A method for computer-supported processing of the vicinity of a vehicle includes detecting the surroundings of a vehicle and providing surroundings data by a sensor system. The surroundings data may be processed to ascertain, for pre-specified sections of the surroundings of the vehicle, a specific distance to objects detected by the sensor system. A collision probability between one of the detected objects and the vehicle is ascertained depending on a predicted and/or actual vehicle movement determined using odometric data. Moreover, the surroundings of the vehicle are depicted on an output unit where, for at least one of the pre-specified sections, distance information between such at least one pre-specified section of the surroundings and the detected object is output using at least one of a graphic element and an acoustic element that includes collision information about a collision probability.

The invention relates to a method and a device for computer-assisted processing of the vicinity of a vehicle.
Methods for computer-assisted processing of the vicinity of a vehicle provide information for the driver. In such methods, a plurality of images of roadway sections of the vehicle surroundings are provided on a display unit. In particular, these images are intended to support the driver of a vehicle during a steering or parking process.
Such methods are used as parking aids and parking distance controls. They include at least one distance warning to the rear and optionally to the front. In addition, an audio warning typically informs the driver of the distance to the obstacle. For instance, the repeat frequency of the acoustic signal increases as the distance decreases. The parking aid does not sound until a pre-specified distance between an obstacle and the vehicle has been reached. If the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle drops below a minimum distance, the acoustic warning is typically a continuous tone. Such methods are frequently based on a number of ultrasonic sensors in the front and rear bumpers. Parking aids based on radar are likewise known.
In addition to acoustic information, such systems show the driver of a vehicle a distance map of the immediate surroundings. If the distance to the obstacle drops below a certain threshold, the driver is alerted with different colors on the shrinking distance. Depending on the speed of the vehicle, the driver may decide whether and how far he will continue to drive, brake the vehicle, or turn. The information provided for display is based exclusively on distance information between one or a plurality of obstacles and the vehicle.
An acoustic and/or visual warning may also occur when the vehicle for instance correctly drives by/steers around an obstacle without any actual collision danger if the distance is within the system detection range. Even objects, such as pedestrians who are inside the detection range moving transverse to the vehicle's direction of travel or who are moving away from the vehicle, generate a distance warning even though there is no danger.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for computer-assisted processing of the vicinity of a vehicle that provides an improved output of warnings. It is further an object of the invention to provide a computer program product and a device for computer-assisted processing of the vicinity of a vehicle.
These objects are attained using a method in accordance with the features of independent claims. The dependent claims provide advantageous embodiments.
In the inventive method for computer-supported processing of the vicinity of a vehicle, the surroundings of the vehicle are detected by and surroundings data are provided by a sensor system. The surroundings data provided by the sensor system are processed by a computing unit in that, for pre-specified sections of the surroundings of the vehicle, a specific distance to objects that are or were detected by the sensor system in the surroundings of the vehicle is ascertained. A collision probability between one of the ascertained objects and the vehicle is ascertained for at least one of the pre-specified sections of the surroundings depending on a predicted and/or actual vehicle movement determined by processing odometric data. The surroundings of the vehicle are depicted or output on an output unit in that, for at least one of the pre-specified sections of the surroundings, distance information between such section(s) of the surroundings and one or a plurality of objects is output using a graphic and/or acoustic element, the element also including collision information about the collision probability for this object.
Odometric data shall be construed to mean all movement parameters for the vehicle. This may include, in particular, a steering wheel or wheel position, the current speed or acceleration of the vehicle or the speed or acceleration of the vehicle automatically required by the driver or other devices, and effective torque on at least one wheel of the vehicle. The transmission ratio of an automatic transmission or of a system for power-assisted steering may also be included in the odometric data. These parameters are variable in modern systems and some may be continuously variable. Particularly advantageous is the use of odometric data predicted for the near future, such as a wheel position and individual wheel speeds that may occur in, e.g. 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 seconds. These may be determined from formulas, empirical values, by using simulation techniques, and/or by using the probability theory.
When the present description discusses an object, this shall be understood to include individual components of an object as well.
With the inventive method, it is possible not only to take into account the distance to obstacles, but also to acoustically and/or visually output the collision danger that proceeds from these obstacles. This can, on the one hand, prevent unnecessary warnings, while on the other hand, the driver of a vehicle can concentrate on the areas of the surroundings that actually involve a collision danger. The acoustic and/or visual information about a collision danger may be output as a function of the essentially current or future position of an obstacle relative to the (stationary or moving) vehicle from which this collision danger proceeds. This facilitates, for instance, detection of a situation in which the ascertained distance to an object would not lead to a warning in a conventional system, while the invention considers this object, e.g. due to its movement, as suitable for a potential collision that would be unavoidable or difficult to avoid without warning. Likewise, the method takes into account situations in which a potential collision is "down played" in conventional systems by a warning that is too weak, but which may in principle play a critical safety role for the driver of the vehicle because of a potential collision danger. On the other hand, the inventive method does not generate any distracting or disturbing warnings when an object inside the detection range of the sensor system is moving relatively transverse to the vehicle or laterally alongside the vehicle without endangering it.
In one or more embodiments, the distance information represents the distance between at least one part of the object and at least one part of the vehicle. The collision information additionally includes local coloring in and/or a pre-specified texture on a graphic or on the graphic element. A graphic may include a plurality of graphic elements. The distance information and the collision information for a specific section of the surroundings are output in the same graphic and/or acoustic element. For instance, identical distance information may have been ascertained and output in two different driving situations. Due to the different collision probabilities for the two driving situation, individual graphic and/or acoustic elements may differ in their collision information by virtue of the local coloring in and/or the pre-specified texture of the graphic or the graphic element.
For instance, the graphic element may be embodied in the shape of a strip or a wide line that comprises one or a plurality of connected segments whose color may change in the segments or as color gradients along the strip or line. Different colors represent different collision probabilities. The succession of colors may vary, for instance from black to white to gray to green to yellow to red. In principle, the colors that are ultimately used for visualizing the collision probability or for representing collision information may be selected freely. Likewise, the number of different colors used may be selected freely. In systems used in the past, for instance, three colors have been used (red for a minimum distance to the obstacle, yellow for a moderate distance, and green for a great distance). This succession of colors that is known to the drivers of vehicles could be retained or could optionally be supplemented with additional colors or shades.
In one or more embodiments, the represented distance between a graphic element and parts, especially sections of the surroundings, of the vehicle is embodied as a function of the collision probability between the objects and the parts of the vehicle.
In other words, a graphic element approaches the representation of the vehicle in comparison to a correctly scaled representation of the surroundings disproportionately rapidly if there is a high collision danger between the corresponding object and the vehicle. Conversely, it approaches the vehicle disproportionately slowly, or not at all, when the actual object is being approached compared to a correctly scaled representation of the surroundings if there is only a slight collision danger or no collision danger at all. Thus, the existing or growing collision danger from a specific direction is indicated especially clearly to the user by corresponding elements approaching one another. Such graphic elements may be combined with a correctly scaled representation of the distance using other graphic elements that may be embodied as parts of the same graphic.
