An amplifier system comprises a first amplifier arranged to receive an input signal and a second amplifier arranged to receive a proportion of the input signal. A first potential divider is arranged to receive the output signal of the second amplifier and to feed a proportion of the output signal to the first amplifier. The first amplifier is arranged to subtract the proportion of the output signal of the second amplifier from the input signal to produce a difference signal for amplification by the first amplifier. There is also disclosed a method of amplifying a signal.

High quality sound systems require amplifiers which produce good sound quality. Sound quality is not something that may easily be measured and an amplifier which may have good physical characteristics such as a wide frequency response at both low and high frequencies, low phase shift and low distortion, may not necessarily produce good quality sound. The reason for this appears to be due to errors or distortions which are not obvious from studying the amplifier's physical characteristics. These distortions may be reduced by applying overall negative feedback.
For audio applications, it is believed that amplifiers without feedback may have desirable characteristics that are good for sound. However, amplifiers without feedback usually do not have good measurement characteristics, such as total harmonic distortion (THD) measurements, when compared to amplifiers that utilise feedback.
There is therefore a need for amplifiers which have improved measurement characteristics and therefore improved performance, irrespective of whether or not feedback is applied.


Apparatus and methods are provided for lubricating a medical device, such as a colonoscope, being introduced into a patient's body. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing including a proximal surface, a distal surface, a channel extending between the proximal and distal surfaces; and a lubricant within an interior of the housing surrounding the channel such that a scope or other device inserted through the channel receives lubricant on its outer surface before introduction into a patient's body.

During endoscopic procedures, a colonoscope, endoscope, or other device may be inserted through the rectum into a patient's colon, e.g., to acquire images and/or perform a medical procedure within the patient's gastrointestinal tract. To facilitate insertion, lubricant, e.g., water-based jelly, petroleum jelly, or other lubricant, may be applied to the distal end of the device and/or to the patient's body around the rectum. However, such manual application may be messy and/or result in uneven application of the lubricant and may require the user to then wash and/or otherwise clean their hands to allow subsequent manipulation of the endoscope and completion of the procedure.
Accordingly, apparatus and methods for facilitating application of lubricant would be useful.

Apparatus and methods for lubricating devices introduced into a body of a patient


Various issues with existing congestion and overload control mechanisms are recognized and described herein. Described herein, in accordance with various embodiments, are various mechanisms in which core networks, such as 3GPP networks for example, and an M2M service layer can coordinate and share information to efficiently and intelligently manage each other's congestion and overload states.

