A manufacturing method of an image sensor is provided. A substrate is provided, and the substrate includes a pixel array region. A plurality of openings is formed in the pixel array region of the substrate. A light guide region is formed in the substrate aside each of the openings, wherein a portion of the substrate is disposed between the light guide region and the opening, and the depth of the light guide region in the substrate is greater than the depth of the opening aside the light guide region in the substrate. Isolation structures are formed in the openings to define a plurality of pixel regions respectively located between two adjacent isolation structures in the pixel array region. A photosensitive region is formed in each of the pixel regions of the substrate. A conductive line layer is formed on each of the pixel regions of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to an image sensor and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor has a simple driving method and can implement a plurality of scanning methods, and is therefore extensively applied in imaging products such as security monitoring, digital cameras, toys, mobile phones, and video phones. In general, the image sensor includes a pixel array formed by the arrangement of a plurality of pixels, and each of the pixels is activated when receiving light. In the current trend of miniaturized image sensors, the spacing between pixels is reduced as a result. In this way, light incident to the image sensor generates severe optical scattering noise between pixels, that is, light originally to be received by a first color pixel may be received by a second color pixel due to light diffraction effect, thus causing the quantum efficiency (Q.E.) and the light sensitivity of each of the pixels to be worse, and causing the optical crosstalk between the pixels to be worse. Therefore, the spatial resolution and the overall sensitivity of the image sensor are reduced, and color mixing effect is generated, and therefore image noise is caused.
It can therefore be known that, in the current trend of miniaturized devices, how to increase the sensitivity of pixels under reduced size is one focus of study of various industries.

Image sensor and manufacturing method thereof


A system and method are provided for controlling a movable element in accordance with a speed command. The movable element, which may be an excavator swing platform, is moved via an actuator that is driven in accordance with a torque command. The speed of the movable element is sensed, and a torque command is generated via PID control based on the speed command and the sensed speed. The PID control uses a set of gains including a P-gain, an I-gain, and a D-gain. At least one of these gains is set based on a counter, and the counter is set, cleared, incremented, or decremented based on one or more of the speed command, the torque command and the sensed speed. In this way, the movable element responds aggressively to operator input, but stability is maintained.

Closed loop control is often used to manage the speed of machine transmission outputs, excavator swing platforms, and other speed-controlled machine elements. In general terms, such closed loop control operates by minimizing a difference between a desired speed and an actual speed of the element in question. In particular, the actual speed of the controlled entity is fed back to a controller which implements a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) process to derive a torque or torque command, which, when applied, will reduce the difference between the actual speed and the desired speed.
The controller will typically use three parameters to control the gain on the proportional, integral, and derivative stages respectively. While higher gains initially result in a more rapid response to speed change inputs, the gains needed to provide sufficient responsiveness often result in instability such as continuous overshooting or ringing. These problems are exacerbated in systems having inherent mechanical backlash and/or significant communication or processing delays. Thus, a stable speed control algorithm for such a system typically requires more subdued gains to yield a stable system. However, while stability can be achieved, the resultant system is often sluggish in responding to operator control inputs. This can lead to operator impatience and dissatisfaction, and in some cases, may also result in operator errors and inefficiencies.
With respect to the conversion of the swing function of excavator machines from hydraulic drive to electric drive, the modification of the electric motor function to replicate the behavior of a hydraulic swing function has been addressed in at least one reference. See, for example, US Patent Application 20120283919, entitled "Electric Swing Drive Control System and Method." In that application, the problem of braking the swing platform using the electric drive is discussed, and a method is disclosed for braking the swing motion at a substantially constant rate when a command signal indicates zero desired swing speed. However, this technique does not address the need to provide responsive behavior during an increase in swing speed.
The present disclosure is directed to a system that may exhibit numerous distinctions over prior systems. However, it should be appreciated that any such distinction is not a limitation on the scope of the disclosed principles or of the attached claims except to the extent expressly noted. Additionally, the discussion of any problem or solution in this Background section is not an indication that the problem or solution represents known prior art. For readers interested in a full and accurate understanding of the underlying feedback control theory and its limitations, numerous volumes on the subject are publicly available. This Background section is also too brief to fully and accurately describe the referenced patent application, and as such, the above characterization of the application is not itself prior art. Interested reads are referred to the application itself.


A cleaning equipment includes a brush head having a body portion formed with a dovetail groove at an opposite side thereof and a plurality of holes close to one side of the dovetail groove, an adapter having a tubular member formed with an axial outlet which is connected with a sectorial member, and a tubular handle provided with a valve assembly and a container engaged with the valve assembly, whereby the cleaning equipment can automatically dispense a mixture of water and liquid detergent as desired.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a cleaning equipment and in particular to one which can dispense liquid detergent for cleaning things as desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional cleaning brush includes a hollow handle having a rear open end closed by a cap and a front end fixedly mounted with a coupling, and a brush head coupled to the flange of the coupling and secured in place by a locking lock. However, when cleaning household things with such a conventional cleaning brush, a detergent must be separately applied, thereby causing much inconvenience in use.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning equipment which can obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.


A technique includes writing blocks of data from a plurality of servers to an array of disks that are shared in common by the servers. Prior to the writing in each block of data to the array of disks, the method includes storing in a journal a copy of the block of data to be written to the array of disks. Also stored in the journal is at least one header, and this header(s) indicates that the copy was successfully stored in the journal.

The invention generally relates to a journaling method for write transactions to mass storage, such as an array of disk drives, for example.
A redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) (called a "RAID array") is often selected as the mass storage for a computer system due to the array's ability to preserve data even if one of the disk drives of the array should fail. As an example, in an arrangement called RAID4, data may be stored across three disk drives of the array, with a dedicated drive of the array serving as a parity drive. Due to the inherent redundancy that is presented by this storage technique, the data from any three of the drives may be used to rebuild the data on the remaining drive. In an arrangement known as RAID5, the parity information is not stored on a dedicated disk drive, but rather, the parity information is stored across all drives of the array. Other RAID techniques are commonly used.
The RAID array may be part of a cluster environment, an environment in which two or more file servers share the RAID array. For purposes of ensuring data consistency, only one of these file servers accesses the RAID array at a time. In this manner, when granted the exclusive access to the RAID array, a particular file server may perform the read and write operations necessary to access the RAID array. After the particular file server finishes its access, then another file server may be granted exclusive access to the RAID array. For purposes of establishing a logical-to-physical interface between the file servers and the RAID array, one or more RAID controllers typically are used. As examples of the various possible arrangements, a single RAID controller may be contained in an enclosure that houses the RAID array, or alternatively, each file server may have an internal RAID controller. In the latter case, each file server may have an internal RAID controller card that is plugged into a card connector slot of the file server.
For the case where the file server has an internal RAID controller, the file server is described herein as accessing the RAID array. However, it is understood that in these cases, it is actually the RAID controller card of the server that is accessing the RAID array. Using the term "server" in this context, before a particular server accesses the RAID array, the file server that currently is accessing the RAID array closes all open read and write transactions. Hence, under normal circumstances, whenever a file server is granted access to the RAID array, all data on the shared disk drives of the array are in a consistent state.
As noted above, the RAID array is designed to permit the recovery of the data on one of the disk drives of the array should a drive fail. However, a situation may occur in which a file server that owns the access right to the RAID array fails during its access to the array. For example, one of the servers, while accessing the RAID array, may fail due to a power failure. In response to this failure, the cluster management software (part of the server operating system) on one of the remaining servers of the cluster elects a suitable server to replace the failed server.
However, if the file server fails during a critical point of the access, inconsistency between the user data and parity data that the server has stored in the array during the access may occur. For example, in order for the file server to write a block of user data that is passed to the file server to the RAID array, the server performs five steps: 1. the server reads the old corresponding block of data from the RAID; 2. the server reads the old block of parity data from the RAID array; 3. using the old parity and user data, the server calculates the block of new parity data; 4. the server writes new user data to the RAID array; and 5. the server writes the block of new parity data to the RAID array. Disruption of the file server while the server is writing the new user data or the new parity data may present potential problems later on, for example, when a member disk drive of the array fails and an attempt is made to rebuild user data on the failed drive from the parity information. Thus, the parity inconsistency in this scenario may eventually lead to data corruption.
Thus, there is a continuing need for an arrangement that addresses one or more of the problems that are stated above.

Journaling technique for write transactions to mass storage


A method of providing location-based services for a mobile unit operating in a wireless network including network structures. The method includes receiving an identifier associated with the mobile unit. The method also includes monitoring a location of the mobile unit using the identifier and a network-assisted location finding system to identify a crossing of a service zone boundary by the mobile unit. The service zone boundary is defined by reference to at least one of the network structures. The service zone boundary also corresponds to a geographic zone boundary. The method further includes transmitting service information to a system user in response to the crossing of the service zone boundary.

