A metal tab die attach paddle (DAP) disposed between the lead frame and a power device die in a power device package reduces the stress exerted on the semiconductor power device die caused by the different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of the semiconductor power device die and the lead frame. In addition the power device package substantially prevents impurities from penetrating into the power device package by increasing the surface creepage distance of a sealant resulting from the metal tab DAP and an optional swaging of the lead frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power device packages and methods of fabricating the power device packages, and more particularly, to power device packages which reduce the stress exerted on a power device die and a method of fabricating the power device packages.
2. Description of the Related Art
One type of conventional power device package has at least one semiconductor power device bonded directly to a lead frame and sealed with an molding resin such as an epoxy molding compound (EMC).
However, when the semiconductor die is directly bonded to the lead frame as in this type of conventional power device package, the semiconductor die is stressed by a temperature change since the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a semiconductor die is substantially different from that of a lead frame on which the semiconductor die is bonded. As such, the semiconductor die is deformed by the stress, and the performance of the semiconductor die usually deteriorates. Moreover, the stress exerted on the semiconductor die results in an inferior and deformed power device package. In addition, the deformed power device packages can crack and foreign substances such as water can penetrate into the power device package through the cracks.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional power device package.
Referring to FIG. 1, a silicon power device die 30 is bonded to a lead frame 10 using a conductive adhesive material 20, and the lead frame 10 and the silicon power device die 30 are sealed with a sealant 40 such as an EMC. Conventionally, the lead frame 10 is formed of copper (Cu), and the CTE of the copper is 17 ppm/° C. However, the CTE of the silicon power device die 30 is 2-3 ppm/° C.
If the temperature of the conventional power device package increases due to heat generated during operation of the conventional power device package or applied to the conventional power device package from an outside heat source, the power device die 30 is stressed. The lead frame 10 expands more than the semiconductor die 30 and, as a result, the semiconductor die 30 can be deformed (strained).
In the conventional power device package illustrated in FIG. 1, the sealant 40 has a short surface creepage distance from the outside of the conventional power device package to the silicon power device die 30. Therefore, the sealant 40 can easily crack off from the lead frame 10 and the silicon power device die 30 due to the difference in the CTEs of the silicon power device die 30 and the lead frame 10. Foreign substances such as water can penetrate into the silicon power device die 30 through the cracks resulting in defective power device packages.
In addition, since the conventional power device package has the silicon power device die 30 directly bonded to the lead frame 10, the size of the silicon power device die 30 is limited to the size of the lead frame 10.

Power device package comprising metal tab die attach paddle (DAP) and method of fabricating the package


A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) device may include a piezoelectric membrane transducer designed to have lower sensitivity to residual stress and reduced sensitivity to geometric variations arising from the backside etching process used to release the membrane. These designs allow some of its key feature to be adjusted to achieve desired characteristics, such as pressure sensitivity, natural frequency, stress sensitivity, and bandwidth.

Micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) have been described in several publications and have been subject to extensive research in the last decades. A typical piezoelectric MUT (pMUT) includes a multilayer membrane structure that is excited into flexural vibration using piezoelectric actuation. The membrane structure may include a bottom layer 101, a piezoelectric layer 102, a top electrode layer 103 formed on the piezoelectric layer, and a bottom electrode layer 105 sandwiched between the bottom layer and piezoelectric layer. The bottom layer 101 may be a passive bending layer or a second piezoelectric layer. An opening 104 may be formed in the piezoelectric layer 102 to expose the bottom electrode layer 103 and allow for electrical contact thereto. The membrane structure is often formed by etching through a substrate 100 such as a silicon wafer to remove the material beneath the membrane, thereby allowing it to vibrate. This etch forms a hollow tube 106 beneath the backside of the membrane. The membrane vibrates in response to a time-varying driving voltage to generate a high frequency pressure wave in a propagation medium (e.g., air, water or body tissue). These devices typically operate at a specific resonance frequency, targeted to possess particular ultrasound characteristics and/or to satisfy a specific application. The desired resonance frequency can be easily tuned by selecting the correct materials and membrane dimensions. For most applications it is very important to assure good frequency matching between transducers fabricated on different wafers as well as between transducers fabricated on the same wafer. Resonance frequency variations in pMUTs mainly arise from micro-fabrication process variations, including but not limited to: residual stress gradients present in the structural materials, thickness variations, dimensional variations, and layer-to-layer alignment variations. A good metric to evaluate the frequency-matching yield of pMUTs fabricated across a number of wafers or within a single wafer is to assure that the total variation of the resonance frequencies of all the pMUTs is smaller than the average pMUT bandwidth (BW) at resonance. Keeping the frequency variation within the aforementioned range is crucial to produce maximum performance as well as to enable high manufacturing yield.
Another factor to be taken into account in the pMUT design is the incorporation of air vents in the pMUT membrane to equalize pressure. These air vents are crucial to avoid membrane rupture during particular packaging processes, where the interior or exterior side of the membrane might be subjected to abrupt pressure variations.
Accordingly, what is needed is a pMUT design and fabrication method that would overcome the above-identified issues, i.e., a pMUT with uniform frequency response across a micro-fabricated wafer, resulting from decreased dependency on manufacturing process variations; and a pMUT that includes air vents, to equalize pressure differences across the two sides of the pMUT's membrane. The design and the fabrication method should be easy to implement, cost-effective, and utilize existing chip and wafer fabrication technology. It is within this context that aspects of the present disclosure arise.

Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers with low stress sensitivity and methods of fabrication


An embedded memory device includes a mask ROM including a plurality of mask ROM cells and an address decoder configured to decode an address of the plurality of mask ROM cells; and an e-fuse memory configured to replace a part of data stored in the mask ROM with replacement data, the e-fuse memory including, a plurality of e-fuse memory cells configured to store the replacement data, and an e-fuse address selector configured to decode an address of the plurality of e-fuse memory cells and to selectively cause data of one or more of the plurality of e-fuse memory cells to be output based on the decoding result.

1. Field
At least some embodiments relate to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, relate to an embedded memory device and/or a memory controller including the embedded memory device.
2. Related Art
A mask ROM is a ROM in which data is at a factory level, for example, before use by a consumer. For example, programs are previously stored at a fabrication level. A memory information fixed read only memory element is a bipolar element or a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) element. Information is stored according to whether a transistor is connected between an address line and a data line. This memory information is decided according to a mask pattern when elements are fabricated. Thus, a change of the memory information is impossible, the memory information is non-volatile, and the reliability on information maintenance is high. In the mask ROM, read only contents are fixed at a fabrication level. That is, it is impossible to revise data recorded in the mask ROM.

Embedded memory device and memory controller including the same


A capacitor structure in an integrated circuit includes a capacitor region defined within the boundaries thereof with an active circuit layer formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A planarization layer is disposed over the active circuit layer and electrically isolated therefrom in at least the capacitor region. A metal capacitor layer is formed over the planarization layer within the capacitor region and having the bottom plates of a plurality of capacitors defined therein. A layer of dielectric is formed on the bottom plates of the plurality of capacitors of a predetermined thickness. A top plate is formed on the dielectric for each of the plurality of capacitors to define each of the plurality of capacitors, such that a portion of each of the bottom plates extends outside of the boundaries of the associated top plate.

Data converters for converting analog data to digital data utilize an analog-to-digital converter of the successive approximation type and operating with a SAR algorithm. These converters utilize a switched capacitor array that is binary weighted for redistributing charge. The binary weighted capacitor array has a plurality of capacitors, each having a top plate connected to a common node and a bottom plate, each capacitor having the associated bottom plate connected to individual switches. The bottom plates of the capacitors are switched between a reference voltage, an input voltage and ground, depending upon the particular SAR algorithm. This is conventional. Each of the capacitors ranges from a first value of C, a second value of 2C, a third value of 4C, a fourth value of 8C, etc., in a binary weighted manner. In order to ensure that the capacitor ratios are correct, these capacitors are typically configured with the use of a plurality of unit capacitors of value "C." Thus, the first capacitor will be a single capacitor value "C" utilizing a single unit capacitor. The next capacitor, the 2C capacitor, will require a value of "2C" requiring two unit capacitors of value "C." The next capacitor in the binary sequence will be four unit capacitors to give a total value of "4C," the next one being eight unit capacitors for a total of "8C," and so on. Each of these C, 2C, 4C, 8C, . . . , capacitors is comprised of a sub array of unit capacitors, where "C" ins the unit capacitance value. It is important when manufacturing the unit capacitors and interconnecting them to form the unit capacitor sub arrays that the capacitance values be true, i.e., that the 8C capacitor be exactly eight times the value of the unit capacitor 1C. Since the capacitors are typically configured in some type of bulk array and are disposed typically in association with other capacitors, some in the associated sub array and some associated with other sub arrays, there will be certain characteristics that must be considered. For example, the first capacitor in the array is a single unit capacitor value "C." The capacitor 4C will have four unit capacitors. If these unit capacitors are disposed in a 2×2 array, this will mean that four of the capacitors will have two exposed sides with the other two sides being associated with adjacent capacitors in other sub arrays. This could result in a different capacitance value in total than the expected 4C value. Thus, the design of the capacitive array must account for various parasitics and the such in the design thereof.


