A conventional toilet includes a bowl having a bowl interior supported upon a base and having a rectangular flush tank supplied from a conventional water supply. The bowl portion supports a conventional toilet seat having a center hole and a hinged attachment to the seat support portion of the bowl. A toilet seat supported bidet includes an elongated nozzle pipe having an upwardly directed nozzle pivotally supported on the underside of the toilet seat such that the nozzle water flow extends upwardly through the hole in the toilet seat. A slide valve is coupled to the nozzle pipe and is operated by a pivotal handle. A supply of heated water is coupled to the slide valve from a source of water under pressure. A pair of friction clips secure the nozzle pipe to the undersurface of the toilet seat in a frictional pivotal attachment to facilitate the angular movement of the nozzle pipe to affect angular motion of the nozzle.

In many situations, persons using toilet facilities have a desire or a need to utilize a sanitary device known generally as a bidet. The typical bidet facility provides a water receiving bowl or catch basin which is coupled to a waste water disposal system or bathroom drain. A water dispersing nozzle is supported within the bowl and is coupled to a source of warmed water under pressure. The nozzle is directed upwardly and positioned within the bowl to direct a stream of cleansing water against the underside of the user as the user is positioned over the bowl. The object in using a bidet is to cleanse the genital and anal skin areas on the underside of the user's torso.
The use of bidets within many European countries is well known and frequently employed. However, within the United States of America the use of bidets is relatively sparce and to a large extent unknown among Americans. One reason for the slow acceptance of bidets within the United States of America is the extensive standardization of toilet facilities throughout the country. Such standard toilet facilities do not include or facilitate the use of a bidet. In addition, the interior design style in most residences attempts to efficiently use the space allocated to the bathroom among several competing needs such as a shower or bathtub facility together with a bathroom sink and countertop and finally a toilet facility. As a result, those within the United States and elsewhere who desire or need to utilize a bidet are forced to undergo extensive bathroom remodeling and expense to install a conventional bidet.
There remains therefore a need in the art for a more cost effective and space efficient system for providing a bidet facility within a conventional bathroom.


An actuator (24, 528, 606, 646, 670, 700, 702) is configured to cause a latch assembly (22, 322, 422, 522, 526, 604, 644, 668, 694) to be changed from a closed condition in which an item is latched, to an open condition in which the item is unlatched. A catch jaw (30, 530, 690) is operative in a first position to engage a member (106) connected to the item when the latch assembly is in the closed condition. The catch jaw in a second position enables the member to disengage from the catch jaw when the latch assembly is in the open condition. The actuator assembly includes a drive (152, 526, 608, 706) and a gear system (157, 563, 610, 712). The gear system is operative to move a release member (174, 538, 612, 722, 764). The release member is configured to be in operative connection with the catch jaw such that the movement of the release member causes the catch jaw to be enabled to move to the second position.

Latches and particularly rotary type latches are useful for holding doors or other items in a fixed position. For example, the rotary latch may hold a door in a closed position closing a compartment. Latches may be selectively released when desired. Some latches may be opened or released manually through movement of one or more release levers in response to manual movement of an item such as a handle. Other latches may include an electrical actuator that is used to selectively release the latch. Such an electrical actuator may operate to release the latch in response to electrical signals. Some latches may include structures that enable the latch to be released either in response to manual movement or in response to an electrical actuator. Such latches and actuators may benefit from improvements.


An integrated circuit memory device has: a memory array; a set of data latches for holding data bits to be stored in the memory array; a plurality of data tracks for supplying data bits to the data latches; a set of address latches for holding address bits for addressing the memory array; a test bus; a data bit routing circuit connected to the data latches for selectively routing data bits to either the memory array or the test bus; an address bit routing circuit connected to the address latches for selectively routing address bits to either the array or the test bus; and an output circuit for outputting data bits and address bits on the test bus. In this way, data bits and address bits can be checked for accuracy against the originally supplied data bits and address bits. Thus, a test can be conducted without requiring data actually to be written to memory cells of the memory.

A non-volatile memory is a memory which stores data without the need for a power supply to maintain the data. One example of a non-volatile memory is an electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) of which one particular category is a flash EPROM. The time required to program and erase flash EPROMs is long compared with the programming time for volatile memories such as static random access memories (SRAMs) or dynamic random access memories (DRAMs). Moreover, the program and erase operations for a flash memory are destructive, and therefore the number of programming and erase operations which the device can tolerate in its lifetime is limited.
There is a requirement to characterise memory devices in respect of various parameters, one of which is the set-up and hold times for the input of data to the chip. The data falls in three categories: address data required to select particular cells for programming; normal data defining the information to be stored in the memory; and command data which defines the operational mode of the memory. With conventional test methods, the set-up and hold time for the command data can be carried out without affecting the memory cells themselves. The present invention is therefore principally concerned with characterising the set-up and hold time for the normal data and address data. These parameters are currently tested as part of a write/read cycle by writing data bits into the memory at selected addresses and then immediately reading the stored data bits to check their accuracy. The entire cycle time (for writing and reading the data) is determined. This is done by altering the cycle time to the minimum level at which accurate data is still guaranteed. In this method, there is no way of distinguishing between the write time and the read time, since all that can be determined is the overall write and read cycle time. Thus, it is not possible to characterise memories in respect of their set-up and hold times.
Moreover, the existing method requires data actually to be written to memory cells. As explained above, this then reduces the number of cycles for which the part will subsequently operate in normal use. It will readily be appreciated that it is important to characterise the set-up and hold times of the address data and normal data for several different parameters, for example different voltage and temperature parameters. Therefore, many write cycles would be required to carry out a proper characterisation of the memory.
It is an object of the present invention to test a non-volatile memory without requiring data actually to be written to memory cells of the memory.


A normalized-link-current estimation unit adopts a first value calculated by using a virtual DC voltage command, a phase and an amplitude of a single-phase AC voltage, and a distribution factor, as an estimated value of a value obtained by normalizing a link current flowing from a DC link to an inverter. A calculation unit determines a second value calculated by using the virtual DC voltage command, a rectified voltage, and a both-end voltage. When a normalized current command is less than a product of the first value and the second value, a normalized charge command is set to 0 and a rectifying duty is determined by dividing the normalized current command by the first value.

A ripple having a frequency twice a power source frequency is present in power obtained from a single-phase AC power source. Thus, when a DC voltage is obtained by rectifying a single-phase AC voltage obtained from the single-phase AC power source, a large-capacitance energy accumulation element is necessary to make this DC voltage constant.
In view of such a necessity, there has been proposed a technique that adopts a power buffer circuit in which a buffer capacitor is connected to a DC link via a switching element, thereby forming a voltage source (for example, Japanese Patent No. 580416 and Yamashita and Sakakibara, "A. Control Method of a Single-phase-to-three-phase Power Converter with an Active Buffer for Increasing Voltage Transfer Ratio", IEEJ Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 137, No. 2. The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Feb. 1, 2017, pp. 112-118 listed below). According to such a technique, the voltage source allows a current input to a direct power converter that forms a high-frequency link as well as a voltage obtained from a single-phase AC power source to have a waveform of a sinusoidal wave, implementing high-efficiency characteristics.
The technique described above enables a DC voltage of the DC link to be increased to a crest value of the single-phase AC voltage (for example, Yamashita and Sakakibara, "A Control Method of a Single-phase-to-three-phase Power Converter with an Active Buffer for Increasing Voltage Transfer Ratio", IEEJ Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 137, No. 2, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Feb. 1, 2017, pp. 112-118). However, when a practical value, for example, a value that is 1.17 times the crest value, is selected as a buffer voltage allotted to the buffer capacitor, a voltage utilization ratio is only approximately 0.87. On the other hand, there has been proposed a control method that improves the voltage utilization ratio to 0.95 for the same buffer voltage (for example, Japanese Patent No. 5930108 listed below).
Unlike the above-described control methods based on a magnitude of power provided to and received from the power buffer circuit, a control method focused on a voltage output from a power converter has also been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent No. 5626435 and Yamashita and Sakakibara. "A Control Method of a Single-phase-to-three-phase Power Converter with an Active Buffer for Increasing Voltage Transfer Ratio", IEEJ Transactions on industry Applications, Vol. 137, No. 2, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Feb. 1, 2017, pp. 112-118). This control method implements a boosting operation by increasing a ratio of steady-state power to power allotted to the power buffer circuit (power provided to or received from the DC link). Such a control method is effective in a voltage range in which the allotted power does not increase greatly.
In addition, examples that disclose a technique for controlling an amplitude of an input current on the basis of a buffer voltage include Japanese Patent No. 5874800.