The present invention relates generally to providing location-based services in a wireless network and, in particular, to providing service information based on the crossing of a service zone boundary by a mobile unit in a wireless network.
A number of different types of location based service applications have been developed or proposed for wireless networks, i.e., communications networks involving at least one wireless interface between communicating devices. Generally, such applications determine or otherwise obtain location information regarding the location of a mobile unit under consideration, e.g., a wireless telephone, PDA, wireless data terminal or the like—and provide service information based on the mobile unit location. Examples of location based service applications include E911, local service information and location-based billing applications. In E911 applications, emergency calls are routed to a selected dispatcher based on the location of origin of an emergency call. Location based service applications provide information regarding local services such as hotels or restaurants based on a request entered via a mobile unit. In location based billing applications, a rate for a call placed or received by a wireless telephone is dependent on the location of the phone, e.g., whether the phone is inside or outside of a "home zone" for the subscriber proximate to the subscriber's residence, business or other defined location. Various other applications have been proposed or implemented.
Location based service applications generally involve comparing a current (or recent) location to predefined service zone definitions to make either a binary determination (e.g., that the mobile unit is either inside or outside of a zone under consideration) or a matching determination (e.g., that the mobile unit location matches or overlaps one or more stored zone definitions). In either case, at one or more relevant processing steps, mobile unit location information corresponding to a particular time is compared to service location information corresponding to one or more service zones, service provided locations or other stored location information. Thus, in E911 applications the mobile unit location at the time of placing an E911 call may be compared to the dispatcher coverage zones of an emergency response network. In local service information applications, the location of a mobile unit at the time of submitting, for example, a local hotel information request, may be compared to a database of hotel location information. The location of a mobile unit during a call may be used by a location based billing application to establish billing parameters for the call.
In addition, location based service applications generally provide service information in response to an input by a subscriber or other application user invoking the application. In the case of local service information applications, the input is generally an explicit service request entered via the mobile unit. In E911 or location based billing applications, the location based service application may be invoked invisibly, from the perspective of the mobile unit, upon making a call. In other cases, the input invoking the application to provide service information based on the location of the mobile unit, is received from an application separate or remote from the mobile unit requesting location based service information, e.g., identification of current mobile unit location. In such applications, the service information is nonetheless provided in response to an input requesting location-based services. That is, the trigger event generally is, from the perspective of the service application, a service request.

Monitoring boundary crossings in a wireless network


A sheet feeding unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The image forming apparatus includes a body and the sheet feeding unit to supply sheets into the body. The sheet feeding unit includes a sheet feeding cassette coupled to the body, a sheet lifting plate positioned in the sheet feeding cassette to stack sheets thereon, a pick-up device to feed the sheets piece by piece from the sheet feeding plate, and an adjustment unit to vary a sheet feeding force by which the sheets are fed from the sheet lifting plate. Accordingly, the sheets can be smoothly fed into the body without skewing through adjustment of a sheet feeding force of the pick-up device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a sheet feeding unit to automatically feed sheets to a print unit in a body of an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer, an ink-jet printer, a multi-function printer, a copying machine, etc., generally include a body defining an appearance of the image forming apparatus, a print unit positioned within the body, a sheet feeding unit to automatically feed sheets to the print unit, and a sheet discharge unit to discharge the printed sheets to an outside of the body. The print unit serves to print black and white images or color images on surfaces of the sheets through application of toner or ink to the sheets supplied from the sheet feeding unit, according to a printing method.
The sheet feeding unit includes a sheet stacking device such as a sheet feeding cassette or a sheet feeding tray on which the sheets are stacked, and a pick-up device to separate and feed the sheets piece by piece from the sheet stacking device to the print unit. The pick-up device includes one or more pick-up rollers which are made of rubber material having a high friction coefficient. Among the sheet stacking devices, the sheet feeding cassette is suitable for an automatic sheet feeding unit for automatic printing due to capability of stacking a plurality of sheets having the same dimensions, whereas the sheet feeding tray is suitable for a manual sheet feeding unit due to capability of permitting a single sheet or a small number of sheets to be quickly stacked thereon, if necessary.
Typically, the sheet feeding cassette is detachably inserted into an installation space defined at a lower portion of the body, and has a sheet lifting plate on which the sheets are placed. The sheet lifting plate has one end supported by a spring, and the other end hingably coupled to one side of the sheet feeding cassette. With the above configuration, the sheet lifting plate raises one end of the sheets stacked thereon toward the pick-up device through a pivot behavior of a predetermined angle about a hinge part. The sheet lifting plate is provided at the one end with a sheet separation mechanism to separate the sheets piece by piece. The sheet separation mechanism is provided to the sheet lifting plate to be brought into contact with one end of the sheets stacked on the sheet feeding cassette so that when the pick-up roller pushes the sheets upward, the sheet separation mechanism blocks the one end of the sheets at the one side of the sheet lifting plate, allowing the sheets to be fed piece by piece without overlapping.
Since such a conventional sheet feeding cassette is configured to allow the spring to elastically support the sheet lifting plate with a constant elastic force, the pick-up device applies a constant feeding force. Thus, the conventional sheet feeding unit has a problem in that, when heavy sheets are stacked on the sheet lifting plate, the sheets can be skewed upon pick-up of the sheets due to an insufficient feeding force.

Sheet feeding unit and image forming apparatus having the same


Speech recognition systems may perform the following operations: receiving audio at a computing device; identifying a language associated with the audio; recognizing the audio using recognition models for different versions of the language to produce recognition candidates for the audio, where the recognition candidates are associated with corresponding information; comparing the information of the recognition candidates to identify agreement between at least two of the recognition models; selecting a recognition candidate based on information of the recognition candidate and agreement between the at least two of the recognition models; and outputting data corresponding to the selected recognition candidate as a recognized version of the audio.

Speech recognition includes processes for converting spoken words to text or other data. In general speech recognition systems translate verbal utterances into a series of computer-readable sounds and compare those sounds to known words. For example, a microphone may accept an analog signal, which is converted into a digital form that is then divided into smaller segments. The digital segments can be compared to the smallest elements of a spoken language, called phonemes (or "phones"). Based on this comparison, and an analysis of the context in which those sounds were uttered, the system is able to recognize the speech.
To this end, a typical speech recognition system may include an acoustic model, a language model, and a dictionary. Briefly, an acoustic model includes digital representations of individual sounds that are combinable to produce a collection of words, phrases, etc. A language model assigns a probability that a sequence of words will occur together in a particular sentence or phrase. A dictionary transforms sound sequences into words that can be understood by the language model.

Recognizing different versions of a language


A method according to one embodiment may include providing a baffle assembly comprising at least one airflow control zone with an airflow resistance. The method of this embodiment may also include positioning said baffle assembly in a flow of air through a chassis. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.

Increases in processor speeds and circuit board densities have resulted in an increase in the heat generated by computer systems and other electronics systems. In a conventional computer or electronics system, heat generated by various components of the system is often removed through convective cooling of the various components, or of commonly housed components. Convective cooling of the computer or electronics system may take advantage of natural convection currents created by the heat produced by various heat generating components to circulate air within a housing or chassis of the computer or electronics system. Natural convective cooling, however, tends to be relatively inefficient, and may even be inadequate, especially for systems that generate a great deal of heat and/or are prone to damage from over heating.
More typically, computer or electronics systems are cooled using forced convention. In a forced convention cooling system a fan may be used to circulate air within a housing or chassis of the computer or electronics system. In many systems, the fan may be used to force the intake of air from the exterior of the computer or electronics system, pass the air through the housing or chassis, and exhaust heated air from housing or chassis. While such forced convention cooling systems may provide more efficient cooling than a natural convention cooling system, the airflow within the housing or chassis of the computer or electronics system is generally not uniform. The location of the intake and exhaust, as well as the shape of the housing or chassis and the configuration of any components within the housing or chassis may create regions of high airflow and regions of low airflow within the housing or chassis. Any component located within, or adjacent to, a region of low air flow may receive insufficient cooling. Therefore, circuit boards for such computer and electronics systems are often designed to position heat generating components in, or adjacent to, regions of relatively high airflow through the housing or chassis. Positioning heat generating components in, or adjacent to, regions of relatively high airflow often requires a compromise in circuit board layout.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variation thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly.


