An apparatus for executing an instruction is provided. The instruction loads data into one of a plurality of registers in a register file and is in a first group of instructions. A second group of instructions is executed sequentially after the first group of instructions. The first and second groups of instructions should each include at least one instruction. The apparatus includes a first memory, a second memory, a first functional unit coupled to the first memory, and a second functional unit coupled to the first memory and to the second memory. The first and second functional units are both capable of executing the instruction. Also included is an instruction issue unit coupled to the first and the second functional units. The instruction issue unit issues the instruction to a selected functional unit selected from one of the first and the second functional units. This selection is based on a load prediction bit associated with the instruction.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing instructions in a computer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dynamically determining which of two or more caches contain load data and issuing the given load instruction to a functional unit coupled thereto.
Pipelining is an implementation technique whereby multiple instructions are overlapped in execution. A pipeline (also known as a functional unit) completes each instruction in a series of steps called pipeline stages. Instructions "enter" at one end of the pipeline, are processed through the stages, and "exit" at the other end (i.e., their intended effects are carried out). The throughput of the pipeline is determined by how often instructions are completed in the pipeline. The time required to move an instruction one step down the pipeline is known as a machine cycle. The length of a machine cycle is determined by the time required by the slowest pipeline stage because all the stages must proceed at the same time.
In this type of architecture, as in most, the chief means of increasing throughput is by reducing the duration of the clock cycle. Alternatively, systems may employ multiple pipelines to increase throughput, issuing instructions using a scheduler or similar hardware construct. Instructions may be issued to the pipelines based on numerous factors, such as pipeline availability, op-code type, operand availability, data dependencies, and other factors. Such architectures require instructions and data to be provided at extremely high rates to maintain a high level of utilization for the microprocessor's execution unit(s). To maintain these high data rates, designers commonly employ cache memories.
Cache memory exploits the "principle of locality," which holds that all programs favor a portion of their address space at any instant in time. This hypothesis has two dimensions. First, locality can be viewed in time (temporal locality), meaning that if an item is referenced, it will tend to be referenced again soon. Second, locality can be viewed as locality in space (spacial locality), meaning that if an item is referenced, nearby items will also tend to be referenced.
Another architectural feature implemented in some of today's microprocessor architectures is the use of multiple caches. Commonly, a delineation is made between the caching of instructions and data. Recently, specialized data caches have been included in certain microprocessor architectures to allow for the storage of certain information related on the basis of various characteristics, such as repetitive use in floating point or graphics calculations.
When used in combination with multiple pipelines, which too may be specialized, it is desirable to group instructions on the basis of the ability to execute each instruction in a group simultaneously. By grouping instructions, such an architecture insures maximum utilization of its facilities (e.g., pipelines) and so maximizes throughput.
What is often required in such microprocessor architectures is the ability to dynamically allocate instructions to functional units for the instructions' subsequent execution. For example, when two instructions are to read information from two caches simultaneously (i.e., the caches are accessed within the same time slice), each instruction must be allocated to a particular functional unit (i.e., pipeline) having the requisite facilities for execution.
Preferably this allocation is performed in such a way as to maximize the number of instructions per group. Each group should therefore contain a maximum number of simultaneously executable instructions, thereby insuring the maximum utilization of the microprocessor's facilities. Because the allocation must be done dynamically (i.e., as the program executes), it must not require any significant processing between the time that the instruction is fetched and when it is issued to a functional unit.

Load instruction steering in a dual data cache microarchitecture


A holding fixture for a camera and a method for monitoring the surrounding area of a vehicle, using at least one camera, which is used to draw a holding fixture out of the body shell of a vehicle, as needed. The holding fixture is extended as a function of a speed signal or a transmission-setting signal, and, in addition to a camera, the holding fixture has a further device, in particular a washer device or a trunk handle. Furthermore, the holding fixture can be drawn out as a function of a signal from a control element. Holding fixtures having cameras can be attached at various positions of the vehicle.

Parking assistance systems for monitoring the surrounding area of a vehicle are known, which use, on one hand, radar, and on the other hand, ultrasonic sensors. In addition, the use of cameras is known for monitoring the surrounding area of a vehicle, the cameras occupying a fixed position in the vehicle, and furthermore, the position being selected so that the camera does not have any optically non-transparent obstacles in its field of view, due to the vehicle.

Holding device and method for detecting a vehicle environment with at least one camera


A mechanism for training and classifying data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a data set having at least a first annotation and at least a second annotation. The first annotation and the second annotation represent characteristics within the data set. The method also includes determining a first identifier from the first annotation and a second identifier from the second annotation and associating the first identifier to the second identifier to generate a joined identifier. The method also includes computing feature weights and transition weights for the annotated data set based on the at least a first identifier, at least a second identifier, and at least a joined identifier and transitions between each of the first, the second and the joined identifiers. The method further includes receiving a second un-annotated data set and classifying the second data set based on the computed feature weights and the transition weights.

Training and classification of data is a fundamental problem shared by many application domains such as natural language, images, audio or genome data.
Traditional training and classification methods represent data as a set of features. For instance, to classify a document one might use word frequencies as features. A common method to incorporate some sequential information is the use of word grams. For example, instead of using single words as features, one may additionally use pairs or triples of adjacent words. While this works well when a lot of data is available (e.g. when classifying a document), it is not effective on shorter pieces of data such as sentences or paragraphs. Further, the majority of sequential information and large-scale structure is discarded when one represents data as a set of n-gram features.
A recent example of this technique represents rules as a set of words. A rule is said to pass and imply a class if all words are present in a data instance. Rules are learned by using one of the many algorithms developed to solve a mathematical problem called the frequent itemset problem. Each learned frequent item set is a rule. Rule based systems are often combined with other types of classifiers.
The training and classification methods described above do not model the large scale structure of the sequence, and this can lead to ambiguities and mis-classification. One such ambiguity may occur when text of a data is conceptually similar but not phrased the exact same way. Another ambiguity may occur when only specific words in a text are identified without considering the transition words between the identified words. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an improved system and method for training and classifying data.
More recently developed learning methods treat data as sequences. These include hidden Markov models (HMMs) and conditional random fields (CRFs). Such methods typically focus on extracting information out of a sequence rather than classifying the sequence as a whole. Variations on these techniques (e.g. hidden CRFs) exist for classifying sequences. Some common non-sequential classification methods are equivalent to extremely simple HMM or CRF models. Typical application of these methods as a classifier is in image classification, although it can also be used to classify other types of data.
Currently existing methods that are designed for sequential data require a rough model of sequence structure to be supplied or learned. For text data, it is not obvious how one should build models for the purpose of classification and it is difficult to learn good models automatically.
It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and may not be to scale.

Systems and methods for training and classifying data


A method for molding a composite material in which a curved corner is formed between two planes by using a molding jig includes: shaping a laminated body in such a manner that a thickness of the laminated body is decreased from an outer side toward an inner side of the corner, by using the molding jig in which the angle formed by the two planes is a first bending angle, the laminated body including fiber sheets laminated so as to have the corner curved at the first bending angle; and shaping the laminated body in such a manner that the thickness is decreased from the outer side toward the inner side by curving the corner so as to form a second bending angle, by using the molding jig in which the angle formed by the two planes is the second bending angle smaller than the first bending angle.

Methods for manufacturing preforms, which are molded by bringing a fiber reinforced laminated body into close contact with a shaping mold serving as a male mold, have conventionally been known as a method for molding a composite material in which curved corners are formed (see Patent Literature 1, for example). The male mold used in this manufacturing method has a top face, shoulders, and side faces. When pressure is applied to the fiber reinforced laminated body sequentially from the top face toward the side faces thereof in order to bring the fiber reinforced laminated body into close contact with the male mold, pressure is applied to the fiber reinforced laminated body sequentially from the top face to the shoulders thereof after pressure is applied to the fiber reinforced laminated body sequentially from the shoulders to the side faces thereof, in the manufacturing method.