Control device for direct power converter


A recording apparatus for performing recording on a recording medium includes a plurality of recording elements, and a control unit for selectively providing energy having a level lower than an actual recording level to adjacent ones of the plurality of recording elements and to successively apply the energy to the see recording element when the energy is applied to the recording elements within waiting time from an end of a recording operation to a start of the next recording operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for performing recording by heating and driving recording elements.
Recording apparatuses benefitting from this invention can be used in a facsimile machine, a typewriter, a copying machine, and a printer. Recording systems for performing recording upon heating of heating elements which can employ the present invention include so-called ink-jet, thermal transfer, thermal, and electrothermosensitive recording systems.
2. Related Background Art
Related arts will be described by exemplifying a thermal printer as a recording apparatus.
When a conventional thermal printer is installed at a low ambient temperature or a time interval to the next recording cycle is prolonged, a thermal head is undesirably cooled. Even if the thermal head is energized within the same period of time as in the previous recording cycle, the density of a recorded image may be decreased. In order to eliminate this drawback, the thermal head is pre-heated in a thermal printer, facsimile machine or the like prior to a recording operation. Pre-heating prevents electrodes of heating resistors of the thermal head from being corroded by moisture in air or of recording paper or by ions in a thermal agent when a voltage is applied to the thermal head and the heating elements are not energized (e.g., during transmission in a facsimile machine). In the pre-heat operation, predetermined data output to the thermal head is constant. The temperature of the heating resistors of the head must be kept as high as possible, while not causing color development when thermal recording paper is used.
"All black" data are transferred to the thermal head during pre-heat, and strobe signals are intermittently output to drive the heating elements. In general, when black data are respectively supplied to adjacent dots, heat storage is increased and color development tends to occur. In addition, when the same heating resistor is continuously energized, heat storage is increased to tend to cause color development. For example, color development of the recording paper tends to occur even within a short period of energization time.
Generally, pre-heating is performed when a temperature value less than a predetermined value is sensed by a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of a thermal head. In order to prevent color development of thermal paper serving as a recording medium during pre-heat, the number of strobe signals or the number of energization cycles is reduced, or the temperature value for starting pre-heat must be reduced. Since the temperature of the thermal head cannot be sufficiently increased during pre-heat, all of the benefits of pre-heat cannot be realized. In another thermal printer wherein .its heating resistors are divided into N blocks and heating is performed in each unit of blocks, pre-heat time may tend to be prolonged.

Recording method and apparatus for preheating a thermally activated printing read


A first technique of recognizing content is disclosed, including: determining a first value representative of a pixel content present at a first set of pixels associated with a first distance from a pixel under consideration; determining a second value representative of a pixel content present at a second set of pixels associated with a second distance from the pixel under consideration; and using the first and second values to compute one or more spatial features associated with the pixel under consideration for purposes of content recognition. A second technique of recognizing content is also disclosed, including: determining, for a pixel, a first value representative of a first feature associated with a set of pixels associated with a first direction from the pixel; and determining, for the pixel, a second value representative of a second feature associated with a set of pixels associated with a second direction from the pixel.

In handwriting recognition, information gathered on characters handwritten onto a motion tracking surface or otherwise entered by hand can include spatial information. Spatial information can characterize the overall shape of a character input and/or a portion of the character input. Conventionally, the spatial information of a character input is extracted from a bitmap of the input.
One difficulty in performing handwriting recognition is that the production of handwritten characters is subject to a range of artifacts reflecting the variability of human behavior. For example, an input stroke that is intended to be horizontal is, in fact, very unlikely to be perfectly horizontal. Instead, the stroke may display a slight slant, either due to the particular angle of the writing device or the angle of the user's finger. The input stroke may comprise short "hooks" in random directions at the beginning and/or at the end of the stroke. Depending on how the finger or other writing accessory (e.g., stylus) landed on and left the writing surface, it may show little wiggles in places, caused by uneven motor control and it may even be briefly interrupted if the finger or other writing accessory briefly lost contact with the writing surface.
To smooth out such artifacts, conventionally, the resolution of the device receiving the handwritten characters is lowered, for example, by utilizing a coarser bitmap. For example, for a device with a native 960-by-640-pixel resolution, the 32-by-32 bitmap may be chosen (e.g., by a designer of the handwriting recognition technique). However, one drawback to selecting a coarser bitmap is that while the lower resolution helps to ignore some of the artifacts, it may also obscure important details of the input character, which could be critical to disambiguate between certain words or characters. This is especially relevant when it comes to the recognition of Chinese characters because of the inherent complexity of characters with many strokes (e.g., more than 20 strokes is not all that uncommon, particularly with named entities), and the fact that sometimes only one short stroke is the key to disambiguating between two Chinese characters.
In order to perform handwriting recognition using feature extraction, features related to the spatial aspects of a character are extracted from the input. Typically, spatial features tend to include variations on pixel-level chain (or stroke) codes, sector occupancy, and the Rutovitz crossing number. Though the exact size of the bitmap may vary, it is typically chosen a priori and subsequently used throughout the feature extraction. As a result, spatial features are obtained at a single, fixed resolution determined by the size of the bitmap.

Multi-resolution spatial feature extraction for automatic handwriting recognition


