A process and apparatus for heating an oven using nebulized water particles and compressed air including the steps of heating water contained in reservoir that is located outside of a cooking chamber by transferring water within the reservoir through a water heater to reach a desired end point temperature that is less than boiling, heating compressed air by sending compressed air through an air heater that is submerged within the water of the reservoir, conveying the heated water and the heated compressed air to a nebulizer, nebulizing the heated water into heated water particles and introducing the heated water particles into the cooking chamber via the heated compressed air.

Numerous preparation devices and procedures are known for the preparation of foods including several types of ovens and similar equipment. One example of a known preparation device is a dry heat oven, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,882. Although commonly used, there are many problems associated with the use of dry heat ovens. For example, the cooked food usually has a deteriorated appearance, loss of nutritional elements and vitamins, and substantial shrinkage due to the significant loss of water content that occurs with heating the food with dry heat. Accordingly, dry heat ovens are not efficient because excess heat is needed to compensate for the necessary and substantial loss of moisture from the food.
Another well-known food preparation device and procedure includes water vapor ovens, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,690. However, there are also many problems associated with the use of water vapor ovens. For example, the large volume of water used during the cooking cycle often becomes contaminated with albumin, fat and other effluents that exude from the food as it is cooked. As a result, a large volume of contaminated water must be drained from the bottom of the unit.
A further, additional food preparation device and procedure includes an automated steam generating system that introduces steam into the cooking cavity of the oven, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,704,138 and 7,867,534. However, there are drawbacks with steam ovens. For example, these ovens create a "sweat" due to the condensation of the steam meeting the cooler surfaces of the interior oven walls. This "sweat" often collects, pools and runs over the sides of cooking pans, resulting in a hard to clean food film on the oven's interior surface. Furthermore, the high steam temperatures have a greatly deleterious effect on the nutritional value of foods cooked and are inherently dangerous as scalding and burning is necessarily imparted upon the users by water vapor heated above 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
The inventors have discovered a solution to the problems associated with previous oven systems by inventing an oven that harnesses the precision generation of water vapor and high velocity air. The inventors have discovered a process that uses a surprisingly small amount of water to cook the food, so the delivery of water vapor is more precise, and the oven is more energy efficient. Accordingly, the inventors have discovered a process of cooking food that does not create "drips" or "puddles" of water on the oven walls or floor due to the condensation of excess steam. Further, the inventors have discovered a way to utilize water vapor that is held at a temperature below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, so the oven is safer, more user friendly, and the food retains its taste and nutritional value.

Process and apparatus for cooking utilizing nebulized water particles and air


A method of cleaning or protecting surfaces by treatment with compositions comprising N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) blocking compounds and/or N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL) analogs, either in combination or separately.

Biofilms are biological films that develop and persist at interfaces in aqueous environments (Geesey, et al., Can. J. Microbiol. 32. 1733–6, 1977; 1994; Boivin and Costerton, Elsevier Appl. Sci., London, 53–62, 1991; Khoury, et al., ASAIO, 38, M174–178, 1992; Costerton, et al., J. Bacteriol., 176, 2137–2142, 1994), especially along the inner walls of conduit material in industrial facilities, in household plumbing systems, on medical implants, or as foci of chronic infections. These biological films are composed of microorganisms embedded in an organic gelatinous structure composed of one or more matrix polymers which are secreted by the resident microorganisms. Biofilms can develop into macroscopic structures several millimeters or centimeters in thickness and can cover large surface areas. These biological formations can play a role in restricting or entirely blocking flow in plumbing systems and often decrease the life of materials through corrosive action mediated by the embedded bacteria. Biofilms are also capable of trapping nutrients and particulates that can contribute to their enhanced development and stability.
The involvement of extracellular polymers in bacterial biofilms has been documented for both aquatic (Jones, et al., J. Bacteriol., 99, 316–325, 1969; and marine bacteria (Floodgate, Memorie dell'Instituto italiano di idrobiologica Dott. Carco di Marchi 29 (suppl.), 309–323 1972), and the association of exopolysaccharides with attached bacteria has been demonstrated using electron microscopy (Geesey, et al., supra; Dempsey, Marine Biol. 61, 305–315, 1981) and light microscopy (Zobell, J. Bacteriol. 46, 39–56, 1943. The presence of such exopolysaccharides is believed to be involved in the development of the microbial biofilm (Allison and Sutherland, J. Microbiol. Methods, 2, 93–99, 1987). Analysis of biofilm bacteria isolated from freshwater and marine environments has shown that the polymers they produce are composed largely of acidic polysaccharides. The control and removal of biofilm material from pipe and conduit surfaces has historically been carried out by the addition of corrosive chemicals such as chlorine or strong alkali solutions or through mechanical means. Such treatments are generally harsh to both the plumbing systems and the environment, and have been necessary due to the recalcitrant nature of biofilms within those systems. The resistance to treatment by biocides has been due in large measure to the protective character of intact biofilm matrix polymers (Srinivasan, et al., Biotech. Bioeng., 46, 553–560, 1995.
Modern methods of direct observation of living biofilms have established the very complicated structural architecture (Costerton, et al., Ann., Rev. Microbiol., 49, 711–745, 1995) of these sessile microbial populations. The overriding structural element responsible for development and maintenance of this biofilm architecture is the matrix polymer that is produced by the resident microorganisms. That populations of associated bacteria could produce structures as complex as are found in biofilms suggested the operation of a cell-cell signaling mechanism.
Prior to 1981, microbiologists had generally assumed that bacteria had neither the requirement nor the capability of producing cell-cell signaling molecules. In 1981, it was shown by Eberhard, et al. Biochemistry, 20, 2444–2499, 1981, that the bacterium Photobacterium fischeri produces a compound 3-oxo-N-(tetrahydro-2-oxo-3-furanyl) hexanamide, also known as vibrio (photobacterium) autoinducer (VAI), which is associated with bacterial luminescence under conditions of high cell density. The cell membrane of P. fischeri was shown to be permeable to VAI by Kaplan and Greenberg in 1985 (J. Bacteriol., 163, 1210–1214, 1985). At low bacterial cell densities in broth medium, VAI passively diffuses out of the cells along a concentration gradient, where it accumulates in the surrounding medium. At high cell densities the concentration of VAI outside the cells is equivalent to the concentration of VAI inside the cells. Under such conditions VAI was shown to initiate transcription of luminescence genes. Using such a system, bacteria are able to monitor their own population density and regulate the activity of specific genes at the population level.
For several years it was presumed that the autoinducer involved in bacterial luminescence was unique to the few bacteria that produce light in the marine environment. Then, in 1992, the terrestrial bacterium Erwinia carotovora was shown to use an autoinducer system to regulate the production of the β-lactam antibiotic carbapenem (Bainton, et al., Biochem J., 288, 297–1004, 1992b). The molecule found to be responsible for autoinduction of carbapenem was shown to be an acylated homoserine lactone (HSL), a member of the same class of molecule responsible for autoinduction in bioluminescence. This finding led to a general search for HSLs in a wide range of bacteria. To affect the search, a bioluminescence sensor system was developed and used to screen for HSL production in the spent supernatant liquids of a number of bacterial cultures. Many different organisms were shown by the screening to produce HSLs. These included: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Erwinia herbicola, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter agglomerans and Proteus mirabilis (Brainton, et al., Gene. 116, 87–91, 1992a; Swift, et al., Mol. Microbiol., 10, 511–520, 1993). More recently, the list has grown to include Erwinia stewartii (Beck, J. Bacteriol, 177, 5000–5008, 1993), Yersinia enterocolitica (Throup, et al., Mol. Microbiol., 17, 345–356, 1995), Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Zhang, et al., Nature, 362, 446–448, 1993), Chromobacterium violaceum (Winston, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 92, 9427–9431, 1995), Rhizobium leguminosarium (Schripsema, et al., J. Bacteriol, 178, 366–371 1996) and others. Today it is generally assumed that all enteric bacteria, and the gram negative bacteria generally, are capable of cell density regulation using HSL autoinducers.
In 1993 Gambello, et al. Infect. Immun., 61, 1880–1184, (1993) showed that the α-HSL product of the LasI gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa controls the production of exotoxin A, and of other virulence factors, in a cell density dependent manner. Since that time, the production of a large number of Pseudomonas virulence factors have been shown to be controlled by α-HSL compounds produced by the LasI and RhlI regulatory systems (Ochsner, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 92, 6424–6428, 1995; Winson, et al., supra; Latifi, et al., 1995), in a manner reminiscent of the Lux system. Latifi, et al. Mol. Microbiol, 21, 1173–1146, (1996) have also shown that many stationary phase properties of P. aeruginosa, including those controlled by the stationary phase sigma factor (RpoS), are under the hierarchical control of the LasI and RhlI cell-cell signaling systems.
In all cases, homoserine lactone autoinducers are known to bind to a DNA binding protein homologous to LuxR in Photobacterium fischeri, causing a conformational change in the protein initiating transcriptional activation. This process couples the expression of specific genes to bacterial cell density (Latifi, et al. supra, 1996). Regulation of this type has been called 'quorum sensing' because it suggests the requirement for a 'quorate' population of bacterial cells prior to activation of the target genes (Fuqua, et al., J. Bacteriol., 176, 269–275, 1994b). Expression of certain of these 'virulence factors' has been correlated with bacterial cell density (Finley and Falkow, Microbiol. Rev. 53, 210–230, 1989).
In P. aeruginosa, quorum sensing has been shown to be involved in the regulation of a large number of exoproducts including elastase, alkaline protease, LasA protease, hemolysin, cyanide, pyocyanin and rhamnolipid (Gambello, et al., supra; Latifi, et al., supra; Winson, et al., supra; Ochsner, et al., 1995); but has never before been shown to be involved in biofilm formation. Most of these exoproducts are synthesized and exported maximally as P. aeruginosa enters stationary phase.
The concept of cell signalling and quorum sensing has been studied in the art. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,872, to Pearson et al; Passador et al, Journal of Bacteriology, pages 5990–6000, October, 1996; PCT WO92/18614 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,827.
However, none of these prior publications recognize how these principles may be applied to enable the regulation of biofilms according to this invention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and compositions for controlling biofilm development


