoding the oscillating signal with an encoded signal in synchronization with the frequency of the AC power for selective control of electrical devices, and a central control means connected to the encoding means for selecting the electrical device to be controlled and its desired state. The invention further includes unitary switch units respectively interconnected between power lines and each electrical device being operative for both local and centralized control of the electrical device with the local control and the centralized control placing the electrical device in respective opposite states from each other, each switch unit including a switch transceiver means for receiving the encoded oscillating signal from the power lines, a switch decoding means coupled to the switch transceiver means for detecting the encoded signal, a switch control means connected to the switch decoding means for setting the selected electrical device to the desired state, and a local control means for selectively locally operating the electrical device independently of the central unit and placing the electrical device in a state opposite from that which it was placed by the central unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,580 describes a spike elimination circuit for A.C. and D.C. power sources which comprises two gas tubes and/or two semiconductor voltage limiting devices before a Bandpass Filter. The Bandpass Filter consists of 2 capacitors to ground and inductor in series with the line. The spike eliminator can be portable, mobile, or hard wired for the protection of home controls and electronics, telecommunications, commercial and industrial controls and the computer field and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,528 describes a surge suppressor which comprises a first series circuit having a first inductance and a first alternating voltage limiter, including at least a first capacitance and a bidirectionally conductive rectifying circuit for charging the first capacitance, coupled between first and second input terminals for limiting surge currents and voltage excursions coupled to first and second load output terminals. The first alternation voltage limiter further comprises a sensing circuit for sensing at least one of the charging current supplied to the voltage developed across the first capacitance. An auxiliary energy storage circuit and a normally open switching device responsive to the sensing circuit are provided for coupling the auxiliary energy storage circuit across the first capacitance during high energy surge conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,327 describes a power conditioner for AC power lines which has a choke and capacitor coupled in series across the power lines. The choke comprises a coil termination in a line, with the line looped back through the coil. The power lines are thereby balanced to provide greater operating efficiency. Capacitors and transient suppressors (e.g. varistors) are used for transient suppression and power factor correction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,741 relates to an arrangement for obtaining flux rate information in a magnetic circuit including passive means connected across a flux rate sensor for implementing control of said flux rate. The passive means being a tuned magnetic flux rate feedback sensing and control arrangement wherein impedance is tuned and the energy loss characteristic is adjustable. The selection of inductance and capacitance values provides tuning and the selection of resistance affects the energy loss characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,710 is directed to an energy supply system for supplying, in system interconnection, power at a power receiving equipment from a power plant and power generated by a fuel cell to a power consuming installation, and supplying heat generated by the fuel cell to a heat consuming installation. This system includes an operation amount computing device for computing an amount of operation of the fuel cell to minimize an equation y−aXL+bXM+cXN, in response to an energy demand of the power consuming installation and heat consuming installation A control device controls the fuel cell to satisfy the amount of the operation computed. The system supplies energy in optimal conditions with respect to the cost borne by an energy consumer, consumption of primary energy and release of environmental pollutants. Energy is effectively used from the standpoint of the energy consumer and a national point of view.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,513 relates to an information handling system which is described as having a power supply and having a switching circuit that switches a plurality of energy sources between series and parallel couplings. Associated with the switching circuit is a voltage level detecting circuit for monitoring the voltage level of the energy sources. A processor for controlling the information handling system responds to the voltage level detecting circuit and in the event of a low voltage condition the processor activates the switching circuit to switch the energy sources and from a series to a parallel coupling. Alternatively, the processor responds to other inputs or conditions for actuating the switching circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,459 is directed to an algorithm for implementation in a meter register and a reading device. In the one embodiment, the invention enables selecting a display table to be read from the register, updating the billing read date and time in the register, reversing the order in which load profile data is transmitted from the register to the reader, specifying the number of load profile intervals to be read from the register and specifying the number of intervals to skip when reading from the register.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,225 relates to an apparatus and method for controlling energy supplied to a space conditioning load and for overriding a load control operation in response to measuring certain space temperatures within a closed environment. The load control apparatus includes a control device connected to an electrical distribution network and to a space/conditioning load and a temperature sensing device connected to the control device. The control device conducts a load shedding operation to control distribution of electrical energy to the space conditioning load in response to command signals supplied by a remote command center. The temperature sensing device operates to override the load shedding operation by outputting a control overriding signal to the control device tin response to sensing certain space temperatures within the closed environment. If the temperature control device is connected to an air conditioning system the temperature sensing device causes the control device to terminate the load shedding operation prior to expiration of a selected time period in response to measuring a space temperature that exceeds a maximum space temperature limit. In contrast, if the temperature control device is connected to a forced air beating system, the temperature sensing device causes the control device to terminate the load shedding operation when a measured space temperature drops below a minimum space temperature limit the maximum space temperature limit is greater than the control temperature setpoint of a thermostat that controls the space conditioning operations, whereas the minimum space temperature limit is less than the control temperature setpoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,672 relates to a communication system, where a communication unit may conserve source energy when it is inactive in the following manner. The control channel is partitioned into a predetermined number of windows and a system window which are transmitted on the control channel in a round robin manner. When the communication unit registers with the communication system, it is assigned to a window group. The communication unit then monitors only the system window to determine whether the window group that it's been assigned to is also assigned to one of the predetermined number of windows. When the window that has been assigned to the window group is being transmitted to the control channel the communication unit activates to monitor that window. Once the window is no longer being transmitted, the communication unit deactivates unit the system window is being transmitted or the window assigned to the window group is being transmitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,129 relates to an electronic device for multiplexing several loads to the terminals of a source of alternating electrical energy. The source of alternating electrical energy is coupled by electromagnetic flux to the loads by using primary excitation windings and connects to the terminals of the source of alternating electrical energy and secondary windings respectively corresponding to the number of loads. The secondary windings are at least partially coupled to the primary winding and are each connected to the terminals of a load. The coupling is inhibited by auxiliary winding which are each totally coupled with the secondary winding. The inhibition function is controlled in order to inhibit all the magnetic couplings except for one and this particular one changes as a function of the respective loads to be coupled to the source of alternating electrical energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,831 relates to a system for testing electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices includes means for sensing the current from the storage device and varying the load across the storage device in response to the current sensed. The system is equally adaptable to batteries and fuel cells. Means is also provided to sense system. Certain parameters are then stored in digital form for archive purposes and certain other parameters are used to develop control signals in a host processor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,188 is directed to a programmable identification apparatus, and associated method, includes a transceiver and a transponder. The transponder is powered by the energy of a transceiver transmit signal generated by the transceiver and includes a programmable memory element. A coded sequence which uniquely identifies the transponder is stored in the programmable memory element and, when transponder is powered, the transponder generates a transponder signal which includes the coded sequence stored in the programmable memory element, once modulated by circuitry of the transponder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,123 measures the total line current in a power cord which is used to energize both a power factor corrected system and a non-power factor corrected AC loads. The power factor control loop of the power factor corrected system is then driven to correct the power factor of total line current in the power cord ideally to approach unity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,314 relates to a symmetrical ac power system which provides a balanced ac output, whose maximum voltage with respect to a reference ground potential is one-half the ac output voltage, and which is derived from a single phase ac source through the use of an isolation transformer having a center-tapped secondary winding. The center tap is connected to the output power load circuit as a ground reference potential with respect to the symmetrical ac output so as to constitute the reference ground potential for the power supply and load. Since symmetrical ac power is applied to the load by the system, reactive load currents, other power artifacts, EMI and RFI emissions and other interference and noise components ordinarily resulting from the application of conventional ac power to the load are reduced or eliminated by appearing as equal inversely phased signal elements which cancel one another. In order to maximize the performance of the symmetrical power system, the isolation transformer has a bifilar-wound secondary winding.