A plastic window assembly includes a substantially transparent plastic panel and an opaque plastic frame adhered to the perimeter of the panel, which bounds and defines an effective viewing area of the panel. A transition step of the frame extends upward from the surface of the panel to a raised surface of the frame. Provided on the surface in the effective viewing area of the panel is an image. In order to print the image such that the outer edges of the image extend to an interfacial area defined by the juncture of the transition step and the second surface of the panel, a MIT printing process and specialized membrane construction is used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to glazing panels and to such panels utilized in automotive applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to the transferring of an image onto a glazing panel having a raised portion about the perimeter of the glazing panel and adjacent thereto.
2. Description of Known Technology
Plastic materials are being used in a number of automotive engineering applications to enhance vehicle styling. For example, polycarbonate is currently used in the manufacturing of B-pillar covers, headlamps, and sunroofs. An emerging application for transparent plastic materials is automotive glazing panel applications, such as windows and panoramic roof systems. When plastics are used to manufacture automotive windows and panoramic roof systems, it is a manufacturing requirement that such windows maintain a certain degree of rigidity. The perimeter of a window often must be reinforced or supported in order to enhance the rigidity of the installed window or roof system. Additionally, it is also a manufacturing requirement that plastic windows and panoramic roof systems are coated to make them scratch resistant.
One method of reinforcing the perimeter of a plastic window or roof system is to injection mold the window in a two shot process. This particular type of injection molding is known as two-component molding. More specifically, the transparent portion of the plastic panel is typically formed in the introduction of a transparent resin (1st shot) into a mold. A second shot is subsequently introduced into a mold, usually around the perimeter of the plastic panel formed by the first shot. This second shot can be formed so as to integrate various types of functionality into the plastic panel, such as ribs, placement fixtures, etc. This second shot, which can be of the same or different resin, transparent or opaque, and of the same or different stiffness, must adhere to the plastic panel made by the first shot through melt bonding with the plastic panel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,638 discloses a two shot method and is herein incorporated by reference. This second shot, however, produces a raised frame portion around the perimeter of the transparent panel.
Issues that must be addressed if two component molding is used to produce glazing panels, plastic windows, roof systems or similar systems (herein just referred to as "plastic windows") is the ability to effectively apply any border image, decoration or logo information to the transparent portion of the molded plastic panel. Sometimes, such border images are used to hide or mask aesthetic defects or mounting structures of the window assembly. One form of an aesthetic defect is the formation of a distortion line on the plastic panel. This distortion line typically runs parallel to the edge that the second shot makes with the first shot. This aesthetic defect is described as "picture framing" or "window effect", depending upon the root cause of the defect. The root cause of the "picture framing" is the application of a protective coating, while the "window effect" arises from the molding process itself.
A known problem with printing on plastic panels is that such panels often have complex shapes (concave, convex, compound curvature, etc.) as a direct result of the molding capabilities of the plastic. Screen printing is a known commercial process but is limited by the complexity of the shape of the surface to be printed upon. To utilize screen printing for surfaces other than "flat" substrates, various modified processes must be employed. One such process is a technique known as in mold decoration (IMD). In this technique the printed image is applied via screen printing to a "flat" film. The film is then held either by a vacuum to the surface contour of the mold or is itself formed so as to conform to the surface of the mold. Upon injection of the plastic material into the mold, the film becomes part of the surface of the molded article. Another printing technique is known as membrane image transfer (MIT) printing. A membrane is located in a print station where an image is printed onto the membrane by screen printing or a similar process. The printed membrane is then moved to a transfer station. In the transfer station a substrate fixture holds the substrate and a forming fixture shapes the membrane and moves the membrane into contact with the substrate. Pressure is applied to this fixture combination to effect a transferring of the image from the membrane to the substrate. Once the image is transferred to the substrate, the pressure is released. U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,100 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,226 each disclose various aspects of MIT printing and are herein incorporated by reference.
While IMD and MIT printing can be used to transfer an image to a complex shape, these processes are limited in their ability to transfer the image to an area adjacent and precisely aligned with a step height change along the surface of the window assembly. The above mentioned processes are limited by their inability to have the membrane conform to the step height change along the surface of the window assembly.
As seen from the above, there is a need for a system, method and article that overcomes the limitations and drawbacks of the known technology.

Decorated two component window assembly and method of manufacture


The present invention provides a method for reducing plant water stress which comprises contacting plants with dry milled fibre, particularly wheat fibre and pea fibre. Said contacting is carried out in a manner selected from the group consisting of coating seeds with a mixture comprising dry milled fibre, pelletizing seeds with a mixture comprising dry milled fibre, applying a mixture comprising dry milled fibre in the form of granules, and applying a mixture comprising dry milled fibre in the form of tablets. Prior to said contacting, dry milled fibre is admixed with soil for plants, and the resulting mixture may optional comprise further additives such as fillers, binders, inert powders, colouring agents, fertilizers, fungicides, growth hormones, or microorganisms for inoculation.

The present invention is directed to a method for reducing plant water stress based on the use of dry milled fibres, particularly wheat fibre and pea fibre, which are capable of increasing plant available water, and also reducing nutrient losses from soil during rain-induced leaching events.
Drought stress or water stress is usually related to the absence of rainfall or irrigation for a significant period of time, wherein such absence causes a dramatic effect on the field capacity due to severely impaired water absorption. Under these circumstances, physiological functions of plant cells may deteriorate, and thus various disorders may arise; therefore, in order to survive, the plants must activate protective mechanisms usually leading to detrimental effects on growth, development and productivity.
By way of illustration, Farooq et al (Agron. Sustain. Dev. 2009, 29 (1), 185-212) disclose how drought stress reduces leaf size, stem extension and root proliferation, disturbs plant water relations and decreases water-use efficiency (WUE). It is further described therein that carbon dioxide assimilation by leaves is significantly reduced under drought conditions by stomatal pore closure, membrane damage and enzymatic disturbances, thus causing an enhancement in the metabolite flux, which leads in turn to an increase in the oxidative load on the tissues. The resulting excessive concentration of reactive oxygen species formed is known to be one of the major deterrents to plant growth.
Numerous strategies have been developed throughout the years to tackle this problem and either favour drought tolerance or reduce water stress in plants. For example, US20130210633 discloses the application of an effective amount of one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of a compound represented by the formula [R1—X—NHCO—Y—CO—R2] wherein R1 represents an optionally substituted phenyl group, naphthyl group or aromatic heterocyclic group, R2 represents a hydroxyl group, an amino group or a C1-C6 alkoxy group, X represents a linear or branched C1-C6 alkylene group, and Y represents a linear or branched C1-C6 alkylene group or a linear or branched C2-C6 alkenylene group, for reducing water stress in a plant.
US20150052640 discloses another solution aimed at enhancing drought tolerance of plants, which is based on the application of at least one treatment with an effective amount of trimethylamine-N-oxide dihydrate (TMAO) to the plant, plant part, photosynthetic organism or seed.
Other different approaches have been proposed through the years in order to solve this water-use efficiency issues, several of them based on specific genetic modifications aimed at creating more resistant plants under drought stress conditions. By way of illustration, in WO0177161, a transgenic plant cell is transformed by a GTP binding stress-related protein (GBSRP) coding nucleic acid, thus yielding a new plant with enhanced tolerance to environmental stress conditions including drought, temperature, metal, chemical, pathogenic stress, oxidative stress or combinations thereof.
However, most of these approaches demand the use of potentially hazardous or toxic chemical products, or alternatively require complex and expensive genetic manipulation to obtain enhanced plants or plant parts capable of resisting plant water stress conditions.
Thus, even though considerable improvement has been made in the art towards solving this problem, there is still the need for a new method which is highly accessible, cost-efficient, environmentally friendly, and which preferably does not require any genetic manipulation.

Method for reducing water stress in plants


An apparatus for dividing a sausage strand includes at least two opposite spaced-apart guide elements having a distance which can be adapted to a sausage caliber such that the filled sausage strand can be moved between and through the guide elements in the transportation direction along a first axis and rotated by the guide elements about the first axis, and a means for jointly rotating the guide elements about the first axis. The sausage strand is first filled with a filling tube of a filling unit, and then guided in the transportation direction through the at least two opposite spaced-apart guide elements whose distance can be adapted to the sausage caliber, and the guide elements are rotated about a first axis extending along the transportation direction, wherein the filled sausage strand is also rotated about the first axis, the filled sausage strand being simultaneously supported at a place in the transportation direction behind the guide elements.

In automatic sausage production, filling machines are normally used. Such filling machines introduce sausage meat through a filling tube into a sausage casing. To this end the sausage casing is directly positioned in a loosely folded state on the filling tube or in a corresponding sleeve which is slid over the filling tube. In general, a so-called skin brake or a brake ring is positioned at the end of the filling tube. After ejection of a sausage meat portion from the filling tube, which portion corresponds to an individual sausage, the sausage casing is twisted off with the help of the brake ring gear or a twist-off device. To press the sausage meat through the filling tube, a corresponding filling unit is used that conveys the sausage meat into the filling tube. Such a filling machine is e.g. described in European patent application 0 232 812. The sausage meat can be ejected intermittently or also continuously, particularly in connection with a coextrusion method.
Two twist-off methods which are used during simultaneous filling and twisting off are in principle known on the market.
In the first known method, the skin casing and a twist-off sleeve are rotated with the support of a brake rubber. In this method the skin casing which is positioned between the rotating or stationary brake rubber and the rotating filling nozzle is rotated. To ensure the entry of the twist-off point in the sausage strand, the sausage to be twisted off must simultaneously be retained to prevent rotation. The sausage can be retained by hand, by conveyor belts, transport chains, rollers, skin guiding tube or length portioning device.
A further possibility consists in rotating a twist-off sleeve, as known in a second method. In this method the already filled skin is rotated on the outer diameter by means of a twist-off sleeve. Likewise, as is not separately shown in FIG. 9, a support is required. In the case of sensitive sausage casings the filling nozzle must additionally be rotated.
The two known methods described above have the drawback that caliber-dependent shaped parts, here: brake rubber or twist-off sleeve, are needed.