A filter includes a filter element formed of filter media, and a plastic framework molded and bonded to and structurally supporting the filter media. One embodiment desirably provides a two-component assembly consisting solely of two components, namely the filter media and the plastic framework molded thereon. In a further embodiment, the plastic framework includes a resilient seal integrally molded therewith and of the same plastic material thereof, eliminating a separate component for the seal. In a further embodiment, a filter combination includes a primary filter element and a secondary filter element. In a further embodiment, a resilient integrally. molded seal is provided.

The invention relates to filters, and more particularly to a high efficiency, low restriction, cost effective filter.
There is continuing demand for fluid filters exhibiting high efficiency and low restriction at reduced cost. The present invention addresses and solves this need in a simple and effective manner.
In one desirable option, an incinerable and/or recyclable filter is provided, enabling green label product designation, which is significant in various markets.

High efficiency, low restriction, cost effective filter


A lateral airbag device comprises a gas bag which is mounted in a vehicle seat below the seat covering of the vehicle seat. The gas bag is inflated in the event of an accident. The seat covering comprises at least one break line, which can be torn open when the gas bag unfolds enabling the gas bag to exit the vehicle seat. The lateral airbag device is capable of protecting the occupants of a vehicle in the event of an accident in a reliable manner. The seat covering is configured to bring the unfolding gas bag to a predetermined position or to maintain the unfolded gas bag in the predetermined positioned.

The invention relates to a lateral airbag device.
A lateral airbag device of this type is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,030 (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). This previously known lateral airbag device has an airbag which is mounted in a flexible airbag covering in the interior of a vehicle seat, i.e. below the seat cover. In the event of an accident, the airbag is inflated, with the result that the flexible airbag covering breaks open at a tear seam provided for this purpose and releases the airbag. The seat cover of the vehicle seat subsequently tears open at a tear seam likewise provided for this purpose, so that the airbag can leave the interior of the seat and can deploy outside the vehicle seat. In the previously known lateral airbag device, the flexible airbag covering is provided with a "channel" or "slide" region which brings about a certain amount of guidance of the airbag during its inflation.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,616 (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) describes a lateral airbag device with two separate airbags. One of the two airbags is arranged in the seat back region and protects the upper body region of the vehicle occupant. The other of the two airbags is arranged in the lower seat region of the vehicle seat and, after deployment, protects the lower body region of the vehicle occupant.


A probe member for wafer inspection having a sheet-like probe, the probe including a frame plate in which openings are formed, and contact films arranged on a front surface of the frame plate so as to close the openings, each of the contact films obtained by arranging, in an insulating film formed of a flexible resin, a plurality of electrode structures, and an anisotropically conductive connector, which is composed of a frame plate, in which a plurality of openings have been formed corresponding to the electrode regions, and a plurality of elastic anisotropically conductive films arranged on and supported by the frame plate so as to close the respective openings, wherein each of the openings of the frame plate in the sheet-like probe have a size for receiving the external shape in a plane direction in the elastic anisotropically conductive film of the anisotropically conductive connector.

In the production process of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, after a great number of integrated circuits are formed on a wafer composed of, for example, silicon, a probe test that basic electrical properties of each of these integrated circuits are inspected, thereby sorting defective integrated circuits is generally conducted. This wafer is then diced, thereby forming semiconductor chips. Such semiconductor chips are housed and sealed in respective proper packages. Each of the packaged semiconductor integrated circuit devices is further subjected to a burn-in test that electrical properties thereof are inspected under a high-temperature environment, thereby sorting semiconductor integrated circuit devices having latent defects.
In such electrical inspection of integrated circuits, such as probe test or burn-in test, a probe card having inspection electrodes arranged in accordance with a pattern corresponding to a pattern of electrodes to be inspected is in use for electrically connecting each of the electrodes to be inspected in an object of inspection to a tester. As such a probe card, has heretofore been used that, on which inspection electrodes (inspection probes) each composed of a pin or blade are arranged.
By the way, in the probe test conducted for integrated circuits formed on a wafer, a method that a wafer is divided into a plurality of areas, in each of which, for example, 16 integrated circuits have been formed, a probe test is performed collectively on all the integrated circuits formed in an area, and the probe test is successively performed collectively on the integrated circuits formed in other areas has heretofore been adopted. In recent years, there has been a demand for collectively performing a probe test on a greater number of integrated circuits for the purpose of improving inspection efficiency and reducing inspection cost.
In the burn-in test on the other hand, it takes a long time to individually conduct electrical inspection of a great number of integrated circuit devices because each integrated circuit device that is an object of inspection is fine, and its handling is inconvenient, whereby inspection cost becomes considerably high. From such reasons, in recent years, there has been proposed a WLBI (Wafer Level Burn-in) test in which the burn-in test is performed collectively on a great number of integrated circuits formed on a wafer.
In order to produce a probe card used in such a probe test or WLBI test, it is however necessary to arrange a very great number of inspection probes, so that such a probe card is extremely expensive. In addition, when the number of electrodes to be inspected is great, and the pitch thereof is fine, it is difficult to produce the probe card itself.
From such reasons, there has been recently proposed a probe card having a circuit board for inspection, on one surface of which a plurality of inspection electrodes have been formed in accordance with a pattern corresponding to a pattern of electrodes to be inspected, an anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet arranged on one surface of this circuit board for inspection, in which a plurality of conductive parts each extending in a thickness-wise direction of the sheet have been formed in accordance with a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the electrodes to be inspected, and a sheet-like probe arranged on this anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet (for example, Patent Art. 1.). The sheet-like probe in this probe card is constructed by an insulating sheet, a plurality of electrode structures arranged in this insulating sheet in accordance with a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the electrodes to be inspected and each extending through in a thickness-wise direction of the insulating sheet, and a ring-like holding member provided at a peripheral edge portion of the insulating sheet and composed of, for example, a ceramic.
When a wafer that is an object of inspection is of a large size as at least 8 inches in diameter, and the number of electrodes to be inspected thereof is at least 5,000, particularly at least 10,000, however, a pitch between the electrodes to be inspected in each integrated circuit is extremely small, so that the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet in the above probe card involves the following problems.    (1) It is necessary to use an anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet having a considerably large area in order to inspect a wafer having a diameter of, for example, 8 inches (about 20 cm) collectively or by dividing it into areas, in each of which a plurality of integrated circuits have been formed. However, it is extremely difficult to surely produce such an anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet because each conductive part is fine, and a proportion of the surface area of the conductive parts to the surface of the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet is low though the area of the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet is considerably large. Accordingly, the yield in the production of the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet is lowered. As a result, the production cost of the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet is increased, and in turn the inspection cost is increased.    (2) The coefficient of linear thermal expansion of a material making up the wafer, for example, silicon is about 3.3×10−6/K. On the other hand, the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of a material making up the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet, for example, silicone rubber is about 2.2×10−4/K. When the material (for example, silicon) making up the integrated circuit devices that are the object of inspection and the material (for example, silicone rubber) making up the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet are greatly different from each other in the coefficient of linear thermal expansion as described above, positional deviation occurs between the conductive parts of the anisotropically conductive elastomer sheet and the electrodes to be inspected of the integrated circuit devices when they are subjected to thermal hysteresis by temperature change. As a result, an electrically connected state is changed, and it is thus difficult to retain a stably connected state.
In order to solve the above-described problems, there has been proposed a anisotropically conductive connector composed of a frame plate, in which a plurality of openings have been formed corresponding to electrode regions, in which electrodes to be inspected of integrated circuits in a wafer that is an object of inspection have been formed, and a plurality of elastic anisotropically conductive films arranged in the respective openings in this frame plate so as no close the openings (see, for example, Patent Art. 2).
On the other hand, the sheet-like probe in the above-described probe card involves the following problems.
In the sheet-like probe of the probe card, the insulating sheet is fixed to a holding member in a state that tension has been applied thereto in order to prevent or inhibit the thermal expansion of the insulating sheet.
However, at is extremely difficult to evenly apply the tension to the insulating sheet in all directions of the plane direction thereof, and a balance of the tension applied to the insulating sheet is changed by forming the electrode structures. As a result, the insulating sheet comes to have anisotropy on thermal expansion, so that even when the thermal expansion in one direction of the plane direction can be inhibited, thermal expansion in other directions intersecting said one direction cannot be inhibited. Accordingly, the positional deviation between the electrode structures and the electrodes to be inspected cannot be surely prevented when they are subjected to thermal hysteresis by temperature change.
In addition, in order to fix the insulating sheet to the holding member in the state that the tension has been applied thereto, a complicated step of bonding the insulating sheet to the holding member under heating is required, so that a problem that increase in production cost is incurred arises.
In order to solve the above problems, the present applicant proposed a sheet-like probe composed of a frame plate, in which a plurality of openings have been formed corresponding to electrode regions, in which electrodes to be inspected of integrated circuits in a wafer, which is an object of inspection, have been formed, and a plurality of contact films arranged on and supported by one surface of the frame plate so as to close the respective openings of the frame plate, each of said contact films being composed of an insulating film and electrode structures arranged in the insulating film, and a probe card equipped with this sheet-like probe and the above-described anisotropically conductive connector (see Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-305956).
However, it has been found that such a probe card involves the following problems.
In order to achieve good electrical connection in a connecting operation between a wafer, which is an object of inspection, and the probe card, it is essential to pressurize the conductive parts of the anisotropically conductive connector in the probe card in a thickness-wise direction of the connector by back-surface electrode parts of the sheet-like probe so as to sufficiently compress the conductive parts.
As illustrated in FIG. 52, however, the frame plate 81 in the sheet-like probe 80 is present between the contact film 85 in the sheet-like probe 80 and the elastic anisotropically conductive film 95 in the anisotropically conductive connector 90, whereby the frame plate 81 of the sheet-like probe 80 comes into contact with the elastic anisotropically conductive film 95 of the anisotropically conductive connector 90 when the electrode structures 86 of the sheet-like probe 80 are pressurized, so that the conductive parts 96 of the elastic anisotropically conductive film 95 cannot be surely compressed in the thickness-wise direction of the film by the back-surface electrode parts 87 of the electrode structures 86. As a result, it is difficult to surely achieve a good electrically connected state.    Patent Art. 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-15565;    Patent Art. 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-184821

