Methods are described for fabricating NAND-type EEPROMs without field oxide isolation. P+ implantations are employed to isolate adjacent memory cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication methods and, more particularly, to fabrication of NAND-type flash EEPROMS without field oxide isolation.
2. Description of Related Art
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device is designed to maintain programmed information even in the absence of electrical power. Read only memory (ROM) is a non-volatile memory commonly used in electronic equipment such as microprocessor-based digital electronic equipment and portable electronic devices.
ROM devices typically include multiple memory cell arrays. Each memory cell array may be visualized as including intersecting word lines and bit lines. Each word and bit line (or bit line pair) intersection can correspond to one bit of memory. In mask programmable metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) ROM devices, the presence or absence of an active MOS transistor at word and bit line intersections distinguishes between a stored logic '0' and logic '1'.
A programmable read only memory (PROM) is similar to mask programmable ROM except that a user may store data values (i.e., program the PROM) using a PROM programmer. A PROM device is typically manufactured with fusible links at all word and bit line intersections. This corresponds to having all bits at a particular logic value, typically logic '1'. The PROM programmer is used to set desired bits to the opposite logic value, typically by applying a high voltage that vaporizes the fusible links corresponding to the desired bits. A typical PROM device can only be programmed once.
An erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) is programmable like a PROM, but can also be erased (e.g., to an all logic '1's state) by exposing it to ultraviolet light. A typical EPROM device has a floating gate MOS transistor at word and bit line intersections. Each MOS transistor has two gates: a floating gate and a non-floating or control gate. The floating gate is not electrically connected to any conductor, and is surrounded by a high impedance insulating material. To program the EPROM device, a high voltage is applied to the non-floating gate at each bit location where a logic value (e.g., a logic '0') is to be stored. This causes a breakdown in the insulating material and allows a negative charge to accumulate on the floating gate. When the high voltage is removed, the negative charge remains on the floating gate. During subsequent read operations, the negative charge prevents the MOS transistor from forming a low resistance channel between a drain bit line and a source bit line (i.e., from turning on) when the transistor is selected.
An EPROM integrated circuit is normally housed in a package having a quartz lid, and the EPROM is erased by exposing the EPROM integrated circuit to ultraviolet light passed through the quartz lid. The insulating material surrounding the floating gates becomes slightly conductive when exposed to the ultraviolet light, allowing the accumulated negative charges on the floating gates to dissipate.
A typical electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) device is similar to an EPROM device except that individual stored bits may be erased electrically. The floating gates in an EEPROM device are surrounded by a much thinner insulating layer, and accumulated negative charges on the floating gates can be dissipated by applying a voltage having a polarity opposite that of the programming voltage to the non-floating gates.
A relatively recent development in non-volatile memory is localized trapped charge devices. While these devices are sometimes referred to as nitride read only memory (NROM) devices, the acronym "NROM" is a part of a combination trademark of Saifun Semiconductors Ltd. (Netanya, Israel).
EEPROM arrays can be fabricated in either NOR or NAND configurations. The NAND configuration, which typically comprises parallel strings of memory cells connected in series, source-to-drain (NAND strings), may be preferred over the NOR configuration because of economy in the use of semiconductor real estate. Fabrication of NAND-type EEPROM arrays normally requires that isolation be provided between NAND strings in order that potentials applied to program a given cell do not influence the program state of neighboring EEPROM cells. Field oxide formed in a substrate between NAND strings may be used to provide the needed isolation. Shallow trench isolation (STI) may be employed as well. Field oxide and STI normally are formed before cell threshold voltage adjustment can be done. Including field oxide isolation in the design of EEPROM arrays may contribute undesirably to an increase in the thickness of individual cells, making it relatively difficult to fabricate flat arrays. Both STI and field oxide may consume substrate area that would be better utilized to provide a greater number of memory cells. That is, the requirement for field oxide isolation regions or STI in EEPROM arrays wastes semiconductor area and contributes to a decrease in the density of EEPROM arrays.
A need thus exists in the prior art for an EEPROM array without field oxide isolation regions. A further need exists for an EEPROM array without shallow trench isolation.

Method of fabricating NAND-type flash EEPROM without field oxide isolation


Metaxylene is recovered from admixture with other C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbons including orthoxylene by liquid phase adsorptive separation using a sodium exchanged Y zeolite as the adsorbent. Performance is improved by maintaining the adsorbent in a narrow range of temperature and hydration. These conditions allow the metaxylene to be recovered in a single raffinate process without costly prefractionation for orthoxylene removal. A novel desorbent, indane, is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the adsorptive separation of metaxylene from a complex admixture of aromatic hydrocarbons including other xylenes. The invention more specifically relates to the recovery of metaxylene from an orthoxylene-containing stream by selective liquid-phase adsorption using certain aluminosilicate zeolitic molecular sieves at specific hydration levels and temperatures.
2. Related Art
Those skilled in the art are familiar with a number of adsorptive separation methods which may be employed to perform the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons. The use of zeolitic adsorbents in these methods has been well described in the literature. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,610 issued to J. A. Hedge is directed to the adsorptive separation of a number of organic compounds such as 2,6 dimethyl naphthalene. This reference also indicates a sodium Y zeolite will separate m-xylene from p-xylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,107 issued to D. B. Broughton describes the use of a sodium containing zeolite Y at a 2-7 wt. % water content by LOI to recover metaxylene from admixture with both other xylenes. Accompanying this disclosure is a discussion of the use of toluene as a desorbent, and the possibility of including silica, alumina or clay with the zeolite. This reference differs in operation as it appears limited to an adsorption process which removes two raffinate streams, with the intermediate raffinate being removed from the adsorption zone. The reference also does not describe any sensitivity of the separation to the water content of the adsorbent or the operating temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,092 issued to R. W. Neuzil also describes the recovery of metaxylene from three isomer xylene admixtures through the use of a sodium exchanged Y zeolite. This reference describes suitable adsorbents in terms of silica to alumina ratios and exemplifies a temperature of 150.degree. C. The reference appears silent as to the influence of adsorbent hydration and operating temperature on adsorbent capacity and selectivity versus orthoxylene content. That is, this reference appears not to provide any teaching about operative LOI ranges and appears to operate only on feeds having a low concentration of ortho xylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,006 issued to D. B. Broughton describes an adsorptive separation process in which a potentially very broad composition feed stream is contacted with an adsorbent which recovers mono and polycyclic aromatics. This reference teaches many variations to this general step. In one the desorbed mixed aromatics are then charged to a hydrodealkylation zone, with the monocyclic component being used as the desorbent. The teaching of the patent thus appears limited to a bulk aromatic/paraffin separation compatible with its objectives such as improving diesel fuels and producing an aromatic product from a mixture comprising both aromatics and nonaromatics. The product aromatics may contain one or more short side chain groups. The patent does not appear to suggest or teach the recovery of specific aromatic isomers by adsorption, and in fact states the aromatic product may be fractionated by conventional means not illustrated to recover individual species.

Process for adsorptive separation of metaxylene from xylene mixtures


A method of producing oxygenated fuel. The method operates on a sulfur-free base fuel. Oxygen gas is introduced into the base fuel, which is heated, using a sparging process. Water is then removed from the resulting oxygenated fuel.

