A streaming media assessment system comprises assessment servers, media clients, data collection points, helper agents, and report servers. An assessment tool is downloaded or otherwise installed on an end-user client machine and associated with its media player. An assessment server is in communication with the assessment tool over the network and can send control messages to conduct tests and gather information from the assessment tool. The client machine media player is controlled to stop and start by the assessment tool and it will provide measurements that can be forwarded to the assessment servers. Analyses are then produced by the assessment servers of the actual media streams that were received by many such client machine media players. The report servers issue various formatted reports for the system's sponsors and subscribers.

The Internet is now being use to "broadcast" or carry continuous video and audio program streams. But the nature of the Internet is that packets of data are individually launched toward the recipient, without any guarantee of delivery time or delivery at all. So long data streams can experience problems at the receiving end because they must be broken up into packets. Such packets can be corrupted, late in arriving, or missing altogether.
The type of streaming media involved will determine how sensitive the content is to these transmission defects. Some error detection and recovery schemes can be used to detect and fill in some of the holes in the received data streams. The Internet itself between a particular point-A and point-B can introduce communication problems on the data streams too.
Various Internet users need to know how well the Internet is performing and how well the content is surviving the transmission. Sometimes this information is needed before actually sending a program or requesting it, and sometimes the need-to-know is post-transmission. For example, broadcasters and Internet Service Providers (ISP's) need to assess actual delivery quality of the program to the consumer.
Absent requiring manual feedback from the user, the prior art does not do a good job of assessing streaming media quality from the end-user's perspective. In conventional systems, the data collection, test setup, and data analysis tasks are not fully automated. An automated tool is needed that is compatible with commercial client-side media player applications and that evaluates the actual media streams in use.
Conventional software measures and assesses streaming media quality from the transmission source, or some mid-point along the way to the consumer. The prior art does not generally provide open interfaces or linkage to other management and assessment systems. For example, NetIQ Corporation's CHARIOT product uses specialized endpoints that send and receive synthetic traffic to emulate real media servers and receivers, in packet size and rate. See, www.netiq.com. But such tool cannot assess stream start-up delay, player stall, or other characteristics relevant to actual media clients. It is not scalable, and it cannot interpret or adequately aggregate data for high-level representations of stream quality.
BroadStream (Woodland Hills, Calif.) markets audience metrics, performance assurance, diversified delivery networks, media services, and professional services. See, www.broadstream.com. A software application of theirs monitors the quality of streaming media and can adjust it on-the-fly if the software detects a problem. If one delivery network fails, the stream can be re-routed without significantly affecting the end user. The software generates a report regarding the end-user's experience and behavior during the Webcast. The BroadStream software reports on how well a Webcast transmission is being received, who's watching it, and for how long.
The audience metrics service assesses the content quality at its destination and how many people received it. The BroadStream.com service downloads a JAVA applet to the client that looks at actual end-user activity and data quality, and reports a quality assessment back to the content producers. But such requires end-user involvement. It does not do independent testing or fault isolation, and it requires clients to communicate to a single central service location on the Internet. No authentication mechanism or control by the end user is provided to disable the assessment and the associated information collection.
Streamcheck (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) provides services that operate similar to those of Broadstream. See, www.streamcheck.com. A subjective measurement is generated from measurements of the initial connection and total stream buffering time, as compared to total playback time. Streamcheck does only scheduled tests on pre-submitted media streams and uses synthetic test clients.
Keynote Systems, Inc., (San Mateo, Calif.) provides products that measure the streaming media quality at locations along the Internet backbone using actual client applications. STREAMING PERSPECTIVE is a performance measurement service for measuring the quality of streaming audio and video on the Internet. The service is a completely outsourced way to measure, assure, compare, diagnose and improve the performance of streaming content. See, www.keynote.com. However, such is limited to test-mode functionality only. They do not measure desktop performance as seen by the actual end-users.
Lariat Software (Sunnyvale, Calif.) markets their MEDIA REPORTS product that includes network and server reports focused on packet delivery statistics, delivery efficiency, server errors and files causing server errors, server capacity statistics. Such information is used to understand how servers are delivering content, and to spot delivery problems and file errors. These reports provide server usage patterns for maintenance scheduling and analyzing needs for infrastructure server and licenses investment. See, www.lariat.com/mediarep/index.htm. MEDIA REPORTS gets information from the log files of media servers to provide an assessment of stream quality. Such techniques are proprietary, and are not open to general integration into a complete assessment service. They do not provide for testing and fault isolation independent of end-user cooperation, and cannot accurately assess quality as seen at the client.
Real-time transport protocol (RTP) for media streaming is related to real-time control protocol (RTCP) that reports on the quality of received streams from the client. See, H. Schulzrinne, S. Casner, R. Frederick, and V. Jacobson, "RTP: A Transport Protocol for Real-Time Applications," IETF RFC 1889, January 1996. The RTCP protocol is not very scalable, and is generally disabled in real production deployments of the media servers and players that include standard RTP. The commercially popular servers and players do not fully support standard RTP.
RealNetworks' REALPLAYER (www.real.com), Microsoft's WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER, and other proprietary media players, support quality feedback agents that attempt to adjust stream server characteristics. Generally, such agents work with the server to enable lower bit-rate media streams, and are not provided for general fault diagnosis.
Recent prior art has focused on instrumenting client-side media players in order to assess the quality of received video streams. For example, Y. Wang, M. Claypool, and Z. Zuo, published "An Empirical Study of RealVideo Performance Across the Internet," Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM Internet Measurement Workshop 2001, San Francisco, Calif., November 2001, that studies user-perceived video quality using an instrumented version of RealPlayer. The application is fully user-controlled, but it requires the user to manually rate their perception of the video quality once a clip has played.
D. Loguinov and H. Radha, describe in "Measurement Study of Low-Bitrate Internet Video Streaming," Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM Internet Measurement Workshop 2001, San Francisco, Calif., November 2001, a measurement study of streaming video to dial-up modem clients that uses instrumented MPEG-4 receivers. The video client used measured network/path and packet statistics without mapping such metrics to the received video quality as perceived by the user.
The mapping between objective measurements and subjective video quality for MPEG-1 and Windows Media clips over a DiffServ network is described by W. Ashmawi, R. Guerin, S. Wolf, and M. H. Pinson, in "On the Impact of Policing and Rate Guarantees in Diff-Serv Networks: A Video Streaming Application Perspective," Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM'01, San Diego, Calif., August 2001, pp. 83–95. The mapping measures both the sent and received video streams to extract key parameters that are then compared in building a subjective quality score. The software depends on knowing about both the sent and received video streams. The quality score calculation is done off-line, and not in real-time as the stream is playing.

Steaming media quality assessment system

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A carburetion system for an internal combustion engine includes fuel vaporizing gun which operates as a heat exchanger with heat from the engine exhaust manifold. The system may be manually or automatically operative when hot exhaust gases from the engine heat the gun to sufficient temperatures for vaporizing the fuel. A vapor fuel shut-off valve positioned on the vapor line to the engine intake ports regulates the air to gas mixture to a ratio of between 15 and 16 to 1, for maximum combustion, increased fuel mileage and reduced emissions.

Various fuel systems directed to increased efficiency for internal combustion engines exist in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,191, to Walcker, includes a fuel processing unit with a helical wound heat exchange tubing and surrounding fine wire mesh screen. Liquid fuel flows downward by gravity over the hot wire mesh screen heated by the coiled tubing to vaporize the fuel. The vapor fuel is mixed with air and sent to the engine intake manifold. Since the fuel is gravity fed with resultant limited vapor conversion, Walcker may be impractical.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,538 to Harpman, describes a device which simultaneously vaporizes gasoline and water in a multi-chambered heated pressure vessel with built in regulators for controlling pressure and volume. This device also lacks control of vapor production with resultant limited vapor production, such that operation is limited to speeds near 35 m.p.h.
The hot fuel gas generator disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,419, also to Harpman, simultaneously vaporizes gasoline and water, and includes a metering valve for adding air to the gaseous fuel. Vapor conversion from this device is limited, because the vaporizing means is an electronic resistance heating element. This device may also be impractical due to uncontrolled mixing of air and fuel vapor and inefficient delivery of the vapor fuel through a passageway of a tube and a metering valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,797, to Jackson and Arndt, includes a fuming tank for providing a fumed fuel-air mixture to the carburetor. The fumed fuel is prepared by passing a vortex of air through a diffusing member and across the surface of the liquid fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,712, also to Jackson and Arndt, discloses an electronic monitoring and control system to monitor combustion of the vaporized fuel and air mixture, for increased responsiveness to the engine's demand for fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,286, also to Jackson and Arndt, further discloses a vaporous gasoline aspiration system and fuming tank, wherein some vanes of the dispersing members are curved in opposite directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,075 to Jackson, Arndt and Maynard, provides electronic means co-acting with the engine and fuel system, including monitoring of the manifold vacuum, oxygen content of exhaust gases, engine coolant temperatures, engine throttle signal, output fuel signal and output air signal, for responsiveness to the engine's operative load and for controlling the fuel to air intake ratio.
However, none of the above prior art teaches the efficient, direct heating of liquid fuel by surrounding the vapor line with hot gases from the engine exhaust manifold, and employing those extremely hot gases as a means for vaporizing the fuel. The vaporizing mechanisms of the prior art do not produce vapor fuel rapidly enough to accommodate the widely divergent fuel requirements of state-of-the-art engines. Generally, the volume of vapor fuel created in prior art devices is insufficient; the means for mixing air and vapor fuel is uncontrolled; and the means for delivery of the vapor fuel to the engine is inefficient.