In one or more embodiments, the collision information for the at least one object and/or the distance information for this object are output using one or a plurality of acoustic sources produced in the vehicle, wherein a virtual direction of the acoustic source that may be perceived by the user corresponds to the direction from which a collision probability with an object exceeds a pre-specified value and volume from this direction that is audible to the user is changed as a function of the extent of the collision probability between the vehicle and the object or objects. A perceivable direction of the acoustic source may be attained by means of adapting the phases of at least two tones generated by the vehicle acoustic system. This makes it possible to impart to the vehicle occupant or driver location-specific acoustic information about an imminent collision danger. The acoustic warning may be used in conjunction with a visual warning, but may also be used alone.
Further, it is possible to generate, for at least one vehicle occupant, an acoustically perceivable virtual obstruction map that contains at least two or more different acoustic representations that are represented at the same time. In contrast to parking distance controls, in which the only differentiation of acoustic tones is between obstacles to the front and to the rear, numerous acoustic objects positioned clearly in the space with a perceivable angle and distance are generated by means of the phase shift, similar to a Dolby surround-sound speaker system. This improves the amount of detail conveyed with the warning.
In one or more embodiments, the virtual acoustic sources suggest via their perceivable position in space to a vehicle occupant the parts of the vehicle surface that have a greater collision probability than one or a plurality of pre-specified values. Thus the section of the surroundings of the vehicle that is subject to an imminent collision is signaled to the vehicle occupant, in particular the driver of the vehicle, using purely acoustic information. The pre-specified values may have been ascertained empirically or mathematically and stored in a data base. The corresponding values may be ascertained separately for each section of the surroundings and stored individually. The ascertainment of the collision probabilities may relate to certain locations on the vehicle surface, i.e., it is not just the extent of the imminent danger, but also the location on the surface of the car that could be affected by this collision danger that is ascertained and represented. Moreover, when the collision information is being ascertained, the pertinent locations on the vehicle surface are also ascertained. Thus, for the user there is a comprehensible context between the collision dangers and certain parts of the vehicle that could be affected by a collision.
In one or more embodiments, the collision information is represented as a function of the current and/or predicted future position of the object from which a collision danger proceeds relative to the vehicle. This makes it simple for a vehicle occupant, especially the driver, to be able to ascertain intuitively the region of the vehicle threatened.
In accordance with one or more embodiments, the surroundings of the vehicle are represented with respect to a spatial segment as a function of an automatically detected measure for the driver's attention to this spatial segment. If the vehicle is driving backwards, for instance, and the driver is observing the rear portion of the vehicle, either directly, via a minor, or via another display device, this observation by the driver is detected and distance and collision information of this automatically detected region is output and includes the collision danger and the distance. This supports the driver with respect to imminent dangers during a backward, actual vehicle movement.
It is useful when the surroundings data are detected for a range of a maximum of 10 m from the vehicle, in particular 5 m, most preferred 2 m. Because of this, the method is suitable not only as a parking distance control for parking processes or vehicle movement in narrow spaces, but may also be used for instance for an expanded range, for instance when entering intersections, when exiting a driveway, and the like.
It is furthermore useful when the surroundings data are detected for one or two areas around the vehicle, each of which forms a geometrically cohesive area and the shape of which essentially follows the vehicle contour at the relevant locations. This improves the detection of the relative movement of the object/obstacle with respect to the vehicle. Above all, the user of the vehicle obtains a map that is easy to interpret and at the same time comprehensive and that simultaneously is broken down by distance, angle, and respective collision probability, and at the same time includes only a relatively small number of graphics and may nevertheless be understood without specialized knowledge. Thus, there is an advantage over possible far field systems, such as a refinement of an ACC (automatic cruise control) system that may also vary its warnings as a function of collision probability.
It is furthermore useful when the surroundings data are detected for vehicle speeds of at most 25 km/h, in particular 15 km/h, most preferred 7 km/h. In addition to parking the vehicle in a parking space or slowly driving through narrow areas, this speed range also includes speeds at which the vehicle is moved for instance into an intersection and the like.
It is furthermore useful when the distance information and the collision information are graphically represented on a mobile unit that is disposed outside of the vehicle and in particular may control the vehicle remotely. Thus, the collision probabilities around the vehicle may also be monitored and controlled when the vehicle is controlled remotely, especially during a parking process, or when a steering or parking process is executed at least semi-automatically. The user may thus detect not just the presence of objects (such as with a possible representation of a distance map on a mobile unit), but may also detect the extent of the collision probability proceeding from these objects, in particular with respect to the position relative to the vehicle.
It is furthermore useful when the graphic and/or acoustic representation also includes at least one automatically ascertained, suggested maneuver or combination of maneuvers. This maneuver may in particular include a braking process, a swerving maneuver, a gear shift, etc. A combination of maneuvers may be represented as a sequence of maneuvers that may be represented in the form of instructions or in the form of the result to be attained by this maneuver. A swerving maneuver may be represented as a recommended trajectory, steering direction, and/or steering intensity. These may also include maneuvers automatically introduced by the vehicle immediately or after a user acknowledgement.
A maneuver may be automatically ascertained in that the maneuver or combination of maneuvers is ascertained automatically with an overall relatively low collision probability and one or a plurality of maneuvers may be selected and represented according to pre-determined criteria.
A specific warning noise, in particular a noise that is perceived by the user to be approaching, may be an acoustic representation of a recommended or automatically introduced braking process. The approach may be represented as a perceived change in the acoustic element and/or a change in its frequency portions and/or a change in its intensity.
In particular, an acoustic element moving in space in the corresponding direction may be represented as an acoustic representation of a recommended or automatically introduced steering process. In addition, either the position of a corresponding acoustic element that is perceivable for the user and that is realized using the change in the phase shift may be changed, or new acoustic elements may be generated one after the other in different perceivable positions so that the user, in particular the occupant of the vehicle, perceives a type of left or right rotation of the acoustic element or its position. The left or right rotation may also include a specific steering angle and/or the urgency with which the maneuver should be performed.
The invention also includes a computer program product that may be loaded directly into the internal memory of a digital computer and that includes software code segments with which the steps of the method described above may be executed when the product runs on the computer. "Computer" shall be construed in particular to be one or a plurality of control devices that interact with one another and that are needed with the corresponding sensor means for detecting the distance information and for calculating the collision probability.
The invention furthermore includes a device for computer-supported processing of the vicinity of a vehicle. The device includes a sensor system for detecting the surroundings of the vehicle and surroundings data. A computer unit is provided for processing the surroundings data provided by the sensor system, wherein the computer unit is embodied for ascertaining for pre-specified sections of the surroundings of the vehicle a specific distance to objects that are or were detected in the surroundings of the vehicle by the sensor system. The computer unit is further embodied for ascertaining, depending on a predicted and/or actual vehicle movement determined by processing odometric data, for at least one of the pre-specified sections of the surroundings, a collision probability between one of the ascertained objects and the vehicle. An output unit is provided for representing or outputting the surroundings of the vehicle, wherein the output unit is embodied for outputting at least one of the pre-specified sections of the surroundings distance information between this section of the surroundings and one or a plurality of the objects using a graphics and/or acoustic element, wherein the element also includes collision information about the collision probability.
The inventive device has the same advantages that were described in the foregoing in connection with the inventive method.
The invention shall be described in greater detail in the following using exemplary embodiments in the drawing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for the computer-assisted processing of the vicinity of a vehicle