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,458 describes a UPS (uninterruptible power system) which includes an UPS power conditioning unit that provides conditioned AC power to a critical load. The UPS power conditioning unit includes a variable speed drive that operates in response to AC utility power or to a standby DC input by providing a motor drive signal. The UPS power conditioning unit further includes a motor-generator that operates in response to the motor drive output by providing the conditioned AC power to the critical load. In response to an outage in the utility AC power, standby DC power is provided by a standby DC power source that includes a variable speed drive and a flywheel motor-generator connected to the variable speed drive. Both the UPS power conditioning unit and the standby DC power source are initially operated in response to the utility AC power, the flywheel motor-generator storing kinetic energy in a rotating flywheel. When an outage occurs, the rotating flywheel continues to operate the flywheel motor-generator of the standby DC power source, causing the production of AC power which is rectified and provided as standby DC power to operate the variable speed drive of the UPS power conditioning unit either the utility AC power outage is over or a standby emergency generator is brought on line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,677 relates to a system that monitors and controls electrical power consumption that will be retrofitted to a typical consumer electrical power arrangement (typical arrangement-electrical feed line from a provider, a meter, a circuit breaker and individual input wiring to a plurality of electrical devices, appliances and outlets). The system includes a control unit which receives information from an electromagnetic pickup device from which real time electrical consumption is determined over very short periods of time. The control unit has a main data processing and storage processor for retaining information and it may include a communication microprocessor for sending signals to corresponding modules. The electromagnetic pickup device uniquely measures the electromagnetic flux emanating at each output wire from each of the individual circuit breakers in a breaker box. The modules have filters which release electrical power to the individual electrical devices, appliances and outlets at a controlled, economic rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,667 describes a symmetrical as power system which provides a balanced ac output, whose maximum voltage with respect to a reference ground potential is one-half the ac output voltage, and which is derived from a single phase ac source through the use of an isolation transformer having a center-tapped secondary winding. The center tapped is connected to the output power load circuit as a ground reference potential with respect to the symmetrical ac output so as to constitute the reference ground potential for the power supply and load. Since symmetrical ac power is applied to the load by the system, reactive load currents, other power artifacts, EMI and RFI emissions and other interference ad noise components ordinarily resulting from the application of conventional ac power to the load are reduced or eliminated by appearing as equal inversely phased signal elements which cancel one another. In order to maximize the performance of the symmetrical power system, the isolation transformer has a bifilar-wound secondary winding.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,004 discloses a new single-phase passive harmonic filter for one or more nonlinear loads. The filter improves the total system performance by drastically reducing the line side current harmonics generated by non-linear loads. The filter includes two inductive portions across one of which is connected a tuning capacitor. The parallel combination of one inductive portion which the tuning capacitor forms a series tuned filter configuration while the second inductive portion is used for harmonic attenuation. A shunt capacitor is employed for shunting higher order harmonic components. A single-phase passive voltage regulator provides the needed voltage bucking to prevent over voltage at the load terminals of the filter. The filter provides an alternate path for the harmonic current generated by non-linear loads. The over voltage caused by the increased capacitive reactance is controlled by either capacitor switching or by the use of the passive voltage regulator or a combination of the two. Capacitor switching is dependent upon load conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,017 describes a method and an apparatus for power factor correction for a non-ideal load, which is supplied for a main power supply, by a compensation device which is electrically connected in parallel with the load and has a pulse converter with at least one capacitive store. A transfer function space vector is calculated as a function of a determined mains power supply voltage space vector, a mains power supply current space vector, a compensator current space vector and of an intermediate circuit voltage which is present on the capacitive store. As a result of which the pulse converter generates a compensator voltage space vector on the main power supply side as a function of the intermediate circuit voltage. A compensator current space vector, that keeps the undesirable reactive current elements away from the mains power supply, is thus obtained via a coupling filter that is represented as a compensator inductance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,035 describes a method wherein after starting the input of a switching signal to a booster circuit whose boosting rate is changeable in accordance with the duty ratio of the inputted switching signal and calculating the output power of an inventor circuit, which is connected to the subsequent stage of the booster circuit, from the output current of the inverter circuit, the target voltage after boosting by the booster circuit is obtained based on the output power. If the actual output voltage of the booster circuit is lower than the target voltage, the duty ratio of the above switching signal is increased, and if higher, the duty ratio of the above switching signal is decreased.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,583 B1 is a system including, in-parallel connection to an incoming power supply of a facility including a hot line and a neutral line, and at least one ground. There are components connected between the hot line and the neutral line in the order of front metal oxide varistors; line transient voltage surge suppressor having to suppress undesired power spikes; at least one capacitor of predetermined capacitance; at least two dual chokes in the form of inductor/metal oxide varistor transformers; at least a second capacitor of its own predetermined capacitance; metal oxide varistors having a predetermined capability. In preferred embodiments, the metal oxide varistor may be a plurality of varistors in parallel; a failure indicator circuit connected to the transient voltage surge suppressor, including at least one relay, one voltage-surge responsive switch and one indicator signaling component.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,747 B1 is an electricity pod controller device that includes in-parallel connection to an incoming power supply of a facility including a hot line and a neutral line, and at least one round. There are components connected between the hot line and the neutral line. At least one front metal oxide varistor line transient voltage surge suppressor has a predetermined capability to suppress undesired power spikes and at least one capacitor of predetermined capacitance is also included. At least two dual chokes in the form of inductor/metal oxide varistor transformers, a second capacitor of its own predetermined capacitance and at least one metal oxide varistor having a predetermined capability. In preferred embodiments, the metal oxide varistor may be a plurality of varistors in parallel.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,573,253 B2 to Lestician describes a system for managing electrical consumption that includes a connecting means for connection to an incoming power supply of a facility, for connection in parallel, including a hot line and a neutral line, and at least one ground. The following components are connected between the hot line and the neutral line. They are connected in the order of at least one front capacitor of predetermined capacitance, at least one front arc suppressor, at least one front metal oxide varistor line transient voltage surge suppressor having a predetermined number of joules capability to suppress undesired power spikes, at least two inductor/metal oxide varistor iterative transformers, at least a second capacitor of its own predetermined capacitance, at least one metal oxide varistor having a predetermined number of joules capability and at least two capacitors, each having its own predetermined capacitance different form one another.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.

