An FFT unit performs an FFT process on high-frequency-eliminated, pitch-shifted voice data for one frame. A time scaling unit calculates a frequency amplitude, a phase, a phase difference between the present and immediately preceding frames, and an unwrapped version of the phase difference for each channel from which the frequency component was obtained by the FFT, detects a reference channel based on a peak one of the frequency amplitudes, and calculates the phase of each channel in a synthesized voice based on the reference channel, using results of the calculation. An IFFT unit processes each frequency component in accordance with the calculated phase, performs an IFFT process on the resulting frequency component, and produces synthesized voice data for one frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to voice analysis/synthesis apparatus that analyzes a voice waveform and synthesizes a voice waveform using a result of the analysis, and programs for control of the voice waveform analysis/synthesis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some of voice analysis/synthesis apparatus that analyze a voice waveform and synthesize another voice waveform using result of the analysis analyze the frequencies of the former voice waveform as its analysis. In such apparatus, synthesis of a voice waveform mainly comprises analysis, modification and synthesis processes, which will be described specifically.
<Analysis Process>
A voice waveform is sampled at predetermined intervals of time. A predetermined number of sampled waveform values constitute a frame which is then subjected to short-time Fourier transform (STFT), thereby extracting a frequency component for each different frequency channel. The frequency component includes a real part and an imaginary part. The frequency amplitude (or formant component) and phase of each frequency channel are calculated from its frequency component. STFT comprises extracting signal data for a short time and performing discreet Fourier transform (DFT) on the extracted signal data. Thus, the DFT is used as including STFT. As DFT, Fast Fourier transform (FFT) is generally used.
Pitch scaling including shifting a pitch of the voice waveform is performed after the extracted frame is interpolated/extrapolated or thinned out, and then resulting data is subjected to FFT.
<Modification Process>
Since DFT (or FFT) of the voice waveform is performed in units of a frame, a synthesized voice waveform is also obtained in units of a frame. Phase θ′ i,k of frequency channel k in the synthesized voice waveform is calculated in a following expression (1). When only time scaling including changing a voice duration time is performed, the frequency amplitude of each frequency channel need not be changed.θ′ i,k=θ′ i−1,k+ρ·ΔΘi,k  (1)where ΔΘi,k represents a phase difference in the frequency channel k between the present and preceding frames of the voice waveform, and ρ represents a scaling factor indicative of an extent of pitch scaling. Subscript i represents a frame. The present and preceding frames are represented by i and i−1, respectively. Thus, expression (1) indicates that phase θ′ i,k of frequency channel k in the present frame of the synthesized voice waveform is calculated by adding the product of phase difference ΔΘi,k and factor ρ to the phase of the frequency channel of the preceding frame in the synthesized voice waveform section (or the accumulated phase difference converted according to scaling factor ρ).
Phase difference Δ θ i,k need be unwrapped. In the voice waveform synthesis, unwrapping and wrapping the phase have an important meaning, which will be described below in detail. In order to easily recognize whether a phase is wrapped or unwrapped, the wrapped and unwrapped phases are represented by lower-case and capital letters θ and Θ, respectively.
Phase θ k,t of any channel k at any particular time t is represented byθk,t=∫0tωk (τ)d τ+θk,0  (2)
As will be obvious from expression (2), phase θ k,t is obtained by integrating an angular velocity ωk. A value obtained as the arctan when the phase is calculated based on the frequency component calculated by DFT is limited to between −π and π, or obtained as a wrapped phase θ k,t. Thus, a term of 2nπ is missing which is contained in phase Θk,t represented byΘk,t=θk,t+2nπ where n=0, 1, 2,  (3)
In order to calculate phase θ′ k,t from expression (1), wrapped phase need be unwrapped, which is work for presuming n in expression (3) and presumable based on the central frequency of channel k of DFT.Δθi,k=θi,k−θi−1,k  (4)where Δθi,k in expression (4) indicates a phase difference in the wrapped phase θi,k of channel k between adjacent frames. Central frequency Ωi,k (or angular velocity) of channel k is obtained byΩi,k=(2π·fs|N)·k  (5)where fs is a sampling frequency and N is DFT's order. Phase difference Δ Z i,k is calculated fromΔ Zi,k=Ωi,k−Δt  (6)where Δt is the difference in time between the present and preceding frames at frequency Ωi,k. Time difference Δ t itself is obtained fromΔt=N|(fs·OVL)  (7)where OVL in expression (7) represents an overlap factor that comprises a value obtained by dividing the frame size by a hop size (or the number of sampling operations corresponding to a discrepancy between adjacent frames).
Expression (6) indicates that the phase is unwrapped, and can be expressed asΔ Zi,k=Δ ζ i,k+2nπ  (8)Let δ (=Δ θ i,k−Δ ζ i,k) be a difference between a phase difference Δθ i,k calculated in expression (4) and a phase difference Δ ζ i,k in expression (8). Then
                                          Δ                                                                                θ                                  i                  ,                  k                                            ·                              Ω                                  i                  ,                  k                                            ·              Δ                                                                                t                    =                                    (                                                Δ                                                                                ζ                                          i                      ,                      k                                                                      +                δ                            )                        -                          (                                                Δ                                                                                ζ                                          i                      ,                      k                                                                      +                                  2                                    n                                                                                π                                            )                                                                                =                  δ          -                      2                        n                                                                          π                                              (        9        )
Thus, δ can be calculated by deleting the right term, 2n π, of expression (9) and limiting the range of expression (9) to between −π and π, and represents an actual phase difference detected in the original voice waveform.
By adding phase difference Δ Z i,k (=Ωi,k·Δt) to the actual phase difference δ, a phase difference Δ Θi,k can be obtained which is phase unwrapped as follows:ΔΘi,k=δ+Ωi,k·Δt=δ+(Δ ζ i,k+2nπ)=Δ θ i,k+2nπ  (10)
Time-scaled phase θ′ i,k is calculated from expressions (1) and (10). Note that in the method of phase wrapping based on the central frequency of the channel, actual phase difference δ need be |δ|<π. Since the absolute value of a maximum value δmax is a limit value over which no signal transfers to a next channel,
                                                                                      δ                max                                                    =                                                                                (                                              2                                                                                π                          ·                                                      fs                            /                            N                                                                                )                                        ·                                          (                                              k                        +                        0.5                                            )                                        ·                    Δ                                                                                t                                -                                                                            (                                              2                                                                          π                          ·                                                      fs                            /                            N                                                                                )                                        ·                    k                    ·                    Δ                                                                                t                                                                                =                                                (                                      2                                                              π                      ·                                              fs                        /                        2                                                                                N                                    )                                ·                                  (                                                            N                      /                      fs                                        ·                    OVL                                    )                                                              )                =                  π          /          OVL                                    (        11        )
The value of overlap factor OVL is OVL>1 based on expression (11) and a relationship |δ|<π. Thus, it will be known that the frames need be overlapped for phase unwrapping.
In DFT, a signal in one channel generally excites a plurality of other channels. Then, when a complex sinusoidal wave fn having an amplitude of 1, a normalized angular frequency ω and an initial phase φ is not applied as a window function (or when a square window is applied as a window function), the DFT is given by
                              F          k                =                                            sin                                                              N                                                                                ϖ                                2                                                    sin                                            ϖ                2                                                                    ⅇ                                          -                j                                                          {                                                                            (                                              N                        -                        1                                            )                                                                                ϖ                      2                                                        -                  ϕ                                }                                                                                (                          ϖ              =                                                -                  ω                                +                                                                            2                                            π                                        N                                                      k                                                      )                                              (        12        )
The complex sinusoidal wave fn can be expressed asƒn=ej(ωn+φ)
It will be understood from expression (12) that all the channels whose angular frequencies are other than the angular frequency ω=2π|N) ·k are excited. Since some window function is usually used, the number of channels excited depending on the bandwidth of that window function changes. When a Hanning window is used as the window function, the DFT value is given byW0=(½)N, W1=−(¼)N, W−1=−(¼)N  (13)
This is then wrapped into each channel. As will be obvious from expression (13), even when the angular frequency is ω=(2π|N)·k, three channels are excited at a ratio in frequency amplitude value of 1:2:1. When the angular frequency ω is between those in adjacent channels, four channels are excited at a ratio in frequency amplitude value of 1:5:5:1.
In order to unwrap the phase correctly in every channel to be excited, n in expression (8) must have the same value in all the channels to be excited. This restriction requires that when a Hanning window is applied as a window function to the frame, the value of overlap factor OVL need be 4 or more.
In the above analysis process, a frame is extracted in accordance with overlap factor OVL having such value, and the window function is applied to the frame, which is then subjected to FFT. In the modification process, the phase of the channel calculated as above is maintained while the frequency amplitude of each channel is operated as required.
<Synthesize Process>
In the synthesis process, the frequency component modified (or operated) in the modification process is restored to a signal on the time coordinate by IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform), thereby producing a synthesized voice waveform section for one frame, which is then caused to overlap with the preceding-frame waveform section depending on a value of overlap factor OVL that will be changed in accordance with the value of factor ρ, thereby producing a synthesized, pitch-scaled and time-scaled voice waveform.
With the conventional voice analysis/synthesis apparatus that obtains a synthesized voice waveform in the manner mentioned above, a synthesized sound involving the synthesized voice waveform will undesirably give a listener an impression of phase discrepancy, called phasiness or reverberant against an original sound based on the original sound waveform. More particularly, this phase discrepancy will cause the listener to feel that a source of the synthesized sound is remoter than that of the original sound, thereby exerting a bad influence undesirably on the listener's auditory sense. This will occur even when the pitch shift is very small. Now, this will be described in detail next.
As described above, the frames need be overlapped to unwrap the phase correctly. If to this end an appropriate value is set to the overlapping factor OVL to be used, the phase can be unwrapped correctly. Thus, the second term of the right side of expression (1) ensures that the phase θ′ i,k calculated from expression (1) always has coherence concerning a phase on the time base. Hereinafter, coherence of phase θ′ i,k on the time base is referred to as HPC (Horizontal Phase Coherence) whereas coherence of phase between channels or frequency components is referred to as VPC (Vertical Phase Coherence).
The conventional voice analysis/synthesis apparatus gives the listener the impression of phase discrepancy because the VPC is not preserved. The causes why the VPC is not preserved is that the first term of the right side of expression (1) cannot have a correct value. Let a phase unwrapping factor be n. Then, expression (1) can be modified as follows, using expressions (4) and (10):θ′i,k=θ′i−1,k+ρ(θi,k−θi−1,k+2nπ)  (14)
Now, assume that the value of scaling factor ρ is an integer. Then, a phase unwrapping term of 2nπ included in the right side of expression (14) is deletable and expression (14) can be expressed as:
                              θ                      i            ,            k                    ′                =                                            θ                                                i                  -                  1                                ,                k                            ′                        +                          ρ                                            (                                                      θ                                          i                      ,                      k                                                        -                                      θ                                                                  i                        -                        1                                            ,                      k                                                                      )                                              =                                                    θ                                  0                  ,                  k                                ′                            +                              ρ                                                                      ∑                                          j                      =                      1                                        i                                                                          (                                                                  θ                                                  j                          ,                          k                                                                    -                                              θ                                                                              j                            -                            1                                                    ,                          k                                                                                )                                                                        =                                          θ                                  0                  ,                  k                                ′                            +                              ρ                                                  (                                                            θ                                              i                        ,                        k                                                              -                                          θ                                              0                        ,                        k                                                                              )                                                                                (        15        )
If initial phase θ′ o,k is set to ρ θ′o,k, expression (15) is expressed as:θ′i,k=ρθ′i,k  (16)
Thus, the first term of the right side of expression (1) is erased. Hence, both HPC and VPC are preserved, thereby bringing about scaling giving no impression of phase discrepancy. However, if scaling factor ρ has a value other than an integer, the first term of the right side of expression (1) will remain.
The first term of the right side of expression (1) comprises an accumulated converted value (=ρ·ΔΘi,k) of the phase difference unwrapped. In order to continue to maintain the converted value at a correct value, it is necessary to appropriately cope with the following points appropriately:
1) Influence of the initial phase value,
2) Transition of a frequency component between channels, and
3) Disappearance/production of a frequency component.
With reference to point 1), the accumulated converted value can be maintained at a correct value by setting initial phase θ′ o,k to ρ θ′ o,k as described above.
With reference to point 2), if (a) a channel in which the frequency component is present is tracked, using the method of picking a peak one of the frequency amplitudes, (b) it is detected that the frequency component has transited from its present channel to another channel, and then (c) a phase difference over channels is calculated, the accumulated converted value can be maintained at a correct value. When the frequency component (or signal) has transited from channel k to channel k+1, expression (14) can be modified as:θ′i,k+1=θ′i−1,k+ρ(θi,k+1−θi−1,k+2nπ)  (17)
Phase unwrapping factor n is also calculated using phase Ωi,k+1. When tracking the transition of the frequency component fails, the accumulated converted value at this time would be inaccurate, thereby not maintaining the VPC. When transition of a frequency component between channels occurs in a frame, a situation can occur in which there is no channel in the immediately preceding frame corresponding to the channel in the present frame from which the transition of the frequency component occurred. In this case, an accurate accumulated converted value cannot be obtained due to channel discrepancy.
With reference to point 3), the disappearance/production of the frequency components are considered as inevitable in general voices and/or musical sounds excluding special voices whose waveforms comprise, for example, standing ones. Since disappearance/production of frequency components will occur randomly and very often, especially in noise having no harmonic structure, it is materially impossible to detect and hence avoid them.
Thus, maintaining VPC is materially impossible excluding that the value of scaling factor ρ is an integer in the conventional voice analysis/synthesis apparatus. Hence, it is impossible to surely avoid synthesis of a voice waveform that will give an impression of phase discrepancy. Therefore, it has been desired to surely avoid synthesis of a voice waveform that will give the impression of phase discrepancy.
In the voice analysis/synthesis apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent 2753716 publication, the phase of a pitch-changed synthesized voice waveform is controlled in accordance with an extent of frame overlapping, which is performed in the synthesis process. The reason why the accumulated converted value, or first term of the right side of expression (1), cannot have a correct value is that that phase control is performed.

