A multi-processing system-on-chip including a cluster of processors having respective CPUs is operated by: defining a master CPU within the respective CPUs to coordinate operation of said multi-processing system, running on the CPU a cluster manager agent. The cluster manager agent is adapted to dynamically migrate software processes between the CPUs of said plurality and change power settings therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to parallel processing and was developed with specific attention paid to the possible application to embedded systems and multi-core System-on-Chips.
Throughout this description reference will be made to acronyms that are of common usage in the art of embedded systems and related areas. A glossary of the most common acronyms used in this description is reported below.
GlossaryAPIApplication Programmers' InterfaceCMCluster ManagerHAHigh AvailabilityHPHigh PerformanceMACMedium Access ControlMPIMessage Passing InterfaceOSOperating SystemPMPower ManagementPVMParallel Virtual MachineSMPSymmetric Multi ProcessingSMTSymmetric Multi ThreadingSoCSystem on ChipSSISingle System ImageVLIWVery Long Instruction Word
2. Description of the Related Art
Clusters of workstations are being used nowadays as a cost effective replacement for mainframes in scientific applications (high-performance clusters, HP). Each node in a cluster may be a single processor or a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP). Usually the connection among cluster nodes is a dedicated high-speed link but clusters may also be formed by connecting hosts on the Internet. Another domain where clusters are used is high-availability (HA) servers, where Single System Image (SSI) middleware provides the cluster application programmer the illusion of working on a single workstation.
A key factor for cluster efficiency is inter-processor communication, which, in turn, has a strong dependency on application partitioning. In order to take advantage of the computational power that is available by clustering several workstations together, applications usually need to be re-written. In HP clusters, tasks on different processors communicate with such libraries as MPI, PVM, and P4, so applications need to use the API's defined by those libraries. In HA clusters, the main problem to solve is load-balancing, so a middleware layer (that can also be implemented in the OS) takes care of moving processes among cluster nodes in order to guarantee that nodes are equally loaded (from a CPU and memory point of view). Notable examples are the openMosix and Beowulf projects.
With slight differences, in both solutions an application only needs to fork and the middleware layer can move the child process to a different node depending on its priority in the cluster and its current load. Processes use shared memory to communicate with each other, while the middleware layer re-routes system calls to processes that have been migrated.
More generally, present-day embedded systems are required to support applications with growing complexity, and computational power demand increases proportionally. To satisfy this requirement, multi-processor solutions are currently being investigated. However, in order to fully exploit the available computational power, applications should properly support parallelism.
The field of parallel processing or multiprocessing in general has been extensively investigated in the last twenty years. Solutions have ranged from transputers to clusters of workstations, with specific focus on a number of key issues, namely: 1) efficient communication bus to interconnect processing nodes, 2) cache coherency in non-uniform memory architectures and 3) message passing libraries to enable communication among process tasks in different nodes. Links to background material can be found, for example, at the Internet address http://www.classiccmp.org/transputer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,302, hardware arrangements are described that enable a cluster of processing nodes to synchronize hierarchical data caches in order to efficiently exchange data and access external shared memory. The method described requires dedicated hardware support to implement cache coherency.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,619, a hardware-aided method to accomplish effective pass-on of messages between two or more processors is described, while US-A-2003/0217134 discloses a method for flexible management of heterogeneous clusters, such as those that can typically be found in web search engines systems, where three different clusters are in charge of web-spidering, data storage and data mining. Such an arrangement accomplishes efficient communication between clusters by using data gathering services to send data operating information.
In US-A-2003/0130833, a solution is proposed for the quick deployment and reconfiguration of computing systems having virtualized communication networks and storage. This document does not address the problem of running distributed applications among multiple processors but proposes a solution that has a marked impact on computer interconnections structure and storage area design. It targets multi-processing enterprise systems stressing on network load balancing and failover features without taking into account any power consumption issues.
In US-A-2003/0050992 the problem of discovering service processors among a multi-node computing system (such as a server system) is addressed. The relative arrangement claims to free OS and management consoles from having to know where different hardware services are located within a network of heterogeneous and function-dedicated nodes.
US-A-2002/0112231 discloses a method of automatically loading different software modules in different hardware platforms by means of some kind of a database that maps univocally a hardware card to a software module. The corresponding solution is essentially static and is meant to free operators from the burden of manually uploading software modules into relevant hardware modules. Also, no power efficiency problems are addressed.
EP-A-1 239 368 proposes a method of distributing complex tasks among multiple low-powered devices via a wireless interface. This prior art document does not take into account the possibility of executing different jobs on dedicated nodes either, and, again, power consumption issues are neglected.
Still another document related to the same subject-matter topics is US-A-2002/156932 which again does not optimize overall system power consumption and does not take into account processors performance tuning according to applications requirements.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,284 discloses a dynamically configurable communication bus among transputer nodes separated into a serial path for real-time control commands and a fast parallel bus for large data transfers. Dedicated hardware is needed in each communication node to manage high-speed data transfer. The concept of master and slave nodes is also introduced, the master role being time shared among nodes. The communication bus is designed to support dynamic topology reconfiguration, task redistribution among nodes and maximum data transfer rates. This prior art document addresses the problem of dynamic reconfiguration of communication resources, which is overly complicated for usual embedded systems, where the master node is fixed.
Both US-A-2002/188877 and US-A-2002/147932 address the problem of power consumption in multiprocessing systems. Specifically, US-A-2002/188877 refers to an SMP system with a Java virtual machine where a dedicated application moves threads of execution to different CPUs and at the same time controls their low-power modes. The system tries to determine the minimum number of CPUs required to perform a specific task, distributes threads accordingly and puts the unnecessary CPUs into a low-power mode. This approach requires SMP hardware and has a rather coarse-grained power control. The arrangement described in US-A-2002/147932 is a multiprocessing system with fine-grained power control on individual CPUs, based on feedback received by temperature and noise sensors.

Parallel processing method and system, for instance for supporting embedded cluster platforms, computer program product therefor


A selective sidewall diffusion process using doped SOG. A substrate is processed to form raised portions or pedestals, having sidewalls, and trenches. A first layer, either a doped SOG layer or undoped oxide layer, may be deposited onto the substrate adjacent the sidewalls. The first layer is densified. A second layer may be deposited on the first layer. The second layer is a doped SOG layer. The second layer is densified and the dopant is driven into the sidewalls to form shallow junctions.

The present invention relates to methods for producing integrated circuit devices and more specifically to a selective sidewall diffusion process using doped spin on glass (SOG).
Known methods for diffusing impurities into planar semiconductor materials involve a masking operation followed by an implant operation in which n-type and p-type impurities are implanted into a planar substrate, typically silicon.
No known method exists for diffusing impurities into the sidewalls of depressions or raised portions of semiconductor materials. Implanting does not work well for sidewall diffusion because the implanting process is highly directional. The surface to be implanted must be oriented perpendicular to the direction from which the implanting is performed. During the implanting process, it is not feasible to rotate the semiconductor material in many directions to expose the various surfaces of the material to implanting. Surrounding surface structures may shadow adjacent structures, making side wall implantation impossible.
Furthermore, if a high energy implant is used to introduce the same dopant species to the same depth in the silicon, two detrimental effects will occur. First, the dopant would be introduced into the surface region of the silicon. Second, the implant would cause crystal lattice defects in the silicon.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a process for forming diffusing impurities into the sidewalls of depressions or raised portions of semiconductor materials.

Selective sidewall diffusion process using doped SOG


Handling a magnetic tape cartridge comprises the steps of reading cartridge mount information from the cartridge memory; determining from the cartridge mount information whether the present mount is the first mount of the magnetic tape cartridge; and if so, fast forward and rewind the magnetic tape of the magnetic tape cartridge, e.g., the fast forward is to end of tape (EOT) and the rewind is to beginning of tape (BOT). Alternatively, if the cartridge mount information indicates the present mount is the first mount of the magnetic tape cartridge; monitoring input/output with respect to the magnetic tape cartridge for write errors during the mount; determining whether the number of monitored write errors meets a predetermined threshold; and if so, fast forward and rewind the magnetic tape of the magnetic tape cartridge.

Any magnetic tape cartridge that is employed for the storage of data must be used in a first instance. For example, a magnetic tape cartridge may be inserted into an automated data storage library at an input/output station. The cartridge may be stored temporarily at a storage shelf and subsequently transported to a magnetic tape drive, or may be directly transported to the magnetic tape drive. The cartridge is mounted in the magnetic tape drive, and data is written to the magnetic tape for storage of the data. A customer problem is that, in many instances, when a cartridge is used for the first time, write errors can occur, especially near the beginning of tape (BOT).

Fast forward magnetic tape cartridge at first mount

International Business Machines Corporation


A graphical user interface (GUI) of a triage tool for triaging reported problems is described. The GUI includes a first set of UI items for viewing reported problems of maps. The GUI includes a second set of UI items for viewing map data related to the reported problems. The GUI includes a third set of UI items for sending triaged problems to a set of sources of the map data.