System for reducing electrical consumption with triple core iterative transformers


A method and a mixture for treating and preventing the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by applying a predetermined therapeutically effective amount of a mixture of hyaluronic acid to individuals is disclosed. The mixture includes at least two different average molecular weight hyaluronic acids (Mw) with different rheology to gain a hyaluronic acid with the proper adhesion property, functions of tissue scaffold and insulation and treatment time, in order to treat and to prevent IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) includes ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or wound healing in stomach and intestine, thus to achieve the prompt treatment and to prolong the effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a method and a mixture for treating and preventing the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by applying a predetermined therapeutically effective amount of a mixture of hyaluronic acid to individuals. The mixture comprises at least two different average molecular weight hyaluronic acids with different rheology to gain a hyaluronic acid with the proper adhesion property, functions of tissue scaffold and insulation and treatment time, in order to treat and to prevent IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) includes ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or wound healing in stomach and intestine, thus to achieve the prompt treatment and to prolong the effect.
2. Description of Related Art
Hyaluronic acid also known as hyaluronan, hyaluronate and sodium hyaluronate, and generally referred to as HA, which is a natural glycosaminoglycan including the alternative N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid moiety.
The macromolecule of hyaluronic acid in sodium salt form generally is the known composition existing for over fifty years. Referring to Meyer and et al (J. Biol. Chem. 107,629 (1934)), the hyaluronic acid intrinsically contains the high-viscosity glycosamine alternative with β 1-3 glycuronic acid and β 1-4 glycosamine, and the Mw of the high-viscosity glycosamine is between 50,000 Dalton (Da) and few million Dalton.
We can find the hyaluronic acid in the soft connective tissue in the body of mammals, and the skin, the vitreous humor of the eye, the synovial fluid, the umbilical cord and cartilage tissue contains higher volume of the hyaluronic acid.
The hyaluronic acid is the fluid with the elasticity, filling between the cells and the collagenous fibers and covering onto some epidermal tissues, majorly for the protection and the lubricant to cells for providing a platform for transporting the regulatory T cell to stabilize and to protect collagen network from the mechanical damage. The hyaluronic acid can be the lubricant in the tendon and the tendon sheath and on the surface of the synovial membrane due to the lubricant feature and the high shock absorber, and it is helpful for the tissue rheological mechanics, motion and the cell proliferation (referring to Delpech, B., Girard, N., Bertrand, P., Courel, M.-N., Chauzy, C., Delpech, A., 1997. Hyaluronan: fundamental principles and applications in cancer. J. Intern. Med. 242, 41-48, Rooney, P., Kumar, S., Ponting, J., Wang, M., 1995. The role of hyaluronan in tumour neovascularization. Int. J. Cancer 60, 632-36, Entwistle J, Hall C L, Turley EA Receptors: regulators of signaling to the cytoskeleton. J Cell Biochem 1996; 61: 569-77), and participating the receptor interaction on the surface of some cells; especially the major receptor of CD44. The regulatory effect of CD44 is widely accepted as a mark of the activated lymphocyte (referring to Teder P, Vandivier R W, Jiang D, Liang J, Crohn L, Pure E, Henson P M, Noble P W. Resolution of lung inflammation by CD44. Science 2002; 296: 155-158, Sheehan K M, DeLott L B, Day S M, DeHeer D H, Hyalgan has a dose-dependent differential effect on macrophage proliferation and cell death. J Orthop Res 2003; 21: 744-51).
The hyaluronic acid has the ability of creating and filling due to the organization and modification of the extracellular matrix, and is widely applied in filling the soft tissue for restraining the skin aging caused by age and light, as well as to adjust the obstacle of lipid metabolism on face, to prevent the increasing of secondary scar or scar formation on the skin.
Furthermore, the hyaluronic acid can be applied as the adjuvant agent for the eye operation or to reduce the pain while moving the knee and joint of the osteoarthritis patients.
Recently, the hyaluronic acid is applied in clinical treatment in the sodium salt form majorly in eye, skin, surgeon, artery treatment and in cosmetic fields. The hyaluronic acid with alkali metal ion, alkaline earth metal ion (for example the magnesium ion), aluminum ion, ammonium ion, and salt form of the replacement of the ammonium ion can be the carrier for assisting drug absorption (referring to Belgium Patent 904,547). The silver salt is used as the mycocide and the gold salt is used for treating the rheumatoid arthritis among the heavy metal salt of the hyaluronic acid (referring to WO 87/05517 of World Intellectual Property Organization).
The effect of treating the hipsore and the decubitus by the composition (complex) of the hyaluronic acid and the metal ion in the fourth group of periodic table, for example the zinc hyaluronate and the cobalt salt have been proven in the Hungary Patent 203,372 to the world.
Bioniche, the Canadian company, disclosed a method and related structure for using the hyaluronic acid with an effective concentration to treat cystitis in U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,986, wherein the Mw of the hyaluronic acid is more than 200,000 Da.
There is only the hyaluronic acid with the certain Mw been applied in the embodiment thereof, for example, to use the hyaluronic acid with the 650 kDa or 1,900 kDa Mw to treat the cystitis; however, the single molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid can not be used for both prompt treatment and sustained effect.
The US patent application 2005/0080037 (A1) belonging to Robert Peter Petrella, a Canadian, disclosed the use of hyaluronic acid for treating acute and over sprain and the reaction thereof, wherein the Mw of the hyaluronic acid is only between 90 thousand Da to 120 Da, and a single molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid cannot perform both prompt healing and prolonged action.
Seikagaku Kogyo, a Japanese company, has filed a U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,910 on Apr. 4, 2008 entitled "Use of Agent for treating inflammatory bowel disease" to disclose that the hyaluronic acid and hyaluronate with Mw between 600 kDa and 1,200 kDa can be applied to treat IBD. However, the degradation is too fast to retain the treating effect after injecting into the patient, therefore, it's very inconvenient for patients clinically.