Probe member for wafer inspection, probe card for wafer inspection and wafer inspection equipment


An all-optical data compression system comprising:                an input encoding unit having at least one input for receiving a data channel; an output decoding unit having at least one output for providing a data channel; a radiation guide for carrying encoded optical data signals from the encoding unit to the decoding unit, and the encoded optical data signals are in a form of a train of optical pulses equally separated by a time interval and having relative phase shifts between adjacent pulses.

In the field of optical communication, there is a pressing need to improve the capacity of optical networks. Increasing the capacity of the optical networks may be achieved by increasing the transmission rate in which the information is sent along the optical fibers of the networks. However, increasing the data rate in the optical communication networks faces several major and challenging obstacles, such as, increasing the switching speed and reducing the Chromatic Dispersions (CD) and the Polarization Mode Dispersions (PMD). The currently used optical communication networks already implement the cutting edge technology in terms of switching speeds and dispersion compensation and operate at a rate to 10 Giga Bits Per Second (10 Gbps). The future goal is to move into a higher rate of data that would be 40 Gbps. However, the technology for 40 Gbps is not available yet and it does not seem that it would be available, and for a reasonable price, in the near future. Thus, a solution for the need to increase the volume of the optical communication network should be done in a way that does not involve increase of data transmission rate.
Increasing of the volume of the transmitted information without an increase of the transmitted data rate may be achieved using more efficient protocols to transmit more information when using the same amount of transmitted bits. Such a protocol is known as data compression. To create efficient data compression in optical communication networks, the compression should be done in the optical domain. Data compression in the optical domain saves the use of expensive Optical-Electrical-Optical (O-E-O) converters and allows applying the compression on the optical pulses (bits) in the form that they are actually sent.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an all-optical data compression system;
Another object of the present invention is to provide an all-optical data compression system capable of receiving multiple data channels where each of the data channel operates at a certain data rate and sending the information of all the multiple data channels along a single data channel operating at the same data rate as each of the multiple data channels;
Another object of the present invention is to provide an all-optical data compression system capable of receiving multiple data channels at multiple inputs where each of the data channel operates at a certain data rate, sending the information of all the multiple data channels along a single data channel operating at the same data rate as each of the multiple data channels, and demultiplexing each of the multiple data channels from one input to one output, and
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an all-optical data compression system using optical phase modulation.


A device and method for monitoring an access to a patient, an extracorporeal blood circuit and/or a dialyzing fluid system includes a centrifugal pump for conveying blood or dialyzing fluid instead of an occluding pump. Centrifugal pumps bring about a large change in flow rate by even a small change in pressure difference across the pump. The device includes a measuring unit for measuring the flow rate of blood or dialyzing fluid conveyed by the centrifugal pump, and a control and computing unit configured to determine an incorrect vascular access or malfunction if a change in measured flow rate Q is more than a predetermined amount. For example, a small drop in pressure in the venous blood line leads to a marked increase in the flow rate of the centrifugal pump, which is used as a basis for the detection of an incorrect vascular access.

In the field of medical technology, various extracorporeal blood treatment apparatuses comprising an extracorporeal blood circuit are known. The known extracorporeal blood treatment apparatuses include for example haemodialysis apparatuses and cell separators, which necessitate an access to the patient's vascular system. In extracorporeal blood treatment, blood is removed from the patient with an arterial puncture cannula via an arterial hose line, the blood being fed back to the patient with a venous puncture cannula via a venous hose line.
In order to convey the blood in the extracorporeal blood circuit, the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatuses generally comprise an occluding hose pump, in particular a roller pump. Occluding hose pumps are also generally provided in the dialyzing fluid system of extracorporeal blood treatment apparatuses. From other specialist medical fields, for example in heart bypass operations, other blood pumps are known for the operation of an extracorporeal blood circuit, in particular special centrifugal pumps designed for blood, which are characterised by causing relatively little damage to the blood.
Despite regular monitoring of the vascular access by hospital staff during extracorporeal blood treatment, there is in principle the risk of the venous puncture cannula slipping out of the patient's blood vessel unnoticed. Whereas slipping-out of the arterial cannula is associated with the sucking-in of air into the arterial hose line, the slipping-out of the venous cannula leads to the feared free flow of blood into the surroundings. If the slipping-out of the venous cannula is not detected immediately, therefore, there is the risk of the patient bleeding to death.
Various devices of differing design are known for the monitoring of the vascular access. The known monitoring devices generally rely on the safety devices which are present as standard in blood treatment apparatuses and which, in the event of an incorrect vascular access, trigger an immediate interruption to the blood flow in the extracorporeal blood circuit.
A monitoring device for a vascular access is described in International Patent Publication No. WO 99/29356 A1, wherein the strength of an electric current flowing through the fluid in the hose line is measured. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0254513 describes a monitoring device, wherein the impedance between two electrodes disposed on the arterial and venous hose line is measured. A drawback is that the known devices require the creation of an electrical connection to the fluid flowing in the hose lines.
Monitoring systems are also known for monitoring both the arterial and the venous vascular access, said systems being based on a measurement of the pressure in the extracorporeal blood circuit. A drop-in pressure of 20 mmHG can be assumed in practice in the event of the venous puncture cannula slipping out. Since the nominal value of the measurement value resolution lies in practice in the region of 2 mmHG with a maximum total error between 15 and 20 mmHG, the detection of a venous disconnection proves to be difficult. A monitoring system with pressure monitoring is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,040. The known pressure monitoring makes use of a special evaluation procedure.
Monitoring devices which can detect the outflow of blood at the puncture point are described in International Patent Publication No. WO 2006/008866 A1 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0038325. These devices comprise a moisture sensor.

Device and method for monitoring an extracorporeal blood treatment


User interfaces for relaying notifications to users are disclosed. In a pulsing mode, information is faded into a predetermined area of a display, where the information has a net value greater than a predetermined or dynamically computed threshold. In a stream-cycling mode, for a number of different information sources, a display time is determined for each notification based on the information's importance. Each information is displayed in turn for a length of time equal to the display time, within the predetermined area of the display. In a stream-stacking mode, information from each of a number of sources is displayed in a corresponding source summary window. When the net value of information in a notification is greater than a predetermined or computed threshold, the information may be streamed in a main notification window and can be journaled in a journal window.