A method is provided for making ultra-shallow diffused junctions using an elemental dopant. A semiconductor wafer is cleaned for providing a clean reaction surface. The cleaned wafer in loaded onto a stage located in a doping system. A quantity of elemental dopant atoms are placed in a partially enclosed elemental dopant source which is within a secondary vacuum enclosure. A quantity of the elemental dopant atoms having thermal velocities are deposited onto a surface of the wafer, and the wafer is heated for diffusing the elemental dopant into the wafer. In one embodiment, the heating is conducted by heating the wafer in ultra-high vacuum for diffusing the portion of the doping atoms into the wafer, and the deposition and heating occur simultaneously. In another embodiment, the surface of the wafer is hydrogen terminated, the wafer is removed from the UHV system, and the heating of the wafer is conducted outside of the UHV system by heating the wafer in a furnace. Preferably, a cap layer is added to protect the wafer. The method results in ultra-shallow diffused junctions having a depth of as shallow as about 10 nm.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates generally to the doping of a semiconductor substrate to create conductive junctions and circuits, and more specifically, relates to a method for the creation of ultra-shallow doping junctions using elemental doping.
2. Related Art
As our society has become more technology based, semiconductors have come to play a vital role. Semiconductor wafers with accompanying circuitry are commonly used in the manufacture of such everyday items as televisions, radios, and computers. The process of manufacturing semiconductors (which are commonly called chips) typically consists of more than 100 steps, during which hundreds of copies of an integrated circuit are formed on a single wafer. The wafer is commonly a silicon dioxide (SiO2) substrate with electrically conductive surface circuits patterned upon the substrate. The circuits may be of near microscopic size and thickness.
Semiconductor devices have many and varied applications in electrical engineering. Recent engineering developments have yielded extremely small semiconductor chips containing hundreds of thousands of transistors. These chips have made possible great miniaturization of electronic devices.
One of the more important steps in semiconductor manufacture is doping. Doping is the addition of elements other than silicon to provide conductivity within the circuit. P-N junctions are commonly created to assist circuit conductivity. Silicon has four valance electrons. Atoms with one valance electron less than silicon, such as boron, or one more valance electron than silicon, such as phosphorus, are introduced into an area desired for conductivity. The addition of the elements alters the electrical character of the silicon. An element with one less valance electron than silicon, usually boron, creates a xe2x80x9cpositive holexe2x80x9d, or P-type area, as compared to the silicon substrate. An element having one more valance electron than silicon, usually phosphorus, creates a more negative, or N-type area. Electrical conduction can take place between the N and P areas, altering the electrical character of the silicon. In other words, when the P-type and N-type semiconductor regions are adjacent to each other, the regions form a semiconductor diode, and the region of contact is called a P-N junction. A diode is a two-terminal device that has a higher resistance to electric current in one direction and a lower resistance in the opposite direction. The conductive properties of the P-N junction depends on the direction of the applied voltage, which can, in turn, be used to control the directional nature of the device. Therefore, P-N junctions can be used to direct the electrical current flow in a semiconductor in a specific direction. Series of such junctions are used to make transistors in many semiconductor devices. Such semiconductor devices include, among others, solar cells, lasers, and rectifiers.
More efficient use of semiconductor chips has been developed through what is called complementary metal-oxide semiconductor circuitry, or CMOS circuitry, formed by pairs of P and N channel transistors controlled by a single circuit.
In creating P-N junctions, the ideal is to create junctions that are as shallow as possible. The more shallow a junction can be made, yet still remain effective in conducting electricity, the more efficient will be the conduction of electricity. Conversely, the greater the diffusion of the P-N dopant into the substrate, the lower the efficiency of the conduction of electricity through the semiconductor circuit.
Shallow P+ and N+ junctions are required for future generations of VLSI transistors made on bulk silicon substrates and ultra-thin SOI, for hyperabrupt P+ junctions for Esaki tunnel diodes, for shallow P layers to control the threshold voltage of P-channel MOSFETs, and for making thin silicon layers for compliant substrates by using P+ layers as an etch stop along with a hydrogen ion implant layer splitting approach.
Two principal methods of creating shallow P-N dopant junctions upon the semiconductor surface are ion implantation and heat diffusion. In an ion implantation method, ions of the dopant are fired at the wafer surface and embedded therein. In a heat diffusion method, ions of the dopant are placed upon the surface of the wafer and diffused therein with heat. Ion implantation suffers from the limitation that the ion impacts cause damage to the surrounding silicon matrix. This damage interferes with the efficiency and conductivity of electricity conduction. Heat diffusion has a serious limitation as well. Heat diffusion tends to diffuse the dopant too greatly, reducing conductive efficiency.
Shallow junctions in silicon are commonly made by implanting ions using low implantation energy. Implant energies from 1 KeV to 10 KeV are currently being investigated for forming ultra-shallow junctions. However, impacts from ion implantation still create point defects in the semiconductor lattice that can lead to enhanced diffusion of the dopant atom making it difficult to achieve ultra-shallow junctions. To our knowledge, the shallowest junction made to date using ion implantation are on the order of 30-50 nm deep into the semiconductor.
Some attempts have been made within the art to improve the quality of semiconductor junctions. Prior art of interest in the field of doping semiconductor substrate surfaces includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,640 (Lee); U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,472 (Noslehi); U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,711 (Drowley et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,162 (Drowley et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,859 (Degelomo et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,777 (Doki et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,603 (Yoshino et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,438 (Rhodes); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,453 (Luscher). The Lee patent discloses a method for making junctions by co-implanting a non-dopant at a higher energy and at a greater depth than the dopant ion. The low energy, dopant implantation step is followed by a fast isothermal annealing step. Junctions 10-45 nanometers deep are said to be created. The Noslehi, Drowley et al. (""711 and ""162) and Degelomo et al. patents each disclose thermally activated direct gas phase doping methods. The direct diffusion of the dopant gas creates heavily doped junctions. These gas phase dopant methods are said to have the potential of creating junctions at a depth of 1000 A (100 nm) or less. The Doki et al. patent discloses an implantation method which involves the formation of a dopant containing film on the surface of a silicon substrate. After the formation of the film, which is composed of hydrogen compounded with either boron, phosphorus, or arsenic, the substrate is heated to cause diffusion. This method is said to create junctions at a depth of 1000 A (100 nm) or less. The Yoshino et al., Rhodes, and Luscher patents each involve the use of vacuum systems in the production of semiconductors. The Yoshino et al. patent discloses an apparatus which deposits semiconductor layers on a substrate in a vacuum chamber. The Rhodes patent discloses a method for depositing conductive layers on silicon substrates under vacuum. The Luscher patent discloses a method for producing a semiconductor film through the use of molecular beams which coat the wafer in a vacuum system.
In accordance with the invention, a method is provided for making ultrashallow diffused junctions using an elemental dopant.
The method is comprised of the steps of cleaning a semiconductor wafer so as to provide a clean reaction surface, loading the cleaned wafer onto a stage located in a vacuum system, placing a quantity of elemental dopant atoms in a partially enclosed elemental dopant source located within a secondary vacuum enclosure, depositing a quantity of the elemental dopant atoms having thermal velocities onto the surface of the wafer, heating the wafer so as to diffuse the elemental dopant atoms into the wafer, and removing the wafer from the vacuum system.
Advantageously, the heating comprises heating the wafer in an ultra-high vacuum so as to diffuse the portion of the doping atoms into the wafer.
Preferably, the heating comprises heating the wafer to a temperature of about 700 C. to about 900xc2x0 C.
Preferably, the deposition and heating steps are carried out simultaneously.
Advantageously, the method further comprises the steps of hydrogen terminating the surface of the wafer.
Preferably, the hydrogen termination of the wafer surface is carried out before loading of the wafer into the system is carried out, and removal of the hydrogen is carried out after the wafer is loaded into the system.
Preferably, the terminated hydrogen is removed from the surface of the wafer. Advantageously, the hydrogen-removal is carried out by heating the wafer by using at least one flash lamp to a temperature of at least 450xc2x0 C.
Advantageously, at least part of the surface of the wafer is covered with a layer of photoresist, and the method further comprises the step of removing the photoresist from the wafer after the wafer is removed from the vacuum system and before the wafer is heated.
Preferably, at least one protective layer is deposited on the surface of the wafer. Advantageously, the protective layer is a cap layer consisting of one of silicon, a nitride, and a metal. Preferably, the at least one protective layer comprises two to five layers of an elemental dopant.
Advantageously, a silicide layer is deposited on the surface of the wafer, and the silicide layer is deposited prior to deposition of the elemental dopant on the wafer.
Preferably, the wafer is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, GaAs, SiC, and GaN.
Advantageously, the elemental dopant is selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorus, antimony, indium, aluminum, arsenic, and gallium.
Preferably, the elemental dopant is boron.
Advantageously, the method produces diffused junctions having a depth of up to about 500 nm.
Preferably, the diffused junctions have a depth of up to about 10 nm.
Preferably, the vacuum system is operated at a pressure of between about 10xe2x88x926 torr to about 10xe2x88x9211 torr.
Advantageously, the wafer is maintained at a temperature beneath ambient room temperature during deposition of the elemental dopant.
Preferably, the wafer is maintained at ambient room temperature during deposition of the elemental dopant
Advantageously, the wafer is maintained at a temperature above ambient room temperature during deposition of the elemental dopant.
Preferably, the wafer is maintained at a temperature from about 200xc2x0 C. to about 500xc2x0 C. during deposition of the elemental dopant.
Advantageously, the wafer is maintained at a temperature of less than about 200xc2x0 C. during deposition of the elemental dopant.
Preferably, the method is used to create junctions in a VLSI transistor.
Advantageously, the method is used in a process to create esaki tunnel diodes.
Preferably, the method is used in a process to create P-channel MOSFETs.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of implanting a layer of hydrogen ions in a layer within the wafer; and separating the wafer along the hydrogen ion layer using a hydrogen ion layer splitting technique.
Advantageously, the dopant source is heated by a heat source comprising one of a K-cell, an electron beam, and an in source heater.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a method of the invention comprises preparing a surface of a wafer to be doped, and doping the wafer by exposing the reaction surface to an elemental boron dopant so that the boron is deposited on and adheres to the surface and diffuses into the surface so as to produce a doped wafer.
Preferably, the wafer is heated to provide annealing thereof.
Advantageously, the hydrogen termination step comprises the step of removing any native oxide on the surface.
Advantageously, the flashing off of hydrogen is carried out in an ultra high vacuum.
Preferably, the doping step is carried out after the flashing off of the hydrogen.
Preferably, the doping step is carried out with the surface being hydrogen terminated.
Advantageously, the wafer comprises silicon and, after the hydrogen terminator step, the wafer is heated to no more than about 400xc2x0 C., the element boron doping step is carried out, and the wafer is flash heated to 700-900xc2x0 C. to diffuse the boron into the silicon.
The approaches described herein allow the creation of junctions of less than 10 nm thickness without damaging the surrounding silicon.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in, or will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follows.

Method for making shallow diffusion junctions in semiconductors using elemental doping

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A fiber optic connector assembly includes a coupling interface component, a connector housing, and an optical fiber connector. The coupling interface component extends along a center axis from a back end to a coupling end and includes an interior chamber. The connector housing is disposed within the interior chamber of the coupling interface component. The optical fiber connector is joined to an optical fiber and is interconnected with the connector housing. The optical fiber connector is configured to optically couple the optical fiber with a mating connector. The coupling interface component engages the connector housing and the mating connector and prevents movement of the connector housing relative to the coupling interface component and the mating connector.