This invention relates to methods of producing liquid fuels used for transportation engines, and more particularly to a method for producing oxygenated gasoline and diesel fuels.
Recent studies have shown that adding oxygenates to conventional diesel fuel results in substantial reduction of particulate emissions. The extent of reduction correlates with the oxygen content of the fuel.
The conventional method of making oxygenated fuel involves adding a compound, or a mixture of compounds, that contains oxygen in its molecular structure. The fuel manufacturer purchases the oxygen-containing compound or mixture and blends it with diesel fuel.
The conventional method of producing oxygenated diesel fuel significantly increases fuel manufacturing costs. The oxygenated materials to be added are generally made from materials that would otherwise be used as fuels. Thus, adding the oxygenates to the fuel also adds the costs of separating their feed stocks from the fuel, manufacturing the oxygenates, and distributing the oxygenates to the costs of diesel fuel production. There are other disadvantages with conventional oxygenated fuels, such as lower volumetric heating value as compared to non oxygenated fuel.
One aspect of the invention is an autoxidation method of producing oxygenated fuel. First, the sulfur is removed from a base fuel. The sulfur-free base fuel is then heated to a temperature in the range of 150-200 degrees centigrade. Oxygen gas is added, using a sparging procedure. Finally, impurities resulting from the above steps are separated from the oxygenated fuel.
An advantage of the invention is that it provides oxygenated diesel fuel from a sulfur-free base diesel fuel. The oxygenated fuel produces lower particulate emissions from diesel engines than non-oxygenated, sulfur-free diesel fuel. It can be used in engines designed to operate on hydrocarbon fuels, without requiring engine modification or adjustment.
As compared to conventional methods of making oxygenated fuels, an advantage of the invention is that the method is less expensive. It does not require the purchase of an oxygenated compound or mixture. It can be implemented with equipment commonly used in the fuel manufacturing industry. It can be made in large quantities at a reasonable cost and in an energy efficient manner. The process may be added to existing refinery processes.
Manufacturing yields are high. The yield of oxygenated diesel fuel from a base fuel is expected to be at least 95% of the original volume of base fuel.
The method produces oxygenated diesel fuel having properties superior to oxygenated fuels made by conventional methods. In particular, it produces fuel with higher volumetric heating value and generally a higher flash point than oxygenated diesel fuels made by conventional methods.


A receptacle for particulate matter to be supplied to a reproduction apparatus. The receptacle includes a container adapted to store particulate matter. The container has an opening defined therein, and a flange located about the defined opening so as to facilitate placement and removal of the receptacle with the reproduction apparatus. A slide cover is supported by the flange for selective movement to a first position covering the defined opening and a second position uncovering the defined opening. The slide cover is releasably secured to the container in an out of the way location when the slide cover is in the second position.

Typical commercial reproduction apparatus include electrostatographic process copier/duplicators or printers, for example. With such reproduction apparatus, pigmented marking particles are utilized to develop an electrostatic latent image of information to be reproduced on a dielectric support member for transfer to a receiver member, or directly onto a receiver member. The receiver member bearing the transferred marking particle developed image is transported through a fuser device where the marking particle image is fixed (fused) to the receiver member, for example, by heat and pressure to form a permanent reproduction.
The marking particles for developing the electrostatic latent image are supplied to the reproduction apparatus development station in a receptacle removably connected to a receiving apparatus for the development station. U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,887 (issued Nov. 27, 1990, in the names of Hacknauer et al), shows a marking particle receptacle having a particle-containing portion with a base. The base has an opening facing downward in use and a flange extending outward from the opening. A cover is slidably secured to the flange. A receiving apparatus for the receptacle includes a replenisher sump for receiving marking particles through the base of the receptacle when the opening of the receptacle is positioned directly above the sump. The receptacle with the slide cover is positioned beside the replenisher sump, and the receptacle particle containing portion is slid off the cover and over the replenisher sump, with the flange sliding on a receiving surface that surrounds an opening for the replenisher sump.
The receptacle particle containing portion is moved back over the cover, after the receptacle is emptied, to prevent the escape of residual marking particles remaining in the marking particle receptacle during removal and further handling in recycling of the receptacle. The slide cover employs a hinge to enable it to move out of the way when the receptacle is operatively located relative to the replenisher sump of the reproduction apparatus development station. However, there is no mechanism for retaining the slide cover in such position. As such, the slide cover and it seal, are subject to damage during operation of the reproduction apparatus.

Slide cover for marking particle receptacle


An apparatus and method of controlling a premises from a remote network device communicates with the remote network device via a local computer network associated with the premises. Specifically, the apparatus includes a peripheral device configured to execute a specific function at the premises, a communication engine operably coupled with the peripheral device for providing a logical connection with the remote network device via the local computer network, and a network interface operably coupled with the communication engine. The network interface transmits data to and receives data from the local computer network. Data transferred between the peripheral device and local computer network is forwarded via the network interface.

Various devices have been developed to control and/or monitor a site from a remote location. For example, many fire alarm systems in high rise buildings include the functionality to alert a remotely located fire station if a fire is detected in such buildings. Specifically, such a fire alarm system commonly includes a plurality of remote smoke/fire detectors and alarms that all are directly connected (e.g., via a twisted pair) to a central control panel. When one of the detectors senses a fire and/or smoke in the building, it transmits a signal to the central control panel, which consequently sets off the alarms. People who hear the alarms thus may evacuate the building.
The central control panel may include a modem that transmits a signal to the fire station when one or more of the remote detectors senses a fire. This signal is a direct circuit switched connection via the public switched telephone network ("PSTN"). To establish such a connection, the fire station must have a modem that can communicate with the modem on the central control panel. Problems arise, however, when something goes wrong at the fire station, or when the PSTN suffers some kind of link failure. In such case, the signal to the fire station is not properly transmitted to the fire station, thus eliminating the intended benefit of such a connection.
This type of alarm system also has service problems. Namely, if there is a mechanical problem with the fire alarm system, then the company servicing the system cannot diagnose the problem remotely. Accordingly, a technician must be sent to the building, thus incurring travel cost.

Apparatus for controlling a premises from a remote location


A lead frame and method of making the same are provided. The lead frame includes a die mounting portion, first and second pairs of tie bars, and first and second tie bar bridges extending between respective second extension portions of each tie bar pair. First and second pairs of tie bars are mechanically coupled to respective first and second ends of the die mounting portion. Each of the tie bars includes a first extension portion, a second extension portion, a tie bar span mechanically coupled to the first end of the die mounting portion via the first extension portion, a tie bar flap formed along a longitudinal reinforcement crease, and a lateral reinforcement portion extending from said first extension portion to said die mounting portion. The tie bar flap and the tie bar span lie in intersecting planes and are connected along the longitudinal reinforcement crease between the first extension portion and the second extension portion. The lateral reinforcement portion extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction of said longitudinal reinforcement crease. A first tie bar bridge extends between respective second extension portions of a first tie bar of the first pair of tie bars and a second tie bar of the first pair of tie bars. A second tie bar bridge extends between respective second extension portions of a first tie bar of the second pair of tie bars and a second tie bar of the second pair of tie bars.

The present invention relates to fabrication technology used in the assembly of integrated circuit packages and, more particularly, to the design of a lead frame for an encapsulated integrated circuit.
According to conventional integrated circuit manufacture, the lead frame, and, in particular, the tie bars of the lead frame, often bows or becomes distorted during the die attachment and encapsulation process. The result is an improper spatial relationship of the die attach pad relative to the integrated circuit package. Such displacement causes mechanical and electrical failure within the integrated circuit package and results in loss of system integrity and quality.
Accordingly, a need exists for a lead frame design that effectively reduces bowing and distortion of the lead frame during integrated circuit packaging operations.

Lead frame including angle iron tie bar and method of making the same


A joint detection-decoding receiver using a multistage parallel interference canceller for selectively estimating a partial codeword corresponding to a state transition (branch) is disclosed. The JDD receiver of the DS-CDMA system includes a PIC that employs a state sequence to selectively carry out a symbol estimation of a partial codeword corresponding to the branch so as to reduce complexity and a calculation load as well as maintaining a high performance of the receiver according to the joint detection-decoding.