The present invention relates to a novel dermal filler composition and a method for preparing the same. Even though the composition of the present invention comprises, as a main component, only cross-linked dextran having the molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000, the composition can rapidly augment a detective area of the skin and maintain softness to the touch even, the composition eliminates the necessity of a pretreatment, such as an allergy test, which might otherwise be required prior to injection, is inexpensive, and is not easily decomposed or absorbed in vivo, thereby stably maintaining the tissue-volume augmentation effects after injection over a long period of time.

The present invention relates to a novel dermal filler composition and a method of preparing the same, in which the composition can rapidly give any shapes by being injected into the body via a syringe.
Soft tissues of the human body maintain their structures by an extracellular matrix including protein, such as collagen and elastin, and glycosaminoglycan. When the defects of the soft tissues are caused by congenital factors, external stimulations, pathological factors, and the like, their shapes have been restored and reformed by inserting body tissues or synthetic polymer chemical materials into a relevant part to expand the soft tissues. Meanwhile, the material to be used for an improvement in wrinkles, a reformation in outline, and the like by injecting a component that is similar to skin tissues into a specific part via a syringe to expand the soft tissues, is generally called a dermal filler or a filler. The dermal fillers may be classified into the following two types depending on a functional mechanism for effect. One is the dermal filler, in which an injected material has the effect of expanding through a direct tissue-volume augmentation, and the other is the dermal filler, in which the injected material stimulates the materials to newly produce autologous tissues, such as collagen, around an injection part to exhibit the tissue-volume augmentation effect, in addition to the direct tissue-volume augmentation effect by the injected material.
In addition, dermal fillers may also be classified into the following three types depending on an effectual period.
Dermal fillers can be classified into the following types: first, a dermal filler is rapidly decomposed and absorbed within one year; second, a dermal filler has the period of decomposition longer than that of the dermal filler rapidly decomposed and absorbed within one year, but is eventually decomposed and absorbed; and third, a dermal filler is not decomposed, but is permanently maintained in vivo.
Collagen, hyaluronic acid, and the like, which are most frequently used now as a main component of the dermal filler, are corresponded to the dermal filler which is rapidly decomposed and absorbed within one year while exhibiting the effect of expanding by direct increasing a tissue-volume. Polyacrylamide components are corresponded to the dermal filler which is not decomposed but is permanently maintained in vivo while exhibiting the effect of expanding by directly increasing the tissue-volume. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) corresponds to the dermal filler which is not decomposed and thus is permanently maintained in vivo while stimulating materials to newly produce autologous tissues, such as collagen, around an injection part to exhibit the tissue-volume augmentation effect, in addition to a direct tissue-volume augmentation effect by an injected material. And also, cross-linked dextran corresponds to the dermal filler which has the period of the decomposition longer than that of the dermal filler rapidly decomposed and absorbed within one year, but is eventually decomposed and absorbed, while stimulating the materials to newly produce autologous tissues, such as collagen, around the injection part to exhibit the tissue-volume augmentation effect in addition to the direct tissue-volume augmentation effect by the injected material.
The preferable dermal filler is required to have the following several conditions. First, it should have excellent biocompatibility and be safe; second, it should be practically a small burden because of a low cost; and third, a tissue-volume augmentation effect of grafted area should be continued over a long period of time, i.e., at least 2 years.
As the dermal filler currently in use, there are many products having collagen or hyaluronic acid, respectively, as a main component. First, as the dermal fillers having collagen as a main component, EVOLENCE 30 (Trademark of dermal filler available from ColBar LifeScience) having porcine collagen as a main component, Zyderm or Zyplast (Trademarks of dermal filler available from Inamed) having bovine collagen as a main component, CosmoDerm or CosmoPlast (Trademarks of dermal filler available from Inamed) having human collagen as a main component, and the like are known. As the dermal fillers having hyaluronic acid as a main component, Rofilan (Trademark of dermal filler available from Rofil/Philoderm), Perlane and Restrylane (Trademarks of dermal filler available from Medicis/Q-Med AB-), Teosyal (Trademark of dermal filler available from Teoxane SA), Surgiderm (Trademark of dermal filler available from Corneal Laboratoire), and the like are known. However, the dermal fillers having only collagen or hyaluronic acid as a main component are expensive, but their effect continuance times are very short. Therefore, their actual applications are limited in a clinical field.
Moreover, there are MATRIDEX and CRM Dx (Trademarks of dermal filler available from BioPolymer GmbH & Co. KG) having hyaluronic acid and cross-linked dextran (DEAE Sephadex) as a main component for products having a little longer effect continuance time. In the case of the dermal filler consisting of hyaluronic acid and cross-linked dextran particles as a main component, a tissue-volume augmentation effect is immediately caused after injection, the hyaluronic acid is decomposed and absorbed over 6 to 12 months, and then the empty space produced is filled with autologous collagen newly produced by a stimulation of the cross-linked dextran. The hyaluronic acid is a cellular matrix component between epidermis and dermis; and serves to conjugate cells each other and serves as a lubricant among cells. The hyaluronic acid used in the dermal filler for injection is artificially synthesized. For a period of effect, the hyaluronic acid is eventually decomposed and then disappeared within one year; and the cross-linked dextran is continued for 1 to 2 years that is longer than less than one year and then eventually all of them is decomposed and disappeared. However, the effect is continued a little longer by newly forming an autologous tissue, such as collagen. However, there is a disadvantage that the dermal filler has become so expensive because the hyaluronic acid occupies most of the product.
There is Artefill (Trademark of dermal filler available from Artes Medical Co.) having polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and collagen as a main component for a product having an effect for a longer period of time as compared with the above dermal fillers including the cross-linked dextran. First, bovine collagen is purified and then made in a liquid state; and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is mixed to prepare dermal filler; and then the dermal filler is injected under dermis to maintain a tissue-volume augmentation effect. In the case of the above dermal filler, there is an advantage that the tissue-volume augmentation effect is maintained by producing an augmentation effect immediately after an injection of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and then filling an empty space produced through the decomposition and absorption of the collagen with autologous collagen newly produced by a stimulation of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). However, it is the biggest barrier for an actual clinical application because the used collagen is derived from an animal, i.e., bovine extracts so that a pre-treatment, such as an allergic skin test, is surely required before use. In addition, there are disadvantages that collagen component is very expensive so that financial burdens of patient is greatly increased upon a surgical operation and the collagen component that occupies most of the product volume is excessively rapidly decomposed and absorbed in vivo upon an injection (all of collagen is absorbed only within 3 to 6 weeks) thereby not assuring the volume maintenance through new collagen formation. In addition, since the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) component is not decomposed and thus permanently remains in vivo, there is an indefinite fear for the possibility of side effect in the distant future. For this reasons, its use may be limited.
In addition, US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0233150 by Bourne at al. discloses a composition including polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as a basic polymer and dextran and the like as a carrier for restoring or expanding body tissues. However, as disclosed above, the composition as disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0233150 may have a possibility of side effect because the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) component is not decomposed and permanently remains in vivo. In addition, when cross-linked dextran is injected into tissue, a part thereof functions as augmenting directly a tissue-volume and at the same time, is not eaten by macrophage and causes a foreign reaction in the body for a predetermined period of time so that it can induce an autologous collagen formation for the expansion function. However, the dextran used in the above US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0233150 by Bourne at al. has an disadvantage that it is decomposed within several days after injecting in vivo so that the dextran is only a simple carrier because the dextran cannot have an tissue-volume augmentation effect.
Recently, a dermal filler composition having polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and cross-linked dextran as a main component (Korean Patent No. 10-0759091) has been developed so that some of problems of the dermal fillers in the related art as disclosed above have been improved.
The composition eliminates the necessity of a pretreatment, such as an allergy test, which might otherwise be required prior to injection, is inexpensive, and is not easily decomposed or absorbed in vivo, thereby maintaining the effect thereof over a long period of time. Therefore, the composition is suitable for use in a procedure such as injection penile augmentation which requires the injection of a large amount of dermal filler, i.e., more than 20 cc. However, the composition has a disadvantage that the composition is a little bit hard to the touch when injected under the skin so that the composition is suitable for injection penile augmentation, but not suitable for other wide parts of the human body including the face, which requires more soft touch.
In addition, it is more difficult to put the dermal filler to practical use because of the complication of preparing process due to a mixing process of two major polymers and a difficulty for obtaining permission to use in a human body.
In addition, since polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) component is not decomposed and thus permanently remains in vivo, there is an indefinite fear for the possibility of side effect in the distant future.
Meanwhile, there is no dermal filler that uses only cross-linked dextran as a main component among dermal fillers. The reason is that the cross-linked dextran, which is incidentally used in all of the dermal fillers in the related art, has a molecular weight of less than 30,000 (Product Name: DEAE Sephadex 25); a bead size in a dried state is 40 to 120 μm; a diameter of intermediate value of the bead size is 127 μm when it is hydrated in an aqueous solution of 0.15 M sodium chloride; and a ratio of diameters of hydrated state/dried state is 1.83 (6.1 in a ratio of volumes thereof) so that a tissue-volume augmentation effect is very small; also it is difficult to inject without a carrier and thus a carrier having a volume augmentation effect, such as collagen or hyaluronic acid is required; and touch of injection part is very hard due to a hard capsule produced by a tissue reaction (see FIG. 2). Therefore, there are disadvantages that the cross-linked dextran in the related art is not suitable for being a single main component in filler due to a difficult of injection and a hard touch around the injection part when the cross-linked dextran is used alone and it is surely required to add a material, such as collagen or hyaluronic acid, as a carrier and also a main component.