Method for molding composite material and jig for molding composite material


Disclosed herein is a new method for continuous heat treatment to be applied to the production of oil tempered steel wires for springs having high strength and high toughness to meet the requirement for weight reduction.. The heat treatments are applicable to a medium carbon low alloy spring steel which does not undergo martensitic transformation substantially upon oil hardening alone. It comprises performing two-step accelerated hardening consistin of oil hardening and immediately following water hardening and subsequently performing tempering. The medium carbon low alloy steel is one which consists 0.40-0.65% carbon and Si and Mn as essential components and further at least one species of Cr, Ni, Mo, and V, and have the chemical composition corresponding to and Mf point lower than 80.degree. C. (preferably 10.degree.-70.degree. C.). It is desirable that the oil be wiped from the steel wire after the oil hardening and before the water hardening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing oil-tempered steel wires for springs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for producing, by continuous heat treatments, oil-tempered steel wires for springs (such as coil springs) having high strength and high toughness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The production of springs from oil-tempered steel wires involves a series of continuous heat treatments (including oil hardening and oil tempering in a salt bath) of steel wires and the subsequent forming (secondary operation) of the tempered steel wires into springs. An alternative production method starts with the hot forming of steel wires into springs, which is followed by continuous heat treatments including oil hardening and oil tempering.
The reason why the oil hardening is employed is that steel wires for springs are selected from SUP6, SUP7 (Si steel wire: 0.56-0.64% C), and SUP12 (Si-Cr steel wire: 0.51-0.59% C) provided in JIS 4801, which are susceptible to quenching cracking in the case of water hardening. In addition, the oil hardening and oil tempering are carried out one after the other for improved productivity.
In general, hardening denotes a series of steps of keeping steel at a temperature higher than the Ac.sub.3 transformation point, thereby causing carbides in the steel to form solid solution and forming the austenite structure, and quenching the steel with a cooling medium, thereby forming the martensite structure. Quenching often causes troubles such as quenching strain and quenching crack, depending on the cooling medium used. Several countermeasures, as given below, have been proposed.
(1) Using as the quenching medium a mineral oil which is incorporated with various additives so that an adequate relationship is established between the cooling temperature and cooling time for the specific requirements of quenching. The quenching oil should be used at about 80.degree. C. in consideration of its viscosity and other factors. PA0 (2) Using a recently developed quenching medium which is an aqueous oil emulsion which exhibits a performance similar to that of quenching oil. However, in the case of rapid cooling from high temperatures to normal temperature, it brings about an imbalance between shrinkage strain due to cooling and expansion strain due to martensitic transformation. This imbalance of strains leads to quenching cracks. Common practice to eliminate this disadvantage is to remove the steel from the bath when the quenching medium is hotter than normal temperature or when the steel is still at a high temperature.
(3) Using a new quenching method which improves the low-temperature toughness of high tensile strength steel in the form of thick plate (not in the form of wires for springs). It consists of two steps of quenching to produce the controlled quenching effect using the same quenching medium (water). It may be referred to as "two-step slow quenching method".
Meanwhile, recent attempts to reduce the weight of automobiles has led to the development of high-stress springs. They need a high-strength steel wire which has the property that it does not deteriorate appreciably in toughness when it is imparted high strength. In general, the higher it is in strength, the lower it is in toughness. A possible way to compromise these two properties with each other is to reduce the carbon content in the steel and incorporate steel with a variety of alloy elements for the desired hardenability.
Conventional tempered steel wires for springs are produced by continuous heat treatment including oil hardening and tempering. In the case of a high-carbon steel containing a small amount of alloy elements, oil hardening alone will be satisfactory and even somewhat incomplete oil hardening gives rises to a desired strength. However, this does not hold true of a low-carbon steel containing a large amount of alloy elements, which is intended for high strength and high toughness through hardening as mentioned above. In this case, oil hardening alone does not produce the desired hardening effect, with the result that the springs in tempered state do not have both high toughness and high strength (2000 N/mm.sup.2 and above).

Method for producing by continuous heat treatments oil-tempered steel wires for springs having high strength and high toughness


A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for transmitting and receiving short messages between a Mobile Station (MS) within an Internet Protocol (IP) based cellular network and a web site on the Internet. Each web site that the MS has access to contains an Application Program (AP). To retrieve the information, the MS within an IP-based cellular network originates a short message towards the AP associated with the web site using a pre-assigned E.164 number for the AP. When the short message reaches a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), an Application Manager (AM) within the MSC intercepts the short message and translates the E.164 number into an IP-address and port number for the AP. The AM extracts the data from the short-message, packs the data in an SMTP envelope and transmits it to the AP.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and methods for sending and receiving short messages by a mobile station, and specifically to accessing the Internet in an internet-protocol based cellular network by sending and receiving short messages.
2. Background of the Present Invention
With the increasing use of the Internet Protocol (IP) for delivering voice traffic across systems, some cellular networks have begun to implement IP internally. The IP packetizes voice and data for transmission within and between systems, and provides the benefit of shared bandwidth. Thus, instead of reserving a specific circuit for each call, as in conventional circuit-switched cellular networks, the voice and data for all calls in an IP-based cellular network can be transmitted together through the network.
Many mobile subscribers are beginning to access the Internet remotely using their Mobile Stations (MSs). However, because the air interface used for transmitting voice and data to and from MSs still relies upon circuit-switched technology, the mobile subscribers must attach a computer to their MS or purchase an MS with a built-in computer in order to access the Internet. The reason that IP cannot be used on the air interface is that a separate channel (or frequency) must be used for each MS. Therefore, all voice and data sent to and from the MS in an IP-based cellular network must be converted between packet-switched, which is used by the network, and circuit-switched, which is used by the MS.
For example, in order for a mobile subscriber within an IP-based cellular network to access the Internet, the mobile subscriber must first establish a call connection with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) within the circuit-switched network, which provides a connection to the Internet. This is accomplished by the MS transmitting a call setup message, including the B-number for the ISP to a Gatekeeper within the IP-based cellular network. Thereafter, the Gatekeeper establishes the connection between the mobile subscriber and the ISP via a Gateway to the circuit-switched network, using this B-number. Once the connection to the ISP has been established, the ISP provides an IP address to the mobile subscriber, which allows the mobile subscriber to browse the web and send and receive electronic messages.
To access a particular web site on a server on the Internet, the mobile subscriber must enter an IP address and port number for that web site on their computer and transmit this IP address and port number to the ISP via the IP-based cellular network and the Gateway. All data is passed between the web site and the computer associated with the mobile subscriber via the ISP, Gateway, IP-based cellular network and the MS attached to the computer.
This connection process is cumbersome, since there is a need to connect a laptop computer or purchase an MS with a computer built-in. In addition, the mobile subscriber must register with an ISP to access the Internet, which is costly for the mobile subscriber. Currently, there is not a way for the MS itself to access a web site on the Internet directly through the IP-based cellular network without the need for an attached or built-in computer or an ISP.
The present invention is directed to telecommunications systems and methods for allowing a Mobile Station (MS) within an IP-based cellular network to directly access a web site on the Internet by using a modified Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Each web site that the MS has the ability to access contains a new Application Program (AP) for receiving a request for information from the MS and providing the requested information back to the MS. Such information can include, for example, real-time stock quotes, sports scores, air/train schedules, mobile banking and even E-commerce capabilities. To retrieve the information from the web site, the MS within the IP-based cellular network originates a short message towards the AP associated with the web site using a pre-assigned E.164 number for the AP. When the short message reaches a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) within the IP-based cellular network, a new Application Manager (AM) within the MSC intercepts the short message and translates the E.164 number into an IP-address and port number for the AP. In addition, the AM extracts the short message data (information request) from the short message, packs the short message data in an SMTP envelope and transmits the short message data to the AP using a modified SMTP protocol. Once the AP receives the short message data within the SMTP envelope, the AP extracts the short message data from the SMTP envelope, retrieves the requested information and delivers the information back to the AM in the MSC. To send the information to the MS, the AM within the MSC converts the information into another short message, pages the MS and delivers the short message containing the requested information to the MS.

System and method for accessing the internet in an internet protocol-based cellular network


The present disclosure is drawn to methods for treating various types of pain, including pain associated nerve entrapment, neuroma, headaches, connective tissue, arthritis, injury, and/or overuse. Specifically, the method includes the application of an analgesic system to a skin surface of a subject experiencing the pain and maintaining the analgesic system on the skin surface for an application period of at least 30 minutes. Following the application period the analgesic system can be removed and the subject being treated continues to experience reduction of pain for a period of 2 to 10, or even 4 to 12 hours after removal of the analgesic system. The analgesic system applied to the skin surface can include a heating component and a local anesthetic formulation.

Pains associated with nerve conditions afflict many people. Examples of such pain include point pain, nerve entrapment pain (carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar neuropathy, pudendal nerve entrapment), focal pain, IT band pain, trigger point pain including headaches associated with trigger point pain, occipital neuralgia, arthritis pain, and pain associated with injury or from over use of muscles or joints.
These types of pain are frequently treated with opioid and non-opioid analgesics delivered orally or by injection. Unfortunately, these treatment options suffer from various drawbacks and undesirable side-effects. These undesirable side-effects are frequently due to their systemic delivery. Accordingly, research continues into alternative methods of ameliorating some of these types of regional pain pains.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Heat assisted lidocaine and tetracaine for transdermal analgesia


When detecting an angular rate in a detecting element (1), when an angular rate occurs, it is detected on the basis of a first sum by adding output values issued from upper electrode of second sensing electrode part (19b) and upper electrode of fourth sensing electrode part (20b) both in positive polarity, a second sum by adding output values issued from upper electrode of first sensing electrode part (19a) and upper electrode of third sensing electrode part (20a) both in negative polarity, a third sum by adding output values issued from lower electrode of first sensing electrode part (19a) and lower electrode of third sensing electrode part (20a) both in positive polarity, and a fourth sum by adding output values issued from lower electrode of second sensing electrode part (19b) and lower electrode of fourth sensing electrode part (20b) both in negative polarity. In this configuration, the inertial force sensor enhanced in detection sensitivity is presented.