The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to connectors that optically communicate signals using optical fibers.
Some known optical connectors include optical fibers that are provided in a plug connector. The optical fibers extend to mating ends that are held by a plug end of the plug connector. The plug connector mates with a receptacle connector to permit optical communication of signals therebetween using the optical fibers. The receptacle connector may include a transceiver that mates with the ends of the optical fibers to permit the plug connector and receptacle connector to communicate with one another.
The plug connectors may include coupling components, such as threaded nuts, bayonet-style connectors, or push/pull connectors, that engage the receptacle connectors to secure the plug and receptacle connectors with one another. The engagement between the plug connector and the receptacle connector advances the ends of the optical fibers in the plug connector through an opening along an upper end of the receptacle connector and into the receptacle connector toward the transceiver. The plug connector may advance the ends of the optical fibers a fixed distance. In some connectors, the engagement between the plug and receptacle connectors mates the optical fibers with the transceiver by abutting the ends of the fiber optic cables against the transceiver. But, due to variances in the manufacture or assembly of the receptacle connectors and/or devices, the location of the transceiver in the receptacle connector may vary.
If the transceiver is located too far toward the upper end of the receptacle connector, the engagement between the plug connector and the receptacle connector may advance the ends of the optical fibers too far. For example, the ends of the optical fibers may be overdriven and forced up against the transceiver by an amount sufficient to damage the ends of the optical fibers. While some known receptacle connectors have some tolerance to account for variability of the location of the transceiver relative to the receptacle connector, the tolerance in known connectors may be too small to avoid overdriving the optical fibers. The overdriving of and damage to the optical fibers may impact the integrity of the signals communicated between the plug and receptacle connectors.
In some optical connectors, pulling on the cable rear of the optical connector may decouple the plug connector from the receptacle connector. For example, applying a rearward force on the cable of the plug connector in directions away from the receptacle connector may pull the ends of the optical fibers away from the receptacle connector. Additionally, if the rearward force is sufficiently large, the cable may be pulled out of the plug connector and render the plug connector inoperable. Some known plug connectors include an internal plug housing that receives the cable and holds the optical fibers and an external coupling nut or ferrule that mates with the receptacle connector to secure the plug connector with the receptacle connector. The plug housing is located within the coupling nut. A rear end of the coupling nut may include an opening large enough to receive the cable but small enough to prevent rearward removal of the plug connector from the coupling nut. As a result, the plug housing engages the rear end of the coupling nut when a rearward force is applied to the cable. But, the engagement or interference between the rear end of the coupling nut and the connector housing may be insufficient to prevent separation between ends of the optical fibers that are held by the plug housing and the receptacle connector. For example, some rearward forces applied to the cables are sufficiently large to cause the plug housing to retreat away from the receptacle connector and decouple the optical fibers from the receptacle connector.
Thus, a need exists for optical fiber connectors that provide increased tolerances in the mating of the connectors to avoid damaging the fiber optic cables in the connectors. A need also exists for optical fiber connectors that prevent decoupling of the optical fibers from a connector that mates with the optical fiber connectors when a rearward force is applied to the cable that holds the optical fibers.


Point of sale processing of multiple options is possible with a single tap of a contactless device. The user taps the contactless device in the device reader's radio frequency field. The device reader and the contactless device establish a secure communication channel. Once a secure communication channel is established, the device reader communicates the purchase to the contactless device. The contactless device presents value-added services available to the user. The contactless device communicates the user's selected value-added service(s) to the device reader, and the reader communicates the purchase price of the transaction. The contactless device communicates payment options to the user and then communicates the user-selected payment options to the device reader. The device reader communicates a digital receipt to the contactless device, and the secure communication is terminated.

Near Field Communication (NFC) is a proximity communication technology that can enable contactless device payment technologies and that is supported by the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Association. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is another wireless communication technology that can be adapted to enable NFC contactless device payment technology. NFC communication generally is conducted in a range from about 3 to about 4 inches. Such short communication distances limit enable secure communication between close field proximity enabled devices. In operation of an NFC transaction, a user "taps" a contactless device, such as an NFC-enabled mobile phone, to a reader of a point of sale system. The reader recognizes the NFC-enabled device when the device is moved within range of the reader, establishes a secure communication channel with the device, and initiates a payment transaction between the reader and the device. The duration of the transaction is very short and does not easily permit communication of other information or conducting of other services during the transaction. Additionally, the device must be held close to the reader during the entire NFC transaction. NFC contactless payment devices can function as a credit card to enable purchases at the point-of-sale.
NFC contactless payment devices can function as a credit card to enable purchases at the point-of-sale. However, the short duration of conventional methods and systems for contactless payment devices do not enable the utilization of value-added services and user choices. During the conventional transaction, the device and the reader communicate to complete the predefined transaction. Further user input or further transactions, such as user selection of coupons or loyalty rewards or automatic application of those items, is not possible in the predefined NFC transaction. Alternative conventional methods require multiple taps or a tap and hold of the contactless device to enable the utilization of each service, resulting in user inconvenience.

Point of sale processing initiated by a single tap


A wave simulator comprises a circular pool containing a volume of water which rotates about a central axis. The pool is rotatably mounted on a truck bed so that transportation of the wave simulator is facilitated. A surf craft is movably attached to a stationary structure so that a surf craft rider may practice the sport of surfing within the simulator.

Many pools have been constructed for the purpose of creating artificial surfing breakers. These pools are, however, limited in that they require sizable areas in which to operate and a large investment in motors, pumps and caissons. Also, once a site is chosen and the wave pool constructed, there is no viable or expedient means for dismantling and transporting the pool if desired.


The process for producing an oleaginous composition of the present invention comprises transesterifying a fat containing a large amount of polybasic unsaturated fatty acid(s) as constituting fatty acid(s) with saturated fatty acid(s) and/or saturated fatty acid alcohol ester(s) with the use of a lipase having an site-specificity to thereby give symmetric triglyceride(s) wherein the fatty acid groups at the 1- and 3-positions are selectively transesterified and a polybasic unsaturated fatty acid group is present at the 2-position. The above transesterification should be carried out under such conditions as to give an oleaginous composition which comprises 40% or more of symmetric triglyceride(s) each having a polybasic unsaturated fatty acid group at the 2-position and 50% or more of completely saturated fatty acid(s) each having 16 or more carbon atoms.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for producing an oleaginous composition. More particularly, it relates to a process for producing an oleaginous composition which has a high nutritive value, shows excellent melting behaviors and is highly available as a confectionery fat such as a hard butter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional hard butters mainly comprise symmetric triglycerides including oleodipalmitin (POP), oleopalmitostearin (SOP) and oledistearin (SOS), each having an oleate group at the 2-position, similar to cacao fat.
In order to further elevate the nutritive value of a confectionery fat such as a hard butter, it is necessary to introduce more nutritious polybasic unsaturated fatty acids such as linolic, linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids thereto.
It is expected that these polybasic unsaturated fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids and serve each as a precursor of a hormone-like substance such as prostaglandin, leukotriene and thromboxane, may exert some pharmacological effects, for example, improving arteriosclerosis and lowering the blood cholesterol level.
In order to introduce highly nutritious linoleic acid into a hard butter, a liquid oil containing a large amount of linolic acid may be blended with the hard butter. However it was reported that a hard butter comprising a liquid oil containing a large amount of linoleic acid, i.e., corn oil would exhibit an insufficient hardness and that the presence of a symmetric triglyceride (SLS) having an linolate group at the 2-position in a symmetric triglyceride would deteriorate the physical properties of the hard butter even at a content as low as 5% (cf. Japanese Patent Publication No. 28530/1982).
Further it was reported that when the content of linoleic acid in an oily material exceeded 14%, the resulting confectionery fat showed undersirable physical properties (cf. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 155048/1987).
Thus it has been believed hitherto that the presence of polybasic unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid in a confectionery fat is undesirable.

Process for producing oleaginous composition


A bed comprises a deck having at least one section that is orientation adjustable about a laterally extending, longitudinally translatable axis and a mattress assembly including at least one volumetrically adjustable element associated with the orientation adjustable deck section. The volumetrically adjustable element is adapted to change the thickness of a portion of the mattress assembly adjacent to the deck section in a direction nonparallel to the orientation of the section and in response to a change in orientation of the deck section.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/618,256, filed on Nov. 13, 2009 and entitled "Anthropometrically Governed Occupant Support" describes an articulating bed whose articulation is governed, at least in part, by anthropometric considerations. The described bed includes an upper body section that is longitudinally translatable in a positive or headward direction (toward the head end of the bed) and a negative or footward direction (toward the foot end of the bed). An upper body frame and deck section are pivotable about a laterally extending rotational axis so that the deck section can be placed at an angular orientation α relative to the bed upper frame. Rotation that pivots the upper body frame and deck section away from the bed upper frame is positive rotation whereas rotation that pivots the upper body frame and deck section toward the upper bed frame is negative rotation. The upper body deck is also slidable relative to the upper body deck frame in a direction parallel to the existing orientation of the upper body deck frame. This motion is referred to as "parallel translation" to distinguish it from the longitudinal translation of the upper body section. Positive parallel translation is translation toward the head or upper end of the upper body frame whereas negative parallel translation is translation toward the foot or lower end of the upper body frame. The above mentioned conventions for positive and negative translation, rotation and parallel translation will be adhered to in the present application.
One embodiment of the bed described in the application features a simplified kinematic configuration for translating the upper body section longitudinally and changing its angular orientation. The application also describes "compensatory translation" of the leg section of the bed to mitigate a sacrifice of anthropometric performance arising from the simplified kinematics.
The present application describes a bed that employs an alternate way to achieve the benefit of the compensatory translation.