A flat-blade type wiper apparatus includes: a wiper lip; a spoiler-integrated lever that prevents the wiper lip from floating on the windshield of a vehicle; a vertebra that elastically supports the wiper lip; and an end cap that prevents the wiper lip from slipping in a direction of a length of the vertebra, wherein a cap fixing hole is disposed at one end of the vertebra and passes through an upper surface and a lower surface of the vertebra; a first stopper protrudes from a ceiling surface of the end cap in a downward direction and couples to the cap fixing hole; and a second stopper protrudes from a sidewall of the end cap toward the wiper lip, and prevents the wiper lip from slipping by being accommodated in a coupling groove that is formed in the wiper lip.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a wiper blade apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a flat-blade type wiper apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A blade assembly for cleaning a windshield of a vehicle is an active safety device, as well as device that provides user convenience, which is installed to ensure a driver's view by removing foreign substances or rain drops on a glass surface of the windshield.
Generally, the blade assembly for cleaning the windshield slides on and contacts the vehicle. The blade assembly for cleaning the windshield includes a wiper strip that slides on and contacts the windshield and has rubber elasticity, a vertebra that elastically supports the wiper strip, and a retainer and a coupling apparatus as a coupling assembly for firmly fixing the wiper strip to a wiper arm. Generally, the retainer has a tournament structure, so as to accommodate a deviation in contact between a wiper strip and the windshield, according to a difference in curvature of the windshield between the wiper strip and the retainer. The tournament structure may include a space between the wiper strip and the retainer. Recently, as roads have been improved for high-speed driving, and the performance of a vehicle has been enhanced, a problem of a conventional blade assembly to clean the windshield has been raised. That is, when a wiper apparatus operates while a vehicle is moving at a high speed of 160 km or more, a lift may be exerted on the blade assembly for cleaning the windshield, and the blade assembly for cleaning the windshield may not properly contact the windshield. Thus, the wiper apparatus may not properly wipe the windshield. In order to solve such a problem, there is a need to develop a new blade assembly for cleaning the windshield that does not include a retainer structure.
Recently, a wiper apparatus, referred to as a "flat-blade type wiper apparatus", has drawn attention for preventing floating of a wiper while a vehicle is moving at a high speed.
In the case of the flat-blade type wiper apparatus, a vertebra that supports a wiper lip is formed of a spoiler-integrated lever, and a connector apparatus for connecting a wiper arm to the wiper apparatus is disposed at a center of the vertebra. Korean Patent Publication No. 2011-0074552 discloses an example of the flat-blade type wiper apparatus.
A flat-blade type wiper apparatus generally includes a wiper apparatus and a vertebra, which are coupled to the spoiler-integrated lever. Then, a cover, referred to as an end cap, is installed at both ends of the wiper lip, so that the wiper lip does not slide and detach from the spoiler-integrated lever. The end cap also functions to improve an appearance of the flat-blade type wiper apparatus. However, since a conventional end cap is not directly clipped or fixed to the wiper lip, it may be difficult to replace the wiper lip, or the wiper lip may slip in a direction of a length of the wiper lip, and thus, the wiping performance of the wiper apparatus may deteriorate.
The present invention solves such a problem. The present invention provides a flat-blade type wiper apparatus having an improved end cap structure, so that the wiper lip is effectively supported and firmly coupled to a vertebra. Thus, while the wiper apparatus is operating, the wiper lip may not slip and may be easily replaced.

Flat-blade type wiper apparatus having improved end cap structure


An optical element for correcting aberrations in an optical apparatus has a casing. The casing is filled with liquid and has a support layer and a cover layer designed to pass light of a predetermined wavelength range. The casing accommodates several actuators. Each actuator has a first end supporting the cover layer and a second end supporting the support layer. Each actuator is able to locally change a local distance between the support layer and the cover layer to correct for local aberrations in a light beam directed to the optical element by providing local phase shifts. The optical element may be used in a lithographic apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical element for correction of aberration, and a lithographic apparatus comprising same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system. The projection system includes lenses which each may have aberrations. Such aberrations are typically small, but since device features to be imaged are becoming smaller with each new device generation, the relative influence of the aberrations is also increasing with each new device generation. Aberrations may be spherical and non-spherical. With increasingly smaller dimensions of features sizes, the non-spherical aberrations become of special concern.
These aberrations may be measured by a sensor called an "Integrated Lens Interferometer At Scanner" or briefly "ILIAS" which is an interferometric wavefront measurement system. ILIAS performs (static) measurements on lens aberrations up to Zernicke 36 as are needed for system setup and qualification. ILIAS is an on scanner integrated measurement system used for system setup and calibration. ILIAS is used for monitoring and recalibration of the scanner on a regular basis depending on the machine needs.

Optical element for correction of aberration, and a lithographic apparatus comprising same


A high-pressure plug valve is refurbished by replacing a valve plug, a valve plug cage, and flow path inserts that line a flow path through the plug valve. The valve plug cage has first and second opposed flat side surfaces, each side surface has a port for receiving one of the replaceable flow-path inserts in a fluid-tight seal. In one embodiment, refurbishing the plug valve includes replacing at least one inset seal for sealing at least one of the ports when the plug is in a closed position to inhibit leakage through the valve at low fluid pressures.

Plug valves are used in the oil and gas industry for heating and treating systems, cementing, fracturing and acidizing and other well stimulation applications in which high working pressures and abrasive and/or corrosive fluids are conducted at high flow rates.
Prior art plug valves are subject to wear. However, attempts have been made to permit at least some components in the flow path to be replaced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,825 to Reeves et al., includes a valve body, an insert (or "cage") fitted non-rotatably within the valve body and a plug rotatable within a cylindrical cavity in the cage between an open position, in which fluid flows through the valve, and a closed position, in which fluid flow is obstructed. In the open position, fluid flows through a bore through the plug. In the closed position, the bore in the plug is rotated perpendicular to the flow path and the plug blocks the flow path. When the cage and/or the plug become worn with use, one or both can be replaced without replacing the expensive valve body.
In use, a plug valve is frequently subjected to high pressures, corrosive fluids and abrasive proppants (such as sand, resin-coated sand or sintered bauxite) which tend to erode the components of the plug valve that form the flow path through the valve. As is well known in the art, component wear causes close-fitting components to lose their initial shape, thereby rendering the plug valve more prone to leaking. In order to mitigate the effects of wear, plug valves used in severe service conditions require regular maintenance and refurbishment. The non-replaceable components of plug valves are typically refurbished by welding new metal in the flow path, and then machining the flow path components back to their original tolerances. Not only is refurbishment by welding and machining time-consuming and expensive, but the mechanical and thermal properties of the weld are inferior to those of the steel used to make the plug valve. Furthermore, for sour service, where welds are exposed to H2S, the welds are susceptible to sulphide stress corrosion cracking (SSCC).
Consequently, there is a need for a plug valve with improved erosion resistance that is more quickly and easily refurbished to original specifications.
A further common problem with high pressure plug valves is low pressure containment. Although plug valves generally provide a very reliable seal at high fluid pressures because in the closed position the high fluid pressures force the plug into a metal-to-metal sealing contact with the plug cage. However, when fluid pressures are low, especially with valves that have seen some severe service, the low pressure fluids may leak around the plug. This problem is most often experienced when setting up for a well stimulation treatment, or after flow back of the well before the pressure isolation equipment is removed from the wellhead. Leakage around the plug valve can permit hydrocarbons to escape to atmosphere, which is very undesirable.
There therefore also exists a need for a plug valve that provides a reliable seal at low fluid pressures.

