An interconnect structure in which the adhesion between an upper level low-k dielectric material, such as a material comprising elements of Si, C, O, and H, and an underlying diffusion capping dielectric, such as a material comprising elements of C, Si, N and H, is improved by incorporating an adhesion transition layer between the two dielectric layers. The presence of the adhesion transition layer between the upper level low-k dielectric and the diffusion barrier capping dielectric can reduce the chance of delamination of the interconnect structure during the packaging process. The adhesion transition layer provided herein includes a lower SiOx- or SiON-containing region and an upper C graded region. Methods of forming such a structure, in particularly the adhesion transition layer, are also provided.

The continuous shrinking in dimensions of electronic devices utilized in ultra-large scale integrated (ULSI) circuits in recent years has resulted in increasing the resistance of the back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) metallization without concomitantly decreasing the interconnect capacitances. Often interconnects are even scaled to higher aspect ratios to mitigate the resistance increases, leading to increased capacitance. This combined effect increases signal delays in ULSI electronic devices. In order to improve the switching performance of future ULSI circuits, low dielectric constant (k) dielectrics and particularly those with k significantly lower than silicon dioxide are being introduced to reduce the capacitance.
The low-k materials that have been considered for applications in ULSI devices include polymers containing Si, C, and O, such as methylsiloxane, methylsilsesquioxanes, and other organic and inorganic polymers which are fabricated by spin-on techniques or, Si, C, O and H containing materials (SiCOH, SiOCH, carbon-doped oxides (CDO), silicon-oxycarbides, organosilicate glasses (OSG)) deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) techniques.
The incorporation of the low-k dielectrics in the interconnect structures of integrated circuits (IC) often requires the use of other dielectric materials as diffusion barrier caps or etch-stop and chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP) hardmasks. The adhesion among the different layers in the complex structures of an IC device is often too low, resulting in delaminations during the processing of the device, or reduced reliability in response to thermomechanical stresses imposed by typical chip packaging materials.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art interconnect structure 10 that includes a lower level chemical vapor deposited (CVD) low-k SiCOH dielectric 12 and an upper level CVD low-k SiCOH dielectric 20. Each of the dielectric levels 12 and 20 includes metal wiring regions 14 formed therein. The metal wiring regions 14 are capped with a diffusion barrier capping dielectric 18 that is comprised of a dielectric containing C, Si, N and H (i.e., CSiNH).
Due to the CSiNH pre-cleaning process, which includes a NH3 pretreament, each of the SiCOH surfaces form a thin layer of SiON 16. The SiON layer 16 includes the following three regions: an upper region which is near the interface of the CSiNH capping dielectric 18 that is nitrogen rich SiON, a middle region that is oxygen rich SiON, and a lower region that is carbon depleted. The carbon depleted region extends continuously into an upper surface region of each SiCOH dielectric.
In the packaging process, a crack typically forms between the CSiNH capping dielectric 18 and the upper SiCOH dielectric 20, which indicates that the interface 19 between the CSiNH capping dielectric 18 and the upper SiCOH dielectric 20 is weak. Moreover, under stress, delamination of the CSiNH capping dielectric 18 and the upper SiCOH dielectric 20 may occur at interface 19. Adhesion tests show that the interface 19 between the CSiNH capping layer 18 and the upper level SiOCH dielectric 20 has a poor adhesion coefficient; the same test show that the adhesion coefficient between the lower dielectric 12 and the CSiNH capping layer 18 is improved due to the presence of the SiON layer. The current adhesion between the upper level SiCOH dielectric 20 and the underlying CSiNH capping layer 18 is in the range of 2 to 4 J/m2, which is below the value of the cohesive strength of SiCOH material (6 J/m2).
In view of the problems mentioned above with the current interconnect structure shown in FIG. 1, there is a need for providing an interconnect structure in which the adhesion between the upper level low-k dielectric and the underlying diffusion barrier capping dielectric is improved.

Structure to improve adhesion between top CVD low-k dielectric and dielectric capping layer


The system of the invention consists of a central office service unit (COSU) connected to a plurality of switching systems via dedicated telemetry trunks or a common channel signaling network such as the CCS7 network. The switching systems are connected to a plurality of inbound-only TIUs located on the customer premise that are in turn connected to customer devices such as utility meters, appliances, security systems or the like. The TIUs are inbound-only that can originate calls but cannot answer calls initiated by the controlling entity. A controlling entity, such as a utility, is connected to one of the switching systems over a customer line such that the controlling entity can be connected to any TIU hosted by the switching systems. The controlling entity requests that an alerting tone be sent by the COSU to a desired TIU. The COSU, as is known in the art, delivers an alert tone through a suppressed ringing connection to the TIU that does not audibly ring the customer's telephone. The TIU does not "answer" this tone by going off hook such that no connection is established and the telemetry call is taken down. While the TIU does not answer the alert tone, the tone alerts the TIU to perform one or more functions such as retrieve data from a utility meter, check the status of an appliance or the like. As an alternative to the alert tone, a digital signal can be transmitted to alert the TIU. After performing the desired function, the TIU is programmed to call the controlling entity and a connection is established between the TIU and the controlling entity. The TIU can then transmit the results of the function to the controlling entity and the controlling entity can download further instructions, programs or the like to the TIU.

The invention relates, generally, to telemetry systems and, more particularly, to a system for silently alerting inbound-only intelligent communication devices (ICDs) such as telemetry interface units (TIUs), meters, diagnostic processors or the like to facilitate diagnostic, control and data exchange functionality.
It will be appreciated that telemetry systems typically consist of TIUs or other ICDs located on the customer premises where each TIU or ICD is connected to a switching system in the telecommunications network over a customer line such that the TIUs or ICDs can be accessed via the telephone network. One common telemetry system is used to remotely monitor utility usage. The system consists of an "intelligent" utility meter located at the customer premise that records utility usage and communicates with a TIU. The controlling utility establishes a connection with the TIU and the TIU gathers usage data from the utility meter and transmits this information to the utility for billing purposes, usage monitoring or the like. While utility meter reading is a common telemetry application, it will be appreciated that telemetry systems can be used to perform any remote monitoring, measuring, control or diagnostic function.
Different types of TIUs, and associated telemetry systems, have been developed. One known type of TIU is known as an inbound-only TIU. An inbound-only TIU is typically programmed, based upon a stored instruction set, to collect data from a customer device (or to perform a monitoring, diagnostic or control function) and to periodically initiate a call to the entity responsible for controlling the TIU and/or customer device to transfer data or otherwise communicate with the controlling entity. These types of inbound-only TIUs are capable of initiating a call to the controlling entity (inbound communications) but cannot go off-hook to "answer" or complete a connection initiated by the controlling entity. As a result, these inbound-only TIUs cannot be accessed by the controlling entity unless and until the TIU initiates the call.
Some inbound-only TIUs can be alerted by a power ringing alert from the controlling entity. In response to the power ringing alert, the TIU initiates a call to the controlling entity. Typically, the controlling entity makes a standard voice call to the customer premise where the TIU is located and verbally informs the customer that a telemetry "alert" is about to be made to that customer's TIU. The controlling entity then makes a power ringing alert to the customer premise where the TIU is alerted by a power ringing alert that is audible to the customer. Typically, the TIU is alerted after receiving a fixed number of power ringing cycles. As will be appreciated, the audible power ringing alert is extremely disruptive to the customer. As a result, such systems are typically not used at night, when the audible power ringing alert would most disturb the customer even though this is typically the time of day that the telemetry call is least likely to interfere with the customer's regular voice calls. Moreover, it is possible that the TIU will be alerted inadvertently should someone other than the controlling entity call the customer line and inadvertently deliver the power ringing alert signal with the correct fixed number of power ringing cycles. It is also possible that after a number of ringing cycles, but before the fixed number of ringing cycles alerts the TIU, the customer's line may be forwarded to a voice mail system thereby terminating the power ringing before the TIU is alerted.
In addition to the above-discussed inbound-only TIUs, outbound TIUs also exist. Outbound TIUs are capable of answering calls initiated by the controlling entity such that a connection between the controlling entity and the TIU is created at the initiation of the controlling entity. These TIUs provide the advantage that the controlling entity can establish a connection at its initiation at any time. One such outbound system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,694 issued to Garland on Feb. 23, 1993. This system discloses the use of a suppressed ringing connection where no audible ringing signal is delivered to the customer premise when the alert tone is transmitted to the TIU. Because the TIU answers the tone from the controlling entity and a connection is established between the TIU and the controlling entity, a connection is made every time the controlling entity contacts the TIU. In some circumstances, in response to the initial alert by the controlling entity, the TIU must perform a function such as data retrieval, diagnostics or the like. In such a situation, the connection between the controlling entity and the TIU must either be maintained while the TIU and other related components perform the function or the connection must be terminated while the TIU and other related components perform the function and a second connection must be established later to transmit the data. In either event, network resources are used inefficiently and additional billing charges for the connection time may be incurred by the controlling party.
Thus, a more efficient telemetry system is desired.