A wind turbine includes a generator and a control system. The control system is configured to determine whether a predefined amount of turbulence will be induced to the wind turbine by a wake zone created by a wind turbine upstream thereof. The control system is also configured to adjust at least one constraint of the wind turbine to a first setting if the amount of turbulence is greater than the predefined amount, the constraint affecting power produced by the generator, and to adjust the constraint of the wind turbine to a second setting if the amount of turbulence is not greater than the predefined amount.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to wind turbines and, more particularly, to a wind turbine, control system, and method to optimize power production from one or more wind turbines within a wind farm.
Generally, a wind turbine includes a rotor that includes a rotatable hub assembly having multiple rotor blades. The rotor blades transform wind energy into a mechanical rotational torque that drives one or more generators via the rotor. The generators are sometimes, but not always, rotationally coupled to the rotor through a gearbox. The gearbox steps up the inherently low rotational speed of the rotor for the generator to efficiently convert the rotational mechanical energy to electrical energy, which is fed into a utility grid via at least one electrical connection. Gearless direct drive wind turbines also exist. The rotor, generator, gearbox and other components are typically mounted within a housing, or nacelle, that is positioned on top of a tower.
At least some known wind turbines are arranged in localized groups known as wind farms. Generally, each wind turbine is positioned within the wind farm to optimize environmental conditions of the wind farm. For example, the wind turbines may be positioned to reduce or to minimize a wake effect (i.e., a turbulence) of one or more wind turbines. Such wake effects may be caused by wind being diverted around a tower, rotor blades, and/or other components of the wind turbine. However, due to space constraints that may be present within known wind farms, the positioning of the wind turbines may still result in wake effects that are induced to one or more wind turbines. Such wake effects may undesirably result in additional loads induced to the affected wind turbines, which may reduce a lifespan of one or more components of the affected wind turbines.
At least some known wind farms limit or constrain a power production of wind turbines that experience wake effects to prevent turbulence associated with the wake effects from damaging the wind turbines. For example, a wind turbine that is positioned within a wake zone of another wind turbine may be curtailed, or limited in rotational speed and/or power production. Moreover, the affected wind turbine may be prevented from increasing its power production during times of excess power production capability. Such constraints may be programmed into a control system of each wind turbine during a wind farm installation based on estimates of future wind farm conditions. However, one or more wind turbines may not be continuously operational, for example, due to maintenance and/or fault conditions. An operational status of each wind turbine within the wind farm may not be available to the other wind turbines. Accordingly, if one or more wind turbines are non-operational, the power production of other wind turbines may continue to be constrained even though the non-operational wind turbine may generate less turbulence. Such operation may result in a loss of power that may otherwise be produced by the wind turbines.

Wind turbine, control system, and method for optimizing wind turbine power production


A furnace system includes at least one lower radiant section having a first firebox disposed therein and at least one upper radiant section disposed above the at least one lower radiant section. The at least one upper radiant section has a second firebox disposed therein. The furnace system further includes at least one convection section disposed above the at least one upper radiant section and an exhaust corridor defined by the first firebox, the second firebox, and the at least one convection section. Arrangement of the at least one upper radiant section above the at least one lower radiant section reduces an area required for construction of the furnace system.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for refining operations, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to furnace systems having vertically-oriented radiant sections.
History of the Related Art
Delayed coking refers to a refining process that includes heating a residual oil feed, made up of heavy, long-chain hydrocarbon molecules, to a cracking temperature in a furnace system. Typically, furnace systems used in the delayed coking process include a plurality of tubes arranged in a multiple-pass configuration. Often times, a furnace system includes at least one convection section and at least one radiant section. The residual oil feed is pre-heated in the at least one convection section prior to being conveyed to the at least one radiant section where the residual oil feed is heated to the cracking temperature. In some cases, design considerations dictate that the furnace system include multiple convection sections and multiple radiant sections. Such an arrangement requires an area of sufficient size in which to place the furnace system.
In some cases, space constraints limit the number of radiant sections that can be placed in a side-by-side arrangement in a given area. This results in the furnace system being constructed with less than an ideal number of radiant sections. Thus, it would be beneficial to design the furnace system to allow placement of multiple radiant sections or convection sections in a smaller area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,699, assigned to The M. W. Kellogg Company, discloses a twin-cell process furnace utilizing a pair of radiant cells. The pair of radiant cells are arranged in close proximity to each other in a generally side-by-side orientation. An overhead convection section is placed above, and centered between the pair of radiant cells. Combustion gas is drawn into the convection section via induced and forced-draft fans. The twin-cell process furnace requires a smaller area and allows increased flexibility in heating multiple services and easier radiant tube replacement.

Method and system for improving spatial efficiency of a furnace system


The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining blood pressure of a subject. To automatically trigger calibration the apparatus comprises a sensor signal input configured to obtain an arterial pulse wave sensor signal of the subject, a feature extraction unit configured to extract multiple features from the obtained arterial pulse wave sensor signal, an estimation unit configured to determine multiple blood pressure estimation values for individual extracted features and/or groups of extracted features and to determine the subject's blood pressure from said multiple blood pressure estimation values, a calibration unit configured to calibrate the estimation unit based on blood pressure reference measurements, and a calibration trigger unit configured to trigger calibration by the calibration unit if the multiple blood pressure estimation values diverge more than a divergence limit.

Blood pressure (BP) measurements are common in all hospital settings to assess and monitor the hemodynamic status of a patient. For instable patients continuous monitoring is required for which currently mostly an invasive intra-arterial pressure catheter is used. This method requires trained medical staff to apply and is associated with an infection risk for a patient. However, if the hemodynamic stability of the patient allows for, non-invasive measurement methods (auscultatory or oscillometric) are applied. These methods involve a cuff, which is typically applied at the upper arm. This method does not allow to continuously monitor blood pressure and is rather uncomfortable for the patient, in particular when automated spot-check measurements with e.g. 15 minutes intervals are conducted during night.
Further methods allow for continuous, yet unobtrusive measurement of blood pressure, preferably without applying any external force or pressure to the patient. These methods are typically based on physiological parameters that can be sensed continuously and non-invasively. From the periodic waveform data a BP surrogate parameter is calculated, which allows to derive BP information on a continuous or beat-to-beat basis. An example for a BP surrogate parameter is pulse-arrival-time (PAT), which can be computed on a beat-by-beat basis from continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveform data. PAT represents the time of arrival of the arterial pulse at the location of measurement. With increasing/decreasing BP, the pulse waves travel faster/slower through the arterial tree, therefore resulting in decreased/increased PAT. In principle, the photoplethysmographic, electrocardiographic, and seismocardiographic waveform signals obtained from electrical, optical, and accelerometry sensors contain rich physiological information, from which different features can be extracted for determining a surrogate for BP.
US 2012/0136261 A1 discloses systems and methods for calibrating the calculation of physiological parameters. Two or more calibration techniques may be used to determine a relationship between physiological measurements and a desired physiological parameter, such as a relationship between differential pulse transit time (DPTT) and blood pressure. Different calibration techniques may be used in a serial fashion, one after the other, or in a parallel fashion, with different weights accorded to each calibration technique. When physiological or other changes occur, the calibration data may be stored for later use and new calibration data may be generated.
US 2017/0042433 A1 discloses a blood pressure estimating method including measuring a biosignal including pulse wave information of a user, determining a calibration method for a blood pressure estimation model, calibrating the blood pressure estimation model using the determined calibration method, and estimating a blood pressure of the user from the biosignal using the calibrated blood pressure estimation model.
There is still a need for feature selection that is robust to inter-patient as well as intra-patient variability and/or for automatically detecting when (re-)calibration is required.

Apparatus and method for determining blood pressure of a subject


Disclosed is a high-power, fully-superconducting electric machine and major subcomponents including a dual (twin) superconducting, counter rotating, sub-scale bypass fan machine, 13-stage switched reluctance turbo-motor, electric compressor, annular ion-plasma combustor with electromagnetic electrodes, and a five stage superconducting counter-rotating turbine power generation machine which is capable of developing 2.5 MW per stage.