A conventional inertial force sensor is explained below. The inertial force sensor includes an angular rate sensor and an acceleration sensor. Generally, the angular rate sensor has a detecting element in various shapes, such as tuning fork shape, H-shape, T-shape and others, and by vibrating the detecting element, the strain of the detecting element accompanied by generation of Coriolis force is sensed electrically, and the angular rate is detected. The acceleration sensor has a detecting element having a weight, and the strain of the detecting element due to move of the weight is sensed electrically, and the acceleration is detected. To sense the strain, for example, a sensing electrode part consisting of upper electrode and lower electrode with an intervening piezoelectric element is disposed in the detecting element, and the angular rate or acceleration is detected on the basis of the current flowing out from the sensing electrode part accompanied by strain of the detecting element.
A plurality of inertial force sensors such as angular rate sensors or acceleration sensors are used in the position control device or navigation device of mobile structure such as vehicle, being disposed corresponding to the inertial force to be detected or the axis of detection. A prior art relating to the present invention is disclosed, for example, in patent document 1. In the conventional inertial force sensor, the strain of the detecting element is very slight when detecting the angular rate or acceleration on the basis of the current flowing out from the sensing electrode part, and the output current from the sensing detecting part is also very small, and the detection sensitivity is low.    Patent document 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication
No. 2005-249395


Containers (2) are closed with screw caps (3) by a unit (1) of the type comprising a carousel (7) on which to advance the containers (2) and the relative caps (3), driven by a motor (6) about a respective primary axis (5a) and equipped with a plurality of capping assemblies (11) each positioned above a relative container (2) and capable of movement vertically between a first position, distanced from the container (2), and a second position of active engagement with the container (2). Each capping assembly (11) presents a gripping mechanism (17) positionable so as to engage a relative cap (3) when the assembly (11) is in the second position, and rotatable about a respective secondary axis (17a) in such a way as to screw the cap (3) onto a threaded neck (4) of the relative container (2). The unit (1) further comprises first motors (14) by which the capping assemblies (11) can be raised and lowered one independently of another, and second motors (18) by which the gripping mechanisms (17) can be rotated one independently of another.

The prior art embraces capping units such as will apply caps automatically to respective containers, consisting generally in a plurality of capping assemblies set in motion on a carousel rotatable about a vertical axis.
By way of example, European Patent EP 0636573 owned by the present applicant discloses a unit in which each capping assembly is set in rotation, about a respective axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the carousel, by a respective shaft capable of axial movement relative to the carousel in such a way that the assembly can be shifted toward and away from a relative container revolving on the carousel.
Each capping assembly is equipped with a relative mechanism such as a gripper, by means of which the cap is clasped and screwed onto the threaded neck of a respective container by inducing a rotation of the aforementioned shaft.
The carousel consists substantially in a frame carrying a vertical main drum and a platform at the top of the drum. The frame also serves to support the containers, each aligned beneath a respective capping assembly.
The shafts of the single capping assemblies are carried by a housing associated with the top platform and equipped internally with a stationary drum cam surmounting the main drum of the carousel.
The drum cam presents a side wall affording annular groove cam profiles, such as will accommodate following rollers connected to the shafts of the single capping assemblies and able thus to bring about their vertical movement, also a ring gear integral with the outer surface presented by the side wall of the drum cam. Each of the shafts supporting a capping assembly carries a pinion in mesh with the ring gear of the drum cam.
Thus, when the drum is set in motion around the axis of rotation, the interaction of each pinion with the fixed ring gear of the drum cam will cause the capping assembly to rotate about its own axis. The vertical and rotational movement transmitted to the shafts of the capping assemblies and the movement of the associated grippers are all synchronized in such a manner that successive caps can be taken up by the grippers and screwed onto the respective containers.
The cap is screwed onto the container applying a predetermined tightening torque beyond which a torque limiting device, for example an adjustable clutch associated with each assembly, will begin to slip and thus allow the grippers to lock and terminate the step of screwing the cap onto the neck.
Capping units of the type outlined above are effective, but affected nonetheless by significant drawbacks.
In reality, whilst the aforementioned capping units are able to effect a secure closure of the cap on the container, the applicant finds that there are certain shortcomings as regards the versatility of such units, in terms of the extent to which they can be used with containers of different sizes.
More exactly, it will be appreciated that the vertical travel of each capping assembly depends on the profile of the groove afforded by the drum cam, which positions each capping assembly at a given height, enabling the gripper to engage the cap.
This means that if containers of different height are fed onto the carousel, the drum cam cannot be used as it will no longer be possible to position the gripper at the height of the new container. Generally speaking, the capping unit will utilize a carousel adapted to the size of a given container, with a cam profile allowing the gripper to be positioned at the correct height.
Consequently, the production line must be equipped with a number of units, each dedicated to a certain size of container, generating an increase in costs and a requirement for additional space in which to accommodate the various distinct units.
Another drawback stems from the construction costs and the overall dimensions of the single dedicated capping units.
This drawback is attributable to the use of mechanical components by which each of the individual capping assemblies is set in rotation; besides being bulky and cumbersome, the components in question are particularly costly and require frequent maintenance.
In effect, the mechanical components in question are precision-engineered parts calling for particular care in assembly, in order to ensure that each cap will be closed accurately on the container. A case in point is the adjustable clutch, for example, which not only must be set up for each production run according to the type of container and cap, but is also made to extremely high specifications and thus notably expensive.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the problems associated with the prior art by providing a capping unit for closing containers with respective caps, such as will be versatile and suitable for use with any type of container, irrespective of size.
In particular, one important object of the present invention is to set forth a capping unit such as will be adaptable easily to any type of container used in production, regardless of the dimensions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a particularly economic and compact capping unit, though without losing the functional advantages typical of the prior art.

Capping unit for closing containers with respective caps

Azionaria Construzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.


A method for producing a semiconductor component includes providing a semiconductor body with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, forming an insulation trench which extends into the semiconductor body from the first surface and which in a horizontal plane of the semiconductor body has a geometry such that the insulation trench defines a via region of the semiconductor body, forming a first insulation layer on one or more sidewalls of the insulation trench, removing semiconductor material of the semiconductor body from the second surface to expose at least parts of the first insulation layer, to remove at least parts of the first insulation layer, or to leave at least partially a semiconductor layer with a thickness of less than 1 μm between the first insulation layer and the second surface, and forming first and second contact electrodes on the via region.

There are semiconductor components or devices which include at least a part of their device structure in the region of a first surface of a semiconductor body and which include a terminal for electrically contacting the device structure at a second surface of the semiconductor body. Such components further include an electrically conducting via which extends through the semiconductor body from the terminal at the second surface to the first surface.
The electrically conducting via is usually electrically insulated from surrounding regions of the semiconductor body. A via like this can be produced by: forming a trench, depositing an electrically insulating material at the sidewalls of the trench, and filling the remaining trench with an electrically conductive material.
There is a need to provide a method for producing a semiconductor component with an electrically conductive via extending through a semiconductor body which is properly insulated from surrounding regions of the semiconductor body.

Semiconductor component with a semiconductor via


A telemedicine system including a cart that allows for two-way audio/video conferencing between patients or local care providers and remote care providers or family members. The cart employs a modular design that allows its capabilities to be expanded to meet the needs of particular telemedicine applications. In addition, the cart provides thermal imaging and a user interface that allows local care provers to access various capabilities of the device while the device is not in session with a remote party.

Telemedicine, also referred to as telehealth, generally refers to the use of technology to enable physicians or other healthcare providers to examine and treat or recommend treatment for a remotely located patient. Although telemedicine can be practiced using technology as simple as a telephone, the telemedicine solution market today includes devices and software having a wide range of sophistication. Examples of telemedicine devices include the INTOUCH XPRESS, INTOUCH VICI, INTOUCH VANTAGE, INTOUCH LITE, and INTOUCH VITA, all marketed by INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC., of Goleta, Calif.
The range of solutions generally intends to satisfy the functional and economic requirements of telemedicine encounters in different types of settings with varying levels of acuity. For example, smartphones, tablets, or laptop computers with basic audiovisual capabilities may be sufficient for a patient to consult with their doctor on treating a cold or behavioral health issues. These types of devices, however, may be insufficient in a higher acuity setting such as a hospital emergency department, intensive care unit, or specialty clinic, where the remote physician may require more capable video or imaging devices and/or the ability to monitor data from peripheral medical devices in real time. Other settings where telemedicine is practiced may present other unique requirements.
Thus, the telemedicine solution market is replete with disparate devices and software solutions that seek to satisfy the varied requirements of many different telehealth encounter settings. In addition, while many of these devices offer great value in terms of their ability to provide real-time audio/video consultation between remote parties, few of these devices provide any value to local care providers when not being used in a session with a remote care provider.

Modular telehealth cart with thermal imaging and touch screen user interface


An add-on card and connector including telephone functions is provided. The telephone functions are ones which are unlikely to be eventually performed on a mother board. A connection is provided which is adaptable to either an add-on sound card or eventually a mother board. The interface connection allows the use of the sound board to generate hold music for phone functions, as well as provide text to speech functions. In addition, the sharing of a common microphone and speaker is provided for.