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


In a masking pattern (a) for patterning word and data lines, length is changed between adjacent word lines so as to be shifted from each other at their tips, and furthermore, the tip of each word line is cut obliquely.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical lithographic technology for forming microstructured patterns, more particularly to a method for exposing a light thereby to manufacture semiconductor devices.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to integrate semiconductor memories and microprocessors and speed up their operations more significantly, it will be unavoidable that the structure of the ULSI used for each of those devices must be formed precisely more and more. The most important item for such microstructure of an ULSI is microstructuring of the optical lithography. At present, the lithography technique can form patterns in a size just under the light wavelength of the object lithography apparatus. For example, in the case of a 1 GB DRAM, a lithography apparatus that uses a light source of KrF excimer laser whose wavelength is 0.248 xcexcm must form word and data lines at a width of 0.16 xcexcm respectively.
In order to form a pattern in a size under the wavelength such way, super-resolution techniques such as phase shifting, off-axis illumination, etc. are used. The super-resolution technique is effective for forming line and space (LandS) patterns in which simple lines such as word and data lines are formed in a memory repetitively. This is because the phase of a light passing adjacent line patterns is shifted by 180xc2x0, thereby the diffracted lights kill each other at each boundary between line patterns and a space pattern is formed there respectively. In the case of such super-resolution technique, the coherent factor is set to about 0.3, which is smaller than usual, thereby to increase mutual light interferences.
LandS patterns can be formed in a size under the wavelength using the above method. However, it is found that the method is confronted with problems when forming a pattern off the lines and spaces (LandS), for example, when forming connecting portions between a memory array and a peripheral circuit. This is because the light is diffracted at ends and corners of interconnects and the diffracted lights interfere each other, thereby a resist pattern becomes thinner than the master pattern there. And in the worst case, break failures occur in those interconnects. Hereunder, description will be made for new facts found by the present inventor, etc. through investigation with respect to the above problems.
FIG. 14 shows an explanatory view of such a new discovery. FIG. 14(a) shows a conventional masking pattern for the word lines (WL) at a boundary between a memory array and a sub-word driver (SWD) or a word shunting area of a DRAM. In the sub-word driver (SWD), each word line is expanded to form a dog bone pattern so as to secure a space for placing a contact thereon. In this example, a sub-word driver (SWD) and a memory array are disposed alternately as to be described later in detail. The word lines WLO, 3, 4, and 7 are connected to the left side sub-word driver (SWD) and the word lines WL1, 2, 5, and 6 are connected to the right side sub-word driver (SWD).
FIG. 14(b) shows a concept chart of a resist pattern obtained through a lithographic treatment performed for the pattern shown in FIG. 14(a) using a lithography apparatus on the following conditions of the light source; KrF excimer laser of a wavelength of xcex=0.248 xcexcm, numerical aperture of the lens NA=0.6, coherent factor "sgr"=0.3, and reduction rate K=⅕. And, short failures have occurred between the ends of adjacent word lines (WL) and break failures have occurred around dog-bone portions. Those failures are caused by bad influences of light interferences.
Hereunder, this phenomenon will be described concretely through an optical simulation. In this simulation, contour lines of the light intensities obtained on a resist film are computed on the basis of the master pattern and the optical constants of the lithography apparatus. FIG. 15(a) shows a conventional masking pattern for the tips of word lines. The width and space of each word line are set to 0.16 xcexcm. The optical constants are xcex=0.248 xcexcm, NA=0.6, "sgr"=0.3, defocusing=xe2x88x920.5 xcexcm, and a spherical aberration is assumed. A phase-shift lithographic technique is used in this simulation. A 0xc2x0-phase is assigned to each pattern shown with right-up oblique lines and a 180xc2x0-phase is assigned to each pattern shown with right-down oblique lines. Principally, similar results can also be obtained with the off-axis illumination lithography technique. In all the subsequent simulations, the same optical conditions are assumed. A reduction projector is used for exposure in the optical lithography. In the case of light exposure at a reduction rate of K(K less than 1), the actual circuit pattern and the resist pattern are expanded by K times the masking pattern respectively. For example, at K=⅕, the line width of the masking pattern is 0.8 xcexcm so as to obtain an interconnect width of 0.16 xcexcm, but the masking pattern is reduced to the same size as those of the circuit pattern and the resist pattern for simplification thereafter. FIG. 14(b) shows the distribution of light intensities, obtained as an optical image through computation from this pattern. In other words, FIG. 14(b) shows the contour lines of the relative light intensities of 0.18, 0.32, and 0.53 respectively. The light intensity is defined as 1 for the light transmittance in an enough large pattern. The same three contour lines are indicated in all the subsequent optical simulation results.
FIG. 15(b) shows a resist pattern that can obtain a contour line actually from a light intensity of 0.32. Word lines are formed at equal pitches at places away enough from the ends of the resist pattern. However, the contour line for a light intensity of 0.18 (the outermost line in the pattern) is not separated from adjacent word lines at the tips of the lines. This indicates that the light intensity is not lowered enough at this portion due to the effect of the light interference. Consequently, the resist remains after the development, thereby causing short failures to occur between word lines at a rather high possibility.
In such a dog-bone portion, the contour line of the light intensity of 0.53 breaks. This is because the light intensity in that portion is low. Consequently, the resist will be thinned and there is a high probability that break failures will occur there in the development process.
FIG. 16(a) shows a conventional masking pattern for the tips of the second word lines. In this example, the sub-word driver (SWD) or shunting area is disposed at the left side of each corresponding memory array and all the word lines are connected to their left side sub-word driver (SWD) . Even in this case, the contour line of the 0.18 light intensity (the outermost contour line in the pattern) is not separated from adjacent word lines, so there is a high probability that short failures will occur between those word lines.
Under such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to prevent short and break failures from occurrence at the tip of each LandS pattern, etc.
In order to achieve the above object, the semiconductor of the present invention, when many word and data lines are laid out at equal pitches in an object memory, allows tips of adjacent lines to be terminated differently in length in the lengthwise direction. With such a disposition of adjacent lines, it is possible to weaken the effect of diffracted light interferences to occur at the tip of each line when in wiring of a pattern, thereby preventing short and break failures.
Such wiring is possible with exposure using a masking pattern in which adjacent patterns are terminated differently in length in the lengthwise direction. For example, in the masking patterns shown in FIG. 11(a), the tips of the adjacent patterns are shifted from each other in the lengthwise direction. If these masking patterns are used for exposure, the distribution of light intensities will become as shown in FIG. 11(b). It would be understood from FIG. 11(b) that there is little possibility that break and short failures occur, since they are separated properly in the pattern.
The difference of length between adjacent wirings at their tips should be over xc2xd of the wiring pitch. With this difference of length, short and break failures can be prevented more effectively. In addition, the difference of length between those adjacent wirings at their tips should be under the wiring pitch. With this difference of length, the redundant chip area can be minimized.
If the present invention applies to the word and data lines of DRAM, SRAM, flash memories, and mask ROM, it will be able to effectively prevent short and break failures in manufacturing processes.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, an exposure process is performed using masking line patterns provided with a side that is not in parallel to the short and long sides of each of those patterns respectively. The masking patterns are formed so that a corner of each line pattern is cut and the pattern is tapered toward the terminal portion. Consequently, the effect of diffracted light interferences can further be reduced. For example, in the case of the masking patterns shown in FIG. 10(a), the adjacent line patterns are terminated differently in length so as to be shifted from each other at their tips in the lengthwise direction and a corner of each line pattern is cut. If such masking patterns are used for an exposure process, the distribution of light intensities becomes as shown in FIG. 10(b), preventing break and short failures. It is thus possible to significantly reduce the possibility that break and short failures occur by using such corner-cut masking patterns. Although FIG. 10 shows masking patterns that are terminated differently in length so as to be shifted from each other at their tips in the lengthwise direction, the effect of diffracted light interferences can also be reduced to a certain extent, and accordingly short and break failures can be reduced even when the patterns are terminated at the same length if a corner of each line pattern is cut such way.
If the exposure light wavelength of the lithography apparatus is assumed to be xcex and the numerical aperture is to be NA, especially when the wiring pitch is less than xcex/(NA), then short and break failures will occur at tips of wirings. The above masking patterns will thus be effective to eliminate such failures.
The present invention can prevent such short and break failures if it applies to (1) word line patterns at a boundary between a memory array and a word-line driver, (2) word-line patterns at a boundary between a memory array and a word-line shunting area, and (3) data line patterns at a boundary between a memory array and a sense amplifier. In addition, the present invention can also apply effectively to the tip of the gate of each MOS transistor in a gate array.
Using the asymmetrical word lines of the present invention will thus be able to reduce the possibility that short failures will occur between those adjacent word lines at the boundary between a sub-word driver and a memory array, as well as between a shunting area of the word lines and a memory array. In addition, it will also reduce the possibility that break failures will occur at dog-bone patterns with which those word lines comes in contact when word lines are formed more precisely at a line width under the size of the light wavelength of the object lithography apparatus using an optical lithographic technique.
In the same way, using the asymmetrical data lines of the present invention will be able to reduce the possibility that short failures will occur between those adjacent data lines at the boundary between a sense amplifier and a memory array, as well as the possibility that break failures will occur at dog-bone-patterns with which those data lines comes in contact when data lines are formed more-precisely at a line width under the size of the light wavelength of the object lithography apparatus using an optical lithographic technique.

Semiconductor device and method for patterning the semiconductor device in which line patterns terminate at different lengths to prevent the occurrence of a short or break

Abstract: It is thus possible to prevent the resist pattern from separation and contact of adjacent patterns. Consequently, it is also possible to prevent break failures of patterned lines and short failures between those patterned lines.


An acoustic wave device comprises a substrate and an acoustic wave element on one main surface of the substrate. Side surfaces of the substrate comprises a protruding portion which protrudes out at a side of an another main surface closer than a side with the one main surface side.