Over the past 10-20 years research has focused on increasing jet engine performance while reducing engine weight and reducing the costs associated with engine production and maintenance. In particular, government and military funded programs have focused on using ceramic components for the hot section of gas turbine engines to allow for higher turbine inlet temperatures and, therefore, higher thermal efficiencies. In addition, research is focusing on a truly integrated engine and airframe propulsion system in which the engine casing becomes a part of the airframe. This would allow for a dramatic weight reduction in overall weight and an increase in engine performance. However, these development programs have focused on 70 year old gas turbine technology.
In addition, the DOD and Armed Services are now demanding significant increases in electric output from turbine flight engines. For example, there are now requirements for the generation of up to 2-5 megawatts of electrical power that is needed to power on-board directed energy weapons and all electric aircraft subsystems. Currently, US Air Force requirements for future unmanned and manned systems are demanding propulsion capabilities which can sustain supersonic speeds as in Mach 1.5-3.5 across a complete flight regime, lift-off to landing, and deliver high power energy weapons with all electric sub-systems for aircraft function. Future aircraft concepts are demanding in excess of 1.0 megawatt of power which current turbine engine companies cannot deliver off of their present engine designs, largely because they are restricted by the reduction performance of gear boxes, drive shafts and the generator added on as an additional component which is not made by the OEM engine supplier.
In traditional gas turbine engines, the combustor/propulsor, dynamic components are designed to be in tension with heavy axial drive shafts (or spools), and gear boxes. These systems are quite heavy and typically limit the thrust to weight ratios to not more than 7 to 1.
Accordingly, a need exists for an engine design that is able to provide very high thrust to weight ratios, has optimized aerodynamic flight conditions across the entire flight envelope and can generate substantial surplus electrical power output.
A further need exists for a turbine engine design without a drive shaft (and its volume and weight constraints) that has optimize aerodynamic efficiency along with lightweight high temperature materials.
Yet another exists for new engine turbomachinary that utilizes new high power electromagnetics to electrically segment the bypass fan from the compressor and the turbine.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Fully advanced superconducting segmented turbo-electric rotormachine (fasster)


A method for making flowable alkaline thiosulfate, flowable alkaline sulfite, or a combination of the two, by blending an alkaline thiosulfate, an alkaline sulfite, or a combination of the two, with an alkali metal arylsulfonate.formaldehyde in an amount effective to render the alkaline thiosulfate, the alkaline sulfite, or the combination freely flowable, and the product of this method. It has been found that the product of this method, such as freely flowable ammonium thiosulfate powder mixture, can be stored in a freely flowable condition for extended periods of time and can be dissolved into solution readily to form a clear non-turbid solution. The freely flowable ammonium thiosulfate powdered mixture of the present invention is particularly useful as a photographic fixative and bleach fixative for processing photographic elements.

It is well known that ammonium thiosulfate is acutely hygroscopic and unstable, and as a result, tends to agglomerate and cake, a phenomenon which is also known for other ammonium salts such as, for example, ammonium sulfite. This tendency to clump or cake represents a serious disadvantage since the caked salt must be mechanically crushed to enable measurement and dosage thereof.
However, a free flowing stable ammonium thiosulfate has been highly desired for the production of stable so-called "rapid-fix" salt mixtures, particularly in the photographic processing field, which are portable, easily measurable and readily soluble in water.
Towards this end, prior attempts to alleviate the ammonium thiosulfate caking problem have encompassed both physical treatments of the ammonium thiosulfate as well as blending of additives thereto. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,384 describes blending ammonium thiosulfate with an alkali disulfate and thereafter milling the blend to within a average particle diameter of from 150 to 300 .mu.m in order to improve the flowing properties of the ammonium thiosulfate. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,929 discloses blending dry crystalline ammonium thiosulfate with small amounts of sodium thiosulfate in order to discourage the clumping behavior of the ammonium thiosulfate.
On the other hand, alkyl aryl sulfonate compounds are widely-known as a detergent agent, e.g., as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,515,577 and 2,579,380. Also, sodium salts of formaldehyde condensation products of betanaphthalene sulphonic acid have also been proposed for use as a dispersing agent for chlorinated lime powder as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,108. Additionally, use of alkyl naphthalene sulfonates as a wetting agent for mixtures of alkali oxalate and anhydrous alkali thiosulfate is also suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,075.
In addition to the caking problem another problem heretofore associated with alkali thiosulfate was that the material was not readily soluble or dissolved and formed a turbid solution due to inadvertent liberation of decomposition products, such as sulfur particulates. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,168 describes blending ammonium salts of weak acids with the ammonium thiosulfate in an effort to prevent liberation of such decomposition products. As another approach, U.S. Pat. No. 2,203,903 describes combining alkali thiosulfate with sodium sulfite, sodium acetate, citric acid and alum to inhibit formation of sulfur in the fixing bath from the decomposition of the thiosulfate.

Method of making flowable alkaline thiosulfate/alkaline sulfite and the product thereof


A system and method are disclosed for dispensing an amount of imbalance correction weight for attachment to a rotary element to reduce an imbalance in the rotary element. The imbalance correction weight includes a number of individual weights provided on a length of double-sided adhesive tape. A guide directs the imbalance correction weight through a channel provided by the guide toward a tape divider. A driver pulls a protective backing away from the tape causing the imbalance correction weight to move through the channel toward the tape divider. A sensor counts the individual weights that move past it. When the sensor has counted a desired number of individual weights, a controller instructs the driver to stop pulling on the protective backing thereby stopping movement of the imbalance correction weight and then instructs the tape divider to divide the tape to provide the amount of imbalance correction weight. A weight applicator automatically receives the amount of imbalance correction weight and is operable to attach it to the rotary element.

In recent years, some vehicle wheel designs have evolved that do not permit the use of pound-on imbalance correcting weights on the outwardly facing, or "curb" side of the wheel. These wheels are sometimes called "flangeless" or "soft face" wheels. Flangeless or soft face wheels generally require adhesive weights to be applied from the car side of the tire and wheel assembly to the inside diameter of the wheel to correct some portion of the imbalance in the assembly. Currently, an operator selects a specific size weight from a row of bins, removes the protective tape and applies the weight to the wheel. This process is slow and it is easy for the operator to select the wrong weight. In addition, typical currently available adhesive weights are made from pieces of lead with protective coatings to reduce the likelihood of direct worker contact with the lead. These one-piece weights are preformed to a specific wheel radius. Workers sometimes reshape the weights to the radius of a wheel for which the weights were not originally made. Otherwise, optimal adherence of the adhesive weight will not be achieved. These characteristics lead to additional work and rework at imbalance correcting stations for wheel and tire assemblies.
Another currently available system pulls extruded lead, with adhesive already applied, from a coil of extruded lead, forms the extruded lead to a particular radius, and then cuts the amount of extruded lead necessary to achieve a particular amount of imbalance correction. Weights formed using this system leave the ends of the lead weights exposed to contact with workers. This exposed lead is unacceptable to many manufacturers. Also, as noted, this system forms the extruded lead to only one radius. Again, this means that if the weight is to be applied to a wheel having another radius, the worker must reshape the weight to the desired curvature. Additionally, lead is heavy, resulting in the coils having limited capacity. This results in frequent replacement of the somewhat unwieldy coils.

System and method for dispensing adhesive imbalance correction weight


A method of processing a substrate having a conductive material layer disposed thereon is provided which includes positioning the substrate in a process apparatus and supplying a first polishing composition between to the substrate. The polishing composition comprises a first chelating agent, a second chelating agent, a first corrosion inhibitor, a second corrosion inhibitor, a suppressor, a solvent, and an inorganic acid based electrolyte to provide a pH between about 3 and about 10.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to compositions and methods for removing a conductive material from a substrate.
2. Background of the Related Art
Reliably producing sub-half micron and smaller features is one of the key technologies for the next generation of very large scale integration (VLSI) and ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) of semiconductor devices. However, as the limits of circuit technology are pushed, the shrinking dimensions of interconnects in VLSI and ULSI technology have placed additional demands on processing capabilities. Reliable formation of interconnects is important to VLSI and ULSI success and to the continued effort to increase circuit density and quality of individual substrates and die.
Multilevel interconnects are formed using sequential material deposition and material removal techniques on a substrate surface to form features therein. As layers of materials are sequentially deposited and removed, the uppermost surface of the substrate may become non-planar across its surface and require planarization prior to further processing. Planarization or "polishing" is a process where material is removed from the surface of the substrate to form a generally even, planar surface. Planarization is useful in removing excess deposited material, removing undesired surface topography, and surface defects, such as surface roughness, agglomerated materials, crystal lattice damage, scratches and contaminated layers or materials to provide an even surface for subsequent photolithography and other semiconductor processes.
Chemical mechanical planarization or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is a common technique used to planarize substrates. In conventional CMP techniques, a substrate carrier or polishing head is mounted on a carrier assembly and positioned in contact with a polishing article in a CMP apparatus. The carrier assembly provides a controllable pressure to the substrate urging the substrate against the polishing pad. The pad is moved relative to the substrate by an external driving force. Thus, the CMP apparatus effects polishing or rubbing movement between the surface of the substrate and the polishing article while dispersing a polishing composition to effect both chemical activity and mechanical activity.
However, materials deposited on the surface of a substrate to fill feature definitions formed therein often result in unevenly formed surfaces over feature definitions of variable density. Referring to FIG. 1A, a metal layer 20 is deposited on a substrate 10 to fill wide feature definitions 30, also known as low density feature definitions, or narrow feature definitions 40, also known as and high density feature definitions. Excess material, called overburden, may be formed with a greater thickness 45 over the narrow feature definitions 40 and may have minimal deposition 35 over wide feature definitions 30. Polishing of surfaces with overburden may result in the retention of residues 50 from inadequate metal removal over narrow features. Overpolishing processes to remove such residues 50 may result in excess metal removal over wide feature definitions 30. Excess metal removal can form topographical defects, such as concavities or depressions known as dishing 55, over wide features, as shown in FIG. 1B.
Dishing of features and retention of residues on the substrate surface are undesirable since dishing and residues may detrimentally affect subsequent processing of the substrate. For example, dishing results in a non-planar surface that impairs the ability to print high-resolution lines during subsequent photolithographic steps and detrimentally affects subsequent surface topography of the substrate, which affects device formation and yields. Dishing also detrimentally affects the performance of devices by lowering the conductance and increasing the resistance of the devices, causing device variability and device yield loss. Residues may lead to uneven polishing of subsequent materials, such as barrier layer materials (not shown) disposed between the conductive material and the substrate surface. Post CMP profiles generally show higher dishing on wide trenches than on narrow trenches or dense areas. Uneven polishing will also increase defect formation in devices and reduce substrate yields.
One approach to polish substrate surfaces with minimal defects is by an electrochemical mechanical polishing technique. In an electrochemical mechanical polishing technique, the material to be polished is removed additionally by anodic dissolution compared to chemical mechanical polishing. In one example of an electrochemical mechanical polishing technique described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,680, issued on Nov. 2, 2004, a passivation layer is formed on the substrate surface to inhibit anodic dissolution until the passivation layer is removed by mechanical forces. However, passivation layers in electrochemical mechanical polishing processes may be difficult to remove under the mechanical forces used in such processes. The difficult removal of the passivation layer may result in less than desirable surface finishing and may still require some overpolishing to remove residual materials remaining after passivation layer removal.
Therefore, there is a need for compositions and methods for removing conductive material from a substrate that minimizes damage to the substrate during planarization.