Machine type communication (MTC) refers to communications between different entities or nodes that does not necessarily involve human interaction. MTC devices may utilize the services of a Service Capability Server (SCS) to communicate with external MTC applications. A network constructed in accordance with the third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), which can be referred to as a 3GPP system, can provide transport for machine-to-machine (M2M) device communication. In addition, the 3GPP system may provide other value added services for machine type communication. Different architectural models are possible in the 3GPP system based on the relationship of an MTC service provider (SP) and the 3GPP network operator. An architectural enhancement for MTC is defined in 3GPP TS 23.682, "Architecture enhancements to facilitate communications with packet data networks and applications," which is incorporated by reference as if its contents are set forth herein. Referring to FIG. 1A, an architecture 101 for MTC in a 3GPP system is shown. As shown, a Machine Type Communication-Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) 102 is introduced in the 3GPP system to enable the communication of 3GPP networks with one or more service capability servers (SCSs) 104. The MTC-IWF 102 can be a standalone entity or a functional entity of another network element. The MTC-IWF 102 hides the internal Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) topology, and relays or translates information sent over a Tsp reference point to invoke specific functionality in the PLMN.
A policy and charging control (PCC) architecture 106 may be used in 3GPP networks to enable policy control and charging control. The PCC architecture 106 can be part of an example 3GPP system, as shown in FIG. 1B. As shown, the Rx reference point is defined between the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) 108 and application functions (AFs), for instance an application function (AF) 110. The Rx reference point can be used to exchange application level session information between the PCRF 108 and the AF 110. This information is part of the input used by the PCRF 108 for the Policy and Charging Control (PCC) decisions as further defined in 3GPP TS 23.203, Policy and charging control architecture, which is incorporated by reference as if its contents are set forth herein. A Service Layer or the SCS 104 or a machine-to-machine (M2M) server may be considered examples of an AF.
Referring now to FIG. 1C, a User Data Convergence (UDC) architecture 112 is depicted. The UDC 112 is a logical representation of a layered architecture that separates user data from application logic, so that user data is stored in a logically unique repository allowing access from entities (nodes) handling application logic (called Application Front Ends 114). In accordance with the illustrated example, the application front ends do not store data and they access the data from a User Data Repository (UDR) 116. UDC is an optional concept that may ensure data consistency and simplify creation of new services by providing easy access to the user data. UDC may also ensure the consistency of storage and data models, and may have minimal impact on traffic mechanisms, reference points, and protocols of network elements. UDC is further defined in the UDC architecture diagram shown in FIG. 1C and in 3GPP TS 23.335, "User Data Convergence (UDC); Technical realization and information flows."
3GPP is working on solutions for interworking between mobile operators and data application providers to provide a framework for authentication, authorization, and policy and charging for various interworking scenarios. Different architectures are possible based on the relationship of the 3GPP network operator with the data application provider, such as the one described in 3GPP TR 23.862, "EPC enhancements to Support Interworking with Data Application Providers (MOSAP)," which is incorporated by reference as if its contents are set forth herein. FIG. 1D shows an architecture 118 of a solution being considered by 3GPP. As shown, several different reference points have been introduced in this architecture. Mh is the interface between a non-internet protocol (IP) multimedia system (IMS) applications and service (AS) (non-IMS AS) and a home subscriber service front end (HSS-FE). The Mh interface can span beyond 3GPP (H)PLMN. The Mh interface is similar to the Sh interface but it is not used by an IMS application. The protocols used on Mh is assumed to be based on Sh as defined in 3GPP. A Service Layer/SCS/M2M Server may be considered an example of a non-IMS AS.
The growth of M2M technology is expected to create an increase in the number of devices that need connectivity. The existing 3GPP based networks were designed to predominantly support communications involving humans, so the growth of M2M devices poses new challenges and requirements to the 3GPP based networks. For example, the number of M2M devices requiring connectivity may be several times greater than the number of traditional user equipment (UEs). The increase in the number of connected devices may cause congestion issues in 3GPP networks. Although the amount of data that is generated by a majority of the M2M devices may be relatively small, the collective data from all the M2M devices and the signaling overhead to support connectivity can be significant and may cause overload in the network. The overload caused by the M2M devices can congest both the 3GPP core network elements and the radio access network elements, which may cause degradation of the 3GPP network service or may even bring down the network. 3GPP has introduced several mechanisms, described below, in Release 10 and Release 11 of 3GPP with the intent of allowing the 3GPP based networks to control the overload and manage the congestion effectively.
For example, several new configurations at the UE side were introduced that may help the network to identify MTC devices and provide some control over UE initiated procedures that may overload a network. Clause 184.108.40.206 of 3GPP TS 23.401, "General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enhancements for Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) access," and Clause 126.96.36.199 of 3GPP TS 23.060, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Service description," which are incorporated by reference as if the disclosures of both of which are set forth herein, provide complete details of the configurations. By way of example, the configurations include:                Low Access Priority (LAP), which is for devices that can delay their data transfers. This indicator is transmitted to the MME during the appropriate NAS signaling procedures and to the E-UTRAN during RRC connection establishment procedures. The low priority can be associated with a PDN connection when it is established and it shall not change until the PDN connection is deactivated.        Attach with IMSI at PLMN change, which is mainly to avoid signaling overload on a recipient network when a large number of UEs tries to attach after a network failure. This avoids signaling overload because the recipient network need not try to resolve the temporary ID and subsequently request the IMSI.        Long minimum periodic PLMN search time limit        Extended Access Barring support        Use of NMO I, Network Mode of Operation I        Specific handling of the invalid (U)SIM state, the "forbidden PLMN list", the "forbidden PLMNs for attach in S1mode list" and the "forbidden PLMNs for GPRS service list". The UE remembers that the USIM is invalid and keeps the PLMN forbidden lists even if the UE is switched off and then switched on.UEs can be configured with one or more of the above options. Post-manufacturing configuration of these options in the UE can be performed by OMA DM or (U)SIM OTA procedures.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is an SGSN/MME Control of Overload. For example, during an overload scenario the SGSN/MME can request the BSC/RNC/eNB to reject the RR(C) connection establishments from MSs/UEs configured for low access priority.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is described in 3GPP TS 36.331, "Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Resource Control (RRC); Protocol specification." MTC UEs that are configured for low priority access' can indicate it to the UTRAN/E-UTRAN during RRC Connection Request by setting the 'EstablishmentCause' value to 'delayTolerantAccess'. In an overload scenario, the UTRAN/E-UTRAN can reject new RRC connection request from the 'delay tolerant' devices or release existing connections from 'delay tolerant' devices and request the devices to wait for a longer time before re-attempt. The UTRAN/E-UTRAN can set the field 'extendedWaitTime' up to a maximum of 30 minutes in RRC Connection Reject or RRC Connection Release messages.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as GERAN Low Access Priority-Implicit Reject Procedure. A BSC is enhanced to support rejection of RR connection establishments from MSs configured for low access priority during overload/congestion. When rejecting a RR connection request for overload reasons the BSC indicates to the MSs an appropriate timer value that limits further RR connection requests. An Implicit Reject Procedure is used by the BSC to prevent a mobile station configured for "low access priority" from requesting PS/CS resources, as further described in 3GPP TS 44.018, "Mobile radio interface layer 3 specification; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol." When a mobile station starts an implicit reject timer it selects a value randomly drawn from a uniform probability distribution within the set {10.0, 10.1, 10.2, . . . 200.0} seconds. Hence a 'low access priority' MS may wait up to a maximum of 200 seconds before re-attempt.
GERAN (from release 10) and UTRAN/E-UTRAN (from release 11) support Extended Access Barring (EAB) wherein the network/operator can selectively restrict the devices configured for EAB from accessing the network. A network can broadcast the EAB information and the UEs configured for EAB shall evaluate it to determine if its access to the network is barred. This may prevent devices from performing any mobile originated access attempts except for emergency calls.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion allows a MME/SGSN to reject ESM/SM requests from the UE with a Session Management back-off timer when ESM/SM congestion associated with the access point name (APN) is detected. The MME/SGSN may deactivate PDP/PDN connections belonging to a congested APN by sending the Deactivate PDP/PDN Context message to the UE with a Session Management back-off timer.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as APN Based MM Congestion Control. When Congestion is detected for an APN, the SGSN/MME may reject attach requests from UEs that are subscribed to that APN with a MM back off timer. The UE shall not initiate any NAS request for Mobility Management procedures, except for emergency/priority services, while the MM back off timer is running.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as General NAS level Mobility Management congestion control. Under general overload conditions, the MME/SGSN may reject Mobility Management signaling requests from UEs with a MM back off timer.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as Throttling of Downlink Data Notification Requests. The MME/S4-SGSN can reject Downlink Data Notification requests for low priority traffic for UEs in idle mode. To further offload the MME/S4-SGSN, the MME/S4-SGSN can request the SGWs to selectively reduce the number of Downlink Data Notification requests it sends for downlink low priority traffic received for UEs in idle mode according to a throttling factor and a throttling delay specified in the DDN Ack message. The SGW determines whether a bearer is for low priority traffic or not on the basis of the bearer's ARP priority level and operator policy.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as PGW/SGSN Control of overload. The PGW/GGSN may detect APN congestion based on criteria such as: a maximum number of active bearers per APN; and/or a maximum rate of bearer activations per APN. When under overload, the PGW/GGSN may reject PDN connection requests and may indicate a back-off timer to MME/SGSN. The MME/SGSN may try another PGW/GGSN for that APN before rejecting the PDN connectivity request.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as Optimizing periodic TAU/RAU Signaling. To reduce network load from periodic TAU signaling, longer values of the periodic TAU/RAU timer and Mobile Reachable timer were introduced. A long periodic TAU/RAU timer value may be locally configured at MME/SGSN or may be stored as part of the subscription data in HSS/HLR. During Attach/RAU/TAU procedures the MME/SGSN may use the 'low access priority' indicator, operator policy and subscription data to determine the periodic TAU/RAU timer. A Subscribed Periodic RAU/TAU Timer may be stored as part of the subscription information in HSS/HLR and provided to the MME/SGSN.
Another example mechanism to control overload and/or manage congestion is referred to as GTP-C Load/Overload Control. A GTP-C based node, such as MME, SGW, or PGW for example, may communicate overload control information in order to mitigate overload situations for the overloaded node through actions taken by the peer node.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Overload control and coordination between M2M service layer and 3GPP networks


An excisional biopsy method is disclosed. The method can include rotating an arcuate shaped electrode around a tissue specimen, and drawing a sheath around the tissue specimen as the specimen is cut from a tissue mass. In one embodiment, the method includes tunneling to a tissue site with one electrode, and cutting with a second electrode to obtain the tissue specimen.