Voice analysis/synthesis apparatus and program


A rotation member driving apparatus for driving a printing member includes a printing member shaft attached to the printing member, a driving motor that drives the printing member, and a driving motor shaft attached to the driving motor. A first gear is attached to the driving motor shaft. A drive transmission gear is provided to transmit driving force of the driving motor to the printing member shaft from the first gear. An inertia member is arranged on the same axis as the driving motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an rotation driving apparatus employed in an electro-photograph type image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer, a copier, a facsimile, etc., and a photo-conductive member unit including the rotation driving apparatus, and an image formation system including the photo-conductive member unit.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
The Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 11-095612 discusses a technology in that a driving gear for driving a photo-conductive member is linked with a flywheel via a protrusion of an elastic member, and a rigidity K and a damping performance of twisting vibration are determined by the protrusion so that a gain of a transmission performance and a change in speed decrease.
The Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 9-222826 also discusses a technology in that an inertia morality of an inertia member, a number of rotations of a gear, and a number of gear teeth of the gear each included in a rotation driving system are determined so that frequencies of a change in speed, which is caused by gear meshing, and an eccentricity of a rotation driving apparatus, which is formed from gears, can fall within a damping range in a frequency response of the rotation driving apparatus.
Accordingly, such a technology is capable of suppressing amplification of vibration in the apparatus.
As factors limiting a high quality electro-photograph, so-called jitter and banding are exemplified. Especially, a positional accuracy of laser writing per line is highly demanded as an image quality progresses after introduction of a digital technology. One of factors controlling the image quality, a change in speed of a photoconductive member drum, which is caused by torsional vibration of a rotation driving system, is exemplified. Accordingly, reduction of such torsional vibration is important in the rotation driving system in developing a product capable of creating a high quality image.
As a relation between a visible sensitivity and a space frequency of an image, it is generally known that a visible space frequency of from about 0.3 line/mm to about 2 line/mm can be readily sensed in light of a sense of human vision.
Then, when considering such a relation together with a rotational speed of the photoconductive member, it is understood that vibration in a frequency region of from about few Hz to about several hundred Hz necessarily is avoided.

Rotation member driving apparatus, photoconductive member unit, and image forming apparatus


The invention provides a method of fitting lenses that results in correction of not only low and high order ocular aberrations, but that additionally provides correction for the effects of cortical influences, or neuro-adaptive influences.