The present invention relates to a joint detection-decoding receiver, and in particular, to a joint detection-decoding receiver using a multistage parallel interference canceller for selectively estimating a partial codeword corresponding to a state transition (branch).
A DS-CDMA (Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access) is widely used as a multiple access scheme used in a wireless channel shared by multiple users. In accordance with a DS-CDMA system, different signature sequences or pseudo-noise (PN) codes are assigned to the multiple users. A DS-CDMA receiver comprises a bank of matched filters in order to obtain a user data from a received signal.
However, the DS-CDMA system has a disadvantage of a performance degradation due to a MAI (multiple Access Interference) by other user signals. In order to overcome the disadvantage, a method for removing the MAI through a MUD (Multi-User Detection) has been proposed. The MUD may reduce an effect of the MAI as well as improving a system capacity and a service quality. Considering an uplink of the DS-CDMA system, the receiver of a base station has an information on a spreading sequence of every user. Therefore, the receiver may remove the MAI using the information.
A JDD (Joint Detection-Decoding) receiver is proposed as a novel method for detecting the multi-user. The JDD receiver utilizes an information on a channel code to simultaneously carry out the MUD and a channel decoding.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a multi-user detection tranceiving system of a DS-CDMA system.
Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with the DS-CDMA system, a sequence of information bits bk of a user k is encoded into a sequence of channel symbols dk, and the sequence of channel symbols dk is transmitted via a multi-user channel. The sequence of channel symbols dk is received at a receiver as an output yk of a matched filter bank 30 through the matched filter bank 30. The output yk not only includes the MAI due to other users but also has a correlation over a frame of the channel code. Therefore, a multi-user detector 40 detects a symbol estimate {circumflex over (d)}k for the other users from the output yk of the matched filter bank, and a channel decoder 50 calculates an information estimate {circumflex over (b)}k of the sequence of information bits bk through a decoding. An accuracy of the symbol estimation according to a channel encoding is improved and an effect of the MAI is reduced by the joint detection-decoding. However, it is disadvantageous that a complexity of the JDD receiver is linearly increased proportional to a number of repetitions and compensations of the MUD and a frame size of the channel code.
A PIC (Parallel Interference Canceller) is generally used in the DS-CDMA system in order to effectively remove the MAI The PIC predicts the symbol for entire users simultaneously in parallel. A PIC receiver including attempts to remove the MAI through a signal processing of each stage for the entire users. The PIC receiver has a much simpler structure compared to a general linear MUD receiver.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a parallel interference canceller of a DS-CDMA system.
As shown, each stage of the PIC comprises estimators 101 and 201, and cancellers 102 and 202. The estimators 101 and 201 estimates the symbols for the entire users and the MAI for the entire users is removed based on the estimation. A first stage of the PIC employs a bank of a single-user matched filter. An accuracy of the prediction increases according to a number of the stages, and a performance of the PIC is also improved.
For the user k, when a current parallel interference cancellation stage is assumed to be l, the estimators 101 and 201 computes a symbol estimate {circumflex over (d)}k(l|l−1) from the a posteriori signal yk(l−1) of the previous stage. The symbol estimate {circumflex over (d)}k(l|l−1) is treated as a priori information for a cancellation next stage. The cancellers 102 and 202 removes the MAI included in a user signal yk(l) using a correlation matrix R.
                                          y            k                                          (            l            )                          =                                            y              k                                                  (              0              )                                -                                    ∑                              i                ≠                k                                                                                ρ                ik                                                                                d                    ^                                    i                                (                                  l                                                                                                  l                      -                      1                                        )                                                                                [Equation 1]
A final decision is established based on the signal yk(l) of a last stage. However, the estimators 101 and 201 of the conventional PIC carries out a hard-decision of the symbol estimate {circumflex over (d)}k(l|l−1) through the posteriori signal yk(l−1). When the estimators 101 and 201 make an improper decision, the interference removal becomes inaccurate, thereby reducing the accuracy of the interference removal is drastically reduced passing through each stage. Therefore, an accurate symbol estimation of the estimators 101 and 201 is very important, and the JDD receiver improves the accuracy by using the channel code at the symbol estimation stage.
In accordance with the conventional JDD receiver, when a convolution code (n, m, l) having a code rate of m/n and a memory length of l is used as the channel code, an information sequence bk=[bk(1), . . . , bk(N)]=[bk(1), . . . , bk(mN)] having a length of mN of a k-th user is encoded into a code word dk=[dk(1), . . . , dk(N+l)]=[dk(1), . . . , dk(n(N+l))] having a length of n(N+1), where N is a frame size of a channel code.
Since the codeword is transmitted through a multi-user channel and an error correction is possible by a redundant portion of the channel code, the JDD receiver improves the accuracy of the estimation stage. However, the entire codeword should be processed in the estimators 101 and 201 of each stage and the cancellers 102 and 202, the JDD receiver is disadvantageous in that the complexity and a computation load of the receiver are increased.

Joint detection-decoding receiver of DS-CDMA system


A water or gas system for a home or commercial building receives water and gas at higher pressures than they can handle in the building or home. The automated regulation device monitors the regulator 24 hours a day, seven days a week so the second there is a failure with pressure, flow, temperature, seismic it recognizes it, notifies you via email, text, etc . . . shuts the system down at same time. There are gas and water sensors for leaks also there is a seismic sensor in the unit for earthquakes, and a pressure sensing switch with digital readout. The unit is capable of running by itself, on solar panel and a battery or being wired in to the system dependent upon application. The unit is also controlled by user via telephone or other remote devices.

In residential homes pressure for water and gas is set to a certain setting. Water at 80 psi or less and Gas is set at roughly 7 psi. At this time regulation devices for both water and gas or anything in regards to pressure are rubber manifolds, seals and springs that hold until the rubber fails. Universal Automated Regulator Valve with Remote Monitoring and Control is automated regulation device that controls the regulator and controls the flow of what it is regulating: water, gas etc. You are able to shut on and off via cell phone, tablet, computer it is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capable. It is fully programmable to any parameter you set it to in regards to pressure flow. This unit also has wired and non-wired battery operated sensors for water gas etc. to be installed around the home or building it is regulating that way if there is a problem illegal of water or gas leak sensor detects it and tells the automated regulation device to shut down. It has an application via cell phone iPad and computer etc. to view pressures and monitor usage such as how much water usage you've used or how much gas you've used for monthly cycle or annually daily hourly and live feed to what's being used. The hardware that's being used to do all this automation is a Pinocchio system it's capable of solar battery operation and wired in low-voltage or high-voltage operation. You can literally use the automated regulation device without power a mile away from your farm to turn water on and off as well via Wi-Fi connecting to a water system or install it on an existing home that does not have electrical outside of the home to use a wired in unit. A wired in unit is recommended for homes in future and an existing home but battery and solar operation is capable existing regulation devices water and gas etc. are a rubber manifold only regulating pressure. We do not know when they go bad how long they last and this will give us all that information for insurance companies and other companies in the future needing information like how often there is a spike of water the Pinocchio chip is capable of telling you. The second when your regulator fails it shuts down so there is no emergency flood for emergency fire in your home because your gas regulator failed this also applies the same way with commercial buildings they have no remote control or operation in any regulation device at this time both problems and other problems are addressed in the summary below.

Universal automated regulator valve with remote monitoring and control


A system and method for clearing insects from a field is described. The method involves superimposing and projecting a plurality of scanning light beams across a field. The beams effectively form a single aggregate beam which scans across the field, thereby attracting pests, and dumping the pests in an area away from the field.