Method and composition for electrochemical mechanical polishing processing


Disclosed herein is a diamond Schottky gate type field effect transistor (FET) comprising: an insulating diamond under layer; a doped semiconducting diamond layer as an active layer, which has electrode areas formed by ion implantation such that the interface level is formed near the surface thereof; an insulating diamond layer formed on a portion of the semiconducting diamond layer; a source electrode made of a degenerate diamond film provided in one of the electrode areas of the semiconducting diamond layer, to form an ohmic contact between the same and the semiconducting diamond layer; a drain electrode made of a degenerate diamond film provided in the other of the electrode areas of the semiconducting diamond layer, to form an ohmic contact between the same and the semiconducting diamond layer; and a gate electrode made of a degenerate diamond film formed on the insulating diamond layer, to form a Schottky junction between the same and the semiconducting diamond layer through the diamond insulating layer.

The present invention relates to a Schottky gate type field-effect transistor (FET) with the Schottky junction as the gate structure, and particularly, to a diamond Schottky gate type FET having a structure comprising diamond films formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Diamond has a high thermal conductivity, an excellent stability against heat, and a large band gap. It is electrically insulating but becomes semiconducting upon doping. Therefore, diamond is expected to be used for semiconducting devices which can be operated in a high electric power/high temperature regime. By the advent of the synthesis of diamond films by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), it has now become possible to grow B (boron)-doped p-type semiconducting diamond films and Si (Silicon)-doped n-type semiconducting diamond films.
Research and development effects have been made to develop semiconducting devices employing such semiconducting diamond films. The present applicant has proposed an MIS type diamond FET having a metal electrode/insulating diamond layer/semiconducting diamond layer structure (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. hei 2-63827). FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the conventional MIS type diamond FET (hereafter referred as "MISFET).
In FIG. 5, an insulating diamond under layer 52 is formed on a silicon substrate 51. Three layers are formed on the insulating diamond under layer 52 in the order of; a B-doped p-type semiconducting diamond layer 53 as an active layer, a Si-doped n-type semiconducting diamond layer 54a as an active layer to be a source area, and a Si-doped n-type semiconducting diamond layer 54b as an active layer to be a drain area. Furthermore, an insulating diamond layer 55 is formed on the p-type semiconducting diamond layer 53.
A source electrode 56 having a two-layer structure of Ti (Titanium) and Au (Gold) is provided on the surface of the n-type semiconducting diamond layer 54a, to form an ohmic contact therebetween. Also, a drain electrode 57 made of Au/Ti is provided on the surface of the n-type semiconducting diamond layer 54b, to form an ohmic contact therebetween. Furthermore, a gate electrode 58 made of Au/Ti is provided on the surface of the insulating diamond layer 55.
The MISFET described above can normally operate in high temperatures.
However, the MISFET is disadvantageous in that the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal electrodes are quite different from that of diamond. When it undergoes a heat cycle from about 500.degree. C. to room temperature (about 25.degree. C.), there occur dislocation and defects due to the thermal strain in the semiconducting diamond layers and the insulating diamond layers. Consequently, it cannot normally operate and further introduces a fear of the electrodes peeling off.

Diamond Schottky gate type field-effect transistor


The invention operates as a base station and preferably suppresses interference between cells in a downlink to a terminal in a range expansion area, under a radio communication environment in which cells in different sizes are layered. PDCCH parts which are respectively used by a Macro eNodeB and a Pico eNodeB are separated by a search space so that all information in the PDCCH can be protected from losing due to interference. Since a user equipment can maintain a control signal in the PDSCH part, a signal in the PDSCH can be output from an eNodeB and this improves the throughput.

Recently, in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), "IMT (International Mobile Telecommunications)-2000," which is the world standard of the third generation (3G) mobile communication system designed by ITU (International Telecommunication Union), has been standardized. "LTE (Long Term Evolution)," which is one of data communication specifications designed by 3GPP, is a long-term advanced system aiming at IMT-Advanced of the fourth generation (4G) and also referred to as "3.9G (Super 3G)." LTE is a communication method based on an OFDM modulation method and OFDMA is used as a downlink radio access method.
In LTE, two duplex communication methods of FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) and TDD (Time Division Duplex) can be selected. In FDD, an uplink coverage area and a downlink coverage area are used. A radio frame format composed of consecutive 10 subframes is used in the uplink and the downlink, respectively. Here, the uplink is communication from a terminal station (UE terminal: User Equipment) to an LTE base station (eNodeB: evolved Node B), and the downlink is communication from the eNodeB to the user equipment. Also in TDD, a radio frame format composed of consecutive 10 subframes is used. In TDD, however, uplink and downlink communications are performed in the same band. Each subframe constituting the radio frame is composed of control signal PDCCH (Phy Downlink Control Channel) from eNodeB and PDSCH (Phy Downlink Shared Channel) used as user data.
Further, LTE performs operation in which a single frequency is commonly used in all cells in a one-cell reuse system. This is because it may cause a shortage of frequency resources when different frequencies are used between adjacent base stations like conventional cellular systems. In this case, there is a problem that radio wave for transmitted and received by user equipment existing near the cell may interfere with each other. Then, in LTE as 3GPP Rel-8, a technique called Inter Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) of Rel-8 is employed.
ICIC is realized by a fractional frequency reuse in a combination of one-cell frequency reuse and multi-cell frequency reuse, for example. In fractional frequency reuse, each cell can be divided into a center region inside of the cell close to eNodeB and a peripheral region at a cell edge away from eNodeB. A "central frequency" allocated to communication between eNodeB and a user equipment in the center region is competitive with adjacent cells (that is, one-cell frequency reuse); however, interference between cells can be avoided by maintaining transmission power small so that signals can be transmitted only in the center region. On the other hand, although large power is required to transmit signals to the peripheral region, interference between cells can be avoided when different "peripheral frequencies" are used in peripheral regions of the adjacent cells (that is, multi-cell frequency reuse).
FIG. 24 illustrates a manner that three cells 1 to 3 that perform the fractional frequency reuse are adjacent to one another. In the figure, the hexagonal shape represents a single cell coverage. The cells 1 to 3 are divided into center regions illustrated as blank parts inside the cells and peripheral regions illustrated as hatched parts in the periphery of the cells. Although the central frequency allocated to the center regions is competitive with adjacent cells (that is, a single frequency reuse), interference between cells can be avoided by maintaining transmission power small so that signals are transmitted only in the center region. On the other hand, different frequencies are allocated to peripheral regions of the adjacent cells. In FIG. 24, differences of frequency band are represented by hatching types (diagonal hatching lines, vertical hatching lines, and horizontal hatching lines).
Further, in Rel-8 ICIC of 3GPP, in addition to the above described frequency reuse technique, signals for suppressing interference are exchanged between base stations, which are eNodeB, via an X2 interface (The X2 interface is an interference connecting between eNodeBs and an optical fiber is its typical example). As messages exchanged via the X2 interface, concretely, there are a High Interference Indicator (HII) and an Overload Indicator (OI). Here, an HII is information to inform a location of a resource block allocated to the user equipment at cell edges to adjacent eNodeB. From the resource block specified by the HII can be determined to have a high possibility to receive interference. Thus, considering the possibility, scheduling is performed on the resource block in the adjacent cells. On the other hand, OI is information to inform a degree of interference to the uplink resource block and has three levels of low, medium, and high. When it is informed that the degree of interference to a certain resource block is high by OI via the X2 interface, an adjacent eNodeBs adjusts scheduling and an uplink power control regarding the resource block.
In this manner, Rel-8 ICIC has an object to remove interference between macro cells and employs a method to adjust via the X2 interface. However, what is adjusted by this method is only PDSCH in a subframe and PDCCH part cannot be adjusted. This is because PDCCH is a format in which adjacent cells use the same frequency band to resist interference.
Next, Rel-10 ICIC will be explained. Rel-10 ICIC has an object to control interference between a macrocell and a picocell.
In 3GPP, a method called HetNet that improves a capacity of an entire system by layering cells in various sizes such as macro, micro, pico, and femto. Pico eNodeB, which is a base station of a picocell, has a characteristic of having transmission power lower than that of Macro eNodeB as a base station of a macrocell by several dozens dB. It can be assumed that there is an X2 interface between Macro eNodeB and Pico eNodeB (in other words, interference to the PDSCH part in a subframe is already solved by Rel-8 ICIC). Here, it has to be assumed that the X2 interface between Pico eNodeB and Macro eNodeB is an interface having a weaker characteristic in speed, capacity, and delay than the X2 interface between Macro eNodeBs in some cases.
Since the transmission power from Pico eNodeB is low, there are many areas in which signals from Macro eNodeB can be strongly received. Even in an area in which propagation loss from the picocell is smaller than propagation loss from Macro eNodeB (or, even in an area being closer to picocell than Macro eNodeB), when received power from Macro eNodeB is larger, the user equipment may often attempt RRC (Radio Resource)_Connected to further Macro eNodeB, not to close Pico eNodeB. However, since it is advantageous to connect to a base station having smaller propagation loss in an uplink in view of battery consumption of a terminal and it is important to obtain cell division gain by allocating user equipment to the picocell in HetNet environment, it is required to solve a problem that user equipment is made to connect only to Macro eNodeB.
Then, Rel-10 specifies a technique called a range expansion. The range expansion will be explained with reference to FIG. 25. When selecting a cell, that is, determining a base station to enter, the user equipment selects to enter eNodeB which has larger power based on received power (RSRP: Reference Signal Received Power) obtained from a reference signal (cell-specific reference signal) from eNodeB. When evaluating RSRP of each eNodeB, an area where the user equipment entering Pico eNodeB exists is enlarged by adding an offset of 10 dB to RSRP of Pico eNodeB to evaluate, for example. This is the range expansion and the enlarged area is called a range expansion area. The range expansion area is an area in which RSRP offset, that is a technique of the range expansion, allows the user equipment to enter Pico eNodeB even in a case that the user equipment generally enters Macro eNodeB due to the low RSRP from Pico eNodeB.
For the user equipment existing in the range expansion area, received power from Macro eNodeB is sometimes greater than received power from entered Pico eNodeB. In other words, in the range expansion area, there is a disadvantage that reception in the user equipment from Pico eNodeB is weak against interference from Macro eNodeB. This is why, in the range expansion area, interference in the downlink between Pico eNodeB and Macro eNodeB becomes a problem.
For example, there has been proposed a communication system including a base station device for managing a mobile station device and a macrocell, and a home base station device for managing a femtocell, a picocell, a nanocell home cell, and the communication system adjusts interference to home base station device (see Patent Document 1, for example). However, this communication system does not adjust interference in the downlink to a user equipment in a range expansion area.