With proliferation of mobile devices such as smartphones, users are enjoying numerous applications of numerous kinds that can be run on their devices. One popular type of such application is mapping and navigation applications that allow user to browse maps and get route directions. Despite their popularity, these mapping and navigation applications have shortcomings with their user interfaces and features that cause inconvenience to the users.

Triage tool for problem reporting in maps


A metal detector (1) has a drive coil (L61) and at least one detection coil (L62, L63) that detect fluctuations in a magnetic field generated by the drive coil, caused by metallic particles present in an inspected object. A multi-frequency transmitter unit (10) has a converter (4) with a plurality of drive switches (S41, S42; S43, S44) driven by a drive controller (2). The drive switches alternately conduct a drive current through the drive coil to generate an electromagnetic field with two or more different frequency components. A waveform of the drive current is determined, as is at least one pulse-modulated (PXM) signal corresponding to the determined waveform. The determined PXM-signal is determined online or is stored in a memory module (231; 232). The determined PXM-signal is generated and applied to control the drive switches. The drive current can be applied to the drive coil through an admittance unit (5).

As described in US published application 2012/0206138 A1, metal detectors are used to detect and reject unwanted metal contamination. When properly installed and operated, a metal detector will help reduce metal contamination and improving food safety. Most modern metal detectors utilise a search head comprising a coil system with a drive coil receiving a drive signal and generating an electromagnetic field in the product, and at least one detection coil arranged to detect fluctuations in the magnetic field caused by the presence of metallic particles in the product including ferrous, nonferrous and stainless steels in a large variety of products such as fresh and frozen food products.
A metal detection system that operates according to the "balanced coil"-principle typically comprises three coils, a drive coil and two identical detection coils that are wound onto a non-metallic frame, each exactly parallel with the other. Since the detection coils, which typically enclose the drive coil centred in between, are identical, an identical voltage is induced in each of them. In order to receive an output signal that is zero when the system is in balance, the first receiver coil is connected in series with the second receiver coil having an inversed sense of winding. Hence the voltages induced in the receiver coils, that are of identical amplitude and inverse polarity are cancelling out one another in the event that the system is in balance and no contamination is present in an observed product.
However, as soon as a particle of metal passes through the coil arrangement, the electromagnetic field is disturbed first near one detection coil and then near the other detection coil. While the particle of metal is conveyed through the detection coils, the voltage induced in each detection coil is changed (by nano-volts). This change in balance results in a signal at the output of the detection coils that in a receiving unit can be processed, amplified and subsequently be used to detect the presence of the metal contamination in the observed product.
In typical metal detectors, signal processing channels provided in the receiver unit split the received signal into two separate components that are 90° apart from one another. The resultant vector has a magnitude and a phase angle, which is typical for the products and the contaminants that are conveyed through the coil system. In order to identify a metal contaminant, "product effects" need to be removed or reduced. If the phase of the product is known then the corresponding signal vector can be reduced. Eliminating unwanted signals from the signal spectrum thus leads to higher sensitivity for signals originating from metal contaminants.
Methods applied for eliminating unwanted signals from the signal spectrum therefore exploit the fact that metal contaminants, products and other disturbances have different influences on the magnetic field so that the resulting signals differ in phase. Signals caused by metals or products, as they pass through the coil system, can be split into two components, namely resistive and reactive components, according to conductivity and magnetic permeability of the measured object. Signals caused by ferrite are primarily reactive, while signals from stainless steel are primarily resistive. Products, which are conductive typically cause signals with a strong resistive component. Distinguishing between the phases of the signal components of different origin by means of a phase detector allows obtaining information about the product and the contaminants. Said signal components or phase and amplitude change depend on the frequency of the applied drive signal, which is selected such that the signal components of the metal contaminants will be out of phase with the signal components of the observed product signal.
Issued U.S. Pat. No. 8,473,235 discloses a metal detector with a drive circuit that is connected to a drive coil and that comprises a plurality of switches driven by a drive controller, which alternately connect the drive coil across a potential difference to cause the drive coil to be driven at a predetermined operating frequency. The drive controller can be programmed to operate the plurality of switches to obtain any single operating frequency, which may be selectable in the range of 40 to 900 KHz in 1 Hz increments. However, driving the coil system by a square wave (or a trapezoidal wave due to the inductance of the coil) generates a large number of relatively high energy harmonics compared with the conventional sinusoidal signal generated by a tuned circuit. In order to avoid a negative impact of these harmonics, the apparatus comprises a detection circuit for deriving a signal from the coil system wherein the detection circuit comprises a phase sensitive detector coupled to a low pass filter that rejects said disturbing harmonics, which are generally regarded as most undesirable.
While one operating frequency may be suitable for one specific metal contaminant, the same frequency may not provide the desired results for other metal contaminants. Simultaneously using two or more transmitter frequencies selected according to product and potential contaminants allows obtaining more accurate information about two or more different metal contaminants without switching the operating frequency.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,159,225 discloses a multi-frequency metal detector with a multi-frequency transmitter and a method for generating a multi-frequency drive signal by generating at least two rectangular wave signals, each having a different fundamental frequency; mixing the selected rectangular wave signals to produce a switching signal containing different frequency components of relatively high magnitude, at frequencies corresponding to the convolution of the fundamental frequencies of the two selected rectangular wave signals. In addition to desired frequency components again other frequency components are present, which need to be removed or suppressed.
Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 8,159,225 further discloses that the digital drive switching signal is applied to a full-bridge switching power stage connected to the drive coil of the metal detector. The full-bridge switching power stage consists of two half-bridges, each comprising two half-bridge switches, one half-bridge driven with the digital switching signal and the other half-bridge driven with the inverted digital switching signal. The current in the half-bridge switches of the full-bridge switching power stage corresponds to the current flowing in the drive coil. Hence, for high currents in the drive coil half-bridge switches, are required that are capable of delivering this high coil current. The multi-frequency transmitter must therefore be dimensioned and built accordingly with considerable costs.

Method for operating a multi-frequency metal detector and multi-frequency metal detector


A sheet takeout device has a feeding section, a takeout section, an air blowout section. The feeding section has a bottom wall with which one sides of a plurality of stacked sheets come in contact, and holds the plurality of sheets. The takeout section takes out the tipmost sheet by suction from the plurality of sheets, and sends out the tipmost sheet in a sending direction. The air blowout section blows out air toward between the one side of the sheet to be sucked by the takeout section and the one side of the sheet next to this sheet. The air blowout section has a first air blowout portion arranged at a position corresponding to a forward portion of the sheet in the sending direction, and a second air blowout portion arranged at a position corresponding to a backward portion of the sheet in the sending direction.

Conventionally, a sheet takeout device provided with a feeding section in which a plurality of sheets are filled in a stacked state, and a takeout section which takes out the sheets filled in the feeding section one by one by suction and sends out the sucked sheet, is known. In order to surely take out the sheets one by one by the takeout section, there is a case in which an air nozzle to blow out air toward the sheet is provided in the vicinity of the takeout section. And, air is blown to the stacked sheets, and thereby it is prevented that a tipmost sheet to be sucked by the takeout section and a next sheet adhere tightly to each other. By this means, the multi-sheet takeout of sheets by the takeout section is prevented.
Meanwhile, when the air blowout strength is increased in order to surely prevent the multi-sheet takeout of sheets by the takeout section, there has been a possibility that a sheet might be skewed by the moment acting on the sheet caused by blowing air to the sheet (a sheet might be tilted in the sending direction of the sheet).
In addition, sheets of various sizes are irregularly filled in the feeding section. For this reason, when a blowout hole of an air nozzle is arranged at a position which is determined based on a maximum size of the sheets, the blowout hole of the air nozzle might become farther, for a sheet of a smaller size. In such a case, it becomes difficult to effectively blow air to the sheets, and there has been a possibility that it becomes difficult to prevent the multi-sheet takeout of sheets by the takeout section.

Sheet takeout device and sheet processing apparatus


A computer system automatically learns which application behavior constitutes “multi-use” behavior by observing the behavior of applications on a network. The system uses this learned knowledge to automatically identify multi-use behavior in new applications that appear on the network. When the system enforces security policies against applications on the network, it identifies whether particular behavior of such applications violates any of the security policies. In this way, the system adapts automatically to new behavior of applications on the network over time in order to increase network security.