The subject invention provides for removal of benign and malignant neoplasms of the breast in a less invasive manner than current surgical methods. Once a lesion is detected through either a physical exam or a mammogram, a biopsy is performed to diagnose whether the detected abnormality is malignant or benign. The tissue for this diagnostic biopsy can be acquired through a fine needle aspiration, core biopsy, vacuum-assisted core biopsy, or an open surgical biopsy. The tissue is then examined by a pathologist to determine whether the lesion is benign or malignant. If the lesion is determined to be benign, the patient may desire that the lesion be removed, especially if the lesion is palpable. If the lesion is malignant, the patient currently has two primary treatment options, 1) mastectomy or 2), breast conserving therapy, i.e. lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy.
Breast conserving therapy is indicated for patients with Stage T1 or T2 cancers, which are less than 5 cm in greatest dimension. To localize the lesion within the breast, a radiologist places a guide wire under x-ray or ultrasound guidance, ideally with the distal tip of the guidewire in the center of the lesion and the proximal end of the wire protruding from the breast. The patient is then transported to the operating room. The surgeon uses the guidewire to find the lesion in the breast and to excise a lump of tissue including the cancer and a margin of normal tissue surrounding the cancer. Typically the surgeon uses a scalpel and/or an electrosurgical probe to cut a one-piece specimen and manage bleeding. The lump is removed and transported to the pathologist, who examines the margins of the specimen to determine whether the cancer has been completely removed. If the pathologists finds cancer cells too close to the edge of the specimen, he or she will recommend a re-excision, and the patient must have a second open surgical procedure to remove more tumor.
There are several problems with conventional breast conserving therapy which the present invention addresses. The first is localization of the lesion, i.e. needle localization. Because of technical challenges associated with placement of the needle, often the radiologist does not place the guide wire through the center or the lesion. It is particularly difficult to place the needle at the correct depth. Also, when the guidewire is placed under x-ray guidance, the breast is compressed. When the breast is decompressed for the open surgical excision, the guidewire can migrate in the breast, resulting in inaccurate placement thereof. Finally, the guidewire placement procedure is uncomfortable to the patient and logistically challenging because the procedure must be coordinated with the time of surgery. Often, the easiest path for the radiologist to place the guidewire is different from the best surgical approach, so the surgeon cannot follow the guidewire down to the lesion.
A second problem with current open lumpectomy is the highly variable re-excision rate, which can be anywhere from 5% to 50% depending upon the surgeon, the disease stage, and whether the lesion is diagnosed as malignant before the surgery. This high re-excision rate can be prescribed to the uncertain nature of the location of cancerous vs. healthy tissue. This uncertainty is a result of inaccurate guidewire placement and difficulty discerning the full extent of the disease, especially with non-palpable lesions. To compensate for the imprecision in determining the extent of the disease, the surgeon must take much more tissue than would be required if the full extent of the cancer could be imaged in real-time. The surgeon must also make a large incision to provide access for his/her hands and scalpel to excise the lesion. This results in a large scar and a great amount of tissue being removed, which both negatively impact cosmesis.
Finally, because the procedure is so invasive, the surgery must be performed in an operating room, resulting in higher overhead costs. The patient must be anesthetized with either conscious sedation and local anesthesia or general anesthesia, which can lead to further complications.


A frequency-hopping cordless telephone system is described which adds digitized audio to a pseudorandom frequency hopping pattern for voice encryption. The randomly selected start point of a very long pseudoramic pattern generator is transferred to the handset by way of an infrared path at each off-hook. In addition, the infrared path is used to synchronize the clocks of the handset and the associated base module when the cordless telephone is in an on-hook position.

Cordless radio-telephones, which may be used in a trunked, conventional, or cellular-telephone communication system, are known to comprise a handset and an associated base module. Typically information is transceived between the handset and the associated base module via an RF communication path. The associated base module transfers this information to the communication system which allows an operator of a cordless radio-telephone to communicate with almost any telephone in the world. The information transferred between the communication system and the associated base may be encrypted to provide for a secure transmission of the information within the communication system. However, the conveyance of information between the handset and the associated base module is generally not secure making it possible to eavesdrop on a person's conversation.
For a person who desires privacy and security while using his or her cordless radio-telephone, the above mentioned presents a serious problem. The problem is further illustrated by the fact that an eavesdropper does not have to be in close proximity to the person using a cordless radio-telephone to intercept transmissions between a handset and an associated base module. A typical cordless radio-telephone has a transmission range of up to one quarter of a mile between the handset and the associated base module. Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that provides for secure transmission of information between the handset and the associated base module of a cordless radio-telephone.


A system for implanting a repair device onto a native valve of a natural heart to repairing the native valve of a patient during a non-open-heart procedure. The system includes a paddle and a gripping member. The paddle is movable between an open position and a closed position. The gripping member has a weakened portion and a barbed portion. The barbed portion is configured to secure the gripping member to valve tissue of the native valve of the patient. A gripper control mechanism is configured to move the gripping member between an open position and a closed position. The gripper control mechanism comprises a suture removably attached to the gripping member at a first connection point and a pushing member configured to engage the gripping member at a second connection point. The weakened portion is between the first and second connection points. The pushing member is configured to push on the gripping member and the suture is configured to pull on the gripping member to flex the weakened portion and pivot the barbed portion.