Protection of agricultural crops from harmful pests, insects, moths, etc. has been an important and widely recognized problem for many years. One approach for addressing the problem is to treat the crops with insecticides, i.e., chemicals, which kill or repel pests. However, there are numerous problems with employing insecticides on agricultural crops. First, some pests such as moths go through stages in their development when they do not need nourishment and are therefore practically immune to most chemical and biological pesticide agents. Second, insecticides are sometimes harmful to animals and humans who may consume the crop materials after they are harvested. Further, in recent years the use of insecticides on crops has become heavily criticized as people have gained greater understanding about toxicology and carcinogenicity. Accordingly, alternative techniques for protecting crops from harmful pests or insects, which do not involve application of chemicals to the crops, are highly desirable and preferred.
Most ecologically safe methods of exterminating insects, including nocturnal and crepuscular moths, the most damaging pests of cotton, tobacco and some other agricultural crops, are based on the use of light traps with point sources of light. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,182,230, No. 2,848,837, No. 3,319,374, No. 3,487,577; United Kingdom Patent No. 1,119,478; and French Patents No. 1,114,048 and No. 1,571,436. The methods disclosed in these patents allow an operator to catch and eliminate insect pests in a radius of not more than about 1,000 feet from the point source of light. To carry out these methods, an operator must install a number of light traps for the protection of cotton, tobacco or tea plantations. The methods require an extensive layout or network of electric wires among the plants, which interferes with or impedes agrotechnical cultivation.
The inventor on this patent has previously developed a technique for clearing insects from a field which employs light in a manner that does not require a complicated network of wires or a multitude of light sources. The inventor's prior invention is an ecologically clean method of clearing nocturnal and crepuscular moths, insect pests, from agricultural plantations. The method does not interfere with the cultivation of the plants. The method is disclosed in Russian Patent No. 2,038,783, which is attached as Exhibit A and is hereby incorporated by reference. The method involves trapping the moths in the period, preceding the evacuation of eggs, inside a scanning light beam which is about two miles long and generated by a search light on a mobile platform. The light beam first attracts the moths and moves them to an area outside the plantation, then forces them to evacuate eggs in an unfavorable environment. Consequently, the eggs perish.
However, a problem with the prior scanning beam method is that the phototropic property of the light beam diminishes with the diffusion of light. The beam has a form of a cone of approximately six feet in diameter at the source of light and about fifty feet at its end. The end of the light beam at the far end of the field which is being treated is less effective in trapping the moths.
Thus, an important object of the present invention is to provide a nonchemical method for clearing insects from an agricultural field. The method should not require a complex network of wires or a large number of light sources. The devices used in the method should not interfere or impede agrotechnical cultivation. Another important object of the invention is to provide a method which is effective for clearing insects from a field at the distal end of the light source, for example, as far as two miles from the light source.

System and method for removing insects from a field


Techniques for handling transactions are provided. A first transaction is received at an application system of a distributed system. The first transaction is completed, where completing the first transaction comprises writing a record to a queue. A response is generated by an application resource monitor (ARM) of the application system, where the response identifies the record and the application system. The response is transmitted to a transaction distribution system, where the transaction distribution system distributes transactions among application systems in the distributed system. A second transaction is received at the application system. Upon determining that the second transaction is a trigger transaction, the ARM determines a plurality of records that are associated with the second transaction, where the plurality of records includes the record. The ARM retrieves the record from the queue, and completes the second transaction based at least in part on the record.

The present disclosure relates to workload load management, and more specifically, to handling trigger transactions in distributed workload environments.
In transaction processing monitor (TPM) environments, workload managers are often deployed to scale the system and provide high availability. Frequently, operations are distributed among multiple entities or systems to enable this scalability and reliability. In these distributed environments, resources are generally tightly bound to each entity, such that each of the application systems has independent memory, storage, processing capability, and the like. While this ensures reliability, it causes significant issues when there is data that needs to be shared among the operators. Existing solutions either do not allow this interoperability, or do so in an inefficient and sub-optimal manner.

Efficient handling of trigger transactions in a workload management environment

International Business Machines Corporation


Example implementations are directed to methods and systems employing a solicited sounding protocol that includes receiving, by a second access point, a sounding trigger broadcast by a first access point. The methods and systems also include receiving, by the second access point, a dedicated training signal from a first station in response to the sounding trigger broadcast by the first access point, and generating, by the second access point, channel characteristics of a channel based on the first dedicated training signal, the channel including a forward channel between the second access point and the first station.

Home, outdoor, and office networks, a.k.a. wireless local area networks (WLAN) are established using a device called a Wireless Access Point (WAP). The WAP may include a router. The WAP wirelessly couples all the devices of the home network, e.g., wireless stations such as: computers, printers, televisions, digital video (DVD) players, security cameras and smoke detectors to one another and to the Cable or Subscriber Line through which Internet, video, and television is delivered to the home. Most WAPs implement the IEEE 802.11 standard which is a contention based standard for handling communications among multiple competing devices for a shared wireless communication medium on a selected one of a plurality of communication channels. The frequency range of each communication channel is specified in the corresponding one of the IEEE 802.11 protocols being implemented (e.g., "a", "b", "g", "n", "ac", "ad"). Communications follow a hub and spoke model with a WAP at the hub and the spokes corresponding to the wireless links to each 'client' device.
After selection of a single communication channel for the associated home network, access to the shared communication channel relies on a multiple access methodology identified as Collision Sense Multiple Access (CSMA). CSMA is a distributed random access methodology for sharing a single communication medium, by having a contending communication device back off and retry access if a collision on the wireless medium is detected (e.g., if the wireless medium is in use).
Communications on the single communication medium are identified as "simplex" meaning, one communication stream from a single source node to one or more target nodes at one time, with all remaining nodes capable of "listening" to the subject transmission. Starting with the IEEE 802.1 lac standard and specifically 'Wave 2' thereof, discrete communications to more than one target node at the same time may take place using what is called Multi-User (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) capability of the WAP. MU capabilities were added to the standard to enable the WAP to communicate with single antenna single stream or multiple-antenna multi-stream transceivers concurrently, thereby increasing the time available for discrete MIMO video links to wireless HDTVs, computers tablets and other high throughput wireless devices the communication capabilities of which rival those of the WAP. The IEEE 802.11ax standard integrates orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) into the WAP or stations capabilities. OFDMA allows a WAP to communicate concurrently on a downlink with multiple stations, on discrete frequency ranges, identified as resource units.
The IEEE 802.11n and 802.11ac standards support increasing degrees of complexity in the signal processing required of fully compliant WLAN nodes including beamforming capability for focused communication of user data. In order to characterize the multipath communication channel between the WAP and each station a MIMO sounding is conducted. An explicit sounding as specified in the IEEE 802.11n and 802.11ac standards consists of the transmission of a known sequence of packets from the WAP to each associated station, then each associated station processes the sequence of packets to perform measurements and calculations to generate a detailed sounding response from the station characterizing the communication channel between the WAP and itself. The WAP traditionally uses the explicit sounding response to focus its MIMO antennas in a manner which improves either or both signal strength at the station or downlink throughput thereto.
With the growing variety and number of stations on a wireless network, there is increasing need for improved sounding processes that can efficiently coordinate communication services to a larger number of devices while decreasing transmission overhead from sounding and the processing overhead required for sounding stations.

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC


The present invention relates to a negative electrode including a multi-protective layer and a lithium secondary battery including the same. The multi-protective layer is capable of effectively transferring lithium ions to a lithium metal electrode while physically suppressing lithium dendrite growth on the electrode surface, and does not cause an overvoltage during charge and discharge since the protective layer itself does not function as a resistive layer due to excellent ion conductivity of the multi-protective layer, and therefore, is capable of preventing battery performance decline and securing stability during battery operation.