For any system that automatically generates network security policies based on observed application behavior on a network, it is necessary to distinguish among different security classes of software applications. Most applications are designed to perform only one function; this makes them less likely to be used in security breaches, because they often cannot perform malicious functions. Of course, there are other applications, such as applications designed as viruses, that are known to be malicious.
There are, however, also "multi-use" applications. These applications can be used for a variety of purposes. The best examples are applications that can run arbitrary code, such as Java and Python, but there are other applications that can engage in arbitrary communications over a network. These applications are common and useful, but because there is a possibility that they could be abused, it is reasonable to take account of their potential power when creating network security policies. (If an application such as Java or Python is running an application which has been observed before and for which there policies exist, then it is the properties of that application, not Java or Python, which are relevant.)
When automating the creation of security policies, or when helping users to create security policies, it is, therefore, a best practice to take the potential for applications to be multi-use into account.
The class of "multi-use applications," however, is not a fixed list, and is not necessarily the same at all places and times. "Multi-use" is not a distinguishing feature of an application, but rather a description of its behavior. Although it is possible to create a list of multi-use applications based on someone's (or some group's) experience with that application, there is no way to guarantee that this list is complete. Even if it were complete at some time, new applications are created (or modified) constantly, and some of those new and modified applications will be multi-use. As a result, any fixed list of multi-use applications will become out-of-date, and therefore significantly less useful, quickly after it has been created.

Automated software capabilities classification model that identifies multi-use behavior of new applications on a network


A semiconductor device, sensor, and array of SPAD cubes are described. One example of the disclosed semiconductor device includes an array of single-photon avalanche diodes, each single-photon avalanche diode including an undepleted anode region, an undepleted cathode region, an active depleted region positioned between the anode region and cathode region, and at least one conductive trench extending between the anode region and cathode region. In some examples, the at least one conductive trench surrounds the active depleted region and reflects light back into the active depleted region such that one or more photons can be absorbed within the active depleted region even though an absorption coefficient of the light is greater than a thickness of the active depleted region.

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) are light silicon sensors able to detect single photons. They are often configured to work in Geiger mode (e.g., biased above the breakdown voltage) so that each photon impacting the device creates a controlled avalanche. These devices are usually produced using conventional CMOS technologies. Current main applications for SPADs and SiPMs are in the fields of radiation detection, particularly for medial, safety, and security fields. Another emerging field for the use of these devices is in the field of Lidar, especially for long-distance object detection in autonomous automotive applications.
Single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPADs) are becoming of wide use in many domains, such as nuclear medicine, radiation detection in safety and security, biology, and Lidar. SPADs can be produced in custom micro-fabrication technology as well as in standard CMOS. The first approach allows a technology development aimed at optimizing the sensor performance in terms of efficiency and noise. The second approach allows the integration of intelligence directly on a photo-sensor.

Implementation of an optimized avalanche photodiode (APD)/single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) structure

AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED


A method for predicting the formation of silicon nanocrystals in an oxide matrix is disclosed. Initially, fundamental data for a set of microscopic processes that can occur during one or more material processing operations are obtained. Kinetic models are then built by utilizing the fundamental data for a set of reactions that can contribute substantially to the formation of silicon nanocrystals in a silicon oxide matrix. Finally, the kinetic models are applied to predict shape, size distribution, spatial arrangements of silicon nanocrystals.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor modeling in general, and in particular to a method for predicting properties resulting from processes used in the preparation of semiconductor materials. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for predicting the formation of silicon nanocrystals in oxide matrices.
2. Description of Related Art
Silicon (Si) is an indirect gap material that yields a very low efficiency for luminescence. However, the discovery of efficient room temperature luminescence from low-dimensional Si structures (such as oxide embedded Si nanocrystals) led to the rapid evolution of Si microphotonics. Key advantages of Si-based materials processing include high-yield and low-cost production established in microelectronics.
The discovery of efficient room temperature luminescence from Si nanocrystals embedded in a SiO2 matrix has generated significant interest in the embedded Si nanocrystals system because of its potential applications in electronic, optoelectronic, and optical devices in Si-compatible technology. Earlier experimental investigations have suggested the absorption and luminescence properties of the embedded nanocrystal systems would be governed by a complex combination of: nanocrystal sizes, shapes, and size distributions; crystal-matrix interface structures, bonding, and defects; and matrix structure and composition. This may imply that atomic-level control of such structural properties, together with accurate assessment of structure-property relationships, would offer great opportunities in the development of Si-nanocrystal based novel devices. However, many fundamental aspects of the synthesis of oxide embedded Si nanocrystals are still poorly understood, despite significant efforts over recent years.
Experiments may provide many clues to the atomistic properties and behaviors involved in the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials, but their interpretations often remain controversial due largely to difficulties in direct measurement. While current experimental techniques are still limited to providing complementary atomic-level, real space information, comprehensive multiscale modeling based on first principles quantum mechanics, with proper experimental validation, can contribute greatly to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the synthesis and manipulation. With such understanding, it would be possible to provide a method for predicting the formation of silicon nanocrystals in oxide matrices.

Method for predicting the formation of silicon nanocrystals in embedded oxide matrices

The Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A heat-bondable fiber in the form of a core-sheath type composite fiber comprising a core component and a sheath component which covers the periphery of the core component. The sheath component is formed of copolymer polyethylene consisting of predetermined material and having predetermined properties. The core component is made of a fiber-forming polymer whose melting point is more than 30.degree. C. higher than that of the sheath component. The fineness of the core-sheath type composite fiber is less than 8 deniers. Such heat-bondable fiber provides a nonwoven fabric in which the force of adhesion of the heat-bondable fiber to other dissimilar fibers is high and the hand of the fabric is soft. This nonwoven fabric contains at least 15 percent of the heat-bondable fiber and is heat-treated at a temperature less than the melting point of the core component.

A nonwoven fabric made of composite type heat-bondable fiber has been known, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.61-10583. This nonwoven fabric is obtained by heat-treating a mixture of fibers containing not leas than 25 weight percent of a heat-bondable composite fiber which comprises a first component consisting of 50-100 weight percent of linear low density polyethylene and 50-0 weight percent of polyethylene different therefrom, and a second component in the form of a fiber-forming polymer (polypropylene, polyester, polyamide or the like) exhibiting a melting point which is more than 30t: higher than that of these polyethylenes, the heat-treatment being performed at a temperature above the melting point of said first component but below the melting point of said second component.
The desire of the industry for a nonwoven fabric having a high strength and a soft hand is very high; the composite type heat-bondable fiber disclosed in said Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-10583 is capable of offering a nonwoven fabric having a soft hand. However, it has the drawback that it is lacking in the adhesion to fibers of other materials than polyethylene, in which case it is necessary to increase the amount of heat-bondable fiber, hardly providing a nonwoven fabric which is soft in terms of hand.

Heat-bondable filament and nonwoven fabric made of said filament


The cleaning of particles from an electrostatic chuck. In one embodiment, a method of cleaning an electrostatic chuck in a processing chamber is disclosed. The method comprises directing a flow of gas across the electrostatic chuck to dislodge particles from the electrostatic chuck and removing the flow of gas and particles through an exhaust port in the processing chamber. In this embodiment, the vacuum integrity of the chamber is not compromised during the cleaning of the electrostatic chuck.

Electrostatic chucks (e-chucks) are used in processing semiconductor devices. In particular, e-chucks are used to hold a semiconductor wafer in place during processing. Processing of the wafer typically takes place in a vacuum processing chamber. As stated above, the e-chucks hold the wafer in place while it is being processed in the processing chamber. An e-chuck is generally a capacitor element having a conductor/insulator structure that is adapted to selectively generate an electrostatic filed between the wafer and an e-chuck to selectively hold the wafer in place during processing. During processing, particles as the result of the processing can accumulate on the e-chuck. For example, processes such as depositions and etching can create particles that can accumulate on the e-chucks. These particles can compromise the surface of the e-chuck causing the e-chuck to no longer effectively hold a wafer in place during processing. If a wafer is dislodged as a result of an accumulation of particles, the wafer is either scrapped or reprocessed. If the problem persists, the general practice in the art is venting the chamber and manually cleaning the e-chuck. This, however, creates a significant loss in manufacturing time.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a method effectively removing particles from the surface of the e-chuck without venting the chamber

Particulate removal from an electrostatic chuck


An equipment (1) for the suppression of whole echoes composed of several partial echoes in telecommunications (TC) equipment, such as end devices, transmission systems or exchange equipment, with the help of adaptive FIR (=Finite Impulse Response) filters, which reproduce the whole echo and extract it from the echo-laden useful signal and which has been transferred to the respective TC equipment, in which the homogeneous FIR filters or partial filters (10), each of which are able to reproduce a whole echo or partial echo, are implemented on a single ASIC (=Application Specific Integrated Circuit) (9) for the m parallel and independent TC channels n to be served; and in which the whole echoes or partial echoes to be reproduced can be calculated in real time in the ASIC (9) and in which a digital signal processor (4) is designed to control the ASIC (9) and set the filter settings, especially after the coefficient required to reproduce the echo is calculated on the ASIC (9). This calculation is carried out in the digital signal processor (4). This makes it possible to effectively suppress echoes in a large number of m parallel and independent TC channels, as they must be processed in exchanges and network hybrids, without requiring a large amount of memory space and computational effort.