An acoustic wave device having a substrate and an acoustic wave element provided on a main surface of the substrate is known. Patent literature 1 discloses an acoustic wave device improved in shock resistance by covering side surfaces or a back surface (main surface on the side opposite to the main surface having an acoustic wave element provided thereon) of the substrate by a resin.
An acoustic wave device is sometimes impacted from a side direction of the substrate at the time of transport during the period from manufacture to mounting etc. Note that, Patent Literature 1 refers to the shock resistance, but does not particularly take note of impact from a side direction of the substrate. As a result, the acoustic wave device of Patent Literature 1 is not a particularly preferred aspect against impact from the side direction of a substrate.
Accordingly, it is preferable that an acoustic wave device capable of improving the shock resistance from a side direction of a substrate and a method of production of the same be provided.
Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2008-5464

Acoustic wave device and method for producing same


A flex hinge closure with a drain-back channel includes a base portion having a dispensing aperture, a raised pour lip formed along a perimeter of the dispensing aperture, a raised rib forming a closed shape surrounding the raised pour lip, and a drain-back channel defined by a space between the raised pour lip and the raised rib. The drain-back channel collects excess material dispensed via the dispensing aperture and drains the excess material back to a receptacle. The closure further includes a cap portion hingedly connected to the base portion. The cap portion rotates relative to the base portion about the hinged connection between a closed position in which the cap portion covers the dispensing aperture and an open position in which the cap portion uncovers the dispensing aperture.

The present disclosure relates generally to a closure for a container for storing and dispensing materials (e.g., liquids, particulate matter, etc.). The present disclosure relates more specifically to a closure having a flexible hinge and a drain-back channel for recapturing material collected around a dispensing aperture of the closure.
It is generally known to provide a cover or closure on a container used for storing and dispensing liquids, particulate matter (e.g., granulated, powdered, etc.), or other fluid-like materials. For example, containers with closures are often used to store and dispense foodstuffs, seasonings, condiments, beverage additives (e.g., creamer, sugar, flavored powders, etc.) or other materials such as those displayed and sold in supermarkets. Such a closure typically attaches to an open end of a receptacle and has at least one dispensing aperture for dispensing the material retained with the receptacle.

Flex hinge closure with drain-back channel


An apparatus for and a method of feeding powders to a subsequent processing step. In particular, the apparatus includes a first hopper, a first metering brush feed, an intermediate chamber, a second distribution brush, a level sensor, and a supply hopper to deliver powder to a pair of rollers. In one embodiment, the hopper is fitted to the roller diameter to produce a uniform, ribbon or free-standing sheets suitable for air-breathing battery and fuel cell electrodes.

The use of roller mills to manufacture compressed, ribbons and free-standing sheets of material is well known in the field. (As used herein, "compressed" means self-adhering and shape-maintaining, but not necessarily without voids.) Most processes are plagued by uniformity difficulties often originating in the distribution technique used prior to compression.
Rolling mills have produced continuous sheets since antiquity. The feed of the raw material can be very important for the dimensional and compositional uniformity of the sheet. When the incoming stock is a solid sheet, such as gold for example, the uniformity is extremely high, resulting in an ability to compress the sheet to only a few tens of micrometers. When the feed stock is a powdered material, output uniformity is a more difficult challenge than with flat feedstock. Powders of mixed materials of differing sizes, hardness and shapes make the problem of metering even more challenging. Differing electro-static characteristics exacerbate the challenge even further. Generally, such powders are not free-flowing and thereby are difficult to meter uniformly for delivery of a processing step.

Apparatus for uniform feeding of powders


The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a low-base number calcium sulfonate that is essentially chloride free. The process involves preparing a sulfonic acid solution by adding a solvent to a sulfonic acid, optionally removing dissolved or entrained SO2 or SO3, mixing the solution with a specific amount of water and calcium hydroxide, heating the mixture, separating out excess calcium hydroxide from the mixture, removing the solvent and recovering the calcium sulfonate product in oil.

Low base number calcium sulfonates are generally produced by the reaction of sulfonic acid with calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide, utilizing a promoter such as an alkanol. They can also be produced from sodium sulfonate by the use of calcium hydroxide or oxide and calcium chloride. Such sulfonates may be used as highly valued additives for lubricating oils such as passenger car, diesel, and marine engine lubricants. They may be further processed into overbased sulfonates, which have higher base numbers and are also used as additives for specialty lubricating oils.
When calcium sulfonate is derived from sulfonic acid, no chloride is needed, but the concentration of the final product is limited by the concentration of the sulfonic acid. In the case of natural petroleum sulfonic acid, concentration is typically less than commercially desired. Concentrating sulfonic acid itself is difficult due to its high corrosivity.
When calcium sulfonate is made from sodium sulfonate, chloride is required to make the reaction proceed. This leads to residual contaminating chloride in the final product. The sodium sulfonate is concentrated to the required concentration using a solvent extraction process prior to conversion to the calcium product, since calcium sulfonate is more difficult to concentrate by this method.
A number of methods have been disclosed for the production of low base number calcium sulfonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,094 teaches a method of producing a low base number calcium sulfonate of greater than 500 molecular weight using carboxylic acid and a high base number calcium sulfonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,615 teaches the use of staged addition of calcium hydroxide to sulfonic acid to produce a low viscosity, low haze product without the use of promoters, especially without the use of chloride. The calcium hydroxide is added in two or more steps, with 30–180 minutes heat soak after each step.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,841 describes a method of producing calcium sulfonates in the presence of an alkanol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,837 teaches the preparation of alkaline earth metal salts of alkyl benzene sulfonic acids by neutralization of the acid using an oxyalkylate as a promoter, thus also producing a chloride free calcium sulfonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,596 describes a method of producing calcium sulfonate in which the reaction mixture is made acidic and then basic again using an alkanolamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,779,784 teaches a method of producing calcium sulfonate in which sulfonic acid is neutralized with calcium hydroxide at 220° F. to 390° F. (104° C. to 199° C.), in the presence of ½ to 10 parts water per part calcium hydroxide. This would correspond to between 0.12 and 2.4 mol water per mol calcium hydroxide.
It would be advantageous to produce low base number calcium sulfonates, that are free of residual chlorine and easily concentrated, via a process suitable for use in a continuous reactor that can also produce products with a low viscosity.

Process for production of essentially chloride-free calcium sulfonate


A detector-readout interface for an avalanche particle detector comprises a resistive layer formed at a bottom side of a gas chamber and a dielectric layer formed under said resistive layer and is adapted for capacitive coupling to an external readout board. This provides a modular detector configuration in which the readout card and detector core can be combined freely and interchangeably. The readout board can even be removed or replaced without switching off the detector. At the same time, the configuration provides an effective protection against sparks and discharges, and in particular obliviates the need for additional protecting circuits. The configuration may be employed in any avalanche particle detector, such as the MicroMegas or GEM detectors.