Apparatus and method for dividing a sausage strand

Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik Gmbh & Co, KG.


A currency identification system for identifying currency bills of different denominations of a plurality of currency systems. The device comprises a discriminating unit for discriminating the identity a bill, the discriminating unit retrieving characteristic information from said bill. Furthermore, a memory stores master characteristic information associated with each genuine bill which the system is capable of identifying; the memory storing master characteristic information associated with at least one genuine bill from at least two currency systems. A signal processing means compares the retrieved characteristic information with master characteristic information associated with at least one genuine bill; the signal processing means generating an indication of the identity of said bill based on said comparison when said bill is one that the system is capable of identifying.

Machines that are currently available for simultaneous scanning and counting of documents such as paper currency are relatively complex and costly, and relatively large in size. The complexity of such machines can also lead to excessive service and maintenance requirements. These drawbacks have inhibited more widespread use of such machines, particularly in banks and other financial institutions where space is limited in areas where the machines are most needed, such as teller areas. The above drawbacks are particularly difficult to overcome in machines which offer much-needed features such as the ability to scan bills regardless of their orientation relative to the machine or to each other, and the ability to authenticate genuineness and/or denomination of the bills.
A variety of techniques and apparatus have been used to satisfy the requirements of automated currency handling systems. At the lower end of sophistication in this area of technology are systems capable of handling only a specific type of currency, such as a specific dollar denomination, while rejecting all other currency types. At the upper end are complex systems which are capable of identifying and discriminating among and automatically counting multiple currency denominations.
Currency discrimination systems typically employ either magnetic sensing or optical sensing for discriminating among different currency denominations. Magnetic sensing is based on detecting the presence or absence of magnetic ink in portions of the printed indicia on the currency by using magnetic sensors, usually ferrite core-based sensors, and using the detected magnetic signals, after undergoing analog or digital processing, as the basis for currency discrimination. A variety of currency characteristics can be measured using magnetic sensing. These include detection of patterns of changes in magnetic flux, patterns of vertical grid lines in the portrait area of bills, the presence of a security thread, total amount of magnetizable material of a bill, patterns from sensing the strength of magnetic fields along a bill, and other patterns and counts from scanning different portions of the bill such as the area in which the denomination is written out.
The more commonly used optical sensing techniques, on the other hand, are based on detecting and analyzing variations in light reflectance or transmissivity characteristics occurring when a currency bill is illuminated and scanned by a strip of focused light. The subsequent currency discrimination is based on the comparison of sensed optical characteristics with prestored parameters for different currency denominations, while accounting for adequate tolerances reflecting differences among individual bills of a given denomination. A variety of currency characteristics can be measured using optical sensing. These include detection of a bill's density, color, length and thickness, the presence of a security thread and holes, and other patterns of reflectance and transmission. Color detection techniques may employ color filters, colored lamps, and/or dichroic beamsplitters.
In addition to magnetic and optical sensing, other techniques of detecting characteristic information of currency include electrical conductivity sensing, capacitive sensing (such as for watermarks, security threads, thickness, and various dielectric properties) and mechanical sensing (such as for size, limpness, and thickness).
A major obstacle in implementing automated currency discrimination systems is obtaining an optimum compromise between the criteria used to adequately define the characteristic pattern for a particular currency denomination, the time required to analyze test data and compare it to predefined parameters in order to identify the currency bill under scrutiny, and the rate at which successive currency bills may be mechanically fed through and scanned. Even with the use of microprocessors for processing the test data resulting from the scanning of a bill, a finite amount of time is required for acquiring samples and for the process of comparing the test data to stored parameters to identify the denomination of the bill.
Recent currency discriminating systems rely on comparisons between a scanned pattern obtained from a subject bill and sets of stored master patterns for the various denominations among which the system is designed to discriminate. For example, it has been found that scanning U.S. bills of different denominations along a central portion thereof provides scanning patterns sufficiently divergent to enable accurate discrimination between different denominations. Such a discrimination device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,196. However, currencies of other countries can differ from U.S. currency and from each other in a number of ways. For example, while all denominations of U.S. currencies are the same size, in many other countries currencies vary in size by denomination. Furthermore, there is a wide variety of bill sizes among different countries. In addition to size, the color of currency can vary by country and by denomination. Likewise, many other characteristics may vary between bills from different countries and of different denominations.
As a result of the wide variety of currencies used throughout the world, a discrimination system designed to handle bills of one country generally can not handle bills from another country. Likewise, the method of discriminating bills of different denominations of one country may not be appropriate for use in discriminating bills of different denominations of another country. For example, scanning for a given characteristic pattern along a certain portion of bills of one country, such as optical reflectance about the central portion of U.S. bills, may not provide optimal discrimination properties for bills of another country, such as German marks.
Furthermore, there is a distinct need for an identification system which is capable of accepting bills of a number of currency systems, that is, a system capable of accepting a number of bill-types. For example, a bank in Europe may need to process on a regular basis French, British, German, Dutch, etc. currency, each having a number of different denomination values.
Furthermore, in currency discriminating systems that rely on comparisons between a scanned pattern obtained from a subject bill and sets of stored master patterns, the ability of a system to accurately line up the scanned patterns to the master patterns to which they are being compared is important to the ability of a discrimination system to discriminate among bills of various denominations as well as between genuine bills and counterfeit bills without rejecting an unacceptable number of genuine bills. However, the ability of a system to line up scanned and master patterns is often hampered by the improper initiation of the scanning process which results in the generation of scanned patterns. If the generation of scanned patterns is initiated too early or too late, the resulting pattern will not correlate well with the master pattern associated with the identity of the currency; and as a result, a genuine bill may be rejected. There are a number of reasons why a discrimination system may initiate the generation of a scanned pattern too early or too late, for example, stray marks on a bill, the bleeding through of printed indicia from one bill in a stack onto an adjacent bill, the misdetection of the beginning of the area of the printed indicia which is desired to be scanned, and the reliance on the detection of the edge of a bill as the trigger for the scanning process coupled with the variance, from bill to bill, of the location of printed indicia relative to the edge of a bill. Therefore, there is a need to overcome the problems associated with correlating scanned and master patterns.

Method and apparatus for discriminating and counting documents


A tire with printed strain sensors includes a pair of bead areas and a ground-contacting tread disposed radially outwardly of the pair of bead areas. Each one of a pair of sidewalls extends from a respective bead area to the tread. A carcass extends toroidally between each of the bead areas radially inwardly of the tread, and an innerliner is formed on an inside surface of the carcass. A pair of resistive strain sensors is printed on the innerliner, and includes a first strain sensor printed on the innerliner at an inboard rim flange area and a second strain sensor printed on the innerliner at an outboard rim flange area.

In the manufacture of a pneumatic tire, the tire is typically built on the drum of a tire-building machine, which is known in the art as a tire building drum. Numerous tire components are wrapped about and/or applied to the drum in sequence, forming a cylindrical-shaped tire carcass. The tire carcass is then expanded into a toroidal shape for receipt of the remaining components of the tire, such as a belt package and a rubber tread. The completed toroidally-shaped unvulcanized tire carcass, which is known in the art at that stage as a green tire, is then inserted into a mold or press for forming of the tread pattern and curing or vulcanization.
For many modern tires, it is often desirable to mount electronic components to the tires either before or after curing. Such electronic components enable certain tire parameters to be monitored. For example, in the prior art, discrete electronic strain sensor units have been attached to the inside surface of the pneumatic tire, which is known as the tire innerliner, using an adhesive. Such strain sensors measure the strain in the sidewall of the tire to provide data which can be used to determine the load on the tire. Such data can be communicated to vehicle stability and/or braking systems to provide improved control of the vehicle, and can be used for monitoring or tracking driving behavior.
While prior art discrete electronic strain sensor units are acceptable for their intended purpose, it is desirable to improve the accuracy of measurements of strain to determine tire load in a more precise and repeatable manner. By way of background, a typical prior art strain sensor includes a long, thin strip of conductive material arranged to form a zigzag pattern of parallel lines, which is attached to a substrate material. An excitation voltage is applied to terminal ends of the strip and electrical resistance is then measured. The stress on the tire at the location of the sensor may be calculated from the measured resistance, as known to those skilled in the art. Other strain sensors known in the art involve measuring electrical capacitance of the conductive material or using optical fibers.
In the prior art, when a discrete electronic strain sensor unit is attached to the tire innerliner, it is adhered to the innerliner in order to preserve the integrity of the innerliner. However, due to variance in adhesives, the pressure applied to the sensor unit, and/or locating techniques, sensor units may not be uniformly applied to the tire innerliner, which is known as manufacturing dispersion. Such manufacturing dispersion may lead to less-than-optimum indication of strain, which in turn may reduce the accuracy of the determination of tire load.
Likewise, as a discrete electronic strain sensor undergoes repeated deformation cycles, the measurement of resistance may change and become less accurate, which is known as aging effect. Such aging effect may again lead to less-than-optimum indication of strain, which in turn may reduce the accuracy of the determination of tire load.
As a result, it is desirable to develop a tire with strain sensors that include features which desirably reduce manufacturing dispersion and aging effect, thereby improving the indication of strain and the accuracy of the determination of tire load.