Articulable bed with a translatable and orientation adjustable deck section and volumetrically adjustable compensatory element


The present invention describes a shaped footwear device intended to be used as a supportive insole or orthotic and a system and methods for making the same. The footwear device includes a top foam layer, a light-cured composite material layer, and a bottom textile layer. The footwear device is created by conforming a pre-cured insole assembly to the plantar surface of a foot or foot mold and then exposing the pre-cured insole assembly to light to create a shaped footwear device with a light-cured composite material support plate.

The present invention describes a footwear device that is intended to be worn inside an article of footwear or be an integral part of an article of footwear. Such devices that are worn inside an article of footwear are commonly referred to as insoles, orthotics, sockliners, footbeds, inserts, or arch supports. For the purposes of this invention, this type of footwear device will be referred to as a supportive performance insole, or insole for brevity.
The said device described by this invention is constructed of a foam layer, a textile layer, and a composite material layer that includes a fiber reinforcement phase and a polymer matrix phase that binds the reinforcement phase together.
In addition, the said footwear device comprises a light-cured polymer matrix that binds the reinforcement phase. Unlike conventional polymer-matrix fiber-reinforced composite materials that utilize a polymer that is thermally cured, a light-curable matrix will cure when exposed to light with a specific wavelength range and sufficient energy, or dosage. Generally the light used to cure light-curable polymer materials is in or near the UV spectrum and the fibers used as the reinforcement phase are glass fibers because of their transparency to UV light.
One advantage of light-cured composite materials is that the time required to polymerize the matrix phase from a liquid monomer to a solid polymer can be much less (seconds to minutes) than the time it takes to thermally cure polymers used in conventional composites (generally hours).
Another advantage of light-curable composite materials is that heat does not need to be applied to the material during the curing cycle, which opens the option for alternative, lower-cost molding materials to shape the composite that could not survive or perform their intended function at the elevated temperatures (generally >250 F) and pressures that are required for traditionally thermally-cured composites.
Light-cured composite materials also enable flat foam materials to maintain the desired shape of a performance insole, which generally includes a shaped arch and heel cup. By maintaining the shape of the insole with a light-cured composite supportive layer, it avoids the added cost and complexity of compression or injection molding the foam to create the desired shape of the insole.
Prior art such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,632,057 and 6,939,502 by Lyden, describe methods to create light-cured footwear articles; however, this prior art relies on a rigid mold or surface to define the shape of the light-cured article, thus limiting the shape and performance of a composite support plate.
Additional relevant prior art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,490,730, 6,681,403, and 7,003,803, also by Lyden. In this prior art, Lyden describes light-cured articles of protective equipment and methods to fabricate the articles directly on the relevant area of the body. However, the described methods in this prior art can be cumbersome and dangerous if the UV-resin gets too hot during curing.
What is needed is an insole device that can take advantage of the performance benefits of fiber-reinforced composite materials without added manufacturing complexity. Insoles constructed of fiber-reinforced composite materials can be stiffer and lighter than other common materials used to construct supportive insoles, such as injection molded plastics. In addition, simpler and safer methods and systems are necessary to efficiently and quickly manufacture high-quality, custom shaped performance insoles directly on a person's foot; particularly methods that offer greater conformability to the foot without having the person in a full weight-bearing position.


Magnetic apparatus for MRI/MRT probes and methods for construction thereof are disclosed. One embodiment includes a pair of opposed magnet assemblies defining an open region therebetween, a transmitting RF coil having at least a portion thereof disposed within the open region, at least one receiving RF coil disposed within the open region and X, Y and Z gradient coils. At least one of the X, Y and Z gradient coils is disposed outside of the open region. Another embodiment of the apparatus includes a single magnet assembly having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, a transmitting RF coil having at least a portion thereof opposing the first surface, at least one receiving RF coil and X, Y and Z gradient coils. At least one of the X, Y and Z gradient coils opposes the second surface. In another embodiment the magnet assembly generates a permanent z-gradient magnetic field and therefore includes only X and Y gradient coils, at least one of which opposes the second surface. The apparatuses may also include one or more shim coils.