Particle detectors are devices to detect, track and/or identify radiation or particles and find wide applications throughout particle physics, biology as well as medical technology.
Particle detectors exploiting in the process of ionization and charge multiplication in gases have been in use with continued improvements ever since Rutherford first employed a gas-filled wire counter to study natural radioactivity more than a century ago. Techniques for designing detectors of increased physical size and/or increased robustness to discharges and/or enhanced spatial resolution continue to be an active field of research in the detector community today.
Gaseous detectors typically collect the electrons released by ionising radiation and guide them to regions with a strong electric field, thereby initiating an electron avalanche. The avalanche is able to produce enough electrons to create a current or charge large enough to be collected on a readout device and analysed by means of readout electronics. The collected electron charge may indicate the charge, energy, momentum, direction of travel, and other attributes of the incident particles or radiation.
Conventionally, the large amplification field necessary to initiate and support the electron avalanche has come from a thin wire at a positive high voltage potential. This same thin wire has conventionally been employed to collect the electrons from the avalanche and to guide them towards the readout electronics. More recently, so-called MicroPattern Gas Detectors (MPGDs) such as the MicroMesh Gaseous Structure Chamber (MicroMegas) and the Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) that employ semiconductor fabrication techniques have made it possible to mass-produce detector devices in an impressive variety of geometries while at the same time permitting small avalanche gaps and hence rapid signal development in combination with fast readout and high reliability.
In MPGDs, the electrons generated in the amplification process are conventionally collected on metallic readout pads or strips that are arranged in a predetermined pattern on a semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to fast readout electronics by means of wire connections. For the example of a MicroMegas detector, this configuration is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,575, whereas a GEM detector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,265.
A serious problem generally encountered in gas-filled proportional chambers is sparking induced by heavily ionising particles that may trigger large number of electrons. Amplified by the avalanche process, they may reach the Raether limit of a few 107 electrons, and may evolve into a discharge. This is a particular challenge for modern accelerators with high luminosities, which may produce high count rates from slowly-moving recoils originating from elastic scattering and/or low-energy hydronic debris from nuclear breakup.
Sparks can lead to a temporary high voltage breakdown and hence may give rise to unwanted detector dead times, in which the detector needs to recover and no new events can be detected. Sparks may also damage the readout pads and/or readout electronics. To reduce detector dead times and to avoid damage, most detectors employ additional protecting circuits that interface the readout strips or pads with the front end electronics. These protection circuits add to the complexity of the device and require additional wiring, which conflicts with the desire to form detector devices with ever more and ever smaller readout pads.
Efficient protection against discharges is particularly important in modern grid pixel ("GridPix") detectors, in which the set of readout pads and readout circuits is replaced by a semiconductor readout board or pixel chip integrated into the detector structure. The readout chip of a grid pixel detector may double as the anode of the detector device, and may incorporate a large number of square pixels each connected to its respective pre-amplifier, discriminator and digital counter. An example of a grid pixel detector in which a MicroMegas detector is placed directly on a pixel chip is described in further detail in P. Colas et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 535 (2004), p. 506.
In comparison with conventional MPGDs, grid pixel detectors have the advantage that they integrate much of the readout circuitry, thereby allowing to form smaller more compact detector devices and to enhance the spatial detector resolution. However, this structure is particularly sensitive to discharges. Even a local discharge will not effect only a single readout channel, as is the case in conventional MPGDs. Rather, discharges may result in a local melting or evaporation of chip material or a breakdown of electronic circuitry that will affect the entire chip. Since the chip is integrated into the detector structure, often the entire structure will need to be replaced.
In order to protect the chip of a grid pixel detector from discharges, a high-resistive layer of 5 μm up to 25 μm of amorphous silicon may be deposited on the chip, as described in I. Bilevych et al., Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 629 (2011) 66-73. When a discharge propagates through the gas, a charge builds up at the surface of the silicon, thereby locally reducing the electric field and spreading the charge both in time and location. However, this high-resistive layer alone may not be sufficient to protect the chip against discharges in the harsh background environments encountered at large energies and high luminosities.
What is needed is a detector device that allows to provide an efficient protection of the readout board against discharges, and at the same time allows for an easy repair at low costs if discharges should nevertheless occur.

Detector-readout interface for an avalanche particle detector

CERN-European Organization for Nuclear Research


Dynamically creating a communication path between first and second storage devices, includes creating a connection to a source volume on the first storage device and indicating that the source volume is not ready to transmit data on the communication path, after successfully creating the connection to the source volume, creating a connection to a destination volume on the second storage device and initially indicating that portions of one of: the destination volume and the source volume do not contain valid copies of data, where the destination volume accepts data from the source volume, and after successfully creating the connections to the source and destination volumes, indicating that the source volume is ready to transmit data on the communication path. Dynamically creating a communication path between first and second storage devices, may also include creating at least one of: the source volume and the destination volume. Creating the connection to the source volume may include modifying a table containing configuration information for the first storage device. Creating the connection to the destination volume may include modifying a table containing configuration information for the second storage device.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to computer storage devices, and more particularly to communication between storage devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Host processor systems may store and retrieve data using a storage device containing a plurality of host interface units (host adapters), disk drives, and disk interface units (disk adapters). Such storage devices are provided, for example, by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass. and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,939 to Yanai et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,394 to Galtzur et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,147 to Vishlitzky et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,208 to Ofek. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and the storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical disk units. The logical disk units may or may nor correspond to the actual disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data stored therein.
In some instances, it may be desirable to copy data from one storage device to another. For example, if a host writes data to a first storage device, it may be desirable to copy that data to a second storage device provided in a different location so that if a disaster occurs that renders the first storage device inoperable, the host (or another host) may resume operation using the data of the second storage device. Such a capability is provided, for example, by the Remote Data Facility (RDF) product provided by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass. With RDF, a user may denote a first storage device as a master storage device and a second storage device as a slave storage device. Other incarnations of RDF may provide a peer to peer relationship between the local and remote storage devices. The host interacts directly with the local storage device, but any data changes made to the local storage device are automatically provided to a remote storage device using RDF. The local and remote storage devices may be connected by a data link, such as an ESCON link or a Fiber Channel link. The RDF functionality may be facilitated with an RDF adapter (RA) provided at each of the storage devices.
In some instances, it may be desirable to modify the RDF configuration system. However, in many cases, such modifications require skilled technicians using special software and non-standard connections to the local storage devices. It is desirable to automate the RDF configuration modification process to allow a host to modify the RDF configuration. In addition, it is desirable that allowing dynamic modifications to RDF configuration will not effect operation of the storage device when individual devices therein need to access the dynamic configuration information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Determining configuration data in connection with dynamic RDF


A wireless power system for an implantable device is described. The system includes multiple inductive charging coils to increase an effective area for receiving an electromagnetic charging field from a wireless charging device. The multiple inductive charging coils produce different alternating current signals in response to receiving the electromagnetic charging field. The system includes a rectifying circuit for rectifying the alternating current signals into direct current signals. The system also includes a current combination circuit for combining the multiple direct current signals into a single direct current for powering an operation of the implantable device. Methods and devices for implementing the power system in an implantable device are also described.

Implantable devices, such as devices implanted in the body of an individual or other living being, may be used for various functions. For example, a neuromodulation device may be implanted to treat a wide range of disorders. As another example, a brain-computer interface may be implanted to augment and/or repair various cognitive and sensory-motor functions. Yet another example is a micro sensor for sensing physiological parameters of an individual. These and other implantable devices may include various subsystems for collecting data, providing outputs based on collected data, performing calculations, and/or carrying out various instructions. Once an implantable device is placed within a user, its battery cannot be easily replaced.
Various techniques and systems exist for powering an implantable device. One technique includes providing power to an implantable device through wireless power transfer using electromagnetic waves. These systems typically use near-field inductive coils for charging the battery of the implantable device.


A pattern inspection method includes the steps of: copying design data representative of a design pattern in a storage unit; generating index data and storing the index data in the storage unit, the index data indicating data at what position of the design pattern is stored at which location of the storage unit; picking up an image of a real pattern on a stage and generating real pattern data; reading the design data by using the index data in accordance with a position on the real pattern; generating design pattern data in accordance with the read design data; and comparing the real pattern data with the design pattern data to detect any defect in the real pattern data. A pattern inspection method and system is provided which can perform die-to-database inspection at high speed.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pattern inspection for detecting any defect on patterns, specifically fine patterns formed on reticles, masks, or wafers.
In this specification, the term "design data" means both primary and secondary design data. The primary design data is data first prepared for generating a design pattern achieving a design object, and the secondary design data is data generated by editing the primary design data so as to match a specific application, such as exposure data. It is often convenient for defect inspection of real patterns to use exposure pattern data whose storage position is arranged in correspondence with the physical positions of real patterns. For example, data of the MEBES format of ETEC Corp is used. Such data is also called "design data".
b) Description of the Related Art
Patterns of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, liquid crystal display devices, plasma display devices, and other devices are becoming highly dense and integrated. As circuit patterns become complicated, the pattern data amount increases and pattern defects are likely to occur. Since pattern defects may lead to fatal troubles of circuits, pattern defect inspection is essential.
One pattern defect inspection method is to compare a plurality of same real patterns formed. For example, if a plurality of same semiconductor devices are formed on a single semiconductor wafer, there are a plurality of chips having the same pattern. Inspection through comparison between chips is called die-to-die inspection. If a plurality of reticles having the same pattern are produced, patterns of reticles are compared. This inspection is called plate-to-plate inspection.
Inspection through comparison between same patterns can be conducted at relatively high speed by using a plurality of image pick-up optical systems. However, it cannot be judged through die-to-die or plate-to-plate inspection whether a real pattern is coincident with a design pattern. For example, if some of a design pattern are not transferred to a plurality of real patterns, or if an optical system is attached with a foreign particle or the like, and this shape is transferred to a plurality of real patterns at the same position, then these defects cannot be detected and the real patterns are judged as being normal. Dies and plates are not necessary to be discriminated therebetween for the purpose of defect inspection. Therefore, both are collectively called a die hereinafter unless it is specifically used.
One method of judging whether a real pattern is coincident with a design pattern is die-to-database inspection which compares real patterns with design data. Data of such a database generally for a format suitable for the design of patterns, and so an inspection system cannot use it directly. For example, design data for an exposure pattern is made generally more sophisticated and at a higher resolution than design data for other application uses. A plurality of dots on an exposure pattern may be combined to produce one dot for comparison with another pattern. Sometimes the design data can be used for comparison with real patterns only after some proper data processing such as reduction/magnification, rotation, and inversion is executed.
It is therefore necessary to convert the format of design data into a format suitable for die-to-database inspection. All design data of a pattern to be inspected have been conventionally converted at one time collectively to form an inspection database, both in the case of the primary design data and of the secondary design data, such as exposure design data.
Design data is generally formed to have the same size as a real pattern. Reticles are formed at various magnification factors of, for example, 1, 2, 2.5, 4, 5, and 10. A single reticle may sometimes have areas of different magnification factors. Therefore, at each manufacture process, a reticle having a suitable pattern magnification factor has been selected and inspection data matching the pattern magnification factor has been generated.
It takes a very long time to convert design data into inspection data. If design data is missed during the conversion process, the whole conversion process must start again from the beginning. As the integration degree of a pattern rises and the pattern data amount increases, the data conversion time becomes very long. Since an immense amount of design data is processed, it becomes necessary to use a computing system of a large capacity, such as computers and memories. If all the design data and converted inspection data cannot be loaded in a storage unit, it becomes necessary to generate divided portions of inspection data and to perform inspection a plurality of times.