Radio communication device, radio communication method, and radio communication system


A centrifugal clutch assembly is provided that includes a cover module having a pressure plate for applying a clamping force against a friction plate, a moveable plate adapted to rotate with the cover module, but axially displaceable with respect thereto to apply an axial force on the pressure plate through a preloaded plate spring, a fixed plate secured for rotation with the cover module, and a plurality of weights positioned between the moveable plate and the fixed plate that are adapted to move outward under the effects of centrifugal force to cause axial movement in the movable plate and a clamping force on the friction plate. The cover module also includes at least one return spring configured to apply a return force on the weights through the moveable plate, the return force being generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the cover module and independent of weight position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal master clutch for a vehicular drivetrain system and, more particularly, to a centrifugal master clutch having improved wear life and disengagement characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Centrifugally operated friction clutches are well known in the art of vehicular drivetrain systems and typically include an input member driven by a prime mover, usually an electric motor or internal combustion engine, and weights rotatable with the input member which, upon rotation of the driving member, will move radially outwardly under the effect of centrifugal force to cause the input member to frictionally engage a driven output member. Automatically actuated centrifugal clutches employed with heavy-duty electromechanical highway line-haul truck transmissions include so-called centrifugal actuation modules that house the centrifugally actuated weights. The centrifugal modules are drivingly connected to an engine flywheel, and each of a plurality of centrifugally actuated weights is adapted to swing in an arc about a pivot link fixed to the module housing structure. As such, the so-called swing weights contained within the modules are radially outwardly movable against resistive spring forces as a function of engine speed—the higher the speed, the greater the outward movement between limits. Rollers attached to the weights are adapted to roll atop ramp segments that are cammed for clutch engagement and disengagement.
The swing weights are subjected to a number of forces, and thus give rise to issues that work against satisfactory operation of the modules over the useful lives of the clutch. For example, in one known centrifugal clutch, each of the swing weights is biased by its own compression spring(s). In this design, the biasing force exerted on a swing weights by its compression spring(s) is dependent on the position of the swing weight-generally the farther outward the swing weight moves, the greater the spring force exerted on the swing weight. As the friction materials in the clutch wear, the swing weights move farther up the ramp segments to create a given clamp load and the engagement point of the clutch undesirably changes due to the additional compression of the swing weight springs.
Another feature of the above-described prior art centrifugal clutch is the use of two different ramp surfaces on the ramp segments. A first ramp surface exhibits a relatively steep slope and a second ramp surface exhibits a more gradual slope. These ramp surfaces are engaged by swing weight rollers and are used to create a clamp load as the centrifugal force acting on each swing weight increases. Particularly, as the centrifugal force increases, the swing weights will move from their original position on the relatively steep first ramp surface onto the more gradual sloping second ramp surface. Since a centrifugal clutch operates as a balance of forces, any tolerance in the centrifugal module components (e.g., swing weight springs, ramp segments, etc.) may cause a "staggered disengagement", wherein one or more of the swing weights moves from the second ramp surface to the first ramp surface before the other swing weights. This condition is exacerbated in a swing weight style centrifugal clutch since operation of each individual swing weight is essentially independent of the other swing weights.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved centrifugal clutch that maintains the engagement point of the clutch and avoids staggered disengagement of the centrifugally operated weights.

Centrifugal clutch with improved wear life and disengagement characteristics


The present invention provides a scandium containing hydrogen absorption alloy having an alloy phase which is represented by the following formula; EQU (Sc.sub.x A.sub.1-x)(B'.sub.y B".sub.2-y).sub.z. wherein A is at least one of Ti, Zr, rare-earth elements, a mixture of Ti and at least one of Zr, Ta, Nb, Hf, Ca and rare-earth elements, and a mixture of Zr and at least one of Ti, Ta, Nb, Hf, Ca and rare-earth elements; B'is at least one of Ni, Fe, Co and a mixture of at least one of Ni, Fe and Co and at least one of Al, Ga, Si and In; B" is at least one of Mn, V, Cr, Nb, Ti and a mixture of at least one of Mn, V, Cr, Nb and Ti and at least one of Al, Ga, Si and In; x represents 0<x.ltoreq.1; y represents 0<y<2; and z represents 0.75.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.1.2, and the alloy phase includes at least one of a part which belongs to a C15 type Laves phase and a part which belongs to a C14 type Laves phase, and a hydrogen absorption electrode which includes the alloy.

a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hydrogen absorption alloy for use in hydrogen storage and transportation and an electrode material for a nickel-hydrogen storage battery, and a hydrogen absorption electrode for use as a negative pole of a nickel-hydrogen storage battery.
b) Description of the Related Art
The following four types have been proposed as hydrogen absorption alloys: the AB.sub.5 type, represented by LaNi.sub.5 and MmNi.sub.5 (Mm is a misch metal); the AB.sub.2 type, represented by ZrMn.sub.2 and ZrV.sub.2 ; the AB type, represented by TiFe and TiCo; and the A.sub.2 B type, represented by Mg.sub.2 Ni. They are used in the manufacture of secondary batteries, heat pumps, actuators and fuel tanks for hydrogen automobiles as well as in hydrogen storage and transportation, which use depends on the properties of the alloy, such as the hydrogen absorption temperature and plateau pressure.
In the field of electronic machinery, weight reduction has been in great demand. A battery, which is a part of the machinery, is no exception, and there is also a need for small-sized storage batteries having a higher energy density. As an example, at present, nickel-hydrogen storage batteries, which have a higher energy density than that of a nickel-cadmium batteries, are much sought after in the market place. AB.sub.5 type materials, such as LaNi.sub.5 and MmNi.sub.5, which can absorb and desorb hydrogen electrochemically, or AB.sub.2 type hydrogen absorption alloys having a Laves phase structure, such as ZrMn.sub.2, can be used as the negative pole material of this nickel hydrogen storage battery. At present, MmNi.sub.5 type hydrogen absorption alloys, for which early activation is easy, is put into practical use as a negative pole material for nickel-hydrogen storage batteries. However, in order to obtain higher capacity, further efforts have been made to place a storage-battery utilizing an AB.sub.2 type alloy, in particular, a hydrogen absorption alloy having a Laves phase comprising ZrMn.sub.2 and so on into practical use.
Conventional AB.sub.2 type alloys comprising ZrMn.sub.2 and so on, however, have a problem in that the discharge capacity at high rate discharging will decrease as a result of deterioration due to oxygen in the air. In order to prevent the hydrogen absorption alloy from experiencing atmosphere-induced deterioration, coating- the surface of pulverized alloys with corrosion-resistant nickel or copper has been suggested (Japanese Patent Publications SHO 61-64069, SHO 61-25 101957).
Further, conventional hydrogen absorption alloys have a low hydrogen content when absorbing hydrogen.
For example, the hydrogen content is as low as 1.3 wt. % in Mm--Ni containing AB.sub.5 type alloys and 1.5 wt. %. in Zr--Mn containing AB.sub.2 type alloys.
Furthermore, in manufacturing electrodes, the step of coating metal foil on alloy powder makes the process complicated.