Interests in energy storage technologies have been increasingly higher recently. As applications have expanded to energy of mobile phones, camcorders and notebook PCs, and furthermore, to electric vehicles, efforts on the research and development of electrochemical devices have been more and more materialized.
Electrochemical devices are fields receiving most attentions in such aspects and among these, development of secondary batteries capable of charge and discharge have been the focus of attention, and in developing such batteries, research and development on the design of new electrodes and batteries for enhancing capacity density and energy efficiency have been recently progressed.
Among currently used secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries developed in early 1990's have received attentions with advantages of having high operating voltage and significantly higher energy density compared to conventional batteries such as Ni-MH, Ni—Cd and sulfuric acid-lead batteries using an aqueous liquid electrolyte.
A lithium secondary battery has a structure of an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode being laminated or wound, and is formed by embedding this electrode assembly in a battery case, and injecting a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte thereinto. The lithium secondary battery produces electric energy through an oxidation and reduction reaction occurring when lithium ions are intercaiateddeintercaiated in the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
In a common lithium secondary battery, a negative electrode uses lithium metal, carbon and the like as an active material, and a positive electrode uses lithium oxides, transition metal oxides, metal chalcogen compounds, conductive polymers and the like as an active material.
Among these, a lithium secondary battery using lithium metal as a negative electrode mostly attaches lithium foil on a copper current collector, or uses a lithium metal sheet itself as an electrode. Lithium metal has low potential and high capacity, and has received much attention as a high capacity negative electrode material.
When using lithium metal as a negative electrode, electron density non-uniformization may occur on the lithium metal surface during battery operation due to various reasons. As a result, a branch-shaped lithium dendrite is produced on the electrode surface causing formation or growth of projections on the electrode surface, which makes the electrode surface very rough. Such lithium dendrite causes, together with battery performance decline, separator damages and battery short circuits in severe cases. As a result, a temperature in the battery increases causing a risk of battery explosion and fire.
In order to resolve such issues, studies such as introducing a polymer protective layer or an inorganic solid protective layer to a lithium metal layer, increasing a concentration of a salt of a liquid electrolyte, or using proper additives have been currently progressed. However, effects of lithium dendrite suppression of such studies are insignificant. Accordingly, modifying a form of the lithium metal negative electrode itself may become an effective alternative in resolving the problems.

Negative electrode comprising multiple protection layers and lithium secondary battery comprising same


The present disclosure relates to a deposition apparatus used to manufacture a semiconductor device including a process chamber; a substrate susceptor installed in the process chamber and including a plurality of concentrically arranged stages on which substrates are positioned; a plurality of members for supplying reaction gas; a member for supplying purge gas; a spray member including a plurality of baffles for independently spraying reaction gas and purge gas, supplied from the plurality of members supplying reaction gas and the member supplying purge gas, on the entirety of the treating surfaces of the substrate, in positions corresponding respectively to the substrates positioned on the stages; and a driving unit for rotating the substrate susceptor or the spray member in order for the baffles of the spray member to sequentially revolve each of the plurality of substrates positioned on the stages.

In a deposition process of processes for manufacturing a semiconductor device, an atomic layer deposition process is introducing to improve conformability of a deposited layer. The atomic layer deposition process is a process in which a unit reaction cycle for depositing a layer with a thickness similar to that of an atomic layer is repeated to form a deposition layer with a desired thickness. However, according to the atomic layer deposition process, it takes a long time to grow a layer having a desired thickness because a deposition rate is very slow when compared to a chemical vapor deposition process or a sputtering process. Thus, productivity may be decreased.
Furthermore, temperature uniformity of a susceptor on which a substrate is placed is one of the biggest factors, which have an influence on uniformity with respect to a thickness of a thin film to be deposited on the substrate. The susceptor may thermally affect the substrate according to a disposition shape of a heating element to cause non-uniformity of the layer. Thus, the susceptor should have a thick thickness to reduce the influence of the heating element arrangement, thereby securing the temperature uniformity.

Substrate susceptor and deposition apparatus having same


The monitoring circuit for a sensor connected to a low-potential and high-potential line, such as a thermal element, includes a high-resistance pulldown resistor connected between the high potential line and ground, a offset voltage source connected to the low-potential line to supply an offset voltage higher than a minimum transistor control voltage; first and second testing transistor shaving control electrodes connected to respective ones of the lines via resistor arrangements; and a third testing transistor having a control electrode connected to an output of a p-type channel FET having a control electrode connected to one of the two sensor lines. Whether the operating state of the sensor is normal, involves a short circuit to ground or the supply voltage or an interruption of the sensor lines is determined by monitoring the switching states of the first testing transistor and a series combination of the second and third testing transistor.

The invention relates to a circuit for checking the operating state or status of a sensor. The sensor can either be operational or can transmit an erroneous signal which is caused in particular by a short circuit to ground, a short circuit to the supply voltage or by an interruption.
In the following, the expression "electron receiving electrode" is employed in connection with transistors, etc. This refers to the drain or collector in transistors with n-type conduction and to the source or emitter in transistors with p-type conduction.
Automatic status detection is particularly important for sensors which can only be observed and monitored at longer intervals of time or which supply their signals to fully-automated processing devices. In such cases it is standard to monitor operating parameters continuously and to generate binary status signals.
When checking the operation of a sensor it is desirable to be able to detect different operating states in the simplest manner possible. Accordingly, the problem arises of providing a testing or monitoring circuit for a sensor which makes it possible to distinguish between different operating states in a simple manner.


Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to a load shedding event are disclosed. The control techniques mitigate the amount of uncombusted gaseous fuel passing into the exhaust and/or aftertreatment system and reduce the rate at which uncombusted gaseous fuel enters the cylinders to reduce engine torque output and/or speed in response to the load shedding event.

A dual fuel engine is an engine that includes a first fuel source that is utilized as the sole fuel source during certain operating conditions and a second fuel source that is integrated with the first fuel source at other operating conditions. In certain applications, the first fuel source is a diesel fuel and the second fuel source is natural gas. The diesel fuel provides, in some cases, the initial, low load levels of operation and is used for ignition for the natural gas at higher load operations. The substitution of natural gas for diesel fuel improves high load performance and emissions reduction, particularly when the engine is employed at locations where natural gas is abundant or available at low cost.
When the engine is operating in dual fuel mode, natural gas is introduced into the intake system. The air-to-natural gas mixture from the intake is drawn into the cylinder, just as it would be in a spark-ignited engine, but typically with a leaner air-to-fuel ratio. Near the end of the compression stroke, diesel fuel is injected, just as it would be in a traditional diesel engine. The diesel fuel ignites, and the diesel combustion causes the natural gas to burn. The dual fuel engine combusts a mixture of air and fuel in the cylinders to produce drive torque. A dual fuel engine can operate either entirely on diesel fuel or on the substitution mixture of diesel and natural gas, but generally cannot operate on natural gas alone except where auxiliary spark equipment is provided to the cylinder.
Dual fuel engines encounter difficulties during operation in response to a load shedding event. While diesel fueling can be readily cut off from the cylinders, the natural gas cannot be cut off as quickly. As a result, uncombusted fuel can enter the exhaust, resulting in possible undesired combustion of the fuel in the exhaust system and/or aftertreatment system. Thus, there remains a need for additional improvements in systems and methods for providing and controlling fuelling in dual fuel engines.