Method of refurbishing a high-pressure plug valve


Apparatus is disclosed for improvement of water quality in a pond or similar body of water. A main conduit is located below the water surface and extending generally parallel to the shoreline. A plurality of distribution conduits are attached at intervals to the main conduit and operated sequentially so that water pumped through the system causes circulation of water in the pond. Each distribution conduit will preferably incorporate an aspirator to aerate the pumped water. The pumped water will also normally contain a mixture of microorganisms, enzymes and nutrients which are discharged into the body of water to clarify the body of water of contaminants and to maintain the water quality thereafter. Also disclosed is a method of improving water quality using the apparatus and the mixture. The invention provides for thorough, efficient and rapid decontamination of ponds and elimination of stagnant areas, as well as for maintaining the ponds in clean and healthy conditions. It is advantageously used for golf courses, parks and similar areas, where the treated water is to be subsequently used for irrigation of the soil and vegetation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to cleaning systems for water impounded in ponds and similar reservoirs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many golf courses and parks contain ponds, usually artificial, which are used for the storage of irrigation water and which also provide a pleasing aesthetic effect in landscape. In the case of golf courses, such ponds also frequently serve as water hazards in the course of play. However, because most such ponds do not have a normal in-flow and out-flow pattern, it is common for the pond water to become stagnant and concentrated with various impurities such as salts, requiring frequent draining, cleaning and refilling of the ponds.
In an effort to overcome this problem, it has been common for golf course or park operators to install fountains or other similar stationary spray or aeration devices in the ponds. While these may have some modest effect on stagnation, they do not normally reach outlying areas of any but &he smallest ponds nor do they reach into "pockets" or recesses along the shore line. In such recesses, the water simply eddies and stagnates. Further, the sprays and aerators have little or no effect on the concentration of salts and other impurities and contaminants.
Recently, a highly efficient irrigation system using a pond as a reservoir has been developed. This system is described and claimed in allowed U.S. patent application No. 07/782,437, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,067, inventor L. Runyon, assigned to Eco-Soil Systems, Inc. This system (which will be referred to in further detail below) has proved extraordinarily effective in eliminating stagnant water and in removal of contaminants from ponds at golf courses, parks and other similar settings.
However, even a superior irrigation and purification system cannot work at its maximum effectiveness if the treating materials cannot reach all parts of the pond or if the pond water does not circulate adequately to come within the system's effective range. Consequently, it would be of value to have a water circulation and purification system which would allow treatment of all water in a pond, regardless of the pond's size or shape. It would further be of value to have such a system which could cooperate synergistically with effective purification systems.

Method and apparatus for pond water clarification and maintenance


The invention relates to a power transmission system of the automotive vehicle. A drive shaft structure, comprising a drive shaft and a hydraulic overload protector, the drive shaft comprises a first shaft and a coaxial second shaft, the hydraulic overload protector comprises a mounting rack, a crank shaft and at least a pair of hydraulic cylinders, a communicating tube is provided between two cylinders of the pair of hydraulic cylinders, a bi-directional pressure valve is provided on the communicating tube, said crank shaft comprises a spindle and a connecting rod shaft, said spindle is connected with said mounting rack rotatably, said first shaft is fixed with said mounting rack, said second shaft is fixed with said spindle, said connecting rod shaft is connected with said mounting rack via said cylinders. The invention discloses a drive shaft structure which can stop power transmission when the vehicle is overloaded, can restore power transmission automatically when the load meets the requirements and can buffer the resistance fluctuation during the driving process of the vehicle, the invention solves problems that the drive shaft will fracture when the vehicle is overloaded and when the resistance changes which increases the use cost and brings inconveniences to users.

The motive power generated by the power equipment (engine or motor) of the automotive vehicle is transmitted to wheels via a power transmission system. The power driving mode of vehicles comprises three modes of front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and front-rear-wheel drive. The drive shaft is an indispensable component in the power transmission system no matter which drive mode is used.
In order to have enough driving force when vehicles drive on road surfaces with low adhesion coefficients, usually power transmission systems of vehicles are designed to be front wheel and rear wheel drive mode (namely front-rear-wheel drive mode). Especially trucks usually drive on road surfaces with bad road conditions, so the front-rear wheel drive mode is used mostly.
The power transmission path of front-rear-wheel drive vehicles is the power is transmitted to the transfer case, then the transfer case distributes the power into two part to output: one part is for the front drive shaft to drive the front axle, the front axle drives the front wheels via the front axle shaft; the other part is for the rear drive shaft to drive the rear axle, the rear axle drives the rear wheels via the rear axle shaft. For light-duty vehicles without independent suspension systems, the front axles are not designed, the front drive shafts drives the front wheels directly. For front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive vehicles, the power is not transmitted to the drive shafts of wheels which do not participate in driving.
The transfer case is not designed in some vehicles, however a combinatory transmission is used to replace the transfer case to distribute the power. In China, the patent Front and Back Driving Force Output Structure of Automobile Tractor Without Independent Transfer Case with publication number of 101659211A and publication date of 3 Mar. 2010, discloses a driving force output structure of front-wheel and rear-wheel drive vehicles which replaces the transfer case with a combinatory transmission.
The drive shaft (a general term for front drive shaft, front axle shaft, rear drive shaft and rear axle shaft and so on) is designed to have corresponding load-carrying capability for vehicles with any power output structure, during the use process, if the load on the front wheel or rear wheel is greater than the set point, the corresponding drive shaft will be fractured to prevent overload which damages the front and rear axles, the transfer case, the engine and so on (as in the whole power output system, the cost of the drive shaft is the lowest and is convenient to be replaced, when one component has to be damaged, the drive shaft is the first choice). However, particularly in all-wheel-drive vehicles, when vehicles turn or drive on road surfaces having concave pits and the front wheels fall into the concave pits, the front wheels will have instantaneous impact, namely instantaneous overload which will cause fracture of the front drive shaft or the front axle shaft. Such instantaneous overload can not be avoided by the driver by controlling the load capacity the fracture of the front drive shall or the front axle shaft caused by instantaneous overload is also not needed by the designer or user, but a design disadvantage existing for a long time in the vehicle design; moreover, when the vehicle is overloaded, the design mode that a component has to be damaged (at present the damaged component is the drive shaft) is a technology bias existing for a long time in the power transmission system design of the vehicle, if the drive shaft is damaged in the open air, the expanse to send the vehicle to the repair factory or the labor cost and traveling expanse to ask maintenance men to repair is far more than the material cost of the drive shaft, therefore the design concept increases the use cost and bring great inconveniences to users; as the prior drive shaft is an integrated stiff shaft, when the resistance of the vehicle is changed, the resistance is reacted on the engine directly and causes unsteady of the engine load and poor stability of the engine, thus the fuel consumption is also increased, the principle is the same as when a driver which can not drive the vehicle steadily, the fuel consumption is high.