The native heart valves (i.e., the aortic, pulmonary, tricuspid, and mitral valves) serve critical functions in assuring the forward flow of an adequate supply of blood through the cardiovascular system. These heart valves can be damaged, and thus rendered less effective, by congenital malformations, inflammatory processes, infectious conditions, or disease. Such damage to the valves can result in serious cardiovascular compromise or death. For many years the definitive treatment for such damaged valves was surgical repair or replacement of the valve during open heart surgery. However, open heart surgeries are highly invasive and are prone to many complications. Therefore, elderly and frail patients with defective heart valves often went untreated. More recently, transvascular techniques have been developed for introducing and implanting prosthetic devices in a manner that is much less invasive than open heart surgery. One particular transvascular technique that is used for accessing the native mitral and aortic valves is the trans-septal technique. The trans septal technique comprises inserting a catheter into the right femoral vein, up the inferior vena cava and into the right atrium. The septum is then punctured and the catheter passed into the left atrium.
A healthy heart has a generally conical shape that tapers to a lower apex. The heart is four-chambered and comprises the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, and right ventricle. The left and right sides of the heart are separated by a wall generally referred to as the septum. The native mitral valve of the human heart connects the left atrium to the left ventricle. The mitral valve has a very different anatomy than other native heart valves. The mitral valve includes an annulus portion, which is an annular portion of the native valve tissue surrounding the mitral valve orifice, and a pair of cusps, or leaflets, extending downward from the annulus into the left ventricle. The mitral valve annulus can form a "D"-shaped, oval, or otherwise out-of-round cross-sectional shape having major and minor axes. The anterior leaflet can be larger than the posterior leaflet, forming a generally "C"-shaped boundary between the abutting free edges of the leaflets when they are closed together.
When operating properly, the anterior leaflet and the posterior leaflet function together as a one-way valve to allow blood to flow only from the left atrium to the left ventricle. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins. When the muscles of the left atrium contract and the left ventricle dilates (also referred to as "ventricular diastole" or "diastole"), the oxygenated blood that is collected in the left atrium flows into the left ventricle. When the muscles of the left atrium relax and the muscles of the left ventricle contract (also referred to as "ventricular systole" or "systole"), the increased blood pressure in the left ventricle urges the two leaflets together, thereby closing the one-way mitral valve so that blood cannot flow back to the left atrium and is instead expelled out of the left ventricle through the aortic valve. To prevent the two leaflets from prolapsing under pressure and folding back through the mitral annulus toward the left atrium, a plurality of fibrous cords called chordae tendineae tether the leaflets to papillary muscles in the left ventricle.
Mitral regurgitation occurs when the native mitral valve fails to close properly and blood flows into the left atrium from the left ventricle during the systolic phase of heart contraction. Mitral regurgitation is the most common form of valvular heart disease. Mitral regurgitation has different causes, such as leaflet prolapse, dysfunctional papillary muscles and/or stretching of the mitral valve annulus resulting from dilation of the left ventricle. Mitral regurgitation at a central portion of the leaflets can be referred to as central jet mitral regurgitation and mitral regurgitation nearer to one commissure (i.e., location where the leaflets meet) of the leaflets can be referred to as eccentric jet mitral regurgitation. For central jet regurgitation, the edges of the leaflets do not meet in the middle. Therefore, the valve does not close and regurgitation is present.
Some prior techniques for treating mitral regurgitation in patients include surgically stitching the edges of the native mitral valve leaflets directly to one another. A catheter delivered clip has been used to attempt to clip the edges of the leaflets together like the surgical stitching method. However, this clip has shortcomings, since it can only be used to clip the middle edges of the leaflets where they overlap by 2 mm or more. Alternately, it has been attempted to use multiple clips on the commisures of the mitral valve, where there may be more overlap. This results in a longer operation time and the patient's leaflets are joined at the sides, restricting blood flow. Both the surgical and clip treatments are thought to create stress on patient leaflets.
Despite these prior techniques, there is a continuing need for improved devices and methods for treating mitral valve regurgitation.

Native valve repair devices and procedures


A replacement gate process is disclosed. A substrate and a dummy gate structure formed on the substrate is provided, wherein the dummy gate structure comprises a dummy layer on the substrate, a hard mask layer on the dummy layer, spacers at two sides of the dummy layer and the hard mask layer, and a contact etch stop layer (CESL) covering the substrate, the spacers and the hard mask layer. The spacers and the CESL are made of the same material. Then, a top portion of the CESL is removed to expose the hard mask layer. Next, the hard mask layer is removed. Afterward, the dummy layer is removed to form a trench.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates in general to a replacement gate process and device manufactured using the same, and more particularly to the replacement gate process capable of controlling a gate height of a device and the device manufactured using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Size of semiconductor device has been decreased for these years. Reduction of feature size, improvements of the rate, the efficiency, the density and the cost per integrated circuit unit are the important goals in the semiconductor technology. The electrical properties (such as junction leakage) of the device have to be maintained even improved with the decrease of the size, to meet the requirements of the commercial products in applications. The high k-metal gate (HKMG) technique has been developed, and the logic device with the HKMG structure offers quite a few advantages in terms of power reduction and performance improvements, particularly in the datapath and other high-speed areas.
The high k-metal gate (HKMG) process could be divided into two common process of gate-first and gate-last. Taken the gate-last HKMG process (also known as the replacement gate process) for example, a dummy gate is formed by material such as polysilicon or amorphous silicon, and the dummy gate is then removed and replaced by a metal gate. In another aspect, a high-K dielectric film is one of the important features in the semiconductor manufacturing of memory applications, which increases the capacity of the memory. In the HKMG process, the high-K dielectric film could be formed before manufacturing the dummy gate, which is a so-called high K first-HKMG process. The high-K dielectric film could be formed after the manufacture and removal of the dummy gate, which is a so-called high K last-HKMG process. No matter which process is adopted to pattern a HKMG stack, the gate height of the gate and topography of the stack should be precisely controlled for obtaining a semiconductor device with excellent electrical performance.
FIG. 1A˜FIG. 1D illustrate a conventional high K-metal gate process. As shown in FIG. 1A, a substrate 10 with a dummy gate 12 is provided, and the dummy gate 12 includes a polysilicon layer 121 and a hard mask layer 122. Spacers 14 are formed on the sidewalls of the dummy gate 12, wherein the spacers 14 could be one layer, or multi-layer such as the first spacer 141 and the second spacer 142 depicted in FIG. 1A. Also, a contact etch stop layer 16 is formed on the substrate and covers the spacers 14, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer 17 formed on the contact etch stop layer 16. An epitaxy layer 101 could be selectively grown on the substrate 10. As shown in FIG. 1B, the interlayer dielectric layer 17 is planarized by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and the upper surface of the contact etch stop layer 16 is exposed. As shown in FIG. 1C, the structure is then subjected to dry etching to remove parts of the interlayer dielectric layer 17, the contact etch stop layer 16 and the dummy gate 12, wherein the hard mask layer 122 is completely removed and the polysilicon layer 121 is partially removed. As shown in FIG. 1D, the remained polysilicon layer 121′ is removed by wet etching to form a trench 18. A metal layer is filled in the trench 18, followed by planarization to form a metal gate (not depicted in Figures).
In the current HKMG process, the spacers (ex: the first spacer 141 and the second spacer 142) and the contact etch stop layer 16 are made of different materials. For example, the first spacer 141, the second spacer 142 and the contact etch stop layer 16 are oxide, nitride deposited by hollow cathode discharge (HCD), and nitride, respectively. Those materials are low etch resistance to the dry-etching or wet-etching removal of the dummy gate 12. In order to keep the final gate height HG of the structure, a higher dummy gate 12 is required to be constructed initially in this conventional process. In the 20 nm HKMG structure manufactured by the process of FIG. 1A˜FIG. 1D, if the required final gate height HG of the structure is 1000 Å, the heights of the polysilicon layer 121 and the hard mask layer 122 (FIG. 1A) should be about 1000 Å, respectively. However, the higher dummy gate in the HKMG process would have undesired effect on the electrical performance of the device; for example, having impact on the ability of lightly doped drain (LDD) implantation.