The present invention relates to add-on sound boards for generating and manipulating sounds with a computer, and to boards adding telephone interface capabilities.
Sound boards, such as the Sound Blaster.TM. products from Creative Labs, have become a popular add-on board for personal computers. Different sound boards have different components, but generally they add the ability to produce sound which can be used for prompts or otherwise in ordinary computer programs, or as sound for video games played on a computer. Such sound boards will often provide an interface to a CD-ROM player which can play music CD-ROMs or video and music CD-ROMs. Sound boards may include a chip for generating music independently of a CD, circuits for interconnecting with the computer, and circuitry for processing sounds and mixing sounds. Typically, this is done by converting the sounds into digital form, and then doing the processing in the digital domain, often with a digital signal processor. The sound board will also include various connections, such as a speaker output connection, a microphone input connection, and a line in or line out connection for connecting to other audio equipment. In addition, a joystick or a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) port may be included.
A different type of an add-on board for a personal computer has been provided recently to allow faxing and modem connections through a telephone, thus giving desktop faxing capabilities. Modem boards have been around for some time, with fax boards in a PC being more recent. Most recently, multiple functions which interconnect over a phone have been combined on a single board, such as the Phone Blasters.TM. board from Creative Labs. This not only provides the capability for faxing and for sending data over a modem connection, but also provides the capability of doing voice conversations over the phone, with the board including a connection to a speaker and a microphone for allowing a speakerphone function through the computer. In addition, voice-mail capability can be provided. Such a product may also include a connection to a CD-ROM player or to an on-board sound synthesis chip, allowing the integration of sound generation and manipulation with the other phone functions. For instance, sound generation can be used to generate hold music for incoming phone calls.
One of the difficulties for today's computer user is the wide variety of add-on boards available and their cost. In addition, as integrated semiconductor technology becomes more advanced, more and more functions are combined onto a single board or onto the mother board of the computer (containing the microprocessor for the computer). Recently, more advanced microprocessors include digital signal processing functions, allowing them to do functions that were previously relegated to add-on boards.
In addition to the multiplicity of boards, there is also duplication. For instance, a Sound Blaster.TM. board and a Phone Blaster.TM. board both include sound generation chips. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a division of functions between add-on boards and mother boards which allows for different uses, while also allowing for adding on additional features without duplication. In addition, it would be desirable to have such a division of components with appropriate interfaces be upgradable and compatible with an eventual migration of more functions to a computer mother board.

Optimized interface between audio/modem board and sound board


An electronic device for monitoring the charge state of a rechargeable battery comprising a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a microprocessor, and a display. The voltage sensor is operatively connected to the microprocessor to provide to the microprocessor an electronic signal indicative of the voltage appearing across the terminals of the battery. The current sensor is operatively connected to the microprocessor to provide to the microprocessor an electronic signal indicative of the current between the terminals of the battery. Based on the signals received from the voltage and current sensors, the microprocessor calculates the total current discharge capacity of the battery and the present level of charge contained within the battery, and delivers electronic signals indicative of the total current discharge capacity and the present level of charge contained within the battery to the display means.

The invention relates generally to battery monitoring systems, and in particular, to systems for monitoring the charge state of rechargeable batteries, and especially rechargeable nickel-cadmium (Nicad) batteries.
The voltage appearing across the terminals of a Nicad battery varies only slightly as the battery discharges from its maximum charge capacity to roughly 10% of that capacity. Because of this and because a Nicad battery may be recharged with relative ease, the Nicad battery has become the preferred power source for portable electronic devices utilizing both digital and analog technology. The almost exclusive use of Nicad batteries as power sources by the portable computer and cellular telephone industries illustrates this preference.
However, despite this broad preference, the utilization of Nicad batteries by the portable electronics industry raises a significant concern. Because the voltage appearing across the terminals of a Nicad battery varies only slightly until just before the battery reaches full discharge, the battery's remaining charge capacity cannot be measured accurately by traditional methods (i.e. by monitoring the voltage between the battery terminals). In fact, the voltage between the battery terminals may only be used to provide the user of a device employing the battery minimal notice of an imminent power failure resulting from full battery discharge. For this reason, portable computers and cellular telephones generally include a low battery indicator which notifies a user when the voltage across the battery terminals reaches a prescribed level. This feature allows the user to store any important information or terminate a call prior to a loss of power. However, the feature provides the user little assurance initially that the device will work for any significant amount of time.
Further, the problems resulting from the inability to estimate a Nicad battery's remaining life or charge capacity by traditional methods are augmented by a second characteristic which these batteries exhibit. When Nicad batteries are repeatedly partially discharged and then recharged, the batteries exhibit a "memory effect." In essence, the full charge capacity of the batteries deteriorates to the capacity of actual use. Thus, if the user of a device powered by a Nicad battery repeatedly fails to fully discharge the battery prior to recharging it, the useful capacity of the battery will deteriorate to the extent of actual use. This effect leaves the user in a precarious position. If the user fails to recharge the battery prior to its full discharge, the user runs the risk of having insufficient power the next time the device is used. If, on the other hand, the user charges the battery prior to its full discharge, the user runs the risk of decreasing the useful life of the battery.
It follows that the portable electronics industry would find a device for monitoring and providing an accurate indication of the charge state of a Nicad battery to be quite desireable.

Automatic rechargeable battery monitoring system


A cam follower assembly includes a housing. The cam follower assembly includes a first cam follower and a second cam follower to contact a cam surface. The cam follower assembly includes a first holding element coupled to the first cam follower, and a second holding element coupled to the second cam follower. The second holding element is assembled with the first holding element and received in an opening of the housing, where the first holding device moves relative to the second holding device. An adjusting element of compressible material determines the relative movement between the first holding device and the second holding device. The first cam follower moves relative to the second cam follower according to the relative movement between the first holding element and the second holding element. The first cam follower and the second cam follower maintain contact with the cam surface according to their relative movement.

Cam follower arrangements may be used in a turret assembly of a machine arrangement to help change a position of a ram assembly, such as a push or die ram assembly, relative to a lateral axis of a shaft of the turret assembly. Specifically, the cam follower arrangement may include cam follower(s) that follow a cam of the turret assembly so that components (e.g. tooling, push plate) connected to the ram assembly may influence an article (e.g. can, container). Conventional cam follower arrangements have shorter life spans, e.g. 6000-8000 hours, resulting from the manner in which the cam follower(s) is mounted to the ram assembly.
One type of conventional cam follower arrangement includes a single cam follower rigidly mounted on a translating element or housing of the ram assembly. Motion of the translating element is controlled by the interaction between the cam follower and cam surfaces of a groove in the cam. A clearance exists between the cam follower diameter and the cam surfaces to allow the cam follower to rotate. Disadvantages result because undesirable skidding may occur between the cam follower and the cam surfaces due to a direction change in translation that causes a direction change in rotation. The undesirable skidding increases when the speed of the shaft increases. Such skidding decreases the life of the turret assembly because it results in unnecessary wear and tear on the cam follower and cam surfaces.
Another type of conventional cam follower arrangement includes two cam followers rigidly mounted on a translating element or housing of the ram assembly. Motion of the translating element is controlled by interaction between the cam followers and cam surfaces of a rib on the cam. The second type of conventional cam follower arrangement maintains a constant rotational direction, but a clearance exists between the cam follower and the cam surfaces to accommodate for variations in the cam follower diameter and rib thickness. Disadvantages result because undesirable skidding may occur due to a direction change in translation, thereby resulting in the cam followers going from not contacting the rib to contacting the rib. The skidding decreases the life of the turret assembly because it results in unnecessary wear and tear on the cam followers and cam surfaces.
Another type of conventional cam follower arrangement includes two cam followers where the first cam follower rigidly mounts to a translating element or housing of the ram assembly and the second cam follower mounts to a spring between the second cam follower and the translating element. Motion of the translating element is controlled by interaction between the two cam followers and the cam surfaces of a rib on the cam. No clearance exists in the third type of cam follower arrangement. Instead, a spring keeps the cam followers in constant contact with the cam surfaces by accommodating for variations in cam follower diameter and rib thickness. Disadvantages may result because the spring creates a large spring force to counteract the forces created by the acceleration imparted to the translating element by the cam surfaces. For example, the spring force may be between about 150-200 lbf. The spring force depends on the dimensional variations within tolerance ranges. The spring force is affected by the shape of the cam surfaces and the mass of the translating element, thereby exerting an unnecessary average force on the cam followers and the cam surfaces. The unnecessary force may wear down the cam followers and cam surfaces, thereby reducing the life of the turret assembly.