This application is based on and claims priority from German Patent Application No. 198 01 390.6 filed Jan. 16, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention involves equipment and a procedure for the suppression of whole echoes comprised of several partial echoes in telecommunications (TC) equipment, such as end devices, transmission systems or switching equipment, with the help of adaptive FIR (=Finite Impulse Response) filters, which reproduce the whole echo and extract it from the useful signal impeded by the echo, which has been transmitted to the respective TC equipment.
Such a procedure and equipment for adaptive echo compensation is known from the German patent DE 44 30 189 A1.
With the transfer of speech signals via telecommunication lines, acoustic echoes can originate either on the xe2x80x9cnear endxe2x80x9d from the user sending out the signal due to direct sound transfer from the loudspeaker to the microphone of the end device. The xe2x80x9cnear echoxe2x80x9d problem is considerably intensified when several end devices are set up closely together, for example in an office or a conference room with multiple telephone connections since there is a coupling from each loudspeaker signal to each microphone. The multi-channel echo suppression procedure and the associated electronic circuit proposed in the EP 0 627 825 A2 should help in this case. In addition to the near acoustic echo, it is possible that a composite electric line echo is also created from a great variety of partial echoes due to the reflections of the speech signals sent out to positions which are varying distances away in the transmission channel, for example in the case of 2-4 wire hybrids (hybrid circuits) in the end device or in the exchanges and at network interconnections. In this case it is usually so-called xe2x80x9cshort distance echoesxe2x80x9d which are reflected back to the speaker in a time period up to 128 ms. These short distant echoes are differentiated from long distance echoes, which come back to the speaker in a timeframe of up to 640 ms and are especially disturbing due to the large time delay since in the meantime the speaker is already considerably advanced in his speech by the time his own reflected speech signal reaches him again. Such delayed long distance echoes occur for example during intercontinental calls, or during long distance telephone calls transmitted via deep-sea cables or satellites. The network operators which maintain such telephone networks are therefore especially interested in suppressing long distance echoes with large time delays, but also short distance echoes reflected back with higher intensities as effectively as possible.
To this end, for example in EP 0 792 029 A2, echo suppression equipment with an adaptive filter is proposed, including a coarse and a fine detector for near end speech signals which are set up on both sides of the echo suppression equipment and are consequently able to monitor the incoming signal before and after the echo suppression.
An adjustment to the reflected echo value should be carried out in speech pauses on the near end.
DE 44 30 189 A1 quoted at the beginning proposes a cost-efficient procedure which can be used under various acoustic conditions, and which uses a FIR filter whose filter coefficients are determined using the NLMS algorithms. According to this method, echo suppression in a TC network with multiple parallel channels utilizes an adaptive FIR filter for each channel, which is realized in software on a digital signal processor. The adaptive FIR filter is supposed to reproduce the expected whole echo, which may be composed of several individual partial echoes and extract it from the useful signal which has been transmitted to the TC end device and is impeded by the echo.
In contrast, the purpose of the present invention is to develop the procedure and equipment of the type indicated at the beginning to the point of enabling the effective suppression of echoes, without a large amount of storage space and computational effort, even for a large number of m parallel TC channels which are independent of each other, for example as they are in exchanges.
In accordance with the present invention, this task is solved in that for m parallel, independent TC channels to be served, n homogeneous FIR filters or partial filters, each of which can reproduce a whole or partial echo, are implemented on a single ASIC (=Application Specific Integrated Circuit), whereby m, n xcex5 N and especially nxe2x89xa72; that the whole or partial echoes to be reproduced can be calculated in real time on the ASIC; and that there are provisions for a digital signal processor (=DSP) which controls the ASIC and can carry out the filter settings in the ASIC, especially after the coefficients and time-delays required to reproduce the echo have been calculated in the DSP.
Through the high integration density of an ASIC, the equipment in accordance with the present invention can be kept especially compact. Since the digital signal processor is quite considerably relieved through the integration of the FIR filter on the ASIC, many more parallel TC channels can be served with constant processor effort with effective echo suppression. This allows for the processing of larger time delays in the echoes (for example up to 640 ms), multiple individual echoes for each whole echo and many parallel channels ( greater than 2000) with minimal effort.
More advantageously, a number of FIR partial filters are cascaded in order to reproduce a whole echo. At present the demands of TC network operators call for three to five partial echoes to be suppressed per channel. However, this could still increase in the future.
It is especially preferred that the equipment in accordance with this invention be designed in such a way that a variable subset of FIR partial filters can be assigned to a TC channel to be served, as required, depending on the number of partial echoes as well as the size of the delay times. Through this flexible assignment of FIR filters per processed channel according to the number of individual echoes and according to the size of the delay times between the signal and echo, the ASIC can be of an extremely compact design despite the very high number of channels.
An advantageous advanced set-up distinguishes itself in that there are provisions for a macrocell for each FIR partial filter in the ASIC. This macrocell includes a shift register of suitable length for the temporary storage of the sampled speech signals, demultiplexer equipment for setting the effective shift register length, as well as adding equipment for the summation of the sample value weighted with the appropriate coefficients. These macrocells can be precisely the same construction, which simplifies the manufacture of an ASIC with many homogeneous FIR partial filters and therefore makes it less expensive.
It is especially easy to have a cascading of several macrocells that enables any choice of flexible interconnections, for example for reproducing a whole echo, and therefore an especially high capacity utilization ratio of the macrocells.
A preferred advanced set-up provides for a macrocell including one of the coefficient memories approximated by the digital signal processor, which can be directly read by a modulo N counter as well as a digital multiplier unit with an operating frequency of fA=Nxc2x7fS, to which the appropriate coefficients from the coefficient memory and the appropriate sample values from the shift register are fed for multiplication, in which case the sample values with a sampling frequency of fS have been stored in the shift register. There are provisions for an adder which adds the product values output by the digital multiplier unit to each of the sums of the preceding product values stored in an initial temporary memory via a feedback loop and which can finally be extracted from the useful signal impeded by an echo, which has been stored in a second temporary memory as the reproduced partial echo signal and transmitted to the TC equipment. This type of construction only requires a single multiplier, which replaces an appropriate number of multipliers in the conventional FIR partial filters for the processing of N. The operating frequency fA increased by the factor N in comparison to the operating frequency fS is no problem with the standard electronic component parts available today, provided that N moves in the magnitude of 50-100.
One especially effective form of the equipment in accordance with the present invention provides for several coefficient memories, which can all be read by means of a demultiplexer, whereby each of the TC channels to be served can be assigned appropriate coefficient memory, and in which the suppression of echoes on all TC channels can take place via a single FIR whole filter consisting of several FIR partial filters, which can be switched to the multiplex mode.
Preferred is another design in which there are provisions for a storage device, preferably a RAM (=Random Access Memory), in which the current sampled speech signals which have been transmitted from the TC equipment can be stored, as well as the coefficients belonging to the reproduced partial echoes, and in which there are provisions for a control unit, preferably integrated into the ASIC, which administers the process of echo suppression by means of an address calculation of data stored in the storage unit, the DSP and the FIR partial filters on the ASIC. In this way, the coefficient memories and sample value memory can be taken from storage in the ASIC and packed on an extremely inexpensive RAM which is available in high density. The shift register is also eliminated in the design described above.
The control unit essentially controls the process of the data flow, so that very little hardware is necessary for realizing the echo suppression equipment and the controlling digital signal processor is relieved to a large degree, since it essentially only has to carry out the calculation of the coefficients, preferably for several independent TC channels.
Especially preferred is an advanced design of this equipment in which the time demultiplex procedure m serves independent TC channels. In this form, the address calculation in the control unit replaces the multiplex units from the designs described further above.
In another preferred design of the equipment in accordance with the present invention, there are also provisions for equipment in the recognition of non-speech signals on a TC channel, especially for the detection of modem or fax signals. In this case, the echo suppression function can be turned off automatically for non-speech signals, which increases the lack of distortion of fax and modem connections.
Another advanced design of this form provides for equipment in the recognition of non-speech signals in which a discrete Fourier transformation (=DFT), especially a Goertzel algorithm, is implemented. This requires especially little storage area and computational capacity for this additional function.
Moreover, in another advanced design of this form, there is a compander circuit for masking line echoes. This makes the echo suppression even more effective, and therefore comfort for the end user as well.
The compander circuit can also be realized on an ASIC, preferably on the same ASIC as the FIR filter. The hardware units are therefore especially compact and inexpensive to produce.
Within the framework of the present invention, there is also a process for the operation of echo suppression equipment in accordance with the present invention in which a Dirac impulse is sent to the corresponding TC channel, on which the echo answer is detected and the suitable coefficients for reproducing the whole echo are calculated and stored for the corresponding FIR filter.
In other process variants, defined analog noise signal sequence is sent to the appropriate TC channel instead of the Dirac impulse, the echo answer on it is detected and the suitable coefficients for reproducing the whole echo are calculated and stored. The duration of sending out the noise signal sequence is normally less than a second.
Particularly preferred is an advanced design of this process variation in which the analog noise signal-sequence includes a Gaussian noise signal limited to the bandwidth of the TC channels to be served.
Another alternative process variation is distinguished from other variants in that a synthetic, preferably ternary pseudo-noise sequence is sent to the corresponding TC channel, the echo answer on it is detected, and suitable coefficients for reproducing he whole echo are calculated and stored. The pseudo noise sequence is usually selected in such a way that only the main value of the sequence shows a correlation value q while the secondary values have the correlation value 0.
It is particularly preferred that coefficients for reproducing the echo are gathered from the correlation of the echo signals that have been sent to those which have been received.
Also preferred is an advanced design of the procedure in accordance with this invention in which an NLMS (=Normalized Least Mean Square) algorithm is used for the calculation of the filter coefficients for the calculation of the coefficients from the received echo signals in the knowledge of the signals sent out. In this process, the CPU time and computational effort necessary for attaining a satisfactory result is kept especially small. In this case, the length of the noise sequence is advantageously adjusted to the length of the FIR filter.
In another process variation, the whole echo composed of all the partial echoes to be considered is put together on the ASIC and is extracted as a whole from the useful signal transmitted to the TC equipment. In this case, only one position of the incoming signal on the TC channel to be served is affected.
Alternatively, the partial echoes to be considered can be reproduced in the ASIC and individually extracted from the useful signal transmitted to the TC equipment. In this way, the design of the hardware and computer units in accordance with the design of the present invention is kept flexible.
Additional advantages of the invention can be seen from the description and sketches. The features mentioned above and described further in accordance with this invention can also be used separately or in any desired combination. The designs shown and described here are not to be understood as a complete list, but rather as exemplary features as an illustration of the invention.