Replacement gate process and device manufactured using the same


An image sensor including a color filter array layer, which includes a plurality of color filters transmitting light of different colors; and reflective partitioning walls, which define the color filters and have a lower refractive index than that of the color filters; a color separation device, which separates incident light into a plurality of colors, such that the plurality colors are incident on the plurality of color filters, respectively; and a sensor substrate, on which a plurality of light detection devices for respectively sensing light transmitted through the plurality of color filters are arranged in an array shape.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to image sensors having improved light utilization efficiency and methods of manufacturing the same
2. Description of the Related Art
Color display apparatuses and color image sensors, respectively, display images of various colors and detect the color of incident light. Currently available color display apparatuses and color image sensors generally employ a red, green, and blue (RGB) color filter structure in which, for example, two green filters are arranged in two out of every four pixels and a blue filter and a red filter are arranged in the other two of every four pixels. Alternately, a cyan, yellow, green, and magenta (CYGM) color filter structure may be used in which each four pixels include one pixel each of cyan, yellow, green, and magenta color filters.
However, since a typical absorption-type color filter absorbs light of colors other than the corresponding filter color, the light utilization efficiency thereof is low. For example, in the case of an RGB color filter, the RGB color filter transmits only one-third of the light incident thereon and absorbs the remaining two-thirds of the incident light, and thus, the light utilization efficiency of an RGB color filter is only about 33%. Therefore, in the case of a color display apparatus or a color image sensor, most of the light loss occurs in the color filter.
Meanwhile, as the number of pixels of a color image sensor has increased, the size of the pixels has decreased. Therefore, the amount of a light reaching each pixel has decreased, and thus, a method of improving the light utilization efficiency of an image sensor has become very important.
Recently, to improve the light utilization efficiency of a color display apparatus or a color image sensor, use of a color separation device, together with a color filter has been attempted. A color separation device separates incident light into different colors according to the diffraction and/or refraction properties of the device which vary according to wavelength. Light, thus separated into colors, is then transmitted to corresponding pixels. Thus, light of a non-corresponding color is refracted and/or diffracted away from the respective color filter of a pixel of a and is, instead, transmitted to an adjacent pixel of a corresponding color. Thus, the overall efficiency of a color display apparatus or color image sensor including the color separation device may be improved.
However, when light separated by a color separation device is incident on a color filter, some of the incident light may not be vertically incident on the color filter and, rather, may be incident on the color filter at a tilted angle, according to wavelength. Due to such a tilted angle of incidence, when the light is transmitted through the color filter and reaches a sensor array, the light may be incident on a sensor array corresponding to an adjacent pixel, rather than on a sensor array corresponding to the proper pixel. Thus, the light utilization efficiency of a color display apparatus or color image sensor including the color separation device is decreased and cross-talk between adjacent pixels is increased.

Image sensor comprising a color separation device separating incident light into plural of colors for having improved light utilization efficiency and method of manufacturing the same


A new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant named ‘Robpatlol’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; uniformly mounded plant form; semi-compact growth habit; short internodes; dense and bushy habit; freely and continuously flowering habit; and flowers that are initially yellow and become red purple in color.

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Robpatlol.
The new Lantana is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grain Valley, Mo. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-compact and freely-flowering Lantanas with attractive flower coloration.
The new Lantana originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2001 of the Lantana cultivar Robpatpas, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,424, as the female, or seed, parent with the Lantana cultivar Robcomplan, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,837, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lantana was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Grain Valley, Mo., on the basis of its semi-compact growth habit and attractive flower coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Grain Valley, Mo., since September, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Lantana are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Estimation of the code size of variable length encoding of quantized DCT coefficients by summation over histogram bins of products of number of bin members and a code size of an average run of zero coefficients coupled with a representative level from the bin. The estimation provides low-complexity feedback for quantization level adjustment to obtain variable length code size target without actual performance of a quantization level plus variable length encoding.

The present invention relates to digital image processing, and more particularly to compressive encoding of images.
In many applications of digital image processing, such as JPEG, MPEG or DV, image data is compressed by successive operations of DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform), quantization, and Huffman (variable length) encoding. DCT is a pre-processing operation for image compression which converts blocks of spatial domain information of the image into blocks of frequency domain information, typically for 8×8 blocks of pixels. Generally, the transformed image has a tendency to strong correlations within a neighborhood; DCT processing concentrates a majority of the information of the image into the low frequencies. Quantization is an effective compression method which divides the DCT coefficients by an integer quantization level so as to reduce the precision (number of significant bits) of the DCT coefficients. The quantized DCT coefficients of a block are scanned from low frequency to high frequency and converted into a sequence of pairs of 'run' and 'level' parameters (run length encoding). Using a Huffman code table defined by the statistics of an image, the sequence of run-level pairs are finally converted to a sequence of Huffman (variable length) codewords. The Huffman tables for differing sets of variables of JPEG, MPEG, or DV are fixed in the specifications of these standards.
In these image compression methods, the size of the Huffman code generated is strongly dependent on the quantization level. Therefore, it is necessary to apply a suitable quantization level to adjust an output code size to a target code size. One useful quantization level approach has a feedback loop comparing a target code size and a code size actually generated by the encoder circuit. This approach enables estimation and response to a current code size accurately because actual output code size is used as a comparison to the target code size. However, there is a delay corresponding to the speed of the encoding algorithm to output the actual code. As a result, there is a delay for convergence to the target code size.


A valve apparatus for a medical injection system includes a pinching member and at least one spring-loaded anvil. A tubing line of the injection system may be positioned between the pinching member and the anvil, such that when the pinching member is moved into a pinching position adjacent to the anvil, for example, by rotation of a shaft to which the member is coupled, the pinching member compresses the tubing line against the spring-loaded anvil. The pinching member is preferably rotatable about an auxiliary axis, which is eccentric, or offset from a central axis of the shaft. A spring member of the spring-loaded anvil is preferably pre-loaded. In certain applications, the pinching member, when moved into the pinching position, applies a pinching force of greater than approximately 45 pounds, for example, to prevent flow through the tubing line at an injection pressure of up to approximately 1200 psi.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary medical injection system 100 (the ACIST CVi® system) for delivering a contrast agent into a patient's vascular system for medical imaging. FIG. 1A illustrates a first fluid reservoir 132 for supplying a syringe-type positive displacement pump of a pressurizing unit 130, via a fill tubing line 27-F, and an injection tubing line 27-I coupled to unit 130 for injection of, for example, a radiopaque contrast agent, into a patient's vascular system via an inserted catheter (not shown), for example, coupled to a patient tubing line 122 at a connector 120 thereof. FIG. 1A further illustrates a second fluid reservoir 138 from which a diluent, such as saline, is drawn by a peristaltic pump 106 through yet another tubing line 128 that feeds into tubing line 122. A manifold valve 124 and associated sensor 114 control the flow of fluids into tubing line 122, from pressurizing unit 130 and from tubing line 128.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, the syringe-type positive displacement pump of unit 130 includes a fill port and an injection port to which tubing lines 27-F and 27-I, respectively are coupled; a check valve (not shown) in line 27-F and valve 124 in line 27-I are employed to control flow through tubing lines 27-F and 27-I. For example, when the pump of unit 130 is activated to draw in fluid from reservoir 132, flow from tubing lines 122 and 128 through injection tubing line 27-I is blocked by valve 124; and, after the pump is filled, when the pump is activated to pressurize the fluid therein, valve 124 is opened to allow flow of the pressurized fluid through line 27-I and into line 122, while flow through fill tubing line 27-F is blocked by the aforementioned check valve. A variety of alternative valve mechanisms for controlling the flow through tubing lines of medical injection systems, such as tubing lines 27-F and 27-I of injection system 100, are known in the art. For example, a suitable pinch valve apparatus is described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,152,780. Yet, there is still a need for improved valve apparatus that simplify and increase the efficiency of valve operation to control flow in medical injection systems.