Method and mixture for treating and preventing inflammatory bowel disease


A method of controlling a vehicle including a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous motor is provided. The motor is controlled based on direct-axis (d-axis) and quadrature-axis (q-axis) current commands. The method includes estimating permanent magnet flux linkage based on q-axis voltage and electrical angular speed, and estimating permanent magnet temperature based on permanent magnet flux linkage and the temperature coefficient of the permanent magnet. The vehicle is controlled based on the estimated permanent magnet temperature.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to magnet temperature estimation for permanent magnet (PM) electric machines based on magnetic flux linkage. The invention further relates to hybrid electric vehicles that use permanent magnet (PM) motors.
2. Background Art
The use of permanent magnet (PM) synchronous motors has become widespread. In general, a PM synchronous motor includes a rotor having permanent magnets mounted on the rotor periphery or buried inside the rotor.
It is difficult to measure the temperature of magnets buried deep in the rotor of an electric machine. An infrared sensor can only sense the temperature of the rotor surface but magnet temperature can get much higher than surface temperature. Inductive heating to the magnets and air conduction at the surface can significantly increase the difference between magnet temperature and rotor surface temperature. A wireless sensor could be used for large industry motors but a wireless sensor is not cost effective on applications such as hybrid electric vehicles.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method of estimating magnet temperature for permanent magnet (PM) electric machines.


A connector includes: a rear case, fixed on a rear side of a display; a first component, provided on the rear case; and a second component, adapted to the first component and connectable to the image capturing device. According to the present disclosure, the image capturing device is connectable to the second component.

Nowadays, a display device is usually provided with an image capturing function since the functions of computers are becoming more and more powerful. In one implementation, the image capturing device is physically and electrically connected to the display device, such that the computer may capture static images and dynamic images using the external image capturing device.
The image capturing device is usually disposed at a position close to the display device for ease of use. Currently, the image capturing device is generally fixed to a frame of the display device using a built-in hooding part. Alternatively, in the case where the image capturing device has a chassis, the image capturing device is disposed beside the display device.
On one hand, in the case where the image capturing device is held onto the frame of the display device, it is possible to damage the frame of the display device. On the other hand, in the case where the image capturing device is disposed beside the display device, it will occupy extra space.
It should be noted that, information disclosed in the above background portion is provided only for better understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and thus it may contain information that does not form the prior art known by those ordinary skilled in the art.

Connector for image capturing device and display device including the connector


Molten ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF) slag is chilled on a chill plate comprising a number of steel slabs disposed side by side. The slag is poured onto the chill plate and allowed to solidify without the application of any water. Solid slag is removed from the chill plate by mechanical means and is eventually reused to make synthetic slag after further cooling, crushing and screening.