Method for silently alerting inbound-only telemetry interface units


A first embodiment of a surgical retractor includes a Z-shape rake plate, one or more rakes for applying a retractor force to a portion of a patient's body, and pivoting mounting means for mounting the rakes to the rake plate. Means are provided to adjust the extension of the rakes relative to the rake plate, and various connections are provided for connecting the rakes to the rake plate. The rake plate is Z-shape to facilitate placement relative to a surgical cavity of a patient. A method of holding open a surgical cavity includes the placing of rakes relative to the cavity and adjusting the position of the respective rakes relative to the rake plate to thereby retract the portion of the patient's body and provide access to the surgical cavity.

In the performance of surgery in the chest cavity, generally referred to as thoracic surgery, it is desirable to hold open the surgical cavity to provide access to the organ or body part upon which the surgery is being performed. This is especially important in the case of cardiac surgeries. An early example of a surgical retractor for use in coronary bypass surgical procedures which include dissection of the internal mammary artery is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,955, which is incorporated herein by reference.
In the device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,955 plural rakes which engage the body and retract the surgical cavity formed by a midsternotomy are relatively fixedly positioned with respect to each other from a rod. The rod may be elevated or lowered as desired. However, there is no adjustment for the rakes relative to the rod, to each other or to the surgical cavity. Furthermore, the rakes are generally small having sharply pointed tips and are generally designed to be employed in pairs for the purpose of retracting one side of a sternum which has been split by a midsternotomy. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,955 cannot provide the support required for other procedures which have been recently developed as alternatives to the midsternotomy approach to the coronary bypass, and it is not adapted for use in reoperative midsternotomy procedures.
It is well-known and appreciated that in surgical procedures, time is of the essence, and delays associated with adjustments of support equipment are unwanted. Additionally, during certain procedures, it may be desirable to impose or to change a biasing force on a body portion which is undergoing a surgical procedure or treatment. Further, it is desirable to minimize the number of personnel required to assist in the performance of a surgical procedure, to minimize the number of personnel who must enter the sterile field, and to minimize the tasks, such as holding a retractor, of personnel during surgical procedures. Further, it is desirable to have available to the surgeon instruments appropriately adapted to each type of procedure.

Surgical support apparatus with a Z-shape rake plate


A method of determining the rotary, rotationally immobile or mobile, state of a vehicle wheel, according to which the signal delivered by an active motion sensor fitted to the wheel is analyzed instantly according to a procedure consists, firstly, at time t1, in connecting the motion sensor to an analog circuit including at least one capacitor and interposed between the motion sensor and a first input of an electronic comparison element, so as to store in the capacitor reference value V1 representing the value of the signal at t1. Thereafter, the motion sensor is connected to a second input of the comparison element, to compare V1 with a value V2 representing the value of the signal at time t2, and to deliver a diagnostic signal representing either a rotationally immobile state of the wheel when V1=V2, or a rotationally mobile state of the wheel when V1≠V2.

More and more motor vehicles are possessing systems for monitoring and/or measuring parameters comprising sensors mounted on said vehicle.
By way of example relating to such systems, mention may be made of monitoring systems comprising sensors fitted to each of the wheels of vehicles, dedicated to measuring parameters, such as pressure and/or temperature of the tires mounted on these wheels, and intended to inform the driver of any abnormal variation in the measured parameter.
These monitoring systems conventionally comprise:                mounted on each of the wheels of the vehicle, an electronic housing incorporating the measurement sensors, a microprocessor, a radio frequency emitter and a button battery,        and, mounted on the vehicle, a central unit for receiving the signals emitted by the electronic housings, equipped with a computer incorporating a radiofrequency receiver connected to an antenna.
Moreover, usually, these monitoring systems comprise a displacement sensor suitable for being incorporated into each electronic housing and intended to provide information representative of the rotary, rotationally immobile or mobile, state of the wheel, and hence representative of the state of displacement of the vehicle (stationary or rolling).
Such information makes it possible, among other things, to institute two modes of operation of the monitoring systems determining an "awake" state and an "awoken" state of the electronic housings. These two modes of operation are differentiated in particular by the frequency of emission of the signals output by the electronic housings, and are adapted in such a way that this emission frequency is reduced when the electronic housings are in an "awake" state corresponding to the stationary state of the vehicle.
This management of the emission frequency of the signals emitted by the electronic housings leads, in fact, when the vehicle is stationary, to reducing, on the one hand, the consumption of the batteries energizing the onboard microprocessors, and on the other hand, the "pollution" of the environment surrounding the vehicle, and consequently, in particular, the risks of parasitic interference between close vehicles.
The first family of displacement sensors conventionally used for the aforesaid purposes consists of sensors of the accelerometer type whose output signal varies linearly as a function of the speed of rotation of the wheel.
An essential advantage of such sensors lies in the fact that they turn out to lead to low electrical energy consumption, a paramount quality in view of the necessary requirements, in particular regarding lifetime, which the batteries incorporated in the electronic housings must satisfy. Specifically, the response curve of these sensors as a function of the speed of rotation of the wheels being linear, the determination of the rotary state of a wheel entails simply fixing a rolling threshold, and activating the associated sensor instantly for a time of small duration, so as to achieve the comparison of the value of the signal delivered with the rolling threshold.
On the other hand, such sensors exhibit two major drawbacks residing, on the one hand, in their high retail cost, and on the other hand, in their relative fragility in view of the conditions of use.
The second family of displacement sensors conventionally used for the purpose of determining the rotary state of the wheels of vehicles consists of sensors whose output signal exhibits a waveform of variable amplitude, for example sinusoidal, and synchronous with the speed of rotation of the wheel. Such sensors, of the type of impact sensors, magnetic sensors for detecting variations in the terrestrial magnetic field, termed "EMF" sensors, tangential accelerometers, turn out to have a lower retail price and greater robustness relative to those of the sensors of the first family mentioned above.
On the other hand, the current solutions implemented to ensure the processing of the signal delivered by such sensors with a view to determining the rotary state of a wheel turn out to involve significant electrical energy consumption.
The first solution, of the analog type, which consists in using systems of amplifiers and of comparators, makes it necessary, in particular on account of problems of average value, hysteresis, etc., to energize these components for a duration corresponding to the time required for the wheel to perform a revolution at low speed (detection of the starting of the vehicle). Now, such a duration turns out to be very detrimental within the framework of the use of a button battery.
The second solution, of the digital type, which consists in using a conversion system comprising a filter and an analog/digital converter, demands a set-up time equivalent to that of the analog solution, hence likewise very detrimental within the framework of the application to which the invention is directed.

Method and device for determining the rotary state of a vehicle wheel fitted with an active motion sensor suitable for delivering an oscillatory output signal during a rotation of said wheel