High speed pattern inspection method and system


Catastrophic events involving oceanic petroleum oil-wells are threats to ventures in this intriguing avenue. The instant inventions of exemplary models working in synchrony are directed to emergency responsive, reparative, and preventive measures to weather through the adversities of such deep sea explorations, thereby restoring/preserving the functioning of the well structure, involving—    (a) An incomplete oil-well with disrupted ‘production casing’, it's dimensions sealed by an ‘Emergency Pneumatic Sealing Ensemble’, further incorporating an oil-outlet,    (b) A completed oil-well with fractured ‘production tubing’, it's dimensions sealed by a pneumatic ‘Emergency Plugging Oil-Conduit’,    (c) Reparative measures of cement structuring an ‘Emergency Isolation platform’ incorporating functional well-head structures,    (d) Methods of designing a ‘Detachable Island-Rig’ on permanent base,    (e) A simple yet eminently functional model of ‘Oil-Gas Separator’, structured on the ocean grounds about the well, designed to separate gas from semisolid crude, so preventing entrainment of inflammable gases.

The embodiment of invention is directed to plurality of mechanical devices and their utility methods for the emergency salvage of a blown out oceanic petroleum oil well, incorporating means of not only sealing oil leak from the well bore in an effective and immediate manner, but also resorting to emergency reparative processes at the distorted well head and beyond, that an optimal structural and functional state of the well is restored, stopping the 'vicious cycle' of mere leak from the disrupted well turning to a spewing geyser into the ocean.
There are innumerable petroleum oil wells bored into the oceanic floor by highly evolved modem technological devices to tap the petroleum (gas/crude oil) reservoirs. Many oil wells are clustered in the Gulf of Mexico, Arabian sea and such oceanic grounds, often of significant distance from the coast line, such wells bored into the ocean floor as deep as a mile from the surface waters, to find their way into the underground oil containments spread many miles in area. Oil is collected from the wells into surface tanks in moderate containers, or into receptacles as large as ships.
The boreholes or shafts laboriously made into the oceanic floor to tap the geological oil reservoirs are modem wonder which improved in technology over decades. The drilling of boreholes that form the tunnels of the wells in the ocean ground are accomplished by innumerable varieties of 'Drilling Rigs', a drilling rig being defined as—'an unit of equipment built to penetrate the superficial and the deeper aspects of the earth's crust'. The rigs can be built as small and portable to be moved by a single person, or they can be enormous in size and complexity of functioning so as to house equipment used to: drill oil wells; sample mineral deposits that can impede functional units; identify geological reservoirs; install underground utilities. Large units (rigs) generally configured as more permanent land or marine based structures in remote locations are also facilitated with living quarters for laboring crews involved in well construction, at times hundreds in number.
Hydraulic rotatory drilling originally devised by Anthony Francis Lucas, is utilized in oil well drilling. All bore wells employ inner 'casing annulus' during construction of the bore tunnel of the well leading to the underground reservoir. The casing annulus is a hollow sheath which protects the hole against collapsing during drilling, and is made up of metal (steel) or PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
The bore well has a nested configuration, that is, it narrows down as it courses down into the deeper layers of the earth's crust, and hence the deeper metal/PVC annuli of casings are built to be progressively smaller. The standard casings are usually 40 feet (13 meters) in average length, and available in 14 casing diameter sizes, spanning 7-30 inches in outer diameter.
The drilling and production of oil and gas from the earth's mantle in the ocean floor is shrouded with risk and great hazard to the natural environment that includes both the marine life forms and the terrestrial ecosystem adjacent. The many hazards, to list a few, include ignition of the entrained highly inflammable gases like Methane causing dangerous fires, and the risk of oil spewing and polluting the sea water. Such two man-made calamities at the same time can be uncontrollable with available resources, and utterly devastating to the healthy existence of the earth's planetary life forms. For these reasons, error-proof safety systems in under water bore well digging, and highly trained personnel are required by law in all countries engaged in significant oil production. Despite such stringent laws, system failures and catastrophic results did occur historically (and still occurring), though derived remedial measures through each 'adverse-event experience' uniquely different from the other in some form or other, are still nascent and less than perfect.
Recent event in the gulf shores of Mexico involving BP oil company's oil well (Deep Water Horizon) under construction, wherein the ignition of the entrained Methane gas and it's fire that continued unstopped for 36 hours, resulted in collapse of the surface structure of the oil well with an ever increasing gusher from the source. Several different attempts from BP oil company's technical team to contain the spewing geyser from finding it's way into the body of water, and into the gulf shores had failed, mostly due to the inherently limited robotic attempts involved in a moderately deep aquatic habitat.
In the prevailing oceanic climate of the oil wells, after a bore well structure is disrupted, the sea water continuously gets into the oil well, whereas the oil rises to the surface, because of the relative densities of each, that could be contributing to the spewing of oil gush at a later time, while it would be only a spill to start with. There would be churning forces set forth at the land mark area of the disrupted bore well surface, the sea water trying to get in, while the lighter petroleum/crude oil is trying to get out. As the ocean water forcefully fills the underground oil containment space (the hydrostatic pressure at any point in the ocean being proportional to the true vertical depth), the pressure will rise more and more in a very short time, forcing the lesser dense oil to progressively rise into the ocean like an eruption.
Accordingly, it is imperative that immediate action be taken to contain the leak, and stop the sea water pouring into the containment of underground reservoir that will effectively dampen the rising pressure within it's confined space, further reducing the spewing force of the oil gusher—thus breaking the vicious cycle. The calamity in gulf shores happened before the 'Production Tubing' and the 'Production Packer' were installed, and the wide 'A' annular space acted as the tunnel for the oil gusher. As a result the sea water very quickly found it's way through the expansive oil well bore, and the oil in turn rose to the surface with a greater force. It was worse due to the absence of down hole safety valve (DHSV) which is usually placed in the 'Production Tubing' (the valve being the last resort to contain the leak from the disrupted well) as far below the surface as deemed safe, to be unaffected by any events leading to wipe out of the surface well head platform.
As any unforeseen adversity can happen at any time before the completion of the well to it's last functional detail, safety measures to weather off such events at any step of the construction have to be in place, before beginning to undertake such operation.
The following embodiments are primarily structured to counteract the events when a 'fire-blow out' of the well head platform destroys any of the security devices before the well completion, wherein the timing of the adverse events to be countervailed are similar to that of the BP's Deep Water Horizon Oil Well blow-out i.e. before the production tubing and the production packer' are installed, OR in high production wells not destined to incorporate a production tubing and production packer when the whole annulus space (the 'A' annulus) is used as the oil production conduit. Other devices and methods are also included to counter adverse events in other contexts, and additionally, to prevent and alleviate the problems inherent to the prevailing oil production endeavors of the industry either or not so far recognized, nonetheless not so far addressed. The dictum 'prevention is better than cure' prevails more than any under any circumstance, especially when such endeavors are impressively simple, and impressively effective.
The inventions herein disclosed are directed to prevent and alleviate many of the problems discussed above though it is neither intended nor implied that the originally planned well structure is restored, but a functional order is definitely emphasized and resulted, however, as stated, manifestly different from the established norm. Such differences are being practiced on a regular basis even in the oil industry (example—some high production wells are structured to operate without any 'Conduction Tubing' and 'Conduction Packer' usually incorporated within the casing 'A' annulus). But the undeniable incentive to accommodate some difference(s) from the practicing standards in an industry where such standards are justifiably warranted is: it's/their ability to weather through a calamity with catastrophic consequences even in situations where norms and standards were followed throughout the well construction, and later during it's maintenance—a classic example that the 'forces of nature' are not always necessarily contained by practicing rigorous standards, and what seems like a 'difference' may indeed work to contain what proved to be an uncontainable calamity.
Every effort was made to devise and describe the following invention with the best rationale, and with the available information at the time of this writing. However, the Author Inventor is neither legally liable nor personally responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions, or for any 'adverse events' difficult to differentiate either as a mere association or as a consequence of application of the structural and procedural information enumerated. Additionally, many inadvertent and unforeseen consequences were/are inherent to such ventures as the deep sea explorations and the like, shrouded in dangers and never ceasing mystery, and counting always on the tides of nature yet to be conquered by technological sophistication. Accordingly, application of this disclosure in different situations, innumerable and unique, is a personal choice. Furthermore, understanding, analyzing, and adapting swiftly as needed, to diverse situations, still remain as the professional discretion, expertise, and the deemed responsibility of the involved company and it's associates participating in the day to day practice in the implementation of this invention, in part or as a whole.