Many computer users today receive information from a number of different sources, and utilize a number of different devices in order to access this information. For example, a user may receive e-mail and instant messages over a computer, pages over a pager, voice-mail over a phone, such as a cellular ("cell") or landline phone, news information over the computer, etc. This makes it difficult for the user to receive all his or her different information, referred to also as alerts or notifications, wherever the user happens to be.
For example, a user may be away from his or her computer, but receive an important e-mail. The user may have access only to a cell phone or a pager, however. As another example, the user may be working on the computer, and have turned off the ringer and voice-mail indicator on the phone. When an important voice-mail is left, the user has no way of receiving this information on the computer.
Moreover, many of the alerts may not be important to the user—for example, e-mail from the user's manager or co-worker should receive higher priority than the latest sports scores. More generally, the value of the information contained in an alert should be balanced with the costs associated with the disruption of the user by an alert. Both the costs and value may be context sensitive. Beyond notifications about communications, users are alerted with increasing numbers of services, error messages, and computerized offers for assistance.
The prior art does not provide for alerts following the user, for the prioritization of the alerts, nor for considering the potentially context-sensitive value and costs associated with notifications. However, in the cofiled, copending and coassigned patent application Ser. No. 09/596,365 entitled "Notification Platform Architecture," an architecture is described that can receive alerts from a number of different sources, called notification sources, and convey them to any of a number of different outputs, called notification sinks. In one embodiment, one of the notification sinks is a computer, such as a laptop or a desktop computer, such that the notifications are displayed in conjunction with a user interface associated with the computer.

Display and human-computer interaction for a notification platform


An apparatus is disclosed for inspecting a surface containing a material that emits luminescent radiation in response to absorbing excitation radiation. The apparatus comprises a laser disposed in or adjacent to a housing. A sensor opening is defined in the housing and permits emission of excitation radiation generated by the laser and permits admission of the luminescent radiation emanating from the surface in response to the excitation radiation. A sensor monitors whether ambient light is being admitted between an edge of the sensor opening and the surface upon which the sensor opening is in contact. A safety circuit permits the laser to be actuated only when the sensor detects a substantially or completely light-impermeable contact between the edge of the sensor opening and the surface.

In the modern economy, reliable identification of products has been accorded increasing importance not only for improved logistics, but also for preventing product piracy. Recently, "luminescent nano-pigments" (LNPs) have been utilized to provide products with a permanent, distinguishable, spectral fingerprint that is visible only upon appropriate optical stimulation. Such LNPs can be provided as non-toxic, bio-compatible, stable and very long-lasting inorganic materials that are introduced into the product surfaces and are not modifiable therein. The LNPs are stable at high and low temperatures, are insensitive to solar radiation and are available in particle sizes of, e.g., 0.3 μm to 60 μm. When irradiated, e.g., with laser radiation, they can be excited to luminesce. The delay or lag of the luminescent radiation relative to the excitation irradiation can be practically zero (fluorescence) or can have predetermined values that are characteristic for the respective LNPs.
An apparatus for detecting laser-stimulated luminescent radiation is known from European Patent Application No. 0 802 499 A2. This apparatus has an opening designed for the emission of excitation irradiation, generally in the UV-range, generated by a semiconductor diode housed in the housing of the apparatus and for the admission of luminescent radiation, generally in the visible range, that emanates from a surface of an object as a result the excitation radiation applied thereto. However, this apparatus lacks a safety mechanism for preventing, e.g., the user's eyes from being accidentally exposed to harmful excitation irradiation.
An apparatus for examining objects such as currency, paintings, stamps, etc. using UV-light is known from German patent publication no. 1 673 140. This apparatus has a downward-opening housing for irradiating the object and for monitoring the luminescence emanating therefrom. During the inspection process, the UV-lamp and the object are disposed in the apparatus housing so that the UV-light is confined therein. Consequently, the design of this apparatus does not lend itself to convenient, e.g., portable, inspection of a wide-variety of product sizes.

Apparatus for detecting laser-stimulated luminescent radiation

Sensor Instruments Entwicklungs- und Vertriebs GmbH


A device for tempering a receptacle in a chamber, including a cylindrical casing surrounding the chamber, a bottom, which is arranged on an end of the casing and is connected with it, an opening on an end of the casing opposite to the bottom, which is limited by a contact surface running parallel to the bottom, an annular sealing element, which has a sealing leg and a contact leg, which rests on the contact surface and an annular tensioning element, which, placed on the sealing element, lies on the sealing leg on its outside.

The present invention relates to a device for tempering a receptacle in a chamber.
There is the need to precisely temper receptacles in which chemical media react with each other. Thus, it is for example known for chemical vapor deposition processes and/or for the doping of semi-conductors to very precisely temper a receptacle, also known as a bubbler, in which a doping gas is created, in a tempering device. For this, the receptacle is arranged in the tempering device and sealed outwardly. Since bubblers have tolerances and irregularities in their circumferential diameter caused for example by welded seams, the seal can be impaired in the tempering device. The tempering device is well insulated and is tempered in its chamber via a medium such as water or another tempering medium.
A cover closure for a pressure container, which has an L-shaped lip seal, which is arranged with a leg in an annular recess of the inner surface of the cover fastened on the container, is known from patent specification DE 1 750 549. A sealing lip rests on an inner surface of a flat annular groove of the cover closure.
A closure device for sterilization apparatuses working under excess pressure is known from patent specification DE 62 43 96 PS. A sealant arranged in a circumferential cover flange is hereby pressed onto a protruding sealing edge by means of clamping screws.
A device for tempering a good in a cylindrical chamber, in which the good to be tempered is bathed annularly with tempered air via a device of grooves, became known from DE 20 2004 010 834 U1.

Device for tempering a receptacle in a chamber


An archival and restoration solution archiving a plurality of CDR files, selectively restoring the CDR files, and performing maintenance on archived CDR files, including purging archived CDR files that are older than a predetermined threshold age. The archival of the CDR files can be implemented with a particular naming convention to ease restoration of particular archived CDR files of all the CDR files archived. After restoration of particular archived CDR files, records within each restored archived CDR file can be searched for particular search criteria, and the result thereof output for a database, further archival, or for further review and analysis. The archival and restoration solution can be implemented by computer code controlling the archival, restoration, and maintenance in an autonomous manner based on a configuration file including operation parameters for the archival, restoration, and maintenance operations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a record storage and retrieval solution. More particularly, the present invention relates to a Call Detail Records (CDR) storage and retrieval solution in a telecommunications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the telecommunications field, a necessary operation is the generation of records identifying information about a telecommunications operation between at least two points. For example, for billing purposes, it is typically necessary to know who initiated a telephone call and where that telephone call originated, who was in receipt of the telephone call, what telephone network the recipient was on, when the call occurred, and for how long, for example. In a wireless telecommunications area, all this information can be collated and used for current billing of each customer, as well as billing between networks. For example, based on the usage of a first network's customers of a second network's services the second network may bill the first network for that usage.
Again, using the wireless telecommunications example, during or after a wireless connection between at least two end users, information of that connection is generated and stored by one or more of the corresponding networks. For example, a Business Intelligence (BI) application extracts information from a network's signaling system to create Call Detail Records (CDRs), which provide information pertaining to the individual calls made on the network in one file. Further, in one example, a Call Detail Record (CDR) is opened when a call/transaction setup message is captured by the system and closed either when a release/disconnection message is detected or when a timeout expires. Every CDR may contain all the main parameters about the calls and/or the transactions. A single system can capture, analyze and deliver more than 500,000 calls/transactions per hour. Typically the call information is placed in flat (comma delimited text) records to form the CDRs, with each CDR record being stored in the system's memory, on the local hard disk and, optionally, delivered to a remote, centralized system called a CDR Server.
The aforementioned signaling system is typically a Signaling System 7 (SS7), which is merely a standard telecommunications protocol defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a way to offload public switched telephone network (PSTN) data traffic congestion onto a wireless or wireline digital broadband network. In different areas of the world, differing signaling systems are implemented. Regardless, embodiments of the present invention are equally applicable.
SS7 is characterized by high-speed circuit switching and out-of-band signaling using Service Switching Points (SSPs), Signal Transfer Points (STPs), and Service Control Points (SCPs) (collectively referred to as signaling points, or SS7 nodes). Out-of-band signaling is signaling that does not take place over the same path as the data transfer (or conversation). A separate digital channel is created (called a signaling link), where messages are exchanged between network elements at 56 or 64 kilobit per second. These messages go back and forth setting up a call even before the recipient hears a dial tone. The messages help determine which route should be taken, whether the trunk route is free, and whether the recipient's phone is off the hook, for example. Although these messages are typically not included in the records of a CDR file, they are used to help build the CDR records.
Once CDRs have been generated and transported to a Data Management Component (DMC), or any data management system, a BI application can enhance the data using customer-supplied network reference data, and may enable the CDR data to be placed into a database, e.g., a relational database management system (RDBMS).
The BI application may summarize the call information in the form of daily network activity reports, which associate and quantify calls made through interconnected carriers. As noted above, these reports can be used by network and business managers to generate billing to customers or other networks. In addition, such reports can be used to make informed business decisions, since they can illustrate call volumes and network usage.
In addition, as noted above, the volume of the records stored in each CDR is traditionally extremely large. Thus, it is imperative to efficiently store (Compress/Archive) and retrieve selected CDR records (Restoration), and manage the accumulation (Archive Maintenance) of the CDRs, which store these individual records. Further, there is a need for a solution specifically for archiving literally terabytes of data. Typically, each record in a CDR may be 182 fields (in comma delimited text), amounting to around 2,000 bytes. In each CDR file there are tens of thousands of these records, potentially resulting in hundreds of thousands of records depending upon the size of the network.
If the CDR files are compressed, to conserve storage capacity, then there also is a need for a retrieval capacity for select CDR files and/or records from within that file. For example, there may be government regulations requiring such CDR files information to be stored for a period of time, e.g., 180 days, so such records could be used for tariff dispute resolution between networks, e.g., between wireless carriers. The tariff resolution may merely be one carrier questioning the billing statement presented to them from another carrier. The billing carrier may then need to decompress a large number of CDR files, and their corresponding records, to present the required proof for the billing. However, presently there is not an efficient solution for archiving and retrieving such CDR files. Large volumes of CDR files may need to be decompressed and then an extensive search of those files would be required, when the billing controversy was only concerning a select few records, e.g., records from a particular period of time or from or to a particular network.
Thus, the present invention overcomes the above problems in conventional systems by providing an efficient archival and retrieval solution for records.