Equipment and processes for echo suppression with adaptive fir filters


A mesh, a surgical kit including a mesh, and a method for using the same to restore a prolapsed organ within a patient's pelvic cavity are provided. The surgical kit includes a mesh for supporting the organ including a support sheet portion to be positioned beneath the organ, and first and second front attachment strips extending from a proximal region of the mesh and first and second rear attachment strips extending form a distal region of the mesh. The kit also includes a first guide needle for penetrating tissue to create a passageway through which the attachment strips can be pulled, and coupling means for coupling the ends of the mesh to the attachment strips.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surgical instruments and a methods, and surgical kits for treatment of pelvic floor prolapse conditions.
2. Background Discussion
Women account for more than 11 million of incontinence cases. Moreover, a majority of women with incontinence suffer from stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Women with SUI involuntarily lose urine during normal daily activities and movements, such as laughing, coughing, sneezing and regular exercise. SUI may be caused by a functional defect of the tissue or ligaments connecting the vaginal wall with the pelvic muscles and pubic bone. Common causes include repetitive straining of the pelvic muscles, childbirth, loss of pelvic muscle tone, and estrogen loss.
Normally, the urethra, when properly supported by strong pelvic floor muscles and healthy connective tissue, maintains a tight seal to prevent involuntary loss of urine. When a woman suffers from the most common form of SUI, however, weakened muscle and pelvic tissues are unable to adequately support the urethra in its correct position. As a result, during normal movements when pressure is exerted on the bladder from the diaphragm, the urethra cannot retain its seal, permitting urine to escape.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,909, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a surgical instrument comprising a shank having a handle at one end and connecting means at the other end to receive, one at a time, two curved needle-like elements which are connected at one end to one end of a mesh intended to be implanted into the body. In practice, the mesh is passed into the body via the vagina first at one end and then at the other end at one side and the other, respectively, of the urethra to form a loop around the urethra, located between the urethra and vaginal wall. The mesh is extended over the pubis and through the abdominal wall and is tightened. The mesh ends are cut at the abdominal wall, and the mesh is left implanted in the body. This trans-vaginal procedure is exemplified by the TVT product sold by the Gynecare Worldwide, a division of Ethicon Inc., of Somerville, N.J., USA. In this procedure two 5 mm needles pass a PROLENE® mesh trans-vaginally and through the abdomen to create a tension-free support around the mid urethra.
An alternate method to treat SUI is the sling procedure. In this procedure a needle or other suture-retrieving device is first inserted through the abdomen, above the pubic bone. The needle is guided behind the pubic bone, through the subrapubic fascia around the urethra, and out of the body through an incision in the anterior vaginal wall. At this point sutures are attached to the needle(s) and pulled up back through the abdominal cavity, where the sutures are fastened to the rectus muscle.
Techniques for protecting against the puncture of the internal structures during this type of procedure have included laparoscopic procedures. This involves making an incision in the abdomen and inserting a video scope to watch the progress of the needles as they pass through the abdominal cavity. These additional incisions are not optimal for the patient. Also, the needles, which pass through the abdomen, are not designed to capture a mesh but rather a suture, which has been previously attached to the mesh or harvested fascia. These needles are generally in the diameter range of about 0.090 inches to about 0.120 inches. Therefore, the needles do not create a large channel through the fascia. The channel is only wide enough to pass the suture. Accordingly, the sutures do not possess the elongation properties of the PROLENE® mesh and therefore cannot provide the tension-free support of the TVT. Also, attaching a mesh directly to these needles is not optimal because it is very difficult, if at all possible, to pull the mesh through the narrow channel created by the needle.
Another common condition suffered by women is prolapse of organs within the pelvic cavity. Prolapse is a condition in which organs, namely the bladder, bowel, and uterus, which are normally supported by the pelvic floor, herniate or protrude into the vagina. This occurs as a result of weakening or damage to the muscles and ligaments making up the pelvic floor support. Childbirth is the most common cause of damage to the pelvic floor, particularly where prolonged labor, large babies and instrumental deliveries were involved. Other factors can include past surgery such as hysterectomy, lack of estrogen due to menopause, and conditions causing chronically raised intra abdominal pressure such as chronic constipation, coughing, heavy lifting, and other physical activity involving impact with the body, such as skydiving. Specific prolapse conditions include cystocele, which is a prolapse of the bladder, rectocele or rectal prolapse, enterocele or intestinal herniation, and prolapse of the vaginal vault such as after a hysterectomy.
Vaginal surgery is the usual method of repair, but abdominal surgery (typically laparoscopc surgery) may also be performed. Traditional pelvic floor repair surgeries, whether abdominal or vaginal, involve lifting the prolapsed organ to restore it back to its correct anatomical position, and subsequently using sutures attached to ligaments and/or muscles to retain the organ in the correct position. Surgeons have also been known to place a layer of mesh below the prolapsed organ, and to subsequently suture corners or sides of the mesh to ligaments or muscles on the sidewalls of the pelvis. The suturing can be done via access through the abdomen or by access through the vaginal incision. Using sutures to support the mesh structure has disadvantages similar to those described above in conjunction with SUI procedures.
The device and method disclosed in patent application WO 02/38079 provides an improvement over the traditional pelvic floor repair surgery discussed above. WO 02/38079 discloses a specific mesh configuration for use in treating both cystocele and SUI that includes a basic mesh structure with two front and two rear supports that extend outwardly therefrom. The supports are thin strips of mesh that provide support to the prolapsed organ in place of sutures. In particular, WO 02/38079 describes using the instrument for treating SUI described in WO 96/06567 and 97/13465, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, and the method described therein, to pass the mesh strips through the body. The described needles are used to pass the mesh strips from the vaginal incision up through the abdomen. One pass is made with a needle coupled to both the front and rear strips on one side, and then another pass is made for the front and rear strips on the other side. Thus, the front and rear strip on a given side are coupled to a needle together, and passed through the same channel out through the abdomen. As a result of both the front and back strips being attached at the same point, some additional stabilization is required to prevent forward movement of the basic structure, with suturing being the disclosed means by which to achieve this stabilization.
As with the traditional pelvic floor repair procedures, the procedure described in WO 02/38079 requires extensive, deep suturing skills in tight spaces, which are difficult to perform and time consuming. Sutures provide for only a "pin point" attachment of the mesh in place, and failures between the suture and the mesh are not uncommon. In addition, the single point of attachment of both mesh strips significantly limits the adjustability of urethral suspension versus bladder suspension. In particular, if tension free suspension of the urethra is achieved, further adjustment of the bladder suspension strips (rear strips) can adversely affect the urethral suspension, and vice versa. Finally, the vaginal approach of WO 02/38079 is disadvantageous in that suspension of the rear strip is limited to the same path as that of the front strip, as any other pathway would be potentially dangerous to vital organs and nerves via such a blind approach.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide an improved surgical system and method for pelvic floor repair.

Surgical instrument and method for treating organ prolapse conditions


A system comprising a storage medium associated with a device for treating a tissue region, the device including a handle, a catheter tube extending from the handle, a temperature sensor and a basket including a plurality of spines, the spines carrying an electrode for delivering treatment energy to a tissue site. The temperature sensor senses temperature near a distal end of the electrode. The basket is movable between a non-expanded low profile condition and an expanded condition and the electrode is movable from a first position to an extended position. The storage medium is formatted to contain an identification code uniquely assigned to the device for registration of the device if absence of prior use is determined.