Controlling flow in a medical injection system


The present invention provides an electrophotographic photoconductor including, an uppermost crosslinked surface layer including a cured product of a crosslinked surface layer composition containing a tri- or more functional radical-polymerizable monomer having no charge transportable structure, organosilica sol, an isocyanate group-containing radical-polymerizable monomer, and a curable charge transport material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoconductor used in image formation of electrostatic copying processes in, for example, copiers, facsimiles and printers; and to a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus which contain the electrophotographic photoconductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inorganic photoconductors made of selenium, zinc oxide, cadmium sulfide, etc., were mainly applied to electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as copiers and laser printers. Organic photoconductors (OPCs), currently, account for nearly 100% of the total production of electrophotographic photoconductors, since they are more advantageous than inorganic photoconductors in reducing production cost, increasing high design flexibility, and giving low environment load. Manufacturers are required to more deeply consider global environmental protection, and to manufacture organic photoconductors (OPCs) as one of mechanical parts instead of a disposable product.
In an attempt to manufacture organic photoconductors (OPCs) having higher durability, there have been taken the following measures: use of a different type of binder resin (see "Hiroyuki Tamura, Saeko Takahashi, Hironobu Morishita, Hideharu Sakamoto, Haruo Shikuma, Japan Hardcopy '97 Fall Meeting, 25-28, 1997"), use of a high-molecular-weight charge transport material (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 07-325409), coating of a curable protective layer containing high-hardness fillers (see JP-A No. 2002-258499), formation of a crosslinked resin layer on the surface of a photoconductor (see JP-A No. 2000-66424), and formation of a sol-gel curable film on the surface of a photoconductor (see JP-A No. 2000-171990).
Among the aforementioned measures, formation of a crosslinked resin layer (crosslinked surface layer) can be considered a reasonable solution. This is because the crosslinked layer has a plurality of chemical bonds and, even when stress is applied to cleave some chemical bonds, the layer is not worn in short time.
Organic photoconductors having very high wear resistance must be resistant to scratch formation. This is because, when the surface of such organic photoconductors is scratched, discharge hazard during electrophotographic processes occurs intensively in the scratched portions, resulting in deterioration of these portions. In addition, when the scratched portions (grooves) are embedded with a toner particles-containing developer or paper dust, image failures such as background smear and image blur tend to locally occur. In accordance with improvement in ablation resistance of the photoconductor surface, the formed scratches are difficult to disappear even as time passes (as if they are engraved). Thus, the scratches shorten the service life of the photoconductors.
The recent full-color electrophotographic image forming apparatus generally use polymerization toner, since it provides high-quality images and has high environmental stability. As polymerization toner particles become more spherical, the formed images have an increased sharpness, but toner particles are easier to run through the gap between the photoconductor and the cleaning blade for recovering them. When the cleaning blade is brought into contact with the photoconductor at higher contact pressure, toner particles are prevented from running through the gap therebetween. Meanwhile, the cleaning blade is chipped through acceleration of wear of the contact portion. This results in streaking the photoconductor surface (cleaning failure), and the photoconductor cannot maintain its wear resistance over a long period of time.
The above-described crosslinked surface layer is particularly preferably a cured acrylic film, since it has high wear resistance. However, when used in image forming apparatus using polymerization toner, the cured acrylic film give great damage to the cleaning blade. As a result, the service life of the photoconductor depends on that of the cleaning blade, which is problematic.
JP-A No. 2006-010963 discloses that an electrophotographic photoconductor is provided with a crosslinked surface layer by performing, in combination, thermal curing and photo curing. As described in paragraph [0025] of this literature, use of photopolymerization and thermopolymerization initiators provides a crosslinked surface layer having more uniform cure degree. This crosslinked surface layer does not generate wrinkles and cracks. Also, in this layer, oxidation gas is prevented from adsorbing to unreacted carbon-carbon double bonds.
JP-A No. 2005-077947 discloses that a crosslinked film is formed from a composition containing SUPER BECKAMINE G-821-60 (melamine; product of Dainippon Ink and Chemicals Inc.), Sumidule HT (adduct of HDI isocyanate and trimethylolpropane; product of Sumitomo Bayer Urethane Company Ltd.), and a radical-polymerizable monomer. The crosslinked film exhibits improved resistance to crack formation and exfoliation.
The mechanical strength of the crosslinked surface layer depends on the total chemical bond energy and the crosslink density, and these factors vary with the type of materials used. Thus, demand has arisen for further improvement and development of the crosslinked surface layer.

Electrophotographic photoconductor, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus


A computer processor pipeline has both an architectural register file and a working register file. The lifetime of an entry in the working register file is determined by a predetermined number of instructions passing through a specified stage in the pipeline after the location in the working register file is allocated for an instruction. The size of the working register file is selected based upon performance characteristics. A working register file creditor indicator is coupled to the front end pipeline portion and to the back end pipeline portion. The working register file credit indicator is monitored to prevent a working register file overflow. When the a location in the architectural register file is read early, the location is monitored to determine whether the location is written to prior to issuance of the instruction associated with the early read.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to register files on microprocessors, and more particularly to working register files on microprocessors.
2. Description of Related Art
Early computer processors (also called microprocessors) included a single central processing unit (CPU) that executed only one instruction at a time. As is well known, a CPU executes a program, having instructions stored in memory, by fetching instructions of the program, decoding the instructions and executing the instructions one after the other. In response to the need for improved performance, several techniques, e.g., pipelining, superpipelining, superscaling, speculative instruction execution and out-of-order instruction execution, have been implemented to extend the capabilities of early processors.
Pipelined architectures break the execution of instructions into a number of stages, where each stage corresponds to one step in the execution of the instruction. Pipelined designs increase the rate at which instructions can be executed by allowing a new instruction to begin execution before a previous instruction is finished executing. Pipelined architectures have been extended to superpipelined or extended pipeline architectures, where each execution pipeline is broken down into even smaller stages. In general, superpipelining increases the number of instructions that can be executed in a pipeline at any given time.
Superscalar processors generally refer to a class of microprocessor architectures that include multiple pipelines that process instructions in parallel. Superscalar processors typically execute more than one instruction per clock cycle, on average. Superscalar processors allow parallel instruction execution in two or more instruction execution pipelines. In this manner, the number of instructions processed is increased due to parallel execution. Each of the two or more execution pipelines may have a different number of stages. Some of the pipelines may be optimized for specialized functions, such as integer operations or floating point operations, and in some cases execution pipelines are optimized for processing graphic, multimedia, or complex math instructions.
Typically, pipelined processors need to provide access to the registers needed for execution at multiple points in the pipeline. This can be done through separate register files, or through a content addressable memory (CAM) based register file coupled with a random access memory (RAM) based register file, or through a combination of the above and direct connections between pipeline stages, etc.
In at least one architecture, the register file has included a working register file (WRF) and an architectural register file (ARF). In this design, the working register file included working registers of the execution unit, while the architectural register file included architectural registers of the execution unit. Typically, each of the working registers corresponds to one of the architectural registers. The working register file stored operands generated for an associated pipeline, prior to validation of executed instructions.
Various designs have made available operands stored within the working register file for use in executing other instructions in an associated pipeline. The architectural register file has been utilized, in conjunction with an associated working register file, to store generated operands of valid executed instructions. The architectural register file has also provided valid operands for transfer to appropriate registers of an associated working register file, in the event that one or more executed instructions are later determined to be invalid.
In a typical execution unit, each instruction has been pre-decoded to include pre-decode bits, at least some of which have been used to resolve operand dependencies with other instructions in a pipeline. The pre-decode bits provided a basis for the generation of control signals that were used to control the operation of the working register file, the architectural register file and their associated pipeline.
A typical pipeline has a number of successive stages, e.g., an operand selection stage, an operand processing (i.e., execution) stage, a working register file operand write stage, an instruction validity determination stage and an architectural register file operand write stage, among other pipeline stages. In the usual case, each of the pipeline stages occur in one machine cycle and a lifetime of an entry in the working register file has been cycle-based. Furthermore, the working register file has traditionally been read during the operand processing or execution stage. The operand processing stage has included registers, which have latched one or more selected source operands. In a typical case, a destination operand for each instruction in the pipeline is generated by arithmetic logic in the operand processing stage for the instruction. This has been accomplished by processing one or more selected source operands in response to control signals generated by control logic of the pipeline.
The control logic has decoded each instruction in the pipeline to generate control signals for controlling the arithmetic logic. The destination operand for each instruction in the pipeline has then been written to the working register file, during the working register file write stage for the instruction. In doing so, the destination operand is stored in one of the working register file working registers, which has corresponded to the architectural register that is specified by the instruction as the destination.
As a result, the destination operands have been available directly from the working register file, which selectively provides source operands from selected working registers in the working register file to the pipeline during an operand selection stage for each instruction in the pipeline. This occurs if it is determined, during the operand selection stage, that the instruction specifies an architectural register in the architectural register file for which the source operand is available in the corresponding working register of the working register file.
For each instruction in a pipeline, it may be determined that the instruction requires an immediate source operand from the control logic, instead of a source operand from the working register file. In this case, a multiplexer selects the immediate source operand. It may also be determined, for each instruction in the pipeline, that the source operand is not yet available in a working register of the working register file, but is in-flight and available elsewhere (or may not be readily available, causing a stall for instance). In this case, the source operand may be available as a destination operand from a previous instruction. In general, the number of operand bypasses required by a pipeline is drastically reduced when a working register file is implemented in conjunction with an execution unit.
Generally, the validity determination stage for each instruction in the pipeline determined whether the instruction was valid or invalid, as indicated by various status signals. In the architectural register file operand write stage, for each instruction in the pipeline that was determined to be valid, the architectural register in the architectural register file that was specified by the instruction as the destination had stored the destination operand provided by the register.
In this way, the architectural register file has been used to store only the destination operands of instructions in the pipeline that are valid. When the validity determination stage determined that an instruction in a pipeline was invalid, the valid operands stored by the architectural registers of the architectural register file (that correspond to the working registers of the working register file) were transferred to the working register file.
The working registers of the working register file then stored the transferred operands to replace the operands currently stored therein. This operation has placed the working register file in the same state that it was at the time just before the invalid instruction was beginning to be executed. As a result, the transferred operands may be subsequently selected as the source operands in the pipeline.
In general, execution units that use working register files and architectural register files provide a reduced number of operand bypasses. Unfortunately, as pipelines have become increasingly complex, it has become increasingly difficult to read the architectural register file in one clock cycle. Multi-issue pipelines exacerbate this problem by requiring larger and slower multi-ported register files.

Mechanism for increasing the effective capacity of the working register file


An analog open-loop voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) calibration circuit and method for selecting the frequency of the VCO for a phase locked loop (PLL).

1. Technical Field of Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, wideband wireless communication systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards, including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variations thereof.
Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop computer, home entertainment equipment, etc., communicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-point communications), the participating wireless communication devices tune their receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of a plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wireless communications, each wireless communication device communicates directly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connection between the wireless communication devices, the associated base stations and/or associated access points communicate with each other directly, via a system controller, via the public switch telephone network, via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.
Each wireless communication device includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier. The data modulation stage converts raw data into baseband signals in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.
As is also known, the receiver is coupled to the antenna and includes a low noise amplifier, one or more intermediate frequency stages, a filtering stage, and a data recovery stage. The low noise amplifier receives an inbound RF signal via the antenna and amplifies it. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the amplified RF signal with one or more local oscillations to convert the amplified RF signal into a baseband signal or an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. As used herein, the term "low IF" refers to both baseband and intermediate frequency signals. A filtering stage filters the low IF signals to attenuate unwanted out-of-band signals to produce a filtered signal. The data recovery stage recovers raw data from the filtered signal in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard.
One problem of using local oscillations to up-convert baseband signals to RF signals and to down-convert RF signals to baseband signals, however, is maintaining the correct local oscillation frequencies. An inaccurate local oscillation, when coupled to the mixer, will cause the mixed product to be inaccurate as well. There is a need, therefore, for a wireless transceiver system that allows for full integration on-chip of circuit designs that provide a method and a circuit to calibrate local oscillations.
Additionally, because many wireless transceivers often operate on batteries or stored energy, designs are continuously being pursued which reduce power consumption and place a circuit into a standby, sleep, or idle mode to reduce power consumption. As communication devices increase in speed, however, the amount of time for a device to transition from an idle or standby mode to a fully operational mode is reduced. For example, many transceivers power down to an idle state until they receive a paging signal indicating an incoming communication. For today's fast transmission rates, the time to transition to a particular communications channel is small. There is a need also, therefore, for a local oscillation calibration circuit that rapidly completes the calibration process.