Correction of refractive errors using contact lenses is well known. Conventional contact lenses provide correction for low order optical aberrations, such as defocus and astigmatism, leaving higher order aberrations uncorrected. Recently, contact lenses for correction of higher order aberrations, such as third order coma and spherical aberrations, and irregular astigmatism have been disclosed as well. These lenses are disadvantageous in that their design and fitting does not take into account both the cortical influences, meaning the neuro-adaptive influences of the individual's visual cortex on vision, and the changes associated with spherical aberrations, particularly those spherical aberration changes associated with aging. Thus, the known corrections for spherical aberration and other high order aberrations have been problematic because of the multiple variables and optical challenges associated with correcting these aberrations in humans.
For example, one such type of correction, aspheric contact lenses, are known to reduce by as much as 40 to 60% of spherical aberrations, which are the most common and disabling of the high order aberrations for human vision. The reason that not a greater percentage of spherical aberrations are corrected by aspheric contact lenses is that the conventional aspheric contact lenses and methods of fitting such lenses address only lower order visual acuity, or the quantitative vision of an individual. This ignores neuro-adaptive effects.


Disclosed is a package for containing a battery-powered device having both a power switch and a safety button, where both the power switch and the safety button must be actuated in order to turn the product on. The package has integral means to maintain the safety button in a depressed position, as well as means for a user to actuate the power switch while it is in the package in order to observe the operation of the device. Another embodiment package includes means to permit access to the safety button and a power switch of the device while the device is in the package in order to observe the operation of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to product packaging. Specifically, the invention provides a package for a battery-powered product that allows a potential purchaser to momentarily turn the product on while it is in the package in order to observe the operation of the product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of packages are used for packaging small articles of merchandise and displaying them in retail environments. A non-exhaustive list includes blister packages; cardboard, paper board, and plastic boxes and tubes; and plastic "clamshells." Many variations of these basic package types have been developed to address particular packaging needs.
In recent years, certain types of products have been packaged for sale in packages that allow a potential purchaser to demonstrate the product while it is still in the package. Such "try-me" packages provide a sales advantage over other types of packaging, since they allow shoppers to actually observe the operation of the product before purchasing it.
Among the products that have been packaged in such "try-me" packages are battery-powered devices having motors that are turned on by means of a switch on the product. "Try-me" packages for such products may incorporate a transparent, deformable "blister" or "clamshell" of thermoformed plastic or similar material. The shopper can actuate the power switch by pressing on the package, which deforms to allow the shopper to press the switch. Ideally, the blister or clamshell is made of a material that will spring back to its original contours when pressure is released.
There must be some means to prevent the switch from being left in the "on" position and draining the batteries in the device. One solution to this problem is to use a momentary contact switch that automatically returns to the "off" position when pressure on the switch is released.
Certain battery-powered products present a particular challenge for the use of "try-me" packaging. These are products that, because of safety concerns, have a separate safety-lock button that must be depressed before the power switch can be actuated to turn the device on. Two examples are a battery-powered grass shear and a battery-powered weed and grass trimmer. If a battery-powered grass shear is provided with such a safety-lock button to guard against accidental activation, merely allowing a user to press the power switch through the packaging will not be sufficient to turn the product on unless the package has some means for holding the safety-lock button in the depressed position or allowing the user access to the safety-lock button. No previously known package provides such a feature.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Package with product demonstration feature


A braking/driving force control unit determines whether or not the driver has a intention of lane change on the basis of the detected road shape and the steering amount. The braking/driving force control unit detects an obstacle which is an obstacle present rearward and sideward of the vehicle. The braking/driving force control unit determines whether approach prevention control for preventing an the vehicle from approaching to the obstacle should start, when it is determined that the driver has the intention of lane change and the obstacle is detected, and performs the approach prevention control for supporting prevention of the vehicle from approaching to the obstacle when it is determined that the control should start. At this time, the braking/driving force control unit determines detection accuracy of the road shape ahead of the vehicle and suppresses the determination of the start of the control when the detection accuracy is low.

For example, a technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known as a conventional vehicle driving support apparatus. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a driver's intention of lane change is detected and an obstacle is present rearward and sideward of a vehicle, approach to the obstacle is informed to the driver to prevent the approach to the obstacle. At this time, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the driver's operation of a direction indicator is detected, a position of the vehicle in a lane in the transverse direction (the position of a rightmost lane or leftmost lane) is detected, and the driver's intention of lane change is detected when the operating direction of the direction indicator is matched with the position of the vehicle in the lane in the transverse direction.


A method of adjusting punch body assembly, that has a punch body coupled to a driver, by moving the driver with respect to the punch body until a select axial position is reached along the longitudinal axis of the punch body and locking the driver at the select axial position.

Punching tools are typically used for creating different sizes and shapes of indentations or cuts in a workpiece, such as sheet metal. Punching tools often wear down from use, however, and thus either re-machining, re-surfacing, or replacement of the tool is required.
A need exists for a punch body assembly for a punching tool that allows easy in-field adjustment of the length of the driver of the punching tool, thereby avoiding re-machining or replacement of the tool when it wears down.

Method of adjusting a punch body assembly


A three dimensional image detector is disclosed. The three dimensional image detector has a lensing system to focus incident light reflected from an object field upon a first and second image detector. The first and second image detectors are matrices of charge coupled devices. The first and second image detectors convert the incident light to electrical signals. The electrical signals from the first and second image detectors are converted in an analog to digital converter to a plurality of digital words that represent the magnitude of the light that impinges upon the first and second image detectors. The plurality of digital words are retained in a random access memory for processing within a digital signal processor. The digital signal processor will locate an object within the object field and determine the depth and contour information of the object and present this information with the plurality of digital words to external circuitry for further processing or display. The first and second image detectors, the analog-to-digital converter, the random access memory, and the digital signal processor are to be disposed upon an integrated circuit substrate.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to the field of electronic image detection and more particularly to circuits and apparatus used to process digital image data to derive three dimensional information within images for further processing or display.
2. Description of Related Art
Various methods and apparatus for the capture, transmission and presentation of three dimensional (3D) imaging information using stereoscopic visualization techniques are well known in the art. However, all of the methods and apparatus examined involved complex techniques for capturing the visual information and presentation in a fashion that the human eye and brain perceived a qualitative view of the 3D view. Any quantitative depth and contour information was not preserved and measurement of said depth and contour information must be accomplished using reference standards present within the view or by the use of measurement devices. Said measurement devices often included an external energy source such as sound, fight, or radio frequency waves that are transmitted to an object of interest as impulses and the reflected energy examined to determine distance and thus depth and contour information.
There is a large body of literature exploring the projective geometry necessary to calculate the location of objects within an object field of interest. Furthermore, the algorithms necessary to calculate the depth and contour information are well understood and is presented in such literature as Three Dimensional Computer Vision: A Geometric Viewpoint, by Olivier Faugeras, The MIT Press Cambridge Mass., 1993.
The complexity of the algorithms for the identification of objects and the calculation of depth and contour information has required either specialized computational circuitry or extremely high performance computer systems that have obviated the integration of the light collection, light conversion, and image processing functions within image detection systems. VLSI Image Processing, by Raymond J. Offen, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, N.Y. 1985, discusses the architectures, algorithms, and computational structures required for object location and the calculation of depth and contour information within an object field.
U.S. Pat. 5,101,269 (Shelley, et al.) is an example for the viewing of stereoscopic images. The stereo images are projected upon a pair of CCD sensors. The signals from the CCD sensors are transmitted, to synchronized electronics for processing, and thence to an electronic viewer to manipulate the image to produced to provide a 3D image. The display of the image is for non-real time viewing of still images.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,715 (Verhulst) illustrates a device for capturing of stereoscopic images upon a CCD array and transmitting the captured image to a display device providing a 3D image. Each display of each image provides only a visual display without providing any depth or contour information.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,784 (Adau) describes a stereoscopic endoscope wherein light is focused on two distally disposed CCD's to provide a signal that when suitably processed and displayed upon a television monitor will provide a 3D image. The application of this patent is for viewing channels and cavities during medical procedures and does not provide any capabilities for mensuration data of depth and contour.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,477 (Lia) provides a system of stereoscopic viewing using a single lens and a CCD array with two apertures, each placed to one side of the optical axis of the lens. The apertures are alternately opened and closed to cause light from each aperture to successively impinge upon the CCD array. The system then processes the electrical signals fro display such that the human eye will perceive 3D images.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,509 (Sombrowsky) describes a method and apparatus for capturing a 3D image and displaying this image using a glass plate having elongated apertures, scanning said apertures in a manner such to preserve the perspective information, and presenting said information on a modified display.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,963 (Yamada) discloses a holographic television apparatus, wherein a 3D image is captured and displayed using holographic interference patterns.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,529 (Stettner, et al.) develop a 3D underwater laser radar imaging system, wherein an object field is scanned by an impulse of laser light. The two dimensional information is captured using a two dimensional array of light collectors and the third dimension is calculated from the time of the return of the impulse of laser light.