Scandium containing hydrogen absorption alloy and hydrogen absorption electrode


Disclosed system and methods for malware testing of software programs. An example method includes storing a plurality of malware trigger scenarios specifying different sets of malware trigger events known to trigger malicious behavior in software programs; in response to obtaining a software program, modifying a computer environment for operating the software program by creating malware trigger events associated with a selected one of the plurality of malware trigger scenarios; analyzing an execution of the software program in the modified computer environment in response to the malware trigger events; upon detecting that the software program exhibits malicious behavior, performing remedial actions on the software program; and upon detecting that the software program exhibits no malicious behavior, selecting a different malware trigger scenario from the plurality of malware trigger scenarios for malware testing of the software program.

The amount of malicious software, also known as malware, is steadily growing. The number of computing platforms for which malware is created is also increasing, and malicious applications for Android OS and Apple iOS are no longer a rarity. Therefore, antivirus companies are faced with new challenges to create new methods of detecting malware.
Known methods for detection of malicious software, which were successful in detecting malware in the past, often fail to detect new types of malware. Currently, the most popular malware detection methods include: heuristic analysis, signature analysis, behavioural analysis, and hash sum analysis. The signature and hash sum techniques are well suited for detecting known malware (i.e., software that has already been investigated and a specimen of which has been entered in a database of malicious software). However, these techniques may fail to detect modified malware code. The heuristic analysis overcomes this shortcoming, but may be ineffective in detecting obfuscated malware. The behavioural analysis often proves most effective in detecting modified malware, but even this method has a number of shortcomings. For example, in order to analyze behaviour of a program using this method, the program needs to be triggered first, which also constitutes the major shortcoming of behavioural analysis, since malicious software, before being detected, can already inflict harm to the system on which it has been triggered. Moreover, the behavioural analysis adversely affects the productivity of the system, as a whole, and the tested program in particular.
Therefore, there is a need to improve behavioural malware detection technique.

System and method for detecting malicious software using malware trigger scenarios in a modified computer environment


A method of detecting a combination of nucleic acid biomarkers in a human subject can include: obtaining a nucleic acid sample from the human subject; selecting the combination of nucleic acid biomarkers; analyzing a transcriptome of the human subject for the combination of nucleic acid biomarkers in the nucleic acid sample from the human subject; detecting in the nucleic acid sample the presence of the combination of nucleic acid biomarkers, wherein each nucleic acid biomarker in the combination of nucleic acid biomarkers has a variation from a transcription standard.

Preterm birth remains a major societal problem due to the short and long term health complications of the preterm infants. Many preterm infants live the initial parts of their lives in intensive and critical care units, and often have excess health problems through adulthood compared to infants delivered at term. Approximately 12% of infants delivered are a product of a preterm birth (PTB), which can be characterized as a spontaneous birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. PTB is also associated with >70% of neonatal deaths and nearly half of long-term neurologic disabilities. Despite great effort among all health sectors, the PTB rate has continued to increases. Accordingly, there remains a great need to identify women at risk of having a PTB and to better understand the mechanisms culminating in PTB.


The invention relates to a process for producing capacitors based on niobium suboxide, and having an insulator layer of niobium pentoxide. Also described is a powder mixture suitable for production of capacitors. Pressed bodies produced from the powder mixture, and capacitors having specific properties are also disclosed.

In the context of the present invention, the term niobium suboxide is to be understood as meaning compounds of the formula NbOz where z<2.2 and preferably 0.5<z<2.2.
Solid electrolyte capacitors with a very large active capacitor surface area and therefore a small overall size that is suitable for mobile communications electronics used are predominantly those with a niobium or tantalum pentoxide barrier layer applied to a corresponding conductive support, utilizing the stability of these compounds ("valve metal"), the relatively high dielectric constant and the fact that the insulating pentoxide layer can be produced electrochemically with a very uniform layer thickness. Metallic or conductive lower oxidic (suboxide) precursors of the corresponding pentoxides are used as carriers. The support, which simultaneously forms a capacitor electrode (anode), comprises a highly porous, sponge-like structure which is produced by sintering extremely fine particulate primary structures or secondary structures which are already in sponge-like form. The surface of the support structure is electrolytically oxidized ("formed") to give the pentoxide, with the thickness of the pentoxide layer being determined by the maximum voltage used for the electrolytic oxidation ("forming voltage"). The counterelectrode is produced by impregnating the sponge-like structure with manganese nitrate, which is thermally converted into manganese dioxide, or with a liquid precursor of a polymer electrolyte and polymerization. The electrical contacts to the electrodes are formed on one side by a tantalum or niobium wire sintered in during production of the support structure and the metallic capacitor casing, which is insulated from the wire.
The capacitance C of a capacitor is calculated using the following formula:C=(F·ε)/(d·VF)where F is the capacitor surface area, ε is the dielectric constant, d is the thickness of the insulator layer per V of forming voltage and VF is the forming voltage. Since the dielectric constant ε is 27.6 for tantalum pentoxide and 41 for niobium pentoxide, but the growth in layer thickness per volt of forming voltage d is 16.6 and 25 Å/V respectively, both pentoxides have virtually the same quotient ε/d=1.64 and 1.69 respectively. Capacitors based on both pentoxides, with the same geometry of the anode structures, therefore have the same capacitance. Differences encountered in details of specific weight-related capacitances are trivial, resulting from the different densities of Nb, NbOx and Ta. Therefore, anode structures made from Nb and NbOx have the advantage of saving weight when used, for example, in mobile telephones, which strive for every single gram of weight saved. For cost reasons, NbOx (Niobium suboxide) is more favourable than Nb, since part of the volume of the anode structure is formed by oxygen.
One drawback of niobium suboxide as support body for capacitor barrier layers is that a sufficient compressive strength of the sintered anode body and a sufficient wire tensile strength are only achieved by sintering the pressed bodies at a relatively high sintering temperature (in the region of 1450° C. compared to 1150° C. in the case of Nb metal). The high sintering temperature leads firstly, as a result of increased surface diffusion, to a decrease in the surface area of the pressed body during transition to the sintered body, and therefore to a lower capacitance, and secondly requires increased levels of energy and increased loading being applied to the materials of the crucibles and sintering furnaces.
The reason is that niobium suboxide, by comparison with niobium metal with metallic ductility, already has considerable covalent bond levels, which produce in relative terms a ceramic brittleness.
Furthermore, the compressive strength of the anode bodies prior to sintering leaves something to be desired, since the porous powder agglomerates do not stably "mesh together" during pressing, but rather have an increased tendency to disintegrate or abrade, with the result that not only is the formation of stable sintered bridges impeded, but also agglomerates in a more finely particulate form, even down to isolated primary particles, are formed, causing an adverse change in the pore structure of the sintered anode body. Furthermore, there is increased wear to the press tools be comparison with metal powders. By no means least, niobium oxide powders also have worse flow properties than metal powders, making it more difficult to meter the powders into the press tools.
According to WO 01/71738 A2, therefore, it is attempted to relieve the magnitude of these drawbacks by on the one hand adding lubricants and binders during pressing of the powders, which are intended to compensate for the drawback of insufficient compressive strength of the pressed bodies, and on the other hand by using more finely particulate agglomerates of primary particles, which are less likely to fracture, but this is to the detriment of the pore structure.


Aromatic compounds such as ethylbenzene and styrene are produced by contacting butadiene or 4-vinylcyclohexene in a flow reactor with a magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, calcium oxide, strontium oxide, or barium oxide. The products of the process contain low levels of xylene.

The present invention relates to methods for converting butadiene to aromatic compounds.
Ethylbenzene is an important commercial solvent and a precursor to styrene. Styrene is a major commercial chemical which finds its principal use in the manufacture of polymers such as polystyrene. Typically, styrene is formed by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. Both ethylbenzene and styrene may be produced by catalytic dehydrocyclization of 4-vinylcyclohexene ("VCH") by use of various known catalysts. Two-step processes for producing styrene and ethylbenzene are also known wherein butadiene is dimerized to form VCH and the VCH is then catalytically aromatized.
However, the prior art lacks methods of producing styrene and ethylbenzene directly from butadiene. Methods for the aromatization of VCH, moreover, have been plagued with poor yields and large amounts of by-products such as xylene with are extremely difficult to separate from the desired products.
For example, Suzuka et al. sealed magnesium oxide and butadiene in a quartz reactor at 200.degree. C. for 17 hours to produce ethylbenzene in a yield of about 17 percent. Applied Catalysis, Vol. 47, L7-L8 (1989). However, the major product of the reaction was o-xylene in a yield of about 54 percent.
What is needed are new, more selective and effective processes for the production of aromatics such as ethylbenzene and styrene which alleviate problems in the prior art. What is also needed is a process to produce aromatics directly from butadiene thereby offering a new method of producing the aromatics in one step.

Dehydrocyclization of unsaturated hydrocarbons to aromatic products


Catalytic electrodes, and their production process, as well as electrochemical devices and their fabrication process are provided. The catalytic electrode includes a catalyst layer, which contains an electrolyte composed of a solid polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene and also contains catalyst particles such as Pt. The solid polymer electrolyte has a crosslinked structure. The catalytic electrode is produced by forming the catalyst layer with the solid polymer and catalyst contained therein, and exposing the catalyst layer to radiation to crosslink the solid polymer and to bond side chains to the solid polymer, and further to introduce into the side chains ion dissociative groups.