A lock installation system of template drill and router guides that clamp to the door to prepare doors for locking and latching devices of many different brands. The system uses changeable template drill guides clamped to the faces of the door to drill the cross hole and other specialty holes needed. The edge drilling is done with an attachment for the proper size bit or with a ¼ inch pilot hole and hole saw. The attachment also allows the pre-drilling of the screw holes for mounting the latch assembly. After removing the edge drill setup, there is a router template to cut the mortize for the latch for commercial locksets. There is an attachment for residential locks to router cut the mortize cut out for the latch assembly. The embodiment will work on beveled and square edge doors of the two most common back sets. The embodiment will do door edge center, off set drilling and latch assembly mortizing. There is also a means to help align the embodiment on a door that has a pre-existing preparation. The smaller version of this embodiment is for where the door edge latch mortizing is not required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of devices usable for facilitating the cutting of holes in the face and the edge of doors for the placement of tubular style lever sets, knob sets, locksets, deadbolts, stand alone electronic and mechanical access control locksets and other types of locking and latching mechanisms therein.
Generally there are three methods of installing lock mechanisms on the door with the first being to hand measure all specifications of the lock to be installed on to the door. This is slow and mistakes are not uncommon. The second method is to use the paper template that comes with the lockset as this is faster and less chance of mistakes when taped to the door but paper templates are not always accurate because of printing problems and they are not always properly positioned on the door. Both hand measuring and template require the use of hand tools that are generally slower and less accurate. Often only one side of the door is marked and the hole(s) are not squarely drilled through the door and thus creating problems with the installation. The third method is to use a jig or a series of jigs for cutting the holes and although it is faster and more accurate than the hand measuring or paper templates, there has not been one single jig to do a total door lock preparation or to fix miss drilled doors. The present invention provides a novel means for fast and accurate drilling and routing of all the necessary holes and cut outs in the door in one setup with less chance of damage to the door for modem style tubular locksets.
2. Descriptions of the Prior Art
Numerous attempts have been made to create drilling and routing jigs for door lock installation however none have proved to be as universal and simple to use as the present embodiment as the listed prior art below prove.
Some examples of prior art are shown with U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,227 from May 1, 1984 by Keefe that shows a jig that can be programmed for many applications but would have trouble with the modem lever locks and access control locksets because of the number of holes required and their location. It would also be easy to make mistakes with this jig. U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,632B1 from Feb. 5, 2002 by Zivojinvic is a jig that can be used for mortise and cylindrical lock preparation and does use template plate drill guides on the faces of the door however is most suited for mortise lock preparation and does not provide a means to pre-drill the latch plate mounting screws.
General mortising jigs that can be used for some parts of lock installation can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 1,762,457 from Jun. 10, 1930 by L. Uhrin and U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,335 from Dec. 22, 1953 by W. H. Gohm, Sr. and also in US Pending Patent number US2009/0272463A1 from Nov. 5, 2009 by Smith for use with a drill motor.
There are template jigs for adding specific holes however they are not for total lock preparation as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,607B2 from Jan. 27, 2009 by Rusiana et al is a template system for hospital paddles to only add 4 holes with different backsets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,891 from Jun. 29, 1999 by Friedman is a template for only one side of the door for extra holes for lever locks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,845 from Jun. 29, 1993 by Goldstein et al is for edge hole and cross drill for 2¾ inch backset with changeable plates with template drill guides for specialty holes with a plate only on one side of the door and when the drill brakes through the door, the drill is likely to splinter the wood from the unsupported hole unless the jig is removed and turned over and reinstalled. The jig has no means of providing latch plate mortising and pre-drilling of screw holes. The jig is not easily adjustable for backset and will not allow for easy re-drilling of a miss drilled door. US Pending Patent number US2007/0227016A1 from Oct. 4, 2007 by Tarter is a template system for mortise lock trim holes on both sides of door and does not do any door edge drilling or mortising.
There are many lockset installation jigs of many different configurations and variations that do only the main cross drill and edge drill however do not do latch mortising or specialty holes. U.S. Pat. No. 7,356,902B2 from Apr. 15, 2008 by Snider et al has adjustable backset and door thickness and is made of plastic for low usage with no specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,770B2 from May 12, 2009 by Chao is self adjusting for door thickness and is a hole saw drill guide with no specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2003/0172535 A1 from Sep. 18, 2003 by Grizzle is a template for cross and edge drilling made from a plate with a 90 degree bend screwed to the door. The jig only guides the drill from one side of the door and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2004/0240950 A1 from Dec. 2, 2004 by Trettin et al and US Pending Patent number US2004/0062618 A1 from Apr. 1, 2004 by Trettin et al, these two pending patents appear to be the same jig and are a hole saw drill guide for one side of the door screwed to the door with the latch screws and is made of plastic. This design would be for low usage and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2004/0020809A1 from Feb. 5, 2004 by Allan et al and US Pending Patent number US2005/0072701A1 from Apr. 7, 2005 by Allan et al are wrap around template kits for only the cross drill and edge holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2005/0129472A1 from Jun. 16, 2005 by Liu et al is a hole saw drill guide for only cross drill and edge holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2005/0220548A1 from Sep. 6, 2005 by Thomas is a hole saw drill guide for only one side of the door and for only cross drill and edge holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2005/0220549A1 from Oct. 6, 2005 by Thomas is only for cross drill and edge drill guide for only one side of the door and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2007/0041800A1 from Feb. 22, 2007 by Santos is only for cross drill and edge drill guide from both sides of the door. This jig screws to the door with the latch screws with an unusual backset adjustment and is made of plastic and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2007/0189868A1 from Aug. 16, 2007 by Snider et al is only for cross drill and edge drill guide for both sides of the door and is made of plastic and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. US Pending Patent number US2007/0110528A1 from May 17, 2007 by Chao is only for cross drill and edge drill guide and is made of plastic and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,792,727 from May 21, 1957 by B. A. McCuen is hand operated and is only for the cross drill and edge drill holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,989 from May 19, 1959 by B. A. McCuen is hand operated and is only for the cross drill and edge drill holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,411 from May 25, 1982 by Kessinger et al is a drill system with bits for cross drill and edge drill holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,571 from Jan. 18, 1972 by Roberts et al is only for the cross drill and edge drill holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,277 from Aug. 29, 1967 by J. A. Tornoe et al is only for the cross drill and edge drill holes and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,674 from Feb. 7, 1967 by F. J. Russell et al is for only the cross drill hole with the drill guide size being changeable and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,293,954 from Dec. 27, 1966 by F. J. Russell et al is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide with backsets of 2¾ inch and 5 inch and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,366 from Oct. 19, 1965 by F. J. Russell et al is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide with backsets of 2¾ inch and 5 inch and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,062 from Aug. 7, 1962 by I. C. Bass is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide and has bits attached and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,734 from Feb. 20, 1962 by E. L. Schlage is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide and has bits attached and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,359 from Nov. 14, 1961 by B. A. Mackey is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide for a pilot drill and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,843,167 from Jul. 15, 1958 by E. R. Rushton is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide with backsets of 2⅜ inch and 2¾ inch and 5 inch and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,219 from Nov. 26, 1957 by W. B. Zern is for the cross drill and edge drill guide with a guide for drilling for the latch screws and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,771 from Jun. 1, 1954 by E. L. Schlage is only an edge drill guide with a cross drill marker and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,174 from May 25, 1954 by E. L. Schlage is only an edge drill guide and a cross drill marker for a pilot drill but one model has an adjustable backset cross drill guide. This jig does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,519,468 from Aug. 22, 1950 by E. A. Hengst is only a pilot drill guide for the cross drill hole and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,072 from Mar. 3, 1936 by F. H. Harp is a door drill jig with an odd design and is very old. U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,900 from Jul. 25, 1933 by E. A. Moller is only for the cross drill and edge drill guide and may not be useable for modern locks. U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,554 from Feb. 3, 1981 by Boucher et al is only for the cross drill and edge drill guide with only 2⅜ inch and 2¾ inch backsets and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,527B2 from Jan. 8, 2008 by Trettin et al is a set of drill guides to cross drill and edge drill holes and is made of plastic with limited life and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,465B1 from Jun. 4, 2002 by Monge is for only the cross drill and edge drill guide for use with 2⅜ inch and 2¾ inch backset and has removable drill guide and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,125 from Dec. 27, 1987 by Livick is only for the cross drill and edge drill guide and screw holes for latch with adjustable backsets and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,930 from Dec. 26, 1978 by Webster is only for the cross drill and edge drill guide and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising
Other prior art that primarily does only the cross drill and edge drill that no patent was found for but may exist includes an installation jig marketed by Weslock that does 2⅜, 2¾ and 5 inch backset in addition to the edge hole and uses a bit that fastens to the jig in one of two locations for the cross drill with a break through ring on the opposite side of the door and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. Also not found in the patents is a jig that was marketed by Ilco that they named Accubore. That jig does the cross drill and the edge drill with several different size wood bits and break through rings for the cross drill. The jig has the backset adjustment which is a plate that rotates above and below the one inch edge drill with 2⅜, 2½ and 2¾ inch backsets. That jig also has a sleeve that goes in the 1 inch edge drill guide that is a drill guide for ⅞ inch diameter edge drill hole. The cross drill bits were hand operated but there was an adapter for a drill motor and does not do specialty holes or latch mortising. Another jig that no patent was found that was marketed as WildJig-1 uses a 2⅛ or 1½ inch cross drill and 1 inch edge drill and also has through bolt drilling for some grade 1 locks. The uniqueness of this jig is how it fastens to the door and speed of doing so but does not do latch mortising.
Jigs for doing mortising for mortise locksets with the use of a router include the following patents however are not designed to do cylindrical locksets with specialty holes as shown in US Pending Patent number US2008/0251154A 1 from Oct. 16, 2008 by Gill, U.S. Pat. No. 1,718,324 from Jun. 25, 1929 by F. W. Wappat, U.S. Pat. No. 1,738,227 from Dec. 3, 1929 by R. L. Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,268 from Nov. 25, 1980 by Savary are mortise templates for doors and jams and U.S. Pat. No. 2,605,791 from Aug. 5, 1952 by W. B. Zero is for router guide system for locks.
Other lock preparation jigs and mortising jigs date back into 1800's showing the need and the numerous attempts to devise the perfect jig. Most jigs were for mortise locks but some could be used for cylindrical. None of these jigs would be acceptable for the modem day locks requiring multiple specialty holes and none of these jigs use a router. Here are several patents that show this type of prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 1,210,942 from Jan. 2, 1917 by E. B. Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 992,500 from May 16, 1911 by A. A. Harvie, U.S. Pat. No. 891,606 from Jun. 23, 1908 by J. E. Doldt et al is old but could still be used, U.S. Pat. No. 1,633,370 from Jun. 21, 1927 by S. Hunter, U.S. Pat. No. 307,848 from Nov. 11, 1884 by S. W. Drowne, D. K. Hubbard, U.S. Pat. No. 18,977 from Dec. 29, 1857 by L. Kittinger is old general mortise, U.S. Pat. No. 90,299 from May 18, 1869 by F. P. Pfleghar, U.S. Pat. No. 218,028 from Jul. 29, 1879 by H. A. Holt, U.S. Pat. No. 310,718 from Jan. 13, 1885 by C. F. Nichols is old but could still be used, U.S. Pat. No. 824,306 from Jun. 26, 1906 by B. K. Means, U.S. Pat. No. 971,627 from Oct. 4, 1910 by M. Nicholls is old but could still be used, U.S. Pat. No. 1,580,412 from Apr. 13, 1926 by J. H. Collins, U.S. Pat. No. 2,193,204 from Mar. 12, 1940 by O. Nilson, U.S. Pat. No. 631,202 from Aug. 15, 1899 by J. E. Dearborn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,344 from Oct. 24, 1972 by Grumbach, U.S. Pat. No. 2,268,930 from Jan. 6, 1942 by W. S. Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 1,432,485 from Oct. 17, 1922 by E. A. Moller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,823 from Dec. 22, 1981 by Nashland may have multiple number of door face plates for different locks and may be used with cylindrical locks, U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,487 from Jan. 16, 1968 by W. H. Gehm, Sr. is a jig for edge drilling for a mortise lock body.
There are a number of router templates to do various functions of lock preparations but none provide the means to include the specialty holes needed. The following patents are how a router can be used in lock preparation: U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,352 from Nov. 12, 1996 by Matadobra is a router template to cut cross drill holes in face of door, U.S. Pat. No. 1,679,074 from Jul. 31, 1928 by R. L. Carter is a router template system for mortising on face and edge of door, U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,215 from Mar. 28, 1989 by Saylor et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,826 from Mar. 21, 1989 by Riedel is a router template for mortise locksets for edge and face of door, U.S. Pat. No. 1,954,368 from Apr. 10, 1934 by E. P. Sacrey is a jig for mortising of lock face plate on edge or latch face plate or mortising for mortise lock-jig is adjustable, U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,043 from Jul. 7, 1970 by R. E. Guill is an adjustable router template for latch plates and latch strikes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,343 from Jan. 18, 1994 by Woods is to mortise door edge and door jamb-odd setup, U.S. Pat. No. 2,832,154 from Apr. 29, 1958 by J. Bauer is a template system for door edge and strike that positions the template that is screwed to door or frame, U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,307 from Jul. 12, 1983 by Wightman, Jr. is an adjustable template for face plate-mortise or latch, odd design, U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,214 from Aug. 13, 1992 by Hagerman is a template for mortising door hardware.
There are some jigs that are only drill guides for doing various parts of lock preparation, none of which do a total door preparation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,170 from May 26, 1992 by Palmer et al is for adding top and bottom holes for through bolt of the brand "Best" locks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,001 from Oct. 29, 1996 by Brutscher et al is a drill guide for pilot drill holes to cross drill and edge holes, U.S. Pat. No. 1,161,479 from Nov. 23, 1915 by J. J. Kelley is for door edge drill hole only.
Lockset installation jigs that do the cross drill and edge drill and specialty holes but does not do the latch plate mortise would include: U.S. Pat. No. DES.356,271 from Mar. 15, 1995 by Adamik et al is for cross drill and edge holes and specialty holes-only one side of door with multiple backsets, U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,449B1 from Feb. 27, 2001 by Diaz is a device to drill the cross and edge holes that pre-drill latch screw holes to fasten jig to the door-jig has removable cross drill guide and guide is only on one side of the door.
There are machines available to do the door lock preparation in a factory setting. Some of these machines will do a total lock preparation while others only do parts of the preparation. Most of these machines are not portable however they show the need for having jigs or equipment to do the door preparation. None of these machines are light weight and universal to do a total lock preparation for a cylindrical type lock in the field. Examples of these machines are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,672 from May 16, 1967 by W. C. Phelps is not portable, U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,601 from Sep. 5, 1967 by C. E. Christman et al is not portable, U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,863 from Oct. 25, 1966 by L. T. Sturgis is not portable, U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,470 from Apr. 30, 1957 by P. R. Graham is a mortising and boring machine, U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,520 from Jul. 19, 1960 by K. W. Grubb is not portable, U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,723 from Aug. 2, 1966 by R. M. Sheffield et al is not portable, U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,931 from Jun. 28, 1977 by Balcombe is portable and U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,857 from Dec. 4, 1984 by Norlie et al does total lock preparation and hinges preparation, not for field use.
There are jigs available for doing mortising with the use of a router of the latch plate and in some cases the jig will do the strike plate on the door frame. These jigs are designed to do just one part of the lock installation unlike the current embodiment that does the total door lock preparation. Some examples of these jigs would be U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,115 from Jun. 9, 1998 by Shouse is a T-shaped template for latch on 1⅜ inch thick door and 1¾ inch thick door and hinge guide-jig is clamped to door.
This prior art illustrates the many devices that do only part of the installation and are difficult to use and as such the present invention has been designed as an accurate total door lock installation device.