Systems can include a mobile device, an accessory configured to generate data representative of at least one parameter of a device under test, and an isolated test block comprising at least one input for interfacing with the accessory and an output configured to communicate accessory output data. The mobile device can include a display and be configured to receive the accessory output data from the isolated test block and to present a display based at least on received accessory output data. The accessory output data received by the mobile device can be electrically isolated from the accessory to provide protection to a device user and the mobile device.

Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and the like are becoming more and more powerful. Processing and display capabilities provide users with abilities to perform many tasks using a single mobile device. However, some measurement tasks are difficult to perform using a typical mobile device for various safety and other operability reasons. For example, high voltage or power electrical measurements may place an operator of the mobile device, and in some cases, the mobile device itself, at danger of damaging electrical signals. In some instances, the mobile device may not include sufficient insulation mechanisms for protecting a user if the mobile device were to reach a high voltage. Accordingly, while the processing and display capabilities of the mobile device may be suitable for performing and/or displaying various measurements, the functionality of the mobile device itself may be limited to only certain low voltage or power measurements.

Mobile device used with isolated test and measurement input block


A system and method of increasing the sensitivity of an optical detector formed from a two-dimensional array of sensor elements, each of said sensor elements having a dynamic range. A gradient-detection algorithm is applied to an image received from the optical detector in order to identify a shape and position of a first subset of pixels in the image. The first subset of pixels corresponds to an object represented in the image. A determination is made whether one or more of the sensor elements corresponding in shape and position to the first subset of pixels have been exposed outside of their dynamic range. If one or more sensor elements have been overexposed, at least one of the gain or offset associated with the one or more of the sensor elements is adjusted, such that the one or more sensor elements are exposed within their dynamic range. The adjustment of the gain or offset of the one or more sensor elements is performed independently of any gain or offset adjustment applied to other sensor elements in the optical detector.

The analysis of visual images by computational methods is of obvious commercial value. Visual images can be represented in the form of an array of numerical values, which values represent the luminosity of points in space. If the observed region contains physical objects, information about the position arrangement of physical objects in the observed region is encoded as numerical changes in luminosity, distributed over space and time. The individual numerical picture elements are called "pixels."
The mathematical concept of a gradient is of manifest value when applied to numerical image data. A gradient is a property of an ordered collection of numerical quantities. The ordering principle (or independent variable) can be space, or time, or some combination of these or some other organizing dimension of a conceptual framework appropriate to the phenomenon being described.
A gradient can be said to exist when numerical data undergoes some sort of change; that is to say, when the numerical value representing the data changes over time, or space, or some other independent variable. As it relates to video image data, the concept of a spatial gradient is of seminal importance. A spatial gradient of luminosity often exists along the boundaries of distinct separate physical objects that are contained within the observed region, or along the boundaries of various component parts of which these objects are composed. Such spatial gradients can be used to discover physical objects within the region observed by a video camera or other imaging instrument. The spatial extent of these objects can be discerned by resolving the set of pixels that comprise the image into a plurality of subsets wherein all the pixels within each subset correspond to, and are associated with, an identifiable physical object, or an identifiable component part of a physical object.
While it is known that spatial gradients may be used to identify the shape and position of an object in an image, optical detectors are often not configured in a manner that maximizes the capture of relevant optical information associated with the object. For example, consider an optical image of a face of building that contains a window. Spatial gradients may be used to identify an object, i.e., the window, in the image. However, if the portion of the image containing the window was shadowed by another building, the window may appear as completely dark in the image, in essence, containing no optical information. Although there may be a person at the window, the optical detector is unable to sense an image of the person because of limitations in the dynamic range of the detector elements that correspond to the window. The present invention addresses this shortcoming, by providing functionality that facilitates detection of optical information that might otherwise be outside of the dynamic range of the relevant detector elements.

System and method for increasing the sensitivity of an optical detector


A spin valve structure is disclosed in which an AP1 layer and/or free layer are made of a laminated Heusler alloy having Al or FeCo insertion layers. The ordering temperature of a Heusler alloy such as Co2MnSi is thereby lowered from about 350° C. to 280° C. which becomes practical for spintronics device applications. The insertion layer is 0.5 to 5 Angstroms thick and may also be Sn, Ge, Ga, Sb, or Cr. The AP1 layer or free layer can contain one or two additional FeCo layers to give a configuration represented by FeCo/[HA/IL]nHA, [HA/IL]nHA/FeCo, or FeCo/[HA/IL]nHA/FeCo where n is an integer ≧1, HA is a Heusler alloy layer, and IL is an insertion layer. Optionally, a Heusler alloy insertion scheme is possible by doping Al or FeCo in the HA layer. For example, Co2MnSi may be co-sputtered with an Al or FeCo target or with a Co2MnAl or Co2FeSi target.