Emergency salvage of a crumbled oceanic oil well


A forward leaning stadium seat having a padded seat; a vertical support sleeve with an arm support device and quick release locking clasp to allow quick and easy up and down positioning of the arm support device and an adjustable hub to stop the forward and backward movement of the vertical support device at prescribed locations within a prescribed arc of travel.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to forward leaning seating devices, and in particular to a portable stadium seat that can be used by individuals attending spectator events at facilities having backless bench type seats.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been a number of attempts to develop a comfortable and easy to carry portable seat for spectator events with varying success. The prevailing designs have attempted to supply support to the human back while sitting at sporting events through a rearward leaning approach. There are many examples of rearward leaning portable stadium seats.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,529 issued to Lippert on Nov. 30, 1976 for a Stadium seat. This early version of a stadium chair assembly included pivot able legs and at least one pivotal holder located to swing downwardly to return the chair to a stadium bench with the legs folded up under the seat. It would not be very comfortable nor easy to handle in a crowded stadium. These designs are ineffective in supplying support to the human spine, while seated at sporting events, because the user of such seating, at such events lean forward to look down from the stadium, thus negating the rearward designed support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,652 issued to Ward on Dec. 29, 1987 for a Portable stadium seat with tray included: a comfortable, lightweight and portable stadium seat with a slidably removable tray for spectator use. The seat contained a back rest and seat bottom portions with cushions attached to interconnected tubular rails so that the seat is collapsible for easy carrying. In addition the tray is mounted under the seat bottom portion in such a manner that it can be pulled out as needed to extend in front of the spectator for holding food and drinks. A safety feature consisting of a spring-loaded hook-like fastener mounted on the bottom of the seat and keeps the seat from tipping over backwards while in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,628 issued to Spear on Dec. 16, 1997 for a Wheelchair exercise and support bar apparatus and method discloses, an exercise and support bar mounted in brackets on a wheelchair and method for using same. The bar can be adjusted to be more or less proximate the occupant by removing the upstanding portions of the bar from the brackets, turning the apparatus end_for_end, and re-inserting the upstanding portions in the bracket. Angular and height adjustments are also provided by the apparatus. Some of the drawbacks of this design include the difficulty in adjusting the support bar and the lacking portability. Also, this bar would prevent anyone from exiting or entering the seat effectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,154 to Davis, Barton B. issued May 20, 2003 approached the dilemma of providing adequate back support through a forward leaning concept. His design accomplished proper support to the torso by allowing the user of the seat apparatus to support his trunk by leaning forward and resting his forearms on the padded frontally placed support. This is a highly effective design for trunk support in a forward leaning posture necessary at sporting events while seated at a stadium on backless bleachers, however, several shortcomings to the forward leaning design, as found in the Davis patent, have become apparent. The first is the forward leaning design prevents the user of the apparatus from being able to pick up beverages or other items from under the bleacher, because of the necessary placement of the arm rest. The second shortcoming is the mechanism to adjust the vertical support armature forward and backward as well as up and down is too complex. Thirdly, the seat frame can slide too easily on the stadium bleacher. Fourthly the padding on the arm rests roll around the horizontal support armature making it uncomfortable for the user of the device.
What is needed is a portable forward leaning stadium seat apparatus that is designed to be used with any type backless bench style bleacher and provide a solid attachment that does not slide, has easier adjusting mechanisms to provide variability of positions for the vertical and horizontal support armatures, ergonomically designed arm rests and a convenient cup holder.


A method to test an instability of a magneto-resistive (MR) head. The instability is tested by first writing a signal onto a track. The junctions of the MR head are aligned with various track edges and the head characteristics are then measured. The characteristics may include determining a maximum amplitude covarian and a maximum base line popping noise.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a method for measuring different characteristics of a magneto-resistive head for a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces. There have been developed magnetic heads that have a write element for magnetizing the disks and a separate read element for sensing the magnetic fields of the disks. The read element is typically constructed from a magneto-resistive material. The magneto-resistive material has a resistance that varies with the magnetic fields of the disk. Heads with magneto-resistive read elements are commonly referred to as magneto-resistive (MR) heads.
FIG. 1 shows an MR head 1 which has an abut junction design. This type of MR head has a pair of permanent magnets 2 located on either side of a sensor element 3. The permanent magnets provide a hard bias field that stabilize the sensor element 3.
Magnetic heads are typically tested before being assembled into disk drives. Errors in the manufacturing processes may create instabilities in the biasing junction. The stability of the heads are typically tested to screen for defective parts. Stability factors such as amplitude covarian and base line popping noise are tested by loading a head onto a test stand and performing test routines. The test routines include the steps of writing a signal on a track and then reading the signal with the magneto-resistive read element of the head. The signal is typically read when the read element is aligned with the center of the track. Such a procedure does not test for junction effects and is generally not effective in determining an instability of the head.
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for measuring a characteristic of a magnetic head of a hard disk drive. The method includes the step of writing a signal onto a track of a disk. The track has left and right track edges. The magnetic head is moved to align junction areas of the head with the track edges. The characteristic is then measured. These steps may be repeated to align various junction areas with track edges and to measure various characteristics of the head.

Method to detect junction induced signal instability from GMR/MR heads


System for removal of targeted pollutants from combustion and other industrial process gases and processes utilizing the system. Metal oxides are introduced from feeders into reaction zones of the system where they are contacted with a gas from which pollutants are to be removed. With respect to pollutant removal, the sorbent may interact with a pollutant as a catalyst, reactant, adsorbent or absorbent. Removal may occur in single-stage, dual-stage, or multi-stage systems with a variety of different configurations and reaction zones, e.g., bag house, cyclones, fluidized beds, and the like. Process parameters, particularly system differential pressure, are controlled by electronic controls to maintain minimal system differential pressure, and to monitor and adjust pollutant removal efficiencies. Reacted sorbent may be removed from the reaction action zones for recycling or recycled or regenerated with useful and marketable by-products being recovered during regeneration.