Universal tubular lock installation system


A central determination gaming system with a central controller providing a game outcome to an individual gaming terminal and the gaming terminal determining the presentation of the provided game outcome. In one embodiment of the present invention, a gaming terminal receives a predetermined game outcome from a central controller. The gaming terminal determines a game outcome presentation, (i.e., how the game outcome is displayed or presented to the player) for the provided game outcome by selecting a game outcome presentation seed for the received game outcome. The gaming terminal utilizes the selected game outcome presentation seed to determine a game outcome presentation. The determined game outcome presentation is displayed to the player and the received game outcome is provided to the player.

The present invention relates in general to a central determination gaming system, and more particularly to a central determination gaming system with a central controller providing a game outcome and a gaming terminal determining a presentation of the provided game outcome. The majority of the contemporary wagering gaming terminals or gaming devices, such as slot machines, randomly generate a game presentation, such as a plurality of symbols displayed on the reels of a slot machine to be presented or displayed to the player. The gaming terminal then analyzes the randomly generated game presentation in view of a predetermined pay table of all possible game presentations for the specific game played to determine the appropriate award and other outcome that corresponds with the generated game presentation. The determined game presentation is provided to the player. It should be appreciated that other contemporary gaming terminals also use probability data to directly generate awards or other outcomes.
Such probability-based gaming terminals typically include a relatively low probability associated with obtaining the highest award or obtaining a game presentation that corresponds to the highest award, relatively medium probabilities associated with obtaining medium range awards or obtaining game presentations that corresponds to medium range awards and relatively higher probabilities associated with low range awards or obtaining game presentations that corresponds to obtaining low range awards. These gaming terminals also include probabilities associated with obtaining losses or no award at all.
The probabilities of obtaining the awards and the amount of the awards determine the average expected pay out percentage of these wagering gaming terminals. Because the outcomes of these gaming terminals are randomly determined or completely based upon a probability calculation, there is no certainty that a player will ever obtain any particular award. That is, no matter how many times a player plays the game, since the gaming terminal generates outcomes completely based upon a probability calculation, there is no certainty that the game will ever provide the player with a rare outcome, such as a jackpot award, or any other specific value for that matter. On the other hand, due to the random determination, the gaming terminal can provide the rare outcomes, such as jackpot awards, numerous times in a small number of plays. For example, a probability-based $1 slot machine gaming terminal may be programmed to payback 95% of all wagers placed with a 1% chance of generating a $10 win outcome, a 5% chance of generating a $5 win outcome, a 10% chance of generating a $2 win outcome, a 40% chance of generating a $1 win outcome and a 44% chance of generating a $0 loss outcome. However, when one hundred game outcomes are generated by the probability-based slot machine gaming terminal, the actual payback may be 137% of all wagers placed and the actual generated outcomes may be six $10 win outcomes, one $5 win outcome, eighteen $2 win outcomes, thirty-six $1 win outcomes and thirty-nine $0 loss outcomes.
This uncertainty is faced by players and casinos or other gaming establishments. For example, certain casinos prefer that a relatively high number of players hit low awards while a relatively low number of players hit high awards. When players hit high awards periodically, casinos attract more players, because of the positive publicity large wins generate. By using desired payback percentages or probabilities, the casinos can also expect to make a certain level of profit. The random determinations can, however, unexpectedly cause casinos to suffer a loss or, on the other hand, to reap great profit in the short run and lose business in the long run due to a reputation for only paying out low awards.
Regulatory bodies in certain jurisdictions do not permit the use of probability-based gaming terminals in-part for these reasons. These regulatory bodies permit the use of wagering gaming terminals which are guaranteed to provide certain or definite awards, so that, for example, a certain number of wins is guaranteed and the overall amount paid back to players is guaranteed. That is, the payback percentage is fixed and not an average expected amount. One type of gaming terminal which complies with this requirement is an instant-type lottery gaming terminal. An instant-type lottery gaming terminal includes a finite pool or set of electronic tickets with each electronic ticket assigned to a predetermined outcome. Furthermore, each electronic ticket contains an indication of how the predetermined outcome is presented or displayed to the player. Alternatively, each electronic ticket could be assigned to a random number or game play seed. Each seed is deterministic of a predetermined outcome and how the predetermined outcome is presented or displayed to the player. That is, the gaming terminal utilizes the random number or game play seed in a random number sequence generator to generate random numbers. The gaming terminal uses the generated random numbers to determine, present and provide the predetermined outcome to the player. In an instant-type lottery gaming terminal, as the predetermined outcome for each electronic ticket is revealed to a player on the gaming terminal, the ticket is removed (i.e., flagged as used) from the finite pool or set of electronic tickets. Once flagged, a ticket cannot be used again to determine another game outcome. This type of gaming terminal provides players with all of the available outcomes over the course of the play cycle and guarantees the actual wins and losses.
Central determination gaming systems are also generally known. A central determination gaming system provides a plurality of individual gaming terminals, located in a gaming establishment, such as a casino, coupled by one or more communication links, to a central processor or controller. When a player plays a game on one of the gaming terminals, the game outcome and how the game outcome is presented or displayed to the player is communicated from the central processor or controller to the individual gaming terminal and then provided to the player. It should be appreciated that the central processor or controller may continuously run hundreds or thousands of individual gaming terminals at once. There are a number of advantages to providing for centralized production of game outcomes to be used at individual gaming terminals. For example, central production or control can assist a casino or other entity in maintaining proper records, controlling gaming, reducing and preventing cheating or electronic or other errors, reducing or eliminating win-loss volatility and the like.
In order to comply with the above mentioned regulatory rules that do not permit the use of probability-based gaming terminals, central determination gaming systems have been implemented wherein the central processor or controller maintains one or more predetermined pools or sets of game outcomes. Additionally, certain central determination gaming systems have also been implemented wherein the central system maintains one or more predetermined pools or sets of random number or game outcome seeds. However, this requires a great deal of memory for the central processor or controller because in addition to storing each game outcome, the central processor or controller must also store how each game outcome in each pool or set of game outcomes is presented or displayed to the player, such as how the reels stop in the case of a slot machine, how the cards are dealt or drawn in the case of a card game and the like.
Gaming devices having a primary or base game and a secondary or a bonus game are also well known. A secondary or bonus game may be any type of suitable game, either similar to or completely different from the primary game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a triggering event or a selected outcome in the primary game. The secondary or bonus game enables the player to obtain a prize or payout in addition to the prize or payout, if any, obtained from the primary game. A secondary or bonus game produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than the primary game because it provides a greater expectation of winning than the primary game and is accompanied with more attractive or unusual features than the primary game.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Central determination gaming system with a central controller providing a game outcome and a gaming terminal determining a presentation of the provided game outcome