Ladle slag or LMF slag has been recovered from the steel industry and reused as a slag conditioner for some period of time. Typically, in steel mills, the process for recovering ladle slag is as follows: the ladle slag is created in an LMF or ladle metallurgy furnace by scraping off old furnace slag, and adding fresh slag components to build a cleaner synthetic slag. In some shops, the old slag is treated with aluminum or other deoxidizers to create the same effect. The ladle slag functions to act as a refining aid for the steel in the ladle. Once this refining process is complete, the ladle is moved to a continuous caster. The ladle, at this stage, is opened from the bottom and the steel is drained from the ladle into a tundish and into a continuous caster. As the steel exits from the bottom of the ladle into the tundish, the ladle slag floats on top of the steel in the ladle. The ladle will reach a point when it is nearly empty and some slag may start showing up in the steel. At this point, or some time before this point, the slag gate is closed to shut off the flow of steel into the tundish. The ladle is then removed and the spent ladle slag, along with any remaining steel, is dumped into a slag pot, where it cools. This process is repeated again and again, with steel and slag being layered on top of one another into slag pots. Typically, a slag pot will hold from 3 to 5 taps of spent ladle slag and steel.
Normally, these slag pots are allowed to cool and are tipped over and quenched with water. The reason this product is generally quenched with water is that many spent ladle slags are unstable and exhibit "falling slag" characteristics. The characteristic of a falling slag is that the slag undergoes a phase change at some stage in the cooling process and turns from a solid into a powder. The effect of this is that some portion of the ladle slag falls to a very fine dry powdery dust which becomes an environmental nuisance, and creates difficulty in the rehandling and reuse of ladle slag handled in this conventional manner. For this reason, the slag pots are almost always quenched with water such that any falling slag produced will be wet and will not create an environmental (dusting) problem. Once the slag pot content is quenched and cooled, it is then crushed, the metal is removed for reuse and what is left is typically the spent ladle slag. Prior art in the reuse and reclamation of this ladle slag requires that the slag be crushed and dried and screened for reuse. Because the slag has been soaked with water, it hydrates, creating water of hydration in the slag. Ladle slag that is recovered by this technique is difficult to reuse for three reasons:
1. the slag is hydrated through its contact with moisture and contains undesirable amounts of crystalline moisture and free moisture; PA1 2. the slag contains more fine particles than is desired due to the falling nature of the slag which creates powder; PA1 3. the quenching produces a very wet product which requires energy and cost to dry the free moisture from the product.
An object of the invention is to provide a method of recovering ladle slag in which the above-referenced problems are at least partially addressed.

Process for stabilizing and reusing ladle slag


A bed includes a telescoping foot-end leg at a first end; a telescoping head-end leg at a second end opposite from the first end; a rotating frame that rotates on a lateral first axis extending between an upper portion of the foot-end leg and an upper portion of the head-end leg; and a tilting frame supported by the rotating frame. The rotating frame tilts on a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The tilting frame is configured to support the patient's entire body. The foot-end leg and the head-end leg are configured to be telescoped while the patient is on the bed such that the height of the foot-end leg is lower than the height of the head-end leg and a slope of the first axis is at least 15 degrees.

There are many patients which, for various reasons, require extended periods of bedrest, such as, but not limited to, patients with movement disabilities, spinal cord injuries, or who have suffered strokes. A number of complications arise from patient inactivity, such as bedsores, urinary tract infections, shortening or weakening of muscles, abnormal muscle stiffness, osteoporosis, impaired blood flow, and impaired respiratory activity. Also, difficulty in moving patients that are unable to move themselves is difficult for caregivers, as not all possible caregivers have the necessary strength, and among those who do, there remains a substantial risk of injury to caregivers and patients when executing such movements.
Some people lose their motor power because of accidents or diseases. This may affect their mental or corporal systems, so they have problems in their usual lives. If one thinks he is a burden for others, this may diminish his interest for continuance of life. To prevent these disorders, many devices were designed to facilitate motor needs of disabled persons. Usage of these devices not only promotes life quality but also increases life hope for disabled persons and their families.
There are many medical devices to aid disabled persons to diminish their problems and impairments. For example, there are wavy mats and rotating beds that may prevent bed ulcers. Also there are types of tilt tables and orthopedic tables. However, these devices have limited efficiency and do not cover some patient needs. For example, bed ulcers are a significant disorder, and may appear only after 4 days if appropriate steps are not taken. Some influential factors in causing bedsores are pressure, humidity, and the existence of bacteria and fungi. The usage of the wavy mattresses is for the prevention of the bedsores. However, the wavy mattresses in addition to their primary high cost impose great expenses for their maintenance and repair. On the other hand, those mattresses are only effective on the pressure factor and are not able to eliminate the other influential factors.
The usage of rotating beds has a positive effect to some degree but also lacks the ability to remove all the factors.
One of the first invisible effects of movement disability is the excretion of calcium through urine. Naturally, if a person stays in bed for three days without standing during this period, the amount of calcium discharger through urine increases by 46% and if this period lasts for two weeks, it could increase up to 83%. Excess discharge of calcium may result in osteoporosis, urinary infections, or other urinary tract complications. Nowadays, for decreasing such symptoms, tilt tables or other equipment which facilitate standing are used. However, to utilize such equipment, the patient must be moved from the bed to the equipment. Such movement cannot be done by normal individuals and require strong nurses, the lack of whom is evident worldwide. Therefore, such equipment can only be used with difficulty in the professional clinics. Hence, such transfer (from home to clinic) and performing the required operations is not only costly but also there is a great chance of harming the person with disability or the person performing the operation. In fact, many of nurses suffer serious injuries while performing such operations. Thus, disabled individuals who are unable to move generally do not enjoy the medical advantages of standing. More examples could be given regarding the weakness of existing equipment.
As indicated before, existing devices have specific and limited usage which could facilitate the partial movement of disabled patients to some extent and decrease some dependencies but could not provide for all their essential needs.
In most cases, complications arising from movement disabilities can spiral out of control. Hitherto, prevention or treatment of the complications arising from movement disabilities has been a rather difficult task, and has been beyond many people's capacities as it imposes great expenses on them, their families, and even society.
In order to prevent and control such symptoms, the necessity for equipment which could better serve the needs of disabled individuals, is felt more and more. In addition to significantly upgrading quality of life for patients and their and their families, such equipment can also increase patient life expectancy.