The present invention is generally related to the fields of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance therapy (MRT).
MRI systems for performing whole body imaging usually employ large magnets which effectively surround the patient. Such magnets are usually large superconductor magnets which are expensive and difficult to maintain. MRI systems for performing local imaging of specific body parts or organs are known in the art.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/898,773, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,793 to Katznelson et al., filed Jul. 23, 1997 and entitled xe2x80x9cPERMANENT MAGNET ASSEMBLIES FOR USE IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONSxe2x80x9d and incorporated herein by reference discloses, inter alia, compact permanent magnet assemblies for use in medical applications including MRI and/or MRT.
A typical application using an intra-operative MRI system is brain surgery. Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which is a schematic perspective view of a small organ dedicated MRI probe useful in brain surgery. The MRI probe 1 includes two annular permanent magnet assemblies 2 and 4 connected by a frame 3. The frame 3 and the magnet assemblies 2 and 4 are shaped for imaging the brain of a patient 6. During MRI assisted brain surgery or MRT, the head of the patient 6 is positioned between the two magnet assemblies 2 and 4. Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which is a schematic isometric view of the two permanent magnet assemblies 2 and 4 of FIG. 1. Each of the magnet assemblies 4 and 2 includes three preferably concentric annular permanent magnets 4a, 4b, 4c and 2a, 2b, 2c (not shown in drawing). The annular permanent magnets 4a, 4b and 4c are offset from each other along the axis 12, and the annular permanent magnets 2a, 2b and 2c (not shown) are also offset from each other along the axis, 12 as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/898,773 to Katznelson et al. now U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,793.
The axis 12 is the axis of symmetry of both magnet assemblies 2 and 4, passing through their centers. The axis 12 coincides with the z-axis along which the main magnetic field generated by the magnet assemblies 2 and 4 is oriented.
In order to reduce eddy currents each one of the concentric annular permanent magnets 4a, 4b, 4c, 2a, 2b and 2c is formed from segments 24 each of which is permanently magnetized in a known manner and then attached to the neighboring segments using an electrically non-conducting glue (not shown) or non-conductive spacers (not shown). For example, the segments 24 can be made from a neodymium-iron-boron (Ndxe2x80x94Fexe2x80x94B) alloy. However, the segments 24 can be made from any other alloy or ceramic material suitable for forming permanent, magnets of sufficient magnetic field strength. Preferably, the material from which the segments 24 are made should have a relatively low electrical conductivity.
The magnet assemblies 2 and 4 joined together by frame 3 (not shown in FIG. 2) define a region 16 having therein a volume 18 of substantially uniform magnetic field, between the pair of magnet assemblies 2 and 4.
The MRI probe 1 further includes Gradient coils (not shown) for generating gradient fields, shim coils (not shown) for active shimming of the main magnetic field, RF coils (not shown), a temperature control system (not shown) and an RF shield (not shown).
Ordinarily, the gradient fields are generated by a set of coils, through which a current of an adequate magnitude flows. During the periods of building up and decay of the currents, the temporal change of the magnetic flux, originally generated by the currents, creates eddy currents in conductive materials situated in their vicinity such as soft iron parts or permanent magnet parts used in prior art MRI permanent magnets or the aluminum enclosures of the cooling systems used in super-conducting magnets of MRI systems. The eddy currents generated by the gradient coil magnetic flux changes, generate secondary magnetic fields which may interfere with the primary gradient fields and affect their precision in encoding the spatial information.
In prior art MRI devices, the gradient coils are located within the internal free volume situated in the main magnet, where the imaged body is also introduced. To attenuate the effect of the spurious eddy currents, prior art MRI devices may use shielded gradient coils or pre-emphasis circuits which modify gradient amplifier demand in order to compensate for eddy currents. In small organ dedicated MRI probes and in MRI probes adapted for intra-operative use such as the MRI probe 1 of FIG. 1, the dimensions of the region 16 (best seen in FIG. 2) for accommodating the organ to be imaged are limited by practical considerations. Generally, the design of such MRI systems involves a tradeoff between maximizing the intensity and homogeneity of the magnetic field in as large an imaging volume as possible and providing maximal accessibility of the surgeon to the organ undergoing surgery. For example, the MRI probe 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is designed to maximize the size of the volume 18 of homogenous magnetic field while keeping the size of the magnet assemblies 2 and 4 minimal while allowing enough space for positioning the shoulders of the patient 6. If one tries to increase the space available for the shoulders of the patient 6 by increasing the distance between the magnet assemblies 2 and 4 along the axis 12, the resulting decrease in the strength and homogeneity of the magnetic field will have to be compensated. The magnetic field can be compensated by, increasing the thickness of the annular permanent magnets 4a, 4b, 4c of FIG. 2 and 2a, 2b and 2c (not shown in FIG. 2).
Increasing the thickness of the annular permanent magnets 4a, 4b, 4c, 2a, 2b and 2c (not shown) is practically limited since their magnetic field, depends non-linearly on their thickness. Thus, increasing the thickness of an annular permanent magnet above a certain value, results in a negligible contribution to the magnetic field strength.
The magnetic field can also be compensated by increasing the size and diameter of the magnet assemblies 2 and 4. However, increasing the diameter of the magnet assemblies 2 and 4 may in turn shift the location of the volume 18 relative to the desired position of the head of the patient 6. The shifting may also prevent access to and imaging of the lower part of the brain, affecting the types of surgery that can be performed using the probe 1.
Thus, placing the gradient coils and/or shim and RF coils within the already restricted region 16 between the magnet assemblies 2 and 4, limits even further the space available for positioning the organ to be imaged and may hinder access to the organ undergoing surgery and the placing and manipulating of surgical instruments within that organ during surgery.
Furthermore, in MRI systems using permanent magnets, if the gradient coils are positioned in close proximity to the permanent magnets, the heat developed in the resistive gradient coils by the currents flowing within the coils may heat the permanent magnet. The heat generated by the gradient coils may thus cause local temperature increase in the permanent magnets. Such temperature changes are undesirable since the field generated by permanent magnets is highly susceptible to large variations induced by local temperature changes.
MRI systems based on permanent magnets such as the MRI probe 1 of FIG. 1 or the MRI probe of FIG. 2, do not include electrically conducting structures operating as magnetic flux return structures. This fact, in addition to the segmented structure of the annular permanent magnets 4a, 4b, 4c and 2a, 2b and 2c (not shown) and the intrinsic low conductivity of the Ndxe2x80x94Fexe2x80x94B alloy from which they are made, substantially reduce the spurious eddy current problem.
Whole body MRI/MRT systems typically use a fixed installation RF cage for preventing magnetic, electromagnetic and electrical noise from the outside from penetrating into the imaging volume inside the probe and interfering with the weak NMR signals generated during imaging. In addition, the RF cage is also used to reduce the leakage of the RF radiation generated within the probe during imaging to prevent disturbances to other electrical devices used near the MRI probe.
Unfortunately, for practical reasons, large fixed installation RF cages or RF rooms cannot always be used with small organ dedicated MRI or MRT probes of the type used for intra-operative imaging such as the MRI probe 1 of FIG. 1. For example, while the small organ dedicated MRI probe 1 may be operated within a large shielded RF room, this will necessitate the use of special expensive shielded surgical equipment that is designed to create minimal RFI disturbances so as not to interfere with the operation of the MRI probe 1.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, electromagnetic apparatus for use in an MRI device. The probe includes a first permanent magnet assembly having a first surface and a second surface thereof. The probe also includes a second permanent magnet assembly having a third surface and a fourth surface thereof. The second permanent magnet assembly opposes the first permanent magnet assembly such that the second surface and the third surface define an open region therebetween, for producing a predetermined volume of substantially uniform magnetic field extending in a first direction parallel to a first axis. The volume is disposed within the open region.
The probe also includes an energizable transmitting RF coil for producing an RF electromagnetic field within the volume, an energizable z-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the open region in the first direction and parallel to the first axis, an energizable x-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the open region in parallel to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and an energizable y-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the open region in parallel to a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis. At least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil is positioned outside of the open region.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting RF coil includes at least a first portion thereof positioned within the open region adjacent the second surface and at least a second portion thereof positioned within the open region adjacent the third surface. The first portion and the second portion of the transmitting RF coil are electrically connected in series.
Furthermore, in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting RF coil further includes a third portion thereof including current return conductors positioned outside of the open region and adjacent the first surface, and at least a fourth portion thereof including current return conductors positioned outside of the open region and adjacent the fourth surface to increase the efficiency of the transmitting RF coil. The first portion, second portion, third portion and fourth portion of the transmitting RF coil are electrically connected in series.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further includes an energizable shim coil for improving the homogeneity of the substantially uniform magnetic field.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shim coil includes a first shim coil portion positioned outside of the open region and opposed to the first surface of the first permanent magnet assembly, and a second shim coil portion positioned outside of the open region and opposed to the fourth surface of the second permanent magnet assembly.
Further still, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present Invention, the first shim coil portion and the second shim coil portion are electrically connected in series.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil includes a first coil portion thereof opposed to the first surface of the first permanent magnet assembly and a second complementary coil portion thereof opposed to the fourth surface of the second permanent magnet assembly.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first coil portion and the second coil portion of the at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil are electrically connected in series.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first coil portion and the second coil portion of at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil are substantially planar printed circuits, the first coil portion is assembled into a first multi-layer printed circuit assembly opposed to the first surface, and the second coil portion is assembled into a second multi-layer printed circuit assembly opposed to the fourth surface.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the first multi-layer printed circuit assembly and second multi-layer printed circuit assembly further includes a portion of an energizable shim coil, the portion of the shim coil is a substantially planar printed circuit.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further includes a mounting of low permeability material for mounting the first permanent magnet assembly and the second permanent magnet assembly in opposition to each other.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first permanent magnet assembly includes a first annular permanent magnet with a first and a second surface thereof. The first surface of the first annular permanent magnet is of a first magnetic polarity and the second surface of the first annular permanent magnet is of a second magnetic polarity. The first annular permanent magnet has an inside diameter. The first annular permanent magnet has at least a portion of the first surface of the first annular magnet lying in a first plane to provide a first magnetic field in the open region. The first magnetic field has a zero rate of change in a first direction at a first point in the open region. The first magnet assembly also includes at least a second annular permanent magnet with a first and a second surface thereof. The first surface of the second annular magnet is of the first magnetic polarity and the second surface of the second annular permanent magnet is of the second magnetic polarity. The second annular permanent magnet has an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the first annular permanent magnet, with at least a portion of the first surface of the second annular magnet lying in a second plane spaced from the first plane to provide a second magnetic field whereby the second magnetic field is superimposed upon the first magnetic field in the open region, having a zero rate of change in the first direction at a second point different from the first point. The second permanent magnet assembly includes a third annular permanent magnet with a first and a second surface thereof, the first surface of the third annular permanent magnet is of the second magnetic polarity and the second surface of the third annular permanent magnet is of the first magnetic polarity. The third annular permanent magnet has an inside diameter, the third annular permanent magnet has at least a portion of the first surface of the third annular magnet lying in a third plane to provide a third magnetic field, whereby the third magnetic field is superimposed on the first and second magnetic fields in the open region, having a zero rate of change in the first direction at a third point different from the first and second points. The second magnet assembly also includes at least a fourth annular permanent magnet having a first and a second surface thereof, the first surface of the fourth annular magnet is of the second magnetic polarity and the second surface of the fourth annular permanent magnet is of the first magnetic polarity. The fourth annular permanent magnet has an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the third annular permanent magnet, with at least a portion of the first surface of the fourth annular permanent magnet lying in a fourth plane spaced from the third plane to provide a fourth magnetic field, whereby the fourth magnetic field is superimposed upon the first, second and third magnetic fields, in the open region, having a zero rate of change in the first direction at a fourth point different from the first, second and third points.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first axis passes through the centers of the first annular permanent magnet, the at least second annular permanent magnet, the third annular permanent magnet and the at least fourth annular permanent magnet.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first annular permanent magnet, the at least second annular permanent magnet, the third annular permanent magnet and the at least fourth annular permanent magnet are rare-earth permanent magnets.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rare-earth permanent magnets are neodymium-iron-boron alloy permanent magnets.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first annular permanent magnet, the at least second annular permanent magnet the third annular permanent magnet and the at least fourth annular permanent includes a plurality of segments attached to adjacent segments using an electrically non-conductive adhesive.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the segments are equiangular segments.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the segments have a trapezoidal cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the first direction.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the z-gradient coil includes a first gradient coil portion concentrically disposed between the first annular permanent magnet and the at least second annular permanent magnet, and a second gradient coil portion concentrically disposed between the third annular permanent magnet and the at least fourth annular permanent magnet. The first and second gradient coil portions have their longitudinal axes coincident with the first axis.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further including at least one receiving RF coil placeable adjacent to an organ or body part disposed within the open region.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting RF coil is a linearly polarizing RF coil.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present inventions the transmitting RF coil is a circularly polarizing RF coil.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the circularly polarizing RF coil is a quadrature-hybrid RF coil.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first permanent magnet assembly includes a first plurality of nested polygonally or elliptically shaped annular permanent magnets, and the second permanent magnet assembly includes a second plurality of nested polygonally or elliptically shaped annular permanent magnets the first plurality being opposed to the second plurality such that the second plurality is configured as a mirror image of the first plurality.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil is positioned below the first permanent magnet assembly and the second permanent magnet assembly.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the x-gradient coil, the y-gradient coil and the z-gradient coil are planar printed circuit coil boards assembled within a single multi-layer printed circuit assembly positioned underneath the first permanent magnet assembly and the second permanent magnet assembly.
There is further provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, electromagnetic apparatus for use in an MRI device. The apparatus includes a permanent magnet assembly having at least a first surface defining a first side of the permanent magnet assembly and a second surface defining a second side of the permanent magnet assembly opposed to the first side, for producing a predetermined volume of substantially uniform magnetic field extending in a first direction beyond the first surface. The apparatus further includes an energizable transmitting RF coil for producing an RF electromagnetic field within the volume. At least a portion of the RF coil is positioned adjacent the first surface of the permanent magnet assembly. The apparatus also includes an energizable z -gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the volume in the first direction parallel to a first axis. The apparatus also includes an energizable x-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the volume parallel to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The apparatus also includes an energizable y-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the volume parallel to a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the second axis. At least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil is positioned opposing the second surface of the permanent magnet assembly.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further includes at least one energizable shim coil for improving the homogeneity of the substantially uniform magnetic field.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one shim coil is a substantially planar coil opposing the second surface of the permanent magnet assembly.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the x-gradient coil, the y-gradient coil and the z-gradient coil are substantially planar printed circuits assembled within a substantially planar multi-layer printed circuit assembly. The multi-layer printed circuit assembly is disposed on the second side of the permanent magnet assembly facing the second surface.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-layer printed circuit assembly further includes at least one energizable shim coil. The at least one shim coil is a substantially planar printed circuit.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the permanent magnet assembly includes a first annular permanent magnet having an upper and a lower surface thereof. The upper surface of the first annular permanent magnet is of a first magnetic polarity and the lower surface of the first annular permanent magnet is of a second magnetic polarity. The first annular permanent magnet has an inside diameter. The first permanent magnet has at least a portion of the upper surface of the first annular magnet lying in a first plane and providing a first magnetic field in the predetermined volume. The first magnetic field has a zero rate of change in the first direction at a first point. The permanent magnet assembly further includes at least a second annular permanent magnet having an upper and a lower surface thereof. The upper surface of the at least second annular permanent magnet is of the first magnetic polarity and the lower surface of the at least second annular permanent magnet is of the second magnetic polarity. The at least second annular permanent magnet has an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the first annular permanent magnet. The at least second annular permanent magnet provides a second magnetic field. The permanent magnet assembly also includes low permeability material interconnecting the first annular permanent magnet with the second annular permanent magnet, so that at least a portion of the upper surface of the second annular permanent magnet is in a second plane spaced from the first plane. The second magnetic field is superimposed upon the first magnetic field, in the predetermined volume, having a zero rate of change in the first direction at a second point different from the first point.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first axis passes through the center points of the first annular permanent magnet and the at least second annular permanent magnet.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred, embodiment of the present invention, the first annular permanent magnet and the at least second annular permanent magnet are rare-earth permanent magnets.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rare-earth permanent magnets are neodymium-iron-boron alloy permanent magnets.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first annular permanent magnet and the at least second annular permanent magnet includes a plurality of segments attached to adjacent segments using an electrically non-conductive adhesive.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the segments are equiangular segments.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the segments have a trapezoidal cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the first direction.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the z-gradient coil is an extended gradient coil concentrically disposed between the first annular permanent magnet and the at least second annular permanent magnet, the z-gradient coil has a longitudinal axis coincident with the first axis.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further includes at least one receiving RF coil positioned on the first side of the permanent magnet assembly and placeable adjacent to an organ or body part to be imaged using the apparatus.
Furthermore, in accordance with Another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting RF coil is a linearly polarizing RF coil.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting RF coil is a circularly polarizing RF coil.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of the transmitting RF coil is positioned on the second side of the permanent magnet assembly opposing the second surface of the permanent magnet assembly to improve the efficiency of the transmitting RF coil.
There is also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, electromagnetic apparatus for use in an MRI device. The apparatus includes a permanent magnet assembly having a first surface and a second surface for producing a predetermined volume having a magnetic field varying substantially linearly along a first axis. The volume extends in a first direction beyond the first surface along the first axis. The magnetic field is substantially uniform In any plane which is included within the predetermined volume and which is orthogonal to the first direction within the predetermined volume. The apparatus further includes an energizable transmitting RF coil for transmitting RF radiation. The RF coil has at least one portion thereof positioned opposing the first surface of the permanent magnet assembly. The apparatus also includes an energizable x-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The apparatus also includes an energizable y-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient along a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the second axis. At least one of the x-gradient coil and y-gradient coil is positioned opposing the second surface of the permanent magnet assembly.
Furthermore, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further includes at least one receiving RF coil positioned on the first side of the permanent magnet assembly and placeable adjacent to an organ or body part to be imaged using the apparatus.
There is also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for constructing electromagnetic apparatus for use in an MRI device. The method includes the steps of providing a first permanent magnet assembly having a first surface and a second surface thereof, providing a second permanent magnet assembly having a third surface and a fourth surface thereof, positioning the second permanent magnet assembly opposite the first permanent magnet assembly such that the second surface and the third surface define an open region therebetween, for producing a predetermined volume of substantially uniform magnetic field extending in a first direction parallel to a first axis, the volume is disposed within the open region, providing an energizable transmitting RF coil for producing an RF electromagnetic field within the volume, providing an energizable z -gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the open region in the first direction and parallel to the first axis, providing an energizable x-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the open region in parallel to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, providing an energizable y-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the open region in parallel to a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis, providing at least one receiving RF coil placeable adjacent to an organ or body part to be imaged for receiving RF signals from the organ or body part, and positioning at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil outside of the open region for reducing the loading of the transmitting RF coil and the at least one receiving RF coil by the at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil.
There is further provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for constructing electromagnetic apparatus for use in an MRI device. The method includes the steps of providing a permanent magnet assembly having at least a first surface defining a first side of the permanent magnet assembly and a second surface defining a second side of the permanent magnet assembly opposed to the first side, for producing a predetermined volume of substantially uniform magnetic field extending in a first direction beyond the first surface, providing an energizable transmitting RF coil for producing an RF electromagnetic field within the volume, positioning at least a portion of the transmitting RF coil adjacent the first surface of the permanent magnet assembly, providing at least one receiving RF coil placeable adjacent to an organ or body part to be imaged for receiving RF signals from the organ or body part, providing an energizable z -gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the volume in the first direction parallel to a first axis, providing an energizable x-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the volume parallel to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, providing an energizable y-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient extending within the volume parallel to a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the second axis, and positioning at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil opposite the second surface of the permanent magnet assembly for reducing the loading of the transmitting RF coil and the at least one receiving RF coil by the at least one of the x-gradient coil, y-gradient coil and z-gradient coil.
Finally, there is provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for constructing electromagnetic apparatus for use in an MRI device. The method includes the steps of providing a permanent magnet assembly having a first surface and a second surface for producing a predetermined volume having a magnetic field varying substantially linearly along a first axis, the volume extends in a first direction beyond the first surface along the first axis, the magnetic field is substantially uniform in any plane included within the predetermined volume and orthogonal to the first direction within the predetermined volume, providing an energizable transmitting RF coil for transmitting RF radiation, positioning the transmitting RF coil such that at least one portion thereof opposes the fist surface of the permanent magnet assembly, providing at least one receiving RF coil placeable adjacent to an organ or body part to be imaged for receiving RF signals from the organ or body part, providing an energizable x-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, providing an energizable y-gradient coil for producing a magnetic field gradient along a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the second axis, and positioning at least one of the x-gradient coil and y-gradient coil opposite the second surface of the permanent magnet assembly for reducing the loading of the transmitting RF coil and the at least one receiving RF coil by the at least one of the x-gradient coil and y-gradient coil.