Tritech Mircoelectronics International, Ltd.


A polishing pad and a CMP apparatus are provided. The polishing pad includes a plurality of patterns formed of trenches having a predetermined size and may include a groove for slurry flow. The plurality of patterns can include herringbone shaped trenches in concentric rows, where the rows of herringbone shaped trenches alternate in direction.

As a semiconductor device becomes more integrated, a multi-layered process is typically used. Photolithography processes are utilized in the multi-layered process, and ever smaller critical dimension margins are sought. To help minimize a line width formed on a material layer, the material layer on a chip is globally planarized. Currently, methods for planarizing a semiconductor device include boro-phospho-silicate glass (BPSG) reflow, aluminum (Al) flow, spin on glass (SOG) etch back, and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).
CMP uses chemical components in a slurry solution and physical components of a polishing pad to chemically and mechanically polish the surface of a chip for planarization. This enables CMP to achieve global planarization and low-temperature planarization for a broad area, where a reflow process or an etch-back process is not able to be performed. Due to these advantages CMP is widely used as a planarization technique for next-generation semiconductor devices.
In a related art CMP apparatus, a nozzle supplies slurry while a pad rotates at a predetermined speed. A carrier applies a predetermined pressure on a wafer attached to the pad, and rotates at a predetermined speed.
A deposited layer on a wafer can be polished by this CMP process. The rotating pad, rotating carrier, and pressure on the wafer serve as physical components, while the slurry chemically interacts with the layer deposited on the wafer.
Performing the CMP polishing process often leads to the pad becoming smoother and losing surface roughness. If the surface roughness of the pad is not restored to its former condition, the polishing speed and uniformity during the subsequent processes will be degraded.
In order to provide additional surface roughness and to supply new slurry to the pad between polishing processes, the pad is typically pressed in a predetermined conditioning pressure by using a rotating circular disk.
FIG. 1 is a view of a related art CMP apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, a wafer 100 is polished by a pad 110 and slurry 120, and a polishing table 130 attached to the pad 110 performs a simple rotating movement. A head 140 also performs a rotating movement and applies a predetermined pressure on the wafer 100.
The wafer 100 uses a pad conditioner to condition the surface of the pad 110 such that the damage of the pad 110 after polishing can be recovered. Then, the next wafer is processed.
FIG. 2 is a top view of a head and a pad in a CMP apparatus. FIG. 3 is a graph of rotating speed with respect to wafer radius. FIG. 4 is a graph of polishing rate with respect to wafer radius.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the pad 110 and the head 140 rotate in the same direction, the rotating speed increases as points of the pad 110 are located closer to the outer circumference of the pad 110. Therefore, the polishing rate of a wafer disposed below the head 140 also increases as the radius of the pad 110 is closer to the outer circumference.
More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the polishing rate increases from the center of the wafer to the outer circumference. Furthermore, the rate at which the polishing rate increases also goes up from the center to the outer circumference of the wafer 100. This occurs because the head applies different pressure on the wafer, which is caused by different rotating speeds (distance per time unit) at each point.
The rotating speed increases from the center toward the outer circumference of the wafer such that the edge portion is more polished than the center of the wafer.
When the pad 110 and the head 140 rotate, the wafer is not uniformly polished. This leads to irregularities in the semiconductor device being polished and deterioration of its characteristics. Thus, there exists a need in the art for an improved CMP technique for planarizing a semiconductor device.

Polishing pad and chemical mechanical polishing apparatus


A continuous flow hysteroscope is shown. The hysteroscope includes an outer sheath having an outer surface, an inner surface and a hollowed-out central area extending along a central axis which extends therethrough. The outer sheath has a proximal section and a distal section. The distal end includes a plurality of openings communicating between the outer surface and inner surface. The openings have a predetermined shape and pass fluid exterior to the distal section therethrough and into the hollowed-out central area. The proximal section of the outer sheath includes an outlet and an inlet. An inner member is positioned within the hollowed-out central area and includes a first channel which is adapted to receive a telescope. A second channel, which is substantially parallel to the first channel is utilized for passing a working tool. The first and second channel are operatively coupled to an inlet for passing fluid therethrough and out of the distal end outer sheath. The fluid passageway cooperates with the plurality of openings to pass fluid through the opening from the outer surfaces to the inner surfaces, through the fluid passageway and through the outlet of the outer sheath. The inner member includes an obturator closure means to isolate inflow and outflow distally, to prevent cross flow and to reduce patient trauma at time of insertion of the hysteroscope.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a continuous flow instrument which may be used as a hysteroscope or cystoscope and more particularly relates to a continuous flow hysteroscope having an outer sheath which has a hollowed-out central area which terminates in a distal end and a means for defining an inner member which is located within the hollowed-out central area wherein the means defining the inner member includes means for defining a first channel for receiving a telescope, and a second channel adjacent the first channel for passing a working tool. The outer wall of the first and second channels is spaced from the inner surface of the outer sheath to define a fluid passageway. An obturator closure means is used to isolate fluid flow and to aid in the insertion of the hysteroscope into the uterine cavity to reduce patient trauma. In a procedure, irrigation fluid is passed to the operative site by either one or both of the first channel and second channel to and out of the distal end. Fluid is removed from the operative site by passing the irrigation fluid through a plurality of openings in the distal section of the outer sheath into the fluid passageway to an outlet at the proximal end.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Continuous flow resectoscopes are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,842 discloses a continuous flow resectoscope for use in urology. Continuous flow resectoscopes have been used for other surgical procedures. An article entitled, The Use of the Resectoscope in Gynecology, by Richard A. Auhll, appeared at pages 91 through 99 in the Oct. 11, 1990 issue of the Biomedical Business International (the "Auhll Reference") describes the use of the CIRCON ACMI uterine resectoscope system for gynecological procedures. The Auhll Reference discloses that the use of a continuous flow electrical resectoscope system (CFR) includes a continuous flow irrigation system. Multiple concentric sheaths allow continuous and simultaneous inflow and outflow of non-conducting irrigating solutions so that the surgeon has a clear view through the solution. It is known in the art that the means for passing fluid into the uterus in order to distend the same cannot exceed an intravesical pressure of 90 mm of mercury. If the fluid pressure exceeds 90 mm of mercury, then the fluid is absorbed into the tissue of the uterus which is undesirable in performing an OB-GYN procedure.
In addition, the continuous flow irrigation system provides sufficient flow and pressure to distend and expand the uterus to use the task of the surgeon. Such a system is referred to as a Uterine Resectoscope System. The Uterine Resectoscope System is used for three operative procedures: (i) Myoma resection; (ii) endometrial ablation; and (iii) synechial septo dissection.
The present known continuous flow resectoscope and hysteroscope systems generally pass an irrigating fluid through the center of an inner sheath and out of the distal end to irrigate the operative site. Fluid is removed from the operative site by passing the fluid through a passageway formed between the outer surface of an inner sheath and the inner surface of an outer sheath. Typically, fluid flow is obtained by positioning the source of fluid at a predetermined height in the operating room. For example, positioning a bag of fluid at approximately 1 meter above the operating table will produce 75 mm of mercury head pressure. At a height of 1.4 meter produces approximately 103 mm of mercury pressure at the outlet of the source. The pressure drop through the various tubing and through the resectoscope drops the pressure to a range of 60 mm of mercury to 90 mm of mercury at the distal end of the hysteroscope.