This present invention relates to catalytic electrodes and production process thereof, and also to electrochemical devices and fabrication process thereof.
As electrolytes for solid polymer fuel cells, perfluorosulfonate ionomers (PFSIs) led by "Nafion" (product of E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.) have been used conventionally. Employed, for example, as diaphragms for permitting conduction of protons between an anode and a cathode while preventing direct mixing of reactant gases include those obtained by dissolving PFSI in an alcohol (e.g., ethanol or isopropanol) or the like and then conducting casting, drying, and heating treatment; and those obtained by directly processing a resin, in which intramolecular sulfonate groups are bonded with cations such as sodium ions, into a sheet form and then substituting the cations with hydrogen atoms.
In a catalyst layer where an actual reaction is conducted, it is important to form a three-phase interface at which gases, a solid electrolyte, and a catalyst are brought into contact with each other. Therefore, the catalyst layer is formed, for example, by mixing a PFSI-dissolved solution with the catalyst and coating the resultant mixture directly on an electrolyte membrane or coating it on a "TEFLON" (trademark), (polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) sheet, or the like and then transferring the resultant coating layer onto an electrolyte membrane.
In MEA (Membrane and Electrode Assembly) formed by using PFSI as described above, the durabilities of the ion conductor and catalyst layer are dependent upon the durability of PFSI.
In a fuel cell formed using PFSI as mentioned above, however, PFSI dissolves in alcohol or water as a solvent. PFSI, therefore, was caused to swell or was dissolved in certain instances not only during long-time operations but also even during short-time operations when the operations were performed under high-temperature conditions or methanol was used as a fuel. As a result, PFSI was caused to separate from or to flow out of MEA, which makes up the fuel cell, so that impairments in characteristics were observed. In particular, any flowing-out or separation of PFSI inside the catalyst layer reduces the reaction area, and hence, leads to substantial impairments in characteristics.
In the meantime, processes for forming electrodes for fuel cells from catalysts and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-57216 as a production process of electrodes for phosphoric acid fuel cells.
FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional electrode formed from a catalyst and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). As depicted in FIG. 4, an electrode 11 is composed of a current collector 13 and a catalyst layer 12 formed on the current collector 13, and the catalyst layer 12 is formed from PTFE 14 and catalyst particles 15 such as platinum particles.
The conventional electrode 11, which is provided with the catalyst layer 12 formed of PTFE 14 and the catalyst particles 15, however, still requires improvements in the assurance of internal ion-conducting paths, mechanical strength, and thermal stability of the catalyst layer 12.

Catalytic electrodes and production process thereof, and electrochemical devices and fabrication process thereof


A vehicle door lock control apparatus includes a remote control unit that provides instructions to effect a lock condition or an unlock condition of a door look mechanism, a door handle switch which detects the operating condition of a door handle, a door lock control unit that effects the lock condition or the unlock condition of the door lock mechanism in response to signals produced by the door handle switch or the remote control unit, and a contact electrode connected to the door lock control unit for detecting operation of the door handle through contact by a user. The remote control unit has an electrode that establishes a capacitance combination between the remote control unit and the door lock control unit.

A vehicle door lock control apparatus for a keyless entry system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 60-65875, 60-65876 and 60-65877. Further, the Cedric/Grolia's new-model explanation manual, issued in June 1991 by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., discloses a card entry system. The card entry system has a request switch which is mounted on the vehicle body, a card (remote controller) and a controller. If the user operates the request switch, a request ID (identification) code is transmitted to the card. The request ID code is collated with the memorized code in the card. If the request ID code corresponds to a memorized code, the card transmits an entry ID code to the controller. If the entry ID code corresponds to the memorized code in the controller, the controller instructs the door lock controller so that the vehicle door is placed in the unlocked condition.
This type of system adopts an electromagnetic induction affect to establish communication between the card and the controller. In this system, an extra antenna is necessary to establish communication between the card and the controller. Because the card does not have a manual operating function, it is not possible to instruct the controller from the card. Further, the card is so small that the user is apt to inadvertently leave the card behind.

Door lock control apparatus for a vehicle


A method of manufacturing diamond coatings, at low temperature and low pressure on a substrate utilizing chemical vapor transport (CVT) comprising the steps of: providing a wire-wrapped graphite assembly component and the substrate into a chamber; filling the chamber with hydrogen; reducing ambient pressure in the chamber to a vacuum and backfilling with hydrogen; sealing the chamber containing hydrogen at a pressure less than 1 atmosphere; and passing electric current through the graphite rod until the substrate is heated within a range of 125° C.–750° C. to produce high-quality diamond at temperatures with exceptional properties.

The earliest methods for the manufacturing of diamond required high temperatures and pressures. In the early 1980's it was discovered that diamond could be deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a low pressure, approximately 0.1 atmosphere for example, Sho JP5927754 in 1983 and JP613320 in 1984, Kobashi U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,324 in 1999. The subsequently developed CVD methods all require the presence of flowing hydrogen gas containing a carbon-containing species such as methane (CH4), a hot tungsten filament or a plasma generator, and a nearby substrate held at high temperature, approximately 750 to 950° C. for high-quality diamond which is typically defined by Raman spectroscopy to have a well defined single sharp peak at 1332 cm−1 and diamond-like carbon, a completely different material, that have a distinctive broad band in the range of 1357 to 1580 cm−1 with a peak around 1555 cm−1. These CVD methods all suffer from several problems:
1. The deposition rate is low, typically on the order of 1 μm/h, causing the cost to be too high for many applications.
2. The flowing gas system requires gas supplies, control meters, a continuously operating vacuum pump, and often a plasma generator. The equipment is costly and the methods are wasteful of feed materials and electricity, all contributing to the high cost of CVD methods.
3. The high temperature required for the substrate leads to chemical reactions of the gas with some substrates. For example, attempted growth on materials containing iron, nickel or cobalt yields poor-quality, non-adhering diamond on top of porous graphite. To avoid such problems, buffer layers of different compositions must be used.
4. The high temperature required for deposition also leads to large stresses, which, in turn, caused delamination, warping, and cracking upon cooling to room temperature. This stress comes about primarily because the thermal contraction of diamond differs from that of the substrate, combined with the large temperature change upon cooling.
5. The high temperature required for deposition by CVD has also made it impossible to deposit diamond on many materials that would be destroyed by this temperature. This restriction included all polymeric materials, as well as many semiconductor and device structures.
6. Another approach to the problem in 5 is to use a two-step process wherein the CVD diamond is first deposited at temperatures above 800° C. and then removed, transferred and attached to the final substrate.
There is need for an improved method for manufacturing diamond coatings that will overcome the problems noted above to reduce cost, increase growth rate, reduce waste, reduce components, increase material quality, reduce stress on substrates and coatings, and create the opportunity to deposit on polymeric materials. The deposition of diamond by a chemical vapor transport method at low temperature and low pressure provides such coatings. Although the exceptional properties of diamond are well known, the present invention provides the first means to deposit diamond at low temperature and pressure. Additional applications hitherto not possible because of high deposition temperatures also suggest themselves; for example, the use of a diamond substrate in display devices and the fabrication of transistors made from diamond.

Method for manufacturing diamond coatings


Systems and methods for determining how to stack containers/trailers on a vehicle consist at a terminal/yard at least to maintain aerodynamic efficiency. Embodiments of the present invention provide a terminal management software application configured to determine how to stack containers/trailers on vehicles of a vehicle consist, taking into account a resultant aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle consist during transit as well as other factors.

1. Technical Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to methods and systems for determining how to stack containers/trailers on a vehicle consist (e.g., a train of rail cars) at a location (e.g., a railroad terminal or yard) to maintain aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle consist during transit.
2. Discussion of Art
A given flat bed car of a train may be single stacked or double stacked with containers/trailers according to a set of rules. The set of rules take into account various factors. Such factors may include, for example, a weight limit of a car, a size of a car, a size of a container/trailer, locations on the train reserved for containers/trailers with hazardous materials, commercial prioritization (how containers/trailers are to be discharged from the train based on the priority of customers), and containers/trailers containing high value loads.
It may be desirable to have a system that accounts for different factors when assembling a train carrying containers/trailers than those systems and methods that are currently available.

Train profile evaluation system and method


The specification describes lightwave systems with remotely powered photoelectric generators. Optical power transmitted through the fiber is incident on a remotely located photodiode array. High power conversion efficiency coupled with a specially designed diode array generates sufficient power to operate electromechanical or electrooptic apparatus in the remote station. Long wavelength photodiodes are serially connected to increase the voltage to practical operating levels. In a communication system, with an optical signal transmitted with the optical power, multiplexers are used for separating the optical power from the optical signal.

In the early development of optical fibers, communications system designers proposed to power subscriber equipment using light propagated through the fiber. This remote powering scheme was thought to be an added attraction to lightwave communications, and would open new communications service opportunities. As the system designers and device designers explored this new possibility it was quickly discovered that the devices to enable the development to proceed were not available. The optical power density in a typical optical fiber transmission system was simply too low for practical power levels to be realized at the remote end. The best they could do was to transmit telemetry signals to equipment powered at the subscriber location. The telemetry signals could be multiplexed with data and voice information, so intelligent systems with considerable versatility could be and have been designed and implemented. In some cases these systems are remotely powered electrically, and others are optically powered at the remote location using photoelectric generators. But the goal of optically controlling mechanical or electrooptic functions at a remote location using power from the optical fiber has consistently been found impractical, and remains an essentially abandoned technology.