An apparatus for making and administering two non-homogenous liquids to target tissue includes a spray comprising two syringes for containing the first and second non-homogenous liquid where the syringes are adapted to be removably coupled to an applicator. The applicator includes a pair of elongated tubes each having a tubular sheath at a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen in which the pair of elongated tubes are disposed. The apparatus includes a regulator module having an inlet port adapted for connection to a source of gas under pressure and a gas outlet port adopted for connection to the gas inlet port of the sheet. A vent gas inlet port is adapted for connection to a vent port of an endoscopic cannula where the regulator vents a quantity of gas from the endoscopic cannula approximately equal to a quantity of gas introduced at the gas inlet port of the sheet.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to endoscopic application of bio-materials to target tissue in the course of a laparoscopic surgical procedure, and more particularly to an endoscopic spray applicator system design to mix two non-homogeneous liquids and to allow the resulting mixture to be applied thinly and evenly by spraying, on a difficult to reach treatment site, such as subcutaneously or within the body through an endoscopic cannula.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Tissue adhesives have long been recognized for their potential to hasten wound healing, reduce post-operative complications and decrease the need for drains following surgery. Typically, such adhesives have been prepared on the day of surgery from the patient's own blood. A quantity of blood would be drawn from the patient just prior to surgery and in a centrifugation process, natural clotting factors are isolated and concentrated for application on to the surgical wound while the remaining red blood cells were then reinjected or autotransfused back into the patient's bloodstream.
Fibrin sealant is a tissue adhesive that mimics the body's own natural clotting mechanism. Two basic components make up fibrin sealant, namely, fibrinogen and thrombin. Because fibrin sealant is derived from blood products, it is associated with viral disease transmission. To reduce the risk of viral-disease transmission from pooled plasma sources of fibrinogen, various viral inactivation methods are employed in commercial fibrin sealants. Blood banks often produce fibrinogen from screened, single-donor sources or use autologous fibrinogen. Currently, bovine thrombin is most often used, although methods for producing human thrombin or recombinant thrombin are being developed. Fibrin sealants can be used in a variety of surgical applications to enhance hemostasis, to seal tissues, to close fistulas and to deliver biologics or drugs.
When fibrin and thrombin are made to mix, a coagulum is formed where the platelets interdigitate with the forming fibrin web, developing a gel with adhesiveness and strength materially greater than the plasma alone. Because of the rapid clotting propensity, it is necessary to keep the two liquid constituents separated and only mixed at the distal end of the applicator. Numerous tissue adhesive applicators have been developed, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,420 to Speer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,049 to Redl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,666 to Eibl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,048 to Skorka, U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,368 to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,281 to Avoy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,336 to Capozzi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,563 to Lonnemann and U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,540 to Miller. A variety of these types of applicators exist including internal swirl or mixing chamber applicators and external combining applicators, such as external swirl applicators and external spray or stream overlapping applicators.
The Skorka '048 patent, the Capozzi '336 and '315 patents concerns swirl or other pre-ejection mixing applicators where mixing is performed by squirting or otherwise forcing the two non-homogeneous fluids into a swirl or other mixing chamber where the fluids mix to some degree based upon turbulence in the swirl chamber and the material properties and are thereafter ejected from the applicator. The mixing occurs inside the applicator and, thus, time is critical, as it must be ejected prior to coagulation. In certain applications, such as where one or more of the solutions or fluids is thick or high viscous, internal swirling results in only marginal or partial mixing, while in other applications, such as where all of the solutions or fluids are thin or not highly viscous, substantial and effective mixing occurs.
In contrast, the applicators described in the Speer '420, the Miller '368 and the Avoy '281, the Lonnemann '563 and the Miller '540 patents are external combining applicators. Here, the two solutions are brought into contact with one another at the point of use or functional tissue adhesive creation. External combining eliminates premature mixing problems. However, with many external combining applicators, thorough mixing of the solutions does not occur and, instead, only adjacent portions of the solutions mix or combine well large percentages remain unmixed or uncombined. This results in inefficient and somewhat uncontrolled coagulation. The Lonnemann '563 patent owned by applicant's assignee is considered to be a significant advance in external combining applicators. It provides an external swirling pattern where the two fluids overlap one another resulting in improved fluid mixing.
In copending application Ser. No. 10/863,631, filed Jun. 8, 2004, and entitled "Spray Applicator", there is described a medical fluid delivery system which expels two liquid components, at least one of which is reactive, from separate syringes while simultaneously releasing a pressurized fluid, such as a compressed gas, around, adjacent to or proximate the reactive components resulting in thorough mixing of the reactive components as well as propulsion thereof in a commingled stream onto a surgical site. The teachings of such application are hereby incorporated by reference. The teachings of that application, however, do not address a further problem where such a gas propelled stream of reactive liquids, such as fibrin and thrombin are to be used in a laparoscopic procedure.
In laparoscopic procedures, a series of holes are surgically created in the abdominal wall with one to accommodate a camera and others to accommodate a cannula through which a working instrument, such as a laparoscopic scissors, forceps are inserted for grasping and cutting target tissue. It is common practice to insufflate the abdominal cavity by introducing a gas through one of the trocars, thereby expand the abdominal cavity to aid in viewing and manipulating internal organ structures. The trocars include a self-closing seal for preventing loss of insufflation gas while allowing penetration by the surgical instruments employed. The pressure employed in insufflating is generally about 15 mmHg and the introduction of additional gas by way of a laparoscopic spray applicator could result in over-inflation and distension of the abdominal wall. Means must, therefore, be provided to insure that this does not occur.

Gas assisted endoscopic applicator system


A metal gasket used for an internal combustion engine is basically formed of a metal plate. The gasket includes at least two openings with a narrow intermediate area therebetween, edge portions situated around the openings, curved portions extending from the edge portions to define the openings, the curved portions situated adjacent to each other extending in the directions opposite to each other, and flange or turning portions extending from the curved portions and located over the edge portions. A stepped portion is located between the edge portions situated adjacent to each other. Therefore, when the gasket is tightened, the stepped portion is compressed to provide a surface pressure thereat to seal the narrow intermediate area.

The present invention relates to a metal gasket with flanges around holes for providing resilient surface pressure at a narrow intermediate area between the holes.
In a metal gasket or a metal laminate gasket, a plurality of holes, such as cylinder bores and fluid holes, is formed. In order to securely seal around the holes, beads and/or flanges (turned portion) are formed around the holes. The bead means a projection extending outwardly from a metal plate or a stepped portion to provide a surface pressure thereat. On the other hand, the flange means a turned or overlapped portion around a hole. When the gasket is situated between a cylinder head and a cylinder block, the beads and/or flanges are compressed to securely seal around the holes.
In case the flanges or turning portions are formed around the holes, the flanges are located on the same side of the metal plate. When the gasket is tightened between the cylinder head and the cylinder block, the flanges around the holes are compressed to provide high surface pressure. However, since the flange does not provide resiliency by itself, surface pressure formed by resiliency can not be formed. Also, equal surface pressure may not be formed throughout the entire area of the flange.
On the other hand, in case the bead is formed around the hole, when the gasket is tightened between the cylinder head and the cylinder block, the bead is compressed to provide surface pressure thereat. In this case, if the surface pressure of the bead is strong, the cylinder bore may deform to cause a serious problem for the engine.
Therefore, there have been proposed gaskets having a flange and a bead to obviate the deformation problem, wherein the bead is formed outside the flange. The combination of the flange and bead can avoid the deformation problem, but in case the distance between the bores is not sufficient, it is not possible to provide the flange and the bead around a bore.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention has been made, and an object of the invention is to provide a metal gasket wherein a surface pressure for sealing is formed at a narrow portion between bores.
Another object of the invention is to provide a metal gasket as stated above, wherein even if a gap exists in sealing portions around the bores, the gasket can securely seal around the bores.
A further object of the invention is to provide a metal gasket as stated above, wherein the gasket can be made thin and simple.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


Discloses a novel synergistic herbal composition comprising combination of therapeutically effective amount of Vrun bhavit, Kadalikshar, Apamargkshar, Yavkshar and optionally Gomutrakshar along with pharmaceutical acceptable additives, useful for the treatment of kidney stone and other urinary disorders like inflammation and urinary stent related problems.