A common transmit module of a programmable digital radio has a digital submodule which receives a bit stream and produces a modulated IF signal, and an analog submodule which receives the modulated IF signal and converts the modulated IF signal to a frequency corresponding to a specific type of radio function. The digital submodule includes (a) a sequential/parallel instruction set processor for signal processing and control, (b) a reconfigurable format unit, and (c) a modulator which receives the output signals of the reconfigurable format unit and produces the modulated oscillation signal. The analog submodule includes (a) a tunable local oscillator that produces a tunable local oscillation signal, (b) fixed local oscillators that produce fixed local oscillation signals, and (c) a mixing unit that receives the modulated IF signal, the tunable local oscillation signal and the fixed local oscillation signals, selectively mixes the fixed local oscillation signals with the modulated oscillation signal to produce non-final IF signals, and mixes a non-final IF signal with the tunable local oscillation signal to produce a final converted signal for transmission at the frequency corresponding to the specific type of radio function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a programmable radio which includes a receive module and a transmit module that can be digitally reconfigured to operate over a broad radio band and with different signal formats. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a transmit module of a programmable radio, the transmit module being reprogrammable to transmit different types of radio functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many commercial and military situations require radio function for multiple communication, navigation and identification (CNI) functions to be performed at a single location. Such radio function can include radio function for a conventional instrument landing system (ILS), a conventional air traffic control radar beacon system (ATCRBS), a conventional Mode S interrogation system or a conventional VHF AM system. Therefore, there are many air vehicles, ships, space platforms, ground-mobile vehicles, ground-mobile personnel, fixed stations and communication hubs that require multiple radio functions at a single location. An integrated radio system that may perform communication, navigation and identification (CNI) radio functions is used to perform these multiple radio function.
At one extreme, a communication, navigation and identification (CNI) radio system comprises an independent and different-type radio channel for each type of radio function. At the other extreme, an integrated programmable radio system cross-couples various elements of multiple channels, thereby resulting in a highly complex system of tightly coupled resources. Both approaches, and hybrids of the two approaches, have advantages as well as major disadvantages. For example, an independent channel system must have a separate, complete backup system for each critical system. Thus, a complete backup system is typically provided for a critical instrument landing system (ILS). This is very costly. Moreover, cross-coupled systems are extremely difficult to maintain due to difficulties of fault isolation.
Thus, there is a need for improved partitioning of radio system elements that allows the use and reuse of identical common programmable components or modules in a cost effective manner and without costly fault identification. More particularly, there is a need for a radio system having a common transmit module which can be reconfigured to perform different types of radio transmission.

Common transmit module for a programmable digital radio


The present invention relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte comprising a non-aqueous electrolyte solvent, a supporting salt, and a sulfonate represented by a predetermined formula, the non-aqueous electrolyte having a sulfonate concentration of 0.001 wt % or more and less than 0.2 wt % based on the total mass of the non-aqueous electrolyte.

The uses of a lithium ion secondary battery among secondary batteries have been spreading not only as a power source for consumer products such as notebook computers and mobile devices including a cellular phone but also, in recent years, as a power source for driving machines such as an electric vehicle, an electric motor cycle, and a power-assisted bicycle, a power source for small electrically driven machine, and a power source for a power storage system making use of its characteristics such as small and light weight and high energy density.
As a substance capable of desorbing and inserting a lithium ion, a lithium based complex oxide of a transition metal, a carbon material, lithium metal, an alloy based compound, and an oxide carbon material are generally used for a material for positive and negative electrode active materials of a lithium ion secondary battery. Moreover, a carbonate based solvent and a lithium salt as a supporting salt are generally used as a non-aqueous electrolyte.
In a charging and discharging process of the secondary battery, a desorption and insertion reaction of a lithium ion occurs at an interface of an electrode and an electrolyte. However, besides the reaction, an electrolyte solvent or the supporting salt causes a decomposition reaction to form a coating film having a high resistance on the surface of the electrode, which inhibits the desorption and insertion reaction of the lithium ion that primarily should occur. As a result thereof, irreversible lowering of discharging capacity or the like is accelerated, which leads to deterioration of the battery. Therefore, various ideas have been devised to suppress the deterioration.
As one of the ideas, a method for suppressing the decomposition reaction by forming a protective film on the surface of the electrode is included, and the means thereof proposes adding an additive having coating film-forming capability to the electrolyte. Patent Literatures 1 to 3, for example, discloses that when a cyclic monosulfonic acid ester is used as an additive, a coating film is formed on the surface of the electrode to improve battery properties. A proposal to use a cyclic disulfonic acid ester has also been made recently as shown by Patent Literature 4 because the cycle properties and the storage properties (suppression of an increase in resistance and the suppression of lowering in a capacity holding ratio) can be more improved than those for the secondary battery using the cyclic monosulfonic acid ester. As described herein, a sulfonic acid ester-based compound is useful as an electrolyte additive having a coating film-forming capability.

Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery


The present invention discloses a method operable on a digital electronic device comprising an ISP, for initiating a motion diagnostic process on digital images captured by a sensor, and an image sensor. The method operable on a digital electronic device may also be designed to comprise additional steps such as reading a digital image stored in a memory unit, wherein the ISP is configured with computerized instructions comprising instructions to identify regions in the digital image, operating a hot region detection process to detect hot regions among the identified regions, creating a hot region map representing the hot regions detected among the identified regions, and then allowing the requester access to the captured hot region map via communicating with the memory unit, wherein said access allows the requester to perform a motion detection on the digital image. In some cases, the ISP or the digital electronic device may conduct a motion detection on the detected hot regions. Such an analysis may comprise a motion detection, classification process, and the like. In some cases, the requester may be an external device.

As of today, small electronic detectors and imaging sensors performing motion detection, need to utilize larger systems that perform the computationally intensive parts of the motion detection analysis. A popular approach is to integrate a processing unit which preforms the motion detection by comparing a digital image to a previously captured digital image. The processing unit preforming the motion detection can identify the motion by comparing two digital images. The comparison can first identify pixels which may indicate motion in a detected area captured by the digital image. In some cases, based on the results of the analysis, the processing unit can perform further tasks and/or create alerts in accordance with the application's requirements. Such tasks of the application can comprise: people counting, people sensing, intruder detection, face detection, gesture recognition, distinction between people by age or gender, protection of identified population in a certain area, and the like.
In some cases, the image sensor comprises a digital system which can capture an image or image sequence and send the images to a human reviewer or to a computerized analysis module of the system. In such cases, the digital system is continuously required to be in operational mode, waiting for images to be received for the analysis process. In some cases, there is a need to maintain complex systems which can comprise computing units, communication means, user interfaces, and other peripheral components. Such systems are often complex, costly, and consume considerable power.

Motion detection in digital images and a communication method of the results thereof


When operation of a fuel cell system has completed, residue in the fuel cell system such as water, fuel gas, and oxidant are removed by adsorbent stored in an adsorbent tank, which is connected to flow fields of the fuel cell system.

Generally, a fuel cell system, having a fuel cell stack, a oxidant flow field, a fuel gas flow field, and a coolant flow field, generates electric energy utilizing an electrochemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidant. Such a fuel cell system is generally provided with a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA).
The MEA has a membrane electrolyte sandwiched between an anode supplied with humidified fuel gas and a cathode supplied with humidified oxidant. The MEA is again sandwiched between a pair of separators, where flow fields, which are defined as a plurality of channels or grooves, are formed for flowing of the fuel gas and oxidant.
Furthermore, the fuel cell system is provided with a coolant flow field for cooling the fuel cell stack. Each of the oxidant flow field, the fuel gas flow field, and the coolant flow field is provided with a pump, a blower, and a plurality of valves and so on.
When a fuel cell as described above is adapted in a fuel cell vehicle, the fuel cell is repeatedly turned on and off, dependant on whether the vehicle is driven or not. When the fuel cell operates, water generated by electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell is drained, but when the fuel cell stops operating, water failing to be drained remains in the fuel cell stack. Furthermore, when the fuel cell stops operating after driving, the humidified fuel gas and the humidified oxidant in the flow fields also remain in the plurality of grooves or channels. When the atmospheric temperature drops to a low temperature, water of the residue can freeze, deteriorating the MEA of the fuel cell and blocking the flow fields, and the parts provided with each of the flow fields. Accordingly, in order to guarantee the safety of the fuel cell, the residue in the fuel cell system must be removed after the fuel cell is turned off.
Conventionally, in order to solve the problem described above, the residue in the fuel cell is removed by nitrogen purging. However, when nitrogen purging is used, additional apparatuses such as a storage tank for nitrogen and a controller for adjusting the nitrogen pressure are required, and the storage tank must be repeatedly recharged. Furthermore, in order to completely remove the residue, a substantial amount of time and high consumption of nitrogen are required.

Fuel cell system comprising an absorbent tank for removing residue therein


The present invention provides a mobile, electro-statically stable cart for storing and transporting computers, computer accessories, and sensitive computer equipment such as servers, Ethernet switches, and batteries. The body of the cart is configured to receive equipment in a portable rack mount fashion while providing protection against electro-static discharge events using anti-static wheels, either conductive or static dissipative, drag chains, grounding points, and static dissipative paint.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a computer cart and, more specifically, to an electrostatically stable, mobile computer rack cart for rack mountable servers.
2. Related Art
Computers and other computer equipment are not only commonly used in businesses today but are often a key component to businesses. One of the biggest problems with computers and computer equipment is that it is heavy, bulky, but delicate in that they are vulnerable to electrostatic discharge events. Therefore, computers and computer equipment cannot be safely transported in an easy manner. So while it would often be more convenient to mobilize a computer and/or computer equipment, doing so is very risky because the likelihood of damaging the equipment by an electrostatic discharge event is high.