A CPP-GMR head is considered as one promising sensor to replace the conventional CIP (current in plane) GMR head for over 100 Gb/in2 recording density. In a typical CPP-GMR sensor, a bottom synthetic spin valve film stack is employed for biasing reasons and a CoFe/NiFe composite free layer is conventionally used following the tradition of CIP-GMR technology. One type of CPP-GMR sensor is called a metallic CPP-GMR that can be represented by the following configuration in which the spacer is a copper layer: Seed/AFM/AP2/Ru/AP1/Cu/free layer/capping layer. GMR spin valve stacks are known to have a configuration in which two ferromagnetic layers are separated by a non-magnetic conductive layer (spacer). One of the ferromagnetic layers is a pinned layer in which the magnetization direction is fixed by exchange coupling with an adjacent anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) or pinning layer. The pinned layer may have a synthetic anti-parallel (SyAP) structure wherein an outer AP2 layer is separated from an inner AP1 layer by a coupling layer such as Ru. The second ferromagnetic layer is a free layer in which the magnetization vector can rotate in response to external magnetic fields. The rotation of magnetization in the free layer relative to the fixed layer magnetization generates a resistance change that is detected as a voltage change when a sense current is passed through the structure. In a CPP configuration, a sense current is passed through the sensor in a direction perpendicular to the layers in the stack. Alternatively, in the CIP sensor, the sense current passes through the sensor in a direction parallel to the planes of the layers in the sensor stack.
Ultra-high density (over 100 Gb/in2) recording requires a highly sensitive read head. To meet this requirement, the CPP configuration is a stronger candidate than the CIP configuration which has been used in recent hard disk drives (HDDs). The CPP configuration is more desirable for ultra-high density applications because a stronger output signal is achieved as the sensor size decreases, and the magnetoresistive (MR) ratio is higher for a CPP configuration. An important characteristic of a GMR head is the MR ratio which is dR/R where dR is the change in resistance of the spin valve sensor and R is the resistance of the spin valve sensor before the change. A higher MR ratio is desired for improved sensitivity in the device and this result is achieved when electrons in the sense current spend more time within the magnetically active layers of the sensor. Interfacial scattering which is the specular reflection of electrons at the interfaces between layers in the sensor stack can improve the MR ratio and increase sensitivity.
Another type of sensor is a so-called confining current path (CCP) CPP GMR sensor where the current through the Cu spacer is limited by the means of segregating metal path and oxide formation. With a current confining (CCP) scheme, CPP GMR performance can be further improved. An example of a CCP CPP-GMR sensor has the following configuration: Seed/AFM/AP2/Ru/AP1/Cu/CCP layer/Cu/free layer/capping layer where the CCP layer is sandwiched between two copper layers.
In a CPP operation mode, a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) head is another candidate for realizing high sensitivity. In this design, the non-magnetic conductive layer between the pinned layer and free layer in the GMR stack is replaced by an insulating layer such as AlOx or MgO. When the magnetoresistive element is a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), the tunneling (insulating) layer may be thinned to give a very low RA (<5 ohms-μm2).
Heusler alloys such as Co2MnX (X is Si, Ge, Al, etc.) have attracted much interest due to their large spin polarizations and high Curie temperatures. A very large magnetoresistance (MR) ratio has been observed in TMR multilayer structures with Heusler alloys, especially with Co2MnSi, as indicated in the following four references: S. Kammerer et al, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85 (2004) 79; Y. Sakuraba et al, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 44, No. 35, pp. L1100-L1102 (2005); S. Okamura et al, Applied Phys. Lett., 86 (2005) 232503; and Y. Sakuraba et al, Applied Phys. Lett., 88 (2006) 022503. With this published data, those skilled in the art could easily predict that a large GMR ratio could also be achieved in a CPP-GMR sensor when a Co2MnSi layer is employed as an AP1 layer or free layer. However, the condition needed to achieve an ordered half metal structure for Co2MnSi is very difficult and typically requires substrate heating as well as a lengthy high temperature post-annealing treatment. These post-annealing processes generally require a temperature above 350° C. which would destroy the underlying shield structures (in a TMR head) and severely degrade the pinning strength thereby hindering Heusler alloys from practical GMR or TMR sensor applications.
The spin polarization of Co2MnSi is very sensitive to its site-disordering states due to its unique band structure. Therefore, in order to realize the full potential of the Co2MnSi spin polarization, it is necessary to remove the site-disorder states and the defects by means of high temperature annealing. For example, the as-deposited single Co2MnSi layer displays no magnetic moment, no spin polarization, and a very large resistivity which indicates that the film is amorphous. However, after annealing at 350° C. for 5 hours, a magnetic moment begins to appear and the resistivity is reduced considerably, indicating the film is crystalline. It follows that if a Co2MnSi film were applied directly on top of the bottom shield in a TMR sensor and annealed at high temperature in order to achieve the desired MR ratio, then the bottom shield would be stressed to the point where its domain would enlarge substantially and its surface roughness would increase severely with loss of built-in patterns. These conditions would lead to a very poor spin valve performance. Therefore, a new method is needed to incorporate a Heusler alloy such as Co2MnSi in a spin valve structure without negatively affecting the underlying substrate or the pinning strength within the sensor.
A CPP-GMR head is generally preferred over a TMR head design for ultra-high density recording because the former has lower impedance. However, the resistance (RA) in a conventional single spin valve is too small (<100 mohm-μm2) and the MR ratio of a CPP head may be very low (<5%). Additionally, the output voltage which is related to the resistance change is unacceptably low for many CPP-GMR configurations. One way to increase the resistance change is to optimize the materials and structure of the CPP-GMR head. In particular, it is desirable to modify the pinned layer and/or free layer to improve performance.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,876,522, a ferromagnetic Heusler alloy (Co2MnSi or Co2MnGe) is used in combination with a non-magnetic spacer Heusler alloy such as Rh2CuSn or Co2CuSn. U.S. Pat. No. 7,023,670 discloses a metalloid ferromagnetic Heusler alloy layer between a non-magnetic material layer and a free magnetic layer and between a pinned magnetic layer and the non-magnetic material layer.
U.S. Patent Application US 2003/0137785 describes a magnetic sensing element in which a portion of the pinned layer adjacent to a non-metallic spacer is comprised of a Heusler alloy sandwiched between two conventional magnetic materials such as CoFe to prevent diffusion of Mn from the Heusler alloy into the non-metallic spacer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,977,801 and related U.S. Patent Application US 2004/0165320 disclose a tunnel junction wherein a ferromagnetic layer such as FeCo is inserted between an AFM layer and a pinned layer made of a Heusler alloy.
In U.S. Patent Application US 2003/0116426, a method of co-sputtering a Heusler alloy is described in which each of the components is sputtered as a single target.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,894 shows a double tunnel junction in which a free layer formed between two insulating layers has a laminated structure comprised of alternating non-magnetic layers (Al or Cr) and Heusler alloy layers that are anti-parallel coupled.

Heusler alloy with insertion layer to reduce the ordering temperature for CPP, TMR, MRAM, and other spintronics applications


Method and apparatus for removing radon decay products wherein a fan directs air through a conductive cylinder that is grounded. Positioned axially within the cylinder is one or more cylindrical brushes, each having a shaft and radially extending conductive bristles with distal ends spaced from the cylinder. The shaft is connected to the fan so that the bristles rotate. Also, a static electric potential is applied to the bristles. The relative motion of the air and bristles is particularly effective at enhancing molecular diffusion to cause small unattached radon decay products to plate out on the bristles. In contrast, the electrostatic charging of the bristles and the resulting diffusion charging is particularly effective at exerting a force on larger particles to which radon decay products are attached thus causing the particles to migrate and plate out on the cylinder.

This invention generally relates to method and apparatus for reducing health risks associated with radon, and more particularly relates to removing both attached and unattached radon decay products from air.
As is well known, radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is one stage of a natural radioactive process, known as decay, where larger, more complex elements such as uranium and radium break down into smaller elements and energetic particles. More specifically, the radioactive decay of radium 226 produces the inert radioactive gas radon which is free to diffuse through porous soils and construction materials and eventually enter the environment within a building.
As is also well known, high levels of radon gas can lead to a health hazard, and this is especially true in modern energy efficient homes where levels can build up because there is little exchange of indoor and outdoor air. Radon gas itself is relatively harmless. However, when radon gas decays, a series of radon decay products commonly referred to as radon daughters or daughter particles are created, and alpha and beta particles are emitted. The radon decay products can readily attach themselves to airborne particles such as dust and, in such state, are commonly referred to as attached radon decay products or daughter particles. The effective size of such attached particles ranges from 0.05 to a few micrometers in diameter. Depending on the concentration of dust or similar airborne particles in the air, up to 20% of the radon daughter particles or decay products will not attach to dust particles and remain in a free ion state typically having a diameter of less than 3.0 nanometers. Whether the radon decay products are attached or unattached, they only pose a serious health risk if they are inhaled into the lungs where they can emit damaging particles into nearby cell tissue. Therefore, it is desirable to remove both attached and unattached radon decay products from the air before they are inhaled. Various prior art methods or approaches have been used in an attempt to remove airborne radon decay products.
One prior art approach for removing airborne radon decay products is to pass room air through an air filter such as a conventional electrostatic filter or a filtration device that collects particles on a filter media such as fiber glass matting. This approach, however, has serious drawbacks. The attached radon decay products may be effectively removed because they are attached to relatively large airborne particles such as dust which may, as described above, have an effective diameter of 0.05 micrometers or larger. However, such air filters are generally not effective for filtering out the much smaller unattached radon decay products having a diameter of 3.0 nanometers or less. Further, because the filtering process removes dust from the air, there are fewer airborne particles such as dust to which the unattached radon decay products can attach; therefore, the concentration of unattached particles may actually increase. It is further believed that the unattached radon decay products are more harmful or potentially more dangerous than attached radon decay products because the smaller unattached particles have a higher probability of being deposited deep into the lungs. In contrast, the larger attached particles have a higher probability of being deposited in the upper lung where they can be cleared away by the ciliated mucus lining. Therefore, the net effect of removing attached particles and increasing the concentration of unattached particles may actually increase the radon health hazard.
Another prior art approach described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,585 issued Jan. 24, 1986 to Moeller et al. uses a tandem approach combining the two air treatment methods of (a) turbulent convection using a ceiling fan and (b) unipolar space charging employing an ion generator. Specifically, the tandem air treatment method is implemented by directly coupling an air ionizer with a ceiling fan. The highly diffusive nature of unattached particles in the size range of 0.001 to 0.01 micrometers favors their removal from the air by deposition or plating-out as a result of molecular diffusion. The fan attempts to enhance this process by creating air turbulence that has been reported to reduce the boundary layer thickness at the surface to air interface throughout a room and reducing the distance that unattached decay products must travel by molecular diffusion before depositing onto room surfaces. The net result is a higher flux of unattached decay products plating onto the walls of the room and a corresponding reduction in the airborne concentrations of such unattached decay products. The air ionizer portion of the tandem was reported to operate by providing mutual repulsion of the air ions in the vicinity of a strong unipolar point source thereby creating a spatial distribution of airborne charge and an electric field gradient directed radially from the source. By the process of diffusion charging, decay product atoms as well as airborne particles to which some decay products are attached, become charged to the polarity of the ion generator. The force exerted by the electric field on these charged particles causes their migration towards the boundaries of the air space thereby resulting in deposition or plating-out on wall or ceiling surfaces.
The method and radon removing apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,585 have drawbacks. First, with such arrangement, the rate of plate out is very dependent upon the physical parameters of the room such as its size, layout, texture of surfaces, etc. Therefore, the removal rate of radon decay products is also very dependent on such room parameters, and it is undesirable to have to match the radon removing apparatus to a particular room. Further, the walls and ceiling are necessarily spaced from the radon removing apparatus by a relatively large distance. Therefore, a relatively high voltage charge has to be used, and even then the removal of radon decay products may be relatively ineffective due to the large distance. Another problem is that airborne particles such as smoke and dust particles are ionized and removed from the air by plating-out on room surfaces. This leaves fewer airborne particles for the more dangerous unattached radon decay products to attach. Thus, the concentration of the more harmful airborne unattached particles may not be effectively reduced.