A system and method for searching for new and/or updated media content is provided. Content is acquired using a plurality of APIs and the content is consolidated with the newest content identified. More specifically, the system or method identifies the most recent piece of content from the consolidated content, as well as the most recent content from each individual API. The system and method may also highlight data that is new for a particular user since the last time the user used the app based on the user's IP address or log in credentials. Some factors considered when choosing one or more APIs to perform the search include: (1) Cost of using the APIs; (2) data download speed; (3) amount of data displayed after using the APIs; and (4) number of APIs used to obtain the updated data.

As the amount of data available to individuals becomes greater every passing moment, there is a need to store, organize and structure this data so that individuals can process and review relevant data at their convenience. Currently, data, referring to any type of content, whether audio, textual, graphical, multi-format or in any other form, is accessible across vast networks of websites, software services and other connected providers of content. Content of this form is easy to retrieve, such as via a HTTP request for a webpage to a website or requesting packaged data from an application programming interface (API), but there currently exists no way to easily store and curate the content received from these content providers.
Further, since content is always changing and content providers are always updating content and locations content is stored, it is difficult for individuals to keep track of content they wish to view at a later time. For instance, a website may have a front page story that an individual is interested in reading at a later time, but when they return at that later time, the front page story is changed and they have no easy way to retrieve the location of the content.
The inability to easily store and retrieve content individuals want to later consume is a lost opportunity for both content creator, in terms of financial rewards from exposure (e.g., advertising revenue, conversions) and other non-monetary rewards (e.g., creation of a fan base), and content consumer alike.
Additionally, perceptions of particular types or genres of content are largely predictable or identifiable. If a content consumer likes a particular piece of content of a specific or identifiable type and/or genre (e.g., sci-fi movies), they are likely to enjoy additional content in similar or related types/genres. While currently there are systems which provide recommendations based on content, such as eCommerce providers providing additional goods to users based on past purchases or searches and streaming video providers providing additional video recommendations based on a viewer's previous content views, there are currently no centralized systems that allow for a user to store content that is provided by remote content providers where the centralized system retrieves information from numerous third-party content providers and uses the information retrieved from the third-party content providers (and information stored in the centralized system), to curate and suggest additional content to the user.
Therefore, there is need in the art for a system and method configured to allowing for the searching, organizing, exploring and relating of online content within a contained ecosystem. These and other features and advantages of the present invention, including the generation of web-based multimedia scrapbooks, will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.


A PV panel carrier includes a plurality of elongate members joined by connecting members to form a frame. Each of the connecting members includes a support surface for supporting a portion of a PV panel thereon. Each of the connectors includes a fastening strap extending over the support surface, wherein at least two of the fastening straps are movable between an open position wherein they do not extend over the support surface and a closed position wherein they extend over the support surface to retain a PV panel in the carrier.

Photovoltaic ("PV") panels, also referred to as modules or solar panels, of the type known in the art typically include a flat planar surface having an array of solar cells which convert solar energy into electricity. These panels may be surrounded by a frame which provides some protection to the edges of the panel and provides a means for mounting the panel to a structure. However, including a frame on each panel increases the manufacturing expense of the panel. Frameless PV panels are available, where the panel is not surrounded by frame members. In such frameless panels, typically through holes may be formed in the panel itself in order to provide a mounting structure so that the panel may be properly secured. Frameless panels while more efficient to manufacture than the framed variety, are also more susceptible to breakage as the edges are not protected.
PV panels are often installed on roofs or tops of structures, and therefore, must be carried up to the installation site, e.g., by way of ladders. For frameless modules this can be a very labor intensive activity since one must be very careful that the panel is not damaged upon transporting it to its final installation point. In addition, PV panels due to their size and weight can be somewhat difficult to hold and transport up a ladder.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a device which both protects a PV panel during its transportation prior to installation and also provides an easy means of carrying the panel, thus overcoming various shortcomings of the prior art.


A magnetoresistive sensor fabricated by creating first antiferromagnetic layers on the upper surfaces of a lower-gap layer, the antiferromagnetic layer having first and second exposed portions separated by a track width formed by the upper surface of the lower-gap layer. Then, a free magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer, a pinned magnetic layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer are stacked on the first antiferromagnetic layers and a portion on the track width one after another. Since the free magnetic layer is created after the first antiferromagnetic layer, the free magnetic layer and the first antiferromagnetic layer are adhered to each other with a high degree of reliability. When the direction of magnetization in the free magnetic layer is changed by an external magnetic field, the electrical resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor also changes. The change in electrical resistance is, in turn, used for detecting the external magnetic field. Since the first antiferromagnetic layers put the free magnetic layer in a single-domain state in the X direction, the amount of Barkhausen noise can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to a magnetoresistive sensor mounted on a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus or another magnetic detecting apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a magnetoresistive sensor and its manufacturing method, wherein the magnetoresistive sensor is of the so-called spin-valve type, and wherein the electrical resistance thereof varies due to a change in relation between the direction of the magnetization of a pinned magnetic layer and the direction of magnetization of a free magnetic layer which is affected by an external magnetic field.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a front view of a magnetoresistive sensor based on the spin-valve effect disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,590. The Z direction in the figure is the moving direction of a magnetic recording medium such as a rigid disk relative to the magnetoresistive sensor whereas the Y direction is the direction of a leaking magnetic field (an external magnetic field) from the magnetic recording medium.
In the magnetoresistive sensor shown in FIG. 3, a nonmagnetic underlayer 2 made of a nonmagnetic material such as Ta (tantalum) is created on a lower-gap layer 1 made of typically Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (aluminum oxide). A free magnetic layer 3 is created on the nonmagnetic underlayer 2. A nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5, a pinned magnetic layer 6 and a second antiferromagnetic layer 7 are stacked on the free magnetic layer 3 with a predetermined width in the X direction one after another in the order they are enumerated. At (i) portions on both edges of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive material 5 and the pinned magnetic material 6, first antiferromagnetic layers 4 are created on the free magnetic layer 3.
An upper layer 8 made of a nonmagnetic material such as Ta is created on the first antiferromagnetic layers 4 on both the sides and on the second antiferromagnetic layer 7 in the middle. Lead layers (electrically conductive layers) 9 are created on the upper layer 8, sandwiching an open track width Tw.
An exchange anisotropic coupling on a film boundary surface between the first antiferromagnetic layer 4 and the free magnetic layer 3 puts the free magnetic layer 3 into a single-domain state in the X direction, orientating the directions of magnetization in the X direction. On the other hand, an exchange anisotropic coupling on a film boundary surface between the second antiferromagnetic layer 7 and the pinned magnetic layer 6 puts the pinned magnetic layer 6 into a single-domain state in the Y direction, fixing the directions of magnetization in the Y direction (a direction perpendicular to the surface of the paper toward the reader).
In the magnetoresistive sensor based on the spin-valve effect, a steady-state current is supplied from the lead layer 9 to the free magnetic layer 3, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5 and the pinned magnetic layer 6 in the X direction. When a leaking magnetic field (an external magnetic field) from a magnetic recording medium such as a rigid disk is provided in the Y direction, the direction of magnetization of the free magnetic layer 3 changes from the X direction to the Y direction. The change in relation between the direction of magnetization in the free magnetic layer 3 and the pinned direction of magnetization of the pinned magnetic layer 6, which change is caused by a variation in magnetization direction in the free magnetic layer 3, changes the electrical resistance. The change in electrical resistance results in a change in voltage which is used for detecting the leaking magnetic field from the magnetic recording medium.
As described above, in the magnetoresistive sensor shown in FIG. 3, the exchange anisotropic couplings on the film boundary surface between the first antiferromagnetic layer 4 and the free magnetic layer 3 and on the film boundary surface between the second antiferromagnetic field 7 and the pinned magnetic layer 6 orientate the magnetic directions of the free magnetic layer 3 and the pinned magnetic layer 6 respectively in directions perpendicular to each other. As a result, the amount of Barkhausen noise can be reduced, giving rise to a merit that a linear response characteristic of the change in electrical resistance with respect to the leaking magnetic field from the magnetic recording medium can be reliably obtained. In addition, since the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer 6 in the X direction is fixed, the off-track performance with respect to the magnetic recording medium is also good.
In a process of manufacturing a magnetoresistive sensor with a structure shown in FIG. 3, however, after the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5, the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the second antiferromagnetic layer 7 are stacked on the free magnetic layer 3 in a sputter processes, it is necessary to remove the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5, the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the second antiferromagnetic layer 7 from the (i) portions using an etching process such as ion milling. In addition, also required is a process for creating the first antiferromagnetic layer 4 on the (i) portions at both edges of the second antiferromagnetic layer 7, the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5 each with a fixed dimension in the X direction.
The film thickness of each layer in the magnetoresistive sensor has a value ranging from several tens of Angstroms to several hundreds of Angstroms. The film thickness of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5 is about several tens of Angstroms. It is extremely difficult to remove the stacked structure comprising the three layers, that is, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5, the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the second antiferromagnetic layer 7, each having such a very small film thickness by means of ion milling with a high degree of accuracy. From the technological point of view, at the portion (i), it is also difficult to remove only the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5 without removing the free magnetic layer 3 in order to expose the free magnetic layer 3. If a portion of the free magnetic layer 3 is inadvertently removed in this etching process, the magnetic characteristic of the free magnetic layer 3 will be adversely affected. If the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5 is inadvertently left at the portion (i) on the surface of the free magnetic layer 3, on the other hand, the first antiferromagnetic layer 4 created on the free magnetic layer 3 is not closely adhered to the free magnetic layer 3 because of the residual nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 5. As a result, no exchange anisotropic coupling is generated on the film boundary surface between the first antiferromagnetic layer 4 and the free magnetic layer 3.