Kidney stones (ureterolithiasis) result from stones or renal calculi in the ureter. The stones are solid concretions or calculi (crystal aggregations) formed in the kidneys from dissolved urinary minerals. Nephrolithiasis refers to the condition of having kidney stones. Urolithiasis refers to the condition of having calculi in the urinary tract (which also includes the kidneys), which may form or pass into the urinary bladder. Ureterolithiasis is the condition of having a calculus in the ureter, the tube connecting the kidneys and the bladder.
Kidney stones typically leave the body by passage in the urine stream, and many stones are formed and passed without causing symptoms. If stones grow to sufficient size before passage on the order of at least 2-3 millimeters they can cause obstruction of the ureter. The resulting obstruction causes dilation or stretching of the upper ureter and renal pelvis as well as muscle spasm of the ureter, trying to move the stone. This leads to pain, most commonly felt in the flank, lower abdomen and groin. Renal colic can be associated with nausea and vomiting. There can be blood in the urine, visible with the naked eye or under the microscope due to damage to the lining of the urinary tract.
There are several types of kidney stones based on the type of crystals of which they consist. The majority are calcium oxalate stones, followed by calcium phosphate stones. More rarely, struvite stones are produced by urea-splitting bacteria in people with urinary tract infections, and people with certain metabolic abnormalities may produce uric acid stones or cystine stones.
Many medicinal plants have been found useful in urinary disorders. Medicinal plants leads to find therapeutically useful compounds, thus more efforts should be made towards isolation and characterization of the active principles and elucidation of the relationship between structure and activity. The combination of traditional and modem knowledge can produce better drugs for kidney stones.
Crataeva nurvala is known in Indian medicine as Varuna. It is a small tree which grows wild along river banks throughout the Indian subcontinent, where it is also widely cultivated. The stem and root bark of this plant are the parts most often used medicinally. Crataeva has been used for centuries in eastern herbal traditions to treat a variety of health disorders. It is especially valued for its therapeutic effect on the urinary organs.
Musa sapientum also known in Indian medicine as Kadali (Banana tree), a native of South East Asia and Australia and which belong to the family musaceae, is a food crop grown in towns and villages in Nigeria. The tropical herb, has been traditionally used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and blandness. Every part of this tree has a lot of medicinal values. It helps to promote the retention of calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen which are essential in building up sound and regenerated tissues.
Achyranthes aspera is known in Indian medicine as Apamarg/Aghada. It is a species of plant in the Amaranthaceae family. It is distributed throughout the tropical world. It can be found in many places growing as an introduced species and a common weed. It is an invasive species in some areas, including many Pacific Islands environments.
Barley is a cereal grain derived from the annual grass Hordeum vulgare. Barley has many uses. It serves as a major animal fodder, as base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods. It is used in soups and stews, and in barley bread of various cultures.
Hordeurn vulgare is known in Indian medicine as Yav/Satu and has medicinal properties for curing kapha, pitta, cough, asthma, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, gastric ulcers, burns, headache, anemia and general debility. It is a good diet in convalescent period.
The herbal preparations for the treatment of kidney stone have been known since long for its safety. Some herbs useful for the treatment of kidney stone are Petroselinum crispum (Parsley), Urtica dioica (Nettle), Taraxacum offcinale (Dandelions), Populus nigra (poplar), Betula alba (birch), Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry), Menthe (mint), Oryza sativa (Rice), Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Corn (Zea mays).
Further, the herbal preparations remove the kidney stones fast and more effectively without damaging the kidneys. These preparations are cost effective and having lesser side effects than allopathic medicines.
The applicant has disclosed a herbal formulation of a homogenized powdered mixture of extract prepared from bark of a plant selected from Crataeva nurvala and Crataeva magna; and extract prepared from stem of a plant selected from Musa paradisiaca L and Musa sapientum L; along with ash salt of banana root and pharmaceutical acceptable carrier, for the treatment of renal calculi, in his earlier Patent Application No. 2128/MUM/2006.
The applicants still felt a need to improve upon the earlier known herbal composition to achieve enhanced efficacy with more synergic effect and better patient compliance and which is cost effective for the treatment of kidney stone and other urinary disorders like inflammation and urinary stent related problems.

Herbal composition for the treatment of kidney stone and other urinary tract disorders


A method of transmitting data through an I2C router from a source port to a destination port, the method comprising: receiving data in a first I2C source port buffer of the I2C router; capturing the I2C destination port before the first I2C source port buffer has overflowed; and transmitting the data from the first I2C source port buffer to the I2C destination port while restricting transmission from the second I2C source port buffer to the I2C destination port.

Numerous electronic circuits and systems are utilized to perform useful tasks. In the performance of these tasks, the electronic circuits and systems often communicate with one another via a communication bus. One type of communication bus is the inter-integrated circuit bus (I2C bus). The I2C bus provides a communication link between integrated circuits (ICs) and electronic systems. Traditionally, an I2C bus consists of two active wires referred to as the serial data line (SDA) and serial clock line (SCL).
Prior Art FIG. 1 is an illustration of I2C bus system 100 configured in an exemplary conventional arrangement wherein a management processor 110 manages communication access on I2C bus 115. The I2C bus 115 comprises an SCL line 112 and an SDA line 114 that provide bi-directional communication paths which are coupled to modular field replaceable units (FRUs) 120, 121, and 122. Pull-up resistors 135 and 137 are coupled to SCL line 112 and SDA line 114 respectively to establish a default state on each line. The FRUs can be a variety of components including a server blade, a server card, a driver, a memory, or complex function IC. The I2C bus can be used with an intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) or other I2C protocols.
Conventional I2C buses utilize a master-slave or master-master communication protocol for transmitting packets (e.g., well defined blocks of data comprising a header, data and a trailer) between devices coupled to the bus. Components (e.g., FRUs) coupled to the I2C bus have a unique address and can behave as a sender or receiver of data (e.g., depending on specific functionality of the device). With IPMI, each "intelligent" device on the bus acts as a master and utilizes a master-master communication protocol. A component (e.g., FRU 120), attempting to transmit information on the I2C bus while another master (e.g., the management processor) controls the bus, must adhere to the arbitration rules of I2C. Essentially, all devices that are attempting to gain control of the bus must also monitor the bus and back off as soon as the signals do not match what the individual device is attempting to write. Because the bus is pulled high by pull-up resistors, and only driven low by active devices, the device driving low wins control of the bus.
One major concern for communication systems is security maintenance. Preventing unintended and/or unauthorized entities from accessing information communicated on a bus is usually desirable. However, traditionally it is usually possible for unintended components to spoof communications on I2C busses. For example, communications on an I2C bus in a common chassis (e.g., a host-client situation wherein slots are rented in a common chassis) intended for components utilized by a first entity (e.g., a first company) can be received by another component utilized by a second entity (e.g., a competing company). More specifically, it is possible for a device to "spoof" the I2C bus to deliberately receive data (e.g., a competitor's confidential information) that was not destined for the particular "spoofing" device.
There are a number of issues that arise in maintenance of traditional I2C bus systems. For example, if there is a bus failure on a segment of an I2C bus, communications are typically lost to the components coupled to the bus even if the components are not on the segment that is lost. To provide proper maintenance it is usually beneficial to have a good understanding of the type and number of devices coupled to an I2C bus and traditionally this is manually performed which is labor intensive and often inconvenient, especially if the components are remotely located. It is also usually difficult to discover errors in a system and provide corrective directions. For example, it is traditionally difficult to detect and remedy a situation in which one device effectively "captures" the bus by becoming a master and continuously transmitting information to prevent others from using the bus. Capacitance characteristics of devices coupled to an I2C bus also often can make maintenance and reconfiguration difficult.
Components coupled to an I2C bus usually create a capacitive load on the I2C bus, which together with the pull-up resistors produce RC constant characteristics that impact attributes of signals communicated via the I2C bus. For example, signal waveforms can be altered and the ability of components to distinguish between logical ones and zeroes impacted. As a result, it is desirable maintain an appropriate balance between the capacitive and resistive characteristics of the I2C bus lines. However, maintaining a capacitive and resistive balance can be difficult when adding or deleting components dynamically since the number and type of components on a bus impact the capacitive characteristics. Traditional attempts at achieving a balance usually limited the number of components coupled to an I2C and often involve costly bus redesign, which if done incorrectly can cause bus interrupts, or possibly catastrophic bus failure.
In current I2C bus systems, each component is assigned an I2C address. For example, with reference to FIG. 1, FRU 120, FRU 121 and FRU 122 each have an assigned I2C address. As described above, consider a situation where FRU 120 is operated by the first entity and FRU 121 is operated by the second entity. If the second entity desires to access data being transmitted to FRU 120, FRU 121 may spoof current I2C bus systems into believing it is FRU 120 by using the I2C address of FRU 120.
The I2C bus according to the conventional art also suffers from the inability to detect the presence of a device (e.g., field replaceable unit) coupled thereto, the inability to determine if the device coupled thereto is functional and/or the inability to reset the device when an error occurs. Furthermore, the I2C bus according to the conventional art also suffers from the inability to provide for readily analyzing and debugging data traffic on the I2C bus. The serial two-line I2C bus is difficult to trap events on, because a serial data pattern must be trapped. In addition, it is also difficult to detect what device is the source device; only the destination device address can readily be trapped.