A self-foaming cleansing composition is described, said composition comprising at least one high HLB surfactant and at least one low HLB surfactant, wherein ratio of the high HLB surfactant to the low HLB surfactant is from about 2:1 to about 4:1.

Foaming cosmetic products are currently popular. For environmental reasons, it is preferred that these products use air propulsion for delivery of the foam as opposed to more typical propellant gases. Air propelled containers which may be used to deliver foaming cosmetic products include for example a foaming device sold by Airspray/REXAM PLC. These foaming products may be used for personal cleansing, including as shampoos.
Micro emulsions can be used to produce foamable formulations. For example, US2006/0217283 (L'Oreal) describes foam compositions in the form of O/W emulsions useful in cosmetics and dermatology. US2012/0308492 describes a foamable O/W emulsion that does not comprise a propellant gas and which can be used for personal care products.
Traditional shampoos have relatively high viscosities which makes it difficult to distribute evenly with certain hair types, for example thick hair and/or curly hair and/or dry hair. For thick, curly hair in particular, traditional shampoos/conditioning systems are not only hard to apply, they are hard to rinse off, often yielding dull hair and loss of curl definition.
In contrast, the current invention provides a sulfate free surfactant-based cleansing system that is deliverable in a self-foaming container and has relatively low viscosity thus spreading evenly and easily on thick and/or curly hair and/or dry hair. Inasmuch as the cleansing system of the invention is easily risible it also maximizes the definition and shine of the hair without unduly weighing. The system meanwhile also provides excellent foam and efficiently and thoroughly cleans and conditions thick/wavy/dray hair.


A technique facilitates the production of acoustic pulses used in marine seismic surveys. A source array system comprises a plurality of acoustic sources suspended from a float in a plurality of layers positioned at different vertical levels. A bridle is coupled to the plurality of layers to enable towing of the source array system. The bridle is constructed and connected in a manner such that the arrangement of acoustic sources substantially retains its nominal shape during towing.

In a variety of marine environments, seismic surveys are conducted to gain a better understanding of geological formations beneath a body of water. Relatively large marine regions can be surveyed by a surface vessel or vessels towing seismic streamer cables through the water. Another vessel, or the same vessel, can be employed in providing seismic sources, such as compressed air guns utilized to generate acoustic pulses in the water. The seismic sources can be arranged in source arrays. In some applications, for example, air guns are suspended from a float and towed behind a seismic vessel. During towing, however, drag forces on the source array deform the shape of the array which can be detrimental to obtaining accurate seismic data.
Currently, a common technique for creating seismic source arrays is to position all the guns at one layer and to suspend the guns from a float. A tow rope extending from the towing vessel is coupled directly to the gun array. In other applications, the tow rope is connected directly to the float or float layer. In either application, the source array deforms substantially during towing.
Attempts also have been made to construct source arrays with the guns arranged in layers separated vertically. However, the towing of multilayered gun arrays tends to be far more complex than towing a single gun layer. Depending on how towing ropes and distance ropes are arranged, the shape of the source array can be severely distorted during towing relative to its nominal position. The towing shape is substantially altered due to the drag forces exerted by the water against the source array.

System and method for towing acoustic source arrays


A protective enclosure for an electronic device such as a laptop computer or tablet computer that comprises a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the electronic device. The shell is substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant. The inside of the shell has a hook and loop liner with shock absorbing corner bumpers having hook and loop type bases so that the bumpers may attach at any point on the liner inside the shell to accommodate electronic devices of various sizes and to secure the device inside the enclosure in a shock absorbent suspended manner. The shell may further comprise a USB connector hub for connection to the USB port of a laptop computer or PC tablet enclosed in the protective shell.

Portable electronic devices (PEDs), such as PDAs, computers, MP3 players, music players, video players, smart phones, GPS receivers, telematics devices, cell phones, satellite phones, pagers, monitors, etc., are being very widely used, and are being deployed in industrial as well as office environments. PEDs are being used in industrial environments for data collection, such as service information on an airplane, or for data delivery such as maps for fire fighters and other emergency personnel. When PEDs are deployed in such industrial applications, the data that is collected and displayed on the PED can be extremely valuable and can be life saving.
The industrial environments impose harsh conditions that typical PEDs are not designed to accommodate. For example, damage can be done to the PED through rough handling and dropping. Further, industrial chemicals, grease, water, dirt, and grime may damage or destroy a functioning PED and inhibit the use of the PEDs valuable data.
It is common to hold the PEDs inside a protective case for transport. However, PEDs are usually removed for use since most cases used for transport are not interactive. Interactive cases are also useful for non-industrial applications to provide protection for PEDs.

Protective enclosure for electronic device


A breathing normalizer for partial insertion within the user's mouth for normalizing breathing patters, prevention of snoring, teeth grinding, and light forms of sleep apnea is disclosed. The device includes an outer plate which is positioned external to the user's mouth when in use, an elongated hollow shaft for connecting the structure to a lip plate adapted to be received between the user's lips and teeth, and a generally C-shaped multi-lobed structure adapted for receiving the user's tongue. The device is positioned within the oral cavity of the user in an operative configuration such that the tongue is retained within the multi-lobed structure, the teeth clamp down upon the connector with the lip plate positioned between the teeth and the inner portions of the upper and lower lips. The outer plate further defines a centrally disposed chamber having an inlet tube in fluid communication with the hollow tubular connector for providing an inlet for breathing air. The inlet tube is adapted for connection to a source of gas, such as oxygen, to assist in delivering the gas to the user through the lungs. In addition, the chamber includes a threaded peripheral edge adapted for threaded engagement with a container of medicine thereby facilitating the delivery of oral medications into the user's oral cavity and preferably the delivery of oral medications below the tongue. A medicine receiving chamber is further provided to allow for medicine received therein to be dispensed and/or evaporated in the user's mouth. As a result of proper application of the apparatus breathing at night is normalized, while snoring, grinding of the teeth, and apena are prevented, and further while medications may be simultaneously delivered orally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for use in promoting healthy breathing while preventing snoring, teeth grinding, and light forms of sleep apnea. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus worn in the mouth of a user to normalize breathing, prevent nocturnal teeth grinding
2. Description of the Background Art
Shortness of breath, heart attacks, cancer, strokes, poor sleep, sex drive, speech problems, anxiety, seizures, anger & all disease gets better or worse by how well people breathe; the quality of respiration & oxygen usage. Many people snore while sleeping. Snoring is caused by vibration of the uvula or the soft palate in the interior of the mouth when a person breathes through his/her mouth while sleeping. The act of snoring results in an irritating sound capable of disturbing sleep patterns of many, including the person snoring. In addition to the irritating snoring sound, many consider mouth breathing to be unhealthy as it contributes to dry mouth syndrome, as well as contributing to the development of gum disease.
In addition, many people are afflicted with sleep apnea. There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.
A further abnormality experienced by many during sleep relates to gritting or grinding of one's teeth, particularly during times of stress. This disorder, refereed to as bruxism, affects numerous people at one time or another. Constant gritting of the teeth can, over time, result in the wearing away of the enamel and misshapen teeth. In severe cases, grinding of the teeth can result in loose or fractured teeth.
As a result there exists a need for a mouthpiece apparatus designed to normalize breathing patterns while also being useful in the prevention and treatment of snoring, light forms of sleep apnea, and gritting of the teeth.


A system includes a base station and a server. The server includes a communication interface, a memory, and an electronic processor communicatively connected to the memory. The communication interface is configured to communicate with one or more base stations including the base station. The electronic processor is configured to receive location information of a third-party communication device that has received interference, determine whether the third-party communication device is located within a threshold distance from the base station based on a first interference radius associated with the base station, and output one or more resolution options to resolve interference between the base station and the third-party communication device in response to determining that the third-party communication device is located within the threshold distance from the base station.

For conventional wireless networks, the frequency band that a wireless network utilizes is determined via an allocation by a public or private regulating entity. Conventionally, when a wireless network is communicating over long distances, another wireless network is not authorized to communicate over the same frequency band in the region.
However, in certain circumstances, a wireless network communicates over long distances using a frequency band allocated by the public or private regulating entity, but base stations while operating only in the allocated frequency band may still inadvertently interfere with a third-party communication device operating on a different frequency band. This inadvertent interference may be harmful interference caused by poor radio frequency (RF) filtering on the third-party communication device or other interference-causing issues at the third-party communication device. Harmful interference is defined as interference that "endangers the functioning of a radio navigation device service or of other safety services or seriously degrades, obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication service operating in accordance with Radio Regulations." See e.g., 47 C.F.R. § 2.1(c).
For example, one or more base stations that provides the wireless network may inadvertently interfere with communications between GPS receivers and GPS satellites due to improper filtering or other interference-causing issues at the GPS receivers. Accordingly, there is a need to locate and resolve inadvertent interference, and in particular, inadvertent harmful interference with a third-party communication device.

Systems and methods for locating and resolving inadvertent interference with a third-party communication device