An image sensing device includes an image sensing unit, an interface unit, a control endpoint, an isochronous endpoint, a bulk endpoint, an interrupt endpoint, and an interface unit controller. The image sensing unit senses a moving image and a still image. The interface unit is connected to an external device. The control endpoint receives from the external device a command requesting transfer of the still image. The isochronous endpoint transfers the moving image sensed by the image sensing unit to the external device. The bulk endpoint transfers the still image sensed by the image sensing unit to the external device. The interrupt endpoint transfers error information. The error information includes information indicating that an error has occurred during sensing of the still image. The interface unit controller transfers the error information to the external device through the interrupt endpoint in response to the occurrence of the error.

As one of digital interfaces that can transfer moving image data, a USB interface is known. The USB interface is a digital interface complying with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard (see, for example, "Universal Serial Bus Specification Revision 2.0, Apr. 27, 2000").
In the USB standard, a transfer method called isochronous transfer is specified to guarantee real-time moving image transfer. Also, the USB standard specifies that a host controller transmits a sync signal called start-of-frame (SOF) to respective devices. A device that transfers moving image data transfers moving image data by isochronous transfer in synchronism with SOF, thus allowing real-time transfer of moving image. When isochronous transfer is made, a bandwidth for transfer must be assured. However, in case of the USB standard, each device notifies the host controller of an alternate setting interface, which indicates a bandwidth required for isochronous data transfer, using a descriptor, and the host controller selects an alternate setting interface using a Set_Interface request to each device, thus assuring the bandwidth.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a descriptor held by a device which transfers moving image data by isochronous transfer. Reference numeral 101 denotes a device descriptor used to notify a vendor ID, product ID, and the like; 102, a configuration descriptor used to notify the configuration that the device can assume; 103, a descriptor indicating alternate setting 0 of interface #1 used in the configuration 102; and 104, an end point descriptor used by the interface 103 (MaxPavload that indicates the bandwidth as isochronous transfer type is 0). Reference numeral 105 denotes an interface descriptor which indicates alternate setting 1 of interface #1; and 106, an end point descriptor when interface #1 is selected as alternate setting 1 (MaxPavload that indicates the bandwidth as isochronous transfer type is 512). Therefore, when the host controller selects alternate setting 1 of interface #1 using a Set_Interface request shown in FIG. 2, data transfer for 512 bytes are guaranteed for a period of each SOF (1-ms period in case of Full Speed (USB standard); 125-μs period in case of High Speed), and a device which holds this descriptor can isochronously transfer data.
The USB standard has no specification of data in isochronous transfer, and data to be transferred is not limited. That is, devices must exchange information about a data format and the like. For example, in the USB standard, a host controller device as a transfer destination can be notified of a stream data format to be isochronously transferred using a descriptor.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a descriptor used to notify a host controller of the stream format used in transfer. Reference numeral 301 denotes a descriptor length; and 302 and 303, a descriptor type indicating, e.g., a descriptor used to notify the stream format. Reference numerals 304 and 305 denote an identifier indicating the stream format to be transmitted as isochronous data. The host controller reads these values to recognize the stream format used in transmission of a device that holds the descriptor of FIG. 3, thus processing the received stream data.
FIG. 4 is a chart simply showing the data flow upon supplying moving image data on USB. A host acquires a descriptor indicating the stream format from a device using Get Descriptor (step 401), and changes an alternate setting to 1 using Set Interface (step 402). After that, the host transmits IN TOKEN to the device for each SOF (steps 403 to 405), and the device isochronously transfers data to be transferred (Iso data) to the host after reception of IN TOKEN (steps 406 to 408).
FIG. 5 time-serially shows the data flow on USB. SOF 51 is transmitted from a host to have a width 504 for 1 ms (125 μs in case of High Speed), and IN TOKEN 502 is similarly transferred from the host to an isochronous end point of a device. The device transfers data 503 via the isochronous end point after IN TOKEN 502. The device can transmit data in response to IN TOKEN for each period. When it becomes impossible to make data transfer at the timing of 505, the device can skip data transfer, and can transfer data in the next period.
When real-time data transfer is made using the USB interface, a bus bandwidth must be assured for transfer to guarantee realtimeness.


The present invention relates to settable compositions that comprise magnesium oxide and at least one divalent salt and associated methods of use. In some embodiments, the present invention discloses methods of a forming a hardened mass comprising providing a settable composition comprising magnesium oxide, and a brine comprising water and a divalent salt; placing the settable composition into a desired location; and allowing the settable composition to set to form the hardened mass. In other embodiments, the present invention discloses methods of forming a hardened mass in a subterranean formation comprising placing a brine comprising water and a divalent salt into the subterranean formation; contacting the brine with magnesium oxide; and allowing the brine and the magnesium oxide to react to form the hardened mass. In other embodiments, the present invention discloses methods forming a casing in a well bore, and converting a drilling fluid to a settable composition.

The present invention relates to settable compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to settable compositions that comprise magnesium oxide and at least one divalent salt and associated methods of use.
Settable compositions are commonly used in subterranean operations. As used herein, a settable composition refers to a composition that is capable of setting so as to form a hardened mass. Settable compositions may be used in the drilling and completion of well bores to stabilize unconsolidated portions of a subterranean formation, e.g., those comprising clays, shales, sandstones, and the like. Unconsolidated portions of formations include those that contain loose particulates and those wherein the bonded particulates have insufficient bond strength to withstand the forces produced by the production of fluids. Another example of where settable compositions may be used is to seal portions of a formation, such as to prevent the loss of fluid circulation or to prevent the undesirable migration of formation fluids and/or treatment fluids. Settable compositions may also be used in primary cementing operations, inter alia, to support and position a casing string in a well bore, and in reverse and remedial cementing operations. Another use of settable compositions may be to form a "chemical casing" in a well bore, e.g., to stabilize the formation.
Conventional settable compositions may comprise a wide variety of cementitious materials such as hydraulic cement (e.g., Portland cement), fly ash, slag, resins, and the like. Another conventional settable composition may be formed by the mixture of magnesium oxide with aqueous magnesium chloride to form magnesium oxychloride cement, which is commonly known as "Sorel cement." A similar settable composition may be formed by the mixture of magnesium oxide with aqueous magnesium sulfate. Settable compositions comprising a cementitious material, such as those described above, may be placed into a desired location within a subterranean formation and allowed to set to form a hardened mass. Generally, these settable compositions may be placed into the desired location as one fluid system, which can be problematic. For example, problems may occur when the settable composition begins to harden before it has reached its desired location within the subterranean formation. Additionally, use of these conventional settable compositions may be problematic due to placement difficulty, cost, reactivity, local availability, and compatibility with both formation and drilling fluids.