Magnetoresistive sensor manufacturing method


An extensible, vehicle-mounted ladder with movable rungs is used to aid in raising and lowering in rescue operations. The ladder includes a rotatable base having storage space to hold extra rungs supporting the variable extended positions of the ladder. The ladder includes a plurality of ladder units or extensible booms. Each ladder unit includes four C-rails. A first ladder unit is attached to the rotatable base and the others extensible therefrom. The ladder includes rungs that slidably engage within two of the C-rails. A drive cable connects the rungs in a closed loop and is powered to enable rung rotation in a closed loop around the ladder units within the C-rails.

This invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,968 (the '968 patent) for a transportable rescue conveyer in that it provides unique powered aerial ladder mechanism that extends the stiles of the ladder to reach a building, ship or oil-drilling platform and also moves the rungs to raise and lower the fireman, a person rescued, and any load the fireman may need to raise or lower with him. Unlike the '968 patent, this improvement provides a powered ladder for a fire and rescue truck that more closely resembles traditional manual-climb ladders, except that it multiplies the lift and rescue potential of fire and rescue personnel. The present invention is distinctly different from the '968 patent in that a single specially designed boom is used that supports and guides the rungs and enables their movement in a loop in a forward or backward direction.
The notion of movable rungs was disclosed for an electrically adjustable ladder in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,031 (the '031 patent). While not an aerial ladder, the '031 patent teaches the use of threaded screws extending along two parallel stiles through which the rungs are mechanically connected. The present invention does not use the mechanism described in the 031 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,889 (the '889 patent) teaches a ladder-guided service elevator to carry persons up or down along a building wall or other structure. The service elevator is not an aerial ladder but rather is similar to a traditional ladder, which must be secured to a structure. The structure then supports an endless conveyor band that engages the rungs of the ladder and the elevator that carries a load up and down. There is no mechanism for extending the ladder-guided elevator or for its operability upon such extension.
Vehicle-mounted retractable ladders without movable rungs are also well known and are common in fire and rescue vehicles. An example from 1982 is U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,504 for a telescopic aerial ladder, especially intended to be mounted on a transportation vehicle. The ladder comprises a number of ladder members superposed atop each other, each member consisting of two trapezoidal lateral wings connected by rungs. The upper and lower longitudinal edges of each member are not in parallel relationship but designed in such a manner that the distance between said edges is increasing towards the end of said member which remains imbedded within the corresponding end of another ladder member which is located near below said member. The present invention's telescopic mechanism is distinctly different in that the telescoping ladder sections are nested within each other, providing for very compact storage atop the vehicle.
A recent example of a non-emergency vehicle application of a retractable ladder is U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,022 (the '022 patent). The '022 patent teaches a ladder apparatus and method for use with large construction equipment, such as large tractors, mining trucks and similar vehicles that have an operator's platform or operating station located a substantial distance off the ground. The powered ladder has a fixed ladder portion rigidly attached to the vehicle. While typical, such ladder mechanisms are distinctly different from the present invention in both structure and capability provided by a unique movable rung system.


A method provides a distributed and granular management and orchestration of virtualized functions (VFs). The method includes instantiating a network function virtualization management and orchestration (NFV-MANO) system that is configured to instantiate micro-functions (MFs) and to link each of the instantiated MFs to a corresponding one of the VFs. Also, a MF of the MFs is instantiated and linked the MF to a VF of the VFs. The instantiated MF is configured to provide at least one service of the NFV-MANO system to the VF to which it is linked. The instantiated MF and the VF are configured to expose interfaces over which they can interface with each other.

A Management and Orchestration (MANO) system is used for the management of resources of a cloud infrastructure, such as a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI). These cloud infrastructure resources can be both physical and virtual.
Examples of physical resources include: compute, network, storage, and memory resources. Examples of such virtual resources include: Virtualized Network Functions (VNF), Network Services (NS), and/or Virtual Links (VL). The NS can be composed of a single VNF or it can be composed of multiple VNFs that are chained together via Virtual Links (VL) in a specific topology represented by some forwarding graph (e.g., a VNF Forwarding Graph (VNFFG)). It is the NS that delivers the desired service(s). An example of a NS is a virtualized EPC (vEPC) network, which may also contain other VNFs such as virtual Firewall (vFW), virtual Load Balancer (vLB), etc.
The main task of the MANO system is to ensure efficient management and orchestration of the virtual resources while maximizing the resource utilization (but at a lower cost), while also ensuring the end-to-end service integrity of the NS. Typical MANO tasks include the FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security) management and Life Cycle Management (LCM) of the NFVI assets. The LCM includes operations, such as deployment, instantiation, scaling, migration, update/upgrade, delete, configure, healing etc. of VNFs, NSs, and VLs.
An example of a standard NFV-MANO system 100 is depicted in FIG. 1, which has been standardized by the ETSI ISG NFV. This NFV-MANO 100 system is composed of three man functional blocks: NFV Orchestrator (NFVO) 101, VNF Manager (VNFM) 102 and Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) 103. The NFV MANO 100 also includes several repositories and descriptor files, for example: NS Catalogue 104, VNF Catalogue 105, NFV Instances 106, and NFVI Resources 107.
The combination of such functional blocks, repositories, and descriptor files enables the NFV MANO 100 to manage and orchestrate NFVI 108 resources, including VNFs 109 (or NSs made up of VNFs) as per some management and orchestration policy.
Each functional block of the NFV-MANO 100 system is assigned a specific set of functions that interact with the functionalities offered by other functional blocks over well-defined interfaces specified over the reference points (112-115). On a high level, a MANO system undertakes the following tasks: (1) Monitoring of managed entities and the virtualized infrastructure resources; (2) Collection of monitored KPIs and other relevant data; (3) Analysis of the collected KPIs; (4) Derivation of appropriate lifecycle management actions based on events analyzed; and (5) Execution of lifecycle management actions.
FIG. 1 also illustrates various reference points (112-114) between the NFV-MANO functional blocks, repositories and descriptor files, and other functional blocks in the NFV architecture. Well defined interfaces are defined over these reference points that enable interactions (e.g., communications) between these elements of the NFV architecture. The architecture shown in FIG. 1 differentiates between three types of reference points: execution reference points 112 (e.g., the Vn-Nf reference point 112 between the NFVI 108 and a VNF 109), main NFV reference points 113 (e.g., the Vi-Vnfm main reference point 113 between the VIM 103 and the VNFM 102, the Nf-Vi main reference point 113 between the NFVI 108 and the VIM 103, the Or-Vi main reference point 113 between the NFVO 101 and the VIM 103), and other reference points 114 (e.g., the other reference point 114 between the NFVO 101 and the NS Catalogue 104). The differentiation among the execution, main, and other reference points (112-114) is based on the ETSI standard.
The NFV architecture shown in FIG. 1 also illustrates an operation system support (OSS) and business system support (BSS) functional block 111 and an element management (EM) functional block 110. The OSS/BSS 111 are the combination of the operator's other operations and business support functions that are not otherwise explicitly captured in the present architectural framework, but are expected to have information exchanges with functional blocks in the NFV-MANO 100 architectural framework over well-defined interfaces specified over the Os-Ma-nfvo main reference point 113. OSS/BSS 111 functions may provide management and orchestration of legacy systems and may have full end-to-end visibility of services provided by legacy network functions in an operator's network. The EM 110 is responsible for FCAPS management functionality for a VNF 109 (e.g., configuration, fault management, usage accounting, performance measurements, and security). The EM 110 may be aware of virtualization, and collaborate with the VNF Manager 102 over the Ve-Vnfm-em main reference point 113 to perform those functions that require exchanges of information regarding the NFVI Resources 107 associated with the VNF 109.
The NFV-MANO system is typically expected to manage and orchestrate 1000s of VNF/NS instances within a data-center (i.e., in an NFVI). The VNF/NS instances may belong to different tenants with varying policies that poses a challenge to the NFV-MANO system to ensure that each tenant's QoS objectives are met. The NFV-MANO system relies on an effective monitoring system to receive KPI related data from the various resources that can be analyzed internally in order to make effective MANO decisions. However, the increase in the scale of the VNFs/NSs will impact the MANO performance in terms of high processing/protocol/monitoring load leading to delays in deriving optimum management decisions on actions.
In consideration of the dynamic network conditions, such delays can lead to stale decisions that may be counter-productive, especially for low-latency services. Moreover, the NFV-MANO system poses as a single point of failure. The performance of the NFV-MANO can further degrade when it has to manage VNF(s)/NS(s) in a multi-site multi-domain environment, where the NS(s) are deployed spanning multiple NFVI-PoPs that may or may not belong to the same administrative domain.
To address the above issues, there have been proposals to distribute the MANO system. A recent proposal (PCT/EP 2018/061426, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) instructs the distribution of MANO by providing each tenant with its own virtual MANO stack, referred to as tenant-MANO (t-MANO), in order to enable the tenants to manage VNF(s)/NS(s) within its own resource domain without relying entirely on the central-MANO system (c-MANO). The c-MANO has full admin rights over the t-MANO instances and the functionalities and operational capabilities of the t-MANO are bounded within prescribed functional/operational limits as negotiated with the c-MANO. However, even in this approach, the t-MANO serves as a central MANO system with respect to the VNF(s)/NS(s) that are deployed and managed within the tenant's domain, and the problems discussed above are relevant within the tenants' domain. The larger the resource domain of the tenant, the more VNF/NS instances are and the more geographically distributed they are, and thus the more pronounced the highlighted issues will be.