Method and apparatus for removing radon decay products from air


The invention provides a method for producing alloy flakes for rare earth sintered magnets, which makes uniform the intervals, size, orientation, and shape of the R-rich region and the dendrites of the 2-14-1 phase, which inhibits formation of chill, and which produces flakes that are pulverized into powder of a uniform particle size in the pulverization step in the production of a rare earth sintered magnet, and that are pulverized into powder compactable into a product with a controlled shrink ratio, and alloy flakes for a rare earth sintered magnet obtained by the method, and a rare earth sintered magnet having excellent magnetic properties. The present method includes preparing an alloy melt of a composition consisting of R of rare earth metal elements and the balance M including B and Fe, and supplying and solidifying the alloy melt on a cooling roll, wherein the roll has on its surface linear nucleation inhibiting portions for inhibiting formation of dendrites or the like, and nucleating portions for formation of the dendrites, and wherein the inhibiting portions have a region with a width of more than 100 μm.

Downsizing and weight-saving of electronic equipment requires higher magnetic properties of the magnets used therein. In particular, active development has been made of R2Fe14B type rare earth sintered magnets, which have a high magnetic flux density. Such R2Fe14B type rare earth sintered magnets are generally produced by melting and casting the starting materials, pulverizing the resulting magnet material alloy, compacting the pulverized alloy in a magnetic field, followed by sintering and ageing.
The raw material alloy for R2Fe14B type rare earth sintered magnets usually contains dendrites of a R2Fe14B phase (sometimes referred to as a 2-14-1 phase hereinbelow) and a region of a phase with a relatively low melting point having a higher rare earth metal content than the 2-14-1 phase (sometimes referred to as an R-rich region hereinbelow). In the production of R2Fe14B type rare earth sintered magnets, when the raw material alloy is sintered, the R-rich region melts into a liquid phase and fills gaps between the grains of the 2-14-1 phase, to thereby improve the sinterability and contribute to densification of the resulting sintered product. When solidified, the non-magnetic R-rich region coats the grains of the ferromagnetic 2-14-1 phase to magnetically insulate the 2-14-1 phase and improve the coercivity.
For producing a raw material alloy for such sintered magnets, there is conventionally known a method for casting an alloy having a structure with finely dispersed R-rich region, by rapid solidification, such as strip casting (Patent Publication 1).
Patent Publication 1 discloses that the raw material alloy wherein the R-rich region is finely dispersed, has good pulverizability, and as a result, the grains of the 2-14-1 phase are uniformly coated with the R-rich region after sintering, which improves the magnetic properties.
Patent Publication 2 teaches that microscopic analysis of the crystal structure of alloy flakes indicates that fine dendritic or columnar crystals in the flakes have an impact on oxidation in finely pulverizing the flakes into magnet powders and on decrease in the degree of orientation of the resulting sintered magnet. In order to reduce the fine dendritic or columnar crystals, this publication proposes a method of producing a raw magnet alloy including controlling the temperature of the alloy melt in rapid solidification, the primary cooling rate on a cooling roll, and the secondary cooling rate after the flakes are separated from the cooling roll.
Patent Publications 3 and 4 disclose that the magnetic remanence is improved by increasing the volume ratio of the 2-14-1 phase in the raw material alloy, reducing the intervals between the R-rich regions, and increasing the crystal grain size in the alloy structure, and that, as an example, a preferred alloy has an average crystal grain size of 10 to 100 μm, and intervals between the R-rich regions of 3 to 15 μm. The publications also disclose that such a raw material alloy may be produced by controlling the primary cooling rate in the rapid solidification, the secondary cooling rate, and the temperature of heat treatment.
By increasing the primary cooling rate, the intervals between the R-rich regions are reduced, and the crystal grain size is also reduced, whereas by reducing the primary cooling rate, the intervals between the R-rich regions are increased, and the crystal grain size is also increased. On the other hand, by controlling the secondary cooling rate, i.e. by decreasing the cooling rate after solidification, the intervals between the R-rich regions may be increased under certain conditions.
However, mere control of the primary and secondary cooling rates and the heat treatment cannot achieve both increase in ratio of the dendrites of the 2-14-1 phase and prevention of the chill crystal formation at the same time. Further, increase in the crystal grain size is limited and the desired crystal grain size cannot be achieved.
With regard to the cooling roll, Patent Publication 5 discloses a cooling roll having gas channels formed thereon as ventilating means. The width of the gas channels disclosed in Examples is 20 μm or less, and the alloy intended to be produced with the roll has an amorphous or microcrystalline structure. Patent Publication 5 does not even imply that, using such a cooling roll, alloy flakes may be produced which have the alloy structure containing the R-rich region and the dendrites of the 2-14-1 phase with the dendrite content of not lower than 80 vol %.
Patent Publication 6 discloses a cooling roll having grooves circumferentially extending in the Cr surface layer, wherein the average distance between the grooves is 100 to 300 μm in an arbitrary sectional surface containing the shaft, the peaks and troughs in a cross section of the grooves are smoothly connected, the mean center line roughness is 0.07 to 5 μm, and the depth of the grooves is 1 to 50 μm. The peaks and troughs of the grooves are smoothly connected so as to configure the grooves to expand the surface area of the cooling roll, and allow entry of the alloy melt also into the troughs of the grooves to improve the contact between the alloy melt and the roll. Thus using this cooling roll, alloy flakes cannot be obtained having the alloy structure wherein the chill crystal content is suppressed and the intervals and size of dendrites are uniform.
Patent Publication 7 discloses to produce alloy flakes for a rare earth sintered magnet, using a cooling roll which has a plurality of linear convexes and concaves crossing with each other in the surface of the roll, and has a ten-point mean roughness of not lower than 3 μm and not higher than 30 μm. Such convexes and concaves may inhibit random formation of an area wherein the R-rich region is extremely fine (fine R-rich region) on the side of the cooling roll. However, using this cooling roll, alloy flakes cannot be obtained which have the alloy structure containing the R-rich region and the dendrites of the 2-14-1 phase with the dendrite content of not lower than 80 vol %, and have uniform intervals and size of the dendrites.
Patent Publication 1: JP-5-222488-A
Patent Publication 2: JP-8-269643-A
Patent Publication 3: JP-9-170055-A
Patent Publication 4: JP-10-36949-A
Patent Publication 5: JP-2002-50507-A
Patent Publication 6: JP-5-269549-A
Patent Publication 7: JP-2004-43921-A

Process for producing alloy slab for rare-earth sintered magnet, alloy slab for rare-earth sintered magnet and rare-earth sintered magnet


A three-dimensional camouflage fabric is produced in a multi-head quilting machine by sewing a multiplicity of transversely spaced, elongated strips of relatively narrow fabric on a relatively wide web of a substrate fabric along laterally spaced lines of attachment positioned between the side edges of the strips. The strips are attached to the substrate in a longitudinal wrinkled condition, giving the strips a three-dimensional contour. The side edges of the strips are formed in an irregular pattern, with edge patterns of adjacent strips being different. The edges of the strips desirably overlap so as to enhance the three-dimensional appearance. The strips can be wrinkled by feeding the strips at a faster rate than the substrate. This can be achieved by a spring feeding mechanism or by sewing the strips at an inclined angle to the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional fabric that is especially useful in the manufacture of camouflage garments. In particular, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a composite camouflage material, wherein strips of fabric having irregular edges and having a desired appearance, such as the color of leaves in their various seasons or other patterns intended to represent foliage, are fastened to a substrate formed of a woven textile or other pliable sheet material along plural spaced lines of attachment in such a manner as to cause the attached leafy shaped material to project away from the plane of the substrate and give a three-dimensional, high definition, optical impression of the depth of natural foliage. Such material is used to create camouflage garments or other products.
2. Description of Related Art
Camouflage garments worn by hunters, warriors and armed forces personnel for purposes of concealment most likely predate written history. In the more recent past, a variety of garments have been manufactured in an attempt to impart a three-dimensional forest appearance to the surfaces of a garment. One method of manufacture utilizes multiple layers of strips of material to produce a garment known in the art as a "Ghillie Suit." A problem with the Ghillie Suit, however, is that they are heavy, cumbersome and expensive. Another method of manufacture utilizes material which is photo-imprinted with naturalistic forest scenes. A problem with photo-imprinted garments is that they do not provide any three-dimensional depth and they do not conceal the silhouette of the garment or its wearer.
Another type of three-dimensional garment is produced by first stitching a layer of camouflage material onto an underlying mesh fabric or other substrate with parallel spaced rows of stitches. The camouflage layer is then cut into a leafy shape by cutting the fabric in an irregular pattern between the rows of stitches. Although this method of fabric manufacturing provides something of a three-dimensional effect, a problem with this construction is that the resulting outer "leafy" layer tends to lay flat against the substrate even though lobes are cut in the fabric, unless and until the fabric is bent around body parts when the garment is worn. Efforts have been made to improve these types of two layer garments by heating and shrinking the outer material after it has been attached to the substrate material , typically by applying hot air or infrared radiation to the outer surface of the camouflage material. One problem with this process is that it cannot be used where the substrate is manufactured from typical waterproof material or scent absorbing material, which has a melting point significantly less than the temperature applied to the outer layer.
Another method of manufacture involves die cutting strips of camouflage, coating the strips with urethane to prevent fraying, and then folding the strips to produce overlapping layers of folded material and then sewing the folds down on a garment. One problem with this construction is that the folds of outer material create a rustling noise when a person moves, thereby negating stealth. The folded layers also use quite a bit more material than non-folded layers.