Method of transmitting data through an 12C router


A method for designing to optimize a capacitor structure (channel length L, channel width W and number of division n) in a MOS transistor, in which the capacitor has a capacitance C and a gate-channel resistance R. A period from rising of a potential of a gate electrode to rising of potential of a diffusion layer is assumed as t2, a capacitance per unit area is assumed as K1 and a resistivity of the gate channel is assumed as K2 (S1), a period for propagating potential from a center portion of the gate channel to the end of a diffusion layer is assumed as t1 which is expressed by t1=0.55 CR (S2). Then, from C=K1.multidot.LW (S2), and R=K2.multidot.L/W (S3), t1=0.55 K1.multidot.K2 L.sup.2 (S4). Assuming t1=t2, L={t2/0.55K1.multidot.K2}.sup.1/2 is calculated (S5, 6), and W=C/K1.multidot.L is calculated (S7). From the capacitor region, a maximum value Wmax of the channel width is determined (S8) to derive number of division by rounding up the fraction below decimal point of quotient of W/Wmax.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a designing method of a capacitor of a capacitor formed with a MOS transistor. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for optimizing design of a capacitor structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Upon designing a capacitor employing a MOS transistor, how to set a channel length, a channel width and number of division of a gate electrode is a problem. The problem will be discussed with taking one example of a structure of transistor. FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan view and sections taken along lines b-b' and c-c' of the conventional MOS transistors, in which a case where a channel length L is long, is shown in FIGS. 5, and a case where a channel length L is minimum is shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 5, when a channel length L of a capacitor is long, a contact 1A is a contact of a diffusion layer 3A of source or drain of a transistor and a wiring 6A. On the other hand, a contact 1B is a contact of a diffusion layer 3B of source or drain of a transistor and a wiring 6A. These sources or drains are shorted by the wiring 6A via respective diffusion layers 3A and 3B nd contacts 1A and 1B of the wiring 6A. A contact 4A is a contact of a gate electrode 2A of the transistor and a wiring 5A. Channel portions 10 to 12 of a substrate represent center portion and end portions to be channel portions when a potential at the gate electrode 2A exceeds a threshold value of the transistor.
As shown in FIG. 6, when the channel length L of the capacitor is a minimum unit, the contact 1A is a contact of the diffusion layer 3A of the source or drain of the transistor and a wiring 6B. The contact 1B is a contact of the diffusion layer 3B of the source or drain of the transistor and the wiring 6A. Similarly, contacts 1C to 1J are contacts of diffusion layers 3C to 3J of sources and drains of the transistor and the wiring 6A. The sources or drains of the transistor are shorted by the wiring 6A via respective diffusion layers 3A to 3J and the contacts 1A to 1J of the wiring 6A. A contact 4B is a contact of gates 2A to 2H of the transistor and the wiring 5B.
FIG. 7 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the case where the capacitor of FIG. 5 is equally divided into n. A terminal 22 is a gate terminal which corresponds to the wiring 5A of FIG. 5, and a terminal 21 corresponds to the wiring 6A shorting the source and drain. Capacitors C1 to C3 are capacitors of first, second and third gates and channels when the channel is divided into n in the width direction (channel length is also divided into n). Capacitors Cn/2, Cn/2+1, Cn/2+2 are capacitors of (n/2)th, (n/2+1)th and (n/2+2)th gates and channels. Capacitors Cn-1, Cn, Cn+1 are capacitors of (n-1)th, (n)th and (n+1)th gates and channels. Capacitance of the capacitors C1 to Cn+1 become c/(n+1), respectively.
FIGS. 8A to 8C are charts respectively showing voltage levels in the case where the capacitor performs charge/discharge operation at high speed. FIGS. 8A to 8C are variation of internal potential as time goes. In the graphs of FIGS. 8A to 8C, vertical axis represents a potential at respective nodes and horizontal axis represents a distance from the end portion 10 of the diffusion layer on the section b-b' of FIG. 5.
Here, in FIG. 5 (FIG. 7), the initial value of the potential is assumed that the voltage of the gate 2A is the voltages of the diffusion layers 3A and 3B, and the voltages of the wiring 5A and 6A are respective 0V. Here, when the gate 2A (5A) of the transistor is pre-charged to a power source voltage VCC as shown in FIG. 8A, the center portion 11 of the channel of the transistor becomes floating until the gate voltage of the transistor exceeds the threshold value of the transistor. This makes the center portion 11 of the channel in floating in coupling of the gate and channel.
Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the charge of the center portion 11 of the channel in floating condition is drawn into the grounding level via the gate channels 10 and 12 and the diffusion layers 3A and 3B after the gate voltage of the transistor exceeds the through value of the transistor. At this time, a period required to stabilize the potential at the grounding level becomes 2.2 times of a time contact of the channel from the center portion of the channel to the diffusion layer.
FIG. 9 is a timing chart in the case where charge/discharge operation of the capacitor as illustrated in FIG. 8 is performed at high speed. In a boosting circuit of the MOS transistor for high speed charge/discharge operation of the capacity, due to floating of the center portion 11 of the channel as shown in FIG. 8C, elevating of potential of the diffusion layers 3A and 3B as boosting operation is initiated before the potential becomes stable at the grounding level to reduce voltage variation .DELTA.V of the channel as shown in FIG. 9 to be .DELTA.V'. This makes it impossible to elevate the gate voltage to the desired level after boosting.
Stabilization of floating of the center portion 11 of the channel at the grounding level within a period from starting of pre-charging of the gate of the transistor to initiating elevation of the potential of the diffusion layer, can be achieved by setting the length L of the channel at the minimum unit. However, when the channel length L is set at the minimum unit, the channel width W becomes large correspondingly.
In general, when a capacitor of desired capacity is provided in a capacitor region, division of the capacitor region is performed. Then, number of the regions for the diffusion layers of the capacitor becomes one greater the number of division of the channel width. Therefore, according to increasing of the channel length, number of division of the gate is increased to increase number of the diffusion layer region to make the capacitor region excessively larger.
On the other hand, the desired gate voltage can be attained by setting the capacitance of the capacitor excessively large. However, this inherently cause unnecessary increase of the capacitor region. Furthermore, designing load for certainly providing the capacitor region can be increased. Accordingly, in the conventional designing method, setting of the channel length of the transistor or excessively increase the capacitance without taking the measure as set forth above. However, floating of potential at the center portion 11 of the capacity is inevitable.
As set forth above, the capacitor employing the transistor to be used in the conventional boosting circuit, is elevated the gate potential by elevating the potential of the diffusion layer of the source or the drain after charging the gate of the capacitor. However, after elevating the voltage of the diffusion layer, boosting level of the date can be lower than the boosting potential expected for the boosting circuit to degrade boosting efficiency.
This is because when the gate of the transistor is pre-charged to the power source voltage VCC, the center portion 11 of the channel is held in floating until the gate voltage exceeds the threshold value of the transistor. Since the center portion of the channel is held in floating by coupling of the gate and the channel, the center portion of the channel in the floating condition is drawn to the grounding level via the gate channel and the diffusion layer after the gate voltage exceeds the threshold value of the transistor. However, in the boosting circuit to perform charge/discharge portion of the capacitor at high speed, a period from starting pre-charging of the gate of the transistor to the power source voltage VCC to initiating elevating of potential of the diffusion layer of the source or drain is shorter than the period required to stabilize the center portion of the channel in floating condition at the grounding level. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, variation .DELTA.V of the voltage at the channel can be reduced to make it impossible to transfer a sufficient amount of charge to the gate of the transistor. As a result, the gate voltage after boosting cannot reach the expected potential level to reduce voltage variation amount from .DELTA.V to .DELTA.V'.
On the other hand, in the boosting circuit performing charge/discharge operation of the capacitor at high speed, when the capacitor is constructed with a minimum unit of the channel length L, the capacitor region becomes unnecessarily large. Also, designing load therefor is also increased. This result from excessively short channel length in order to stabilize the potential at the center portion in floating state at the grounding level within the period from starting pre-charging of the gate of the transistor to initiation of elevation of the potential of the diffusion layer. This requires greater channel with so as to realize a desired capacity of the capacitor. The region in the width direction of the channel is limited. Therefore, the capacitor is formed by dividing the width of the channel so that the channel may be accommodated in the capacitor region. The diffusion region of the capacitor one greater number than the number of division of the channel width becomes necessary. Therefore, the capacitor region becomes large. Also, for low boosting efficiency, greater capacitance becomes necessary to make the capacitor region excessively large to increase designing load to certainly provide the capacitor region.