Method and system for low-latency management and orchestration of virtualized resources


A thin film piezoelectric resonator includes a substrate having a cavity; a first electrode extending over the cavity; a piezoelectric film placed on the first electrode; and a second electrode placed on the piezoelectric film, the second electrode having a periphery partially overlapping on the cavity and tapered to have an inner angle of 30 degrees or smaller defined by a part of the periphery thereof and a bottom thereof.

Along with a remarkable breakthrough in the field of wireless communications, a variety of developments have been in progress in order to accelerate information transmission. With the wireless communications, frequency bands of approximately 2 GHz are in wide use in order to cope with the introduction of PHS systems, third generation cellular phones, wireless LAN, and so on. Further, the number of users and wireless terminals are extensively increased. The higher the information transmission speeds, the higher the carrier frequencies. Wireless LAN systems operating on a 5 GHz frequency band are now in business use.
There are strong demands on miniaturization of communication devices operating on high frequency bands. Especially, with a personal computer (PC), a communication device is realized by a PC card which should be as thin as approximately several millimeters.
Generally, a wireless communication device in the shape of the PC card includes an RF front end which processes radio frequencies, and a base band (BB) unit which processes digital signals. The base band unit is preferably an LSI chip made of a silicon (Si) substrate, and can be thinned to 1 mm or less.
The RF front end amplifies and coverts high frequencies as analog signals, and includes a number of passive components such as oscillators and filters. It is technically difficult to constitute the RF front end only by an LSI chip because the RF front end has a very complicated structure. The filters are either dielectrics or LC filters. The filters can filter high frequency signals using passband characteristics of a cavity resonator or an LC circuit, and is essentially difficult to be downsized and to be thinned to several millimeters or less. In other words, communication devices operating on high frequency bands have limitations on their miniaturization.
In order to overcome the foregoing problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-069,594 proposes a film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) which has attracted attentions, for example. In the FBAR, a thin piezoelectric film made of aluminum nitride (AlN) or zinc oxide is sandwiched between lower and upper electrodes. The thin piezoelectric film is placed over a cavity in a substrate. The resonator lets frequencies resonate along the thickness of not only the lower and upper electrodes which are in contact with an air layer but also the piezoelectric film. The foregoing thickness of 0.5 μm to several μm which can be accomplished by a film making process is suitable to frequencies of several GHz. Therefore, resonators compatible with high frequencies in GHz bands can be easily manufactured.
For instance, two thin film piezoelectric resonators are connected in series, and one thin film piezoelectric resonator is connected in parallel with the two thin film piezoelectric resonators, thereby obtaining a ladder-shaped filter. With a passband filter, the central frequency of the series-connected this film piezoelectric resonators and that of the parallel-connected thin film piezoelectric resonator are slightly different. Therefore, the resonance frequency of the parallel-connected thin film piezoelectric resonator is adjusted to be equal to that of the series-connected thin film piezoelectric resonators, for instance.
The foregoing thin film piezoelectric resonator can be produced using the film making process which is used to form a thin film on a substrate, and can be miniaturized. Especially, a general purpose filter can be easily made as thin as 1 mm or less, which is usually very difficult. Further, the substrate may be made of Si, which enables the thin film piezoelectric resonator to be produced by a semiconductor manufacturing process. Still further, the thin film piezoelectric resonator is reliably compatible with a transistor, IC, LSI and so on, and can have them mounted thereon.
However, there are the following new problems when a high frequency module is made using the thin film piezoelectric resonator on which a transistor, IC, LSI and so on are mounted.
The thin film piezoelectric resonator operates on bulk standing waves which are generated in a direction extending along the thickness of the piezoelectric film and produces resonance. However, lateral mode standing waves are generated at an edge of an electrode and an edge of a piezoelectric film. Such lateral mode standing waves have specific values. As a result, a lateral mode standing wave is generated. A wavelength of the lateral mode standing wave differs from that of the bulk wave. When combined with the bulk wave, the lateral mode standing wave causes a variety of parasitic vibration modes (spurious vibrations). If spurious vibrations are caused, ripples are generated, which fluctuate high frequency signal characteristics (Smith chart). This phenomenon extensively deteriorates resonance performance of the thin film piezoelectric resonator, or makes the resonance performance variable.
In order to overcome the foregoing problem, it has been proposed to suppress the lateral mode standing wave by making a contour of an upper electrode of a thin film piezoelectric resonator in the shape of an irregular polygon, as shown in FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings. However, since such an upper electrode 104 becomes large, it is impossible to miniaturize a filter including thin film piezoelectric resonators.
Referring to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, a thin film piezoelectric resonator 100 includes an upper electrode 104, a substrate 101 having a cavity 101H, a lower electrode 102 extending over the cavity 101H, and a thin piezoelectric film 103 on the lower electrode 102. The upper electrode 104 is present over the piezoelectric film 103, and has a damping layer 105 at its one end. The damping layer 105 damps the lateral mode standing wave. However, a new process for making the damping layer 105 should be added to a process for making the thin film piezoelectric resonator 100. This not only increases the number of manufacturing processes but also reduces an yield of the thin film piezoelectric resonator 100. Further, the damping layer 105 should be aligned with the edge of the upper electrode 104. However, a sufficient processing margin cannot be secured.

Thin film piezoelectric resonator and method of manufacturing the same


A technique is provided for generating a hierarchy used in managing a development project by generating schedule data for a task and generating reference data for the task, wherein the reference data references tasks at other levels of a hierarchy that represents relationships among tasks for completing the project. Another technique is provided for managing a development project schedule by determining whether an update to schedule data associated with a particular task requires an update to other tasks hierarchically related to the particular task, by following references from the particular task to a parent task and from the parent task to its child tasks. Schedule data of the child tasks, for example, actual start and end dates, are compared to determine whether the parent schedule needs to be changed.