Methods of using settable compositions in a subterranean formation


Disclosed herein are methods for measuring the particle size distribution of a pharmaceutical aerosol, including methods utilizing laser diffraction.

Within the scope of the invention the term "pharmaceutical substance" refers to the active ingredient of a medicament which is usually also known as a drug or active substance.
The term "pharmaceutical formulation" is to be interpreted broadly, to cover formulations in the form of solutions, suspensions and powders, in particular. In a solution formulation the pharmaceutical substance is dissolved in a solvent, whereas in a suspension or powder formulation the pharmaceutical substance is present in solid form. Whereas in a suspension formulation it is mixed with a suspension agent and the pharmaceutical substance is contained in this suspension agent in the form of suspended particles, a powder formulation does not have any solvent or suspension agent in this sense but is present to some extent in pure form, as a pure powder.
A solution formulation is prepared and metered using an atomiser or nebuliser, preferably a nebuliser, in which a quantity of less than 100 ml, preferably less than 50 ml, preferably less than 20 ml of the formulation is prepared.
An apparatus of this kind for propellant-free nebulising of a metered amount of the abovementioned pharmaceutical formulations is described in detail, for example, in International Patent Application WO 91/14468 "Atomizing Device and Method" and also in WO 97/12687, FIGS. 6a and 6b. In a nebuliser of this kind a pharmaceutical formulation is converted into an aerosol by the use of high pressure, up to 500 bar, the particles introduced having a diameter of less than 100 μm, preferably less than 20 μm.
Apart from this device, other inhalers known from the prior art may also be used in the process according to the invention, such as the MDI (metered dose inhaler) or powder inhalers such as the one known by the trademark HandiHaler®, for example.
In nebulisers of this kind the formulations are stored in a reservoir and for this reason the formulations used must be sufficiently stable when stored.
It is essential in the pharmaceutical industry to measure the particle size distributions of aerosols in order to assess the characteristics of deposition in the lungs and bronchial region, as will be shown hereinafter.
In a number of applications, particularly in the case of diseases of the lungs and bronchial region, the pharmaceutical substance is provided in the form of an inhalable medicament. The pharmaceutical formulation is atomised to form an aerosol. The aerosol thus produced can then be transported in a carrier medium, e.g. air.
For example, when an asthma spray is used, a pharmaceutical formulation stored in an atomiser is finely atomised through a nozzle, by brief actuation, and introduced into the ambient air breathed in by the patient, this ambient air acting as the carrier medium. The air enriched with the pharmaceutical formulation forms an aerosol, which is inhaled.
Inhalable preparations demand a certain form for the medicament. As a rule, micronised pharmaceuticals or active substances in solid form are used. However, in theory, the drug may be present in liquid or solid form, e.g. as a powder, while solid particles do not dissolve in the solvent in the traditional sense or are present in pure form.
To ensure that the pharmaceutical substance is capable of being inhaled, stringent demands are made of the particle size, particle size distribution, morphology, stability and flow characteristics.
As a rule, not all the inhaled dose of the pharmaceutical substance reaches the lungs but only part of this dose. The amount of the composition which actually enters the lungs is critically influenced by the particle size. For this reason, particles with a diameter of less than 20 μm, preferably less than 5 μm and greater than 0.3 μm are preferred.
The diameter of the particle should fall within the range specified and should additionally have the narrowest possible size distribution. Larger particles are deposited too early, in the upper respiratory tract, when breathed in, whereas smaller particles are not deposited in the lungs and are breathed out again.
For example, when an asthma spray is used, a pharmaceutical formulation stored in an atomiser is finely atomised through a nozzle, by brief actuation, and introduced into the ambient air breathed in by the patient, this ambient air acting as the carrier medium. The air enriched with the pharmaceutical formulation forms an aerosol, which is inhaled.
To ensure that the pharmaceutical substance is capable of being inhaled, stringent demands are made of the particle size, particle size distribution, morphology, stability and flow characteristics.
As a rule, not all the inhaled dose of the pharmaceutical substance reaches the lungs but only part of this dose. The amount of the composition which actually enters the lungs is critically influenced by the particle size. For this reason, particles with a diameter of less than 20 μm, preferably less than 5 μm and greater than 0.3 μm are preferred.
The diameter of the particle should fall within the range specified and should additionally have the narrowest possible size distribution. Larger particles are deposited too early, in the upper respiratory tract, when breathed in, whereas smaller particles are not deposited in the lungs and are breathed out again.
By the particle diameter within the scope of the present invention is meant the aerodynamic particle diameter, which is defined as the equivalent diameter of a sphere with a density of 1 g/cm3 which has the same sedimentation speed in air as the particle under investigation.
Against this background it is easily understandable that the pharmaceutical industry has a need for a process which can be used to determine the particle size distribution of aerosols.
However, the legislators, and particularly the health authorities, also demand accurate knowledge of the dose that is actually administered, i.e. the proportion of the total dose inhaled which is deposited in the lungs and bronchial region.
Moreover, apart from the absolute quantity administered, the size distribution affects the bioavailability of the pharmaceutical substance in that, although the absolute amounts are the same, a large number of small particles have a different bioavailability from a small number of large particles.
According to the prior art, three conventional methods are used to determine the particle size distribution.
A first, widely used method of determining particle size distribution is the so-called impaction method using the Andersen cascade impactor. The cascade impactor is a standardised apparatus for carrying out a standardised measuring process, the so-called impaction method; both the process and the apparatus are described in detail in drugs manuals (cf. also European Pharmacopoeia, 3rd Edition, Supplement 2001, 2.9.18 Preparation for inhalation).
The cascade impactor can be considered as a simplified model of the respiratory system of human beings. The aerosol is guided by means of an air stream at defined flow rate through the rectangular bend (model of the human throat) and the following impaction stages (modelling different parts of the bronchial tubes). The impaction stages consist of nozzle plates and impaction plates. The diameter of the nozzles in the nozzle plates adjusts the air stream velocity. When the aerosol stream curves to flow around the obstructing impaction surface those particles will impact that have too much inertia to follow the air stream. If the velocity of the air stream is subsequently increased by passing it through a smaller jet (decreasing the nozzle diameters), which is followed by another impaction plate, some of the particles that succeeded in passing the previous impaction stages may be unable to follow the faster moving air stream and will impact. The stepwise decrease of the jet diameters of the successive impaction stages simulates the air ducts in the lung becoming smaller at each branching.
This method is well accepted by the national medical agencies due to its simplicity and robustness. The whole system is defined and can be described by only a few parameters like the flow rate of the air stream, the number of nozzles, the jet diameter defined by the nozzle diameters of the nozzle plates, the distance of the nozzles to the impaction plates and the length of the nozzles.
FIG. 1 shows the Andersen cascade impactor in diagrammatic side view and partially in section. The cascade impactor (1) is acted upon by the aerosol which is under investigation through the inlet opening (3) of a right-angled inlet tube (2).
The inlet (2) is a standardised component which is also known as a USP throat and simulates the oropharyngeal-cervical cavity in humans. To illustrate the USP throat, Figure 2.9.17-7 (induction port) is reproduced in FIGS. 2a to 2d.
FIG. 2d shows the USP throat in perspective view, while FIGS. 2a to 2c serve to illustrate the dimensions envisaged. FIGS. 2a to 2d are intended to give an overall impression of the USP throat and show that it is a component with an extremely detailed specification, leaving no leeway for the manufacturer or user.
As with the pharmaceutical formulation administered to the patient with the ambient air breathed in, with which it forms an aerosol, is passed through the oral and pharyngeal cavities into the windpipe and from there is passed into the lungs to the bronchi, in the Andersen cascade impactor (1) as well the aerosol is conveyed along a curved flow path through the non-linear USP throat (2) to the actual sample collector (5).
In accordance with human anatomy, the aerosol flow through the entry opening is conveyed into a first section (2a) of the USP throat (2) and then into a second section (2b) which is connected to the first section (2a) and arranged substantially perpendicular thereto.
The particles of the aerosol are subjected to radially outwardly directed centrifugal forces on account of the non-linear direction of flow and the resulting curved flow path. If the mass of the aerosol particles exceeds a certain size, these particles can no longer follow the deflected flow but are deposited on the walls of the USP throat (2).
FIG. 1 shows the flight path (12) of a particle which cannot follow the direction of flow and hits or is deposited on the inner wall of the second section (2b) of the USP throat (2).
This is in principle the first stage of the Andersen cascade impactor which simulates the deflection of the aerosol breathed in by the patient in the pharyngeal cavity and the resulting deposition of pharmaceutical formulation in the pharyngeal cavity.
The USP throat (2) is connected to the actual sample collector (5) via a connecting member (4), which is also standardised (loc. cit., page 123). The aerosol flow expands in the connecting member (4) and is guided towards the first stage or cascade (61) of the cascade impactor (1).
The cascade impactor (1) is a substantially cylindrical container of modular construction through which the aerosol fed in travels from top to bottom, passing through a number of stages, the so-called cascades, while the aerosol particles contained in the carrier medium are deposited in a sequence from coarse to fine or from heavy to light.