A handle mounted trigger lever which is utilized as a solution release mechanism in an extractor is provided. The trigger switch as an `off` position and two `on` positions with the second `on` position obtainable by the depression of a release button, the release button being in a normally obstructing relationship with the trigger switch's movement in its first position. The release button includes a deformable obstructing portion which abuts with the trigger lever and limits trigger lever swing at the first `on` position. This obstructing portion may then be moved to a non-interfering relationship be deformation of the obstructing portion of the release button so that the trigger lever may then be moved to the second `on` position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to trigger lever arrangements and, more particularly: to a handle mounted trigger lever arrangement utilized for solution release in an extractor.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
The use of a handle mounted trigger lever arrangement for solution dispensing in an extractor or the like is old and well known. Such arrangements are even known to provide more than one step in the "throw" of the usual connecting Bowden wire cable or linkage to vary the strength of a cleaning solution flow to the floor or carpet. However, these arrangements or other known multi-position trigger lever arrangements utilize a somewhat cumbersome disposition of, e.g., two triggers, adjusting nuts or a complicated trigger, itself, to obtain this function. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a simply operated and functioning trigger lever arrangement that was easily user controlled and quickly adjusted to its multi-positions.
It is, therefore, on object of the present invention to provide an improved trigger lever arrangement.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such a trigger lever arrangement in an extractor or the like.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a trigger lever easily released to a second position of adjustment by operation of an adjacent button.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a trigger lever arrangement having a deformable button operated member which is, in at least one position of the trigger lever, interposed in the volume swept by the trigger lever to prevent additional unaided movement by it.
It is an even further object of the invention to provide a deformable button operated member which may be deformed to permit release swinging of a trigger lever member adjacent to it.