Product development projects typically require significant effort to monitor and manage. Furthermore, computer software development projects are inherently difficult to manage. This difficulty is partly due to the large number of tasks and associated deliverables that comprise a software package and the vastness of paperwork and project files associated with these tasks and deliverables. Another contributing factor are the complex interdependencies established between individual tasks and deliverables during the development cycle of a software package.
Management of development projects typically includes organizing, maintaining, and controlling access to project documents, schedules, and the like. Furthermore, there are often multiple development projects occurring concurrently within an enterprise organization, thus significantly expanding the document management efforts. Historically, management of a master project schedule entails, among other tasks, manually entering data into a scheduling application, manually creating links between schedules, and manually aggregating individual developers' task schedules into the master project schedule. These are cumbersome and error-prone tasks, with little to no oversight and quality control.
A master project schedule is often in a state of flux, whereby management solicits the developers for task statuses and related schedule updates. Often, the feedback provided to management by the developers has little oversight and is not according to a rigid policy, procedure, or verification process. Thus, the actual status of a project schedule is often difficult to ascertain since the progress of individual tasks are dictated by subjective, and often self-supporting, progress reports by those individuals that are assigned to the task.
For example, some scheduling systems allow a developer to signify that a task is partially completed, i.e., ninety percent completed. This information is then entered into the scheduling system to determine whether the project is on-schedule. However, because there is generally no accountability as to whether an individual's status is reliable, the current process of obtaining project status tends to shadow the realistic progress of the project.
In view of the foregoing, there is a clear need for a technique for management of interdependent development project task schedules that reduces the manual tasks related thereto.

Project management over a network with automated task schedule update


A chemical vapor deposition apparatus and method for forming an oxide thin film on a surface of a substrate. The system includes a reaction chamber having a support for holding a substrate and an injector positioned to inject gaseous substances into the reaction chamber. The injector includes a central injection port coupled to a source of ozone and at least two outer injection ports positioned on opposite sides of the central injection port and coupled to a source of chemical reagent. Ozone and chemical reagent are separately injected into the reaction chamber through the central injection port and outer injection ports, respectively, with the ozone and chemical mixing in the area between the injector and the substrate.

Atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) systems are used to form thin, uniform layers or films on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. During APCVD processing, silicon dioxide films may be formed by mixing chemical vapors such as tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with ozone. As the gases are mixed, the resulting chemical reactions deposit a silicon dioxide film on the substrate surface. The desired reactions generally occur in the temperature range of 300.degree. C. to 500.degree. C., with the substrate and chamber being heated to the selected temperature. For semiconductor processing, film characteristics such as moisture content, resistance to cracking, density and the like must meet high quality standards. Another important characteristic is step coverage; that is, the formation of a film of uniform thickness overlying and following the shape of components on the surface of the substrate such as aluminum connection wires and the like. The ability of the deposited film to fill gaps of about 0.18 to 0.25 micron between adjacent surface components is another important factor affecting the quality of the film and integrated circuits formed on the wafer. Obtaining high quality films is becoming of greater significance as the number of layers formed on the substrate increases and integrated circuits become more intricate.
One method employed in APCVD processing is to mix the chemical reactants before they are injected into the reaction chamber to expose the substrate to a more uniform mixture during processing. However, the reaction of the mixed chemicals in the injectors, conduits and the like may result in powder formation which reduces the efficiency of the injector and provides a source of particulate contamination reducing the purity of the deposited film.
With other APCVD processes, the reactants, such as TEOS and ozone, are separately injected into the reaction chamber. With prior art systems, the central port of the injector is typically coupled to the source of TEOS or other chemical reagent while an oxygen/ozone mixture is supplied to two outer ports. Two streams of nitrogen or another inert gas separate the TEOS and ozone to insure that the chemicals are mixed directly above the substrate in the reaction chamber. For a reagent-centered injection configuration, flow-like step coverage of the deposited film is only observed outside of the area immediately below the center port. Thus, the surface conformality in the area of the ozone injectors is typically greater than the area immediately beneath the central TEOS port.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,899 discloses a chemical vapor deposition method for forming SiO.sub.2 films in which TEOS is combined with an oxygen/ozone mixture having an ozone concentration of only 0.1 to 1 percent ozone by volume and the mixture is injected into the reaction chamber. A mixture of oxygen/ozone having a higher ozone concentration of 1 to 10 percent ozone is separately injected into the reaction chamber. The TEOS-oxygen/ozone mixture is injected through several ports including the central port.
An APCVD system which optimizes uniformity of the deposited film, providing flow-like step coverage across the entire substrate including the region immediately below the center port, is desirable. An APCVD system in which the deposited film has reduced shrinkage, wet etch ratios, and moisture absorption is also desirable.

Optimization of SiO.sub.2 film conformality in atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition


A disk drive is disclosed including a disk, a head coupled to a distal end of an actuator arm, and a voice coil motor (VCM) operable to rotate the actuator arm about a pivot to actuate the head radially over the disk, wherein the VCM comprises a coil. Control circuitry within the disk drive measures a load resistance of the coil prior to executing a load operation, wherein the load operation moves the actuator arm off a ramp to load the head onto the disk. The load resistance of the coil is then converted into an initial coil temperature estimate.

1. Field
The present invention relates to disk drives for computer systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a disk drive initializing a coil temperature estimation algorithm using a resistance of the coil estimated during a load operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk drives comprise a disk and a head connected to a distal end of an actuator arm which is rotated about a pivot by a voice coil motor (VCM) to position the head radially over the disk. The disk typically comprises a number of concentric data tracks each partitioned into a number of data sectors. Access operations are performed by seeking the head to a target data track, and performing a write/read operation on the data sectors within the data track. The prior art has suggested to estimate the temperature of the coil and adjust the seek time accordingly to prevent the VCM from overheating, which may cause the material molded over the voice coil to delaminate, lose its rigidity, and/or outgas particles that may contaminate the disk. Overheating the VCM may also degrade the strength of the fixed magnets that interact with the magnetic flux generated by the voice coil.
A temperature sensor (e.g., a thermistor) has been employed to estimate the temperature of the coil, however, since the temperature sensor is not integrated with the coil, there may be significant estimation error. In order to improve the estimate, the prior art has suggested to estimate the coil temperature as a function of the power input into the coil (i.e., as a function of the current applied to the coil and its resistance). The coil temperature is estimated by making adjustments to an initial coil temperature estimate which is determined, for example, with a temperature sensor. However, if the initial coil temperature estimate is inaccurate, it may take time for the coil temperature estimation algorithm to converge, leading to undesirable VCM overheating during the convergence period. In addition, if the coil resistance is estimated from the coil temperature estimate (e.g., prior to executing an unload operation), the error in the resistance estimate may cause the disk drive to malfunction.
There is, therefore, a need to improve the coil temperature estimation algorithm in a disk drive.

Disk drive initializing a coil temperature estimation algorithm using a resistance of the coil estimated during a load operation


Systems and methods for internal combustion engine operation with exhaust gas recirculation and turbocharging are disclosed. The systems include an exhaust gas recirculation loop for recirculating exhaust gas flow from a first portion of the cylinders of the engine into an intake system prior to combustion. The system further includes a turbine with first and second inlets for receiving exhaust gas flows from respective first and second parts of the exhaust gas of the remaining portion of the cylinders.

The production of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by internal combustion engines are undesirable and in many cases are controlled by regulations established by governmental entities. Furthermore, spark ignited engines exhibit abnormal combustion phenomena called "knock", which occurs when combustion reactions in the unburned zone initiate rapid uncontrolled combustion prior to the arrival of the propagating flame front of a homogenous combustion process. Various methods have been employed in attempts to address knock, including lowering the end gas temperature such as by lowering the compression ratio, retarding the start of combustion, or providing evaporative cooling through direct injection. Another method involves modifying the octane rating of the fuel, such as by using a higher octane fuel. Yet another method for controlling knock includes increasing the flame propagation rate by, for example, improving the mixture homogeneity or by increasing the turbulence level induced by organized charge motion.
Another technique for knock suppression is exhaust gas recirculation. Such recirculation can occur from one or more exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cylinders whose exhaust output is dedicated during at least part of the engine operation to continuously provide an EGR flow to the intake. Since the exhaust from such EGR cylinders does not escape the engine during EGR operation, alternate combustion processes in the EGR cylinders, such as a rich combustion operation, can be used to produce favorable species, such as hydrogen, in the exhaust output that is recirculated to the intake for all cylinders.
When the EGR cylinders operate to provide EGR flow and the remaining cylinders provide the exhaust output, the engine acts as a positive displacement pump to drive the EGR flow, reducing pumping losses in transporting exhaust to the intake system and allowing a wide range of engine out nitrous oxide emissions to be achieved. However, there is a pumping mean effective pressure (PMEP) penalty that results from obtaining a proper mix of EGR flow with fresh air flow in the intake in order to reduce cylinder-to-cylinder variation in the recirculated exhaust gas. Thus, problems remain in obtaining a proper mix of the EGR flow with the intake air flow over a wide range of engine operating conditions while achieving distribution of the EGR flow among the engine cylinders. Therefore, systems, methods and devices are needed to improve EGR flow in internal combustion engine systems.

Exhaust gas recirculation and control with twin scroll turbines