To provide a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material having higher sensitivity and higher contrast and free of reciprocity failure over a wide range of exposure illuminance, A silver halide emulsion comprising a silver halide grain containing at least two metal complexes each giving an average electron releasing time of 10−5 to 3 seconds, the ratio in the average electron releasing time between these two metal complexes being at least 3 times or more and in these metal complexes, the content of the metal complex having a shorter average electron releasing time being 3 times or more as the molar ratio to the content of the metal complex having a longer average electron releasing time.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a silver halide emulsion and a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, more specifically, the present invention relates to a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material using a dopant technique and ensuring high sensitivity, high gradation, no reciprocity failure, stable latent image and excellent aptitude for rapid processing.
2. Background Art
One of techniques of modifying a silver halide grain and thereby improving the performance of the entire silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as desired is a technique of integrating a substance (dopant) except for a silver ion and a halide ion (doping technique). Particularly, many studies have been made on the technique of doping a transition metal ion. As generally recognized, when a transition metal ion is integrated as a dopant into a silver halide grain, this ion effectively modifies the photographic performance even if the amount of the dopant added is very small.
In order to more effectively improve the photographic properties of a silver halide emulsion, not only a technique of doping a transition metal ion but also a technique of doping a transition metal complex into a silver halide grain are known. The performance of a silver halide emulsion, which is improved by the doping of a transition metal complex into a silver halide grain, includes sensitivity (higher sensitivity), reciprocity failure (low illuminance reciprocity failure, high illuminance reciprocity failure) and gradation (higher contrast). In a high silver chloride emulsion, improvement in the high illuminance reciprocity failure is particularly important. For improving the high illuminance reciprocity failure, an iridium complex is used in many cases. Examples of the silver halide grain doped with an iridium complex are described in JP-A-1-285941, JP-A-3-118583, JP-A-4-213449, JP-A-4-278940, JP-A-5-66511, JP-A-5-313277, JP-A-6-82947, JP-A-6-235995, JP-A-7-72569, JP-A-7-72576, JP-A-11-202440 and JP-A-11-295841. The ligand of the iridium complex is most commonly a chloride ion but other than that, a fluoride ion, a bromide ion, H2, a cyanide ion, a nitrosyl and a thionitrosyl are used. Furthermore, a dopant technique using an organic compound as the ligand is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,712 and [IrCl5(thia)]2-(thia: thiazole) is disclosed as a dopant of improving the high illuminance reciprocity failure.
On the other hand, for obtaining a high-sensitive emulsion, many examples of an emulsion doped with a Group VIII metal complex having 6 cyanide ions as ligands are disclosed. JP-B-48-35373 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") discloses hexacyanoferrate(II) complexes and hexacyanoferrate(III) complexes as a dopant containing a cyanide ion. Also, many other examples of obtaining a high-sensitive emulsion by doping a hexacyanoferrate(II) complex are known and disclosed, for example, in JP-A-5-66511 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,203. Other than the iron complex, high-sensitive emulsions obtained by doping a cyano complex are known and JP-A-2-20853 discloses that when a complex of rhenium, ruthenium, osmium or iridium is doped into silver iodochloride, a high-sensitive emulsion is obtained. The doping technique is used also for obtaining a high-gradation emulsion and a technique of using a nitrosyl or a thionitrosyl as the ligand of a transition metal complex is disclosed in European Patents 033642, 0606895 and 0610670. At this time, ruthenium or osmium is used as the center metal. A high-contrast emulsion is effectively obtained by not only using a nitrosyl or a thionitrosyl but also using hexachlororuthenium, hexachlororhodium or hexachlororhenium and this is described in JP-A-63-184740, JP-A-1-285941, JP-A-2-20852 and JP-A-20855.
In recent years, a technique of doping a complex having an organic compound as the ligand into a silver halide grain so as to attain more enhanced performance by a sole dopant is disclosed. Many examples of using a complex having an organic compound as the ligand are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,360,712, 5,457,021 and 5,462,849, European Patent 0709724, JP-A-7-72569 and JP-A-8-179452 and it is stated that doping of [(NC)5Fe(m-4,4′-bipyridine)Fe(CN)5]6− gives a particularly large effect in the elevation of sensitivity. The above-described technique of doping [IrCl5(thia)]2 is one of these techniques aiming at enhancement in the performance of an emulsion by a sole dopant. Furthermore, JP-A-11-24194 discloses an emulsion which is favored with high sensitivity and improved in the reciprocity failure by doping [Fe(CO)4(P(Ph)3)]0 or [Fe(CO)3(P(Ph)2)]0, JP-A-11-102042 discloses a technique where in complexes of [M(CN)5L]3− (M: Fe2+, Ru2+ or Ir3+), [Fe(CO)4L]]0, [M′(CN)3L]− (M′; Pd2+ or Pt2+) or [IrCl5L]− type, when L is 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 5-methyl-s-triazolo(1.5-A)pyrimidin-7-ol or 2-mercapto-1,3,4-oxadiazole, a high-sensitive emulsion is obtained, and JP-A-10-293377 discloses that an emulsion doped with [RuCl5L′]2− (L′: imidazole, benzimidazole or a derivative thereof) is remarkably increased in the contrast and the sensitivity thereof is greatly higher than that of an emulsion using a conventional dopant for obtaining high contrast with desensitization.
These dopants each effectively improves the photographic properties even when used solely, but by using a plurality of dopants at the same time, an emulsion having properties of respective dopants in combination can be obtained. An emulsion having high sensitivity and less reciprocity failure is realized by using a hexacyano complex and an iridium complex in combination as disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2-125425 [Patent Document 1], JP-A-3-132647 [Patent Document 2] and JP-A-3-188437 [Patent Document 3]. An emulsion having high contrast and excellent property in low illuminance and/or high illuminance reciprocity failure can be obtained by using a ruthenium or osmium complex having a nitrosyl as the ligand and an iridium complex in combination as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,888 [Patent Document 4] and U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,335 [Patent Document 5] and JP-A-4-51233 [Patent document 6]. A technique of using a ruthenium or osmium complex having a nitrosyl as the ligand of complex and an iron or ruthenium complex having a cyanide ion as the ligand in combination for obtaining an emulsion having high sensitivity and high contrast is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,771 [Patent Document 7] and European Patents 0606893 [Patent Document 8], 0606894 [Patent Document 9], 0606895 [Patent Document 10] and 0610670 [Patent Document 11]. Also, an emulsion having high sensitivity, high contrast and less reciprocity failure can be obtained by using three kinds of dopants in combination. JP-A-8-314043 [Patent Document 12], JP-A-8-328182 [Patent Document 13], JP-A-8-211529 [Patent Document 14], JP-A-8-211530 [Patent Document 15] and U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,771 [Patent Document 16] disclose emulsions having high contrast, high sensitivity and less reciprocity failure, obtained by using hexacyanoruthenium(II) as a dopant for obtaining high sensitivity, pentachloronitrosyl osmium(II) as a dopant for obtaining high contrast, and hexachloroiridium(III or IV) as a dopant for improving reciprocity failure. Other examples of the emulsion using three kinds of dopants include an emulsion described in JP-A-11-282114 [Patent Document 17]. In this publication, an emulsion having high contrast and less reciprocity failure over a wide exposure illuminance is obtained by using pentachloronitrosyl osmium, hexachloroiridium and pentachloro(thiazole)iridium in combination.
JP-A-2002-202574 [Patent Document 18] discloses an example of using K2Ir(H2O)Cl5 and K2Ir(thiazole)Cl5 in combination, European Patent 1,282,004 [Patent Document 19] discloses an example of using K2Ir(thiazole)Cl5 and K2Ir(5-methyl-thiazole)Cl5 in combination, and JP-A-2002-214733 [Patent Document 20] discloses an example of using three or more transition metal complexes differing in the classified electron releasing time, in combination.
Even with these currently known techniques of enhancing the performance by each dopant and attaining more enhancement by using a plurality of dopants in combination, a technique capable of more improving the reciprocity failure over wide illuminance from low illuminance exposure for an exposure time of about 10 seconds to high illuminance exposure for about 10−6 second's (that is, a technique capable of achieving agreement of sensitivity in this range) without adversely affecting other performances such as sensitivity, gradation and latent image storability is being demanded.

Silver halide emulsion and silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material


An antenna structure for use in a wireless communication device, the structure comprising (i) a plurality of antenna portions each having a substantially planar radiating surface and (ii) a conducting ground portion; wherein the radiating surfaces of the antenna portions are substantially parallel to one another in a side-by-side relationship and are substantially parallel to part of the conducting ground portion located behind the antenna portions with respect to a direction of transmission of radiation from the antenna portions, the conducting ground portion comprising a first part galvanically connected to each of the antenna portions and, electrically coupled to the first part, a second conducting part forming at least part of a cover for a wireless communication device.

Various antenna types are known for use in handheld communication devices. For example, monopole and dipole antennae, patch and so called planar inverted 'F' (PIF) antennae are all known for this application.
Some modern wireless communication devices are designed for multi-mode use in more than one communication system. Generally, dedicated multiple antennae are required for use in each separate mode in which the device is to operate. In some cases, devices are to be designed for operating in more than one mode and this can require the overall antenna structure to be large. This is undesirable where there are practical space and size constraints on the antenna structure and on other components used in the device.
In addition, some antenna structures operating in a so called space diversity arrangement include multiple active antenna portions even when they operate in a single communication mode or system. The space diversity arrangement can require the overall antenna structure to be unduly large.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel antenna structure including multiple active antenna portions suitable for use in a portable wireless communication device such as a mobile handset which facilitates use in multiple operational modes.