Use of medical devices intended to treat or diagnose conditions of the body can sometimes generate stress on the material or materials from which the devices are made. The material stress can alter the physical characteristics of the devices, making future performance of the devices unpredictable.
In addition, exposure to blood and tissue during use can entrap biological components on or within many medical devices. Despite cleaning and subsequent sterilization, the presence of entrapped biological components can lead to unacceptable pyrogenic reactions.
The effects of material stress and damage caused during a single use of a medical device, coupled with the possibility of pyrogen reactions even after resterilization, reasonably justify imposing a single use restriction upon many medical devices

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling use of medical devices


Methods are disclosed of generating a visible image of an object or scene under study. At least a portion of the object or scene under study is illuminated with light outside a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum. Light scattered by the object or scene under study is received. The received light is spectroscopically analyzed for volume elements of the object or scene under study. A respective qualitative feature of the object or scene under study is identified at least one of the volume elements. Visible light is propagated to the at least one of the volume elements according to the respective qualitative feature of the object or scene under study at the at least one of the volume elements.

This application relates generally to imaging. More specifically, this application relates to imaging objects or scenes electromagnetically using radiation with frequencies outside the visual spectrum.
Many methods of acquiring information about objects and/or scenes rely on the same fundamental process: the object or scene is irradiated and the response of the object or scene to the radiation is detected. This may be performed using a variety of different types of radiation, including the very familiar electromagnetic and acoustic radiation, as well as less common forms of radiation such as electron-beam, neutron beam, proton-beam, pion-beam, and other types of radiation. In addition to the ability to use these different types of radiation to extract information about objects, it is possible to detect different response when the energy of the radiation is changed.
Electromagnetic and acoustic radiation are especially familiar because they are the two forms of radiation that are most relied on by human beings in acquiring information about objects in the form of vision and hearing. The human sense of vision represents nothing more than the use of the human eye and related neurological structure as an electromagnetic detector that is sensitive to certain wavelengths of light. When an object is illuminated by light, it reflects the light in ways that the human eye can detect to provide information that the human brain may use to ascertain the type of material of the object, its shape, its texture, and so on. Human hearing functions in the same way, with the ear and related neurological structure acting as an acoustic detector sensitive to certain wavelengths of sound. When an object is irradiated by sound, the object reflects the sound in ways that the human ear can used to provide information usable by the human brain for similar kinds of analyses.
One limitation to both human vision and hearing is that the detection range provided by the human eye and ear are relatively narrow. Many objects respond to electromagnetic and/or acoustic radiation at wavelengths that are outside the ability of human senses to detect. For example, it is well known that only certain human tissue is transparent at x-ray wavelengths while other tissue is opaque, causing x-ray illumination to be a very widely used diagnostic tool. Similarly, the use of ultrasonic acoustic waves permits diagnostic information to be acquired that is not directly possible using human senses.
But while it is possible to cause objects to generate a response using radiation outside the detection range of human senses, that response must often still ultimately be evaluated by human beings who remain limited by their biological sensory range. This is true, for instance, in cases where the information is used in medical diagnostics and treatment. For example, the use of x-rays and ultrasound can provide information to a physician about the presence of a malignancy, but only when the information is converted into a form that can be understood by the physician. This is most commonly done by rendering an image in the visual spectrum that corresponds to the object and presenting this image on a planar surface, such as on a screen or a piece of paper. The image is then viewed independently of the original object and inferences are made about the original object.
This general approach has had much success in providing such things as x-ray images that may be viewed by physicians before they begin surgeries, and the like. But the approach is inherently limited by divorcing the generated image from the object being imaged in space and in time. There is accordingly a need in the art for improved methods of imaging objects using radiation outside the range of direct human detection.


An intelligent bridge acceleration method and system based on a dual-communication device. By monitoring the online interactive application initiates a link at a household client-side, the data link is intercepted and the data packet is forwarded to the dual-communication device in the same LAN. WiFi is used as a primary path to perform data transmit-receive operations and a transmission quality monitoring mechanism is enabled. When an abnormal data transmit-receive through the WiFi is monitored via the transmission quality monitoring mechanism, a packet loss compensation strategy of a mobile data network is started; and the mobile data network is used as a secondary path for the data transmit-receive. When the data transmit-receive becomes normal, the data transmit-receive operations through the secondary path are stopped. Subsequently, the WiFi is continued to be used as the primary path to perform data transmit-receive operations, and the WiFi quality monitoring is continued to be performed.

With the continuous development and progress of Internet technology, online interactive applications have become one of the essential ways for learning, entertainment and even work for millions of users. According to incomplete statistics, in order to facilitate the learning and entertainment life at home, about 70% or more of users install the client-side in a household device that only works through a WiFi network. Since online interaction relies on network transmission, the WiFi network with a poor quality will directly affect the interaction effect of online applications. However, in practical applications, many users have been troubled with the situation that the online interaction cannot be successfully completed due to the poor WiFi network, which brings a poor experience to the users, and at the same time causes a great loss to the service providers. Therefore, how to achieve a stable and real-time network transmission becomes an urgent problem to be solved.

Intelligent bridge acceleration method and system based on dual-communication device

Sichuan Subao Network Technology Co., Ltd.


Device for detecting information which is contained in a phosphor layer, with multiple individual radiation sources for emitting stimulation light incident upon the phosphor layer along a stimulation line and suitable for stimulating emission light in the phosphor layer, and a detector for detecting the emission light which is stimulated in the phosphor layer. To ensure the highest possible quality of the detected image, an elongated concave mirror is provided, for focusing the stimulation light emitted by the individual radiation sources onto the phosphor layer.

Devices for detecting information which is contained in a phosphor layer are used in the field of computer radiography (CR), particularly for medical purposes. X-ray images are recorded in a phosphor layer, X-ray radiation which passes through an object, for instance a patient, being stored as a latent image in the phosphor layer. To read out the latent image, the phosphor layer is irradiated with stimulation light and thus stimulated to emit emission light, which corresponds to the latent image which is stored in the phosphor layer. The emission light is detected by an optical detector and converted into electrical signals, which are processed further as required, and presented on a monitor or an appropriate output device, e.g., a printer.
From the prior art, devices in which the stimulation light from a light source is focused on a linear area of the phosphor layer are known. For focusing, in general cylinder lenses are used. However, in cases in which the light source is formed by multiple individual radiation sources, there is the problem that the sharpness of the stimulation line on which the stimulation line bundles emitted from the individual radiation sources are focused, varies along the stimulation line depending on the distance of the individual radiation sources. For instance, an equidistant arrangement of the individual radiation sources results in a periodic variation of the sharpness of the stimulation line. The breadth of the stimulation line on the phosphor layer also varies with the sharpness of the focusing of the stimulation light. This affects the image quality, since for this the sharpest possible delimitation of the stimulation line is required.

Device for detecting information contained in a phosphor layer


A method of building an application response message can include receiving a master file specifying a message format for populating a particular data object of an application. The master document can specify element names which correspond to fields of the data object. A technique for mapping particular data items specified by at least one flat file to the element names specified in the master file can be determined; and a markup language representation of the data object can be generated according to the determined mapping technique and the specified message format.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of data processing, and more particularly, to formatting data into markup language representations of data objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many issues can arise when integrating data between two or more applications. This is especially true when integrating data from different enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and/or applications. For example, one application may utilize data objects for interacting with other applications while another application may store data in flat file form. If data is to be shared among the two applications, the data within the flat file must be converted or translated into a data object. Flat files, however, can be difficult to process due to the many possible data formats and file encodings.
One type of flat file, a comma separated value (CSV) file, consists of data organized in rows and columns with each element being separated by a comma. In a standard CSV file, all required data for an instance of an ERP data object is located in a row of a single CSV file. The column headers in the CSV file correspond to the field names in the ERP data object. For example, the structure of a CSV file typically is as follows: the first line contains the encoding of the file, the second line contains the column headers, and the third line contains the data associated with an individual occurrence of an ERP data object.
CSV files, however, do not always exist in standard format. Rather, numerous file format alternatives exist. For example, the data associated with a particular ERP data object may be contained in more than one CSV file. Other variations from the standard file format include cases in which CSV column names do not match the field names of the ERP object. Still, in other cases, CSV column data may map to multiple fields in the ERP object.
Integration service teams have developed several different techniques for dealing with the many different CSV file format variations. One technique has been to develop custom code to capture data from both standard and non-standard CSV file formats to subsequently populate ERP data objects. This technique provides streamline code which performs only those functions which are necessary to populate the ERP data objects. As a result, custom coded solutions often provide improved runtime performance. Still, limitations do exist. Specifically, developing custom code for each interface or engagement of different applications can be both time consuming and error prone. Additionally, the implementation and maintenance of custom code may require the customer to employ information technology (IT) support personnel. Finally, custom code may prove difficult to modify in the event that the ERP system is enhanced or expanded at some point in the future.
Another technique has been to capture ERP meta data within a database repository. Under this technique, rather than using custom code to generate data mappings, a graphical user interface (GUI) tool is provided for mapping the CSV file data to the appropriate fields of the ERP data object. As is known to those skilled in the art, meta data can provide a description of an interface to an application, in this case an ERP system data object. One benefit of the database technique is that all of the ERP system meta data is contained within a central repository.
The database technique does have disadvantages. In particular, to first load CSV data into a database, a mapping of each ERP system object first must be created. Additionally, the use of a database introduces another potential point of failure into a system. Another disadvantage of the database technique is that the overall runtime performance of a system decreases because of the frequent calls to the database to access the ERP system meta data.