Capacitor designing method of MOS transistor


A semiconductor device comprising a memory cell matrix array wherein transistors formed on the outer edge of the memory cell matrix array are inferior in performance compared to the transistors comprising the operating memory cell matrix array because their transistor active regions shrink during semiconductor device fabrication. To avoid this problem, a dummy region is formed around the operating memory cell matrix array. The dummy region contains impurity regions formed at substantially the same density as the transistors comprising the operating memory cell matrix array. Thus, the transistors located on the outer edge of the operating memory cell matrix array function in the same manner as transistors formed within the operating memory cell matrix array. As a result, all the transistors of the operating memory cell matrix array have uniform performance.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device in which memory cells comprising a plurality of MISFETs (metal-insulator-semiconductor FETs) are arranged in at least one dimension.
2. Background Art
The layout of a prior art memory cell matrix array 1 is shown in FIGS. 7-10. Memory cell matrix array 1 comprises a ROM (read-only memory) and is disposed on a semiconductor device 2. The information stored in the memory cell matrix array 1 is read out relative to activated word lines WL connected with a row decoder 3.
FIG. 8 shows the electrical circuit equivalent of memory cell matrix array 1. In matrix array 1, m N-channel MIS transistors 10 arranged along word lines WL constitute one row. N-channel MIS transistors 10 are arranged in parallel n rows. Thus, matrix array 1 comprises n rows and m columns. Word lines WL1-WLn are connected to the gates of the N-channel MIS transistors 10 of these rows. The drains of the N-channel MIS transistors 10 of each column are connected with respective bit lines BL1-BLm. The sources of the N-channel MIS transistors 10 of each row are common with the adjacent N-channel MIS transistors 10 of the same column. Power supply lines VL are connected to the transistor sources. As an example of operation, information stored in a particular N-channel MIS transistor (x, y) is caused to appear on a bit line BLy if the particular transistor (x, y) is activated by the word line WLx of the x.sup.th row.
FIG. 9 particularly shows an enlarged end portion identified at IX in FIG. 7 of memory cell matrix array 1. In the fabrication of memory cell matrix array 1, first p-type wells 20 are formed in a semiconductor substrate. Then, the active regions of the N-channel MIS transistors are determined and defined relative to their sources, drains and channel regions. Also, channel stop regions are determined. In the next step, a nitride film is formed over the entire surface of the substrate and patterned employing an element-separation mask, except relative to the transistor active regions. Then, boron is implanted into the laminate to increase the density of the p-type dopant. Then, the laminate is thermally treated at a high temperature for a long period of time. Consequently, the surfaces of the channel stop regions are oxidized excluding the transistor active regions 21 which are not protected by the nitride film.
In the next step, after the formation of the oxide film, the nitride film on transistor active regions 21 is removed to form a gate oxide film and and defined gate electrodes 22, such as, gate electrodes 22a, 22b, 22c shown in FIG. 10. Gate electrodes 22 function as a mask for the implantation of phosphorus into the transistor active regions 21 forming an n-type layer. In this manner, N-channel MIS transistors 30 are formed at the intersections of the active regions 21 and the gate electrodes 22.
Gate electrodes 22 (22a, 22b, 22c) are arranged horizontally to form rows as shown in FIG. 9. These rows constitute the word lines WL shown in FIG. 8. Transistor active regions 21 are parallel to gate electrodes 22, and form an n-type layer constituting sources 23 (23a, 23b, 23c) of N-channel MIS transistors 30. Active regions 21 of the n-type layer, which are located on opposite sides of gate electrodes 22 from sources 23 (23a, 23b, 23c) of N-channel MIS transistors 30, form drains 24 (24a, 24b, 24c) of N-channel MIS transistors 30. Sources 23 are common with N-channel MIS transistors 30 which are associated with gate electrodes 22 formed on the opposite side of sources 23. As an example, source 23b forms the sources of the N-channel MIS transistors 30d-30i associated with gate electrodes 22b and 22c. Drains 24 are common with N-channel MIS transistors 30 located on the opposite sides of the drains. For example, drain 24b forms the drains of N-channel MIS transistors 30b and 30e located on the opposite sides of drain 24b.
Attention is now directed to the ends of transistor active regions 21 forming the memory cells as previously described. Some end portions are illustrated in FIG. 10 and each consists of the active region forming sources 23a of N-channel MIS transistors 30a-30c and the active region forming the channels and the drains of N-channel MIS transistors 30a, 30d, 30g. These active regions are narrowed compared with other active regions. It is considered that various causes are responsible for these decreases in width in the active region, such as, thermal shrinkage of the resist on separation of the elements and instability of the flow of gas around the outer edge during the etching process. In any case, this phenomenon is inevitable to appear at the boundaries between the elements patterned at a high density and their surroundings patterned at a lower density, as in the case of a memory cell matrix array.
In manufacturing practice of forming transistor active regions 21, active regions indicated at cross-hatched regions 32 in FIG. 10 are reduced in dimension for transistor active regions 31 shown in FIG. 10. For this reason, the N-channel MIS transistors formed along the outer edge of the memory cell array are inferior in performance compared to the N-channel MIS transistors formed within the memory cell array. For example, the active regions of N-channel MIS transistors 30a, 30d, and 30g formed along one end of the memory cell array are narrowed. Consequently, the channels in these N-channel MIS transistors are narrower than their intended design. In N-channel MIS transistors 30a, 30b, 30c where the transistor active regions forming the sources are narrowed, the resistance of the sources is increased. Therefore, the access time to N-channel MIS transistors 30a-30d and 30g is larger than the intended access time. It follows, therefore, that the access time to the memory cell matrix array is governed by the access time to the N-channel MIS transistors formed in these marginal portions of the memory cell array.
If a margin is added to the width of each transistor active region in order to obtain the intended access time to the N-channel MIS transistors formed along the outer edge, then the inner transistor active regions become excessively large reducing the packing density of the memory cells. Also, the parasitic capacitance in the N-channel MIS transistors is increased, because the distances among the memory cells are increased. Hence, the access time is increased to the memory cell matrix array.


This invention relates to a method for the treatment of acne that comprises applying a fluid comprising a polyalkylene carbonate over the area affected by acne and penetrating pores within the area. Forming a polyalkylene carbonate film covering the affected area, and thereafter removing the film. The polyalkylene carbonate film can also contain medications useful in the treatment of acne.

The ailment manifesting itself in eruptions of the skin, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, lesions, cysts and nodules, and generally termed acne, has plagued people for generations. Acne typically develops in patients in their teen years, at the onset of puberty. While acne, per se, is not fatal, it results in disfigurement—mild or severe and temporary or permanent. At the very least, even the mild and temporary disfigurement of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules is embarrassing and can result in social rejection by peers. Typically, acne affects most teenagers to some extent, but adults in their twenties through their forties can get acne. Although some type of mild acne is quite common among teenagers and most teenagers will "out grow" their acne by the time they are in their early twenties, acne is undesirable while it exists and can develop into more severe stages which can be permanently disfiguring because of the development of scars. There is also the possibility of the acne, particularly untreated acne, developing into more serious ailments because of infection.
In some instances mild cases of acne can be addressed by personal regimens as simple as twice daily washing with soap and warm water or the application of over-the-counter topical medications. In many cases, however, these simple, "home remedies" are inadequate. Part of the problem is that there can be different causes for the acne and many cases require the professional services of a dermatologist and the use of prescription medications.
Generally acne is the result of plugged pores caused by the accumulation of dirt, sebum, dead skin cells and propionibacterium acnes (p. acnes) in the pores, particularly in connection with hair follicles. A variety of over-the counter topical medications have been suggested in the past to deal with one or more of the factors contributing to acne and include, for example, the combination of isopropyl alcohol and acetone, benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid and sulfur. Thus, in the combination of alcohol and acetone, the acetone functions as a degreasing agent and the alcohol has a mild anti-microbial effect. Benzoyl peroxide functions to reduce p. acnes and remove dead skin cells. Salicylic acid assists in the reducing the abnormal shedding of skin cells to help unplugging pores, but is not believe to have any impact upon p. acnes or sebum production. Sulfur has been used for many years, particularly in combination with other ingredients mention above. It is not understood how the sulfur operates, but due to the unpleasant odor of sulfur is usually not used alone. Thus, most of the over-the-counter topical medications do not address all of the possible contributing factors in the cause of acne.
In addition to the over-the-counter topical medications there are a variety of prescription medications that have been suggested for the treatment of acne. Among these prescription medications are topical antimicrobials and topical retinoids. Topical antimicrobials are designed to inhibit the growth of p. acnes and can be used either alone or in combination with medications that are effective against other causes of acne. The antimicrobials include, for example, azeliac acid, which is believed to function by reducing p. acnes populations, inflammation, and abnormal shedding of skin cells. Another antimicrobial is clindamycin, which works by reducing p. acnes and reducing inflammation. Similar to clindamycin is erythromicin, which is widely effective against bacteria, including p. acnes. Benzoyl peroxide (in higher doses than in over-the-counter medications) can also be sued, particularly in combination with erythromicin and clindamycin. Yet another antimicrobial medication is sodium sulfacetamide that inhibits p. acnes and opens clogged pores.
Topical retinoids (a derivative of vitamin A) function to unclog pores and prevent the formation of blackheads and whiteheads. Adapalene, which unclogs pores and has anti-inflammatory properties, is an example of a retinoid. Similarly, tazarotene and tretinoin function to unclog pores and keep them unplugged.
While some of the topical medicines discussed above are available in over-the-counter products, many of them are prescription medicines and/or require application by a dermatologist. Furthermore, topical medications have previously been limited to short term application due to the fact that they are "painted on" and then evaporate or wear off the skin rapidly.
In addition to the application of topical medications, it has also been suggested that "chemical peels" composed of chemical compounds such as glycolic acid can be used by dermatologists to loosen blackheads and decrease acne papules. While this technique has been effective to a greater or lesser extent, it has required that the patient return to a dermatologist for continued treatments.
We have discovered a method for treating acne which both permits practice of the method, in some instances, by an acne sufferer alone and, in other instances, provides a dermatologist with an improved method of treating acne patients.