Antenna structures and their use in wireless communication devices


In situations where the demand for syngas is intermittent, a fuel processor is operated to provide a high absolute hydrogen and carbon monoxide production, rather than to give a high fuel-specific hydrogen and carbon monoxide production. When a syngas generator is operated to intermittently produce syngas, a heating process can be performed between periods of syngas demand in order to keep the fuel processor within a desired temperature range. The heating process can comprise various steps or events including performing a heating event, allowing a standby period, and/or performing a carbon conversion event. Carbon formed during the process of converting fuel to syngas can be advantageously converted to maintain the temperature of the fuel processor within a desired range in between periods of syngas demand. A predictive method can be employed to control at least a portion of the heating process.

For engine systems in vehicular or other mobile applications where a supply of hydrogen is required, due to challenges related to on-board storage of a secondary fuel and the current absence of a hydrogen refueling infrastructure, hydrogen is preferably generated on-board using a fuel processor. The hydrogen-containing gas from the fuel processor can be used to regenerate (for example, including to desulfate and/or heat) one or more devices in an engine exhaust after-treatment assembly, can be used as a supplemental fuel for the engine, and/or can be used as a fuel for a secondary power source, for example, a fuel cell. In some applications, such as the latter, the hydrogen-containing gas stream from the fuel processor may require additional processing prior to use. In some applications the demand for the hydrogen-containing gas produced by the fuel processor is highly variable.
One type of fuel processor is a syngas generator (SGG) that can convert a fuel into a gas stream containing hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), known as syngas. Air and/or a portion of the engine exhaust stream can be used as an oxidant for the fuel conversion process. Steam and/or water can optionally be added. The SGG can be conveniently supplied with a fuel comprising the same fuel that is used to operate the engine. Alternatively a different fuel can be used, although this would generally involve a separate secondary fuel source and supply system specifically for the SGG.
The thermochemical conversion of a hydrocarbon fuel to syngas is performed in an SGG at high operating temperatures with or without the presence of a suitable catalyst. Typically, a high SGG operating temperature is desired in order to increase the fuel conversion efficiency of the process, which in turn can reduce the size of the SGG. However, excessive operating temperatures can cause undesirable effects including catalyst sintering, formation of loose amorphous soot and the requirement for the use of thermally robust specialty materials. Insufficient operating temperatures can cause undesirable effects including reduced chemical kinetics, reduced stability of the reaction flame, low fuel conversion, high concentrations of unconverted hydrocarbons in the product syngas, and formation of dense, more graphitic carbon or coke.
Parameters including equivalence ratio (ER), oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C ratio) and operating temperature are typically controlled and adjusted in an attempt to increase the efficiency of the fuel conversion process while reducing the generally undesirable formation of carbon and other deposits, which can cause undesirable effects within the SGG and/or in downstream components. Typically, the parameter ER is employed when an oxidant stream supplied to the SGG contains molecular oxygen, for example, an air stream, while the parameter O/C ratio is employed when an oxidant stream supplied to the SGG contains primarily chemically bound oxygen.
The term equivalence ratio (ER) herein refers to the ratio between the actual amount of oxygen supplied and the theoretical stoichiometric amount of oxygen which would be required for complete combustion of the fuel. An ER of greater than 1 represents a fuel lean mode (excess oxygen) and a resulting product stream comprising a flue gas stream, while an ER of less than 1 represents a fuel rich mode (excess fuel) and a resulting product stream comprising syngas. The term "product stream" refers to an output stream from a fuel processor or SGG. The term oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C) herein refers to the ratio between the total atomic oxygen and the total atomic carbon in the reactants supplied to the SGG.
Over time, carbon accumulation can impede the flow of gases, increase the pressure drop across the SGG and its associated components, and reduce the operating life or durability of the SGG. Large accumulations of carbon also have the potential to create excessive amounts of heat that can damage the SGG if the carbon is converted (for example, combusted or oxidized or gasified) in an uncontrolled manner, for example, in a short period of time. The term carbon herein includes solid fraction particulates of carbon including elemental carbon, coke and soot, as well as carbonaceous gums, resins and other deposits.
In some applications including, for example, regeneration of a lean NOx trap (LNT) and/or a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in an engine after-treatment assembly, the demand for syngas can be intermittent at varying and various intervals; can occur between prolonged intervals, for example, minutes or hours; and can last for only a short period of time, for example, seconds or minutes. During the production of syngas, heat is generated by the exothermic reactions of the fuel conversion process, which can raise and/or maintain the temperature of an SGG within a desired range. When syngas is no longer in demand, for example, upon completion of regeneration of an exhaust after-treatment device, the production of syngas can be ceased in order to reduce fuel consumption. However, ceasing the flow of one or more reactants to the fuel processor and the production of syngas can allow the temperature of the SGG to fall. If the temperature falls below a desired threshold, additional time may be required to re-establish the desired operating temperature of the SGG. Maintaining the temperature of the SGG above a threshold can advantageously reduce the response time to produce syngas when demanded.
In one known method used to maintain the temperature of the SGG, an SGG is operated so that syngas is intermittently produced or pulsed at regular intervals. A shortcoming of this method can be a higher relative fuel consumption. In another known method, an SGG is operated so that the air-fuel ratio of the reactants is adjusted to a fuel lean mode (with an equivalence ratio of greater than 1) when syngas is not demanded. Operation of the SGG in a fuel lean mode can produce a flue gas and heat that can sustain or increase the temperature of the SGG while reducing the consumption of fuel (as compared to producing syngas). However, if fuel is supplied to the SGG continuously, the fuel consumed to maintain the temperature of the SGG can represent a substantial portion of the total fuel consumption, for example, in some cases about 50%-70% of the total fuel consumed by the SGG.
In vehicular or other mobile applications, an on-board SGG should generally be low cost, compact, light-weight, reliable, durable, and efficiently packaged with other components of the engine system. Some particular challenges associated with the design and operation of fuel processors for vehicular or other mobile applications can include the following:                (a) Increasing the output of CO and/or H2 produced by the fuel processor, so that a smaller fuel processor can be used to satisfy a given syngas demand;        (b) Increasing the ratio of H2 to CO in the product syngas stream;        (c) Reducing the volume and weight of the fuel processor;        (d) Reducing the cost of the fuel processor;        (e) Producing H2 and CO intermittently, and responding rapidly to fluctuating demands for H2 and CO;        (f) Maintaining the temperature of a fuel processor above a desired threshold temperature, in order to respond rapidly to fluctuating demands for H2 and CO; and        (g) Reducing fuel consumption.
The present methods of operating a fuel processor are effective in addressing at least some of the issues discussed above, both in engine system applications, as well as in other fuel processor applications.

Method of operating a fuel processor intermittently


A condom retaining device for use with a standard condom has a an elongated elastic strap forming two leg openngs and a condom-retaining strap forming an opening through which the penis can be inserted. The leg straps encircle the user's legs. The user places a standard condom over the penis down to the base and rolls the open end bead of the condom around an O-ring. The penis is then inserted through the opening in the retainer and the condom with attached ring at the base of the condom is held in place by the retainer.

Condoms have long been used to avoid conception during sexual intercourse and protect against the transmission of sexually-transmitted diseases. The latter function has become even more important since the rise of the HIV AIDS virus. Modern condoms are typically formed of a thin, flexible, elongated cylindrical sheath, sized and shaped to fit the erect male penis, and made of latex or similar liquid-impervious material, closed at one end and open at the other end, and having a bead around the open end around which the condom is rolled for packaging and storage. The effectiveness of the condom is compromised if it slips off the penis of the user during intercourse. Consequently a number of designs have been attempted to ensure that the condom is secured in place during intercourse.
For example, it is known to provide retention straps on condoms which are typically tied around the scrotum of the user. Such designs are shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,354,494; 4,942,885; 5,121,755; 5,351,699; 5,531,230; 5,799,657; 6,102,043; 6,123,079 and Canadian patent no. 2,105,341. Such devices require specially constructed condoms and consequently have not received significant acceptance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,556 discloses retaining straps which can be clipped to a standard condom but are difficult to install in the heat of the moment. There is therefore a need for a simple condom retaining device which can be used with standard condoms and is easy to put on.