A waveguide oscillator by means of which carrier waves can be generated in a waveguide. The waveguide oscillator takes the form of a planar slotted guide structure arranged in the waveguide approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide and has two transmitting slotted guides, at least one semiconductor oscillator element and at least one compensation slotted guide.

The invention relates to a waveguide oscillator for generating carrier waves in a waveguide having at least one semiconductor oscillating element and at least one transmitting antenna element.
Known waveguide oscillators for generating carrier waves in waveguides comprise a pole inserted into the waveguide, which functions as a transmitting/antenna element, and a semiconductor oscillating element that is inserted into the waveguide. The semiconductor oscillating element is arranged on the base for the waveguide inside area, and the pole is inserted between the housing surface of the semiconductor oscillating element and the opposite arranged waveguide surface, so that it can radiate freely into the waveguide inside area while in a perpendicular position. The semiconductor oscillating elements used in known waveguide oscillators are cased Gunn diodes, impatt diodes or similar, cased semiconductor elements, which can generate a HF oscillation when direct voltage is applied. With the known waveguide oscillators, the oscillator is adapted to the characteristic wave impedance of the waveguide by means of a quarter-wave short circuit. This short circuit consists of a waveguide segment that is closed off on one side and has a length of one fourth the wavelength of the carrier wave to be radiated. The pole with the semiconductor oscillating element is arranged at its open end. As a result of the production and assembly of the precision-mechanical parts, the known waveguide oscillators are relatively expensive. The semiconductor oscillating elements in the known waveguide oscillators can be used only as cased elements since they are affected by the contact pressure exerted by the pole. However, cased diodes are also very expensive when compared to non-cased chip diodes.

Waveguide oscillator having planar slotted guide structure


Embodiments according to the invention relate to frame redirection, which includes methods to intercept and re-route traffic between an initiator and a target. When a frame is redirected, an initiator issues a frame to the target, but the frame is received by a virtual target in a redirection switch by allowing the redirection switch to use the WWN of the actual target. From the perspective of the initiator, the target resides on the redirection switch. From the redirection switch, the frame is sent to the actual target by allowing the redirection switch to use the identity of the initiator. In other words, the redirection switch presents the WWN of the initiator to the target when the redirected frame is sent to the target. From the perspective of the target, the frame is received as if it originated at the initiator.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments according to the invention relate to a method and apparatus for frame redirection in a Storage Area Network (SAN) environment. More particularly, embodiments according to the invention relate to frame redirection, which includes methods to intercept and re-route traffic between an initiator and a target.
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/695,408, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Effectively deploying multiple devices in a network environment becomes an increasingly complex task as transmission data rates, processor speeds, and storage capacities increase. Storage area networks (SANs) have been developed as specialized high-speed networks, referred to as fabrics, to connect computer systems, control software, and storage devices over the fabric. A SAN typically allows block level input/output (I/O) rather than file-level access. Thus, every device connected to a SAN fabric appears as a locally attached device to other devices on the fabric.
FIG. 1A shows components in a fabric 102. The fabric 102 includes a host 104, a Fibre Channel switch 107, and one or more storage devices 120a, 120b. Each host 104 and storage device 120 may be one of a number of specific devices. The host 104 may be, for example, a server, while the storage devices 120a, 120b may be RAID devices, which in turn may be logically separated into logical units. Alternatively the storage devices 120a, 120b could be a JBOD ("just a bunch of disks") device, with each individual disk being a logical unit.
A SAN allows for relatively simple interchangeability of components with minimal disruptions to other components, as discussed above. However, as the size of a SAN increases (and correspondingly, storage needs on the SAN increase), it becomes beneficial to merge resources such as storage devices 120a, 120b into single logical devices, making it easier for hosts 104 to access the storage devices 120a, 120b. One such method of merging resources is addressed through virtualization. In general terms, virtualization is a process used to collect storage resources into a pool and hand out logical slices to hosts, without any reconfiguration on the host side or on the storage side. Then, through modifications to the host 104, switch 107, or storage devices 120a, 120b (or some combination thereof), traffic intended to pass from an initiator (e.g., host 104) to a target (e.g., storage device 120a) is re-routed to a "virtual" target and on to the defined physical target or targets.
Storage virtualization provides to computer systems a separate, independent view of storage from the actual physical storage. A computer system (e.g., a host) sees a virtual disk. As far as the host is concerned, this virtual disk appears to be an ordinary SCSI disk logical unit. However, this virtual disk does not exist in any physical sense as a real disk drive or as a logical unit presented by an array controller. Instead, the storage for the virtual disk is taken from portions of one or more logical units available for virtualization (the storage pool). This separation of the hosts' view of disks from the physical storage allows the host's view and the physical storage components to be managed independently from each other. For example, from the host perspective, a virtual disk's size can be changed (assuming the host supports this change), its redundancy (RAID) attributes can be changed, and the physical logical units that store the virtual disk's data can be changed, without the need to manage any physical components. These changes can be made while the virtual disk is online and available to hosts. Similarly, physical storage components can be added, removed, and managed without any need to manage the hosts' view of virtual disks and without taking any data offline.
Numerous implementations for virtualization exist. For example, logical unit number (LUN) masking may be employed to prevent each host from accessing storage resources that it is not permitted to use. In general terms, LUN masking makes particular LUNs available to some hosts, but unavailable to others. LUN masking filters are typically installed as specialty software (e.g., a device driver) on each host. Although this software may be configured from a centralized management application, ultimately, each host is responsible for maintaining a proper configuration for LUN masking.
Other methods for virtualization exist. For example, specialized devices may be used "in-band," between hosts and storage devices, to provide virtualized storage to the hosts. One example of a fabric enabled for in-band storage virtualization, i.e., routing network traffic from a host 104 to a storage device 120a, 120b via a Fibre Channel switch 107, is shown in FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 1B, a host 104 has, among other elements, a host bus adapter (HBA) 106. Conventionally, the HBA 106 is a daughter board connected to the host 104. Each HBA connects a host 104 to other network and storage devices 120a, 120b on the fabric 102 via the Fibre Channel switch 107. As is known in the art, each HBA 106 has a World Wide Name (WWN), which is a unique identifier assigned to each Fibre Channel device. A WWN identifies the HBA 106, and thus the respective host 104, to the Fibre Channel switch 107 and other devices on the fabric 102. The storage devices 120a, 120b also have unique WWNs. On the switch 107 side, each device is connected to a particular port, and is identified by a port identifier (PID). The PID identifies the physical switch and the port to which each network device is attached. As a PID is dependent on the switch, a PID may change in certain situations.
The Fibre Channel switch 107 includes a virtualization processor 108, and a name server 109, which stores information about all devices in the fabric 102. Typically, a name server 109 operates on each Fibre Channel switch in the fabric 102. The virtualization processor 108 creates virtual devices 114, 116 to interface between the host 104 and the physical storage 120a, 120b. Virtualization of SAN devices accelerates replacement of storage devices 120a, 120b and HBAs. SAN devices can be virtualized as initiators or targets to create virtual targets or virtual initiators. The logical units of the virtual target 114 correspond to volumes as defined by the volume manager 112. The first and second virtual logic units 118, 119 map to the physical storage devices 120a, 120b, respectively. The virtual target 114 appears as a normal Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) device to the host 104. The host 104 discovers the virtual target 114 through a fabric directory service.
Virtualization may best be understood by of describing an example frame intended to pass from the host 104 (i.e., the initiator) to the storage device 120a (the target), using a translation operation (such as data mirroring) to back up the data on the storage device 120b. In this process, the initiator (host 104) issues a command to a virtual target 114, which is located in the switch 107. The virtual target 114, known to the initiator, has a different WWN than the actual target (storage device 120a). The switch 107 then applies storage application logic to perform mirroring. Thus, the command is sent to the storage device 120a, and a copy of the command is sent to the storage device 120b. In addition to mirroring, many data services are available in a fabric 102, including, for example, migration, snapshot, replication, and journaling. These translation services are discussed more fully in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/695,408, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. However, the proper execution of such services requires that each device knows all available devices on the SAN. However, adding, removing, or changing a device on a fabric requires the host and the target in a fabric to perform a fabric login and re-learn all devices (i.e., the PIDs and WWNs of the devices) on the fabric.
For example, when a device (e.g., host 104) is connected to the Fibre Channel switch 107, it performs an initialization process known as a fabric login. In this process, the switch 107 registers the WWN of the device with the name server 110, which generates a unique PID for the device. As mentioned above, the PID describes the location of the device in relation to the switch 107 in the SAN with information such as the switch and switch port that the device is connected to. Initialized devices that are initiators attempt to log in to other devices on the SAN to find out what they are and to create proper connections to the devices. This learning is performed by querying the name server 110 in the switch 107 to receive the PID and WWN of each device. Further, when a device connects to or disconnects from a fabric, the switch 107 sends registered state change notifications (RSCNs) to the devices that have registered to receive them.
Conventionally, inserting a virtual target with its own WWN between an existing host and a physical target requires the host to break the existing connection and re-scan to find the new virtual target with its WWN. While this re-scanning is troublesome, and desirable to be removed, a larger problem is that both fabric zoning and access control lists (ACLs) maintained by various entities also have to be changed. Fabric zoning is complicated and being required to change it to allow use of the virtual target is burdensome. Changing the ACLs is even more burdensome as it requires administrator operations on each of the affected devices. Thus, insertion of a virtual target is a burdensome task and alleviating the effect is desirable. Although advances in Fibre Channel standards have helped make these processes less disruptive to a SAN, network designers are continuously seeking new ways to increase storage space, processing capabilities, and data transmission rates, while decreasing "downtime" periods on a fabric 102.