Load shedding techniques for dual fuel engines


An automated studio and control system for taking photographs is disclosed that alleviates many exposure problems and simplifies variables with which the photographer must deal in order to achieve consistent high quality photographs. The studio includes a multi-light portrait lighting system, a subject location verification system and a system for varying backgrounds, all of which are tied to an integrated control system and synchronized to a camera.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to commercial studio portrait photography and, more particularly, to an automated control system and method for portrait composition that coordinates lighting aspects, backgrounds, subject location and synchronizes camera operation.
II. Related Art
Commercial studio portrait photography has evolved from the use of tripod-mounted cameras to hand-held cameras. In addition, subjects are being photographed on the floor with many different shades of backgrounds. These techniques have advantages, but serious exposure problems have also been encountered which affect product quality and impede required production efficiencies, particularly in high volume studios.
The problems are of several types. Subjects not on a predetermined pose line or mark can be over or under exposed. For example, if the subject(s) are in front of the pose line, they will be overexposed because they are closer to the lights. Conversely, if the subjects are behind the pose line, they will be underexposed because they are further from the lights. The use of different backgrounds also poses certain problems. The exposure of subjects on the floor varies with the use of light or dark backgrounds. Light backgrounds tend to overexpose the subject because of increased reflection of light onto the subject. Dark backgrounds, on the other hand, tend to lead to underexposed subjects because they absorb light that would normally be reflected onto the subject. Each shade of background (light to dark) requires a commensurate correct amount of background light illumination. For example, overexposing a black background by using too much "background light" causes a black background to wash out to a grayish color. Conversely, white backgrounds look grayish if underexposed by not having sufficient "background light".
It has also been found that often subjects are photographed too fast, that is, the exposure is made before the illuminating lights can properly recharge, for example, which causes underexposure. This is particularly true in the case of recharging strobe power packs.
Variations also occur due to the location of the lights relative to the subject being photographed. Thus, photographing subjects on the floor requires the photographer to move the lights down, otherwise the subject will be underexposed. Conversely, if the subject is standing, the lights need to be moved up or the subject will be overexposed.
Other lighting parameters which affect the quality of studio portrait photography include the positioning of studio lighting and variation in "lighting ratios". "Lighting ratios" is a term used in the art to describe the relative differences in power between the main and fill lights used in photographing a subject. The "main light" refers to the lights used to generally illuminate the subject (equivalent to the sun in outdoor photography). This light is generally controlling and is what the photographer starts with when composing the scene in a photograph. "Fill lights" are non-directional lighting used to highlight the scene or subjects(s). The "lighting ratio" refers to the relative ratio between the main and fill lights. The skilled photographer needs to know what ratios are best for what situation and how to mathematically calculate these values. For example, a 1:2 lighting ratio (flat) provides excellent results when photographing family groups. On the other hand, a 1:7 lighting ratio (high contrast) is preferred for dramatic individual low-key photography (black background). It has also been found that the position of the main light relative to the subject(s) is critical to the lighting ratio chosen and to the background that is chosen.
Given the above, it will be readily recognized that there are many important variables with which the photographer must deal in order to achieve consistent high quality photographs. Compound this with the need for a rapid throughput in high-volume commercial portrait photography business which puts a heavy burden on the photographer. Even small, low-volume studios find dealing with all the variables, combinations and situations very difficult to manage successfully.
Integrating all the available tools including the ability to change lighting ratios presents a definite sustainable competitive advantage, and automation of such techniques would be a very desirable improvement. Such automation would also facilitate training of photographers to achieve uniform excellent results.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Thermochromic liquid crystal filters are fabricated by providing two polarizers oriented at offset polarity with respect to each other; providing alignment structures adjacent the inner surfaces of the polarizers; placing a plurality of spacers between the polarizers; and filling a space created by the spacers with a thermotropic liquid crystal that acts as a wave block in an isotropic state and acts to rotate the polarization of light in a nematic state. Alternatively, the filters can be created by encapsulating a thermochromic liquid crystal with a polymer material to form a flexible film and orienting the thermochromic liquid crystal in the polymer material to create a structure that functions as a thermochromic optical filter. Such filters can control the flow of light and radiant heat through selective reflection, transmission, absorption, and/or re-emission. The filters have particular application in passive or active light-regulating and temperature-regulating films, materials, and devices, and particularly as construction materials.

1. Technical Field
The subject matter described herein relates to the fabrication of devices for controlling the flow of light and radiant heat through selective reflection, transmission, and/or absorption and re-emission. The technology has particular, but not exclusive, application in passive or active light-regulating and temperature-regulating films, materials and devices, especially as construction materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
The problem of controlling the flow of radiant energy, e.g., light and heat, in particular in applications such as regulating solar heat gain in buildings and in other applications has previously been addressed using many optical methodologies. Photodarkening materials have been used for decades, for example, in sunglass lenses, to selectively attenuate incoming light when stimulated by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. When incorporated into windows, such materials can be used to regulate the internal temperature of a structure by darkening to attenuate bright sunlight, and by becoming transparent again to allow artificial light or diffuse daylight to pass through unimpeded. Such systems are passive and self-regulating, requiring no external signal other than ambient UV light in order to operate. However, because they are controlled by UV light rather than by temperature, such systems are of limited utility in temperature-regulating applications. For example, they may block wanted sunlight in cold weather as well as unwanted sunlight in hot weather.
Wire-grid polarizers (WGPs), which reflect infrared light rather than absorbing it, have been used since the 1960s and are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,638 to Sriram, et al. With the advent of nanoscale lithography in the 1990s and 2000s, it became possible, though expensive, to produce broadband, wire-grid polarizers that reflect in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, for use with high-end optics and laser technology as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,103 to Perkins, et al.
More recently, low-cost reflective polarizer films combining the properties of a layered-polymer distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) with a stretched-polymer polarizer have been introduced. Such reflective polarizers are used in video displays to enhance brightness by reflecting the attenuated light back into the device rather than absorbing it as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,745 to Weber, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,758 to Verrall, et al. Such reflective polarizers can exhibit specular reflection for one polarization of light, as in a mirror, or diffuse reflection for one polarization of light, as in a coating of white paint, or a combination of the two. These films were developed specifically for the video display market and have not been used outside of it.
In addition, reflective polarizers can be made from certain types of liquid crystals. Whereas wire-grid polarizers and stretched polymer polarizers are linearly polarizing, these liquid crystal polarizers (LCPs) are generally circularly polarizing. Thus, light of one helicity (i.e., right- or left-handed) is transmitted and light of the opposite helicity is reflected.
Thermal switches allow the passage of heat energy in their ON or closed state, but prevent it in their OFF or open state. Many of these switches are mechanical relays, which rely on contact between two conducting surfaces (typically made of metal) to enable the passage of heat. When the two surfaces are withdrawn, heat energy is unable to conduct between them except through the air gap. If the device is placed in vacuum, heat conduction is prevented entirely in the open state. Another type of thermal switch involves pumping a gas or liquid into or out of a chamber. When the chamber is full, it conducts heat. When empty, there is no conduction, although radiative transfer across the chamber may still occur.
Light can be blocked by optical filters which absorb or reflect certain frequencies of light while allowing others to pass through, thus acting like an optical switch. Also, the addition of a mechanical shutter can turn an otherwise transparent material—including a filter—into an optical switch. When the shutter is open, light passes through easily. When the shutter is closed, no light passes. If the mechanical shutter is replaced with an electrodarkening material such as a liquid crystal display (e.g., a twisted nematic liquid crystal display), then the switch is "nearly solid state," with no moving parts except photons, electrons, and the liquid crystal molecules themselves. Other electrodarkening materials, described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,099,062 to Azens, et al., can serve a similar function. These optical filter/switch combinations are not passive, but must be operated by external signals, e.g., electrical signals.
Switchable mirrors are based on reversible metal hydride and metal lithide chemistry, described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,042,615 to Richardson. These switchable mirrors rely on the physical migration of ions across a barrier under the influence of an electric field and therefore have limited switching speeds and cycle lifetimes. In addition, electrically operated "light valves" combine liquid crystals with one or more reflective polarizers as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,997 to Bruzzone, et al. In these devices, the liquid crystal typically serves as an electrotropic depolarizer, i.e., as a structure that changes or switches the rotation of the polarity of the light that passes through it on and off under the influence of an electric field. Some of these devices may be thought of as switchable mirrors, although they are rarely described that way, since their primary application is in video displays and advanced optics.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded as subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.

Methods for fabricating thermochromic filters


An electrical connector assembly (10) includes a plurality of signal contacts (22) and a grounding structure (16) mounted in a plastic housing (12) having flat exterior surface portions (19). One or more filter elements (32) contain signal electrodes (34) associated with and electrically connected to respective signal contacts (22) at staggered signal connection sections (35), with ground electrode (38) connected to grounding structure (16) at section (39). Each filter element is in tape form with dielectric material (36) laminated between broad area electrodes (34,38) with the tape attached to the housing exterior surface (14) for the electrodes (34,38) of the filter to be connected between the signal contact and ground structure to effectively insert the filter in the signal path to ground. Each signal electrode (34) may be carried on a separate tape filter, or one tape filter (80) may define at least two signal electrodes (82,84).