A method and composition for effecting chemical necrosis of a tissue lining of a mammalian body cavity, particularly a uterine endometrium, by delivering a caustic tissue necrosing composition, e.g., a silver nitrate and dextran paste, to the tissue to be necrosed and allowing the paste to remain in contact with the target tissue for a period of time sufficient to chemically necrose substantially the entirety of the tissue lining, and then contacting the caustic composition with a deactivating agent, e.g., an aqueous sodium chloride solution, thereby rendering the caustic composition non-caustic, and then rinsing the cavity. Compositions and methods for delivering medicaments are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods, compositions, and apparatus for chemically necrosing the tissue lining of a human body cavity, particularly the endometrium of the uterus. More specifically, the methods, compositions, and apparatus of the present invention provide effective chemical necrosis of the endometrium of a mammalian uterus so as to treat menorrhagia and encourage amenorrhea without many of the disadvantages and dangerous features of known intrauterine necrosing techniques.
2. The Prior Art
The following terms as used herein have the meaning given below:
"Necrosis" means the death of cells in a tissue. PA1 "Endometrium" is that portion of the inner lining of the uterus to which an embryo normally attaches and excludes the portions of the uterine inner lining forming the cervix, to which the embryo usually does not attach. PA1 "Cryogenic" is used to refer to temperatures sufficiently low to cause necrosis. PA1 "Caustic Agent" or "caustic paste" is an agent capable of effecting necrosis of the cells in a tissue, e.g., the tissue lining a body cavity such as the uterus. PA1 "Chemical Necrosis" is necrosis resulting from contact with a caustic agent. PA1 "Deactivating Agent," "washout solution," and "washout lotion" means any agent capable of rendering a caustic agent or caustic paste non-caustic. PA1 "Menorrhagia" means heavy menstrual bleeding, i.e., in excess of about 80 ml of blood loss per month.
Apparatus and methods for necrosing of the endometrium of a mammalian uterus, useful in sterilization procedures and cancer treatments, are well known. Thermal and cryogenic treatments have been utilized in such necrosing techniques and typically involve either the direct or indirect application of heat or cold to the tissue to be treated.
For example, a laser hysteroscope has been used to necrose the endometrial layer of the uterus. This laser treatment suffers from several disadvantages. It requires the application of an intense amount of thermal energy to a relatively small area of tissue even though such a large amount of heat may not be necessary to effectively necrose the tissue. Further, this laser treatment requires the physician to continually re-position the laser under hysteroscopic control used in the treatment within the uterus in order to treat the entire endometrium. Such internal manipulation of a laser hysteroscope within the uterus of a patient is both difficult, requiring a significant level of skill to perform, and potentially dangerous. Accidental puncture of the uterine or tissue wall may result from manipulation of the laser scope within the uterus or body cavity, and tissue layers beneath the endometrium may be burned through the entire thickness if a laser's beam is left focused on one area of tissue for too long a period of time. Electrosurgical endometrial necrosis functions on a similar principle and suffers similar risks as laser endometrial necrosis.
A variety of alternatives to laser treatment in necrosing the uterine endometrium are known. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,949,718 and 5,105,808 to Neuwirth et al. a method and device for effecting the necrosis of the tissue lining of a mammalian body cavity, particularly the uterine endometrium by heating the liquid contents of an inflated distendable bladder inside the uterine cavity is disclosed. Inflating the distendable bladder inside the uterus allows for contact between the distendable bladder wall and the endometrial lining.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,628, to Droegemueller et al. discloses a method and apparatus for necrosing tissue cells that utilizes an extendable bladder which is inserted in the uterus and filled with a circulating fluid or gas at cryogenic temperatures (referring to temperatures sufficiently low to cause cell necrosis). The bladder disclosed by Droegemueller et al. is maintained in substantially continuous contact with the inner surface of the uterine lining and achieves necrosis of substantially all of the uterine endometrium in a single treatment. Droegemueller et al. disclose the use of liquid nitrogen that vaporizes prior to introduction into the bladder, thereby pressurizing the bladder to a level which ensures adequate contact with the uterus. Other fluids disclosed by Droegemueller et al. as useful in their method include refrigerants such as freon. Droegemueller et al.'s method and apparatus suffers from the disadvantage of employing cryogenic fluids which are toxic and could prove fatal to a patient in the event of bladder rupture. Moreover, Droegemueller et al.'s apparatus does not allow regulating the pressure used to inflate the bladder. In the event of a bladder rupture, the cryogenic fluid would rapidly change state from a liquid to a gas with possible grave consequences for the patient. Another disadvantage of Droegemueller et al.'s technique is that it does not limit the amount of cryogenic fluid that would be introduced into the uterus in the event of a bladder rupture.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,734,508, Kozinski discloses a therapeutic apparatus for applying dry heat to body cavities comprising an applicator that is introduced in the body cavity while deflated and which is subsequently inflated and heated by means of circulating hot air. Kozinski does not disclose an applicator which conforms to the shape of a body cavity. Further, given the lower heat transfer coefficients of gases as compared with liquid, treatment with Kozinski's apparatus should involve a long period of time in order to achieve necrosis, thereby exposing the patient to additional discomfort and risk. Moreover, Kozinski's apparatus does not provide for measurement and regulation of internal pressures and temperatures of the applicator introduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,077,453, issued to Albright, discloses a therapeutic appliance comprising a relatively long tubular applicator which is shaped and formed generally to the passage into which it is to be inserted and which has relatively thin elastic rubber walls that transfer heat and which distend to fit irregularities of the treated areas upon application of internal pressure. Albright also discloses that fluids such as heated water could be utilized as a heating means in his applicator. The applicator of Albright, like that of Kozinski, however, suffers from the disadvantage that the distension of its walls to conform to the irregularities of the endometrium is limited as Albright provides an integral rubber web which serves to prevent undue distension of the applicator. Moreover, Albright requires that the fluid be circulated throughout the apparatus. Albright also does not provide an apparatus that allows regulation of temperature and pressure of the fluid or other bladder inflation means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,549, issued to Armao, discloses a therapeutic device for applying heat or cold to body cavities comprising a capsule probe containing a heat exchanger and a flexible bladder that can be inflated to conform to a body cavity. Armao does not, however, disclose a control means for regulating the temperature and pressure of the flexible applicator, nor does he disclose necrosing tissue in the cavity being treated.
Other patents that disclose the use of thermal treatment of the interior lining of a body cavity include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,192,768; 2,466,042; 2,777,445; and 3,369,549.
In addition to these thermal and cryogenic treatments, application of caustic chemicals within the human body to achieve sterilization and treat cancers is also known. The use of caustic chemicals as locally destructive agents has been attempted but has been limited by concerns about safety and control of the delivery of various agents as well as other shortcomings due to the methods of application, e.g., blind placement of a particular solid chemical. For example, as described by Babcock, W., Chemical Hysterectomy, Jnl. Obstet. & Gyn., Vol. 7, p. 693 (1924), application of gauze strips soaked in a saturated solution of zinc chloride to the uterine walls has reportedly been used to produce amenorrhea, to produce sterility, and to treat tumors. However this procedure has several disadvantages. Initially, it is noted that the application of the gauze strips is a blind procedure. The zinc chloride soaked gauze is packed in the uterus until the practitioner feels the cavity is full. The strips are left in place for a predetermined length of time and then removed. Delivery to and removal from the uterine cavity of the caustic gauze strips necessarily entails substantial risk of contacting the vaginal walls wherein the caustic could damage the vaginal and other tissue which is not the target of the treatment. Accordingly, successful use of this methodology requires substantial skill and experience, limiting the availability of the procedure to women with access to highly trained medical personnel.
Use of caustic agents such as silver nitrate, zinc chloride and copper sulfate has been studied for use in chemical sterilization by chemically cauterizing the fallopian tubes. However, as discussed by Richart, R., Female Transcervical Sterilization, Chapter 3, Harper & Row (1983), even when massive tubal necrosis was achieved with the application of silver nitrate (AgNO.sub.3), a significant proportion of fallopian tubes remained open. When compositions for the sustained release of the caustic agents were employed it was found that control over the release of the caustic agents was insufficient to avoid unacceptable side effects. Additionally, use of strong caustic agents such as acids and alkalies would require the concomitant use of equally strong neutralizing agents whose use is also laden with risk. Use of such agents also puts the practitioner in the difficult position of titrating the neutralization of the caustic agent in the patient's uterus.

Intrauterine chemical necrosing method, composition, and apparatus


An electrical connector includes an insulating housing defining two openings, a circuit board received in the insulating housing and formed with two sets of contacts, a cover covering the insulating housing and enclosing the circuit board except the sets of contacts, and a pair of grounding shells inserted into the openings respectively. Each of the grounding shells defines an inserting opening exposed through the opening of the insulating housing and a blocking opening received in the insulating housing. One of the grounding shells connects to a grounding unit of a cord telephone base, and the other grounding shell connects to a grounding unit of a portable wireless telephone to prevent the cord telephone base and the portable wireless telephone from electrostatic influence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, more specifically, to an electrical connector with electrostatic protection.
2. The Related Art
A Wireless telephone system is popular nowadays, which has a cord telephone base and a portable wireless telephone (not shown in figures). The cord telephone base links to a telephone switch center by a telephone cord. If the portable wireless telephone is used, the portable wireless telephone can link the cord telephone base by radio. If the energy of a rechargeable battery of the portable wireless is insufficient, it can be connected to the cord telephone base by an electrical connector for being charged.
Please refer to FIG. 5, a conventional electrical connector 900 adapted to interconnect the cord telephone base and the portable wireless telephone includes an insulating housing 902, a printed circuit board 904 and a cover 906. The printed circuit board 904 includes two sets of contacts 908 defined at opposite ends thereof.
The cover 906 defines two positioning recesses 910. The printed circuit board 904 is received in the insulating housing 902. The cover 906 covers on the insulating housing 902 and encloses the printed circuit board 904. The sets of contacts 908 are exposed through the positioning recesses 910 respectively. The sets of contacts 908 respectively connect the cord telephone base and the portable wireless telephone. Hence, the portable wireless telephone will be charged through the electrical connector 900.
However, if the portable wireless telephone is hold by a human hand to be mounted on or apart form the cord telephone base, the static electricity of the human hand will influence electrical elements configured in the cord telephone base. Hence, the electrical elements of the cord telephone base will be damaged by the static electricity.