Three dimensional camouflage fabric and method of making same


A composition including a lubricant based on polyol esters (POEs) or PVE and a refrigerant F including from 1 to 99% by weight of trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (trans-HFO-1234ze) and from 1 to 99% by weight of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane. Also, the use of the composition including a lubricant and refrigerant in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps.

The problems presented by substances which deplete the atmospheric ozone layer were dealt with at Montreal, where the protocol was signed imposing a reduction in the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). This protocol has been the subject of amendments which have required the abandoning of CFCs and have extended the regulations to other products, including hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
The refrigeration and air-conditioning industry has invested a great deal in the replacement of these refrigerants and it is because of this that hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have been marketed.
In the motor vehicle industry, the air-conditioning systems of vehicles sold in many countries have been changed from a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC-12) refrigerant to a hydrofluorocarbon (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane: HFC-134a) refrigerant, which is less harmful to the ozone layer. However, from the viewpoint of the objectives set by the Kyoto protocol, HFC-134a (GWP=1430) is considered to have a high heating power. The contribution of a refrigerant to the greenhouse effect is quantified by a criterion, the GWP (Global Warming Potential), which summarizes the heating power by taking a reference value of 1 for carbon dioxide.
Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) have a low heating power and thus meet the objectives set by the Kyoto protocol. Document JP 4-110388 discloses hydrofluoropropenes as heat-transfer agents.
In the industrial sector, the refrigerating machines most commonly used are based on cooling by evaporation of a liquid refrigerant. After vaporization, the refrigerant is compressed and then cooled in order to return to the liquid state and thus continue the cycle.
The refrigeration compressors used are of the reciprocating, scroll, centrifugal or screw type. In general, internal lubrication of the compressors is essential in order to reduce wear and heating of the moving members, complete their leaktightness and protect them against corrosion.
In addition to good heat-transfer agent properties, in order for a refrigerant to be commercially accepted, it must in particular exhibit thermal stability and compatibility with the lubricants. Specifically, it is highly desirable for the refrigerant to be compatible with the lubricant used in the compressor, present in the majority of refrigeration systems. This combination of refrigerant and lubricant is important for the implementation and the efficiency of the refrigeration system; in particular, the lubricant should be sufficiently soluble or miscible in the refrigerant over the entire operating temperature range.
Thus, polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) have been developed as lubricants of HFC-134a in motor vehicle air conditioning.
Tests for miscibility of 1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene with lubricants have been described in Example 2 of document WO 2004/037913. Compatibility tests have also been described in Example 3, with polyalkylene glycol. However, these tests do not specify the nature of the 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene isomer.
Moreover, document WO 2005/108522 discloses an azeotropic composition of trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane.
Just recently, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene was chosen as a refrigerant for replacing HFC-134a in motor vehicle air conditioning.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composition based on 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene


One illustrative method disclosed herein involves forming a first fin for a first FinFET device in and above a semiconducting substrate, wherein the first fin is comprised of a first semiconductor material that is different from the material of the semiconducting substrate and, after forming the first fin, forming a second fin for a second FinFET device that is formed in and above the semiconducting substrate, wherein the second fin is comprised of a second semiconductor material that is different from the material of the semiconducting substrate and different from the first semiconductor material.

1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the present disclosure relates to the manufacture of sophisticated semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to various methods of forming different FinFET devices with different threshold voltages by varying the materials of construction for the fins of such devices, and to integrated circuit products that contain such FinFET devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fabrication of advanced integrated circuits, such as CPU's, storage devices, ASIC's (application specific integrated circuits) and the like, requires the formation of a large number of circuit elements in a given chip area according to a specified circuit layout, wherein so-called metal oxide field effect transistors (MOSFETs or FETs) represent one important type of circuit element that substantially determines performance of the integrated circuits. A FET is a planar device that typically includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region that is positioned between the source region and the drain region, and a gate electrode positioned above the channel region.
To improve the operating speed of FETs, and to increase the density of FETs on an integrated circuit device, device designers have greatly reduced the physical size of FETs over the years. More specifically, the channel length of FETs has been significantly decreased, which has resulted in improving the switching speed of FETs. However, decreasing the channel length of a FET also decreases the distance between the source region and the drain region. In some cases, this decrease in the separation between the source and the drain makes it difficult to efficiently inhibit the electrical potential of the source region and the channel from being adversely affected by the electrical potential of the drain. This is sometimes referred to as a so-called short channel effect, wherein the characteristic of the FET as an active switch is degraded. Due to rapid advances in technology of the past several years, the channel length of FET devices has become very small, e.g., 20 nm or less, and further reduction in the channel length is desired and perhaps anticipated, e.g., channel lengths of approximately 10 nm or less are anticipated in future device generations.
In contrast to a FET, which has a planar structure, there are so-called 3D devices, such as an illustrative FinFET device, which is a 3-dimensional structure. More specifically, in a FinFET, a generally vertically positioned fin-shaped active area is formed and a gate electrode encloses both sides and an upper surface of the fin-shaped active area to form a tri-gate structure so as to use a channel having a 3-dimensional structure instead of a planar structure. In some cases, an insulating cap layer, e.g., silicon nitride, is positioned at the top of the fin and the FinFET device only has a dual-gate structure. Unlike a planar FET, in a FinFET device, a channel is formed perpendicular to a surface of the semiconducting substrate so as to reduce the physical size of the semiconductor device. Also, in a FinFET, the junction capacitance at the drain region of the device is greatly reduced, which tends to reduce at least some short channel effects.
With respect to either a FET or a FinFET, threshold voltage is an important characteristic of a transistor. Simplistically, a transistor can be viewed as a simple ON-OFF switch. The threshold voltage of a transistor is the voltage level above which the transistor is turned "ON" and becomes conductive. That is, if the voltage applied to the gate electrode of the transistor is less than the threshold voltage of the transistor, then there is no current flow through the channel region of the device (ignoring undesirable leakage currents, which are relatively small). However, when the voltage applied to the gate electrode exceeds the threshold voltage, the channel region becomes conductive, and electrical current is permitted to flow between the source region and the drain region through the conductive channel region.
There are many situations where it would be desirable to have the ability to produce transistor devices with different threshold voltages. Some of these approaches are (1) well doping; (2) gate length modulation; (3) multiple gate work function metal electrodes; (4) Fin width modulation; and (5) back gate as in Extremely Thin Silicon on Insulator structures (ETSOI). The capability of producing integrated circuit products with transistors that have differing threshold voltages will provide circuit designers with increased flexibility in designing increasingly complex integrated circuit products.
Various techniques have been employed in attempts to vary or control the threshold voltages of transistor devices. One technique involves introducing different dopant levels into the channel regions of different transistors in an effort to produce devices having different threshold voltages. However, given the very small channel length on current and future device generations, e.g., 10 nm gate length, it is very difficult to uniformly dope such a small area of the substrate due to inherent variations in the ion implanting process that are typically performed to introduce such dopant materials. As a result of lack of uniformity in the channel doping, this technique has resulted in devices having reduced performance capability and/or undesirable or unacceptable variations in the threshold voltage of such devices as compared to desired or target threshold voltages of such devices.
Another technique for manufacturing devices having different threshold voltage levels involves including so-called work function adjusting metals, such as lanthanum, aluminum and the like, as part of the gate structures of various devices, i.e., N-channel transistors and P-channel transistors, respectively. However, as the gate length of the transistors has decreased, it has become increasingly more challenging to effectively and efficiently incorporate such additional materials into the gate structure. Even if there is sufficient room for such additional work function adjusting materials, the fabrication of such devices is extremely complex and time consuming.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods of forming FinFET devices that may solve or at least reduce one or more of the problems identified above.

Methods of forming different FinFET devices with different threshold voltages and integrated circuit products containing such devices