The increasing use of high speed digital pulses for communication has led to the use of sensitive components to receive and manipulate such signals. This sensitivity has in turn made the components vulnerable to unwanted frequencies transmitted thereto on the same signal paths as the wanted signal frequencies. To solve the problem caused thereby, a number of developments have led to patents that purport to filter out unwanted frequencies utilizing electrical connectors as the vehicle for accommodating appropriate filters having appropriate characteristics. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,115 granted Sep. 22, 1987, is drawn to a telephone connector with bypass capacitor and teaches the use of capacitors built into the connector to filter out unwanted frequencies from signals carried on signal contacts of a connector. There, the filters are termed "tombstone capacitors" and means are provided for interconnecting such capacitors between the signal paths and grounding paths. As will be discerned, the filters occupy a considerable volume of the total volume of the connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,224 granted Sep. 20, 1988 represents a modular electrical connector which includes capacitors and additionally, ferrite inductors to provide filtering. As with U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,115, the filter elements take up considerable volume of the device, particularly in terms of the height of the device from a printed circuit board or part of the assembly served by the filtered connector.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector having a filter that adds minimally to the packaging dimensions of the connector. It is a further object to provide the combination of multi-pin electrical connector in conjunction with a thin tape filter disposed on the exterior surface of the connector housing in an unobtrusive way, generally conforming to the shape of the exterior surfaces while innocuously traversing openings thereinto. It is a still further object to provide a simple, and readily manufacturable filter construction that adapts itself to use on connectors and other electrical articles such as printed circuit boards and transmission cable.


An apparatus configured to generate image data for use in determining a property of a gemstone is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support structure configured to support the gemstone at an observation position such that an axis of symmetry of the gemstone is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the apparatus, a light source, including a reflector having a concave surface arranged to reflect a spatially varied light pattern generally towards the observation position, the concave surface including at least one relatively reflective region and at least one relatively unreflective region and is configured to generate the light pattern, where the length of a boundary between the relatively reflective region and the relatively unreflective region is greater than the radial distance between the center and an edge of the concave surface, and a rotator configured to rotate the gemstone relative to the light pattern substantially about the axis of rotation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic apparatus for generating data for determining properties of gemstones, such as cut diamonds. In particular, but not exclusively, it relates to electronic apparatus for generating data for determining properties of gemstones in which a plurality of images of the gemstone are captured for analysis under different lighting conditions.
2. Description of the Related Technology
The beauty of a gemstone, such as a cut diamond, derives from its light handling ability. What attracts the eye is the "game of light" played by a well-cut diamond as incident light is reflected and refracted off its many facets. Diamonds and other gemstones may be cut according to many different standardised cut patterns such as the standard round brilliant cut, oval, pear, marquise, radiant, princess, heart, emerald cut etc. The most popular cut is the standard round brilliant (SRB) cut as shown in FIG. 1. Diamond cutting and polishing is a highly skilled art and a well-cut diamond, having superior optical performance, will command a significant price premium over a poorly cut diamond having inferior optical performance.
When showing a cut diamond to an untrained observer, one frequently refers to the four C's of a gemstone, being its carat weight, its clarity, its cut and its color. Carat weight, clarity and color can be relatively easily measured objectively and are therefore generally useful. Cut may also be specified or measured in terms of the geometry of the various facets. However, what really matters is the light handling ability of the gemstone and reference is often made to more subjective parameters of a cut diamond, such as its brilliance (the intensity of light returned), scintillation (fast and local fluctuations in the light returned as the diamond moves relative to the lighting conditions), fire (the dispersion of white light into spectral colors) and symmetry (the symmetry of light patterns such as the so-called "hearts and arrows"). It can be difficult, particularly for an untrained observer, to make a personal appraisal of these subjective parameters. It can also be difficult to compare the light handling abilities of two diamonds with the same carat weight, clarity and color, and therefore to appreciate why one is more valuable than the other.
It is recognized that properties such as brilliance, fire and symmetry should be derived, whether by experimental observation or theoretical computer modelling, under a variety of lighting conditions. Moreover, with the property of scintillation it is clearly essential to observe or model the diamond under a variety of lighting conditions. Electronic apparatus for capturing images of gemstones under varying lighting conditions for analysis are known.
The present applicant previously filed a European patent application EP 1319942 for an apparatus designed to measure properties of a gemstone. In this application, it is described that properties of a gemstone are determined by capturing images of a gemstone at a number of rotational positions relative to a spatially varied light pattern. The spatially varied light pattern is produced by a reflector with two regions, one relatively reflective, and the other relatively non-reflective. The boundary between the two regions lies in a plane parallel to the axis along which observation of the gemstone takes place. That is, the length of the boundary between the two regions is at a minimum length, and is formed by a straight line from the centre of the reflector, through which the gemstone is observed, to its closest edge.
International Patent Publication number WO 96/23207 describes a device which captures color images of a gemstone placed in an analysis chamber and illuminated by a uniform annular light which may be moved along an axis such that the gemstone may be illuminated from a plurality of different angles. The device performs a spectral analysis of the captured images using a tuneable optical band pass filter to determine the color of the gemstone. Digital images of the gemstone may also be stored, displayed or transmitted over a data network.
The website (www.gemex.com) of GemEx Systems, Inc, a U.S. company, describes a device called the BrillianceScope Analyser which is described as an imaging spectrophotometer. Color images of a diamond are captured in a controlled lighting environment consisting of six lighting angles, five of which provide reflected light and one of which provides diffuse lighting. These images may then be analysed to generate a report on the diamond. The BrillianceScope Analyser device operates on the same principle as the device described in International Patent Publication number WO 96/23207 referred to above, in that the gemstone is placed in an analysis chamber and illuminated by a uniform annular light which may be moved along an axis such that the gemstone is illuminated from different angles. The images may be analysed by a computer, and the properties of "white light", "colored light" and "scintillation" for a diamond are determined and displayed on three line chart scales from 'low', to 'medium' to 'high'. Captured images may also be shown in a repeating sequence in one display area, giving the effect of light movement. Images of two gemstones may be displayed side-by-side for comparison.
International Patent Publication number WO 99/61890 describes a system for the standardised grading of gemstones. A gemstone is subject to a plurality of incident light sources and images are captured for analysis. Images of the gemstone, such as a SRB cut diamond, may be captured from various viewpoints such as from the pavilion, from the crown and side-on. The gemstone is supported by a rotatable platform which is rotated when images are being captured from a side-on viewpoint to obtain profile and color images from a variety of rotational positions and to detect internal flaws and inclusions. When capturing images from above and below the gemstone, the platform is moved along an axis from a level position to a down and an up position respectively. The fixed focal length camera is also moved along an axis to focus on the gemstone when the platform is moved between the up, down and level positions. A captured image may be analysed by a processor to obtain color measurements and measures of the brilliance and scintillation of the gemstone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,147 describes a method and apparatus for mapping the crystalline structure of a diamond using Roman spectroscopy.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,332,755 describes a branding viewer for displaying a brand mark or a portion of a surface of a diamond.