Multi-functional and multipositional bed


A process and a device for the bending on a frame of at least one glass sheet by gravity, the bending being performed in at least two stages during which the glass sheet or sheets undergo a deformation by gravity. In a first stage, the glass sheet or sheets are bent according to a first shape corresponding to a blank or precursor of the final shape. In a second stage, the glass sheet or sheets are bent according to the final shape. The device includes a frame 1 of which at least one part has two elements, one element forming a blank frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and another element forming a final frame (2, 3, 12, 13).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bending glass sheets and in particular bending on a bending shape or hollow configuration ordinarily designated as a frame or bending skeleton.
2. Description of the Related Art
The bending of glass sheets on a skeleton is a technique ordinarily used to bend glass sheets and in particular to bend simultaneously the two glass sheets intended to form a bent laminated glazing such as a transport vehicle windshield. In this technique, the two glass sheets laid on one another with insertion of a suitable separating agent are supported along their margins in an approximately horizontal orientation by a frame having the desired profile, i.e., a profile corresponding to the final one of the two bent glass sheets. Thus supported, the two glass sheets go into a bending furnace, generally a furnace having zones of different temperatures.
The first of these zones is a preheating zone in which the glass sheets are heated to a temperature of the glass close to the softening point. The next zone is the bending zone where the glass sheets brought to a temperature of about 600.degree. C. will gradually be bent by gravity to assume finally the shape of the frame. The glass sheets are then cooled and removed from the bending frame at the output of the tunnel furnace.
This bending process on a skeleton is fully satisfactory when the curves are not very pronounced and/or when the bending is essentially cylindrical. When the curves are more pronounced, and in particular in the vicinity of the periphery of the glazings, what is called a counterbending can occur at the corners of the glass sheets, generally at two of these corners, or even at the four corners according to the geometry of the glazing, i.e., its curves and also its cutout shape. The counterbending corresponds to an undesired inversion of the curve.
The bent glass sheets obtained then no longer meet the requirement imposed on the glazing to be able to be mounted in a car body window opening.
To eliminate the counterbending, in the case of the bending of a single glass sheet intended to be tempered thermally and which for this purpose is greatly heated, it has already been proposed to hold the edges of said sheet during the bending operation. This process is not entirely satisfactory, in particular in the case of the bending of several glass sheets simultaneously.

Device having final frame which doubles a blank frame, for bending glass sheets

Saint-Gobain Vitrage International c/o Saint-Gobain Recherche


A security alarm monitor is disclosed that uses a combination of three dimensional (3D) and two dimensional (2D) visualization to display the status of security devices and allow the operator to respond to alarms. The alarm monitor console includes 3D and 2D display areas, either in a split screen on a single monitor or on dual monitors. The 3D display area uses a photo-realistic representation of a facility and overlays iconic or 3D representations of the security devices showing their locations, coverage areas, and alarm status. The 2D display area shows a map, architectural drawing, image-based overhead view, or combination or the three for a facility and security device icons. The alarm representations in the 2D and 3D display areas are synchronized. The 3D display gives a dynamic view of the facility or compound. When an alarm occurs, the 3D display flies to preprogrammed view of the alarm location, issues a preprogrammed audio alert, and animates the alarm icon to indicate its status.

Video monitoring systems for monitoring the plurality of areas in a given facility as well as incorporating sensors and alarm systems for actuating various video monitors at different sections of a facility are known. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,057,818, 5,144,661 and 4,141,006. However, such prior art systems do not provide a realistic presentation to the operating personnel.
According to the invention, a security alarm monitor which uses a combination of three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) visualizations to display the status of security devices and allow the operator to respond to alarms. The alarm monitor console includes 3D and 2D display areas, either in split-screen or on a single monitor or on dual monitors. The 3D display area uses a photo-realistic representation of a facility and overlays iconic or 3D representations of a plurality of security devices, showing their locations, coverage areas, and alarm status. The 2D display area shows a map, architectural drawing, image-based overhead view or combination of the three for a facility and security device icon. The alarm representations in the 2D and 3D display areas are synchronized, and the 3D display gives a dynamic view of the facility or compound. When the alarm occurs, the 3D display flies to the preprogrammed view of the alarm location, issues a preprogrammed audio alert, and animates the alarm icon to indicate its status.
Furthermore, the invention provides visual security monitoring system for monitoring outdoor security systems of a facility comprising a plurality of video cameras to include security cameras and video switchers and/or multiplexers. There is provided a plurality of security devices to include intrusion detection, access control, GPS, other security software, and/or digital video recording systems. There is provided a plurality of digital interfaces connected to receive alarm signals from said security devices and correlating said alarms and said video systems, and display monitors for sequentially displaying video images from said video switchers and/or multiplexers. A computer is connected to the digital interfaces and one or more video display monitors for automatically displaying video based on alarm inputs from said security systems. A computer display monitor, preferably having a touch screen pointing device, but other pointing devices can be used, for graphical display of alarm events from said security systems in a geographic context.
In one preferred embodiment, in the visual security monitoring system defined above, the computer causes three-dimensional (3D) visual simulation of said facility to be displayed on said computer display monitor using a geometric computer model derived from imagery and/or photographs such that the said monitor displays a spatially accurate and realistic visual representation of the facility.
In another preferred embodiment, in the visual security monitoring system defined above, each video camera and each security device is represented as a 3D geometric model or 3D sensor icon, and wherein each 3D sensor icon represents both the physical device and its coverage area, wherein each 3D sensor icon is rendered in 3D visual simulation at a position in 3-space corresponding to its approximate geographic location and area of coverage.
In another preferred embodiment, in the visual security monitoring system defined above, the physical status and/or alarm status of the security devices and/or cameras are displayed graphically by altering the visual properties of each corresponding 3D sensor icon defined above in response to the alarm inputs, and wherein a plurality of visual properties may be used to represent alarm states including colors, textures, and animation of said visual properties.
In another preferred embodiment, the visual security monitoring system defined above provides transitions of the 3D eye point of the photo-realistic simulation to a lookdown angle optimal for viewing the simulation of said alarm inputs with rapid, smooth, and continuous motion that simulates flying to that location in 3-space in response to:                (1) a user graphically selecting any of the 3D sensor icons in the said photo-realistic visual simulation, and/or        (2) alarm inputs from the security and/or video devices.
Finally, in another preferred embodiment, the visual security monitoring system defined above sends any hardware or software command to any security device, the video systems, other hardware, and/or other software in response to:                (1) a user graphically selecting any of the volumetric areas in the photo-realistic visual simulation, and/or        (2) alarm inputs from the security and/or video devices.
Thus, the object of the invention is to provide an improved visual security monitoring system which provides a more realistic and user-friendly display of alarm conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a more realistic and dynamic presentation of a facility or compound in the areas where there is an alarm situation.