Each stage or cascade (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69) comprises a plural impactor nozzles (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78). An impactor nozzle (7) of this kind is shown diagrammatically in side view and in section in FIG. 3.
The aerosol which acts on the nozzle (7) is deliberately accelerated in the inlet aperture (8) of the nozzle (7) by a defined constriction of the cross section of the nozzle entrance and then deflected by means of an impactor plate (11). As in the deflection of flow in the USP throat (2), here too the curved path of movement and the centrifugal forces acting on the particles as a result cause particles of a certain mass to be deposited.
FIG. 3 shows the flow lines (101, 102) of the aerosol flow, which the lighter particles essentially follow without colliding with the impactor plate (11). FIG. 3 also shows the flight path (12) of a particle striking the impactor plate (11) because of its excessively great mass.
The nozzle (7) acts to some extent as a filter for filtering out particles exceeding a given mass from the aerosol flow and depositing them on the impactor plate (11). Because of the fact that it is a standardised apparatus and a standardised process, accurate information is available as to the conditions in the region of the nozzle. For each cascade the precise mass mab of the particles deposited on the impactor plate (11) here is known.
After passing through the first stage or cascade (61) and after the first depositing of heavy particles, the aerosol passes through eight more cascades (62 to 69) as shown in FIG. 1, while the geometry of the impactor nozzles (7) varies or becomes finer from stage to stage and allows finer and finer, i.e. lighter, particles to be filtered out.
The aerosol particles deposited in a certain stage thus have a specific mass which is within a very narrow window bounded by an upper and lower limit.
As the last stage (not shown in FIG. 1) a filter may be provided which collects all the particles that have not previously been deposited and thus, together with the impactor plates (11), makes it possible to determine the absolute total mass of the pharmaceutical formulation fed into the impactor.
After the aerosol has passed through the impactor, the impactor plates (11) of each cascade are removed and subjected to extensive analysis. The main priority is to determine the particle size distribution. Theoretically, first of all the total mass of pharmaceutical formulation impacted or deposited on each impactor plate could be determined. By knowing the mass mab of the particles deposited in each stage the number of particles deposited in each cascade can be calculated.
However, this process of aerosol analysis is time consuming and therefore not suitable for routine measurements with large batch numbers. The analysis of the different mass fractions on the impaction stages is very labour intensive. In addition, it has been found that the measurements thus obtained are not reproducible within narrow limits. Tests have shown that some of the pharmaceutical formulation evaporates during the measuring process.
Because of its unsaturated state the carrier medium can absorb additional liquid, and therefore liquid may be, and generally is, given off from the particles to the carrier medium by evaporation.
The evaporation of the particle droplets leads to a change in the particle mass of each individual particle and hence to a reduction in the particle diameter and consequently to a measurement which is falsified by evaporation.
The fact that the effects of evaporation may be significant is demonstrated in FIG. 4, which shows the lifespan of a drop of water depending on the initial droplet diameter for various relative humidities (0%, 50%, 100%) at 20° C. (William C. Hinds "Aerosol Technology—Properties, Behavior, and Measurement of airborne Particles", page 270, ISBN 0-471-08726-2).
Small particles have a short lifespan and may evaporate during measurement, so that they are no longer taken into consideration within the scope of the particle size distribution.
For the reasons stated it is not sufficient just to determine the total mass of the pharmaceutical formulation deposited on each impactor plate. Moreover, the pharmaceutical formulation of each impactor plate has to be subjected to analysis to determine the concentrations of the contents. Partial evaporation of the solvent or suspension agent causes concentration of the pharmaceutical substance and the other ingredients of the aerosol droplet.
On the basis of the degree of concentration of the pharmaceutical substance conclusions are drawn as to the fraction of the particle which is evaporated. Taking this evaporated fraction into consideration acts as a corrective when determining the particle size distribution and leads to a different total mass for the pharmaceutical formulation deposited on each impactor plate.
The pharmaceutical formulation deposited on the impactor plates (11) may, for example, be analysed for its composition by the HPLC method.
Further tests have shown that in spite of taking account of the evaporation as described above, the results still vary from one measurement to the next and it is desirable to increase the reproducibility still further. Other tests have shown that simply allowing for the mass of the evaporated fraction of the aerosol particles is not enough.
If a liquid pharmaceutical formulation contains acids or bases to adjust the pH, the evaporation that occurs during measurement leads to a raising or lowering of the pH. Consequently, in pH-sensitive active substances, decompositions occur, with the result that the analysis of the concentration of the active substance in the fractions deposited no longer corresponds to the concentration which was actually present in the original aerosol droplet. This procedure thus comes up against its limitations and can only be used to a limited extent as a corrective for the evaporation effect. A pharmaceutical solution or suspension might, for example, contain an acid X as excipient, in addition to the pharmaceutical substance A and water as the solvent. If some of the solvent water is evaporated, the pH is lowered and the particle becomes increasingly acidic, triggering breakdown of the pharmaceutical substance. The same is true if the pharmaceutical formulation contains a base.
As noted above, the analysis, i.e. the evaluation of the measurements made with the cascade impactor, is extraordinarily time-consuming and labour-intensive. The entire apparatus is taken to pieces in order to gain access to the multiplicity of impactor plates (11). Each impactor plate is weighed and analysed. Thus, as a rule, only a few measurements can be done per day and there is a considerable time span between the actual measuring and the results of the measurements becoming available.
Another process for determining the particle size distribution of an aerosol, which is far less time-consuming and labour-intensive than the impactor method, is the so-called laser diffraction method. Unlike the impactor method the laser diffraction method does not require any complex analysis and therefore makes it possible to work considerably faster and to obtain the results of the measurements much more quickly.
DIN-ISO 13320-1 (First Edition 1999-11-01) describes laser diffraction processes. In them, parallel light is transmitted perpendicular to an aerosol flow using a laser. The particles contained in the aerosol flow obstruct the laser beams, with the result that the light beams are diffracted on the particles. The scattered light emerging at the opposite side of the incident laser beam, which is generated by the diffraction of the laser beams on the particles, produces a circular interference pattern with concentric rings and is fed to a detector, usually a semiconductor detector. The usual methods of evaluating this interference pattern are Mie scattering and the Fraunhofer method.
Whereas the aerosol flow to be investigated is generally fed continuously to the cascade impactor through a USP throat, the particle size distribution of an aerosol is determined by the laser diffraction method according to the prior art on the free-flowing aerosol, i.e. usually on a one-off, conical, inhomogeneous and therefore non-reproducible metered stream.
However, a disadvantage of the laser diffraction method, as with the impactor method, is the fact that some of the aerosol particles are evaporated and thus the measurements are falsified. Although measurement of the aerosol by the laser diffraction method can be carried out much faster than the impactor method, in which the aerosol flow has to travel along a long flow path, the evaporation effect also plays a part in the laser diffraction method.
Precisely in the case of aerosols in which the particles are in the form of drops of liquid there is a danger of at least partial evaporation of the liquid aerosol particles, which means that the effects described are particularly significant in formulations in the form of solutions and suspensions.
The functional correlation shown in FIG. 4 and the need to take it into account were verified experimentally.
Experiments with the cascade impactor at various relative humidities have shown that measurements of the particle size distribution of an aerosol should most sensibly be carried out at high relative humidities, as the evaporation effect crucially influences the measurements if the humidity of the air is too low and finally high humidity levels also correspond to the actual conditions in the human oropharyngeal-cervical cavity. It should be taken into consideration that the processes described are to be used to determine the characteristics of deposition in the lungs and bronchial region, and for this reason every attempt should be made to simulate the conditions prevailing therein, i.e. pressure, temperature and humidity.
A third method of measuring aerosols is the scattered light method. Such a method is described by Dr. -Ing. H. Umhauer in VDI Berichte 232 (1975), pages 101ff. "Ermittlung von Partikelgröβnverteilung in Aerosolströmungen hoher Konzentration mit Hilfe der Streulichtmethode".
This method is suitable for measuring very fine particles with a detection limit which may be well within the submicroscopic range. The measuring process is set up as a counting process which detects the particle size and counts the individual particles so that it is possible to make pronouncements as to both the quality and quantity of the particles.
A disadvantage of the scattered light method is that a small measuring volume has to be defined, e.g. with sides 100 μm long, because only one particle may ever stop in the measuring volume if clear scattered signals are to be obtained. The apparatus and the calibration thereof are correspondingly complex. In practice the scattered light method has proved to be inferior to the laser diffraction method as its results are less reliable.
Moreover, the scattered light method, like the laser diffraction method, suffers from the evaporation effect with the associated disadvantages.
As in the conventional laser diffraction process, the scattered light method is also carried out on a free flow of aerosol.
To sum up, it can be said of the prior art that the cascade impactor is highly time-consuming and costly because of its complicated analysis, whereas the scattered light method and also the laser diffraction process, while offering comparatively fast processes, suffer from the evaporation effect, like the cascade impactor.