A system includes a master and a slave coupled via a wire pair for transmitting differential data. The master and slave are each powered by a local DC power supply. In a normal mode, a DC voltage and differential data are supplied over the same wire pair. The differential data is processed by a PHY AC-coupled to the wire pair. To enter a low power sleep mode, such as due to a temporary non-use of the system, the master interrupts the DC voltage on the wire pair, which signals to the slave to enter the sleep mode. The system is woken up by reapplying the DC voltage to the wire pair to signal to the slave to wake up. Only the DC path, and not the data path, is used for signaling the sleep mode and awake mode, so the data path can be disabled to conserve power.

In a Power over Data Lines (PoDL) system, DC power from Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) is transmitted over a single twisted wire pair to a Powered Device (PD) after the system goes through a powering up routine, referred to as a detection and classification routine, that indicates that the PD is PoDL compatible. The same twisted wire pair also transmits/receives differential data signals, typically in accordance with the Ethernet protocols. A DC coupling network couples DC to the wire pair, and an AC coupling network couples the differential data to the wire pair. DC and AC decoupling networks decouple the DC power and AC data from the wire pair. In this way, the need for providing any external power source for the PD can be eliminated. The standards for PoDL are set out in IEEE 802.3 and are well-known.
In a PoDL system, the units coupled to the wire pair are sometimes referred to as a master and a slave (rather than a PSE and a PD), since either unit may control the other. The master may sometimes act as a slave. In some of the examples below, one unit is designated as a master and the other unit is designated as a slave; however, the designations may be reversed depending on the function being performed.
FIG. 1 illustrates conventional PoDL system including AC/DC coupling/decoupling networks (C1-C4, L1-L4) between a PSE 10 and a PD 12. The PSE 10 includes a DC voltage source 13 and a differential data portion whose interface to the wire pair 16 is identified as a physical layer (PHY) 17. The PHY 17 may include transceivers and other circuitry for processing the data in accordance with the IEEE standards. The PD 12 has a similar PHY 18. The details of the data portion of the PoDL system are not particularly relevant to the present invention.
Other types of systems (non-PoDL systems) include a DC power source at both end terminals, so PoDL is not required for normal operation. Data is transmitted over a twisted wire pair between the two terminals.
In some applications, it is desired for the system to enter a low power sleep mode (or standby mode) after being initially powered up, where power is removed from certain circuitry to conserve power. This may be done by a master or slave issuing a sleep mode code, using the differential data path (the twisted wire pair), and the processors in the master and slave then controlling the circuits to go into a low power mode. However, the PHYs must remain powered to receive a wake-up signal over the data path. The PHYs consume power in the sleep mode, which may be undesirable if very low power consumption is needed.
What is needed is a technique for allowing the PHYs to also be disabled in a sleep mode and allowing the PHYs to be woken up without using the data path.

System with sleep and wake up control over DC path


A system for testing a device under test includes a probe that detects a signal from the device under test, a display device that depicts a trace based on the signal, where the trace exhibits an attribute, and an indicator that emits an indication signal based on the attribute.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electronic test equipment and, more particularly, to enhanced operation of electronic test equipment.
2. Related Art
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Present instrumentation such as electronic test equipment is typically utilized to generate test signals and/or capture responses from an electronic device in order to determine proper operation of the electronic device. For example, oscilloscopes enable a user to view voltage signals depicted as waveforms at specific points of a device under test via a display device. The traces are generally graphically displayed as either a function of time or another voltage. Oscilloscopes may provide for multi-channel testing by including multiple input connectors for coupling to multiple test probes that respectively detect and transmit signals to the oscilloscope via respective connection cables.
These oscilloscopes use labeling schemes in order to correlate the connection cable input connector on the front panel to respective traces displayed on the display device. Although the signal sources (i.e., the multiple inputs provided on the oscilloscope) are correlated to the traces depicted on the display device via a labeling scheme, users may have a difficult time distinguishing between each of the signal traces and their respective measurement points in the circuit.
As mentioned above, various oscilloscopes allow for coupling to more than one test probe thereby enabling testing and/or monitoring of several channels simultaneously. Thus, in order to correlate each test probe to a respective input connector at the oscilloscope, predetermined colored "rings" (e.g., plastic bands) are attached at a first end of a connection cable (i.e., in close proximity to the associated input connector) and a second end of the connection cable (i.e., in close proximity to the test probe) that connects each test probe to a respective input connector. In this manner, a user can determine the relationship among the various tests probes and the various input connectors based on the color rings attached at either end of the connection cable. However, in order to correlate each input connector to a respective trace, a user must further rely on a labeling scheme as described above.

System for simplified correlation of instrumentation probes and data displays


Provided is a waveform generating apparatus that generates a signal having an arbitrary waveform, comprising a waveform memory that stores a plurality of pieces of waveform data that each include a sequence of signal values; a filtering section that (i) reads from the waveform memory a piece of waveform data serving as a basis for a waveform to be generated, from among the plurality of pieces of waveform data, (ii) performs a conversion by filtering the read piece of waveform data to obtain a piece of converted waveform data, and (iii) writes to the waveform memory the piece of converted waveform data; and a waveform output section that reads the piece of converted waveform data from the waveform memory and outputs a signal having a waveform corresponding to the sequence of signal values of the read piece of converted waveform data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a waveform generating apparatus, a waveform generating method, and a program. In particular, the present invention relates to a waveform generating apparatus, a waveform generating method, and a program for generating a signal with an arbitrary waveform.
2. Related Art
A waveform generating apparatus that can generate a signal with an arbitrary waveform is known, as in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-337140 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-273555. Such a waveform generating apparatus includes a waveform memory that stores waveform data, which is a data sequence of signal values of the waveform to be generated, and a DA converting section that reads the waveform data, converts this data into an analog signal, and outputs the analog signal. This waveform generating apparatus can cause the waveform memory to store waveform data of an arbitrary waveform created by a user, and can output this waveform data.
There may be cases in which the waveform generating apparatus outputs waveform data that is obtained by filtering the waveform data created by the user. For example, the waveform generating apparatus may output (i) waveform data obtained by performing a period conversion, i.e. rate conversion, on the waveform data created by the user and (ii) waveform data obtained by adding a prescribed transfer characteristic to the waveform data created by the user. In these cases, however, an external computer must read the waveform data from the waveform memory of the waveform generating apparatus to perform the filtering operation, and must write the result of the filtering operation to the waveform memory in advance.

Waveform generation device, waveform generation method, and computer readable medium