Method and apparatus for frame redirection in a storage area network environment


A cooking apparatus includes a housing and a cooking plate. Burners are located within the housing and below the cooking plate. A non-powered mechanical thermocouple probe is proximate to a pilot burner with a bi-metal element that produces an electrical signal when heated by the pilot burner. A pilot shutoff valve has an inlet connected to receive gaseous fuel from a gaseous fuel manifold, a pilot output connected to deliver gas to the pilot burner, a main burner output connected to deliver gas the burners, and a thermocouple probe input connected to receive the electrical signal produced by the bi-metal element. The pilot shutoff valve is biased to a default closed position where gas is prevented from flowing from the inlet to the pilot output and from the inlet to the main burner output. When the pilot shutoff valve is open, the pilot shut off valve permits gas to flow from the inlet to the pilot output and from the inlet to the main burner output.

Griddle apparatus are frequently used in commercial settings for cooking various types of food, such as hamburgers. The griddle apparatus typically includes a main burner for heating the griddle plate and a pilot for facilitating on-demand ignition of the main burner.
In the past, it was known to have a griddle system including a gas manifold feeding both a pilot burner and one or more main griddle burners. A solenoid valve (normally closed) was provided to control flow (OPEN or CLOSED valve state) from the manifold to the pilot burner in accordance with whether an electrical power switch of the griddle apparatus was ON/OFF. A separate, main burner solenoid valve (normally closed) controlled gas flow from the manifold to the griddle burners. The OPEN/CLOSED state of the main burner solenoid was determined by both (i) a detected status of the pilot burner as determined by a pilot probe and (ii) the set point of a thermostat having a probe proximate the griddle plate. Specifically, the pilot probe acted as a normally open switch that closed when a pilot flame was detected. Closure of this pilot probe switch enabled power to be delivered to the main burner solenoid valve if called for by the thermostat. The thermostat operated as a closed switch when the temperature of the thermostat probe was below the thermostat set point. The thermostat switch opened when the temperature of the thermostat probe reached the set point of the thermostat. With both the pilot probe switch closed and the thermostat switch closed, power was delivered to the main burner solenoid to permit gas flow from the manifold to the griddle burners.
In the past, it was also known to use the combination of a non-powered pilot shutoff valve with an associated mechanical, non-powered pilot probe sensor to control the open/closed state of the pilot shutoff valve for the purpose of controlling gas flow to both the pilot burner and a non-powered, modulating type thermostat gas valve feeding the burner arrangement of a range oven chamber.
It would be desirable to provide a griddle gas flow control that does not require powered components.

Cooking griddle and associated gas flow control arrangement


A method of processing a substrate includes: providing structures on a surface of a substrate; depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) over the structures and the substrate, the SAM being reactive to a predetermined wavelength of radiation; determining a first pattern of radiation exposure, the first pattern of radiation exposure having a spatially variable radiation intensity across the surface of the substrate and the structures; exposing the SAM to radiation according to the first pattern of radiation exposure, the SAM being configured to react with the radiation; developing the SAM with a predetermined removal fluid to remove portions of the SAM that are not protected from the predetermined fluid; and depositing a spacer material on the substrate and the structures, the spacer material being deposited at varying thicknesses based on an amount of the SAM remaining on the surface of the substrate and the structures.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Cross-wafer critical dimension (CD) control and cross-wafer pitch walking control for multi-patterning fabrication techniques affect both edge placement error (EPE) and final device yield. Accordingly, improving control of CD and pitch walking is beneficial to successful fabrication of semiconductor devices. Techniques to minimize pitch walking can include modulate lithography CD and first mandrel SADP (self-aligned double patterning). Some approaches to control pitch walking at the SAQP (self-aligned quadruple patterning) stage can be either too complex (precise etch and temperature control) or have limited correction capabilities (mapping doses via a photolithography scanner). Thus, a solution to controlling either spacer or mandrel CD at a final SAQP processing stage is desired.

Method for globally adjusting spacer critical dimension using photo-active self-assembled monolayer


A mirror (1a; 1a′; 1b; 1b; 1c; 1c′) with a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement configured such that light (32) having a wavelength below 250 nm and incident on the mirror at at least an angle of incidence of between 0° and 30° is reflected with more than 20% of its intensity. The layer arrangement has at least one surface layer system (P′″) having a periodic sequence of at least two periods (P3) of individual layers, wherein the periods (P3) include a high refractive index layer (H′″) and a low refractive index layer (L′″). The layer arrangement has at least one graphene layer. Use of graphene (G, SPL, B) on optical elements reduces surface roughness to below 0.1 nm rms HSFR and/or protects the EUV element against a radiation-induced volume change of more than 1%. Graphene is also employed as a barrier layer to prevent layer interdiffusion.

The invention relates to a mirror. Furthermore, the invention relates to a projection objective comprising such a mirror. Moreover, the invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising such a projection objective.
Projection exposure apparatuses for microlithography for the EUV wavelength range have to rely on the assumption that the mirrors used for the imaging of a mask into an image plane have a high reflectivity since, firstly, the product of the reflectivity values of the individual mirrors determines the total transmission of the projection exposure apparatus and since, secondly, the light power of EUV light sources is limited.
Mirrors for the EUV wavelength range around 13 nm having high reflectivity values are known from DE 101 55 711 A1, for example. The mirrors described therein consist of a layer arrangement which is applied on a substrate and which has a sequence of individual layers, wherein the layer arrangement comprises a plurality of surface layer systems each having a periodic sequence of at least two individual layers of different materials that form a period, wherein the number of periods and the thickness of the periods of the individual layer systems decrease from the substrate toward the surface. Such mirrors have a reflectivity of greater than 30% in the case of an angle of incidence interval of between 0° and 20°.
In this case, the angle of incidence is defined as the angle between the direction of incidence of a light ray and the normal to the surface of the mirror at the point where the light ray impinges on the mirror. In this case, the angle of incidence interval results from the angle interval between the largest and the smallest angle of incidence respectively considered for a mirror.
What is disadvantageous about the abovementioned layers, however, is that their reflectivity in the angle of incidence interval specified is not constant, but rather varies. A variation of the reflectivity of a mirror over the angles of incidence is disadvantageous, however, for the use of such a mirror at locations with high angles of incidence and with high angle of incidence changes in a projection objective for microlithography since such a variation leads for example to an excessively large variation of the pupil apodization of such a projection objective. In this case, the pupil apodization is a measure of the intensity fluctuation over the exit pupil of a projection objective.
What is furthermore disadvantageous about the abovementioned layers is that the latter transmit too much EUV radiation to the substrate, as a result of which the substrate is exposed to high doses of EUV radiation over a long period of time. However, under high doses of EUV radiation, substrates for EUV mirrors composed of materials such as for example Zerodur® from Schott AG or ULE® from Corning Inc. tend toward densification of the order of magnitude of a few percent by volume. In the case of generally non-uniform irradiation of the mirrors, said densification leads to a non-uniform change in their surface form, as a result of which the optical imaging properties of the mirrors are changed in an undesirable manner during the operating period.
In order to obtain a high reflectivity of mirrors for the EUV wavelength range it is also necessary to avoid losses on account of stray light, which leads to stringent requirements made of the surface roughness of such mirrors in the so-called HSFR range, see U. Dinger et al. "Mirror substrates for EUV-lithography: progress in metrology and optical fabrication technology" in Proc. SPIE Vol. 4146, 2000, in particular for the definition of the surface roughness in the HSFR range with spatial wavelengths of the roughness of 10 nm to 1 μm (HSFR=high spatial frequency roughness) and in the MSFR range with spatial wavelengths of the roughness of 1 μm to 1 mm (MSFR=mid spatial frequency roughness). Furthermore, such mirrors have to ensure the high reflectivity values and the desired optical imaging quality even over a period of several years under continuous irradiation with high-intensity EUV radiation.
Other mirrors, too, which are used within projection exposure apparatuses for microlithography at wavelengths of less than 250 nm have to have low values for the surface roughness in the HSFR range in order to avoid stray light losses.