Apparatus for generating data for determining a property of a gemstone


An apparatus for medical diagnosis and/or therapy which includes an electromagnetic proximity sensor (20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-4) which detects the presence of an object (for example, 28) directly in front of the sensor. By coupling the main drive directions 34-1, 34-2, 34-3 and 34-4 to the proximity sensors in such a manner that each main drive direction (for example, 34-4) substantially halves the exterior angle (.alpha..sub.4) between the two neighbouring proximity sensors (20-1, 20-4) and by inhibiting the displacement in the associated main drive direction (34-4) by these two neighbouring proximity sensors, it is achieved that all clearing movements remain possible and all movements leading to collisions are inhibited.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for medical diagnosis and/or therapy, including a detection device for detecting the presence of an object in the vicinity of a movable part of the apparatus, which detection device includes a number of proximity sensors which are mounted on the movable part and each of which is arranged to detect the presence of an object in the vicinity of the relevant sensor, means for forming a detection output signal of each of the proximity sensors, a drive unit for driving the movement of the movable part of the apparatus, and control means for controlling the drive unit in dependence on the detection output signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
An apparatus of this kind is known from United States Patent Specification U.S. Pat No. 4,987,583.
An apparatus for medical diagnosis and/or therapy may include a radiation transmitter and a radiation receiver. An example in this respect is a medical X-ray apparatus provided with an X-ray source and an X-ray receiver which is usually constructed as an X-ray image intensifier. These two elements are arranged at some distance from one another, the patient to be examined or treated being arranged between the X-ray source and the image intensifier. The X-ray source and the image intensifier are positioned relative to the body of the patient in such a manner that an image can be formed of the desired slice of the body (the "object"). The orientation and position of such apparatus can often be adjusted by means of a motor drive. Generally speaking, in the context of the present invention an object is to be understood to mean the body of a patient to be examined or another object to be examined, the body or a part of the body of a person operating the apparatus, parts of the apparatus itself (for example, the patient table) or of neighbouring apparatus, or other obstacles which could move into the path of movement of the parts of the apparatus.
Such apparatus often comprise a so-called C-arm, i.e. a circular support which is rotatable in its own plane via a guide or trackway (i.e. about an axis extending perpendicularly to the plane in which the C-arm is situated), which plane is rotatable about an axis situated in said plane. In many cases a number of other possibilities for displacement are also provided.
During use of the apparatus it is important that a movable part, for example the image intensifier, closely approaches the object to be examined in order to achieve the desired image sharpness. The image intensifier has a comparatively large front face for receiving the X-rays and each point on this front face or on its circumference can come into contact with the object to be examined. Such a collision can occur in any direction of movement of the image intensifier. This is undesirable and, therefore, such an apparatus comprises a detection device for detecting the presence of an object in the vicinity of the movable part of the apparatus.
It is important to provide such a detection device notably in the case of motor-driven apparatus. When the presence of an object is detected within a given small distance from the movable part of the apparatus, the movement of (that part of) the apparatus can be stopped so as to avoid a collision.
The cited U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,583 discloses a medical X-ray apparatus which includes a number of separate collision sensors which are mounted on parts of the apparatus which could come into contact with obstacles. These sensors enable detection of the collisions between an obstacle and movable parts of the apparatus. The apparatus includes means ensuring that, after detection of a collision with an obstacle, the drive operates in a direction opposing the direction of collision, so that the movable part immediately backs away from the obstacle after a collision. The back-out movement is stopped as soon as the sensor no longer detects contact between the sensor and the obstacle. In order to avoid recurrent collisions after that and to achieve normal operation of the apparatus again, it is necessary for the operating staff to switch off the control system and subsequently switch it on again. Using this device it can be detected merely that a collision has occurred, but the device does not know the direction of the collision so that it cannot control the movable part of the apparatus to perform a clearing motion other than that which opposes the collision direction.

Object detector and associated driving device for a medical diagnostic apparatus


A method for connecting an expansion module to a programmable electric switching device includes initiating a recognition mode within the switching device during which an interrogation is carried out as to whether or not the connected expansion module is initializable. If the expansion module is not initializable, no data is exchanged between the switching device and the expansion module. If the expansion module is initializable, the switching device switches into an expansion communication mode in which data exchange takes place under the control of the operating system of the expansion module.

The present invention relates to a method for connecting an expansion module to a programmable electric switching device.
Such switching devices may include, for example, small control systems, control relays or the like. It is common to all switching devices that they have a processing unit, for example, in the form of a microprocessor, an integrated display unit as well as an integrated operating control unit.
A programmable control relay of this kind including integrated arithmetic, operating control and display units is already known from the main catalog "Automatisieren und Energie verteilen '99" [Automation and Power Distribution '99] (pages 05/006-05/007) of the Klöckner-Moeller GmbH Company. These devices are applicable for minor control tasks in the field of domestic installations as well as in the construction of control cabinets and in mechanical and apparatus engineering. In lieu of the conventional wiring technique of individual components such as auxiliary contactors, relays or counter modules, the desired functions are "wired" (programmed) in the control relay using software. The programming is preferably carried out in circuit diagram representation.
Moreover, programmable control systems (for example, compact control systems) are known which can be expanded in their functionality via so-called "expansion modules" (main catalog of Klöckner-Moeller GmbH Company; "Automatisieren und Energie verteilen '99" [Automation and Power Distribution '99] (pages 01/004-01/005).
Switching devices such as those described above are at present very limited in their expandability. If the intention is for a basic device to be expanded with an expansion module, it is required that the expansion module exist in kind of a "table including connectable expansion modules" in the current operating system of the basic device. The device, which is already known to the basic device, is then selected and thus added to the functionality of the basic device. To make these programmable switching devices such as programmable control systems, logic relays and the like compatible for future expansion modules, the application software and the specific operating system including the above mentioned table must be updated at the particular time. For this, new hardware and software drivers have to be developed. New expansion modules cannot be used until the control system has been updated.

Method for connecting an expansion module to a programmable electric switching device


The present invention relates to compounds according to formula 1:

Organic electronic devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes OLEDs, which are self-emitting devices, have a wide viewing angle, excellent contrast, quick response, high brightness, excellent operating voltage characteristics, and color reproduction. A typical OLED comprises an anode, a hole transport layer HTL, an emission layer EML, an electron transport layer ETL, and a cathode, which are sequentially stacked on a substrate. In this regard, the HTL, the EML, and the ETL are thin films formed from organic compounds.
When a voltage is applied to the anode and the cathode, holes injected from the anode move to the EML, via the HTL, and electrons injected from the cathode move to the EML, via the ETL. The holes and electrons recombine in the EML to generate excitons. When the excitons drop from an excited state to a ground state, light is emitted. The injection and flow of holes and electrons should be balanced, so that an OLED having the above-described structure has excellent efficiency and/or a long lifetime.
Performance of an organic light emitting diode may be affected by characteristics of the organic semiconductor layer, and among them, may be affected by characteristics of an organic material of the organic semiconductor layer.
Particularly, development for an organic material being capable of increasing electron mobility and simultaneously increasing electrochemical stability is needed so that the organic electronic device, such as an organic light emitting diode, may be applied to a large-size flat panel display.
WO2017065419 relates to organic electroluminescent compounds, and a host material, an electron buffer material, an electron transport material and an organic electroluminescent device comprising the same. By using theganic electroluminescent compounds of the present disclosure, the organic electroluminescent device secures fast electron current properties by intermolecular stacking and interaction, and thus, it is possible to provide the organic electroluminescent device having low driving voltage and/or excellent luminous efficiency and/or efficient lifespan properties.
WO2017171376 relates to a compound of the chemical formula 1 and an organic electronic element comprising the compound.
There remains a need to improve performance of organic semiconductor layers, organic semiconductor materials, as well as organic electronic devices thereof, in particular to achieve increased lifetime and higher efficiency through improving the characteristics of the compounds comprised therein.
There is a need for alternative organic semiconductor materials and organic semiconductor layers as well as organic electronic devices having increased lifetime and/or improved efficiency at low operating voltage.
In particular there is a need for alternative compounds having increased lifetime as well as improved efficiency and at the same time keeping the operating voltage and thereby the power consumption low to deliver long battery life for example mobile electronic devices.

Compounds comprising triazine group, fluorene-group and aryl group

Abstract: suitable for use as a layer material for electronic devices, and to an organic semiconductor layer comprising at least one compound according to formula 1, as well as to an organic electronic device comprising at least one organic semiconductor layer thereof, and a method of manufacturing the same.