Measuring particle size distribution in pharmaceutical aerosols


A trimming capacitor wherein its trimming direction has no directivity. The trimming capacitor comprises a dielectric ceramic sheet provided with a trimming capacitor electrode on the surface thereof, a dielectric ceramic sheet provided with internal capacitor electrodes on the surface thereof, and other sheets. Regions where the trimming capacitor electrode overlaps with the internal capacitor electrodes are disposed so as to be linearly symmetrical about a base line which is inclined by 45.degree. with respect to a long side of the trimming capacitor. Therefore, the trimming electrode can be trimmed in the same way in either the X or the Y direction of the trimming electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trimming capacitor and more particularly to a laminated ceramic trimming capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A trimming capacitor is used when electrostatic capacitances of various values are required. For instance, in the example shown in FIGS. 15-20, the trimming capacitor is formed as a laminate 86 by laminating a dielectric sheet 82 on which internal capacitor electrodes 84 and 85 are provided, a dielectric sheet 82 on which a trimming capacitor electrode 83 is provided and a dielectric sheet 82 having no electrode and by sintering them in a body. The laminate 86 is also provided with external electrodes 90 and 91 at both ends thereof as shown in FIG. 16.
Referring to FIG. 17, electrostatic capacitance is mainly generated at parts 87a and 87b (shown by dotted slant lines) where the trimming capacitor electrode 83 overlaps with the internal capacitor electrodes 84 and 85. The electrostatic capacitance generated at the part 87a is represented as C1 and the electrostatic capacitance generated at the part 87b as C2 in this case. The total electrostatic capacitance formed in the trimming capacitor 81 turns out to be a serial connection of C1 and C2 and is expressed by (C1.times.C2)/(C1+C2).
To adjust the capacitance, part of the trimming capacitor electrode 83 of this trimming capacitor 81 is normally removed by a laser beam L as shown in FIG. 18, to reduce an area thereof facing to the internal capacitor electrode 85 (or the internal capacitor electrode 84) set the electrostatic capacitance to a desired value.
However, in the prior art trimming capacitor 81, the rate of decrease of electrostatic capacitance in response to such a laser trimming operation is not constant, but rather it changes depending on the trimming direction of the laser beam L applied to the trimming capacitor electrode 83. That is, the rate of decrease of the electrostatic capacitance, when the laser beam L is scanned in the direction to remove an edge 83a on the short side of the trimming capacitor electrode 83, is not the same as when the laser beam L is scanned in the X direction to remove an edge 83b on the long side of the trimming capacitor electrode 83 as shown in FIG. 19.
When the edge 83a is removed as shown in FIG. 17, the rate of decrease of the total electrostatic capacitance changes non-linearly as indicated by a solid line 95 in FIG. 20 because only one of the electrostatic capacitances C1 and C2 decreases linearly corresponding to the trimming length (Y direction) and the other will not change. When the edge 83b is removed on the other hand, the rate of decrease of the total electrostatic capacitance changes linearly as indicated by a solid line 96 in FIG. 20 because both electrostatic capacitances C1 and C2 change linearly corresponding to the trimming length (X direction).
Further, unless the length l1 is equal to the length 12 shown in FIG. 17, the trimming length to obtain an electrostatic capacitance of zero is different in the X and Y directions.
From the above reasons, it has been necessary to set the trimming direction per parts corresponding to characteristics of the trimming capacitor 81 and to align the trimming capacitor 81 in the correct direction in accordance to that in trimming the prior art trimming capacitor 81.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a trimming capacitor which can be trimmed the same length in either direction to obtain a given change capacitance.


A pivoting shutter having adjustable slats for buildings includes an upper panel provided with a first group of adjustable slats, mounted by the upper end thereof on a horizontal pivoting shaft. A lower panel is provided with a second group of adjustable slats, hinged by the upper end thereof to the upper panel and connected by the lower end thereof to a driving means for vertical movement for pivoting the panels between an open position and a closed position. First and second connectors are provided, which, when rotating the slats, link the adjustable slats of the first and second groups, respectively. A transmission mechanism links the two groups of slats in the closed position of the upper and lower panels, enabling in the closed position the simultaneous rotation of all the slats, and maintaining the groups of slats unlinked from one another in the open position of the panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pivoting shutter having adjustable slats for buildings, comprising at least: two fixed uprights, and a panel carrying a group of slats mounted on respective rotary shafts and linked by a connector which connects them in the rotation; said panel being movable between an open position and a closed position.
This invention is applicable to the manufacture of exterior shutters for buildings.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Currently, there are in the market different shutters having adjustable slats having generally a perimetral frame, or at least two fixed uprights, and a panel carrying a group of slats mounted on respective rotary shafts and linked by a connector which connects them in the rotation.
A typical example of this type of shutters is blinds formed by two sheets or panels with adjustable slats. Said panels, depending on the type of shutter, can move in different ways: in the case of sliding shutters the panels move laterally in parallel planes, and in the case of blinds the sheets or panels are mounted on the fixed frame by means of lateral hinges, which allow its lateral rotation between the open and closed positions.
These shutters have several functional disadvantages: a first drawback is determined by the interference of the slats of panels in certain positions with the adjacent panels or walls during the movement of the sheets or panels towards the open position; these interferences can determine damage to the slats and limit the movement of said panels.
Another drawback of these shutters having adjustable slats is that in the closed position of the panels, the passage of light and vision through the shutter can be adjusted by varying the orientation of the adjustable slats, however, in the open position, the sheets or panels, both sliding shutter and blinds, are placed outside the gap of the shutter and do not provide it any protection.
Another of the drawbacks of mentioned shutters, especially in those cases where there are areas accessible from the outside, either by being in a ground floor or in a terrace, is that the handles or knobs for opening and closing panels are visible from the outside, through the gaps defined between the consecutive slats, especially when these have a certain width. This makes it possible that the shutter can be opened from the outside, providing a low protection against intrusion and theft.

Pivoting shutter having adjustable slats for buildings


Architecture that facilitates management of a semiconductor and/or microelectronics manufacturing process. A manufacturing component in communication with the semiconductor and/or microelectronics process operates according to process conditions to output a product, which manufacturing component at least one of monitors and controls the process using modularized code. A rules engine component processes one or more rules in association with the modularized code to control the process conditions in realtime by balancing process efficiency criteria to arrive at an optimal result.

E-manufacturing is concerned with the use of the Internet and e-business technologies in manufacturing industries, and covers all aspects of manufacturing—sales, marketing, customer service, new product development, procurement, supplier relationships, logistics, manufacturing, strategy development and so on. The Internet also affects products as well since it is possible to use Internet technologies to add new product functions and to provide new services.
New technologies are revolutionizing the way manufacturing and supply chain management is implemented. These changes are delivering manufacturing firms the competitive advantage of a highly responsive supply chain and manufacturing system to ensure that they meet the high expectations of their customers, who, in today's economy, demand absolutely the best service, price, delivery time and product quality.
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) provide up-to-the-minute mission-critical information about production activities across the factory and supply chain via communications networks (e.g., Local Area Networks), resulting in the optimization of activities throughout all aspects of the manufacturing process.
In order to remain competitive, semiconductor wafer manufacturers seek to continuously improve overall equipment and manufacturing effectiveness. To facilitate these improvements, IC makers are increasingly implementing computer-based applications to employ such techniques as equipment health monitoring, fault detection and classification, run-to-run control, predictive and preventative maintenance, collection and analysis of data from manufacturing equipment, equipment productivity monitoring, in-line defect monitoring, integrated metrology, the reduction or elimination of non-product wafers, equipment matching, and many others.
A problem with the automation software utilized in the manufacturing equipment for semiconductor and related microelectronics is that existing solutions are created with many lines of custom code or threads written in programming languages such as C, C++, C#, or Java. This programming methodology originated in Research Labs and Universities where the advanced manufacturing processes were developed and proven. These same processes and associated automation software have been moved to manufacturing equipment without change, in an attempt to maintain the original results. Optimization and maintenance of these islands of custom code have created a major obstacle for an information-enabled, high volume manufacturing environment.
At the same time, the industry is attempting to lower costs, reduced time to market, reduced start-up time and, greater reliability and availability of the equipment. The industry is reacting to the need to connect these islands of custom code while optimizing the manufacturing processes. Standards organizations are sponsoring multiple semiconductor specific standards that have been written or are being developed to define an e-Manufacturing environment. This environment focuses on optimizing the manufacturing processes by accessing process data and applying analysis and corrective actions within equipment and across multiple pieces of equipment. This approach, based on extending the existing code base, has created a more complex environment and at this point, not achieving the cost, manufacturing and optimization goals. This problem has not been completely solved to date and the pieces that exist are mainly custom software code.
There is an unmet need in industry to provide improved manufacturing methodologies in the semiconductor and/or microelectronics industry.

E-manufacturing in semiconductor and microelectronics processes