Methods and systems for generating information to be used for selecting values for parameter(s) of a detection algorithm are provided. One method includes without user intervention performing a scan of an area of a wafer using an inspection system and default values for parameter(s) of a detection algorithm to detect defects on the wafer. The method also includes selecting a portion of the defects from results of the scan based on a predetermined maximum number of total defects to be used for selecting values for the parameter(s) of the detection algorithm. The method further includes storing information, which includes values for the parameter(s) of the detection algorithm determined for the defects in the portion. The information can be used to select the values for the parameter(s) of the detection algorithm to be used for the inspection recipe without performing an additional scan of the wafer subsequent to the scan.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to methods and systems for generating information to be used for selecting values for one or more parameters of a detection algorithm. Certain embodiments relate to generating sufficient information for selecting values for one or more parameters of a detection algorithm to be used for an inspection recipe from results of a scan of a wafer performed without user intervention and without performing an additional scan of the wafer subsequent to the scan.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Fabricating semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices typically includes processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer using a large number of semiconductor fabrication processes to form various features and multiple levels of the semiconductor devices. For example, lithography is a semiconductor fabrication process that involves transferring a pattern from a reticle to a resist arranged on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated in an arrangement on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Inspection processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers. Inspection processes have always been an important part of fabricating semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits. However, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, inspection processes become even more important to the successful manufacture of acceptable semiconductor devices. For instance, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, detection of defects of decreasing size has become necessary since even relatively small defects may cause unwanted aberrations in the semiconductor devices. Accordingly, much work in the inspection field has been devoted to designing inspection systems that can detect defects having sizes that were previously negligible.
Many different types of inspection systems have adjustable output acquisition (e.g., data, signal, and/or image acquisition) and sensitivity (or defect detection) parameters such that different parameters can be used to detect different defects or avoid sources of unwanted (nuisance) events. Although an inspection system that has adjustable output acquisition and sensitivity parameters presents significant advantages to a semiconductor device manufacturer, these inspection systems are essentially useless if the incorrect output acquisition and sensitivity parameters are used for an inspection process. In addition, since the defects, process conditions, and noise on wafers may vary dramatically (and since the characteristics of the wafers themselves may vary dramatically), the best output acquisition and sensitivity parameters for detecting the defects on a particular wafer may be difficult, if not impossible, to predict. Therefore, although using the correct output acquisition and sensitivity parameters will have a dramatic effect on the results of inspection, it is conceivable that many inspection processes are currently being performed with incorrect or non-optimized output acquisition and sensitivity parameters.
An optimal inspection recipe for a semiconductor layer should detect as many defects of interest (DOI) as possible while maintaining a substantially low nuisance rate. Optimizing an inspection recipe generally involves tuning the parameters used in the recipe until the optimal result is achieved. The set of parameters to be tuned thus depends on the detection algorithm used. In the case of bright field (BF) inspection systems commercially available from KLA-Tencor, San Jose, Calif., the detection algorithms may be auto-thresholding (AT), segmented auto-thresholding (SAT) or multiple die auto-thresholding (MDAT), and the inspection parameters may be segment breaks and thresholds. In the case of dark field (DF) inspection systems commercially available from KLA-Tencor, the detection algorithms may be FAST and HLAT algorithms.
One best known method for recipe optimization is to run a substantially "hot" inspection thereby increasing the likelihood of detecting DOI but at the expense of substantially high nuisance rates. The user then takes this hot lot and the wafer to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for review. The user reviews the defects using the SEM and classifies the defects as real, nuisance, or DOI. Once enough of each type of defect is classified, the user attempts to set the correct segment breaks and threshold values in order to create a recipe that will detect enough of the DOI and have as few as possible of the nuisance defects detected. The more defects that are classified, the better the recipe can be. The user may then re-inspect the wafer using the new recipe and use the SEM to review the defects detected on the wafer using the new recipe. In this manner, re-inspection and defect review may be performed in an iterative manner until the user determines that satisfactory defect detection can be achieved by the recipe based on defect review results.
One problem with such methods is that it takes significant time to SEM review a single defect. In addition, the need for multiple trips between the inspection system and the SEM adds significant time to the recipe setup. The user would ideally like to review the smallest number of defects possible that would still produce an accurate recipe and be able to do this in one trip to the SEM.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop methods and/or systems for generating sufficient information for selecting values for one or more parameters of a detection algorithm to be used for an inspection recipe from results of a scan of a wafer performed without user intervention and without performing an additional scan of the wafer subsequent to the scan.

Methods and systems for generating information to be used for selecting values for one or more parameters of a detection algorithm


A rail vehicle spring system has a spring strut, arranged between a bogie and carriage body of the rail vehicle, and includes a cylinder and a piston in the cylinder. Piston spaces are defined below and above the piston head. The piston or the cylinder is connectable with the bogie, while the other component is connectable with the carriage body. A spring cushions the body relative to the bogie, and a hydraulic system is connected with at least one of the piston spaces to charge the space with hydraulic medium. The spring surrounds the cylinder and is contracted by the piston when an excess pressure exists in the lower piston space with respect to the upper piston space, and an entraining element is adjoined by the spring. Only when an excess pressure exists in the lower piston space does the piston rod exerts a force on the entraining element.