Mirror, projection objective with such mirror, and projection exposure apparatus for microlithography with such projection objective


The spindle of a vane motor is designed to enhance the power, speed and torque by undercutting the spindle adjacent to the vanes on the power stroke side to increase the working area of the vanes and by adding slots intermediate the vane formed in said spindle and each slot has a working face for accepting pressurized air during the power stroke. The slots are located out of coincidence with the rotating axis of the spindle and the vanes include a contoured bottom edge fitted into the slots so as to enhance its ability to be retracted in opposition to centrifugal force created by the rotating cylinder.

Rotary machines typically utilize vane motors that are pneumatically powered to cause rotation of the output shaft. As is well known these machines comprise a cylinder, sometimes referred to as a casing and an eccentrically mounted spindle in the cylinder, sometimes referred to as a rotor. The cylinder is stationary and through apertures in the cylinder lead pressurized air to impinge on the reciprocating vanes mounted in slots formed in the spindle to cause the spindle to rotate and exhaust the spent air through additional holes formed in the cylinder. The outer edge of the vanes is in contact with or in close proximity to the inner surface of the cylinder during the power stroke of the vane motor and during the exhaust portion of the stroke the spindle recedes from the inner surface of the cylinder. Heretofore the vanes have been a rectangularly shaped planar member with a top and bottom straight edge where the bottom edge fits into slots formed in the spindle and the top straight edge bears against or is in close proximity to the circular surface of the cylinder. During the power stroke the vanes are in position adjacent to the inlet apertures. The slots in the vanes for supporting the vanes typically are oriented to be in coincidence with the center line of spindle. Obviously, the rotational speed is dictated by the power stroke, the pressure of the pressurized air and the area of the vane/spindle where the air impinges thereon.
I have found that the vane motor can be enhanced by undercutting the slots supporting the vane, by providing slots at judicious locations formed in the spindle, and/or by orienting the axial vane slots so that they are displaced from the centerline of the spindle. Adding slots to the spindle adds additional working area and undercutting the slots supporting the reciprocating vanes increases the working area of the vanes. In other words, a vane motor designed with the above features provide for a given pressure of the pressurized air, a vane motor that will rotate faster and produce more torque. Or, otherwise, the vane motor can be made smaller while producing the same rpm and torque that would be produced by a larger sized vane motor.


A holding frame with interior tabs is attached inside an outer surface of a glove in a normal wrist watch position. A watch head with an outer peripheral groove in an outer perimeter matching an inner edge of the frame is snapped into the holding frame with the frame tabs snapping into the watch groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to watch and glove combinations and in particular to a watch with an outer peripheral groove and a glove having a sewn-in or glued mating ring with spaced tabs adapted to snap fit into the watch groove so that the watch snaps into the back of a glove having the ring for an instantly attachable and removable watch glove.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gloves normally cover up a wrist watch so that it is inconvenient to pull the glove off far enough to view the wrist watch. It is sometimes imperative to be able to view a watch during a sports activity to check timing. In sports involving gloves, a wrist watch is normally covered up making it difficult, time consuming, and distracting to move the glove to view the wrist watch. In outdoor activity in cold weather it is often uncomfortable as well as inconvenient to move a glove to view a watch.
Apparel is important to athletes as well as many individuals involved in situations involving the wearing of gloves. Cumbersome and elaborate and overly complex or unnecessary parts, particularly straps or buckles to attach a watch to an outside of a glove are undesirable.
Furthermore, wearing a wrist watch and a glove, such as a golf glove, together distracts your swing and your game due to discomfort and restrictions in the wrist movement. During a golf game which can usually take as long as 5 hours to play a full round of golf it is important to keep track of the time. Keeping a wristwatch in a golf cart or golf bag makes your watch vulnerable to being lost, stolen or broken and does not provide instant easy access during play.
The prior art does not provide a simple fast easy-to-use system for wearing a watch on a glove with a clean uncluttered mounting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,611 to Kim is for a golf glove and watch combination which uses a conventional golf glove without modification. Strap of the watch feeds through retaining slots on watch cases and has Velcro hooks on its surface facing away from the watch case. The strap extends partly around flap of the glove, so that ends of the strap engage Velcro loops on the underside of the flap. The golf glove has a pad of Velcro hooks beneath the flap for mating engagement of the Velcro loops on the underside of the flap. When the flap is pressed against the pad so that the Velcro loops and hooks (90) engage with ends of the strap in place, the watch is held securely in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,835 to Chen shows at least one information indication article, like a battery-activated watch, a compass, a thermometer, etc. is detachably or undetachably disposed in an information indication piece on the wrist and back of a glove portion in a conventional form. One end of the information indication piece is secured with a tightening ring. This ring and a tightening strip provided with Velcro fastener arrangements secure the glove on the user's wrist and dispose the information indication piece in a preferred observation orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,521 to Mann claims a watch supporting, protecting and insulating device, wherein, a glove has a pocket, which retains and protects a timepiece, permits viewing of the timepiece, and facilitates storage of other articles in the pocket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,141 to Arai puts forth a time apparatus which enables autocycle riders, marathon athletes, jogging runners, skiers etc. to see or check time only by the pushing motion of the thumb of the hand which wears the apparatus, without the need of the other hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,524,137 to Kastl et al. indicates a watch exposing glove which provides a coverable opening in the back wrist portion of the glove to reveal a watch underneath. The watch may be a conventional watch or one with a snap on band described in the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,634 to Harrington et al. provides a combination of a wristband and watch which includes a tubular wristband having an inner layer of material, an outer layer of material, and a watch placed therebetween is disclosed. The inner layer has a slit formed therein and the outer layer has an opening formed therein. The slit and opening are substantially aligned. The watch has a base and a face attached to the base. The opening includes button-hole stitching. The face includes a rim and a recess is formed between the base and the rim. Once the watch is in place, the stitching fits snugly within the recess, thereby securing the watch within the opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,254 to Boller describes a device that counts and displays golf strokes per hole and per game and includes a golf glove and a counter attached to the golf glove, either by hook and loop fasteners, snaps, a magnet, or a pouch. The counter includes a hole strokes digital counter and display for counting and displaying the golf strokes per hole, a total strokes digital counter and display for counting and displaying the golf strokes per game, a stroke advance button that advances the hole stroke counter and display and the total strokes digital counter and display, a clear button that clears the hole strokes digital counter and display, either an on/off button or a two second timer that allows the total strokes digital counter and display to be cleared when the clear button is depressed for two seconds, and a power source that is either a battery interface or a solar cell.
What is needed is a simple fast easy-to-use system for wearing a watch on a glove with a clean uncluttered mounting

Watch head removably attachable to glove


In various examples there is a communications network comprising a plurality of nodes connected via an interconnection medium to form a receive-from-many communications network. The network has a synchronisation mechanism which synchronizes a signal frequency of the nodes. The network has at least one store holding signal amplitude data of signals previously sent between specified pairs of nodes of the communications network. An amplitude controller uses the stored data to adjust amplitudes of signals communicated between at least one of the pairs of nodes of the communications network.

A receive-from-many communications network is formed from a plurality of transmitting nodes connected to at least one receiving node via an interconnection medium. By using one or more switches or other mechanisms in the interconnection medium, an individual transmitting node is able to send to different ones of the individual receiving nodes at different times. In this way, an individual receiver receives signals from different transmitting nodes at different times.
When a receiving node receives different signals at different times it typically experiences changes in amplitude of the received signal. However, signal receivers are often sensitive to changes in amplitude of the received signal and it can be very difficult to cope with such amplitude changes, especially where the amplitude changes are at a high frequency or contain high frequency content. As a result it is difficult for the receiving node to operate accurately and robustly to receive incoming signals in analog form.
The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all of the disadvantages of known receive-from-many communications networks.

Amplitude caching in receive from many communications networks