Standards-based formatting of flat files into markup language representations


A method of making an ophthalmological implant by applying a layer of pharmaceutical agent and an overlying layer of a bioerodible material, a biodegradable material, a bloavailable material or a mixture thereof, the overlying layer having variable thickness and being dimensioned for prolonged release of the pharmaceutical agent from the implant as the overlying layer degrades.

Currently available delivery systems for intraocular therapeutics are generally limited to 1) drops, which carry issues of expense, inconvenience, patient noncompliance (by overuse, underuse, or inappropriate frequency of use) as well as difficulty for delivery of the medications by certain patients (especially those with arthritic conditions who cannot manipulate the vials properly); 2) injections; and 3) bulky intravitreal implants placed within the vitreous cavity of the eye, requiring incisions in the eye and delicate manipulations of the vitreous gel .
There is a need to provide an efficient technique and device for introducing a pharmaceutical agent into the eye, particularly for sustained release following a surgical procedure. In another aspect, there is a need to provide an effective and convenient mechanism to deliver antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antiglaucomatous, or other pharmaceuticals to the intraocular environment for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, particularly following cataract or clear lens removal surgeries.
In yet another aspect, there is a need for an implant having applied thereto one or a plurality of sustained release pharmaceutical agents in a manner such that over time the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical agent (or agents) becomes bioavailable within an eye.
The following items may be relevant to the present invention and are hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,853,224; 5,273,751; 5,375,611; 5,401,880; 5,569,463; 5,616,122; 5,624,704; 5,843,184; 5,876,438; 5,902,283; 6,162,487; and 6,322,592.

Sustained release ophthalmological device and method of making and using the same


A floating-point division circuit for performing division on floating-point data using a non-recovery type division method is disclosed. The floating-point division circuit includes a circuit portion for conducting a pre-division processing and pattern determination on a dividend and a divisor, an exponent operation portion, a mantissa division portion, and a quotient generating portion, further including either or both of an exception/non-operation detecting portion and a control portion. The exception/non-operation detecting portion generates a stop signal when detecting a non-operation pattern so as to stop a repetition of operations in the mantissa division portion. The control portion generates either a non-executional signal or a control signal so as to stop a latch operation during a period when no instruction for division is executed.

A floating-point division circuit executes an instruction for division by repeating a recursive procedure defined by the following equation. EQU R (j + 1) = r .times. R (j) - q.sub.j + 1 .times. D (1)
In the above equation, j represents an exponent of a recurrence formula and is either 0 or an integer in the range of 1 to n-1, D a divisor, q.sub.j + 1 a (j + 1)th quotient digit counting from a decimal point (q.sub.0 is a sign), n a digit length of a quotient, r a radix, r .times. R (j) a partial dividend before the (j + 1)th quotient digit is determined, R (j + 1) a partial remainder after the (j + 1)th quotient digit is determined, R (0) a dividend (initial value of the partial dividend), R (n) a final remainder.
The quotient Q is expressed by a series of (n + 1) quotient digits q.sub.0 - q.sub.n, as shown in the following equation. EQU Q = q.sub.0, q.sub.1, q.sub.2, . . . , q.sub.n - 1, q.sub.n( 2)
Accordingly, most of the time needed for an execution of a division is spent on a repetition of the above-mentioned recursive procedure. One approach to reduce the repetitions of this recursive procedure, so that division is speedily performed, is known as a non-recovery type division method. In this non-recovery type division method, attention is paid to the fact that a set of quotients used for generating a quotient digit q.sub.j + 1 could be a set of signed quotients not including 0, before selecting the quotient digit from the quotient set. Assuming that r is a radix, the above-mentioned set of signed quotients can be given by: EQU -0 (r - 1), - (r-2), . . . , -1, +1, . . . , r-2, r-1
This non-recovery type division method is characterized in that negative numbers are allowed to represent digits of the result of an operation by not recovering a reversal from positive to negative dividend, the reversal arising when determining each digit of the result of the operation; and that the divisor or a multiple of the divisor is added to or subtracted from the digit, depending on the sign of the dividend; the method is hence called a separation method.
In this method, a quotient is obtained by first placing, in a divisor register, a data for a multiple of the divisor that is k times the divisor (obtained by multiplying the divisor by each quotient of the above-mentioned set of signed quotients), selecting the above-mentioned divisor register on the basis of a prediction signal output from a quotient predicting device, and repeating addition or subtraction of the multiple of the divisor that is k times the divisor.
One variation of this non-recovery type division method, employed when a faster and more accurate division is to be performed, is known as a large-radix non-recovery division method that reduces the number of loops of division by increasing the radix r so that the number of bits that serve as an operation unit is relatively large.
A division circuit of this configuration can speed up an operation of a vector processor by having a division circuit running parallel with an addition circuit, a subtraction circuit, and a multiplication circuit. It should be noted, however, that addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division circuits do not receive an operation instruction all the time; there are times when they are not performing any operation. Electric power could be wasted because even when these circuits are at rest and performing no operations, merely inputting a clock signal thereto activates the circuits.
Accordingly, at a period of time when the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division circuits are at rest and performing no operations, internal data in each circuit is maintained in a fixed status by omitting the latching of an input data by means of an input latch; power consumption is controlled by controlling the switching of transistors contained in each circuit.
In a division circuit employing a large-radix non-recovery type division method, the switching of transistors contained in the circuit cannot be controlled merely by fixing an input data by means of an input latch carried out in the absence of a division instruction, because the above-mentioned separation method is employed in this method in order to obtain a higher operation speed and is configured such that loops are executed internally. Thus, unlike the other circuits, the division circuit is not capable of keeping, even in the absence of a division instruction, the switching operations of the transistors therein from being performed due to an input clock, the switching operations being carried out just as when an instruction for division is input. Thus it is not only that power consumption cannot be controlled, power consumption even increases because the clock frequency therein is set at a high rate for speedy operation.
The present invention was developed in view of the above disadvantage and has an object of providing a floating-point division circuit in which the above disadvantage is eliminated by halting the operation of a quotient generating portion at least when no instruction for division is input.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating-point division circuit capable of outputting, when a pattern that is not of an arithmetic operation is detected during execution of an instruction for division, a prescribed pattern after halting an operation of a quotient generating portion.


A power bucket is disclosed having a first and second bucket half, each forming a scoop. The bucket halves are pivotally secured together along their top so that the bucket halves are movable between an open position and a closed position. A pair of bearing assemblies is provided for pivotally securing the bucket halves together with the bearing assemblies being provided on opposite sides of the bucket halves. Each bearing assembly includes a cylindrical body having a smaller diameter pin extending coaxially outwardly from one side. The pin is positioned within an opening in the first bucket half and the cylindrical body is removably secured to the first bucket half by bolts. The cylindrical body of the bearing assembly is also positioned within a circular opening formed through the other bucket half so that the bucket halves can pivot relative to each other. An improved cantilevered axle assembly is also disclosed for the bucket closure line.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power bucket.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There are many previously known power buckets, oftentimes called clamshell buckets, comprising two bucket halves, each of which forms a scoop. The bucket halves are pivotally secured together along their tops so that the bucket halves are movable between an open position and a closed position. A closure line extends around pulleys secured to both bucket halves for moving the bucket halves from the open and to the closed position.
In order to pivotally secure the bucket halves together, it has been the previous practice to utilize an elongated cylindrical pivot pin extending along the entire length of the top of the power bucket. The pivot axle is secured to one of the bucket halves while opposite ends of the axle extend through registering openings formed in the other bucket half.
One disadvantage of this previously known construction, however, is that the pivot axis becomes worn after extended use. Indeed, the pivot pins and/or their connection with the bucket halves constitute the major wear position of the entire power bucket.
When the pivot axle and/or the power bucket halves at their pivotal connection with the axle become unduly worn, replacement of the pivot axle and/or repair of the power bucket halves must be performed. Such repair of the pivotal connection between the bucket halves, however, is not only expensive since it requires major reconstruction of the power bucket, but also results in extended down time for the power bucket.
These previously known power buckets also utilize at least one pulley rotatably mounted to the interior of each bucket half along the center line of the bucket half. A closure line then extends around the pulleys in the bucket halves to selectively move the bucket halves between their open and closed position.
In the previously known power buckets, an elongated axle typically extends across the entire width of each bucket half along its interior while the closure pulley is rotatably mounted around the axle. The elongated axles as well as their connection to the opposite sides of their associated bucket halves were previously necessary to ensure against deflection of the closure axles during operation of the power bucket. Such construction, however, was disadvantageous for a number of reasons.
One disadvantage of this previously known power bucket construction was that the closure axle, because it necessarily extended along the entire width of the bucket, was expensive and heavy in construction.
A still further disadvantage of this previously known construction is that the closure axles interfered with cleaning of the interior of the bucket. Such cleaning of the interior of the bucket, moreover, is required where the bucket is used in environmental cleanup operations.