The present invention relates to a spring system of a rail vehicle with at least one spring strut for arrangement between bogie and carriage body of the rail vehicle. The spring strut includes at least one cylinder and at least one piston shiftably accommodated in the cylinder, which define piston spaces below and above the piston head. The piston or the cylinder is directly or indirectly connectable or connected with the bogie, and the other one of the components is directly or indirectly connectable or connected with the carriage body, and with at least one spring which is arranged such that the same cushions the carriage body with respect to the bogie.
Such a spring system is known from German document DE 10 2006 027 288 A1. The spring system disclosed there comprises a non-resilient hydraulic system which is connected with the piston space and by means of which the quantity of the hydraulic medium in the piston space is variable for the purpose of adjustment of the spring strut length. Furthermore, there is provided a stop element by means of which the end position of the piston in the cylinder is variable. This stop element is actuated when in a case of fault the piston space or the hydraulic system is pressureless or the pressure falls below a certain value.
In this known spring system a special emergency system is activated upon failure of the hydraulic system, so that no operational constraints must be accepted. The same include for example a reduced speed, a reduced number of passengers as well as putting the rail vehicle out of operation.
Typical spring systems are furthermore known from German document DE 103 15 000 A1 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,185,592 B2, 7,243,606 B2 and 7,874,254 B2.
In German document DE 103 15 000 A1 a secondary spring system of a rail vehicle is disclosed, wherein between a bogie and a carriage body a spring stage is arranged. The spring stage includes a passive steel spring and an actuator. When the actuator is released, the steel spring effects that the carriage body is lifted into a driving position. During stoppage in a railway station, the actuator pulls the carriage body in direction of the subframe against the restoring force caused by the steel spring. The actuator can be a hydraulic actuator.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,592B2 discloses a development of the system shown in DE 103 15 000 A1. There is presented a special hydraulic system for the actuator, which comprises a hydropneumatic accumulator and depressurizes the actuator when the carriage body is lifted.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,606 B2 discloses an alternative solution of a generic system, in which the secondary spring system includes a hydropneumatic spring unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,254 B2 discloses a further solution of a generic system, in which a special construction of the piston rod is provided.


A coextruded multi-layer structure may be formed by coextruding a linear alternating polymer of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon (a polyketone polymer) with an other thermoplastic polymer, without the use of an adhesive or tie layer. The multi-layer structures exhibit strong adhesion but can be easily separated (for recycling, etc.) once the integrity of either layer is impaired. The other thermoplastic polymer is a cracked polybutylene, nylon-6, nylon-12, a copolyetherester polymer, or polyvinyl chloride.

Coextrusion of multiple layers of different polymers through a common die is used to produce a variety of polymer products, such as sheet, film, coatings, profiles, pipe, tubing, and foam-core products. Food and beverage packaging is a common application of such coextruded products. Sheet or film, for example, are often shaped after coextrusion into various packaging items by methods such as thermoforming, solid-phase pressure forming, or stamping. Individual polymers exhibit a wide variety of properties, such as permeability to oxygen, water vapor, and other gases and liquids, and chemical resistance to acids, bases, hydrocarbons, oils, alcohols, and other materials. Coextrusion of multiple polymer layers can be used to prepare a product with optimum properties for a particular application.
No comprehensive theory exists for predicting interlayer adhesion in coextrusion of different polymers. Most knowledge comes from trial-and-error testing of the polymers. Different polymers, when coextruded, will typically exhibit good adhesion or no adhesion. Adhesive polymers are commonly used as "tie layers" to bond incompatible polymers that do not normally adhere to each other. Ethylene-vinyl acetate, ethylene-acrylic acid, and ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymers are commonly used as tie layers.
There is currently an increasing emphasis on reducing the volume of plastic packaging waste, and on recycling plastic materials. In the future, it is expected that additional emphasis will be placed on recycling of other plastic articles, such as auto parts. Although coextrusion of multiple polymer layers can be used to prepare a product with optimum properties, such polymer products are also difficult to recycle. Coextrusion of a multi-layer structure that appears to exhibit good adhesion, yet delaminates readily for recycling, would be very useful. It is an object of this invention to provide a coextruded product, of two or more dissimilar polymer layers that appear to exhibit good adhesion, yet will separate readily for recycling.
In particular, it is an object of this invention to provide a coextruded multi-layer structure of a polyketone polymer and an other thermoplastic polymer which appears to adhere to the polyketone polymer, yet separates easily from the polyketone polymer when the integrity of either layer is impaired. Surprisingly, after extensive trial-and-error testing, only five other thermoplastic polymers have been found that meet this objective.

Multi-layer structures containing polyketone polymers


A method for the operation of a wind turbine comprising a rotor with at least one rotor blade, a generator and a speed regulator for regulating the rotational speed of a drive train element by adjusting a generator torque and/or a blade pitch angle, comprising the steps of: determining the angular speed of the drive train element through the time derivative of an angular position signal, determining the angular acceleration of the drive train element, presetting desired values for the generator torque and/or the blade pitch angle taking into account the angular speed of the drive train element and the angular acceleration of the drive train element, wherein the angular acceleration of the drive train element is determined from the angular position signal, wherein a filtering with an upper cut off frequency is performed after the first time derivative of the angular position signal and before a second time derivative of the angular position signal, said upper cut off frequency being tuned to a maximum adjustment speed of the generator torque and/or of the blade pitch angle.

The present invention is related to a method for the operation of a wind turbine, which features a rotor with at least one rotor blade, a generator and a speed regulator for regulating the rotational speed of a drive train element by adjusting a generator torque and/or a blade pitch angle. In the method, an angular speed of the drive train element, which corresponds to the rotational speed of the drive train element, is determined through the time derivative of an angular position signal. An angular acceleration of the drive train element is determined in addition. Besides to this, desired values for the generator torque and/or the blade pitch angle are preset, taking into account the angular speed of the drive train element and the angular acceleration of the drive train element.
Including the determined angular acceleration of the drive train element, for instance of the rotor hub, into the regulation of the rotational speed has the advantage that it is possible to react more quickly to changes of the rotational speed. The dynamic behaviour of the regulation is improved in this way. For instance, it is possible to detect a sudden increase of the rotational speed of the drive train element quickly by means of the acceleration signal, and to counter-act the same through an adequate regulation intervention, e.g. before a desired value for the rotational speed of the drive train element is actually in fact exceeded.
By way of example, such a method is known from the document DE 10 2007 007 872 A1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, wherein three acceleration sensors arranged in the rotor are provided in order to determine the angular acceleration of the rotor. The angular acceleration of the rotor is calculated from the acceleration values measured by these acceleration sensors.

Method for the operation of a wind turbine and wind turbine using this method