Electrical connector with electrostatic protection


Aspects of a data environment, such as various capacities of data stores and instances, can be managed using a separate control environment. A monitoring component of the control environment can periodically communicate with the data environment to obtain performance information. The information is analyzed, using algorithms such as trending and extrapolation algorithms, to determine any recommended scaling of resources in the data environment. The scaling can be performed automatically, or as authorized by a customer. A workflow can be instantiated that includes tasks necessary to perform the scaling. The scaling of storage capacity can be performed without affecting the availability of the data store.

As an increasing number of applications and services are being made available over networks such as the Internet, an increasing number of content, application, and/or service providers are turning to technologies such as cloud computing. Cloud computing, in general, is an approach to providing access to electronic resources through services, such as Web services, where the hardware and/or software used to support those services is dynamically scalable to meet the needs of the services at any given time. A user or customer typically will rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to resources through the cloud, and thus does not have to purchase and maintain the hardware and/or software to provide access to these resources.
The amount of resources needed by a customer can change over time. For example, the customer might require additional processing capacity for various applications, or might require additional storage capacity for customer data. Currently, the management of such resources is a manual procedure, which requires a database administrator (DBA) or other such operator to view statistics and usage data by customer, and determine when to request that the customer authorize an increase or decrease in allocated capacity. When receiving a request from a customer to adjust a capacity, the DBA must determine the appropriate type of adjustment and perform the adjustment. Often, this requires taking down a data store for the customer for a period of time necessary to make the adjustment. Further, such an approach can be reactive, in that a customer will not know that an increase is needed until the capacity for the customer is full or exceeded.

Monitoring and automatic scaling of data volumes


An apparatus for delivering bone cement into a vertebra includes a cannula and a mix and delivery device pivotally coupled to the cannula. The mix and deliver provides a single device in which a flowable compound may be mixed and the dispensed into the vertebrae through the cannula. The mix and delivery device includes a piston, slidably disposed within a barrel of the device, for advancing the bone cement through an outlet communicating with the cannula. An actuating device, which exerts a pressure, is connected to an inlet on the mix and delivery device (either directly or through a tube). The pressure created by the actuating device is used to advance the piston within the mix and delivery device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for delivering compounds into a body, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for delivering bone cement, biomaterials, and/or other flowable compounds into vertebrae, e.g., during a vertebroplasty procedure.
2. Background of the Invention
Vertebroplasty is a procedure during which bone cement, biomaterials, and/or other flowable compounds are delivered into a vertebra. A syringe or other delivery device is generally provided within which the bone cement to be delivered is stored shortly before the bone cement is to be delivered. For example, the delivery device may include a barrel or housing including an open inlet end and an exit end with a narrow outlet. A plunger or threaded driver may be advanced into the inlet end to force bone cement within the barrel out the outlet in the exit end.
A cannula may be inserted percutaneously through the cutaneous layers of tissue above a hard tissue structure being treated and into the hard tissue structure. For example, the hard tissue structure may be a vertebra, and the cannula may include a sharpened tip to penetrate through cortical bone and into the cancellous bone within the vertebra. Alternatively, the hard tissue structure may be exposed using conventional surgical procedures before inserting the cannula and/or the cannula may be inserted over a needle previously placed or simultaneously advanced into the vertebra.
A semi-rigid or flexible tube, e.g., twenty to fifty centimeters long, may be connected between the proximal end of the cannula and the outlet of the delivery device to deliver bone cement via the tube into the hard tissue structure, e.g., to keep the user's hands and/or the delivery device out of the field of an imaging device, such as a fluoroscope, that may be used to monitor the procedure. The tube may be bent slightly during the procedure to lessen the stress that on the cannula and to aid in ensuring the user's hands and/or the delivery device is kept out of the field of an imaging device that may be used during the procedure.
Alternatively, the syringe may be connected directly to the proximal end of the cannula. Such a rigid connection, however, requires a user to support the syringe/cannula combination, which may expose the user to x-ray radiation, e.g., from a fluoroscope used to monitor the injection of the material as it is being injected, requiring the user to wear appropriate additional x-ray protection, which may be cumbersome, inconvenient, and ineffective.
In addition, because of the high viscosity of bone cement, high pressures are generally required to inject bone cement from the delivery device, through the tube and cannula, and into the hard tissue structure. For example, pressures of up to one to three thousand pounds per square inch (1,000-3,000 psi) may be required to inject bone cement from the delivery device. This requires the user to apply substantial force, while simultaneously supporting the weight of the delivery device and its contents. This may cause fatigue of the user and/or undesired movement of the cannula delivery device during the procedure
A variety of apparatus and methods for delivering bone cement have been disclosed. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/463,757 filed on Jun. 17, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
Accordingly, additional apparatus and methods for delivering bone cement or other compounds into vertebrae would be useful.

Apparatus and methods for delivering compounds into vertebrae for vertebroplasty


This invention provides a simpler to use, brewing filter apparatus designed for measuring the required amount of coffee grounds or beverage mixes adapted to be mounted on a beverage- or coffee-making machine for brewing coffee grounds or beverages. Particularly, this invention relates to a filter apparatus for brewing coffee or beverage mixes, including but not limited to tea, chocolate or other flavored beverages mixes, and for making foam or froth in the brewed beverage or coffee.

The aim of this invention is to remedy the problems normally associated with the brewing of coffee and creating a small bubble foam or froth layer, or brewing coffee without producing this small bubble foam or froth layer. Typically, coffee makers which are able to produce coffee with a small bubble foam layer, require the use of pod or pads, which are prepackaged coffee grains or grounds with filter paper.
The problem faced by the consumer is the reliance on these coffee pads, which are usually priced at a premium. The coffee pads themselves are also not as readily available as packaged ground coffee.
The spoon shaped coffee brewing apparatus was shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,338, the content of which is incorporated into this application by reference, which uses a coffee grounds measuring spoon to measure the amount of coffee grounds needed per cup of coffee, and use said spoon to brew the coffee. The spoon also contains exit openings for the brewed coffee.
As measuring spoons are typically used for measuring loose or fine coffee grounds, there is no added cost of having to purchase coffee pads, nor does the consumer encounter shortages which occur as a result of the limited supply of coffee pads.
Since brewing is done in the spoon chamber, contamination of the coffee making machine is very limited and minimal, and the only part the coffee making machine which requires cleaning is the spoon filter.
In addition, since brewing is done in the spoon chamber, each coffee drinker can brew different types of coffee grounds consecutively from one machine with their own spoons.
However, the less appealing features of the previous design of the spoon shaped coffee brewing apparatus when compared to the present invention are:                1. The spoon apparatus has a seal ring on the top.        2. The spoon apparatus requires too many components thereby increasing the size and weight of the apparatus.        3. The design of the spoon apparatus results in excess water being left over the top of the coffee grounds after brewing.        4. The original spoon design requires the use of an unique locking mechanism, such as a hook. However, the present invention can be adapted to use the original locking mechanism as well as the single serve lock mechanism.
The above-described problems make the spoon apparatus clumsy and hard to use.
It is the object of the present invention to remedy the problems normally associated with the spoon shaped coffee brewing apparatus. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a brewing filter which is simpler and easier to use or cleaner, and which can be adapted for use in different single-serve coffee machines.
The present invention is easier to assemble and uses fewer components. The present invention also decreases water stay on top of the coffee inside the brewing chamber of filter apparatus during and/or after brewing. After brewing the coffee, some water will remain on top of the coffee grounds due to the lack of pressure or low pressure exerted on the remaining water which has not passed through the small hole/holes on the brewing chamber of the filter apparatus. In the present invention, the space between the water spreader and the grain coffee is reduced so that less water will stay on top or remain inside brewing chamber of the filter apparatus. The present invention also produces a small bubble foam layer without requiring the use of pods or prepackaged coffee pads.
It is still yet another object of this invention to provide a brewing filter apparatus made out of metal to make it more sturdy and rigid. The top mesh is an optional part of the brewing filter apparatus which is designed to prevent coffee grounds or beverage mixes from sticking to the water spreader and/or the seal ring on the brew head of the coffee machine. When coffee grounds adhere to the seal ring, it will induce leaking. For the user, the mesh can keep the water spreader and seal ring clean, but the use of a mesh is optional.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the present invention are illustrative of those that can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variation which may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in the novel methods, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.