During combustion of fuels that contain sulfur compounds, oxides of sulfur (SOX), such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), and sulfur trioxide (SO3) are produced as a result of oxidation of the sulfur. Some fuels may contain nitrogen compounds that contribute to the formation of oxides of nitrogen (NOX) which are primarily formed at high temperatures by the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen from the air used for the reaction with the fuel, such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or its dimer (N2O4). Many technologies have been developed for reduction of SOX and NOX, but few can remove both types of pollutants simultaneously in a dry process or reliably achieve cost effective levels of reduction.
Typical sources of nitrogen and sulfur oxide pollutants are power plant stack gases, automobile exhaust gases, heating-plant stack gases, and emissions from various industrial process, such as smelting operations and nitric and sulfuric acid plants. Power plant emissions represent an especially formidable source of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, by virtue of the very large tonnage of these pollutants and such emissions discharged into the atmosphere annually. Moreover, because of the low concentration of the pollutants in such emissions, typically 500 ppm or less for nitrogen oxides and 3,000 ppm or less for sulfur dioxide, their removal is difficult because very large volumes of gas must be treated.
In the past to meet the regulatory requirements, coal-burning power plants have often employed a wet scrubbing process, which commonly uses calcium compounds to react with SOX to form gypsum. This waste product is normally discarded as a voluminous liquid slurry in an impoundment and ultimately is capped with a clay barrier, which is then covered with topsoil once the slurry is de-watered over time. Alternatively, some power-plant operators have chosen to burn coal that contains much lower amounts of sulfur to reduce the quantities of SOX emitted to the atmosphere. In the case of NOX, operators often choose to decrease the temperature at which the coal is burned. This in turn decreases the amount of NOX produced and therefore emitted; however, low temperature combustion does not utilize the full heating value of the coal, resulting in loss of efficiency.
Turbine plants normally use natural gas, which contains little or no sulfur compounds, to power the turbines, and therefore virtually no SOX is emitted. On the other hand at the temperature that the turbines are commonly operated, substantial NOX is produced. In addition to Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) processes for conversion of NOX to nitrogen, water vapor, and oxygen, which can be safely discharged, some operators choose to reduce the temperature at which the turbines are operated and thereby reduce the amount of NOX emitted. With lower temperatures the full combustion/heating value of natural gas is not realized, resulting in loss of efficiency. Unfortunately for these operators, newer environmental regulation will require even greater reduction of SOX and NOX emissions necessitating newer or more effective removal technologies and/or further reductions in efficiency.
Operators of older coal-burning power plants are often running out of space to dispose of solid wastes associated with use of scrubbers that use calcium compounds to form gypsum. Operators of newer plants would choose to eliminate the problem from the outset if the technology were available. Additionally, all power plants, new and old, are faced with upcoming technology requirements of further reducing emissions of NOX and will have to address this issue in the near future. Thus, plants that currently meet the requirements for SOX emissions are facing stricter requirements for reduction of NOX for which there has been little or no economically feasible technology available.
Of the few practical systems, which have hitherto been proposed for the removal of nitrogen oxides from power plant flue gases, all have certain disadvantages. Various methods have been proposed for the removal of sulfur dioxide from power plant flue gases, but they too have disadvantages. For example, wet scrubbing systems based on aqueous alkaline materials, such as solutions of sodium carbonate or sodium sulfite, or slurries of magnesia, lime or limestone, usually necessitate cooling the flue gas to about 55° C. in order to establish a water phase. At these temperatures, the treated gas requires reheating in order to develop enough buoyancy to obtain an adequate plume rise from the stack. U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,167 teaches removing pollutant gases and trace metals with a lime slurry. A wet scrubbing method using a limestone solution is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,263.
Considerable work has also been done in an attempt to reduce NOX pollutants by the addition of combustion catalysts, usually organo-metallic compounds, to the fuel during combustion. However, the results of such attempts have been less successful than staged combustion. NOX oxidation to N2 is facilitated by ammonia, methane, et al. which is not effected by SOX is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,053. U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,281 teaches the limitations of organo-metallic catalysts for NOX removal versus staged combustion. Heavy metal sulfide with ammonia is described for reducing NOX in stack gases in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,971.
Considerable effort has been expended to remove sulfur from normally solid fuels, such as coal, lignite, etc. Such processes include wet scrubbing of stack gases from coal-fired burners. However, such systems are capital intensive and the disposal of wet sulfite sludge, which is produced as a result of such scrubbing techniques, is also a problem. Cost inefficiencies result from the often-large differential pressures across a wet scrubber removal system; differential pressures in excess of 30 inches of water column (WC) are not unusual. Also, the flue gases must be reheated after scrubbing in order to send them up the stack, thus reducing the efficiency of the system. Both U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,102,982 and 5,366,710 describe the wet scrubbing of SOX and NOX.
The combustion gas stream from a coal-burning power plant is also a major source of airborne acid gases, fly ash, mercury compounds, and elemental mercury in vapor form. Coal contains various sulfides, including mercury sulfide. Mercury sulfide reacts to form elemental mercury and SOX in the combustion boiler. At the same time other sulfides are oxidized to SOX and the nitrogen in the combustion air is oxidized to NOX. Downstream of the boiler, in the ducts and stack of the combustion system, and then in the atmosphere, part of the elemental mercury is re-oxidized to form mercury compounds, primarily to mercuric chloride (HgCl2). This occurs by reactions with chloride ions or the like normally present in combustion reaction gases flowing through, the combustion system of a coal-burning power plant.
Many power plants emit daily amounts of up to a pound of mercury, as elemental mercury and mercury compounds. The concentration of mercury in the stream of combustion gas is about 4.7 parts per billion (ppb) or 0.0047 parts per million (ppm). Past efforts to remove mercury from the stream of combustion gas, before it leaves the stack of a power plant, include: (a) injection, into the combustion gas stream, of activated carbon particles or particulate sodium sulfide or activated alumina without sulfur; and (b) flowing the combustion gas stream through a bed of activated particles.
In addition to SOX, NOX, mercury (elemental and compound), combustion, industrial and other process gases may contain other pollutants of concern such as hydrogen sulfide, totally reduced sulfides (TRS), oxides of carbon, and ash to name a few. EnviroScrub Technologies Corporation has developed pollutant removal systems and processes that overcome many of the shortcomings of prior art pollutant removal systems utilizing a regenerable sorbent of oxides of manganese. Some of these systems and process are referred to and commonly known as Pahlman™ systems and processes and are described in U.S. published application Ser. No. 20020150516, and international published application numbers WO0228513A2, WO0209852A2, and WO0209852A3, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference. They also include processes for regeneration of the sorbent and for recovery and/or production of useful values and by-products from regeneration processing streams.
Applicants have now recognized and determined that different metal oxides may be selected and utilized as the sorbent based upon certain physical or chemical properties of the metal oxides themselves and/or of the reaction products formed between the metal oxides and the target pollutants in gas streams.
During regeneration, reacted sorbent may be rinsed or washed to remove reaction products from the sorbent surface. Ash and other spectator particulates can accumulate in the rinses, washes or other processing solutions and streams during regeneration. They can interfere with or inhibit sorbent regeneration, by-product production and recovery of useful values present in the processing solutions and streams. Their presence may increase to undesired levels through several cycles and eventually require disposal or other costly treatment and purchases for processing solutions. Further, the overall rate or efficiency of regeneration, production or recovery may be reduced at significant levels. Applicants have found that with dry or wet magnetic separation techniques, non-magnetic or weakly magnetic particulate, spectator particulates, can be separated from certain metal oxides utilized as sorbents. Removal of ash and other spectator particulates prevents their accumulation in regeneration processing streams avoiding potential costs or deleterious affects during regeneration or recovery.

System for removal of pollutants from a gas stream


A process for producing a preform (44) includes pretreating roving by submerging it in a tank (18) and cooling the binder (20) on the glass fibers before the glass fibers are chopped. The fibers and solidified binder are then chopped and deposited onto a preform screen (32). Heat is applied to soften the binder that is on the chopped glass fibers and cooled to set the binder and form the preform on the screen.

Glass fibers have been commonly incorporated in thermoplastic molded objects and other cured plastics for added strength and durability. The glass fiber is introduced in a mold where resinous plastic is then injected such that the glass fibers become imbedded into the final formed object. It has been found advantageous to form a preform of the final object out of glass fibers and place the preform into the mold. The glass fibers are often chopped and blown onto a preform screen. Immediately following the fiber placement, a binder agent is sprayed on and allowed to cure which sets the fibers in place.
The spraying of liquid binder onto the blown chopped fibers is an inefficient use of the binder material with much of the binder being lost through the foraminous screen and producing gaseous emissions. Secondly, control and even coverage of the binder onto the chopped glass is very difficult to achieve by the use of spray.
What is needed is a directed fiber method that eliminates the use of sprayed liquid binder while improving coverage and control of the binder material in the preform.

Method of forming a preform by precoating glass fibers prior to chopping and preforming