An implant device for bone anchored hearing aids of the type that include a screw-shaped anchoring element for anchorage in the bone tissue, an abutment sleeve for skin penetration and arranged to be connected to the fixture with a screw connection and a tool for installing the implant into the bone tissue. The fixture and the abutment sleeve are made as a pre-mounted unit that unit is arranged to be installed in one step by means of the tool, which is arranged to cooperate with a tool engaging portion on the abutment sleeve. This arrangement requires fewer pieces to handle for the surgeon during the installation, which means that the surgical procedure can be carried out in a simpler and predetermined way, at the same time as the advantages inherent in a two-piece implant device are maintained.

For persons who cannot benefit from traditional, air conduction hearing aids there are other types of sound transmitting hearing aids on the market, ie bone anchored hearing aids which mechanically transmit the sound information to a persons inner ear via the skull bone by means of a vibrator. The hearing aid device is connected to an anchoring element in the form of an implanted titanium screw installed in the bone behind the external ear and the sound is transmitted via the skull bone to the cochlea (inner ear), ie the hearing aid works irrespective of a disease in the middle ear or not. The bone anchoring principle means that the skin is penetrated which makes the vibratory transmission very efficient.
This type of hearing aid device has been a revolution for the rehabilitation of patients with certain types of impaired hearing. It is very convenient for the patient and almost invisible with normal hair styles. It can easily be connected to the implanted titanium fixture by means of a bayonet coupling or a snap in coupling. One example of this type of hearing aid device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,461 and it is also referred to the BAHA® bone anchored hearing aid marketed by Entific Medical Systems in Göteborg.
The fixtures which are used today for the bone anchored hearing aid devices are normally designed in such a way that a screw tap is required to form an internal thread in the hole drilled in the skull bone before the screw is inserted. One example of such a fixture is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 294,295. This fixture has an external thread with small cutting edges which have a scraping effect in the pre-tapped bone hole. The fixture has also a flange which functions as a stop against the bone surface when the fixture is screwed down into the skull bone. The flange is also in this case provided with through holes for bone ingrowth or the like.
However, it is also previously known to use self-tapping fixtures for the hearing aids. The advantage with that type of fixtures is that they can be inserted without the use of any screw tap, see SE 0002627-8. The installation of the implant is then much easier as at least one tool and one step in the installation procedure of the implant is eliminated.
The implants which are used on the market today are normally in two pieces, one piece consists of the screw-shaped anchoring element (fixture) and the other piece consists of the abutment sleeve for skin penetration. The reason for this two-piece design is the fact that the surgical technique which normally has been used for installing the implants has been carried out as a two-step procedure. In the first step the fixture is inserted and maintained unloaded during a healing period of some months or so. After this healing period the second step of the surgical procedure, ie the connection of the abutment sleeve by means of a screw connection, is carried out.
Thanks to this two-part design the implants can be up-graded if necessary without removing the fixture, and if the abutment sleeve is damaged then it can also be replaced without need of removal of the bone anchored screw.
The disadvantage with these two-part implants is the fact that the number of individual pieces to handle is increased and thereby the surgery time. Normally the fixture is installed by means of a so-called fixture mount which is attached to the fixture by means of a screw joint and the fixture mount has to be removed after the fixture has been inserted. After this moment the abutment sleeve has to be attached in correct position to the fixture by means of a very small screw, either directly after the insertion of the fixture or after a suitable healing period. In both cases there is a risk that the abutment sleeve is attached to the fixture with a too small tightening torque (then there is a risk that the screw joint is loosening) or a too big tightening torque (then there is a risk that the anchorage of the fixture screw in the bone is jeopardized).
By SE 9702164-6 it is previously known to integrate a flange fixture with a first coupling part so that an integral one-piece member is formed. The disadvantage with such an integral implant is the fact that a deformation zone has to be arranged between the flange fixture part and the coupling part of the implant. This deformation zone has at the same time the function of a dismounting zone within which the first coupling part can be separated from the implant by means of a specific tool (cylindric cutter) if a dismounting of the main parts of the implant should be necessary. In order to be able to re-connect the parts with each other it is necessary to provide a washer to bridge the milled away portion of the implant. The simplified installation procedure with such an implant is then counteracted by the complicated procedure which is required if a dismounting should be necessary.


In adaptive resending request control method and system in mobile radio communications, a reception side measures a line state in a line of a radio section, and selects, in accordance with the measurement result, the optimum packet resending control period from an association table of measurement values and packet resending control periods stored in advance to renew the control state and make the resending control period variable so that an excellent delay characteristic can be achieved. In accordance with the line state of the radio section, the highest precision line state measuring method can be selected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adaptive resending request control system in mobile radio communications for controlling the data transmission speed in mobile radio communications in accordance with the state of a communication line to achieve the optimum transmission speed and delay characteristic that satisfy the required quality.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional mobile radio communications, an error correction coding system for carrying out self-correction (hereinafter referred to as "FEC" (forward error correction)) and an automatic repeat request system for resending data from a transmission side when a data transmission error occurs at a reception side (hereinafter referred to as "ARQ" (automatic repeat request)) are known as a method of implementing error free data transmission. Further, a hybrid ARQ system comprising the combination of FEC and ARQ is also known.
For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. Hei-7-67175has proposed, as a prior art, a system of controlling the transmission speed stepwise in accordance with the line state (the line condition). FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the control operation in this system.
Data transmission is started in control step 32, and it is judged in control step 33 whether the transmission speed is equal to the highest speed (9600 bps) or not. If the judgment in the control step 33 is "YES", then it is judged in control step S34 whether there is any resending request or not. If there is a resending request, the resending processing is carried out in control step 35 and the resending frequency (the number of times of the resending) is counted. If it is judged in control step 36 that the resending frequency is equal to N or more, the transmission speed is decremented by one level in control step 37 and set to 4800 bps. Subsequently, resending frequency CNT is cleared in control step 38, storage memory is accessed in control step 39 and mode setting is carried out in control step 40. It is judged in control step 41 whether the transmission is finished or not.
If the judgment in the control step 33 is "No", it is judged in a control step 42 whether correction is impossible. If the judgment in the control step 42 is "Yes", it is judged in control step 44 whether the transmission speed is equal to 4800 bps which is lower than 9600 bps by one level. If the judgement in the control step 44 is "Yes", a resending request is made in control step 45. On the other hand, if the judgment in the control step 44 is "No", it is judged whether the transmission is finished or not as in the case of the control step 41. If the judgment in the control step 42 is "No", the correction processing is carried out as in the case of the control step 43.
In this system, when a burst error occurs, control steps of several stages are needed until the transmission speed reaches the optimum one because the transmission speed is stepwise controlled. Accordingly, this system has a disadvantage that the control thereof cannot sufficiently follow occurrence of a burst error. Further, the conventional technique has the following disadvantage. That is, since the resending control period is fixed, the delay time of the data resending cannot be controlled and thus the optimum delay characteristic cannot be achieved in accordance with the line state. Further, there is no variation in the measuring method of the line state, and thus high-precision measurement cannot performed on some line states.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. Sho-64-42944 discloses a device for detecting a bit error rate by line quality detecting means and varying the coding rate in accordance with the detection result in a packet communication device having an error correcting function. According to this technical concept, the coding rate or the type of the coding is varied in accordance with the line quality, and if the line quality is excellent, the information amount is increased to achieve an effective use of the line. According to this system, the information speed is variable, however, the transmission speed is fixed.
Still furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. Hei-7-336331 discloses a digital radio communication system having means of grasping the line state on the basis of the resending frequency or the bit error rate measured and changing the coding rate of the error correction coding in accordance with the line state. Further, with respect to a code division multiple access system (CDMA system), it also discloses a system for varying the coding rate in accordance with a traffic amount and a system of measuring the line bit error rate and varying the coding rate in accordance with the measurement result. As a result, it concludes that these systems can vary the coding rate to the optimum state in accordance with the line state and achieve the optimum throughput in the line state. In this case, there is a disadvantage that it takes a long time to grasp the line state on the basis of the resending frequency, and data of a predetermined pattern must be transmitted before packet transmission in order to measure the bit error rate.

System for adaptive resending request control in mobile radio communications