Abstract: A frequency divider module produces a 50% duty cycle divided local oscillation and a 50% duty cycle divided reference signal, wherein the divided signals are substantially equal. A period-to-voltage conversion module converts the divided local oscillation signal and the divided reference signal to voltages proportional to the divided signals. A comparator module produces a frequency adjustment signal based on a comparison of the proportional voltages and couples the frequency adjustment signal to a logic module which produces a frequency compensation signal based on the frequency adjustment signal. The frequency compensation signal functions to adjust the configuration of switched capacitors in a capacitor bank, coupled to the VCO tuned circuit, until the divided local oscillation signal is substantially equal to the divided reference signal.


An infrastructure monitoring assembly includes a nozzle cap defining an internal cavity; an antenna positioned at least partially external to the internal cavity; and the antenna covered with a non-metallic material. An infrastructure monitoring assembly includes a nozzle cap defining a first end and a second end, the first end defining a threaded bore configured to mount on a nozzle of a fire hydrant; a cover coupled to the nozzle cap opposite from the first end; an enclosure positioned at least partially between the cover and the first end, the enclosure at least partially defining a cavity; a monitoring device positioned within the cavity; and an antenna positioned between the cover and the first end of the nozzle cap, the antenna connected in electrical communication with the monitoring device, the antenna covered by a non-metallic material.

Municipalities administer and/or outsource numerous utility and safety systems within each municipality. Such systems are usually complex infrastructures and include but are not limited to water distribution, gas distribution, electricity distribution, waste management, traffic control, fire departments, police departments, and emergency response departments. Each of these systems needs to be monitored for use (authorized or unauthorized), faults, tampering, events, interruptions or blockages, leaks, contamination, and/or other issues.
To obtain an understanding of the state of any one system, or for ordinary use, billing or repair purposes, personnel must typically be sent into the municipality to check for problems within the system manually. This process is slow, is labor-intensive, and can lead to overlooked problems. Furthermore, preferred aspects of the system may be evaluated irregularly or infrequently, thereby allowing a problem to go unchecked for long periods of time. By way of example, a leak in a water main may cost a water company a significant amount of money in lost water, energy usage, and chemical treatment, particularly if the leak is not discovered for a relatively long period of time. Furthermore, a leak can lead to underground structural erosion. Interference with a system may go unnoticed unless it is reported to a central location.
Another problem and disadvantage associated with current systems is the lack of property rights sufficient to maintain a network of monitors and device controllers capable of creating a transmission infrastructure that can adapt to multiple monitors and controllers and form an information network for providing information about the system to the utility monitoring the network. For example, some networks require that new poles or towers be erected for placement of the communication devices. Municipalities may have to rent space on a utility company's poles for placement of such devices.
Furthermore, an issue in one system may cause an issue in another system. For example, a fire reported to the fire department may require the gas company to turn off gas flow to the vicinity of the fire and may require the water company to redirect water or additional water pressure to the vicinity. However, many current systems are not interoperable.
It is, therefore, desirable to have a single system that can monitor different aspects of at least one municipality system continuously and communicate with several entities at the same time.

Infrastructure monitoring devices, systems, and methods


Fluid coupling formed as an assembly of a first body section having an end portion with studs and a second body section having an end portion configured to receive the end portion of the first body section and having grooves for receiving a corresponding one of the studs. Each of the grooves has an axial inlet section, and a blind section extending circumferentially from the inlet section to an end wall movable between a projecting position retaining the stud in the blind section and a retracted position allowing the stud to pass from the inlet to the blind section. Rotation of one of the body sections passes the studs in the retracted position of the groove end wall from the inlet section into the blind section, the studs being retained in the blind section in the projected position of the groove end wall to couple the body sections.

The present invention relates to a coupling suitable for use in connecting together two ducts, e.g. for connecting together pipes or for connecting a pipe to a fluid emitter or receiver member such as a pump, a manifold, an actuator, a flow or pressure regulator, a tank. The invention also provides a body part for such a coupling and a method of reinforcing a bayonet connection securing the two body parts of a coupling together.
Couplings are known that comprise a body defining an internal channel and comprising two body parts, each provided with connector means for connecting the channel to a duct. The connector means may be of various types, e.g. comprising a male tubular section with Christmas-tree teeth or forming a nipple that is to be engaged by force in the duct, or a female tubular section provided with a toothed washer or with a quick coupling clamp for engaging the duct. The body is generally made as a one-piece molding, but that prevents any modularity of the coupling for the purpose of simplifying fabrication. It is necessary to provide a plurality of different molds for fabricating bodies that associate the various types of connector that are in use.
Couplings are also known in which the body is made up of two independent parts. The body parts then have end portions arranged to enable the first and second body parts to be secured to each other by relative engagement. The end portions have means for mutual retention such as snap-fastener means or clip-fastener means acting in an axial engagement direction. Unfortunately, most of the forces that act externally on such a coupling include an axial component. That means that the strength of the connection between the body parts is relatively weak.


The invention disclosed with this Application is a autonomous mobile system comprising: a means of achieving mobility, a means of navigating, a means of providing autonomous power, and a means of providing general purpose computing.

Machines that can automatically serve human beings have been the subject of invention since the first machines were conceived millennia ago. The world's first automatic serving machine was designed by Heron of Alexandria in 63 CE. This consisted of a device for automatically dispensing holy water upon the receipt of a coin. A person put a 5 Drachma coin in a slot at the top of a box, and the coin hits a metal lever attached by a string to a plug that stops a container of liquid. The beam is configured as a balance beam, and so as the beam tilts from the weight of the coin, the string lifts the plug and dispenses the desired drink until the coin drops off the beam. [For a description of this invention, see Kerry Segrave, Vending Machines: An American Social History (Mcfarland & Co, Jefferson, N.C., 2002)]. This invention was a simple mechanical device, driven by gravity, and limited to doing one type of thing, in one location, with no ability to process information or make independent decisions.
Book serving machines were devised in England in 1822 by Richard Carlile in an attempt to avoid press censorship—the book was selected by the user and dispensed automatically, so banned books could be purchased with the seller nowhere nearby, allowing the seller to avoid technical charges of sedition [For a description of this invention, see Martin V. Marshall, Automatic Merchandising; a study of the problems and limitations of vending, (Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 1954)] For the first time a vending machine had an element of interactivity, with the purchaser selecting the book to be purchased and then depositing money. It is not clear whether these systems were autonomous. They certainly were not programmable, mobile, or of generalized functionality.
A fully automatic selling machine was described in a patent application of Simeon Denham of Wakefield in Yorkshire, England, in 1857. [Simeon Denham, A SELF ACTING MACHINE FOR THE DELIVERY OF POSTAGE AND RECEIPT STAMPS, GB Provisional Patent No. 706/1857, 11 Mar. 1857]. This machine was designed to sell a stamp for a penny from a strip of postage stamps contained within it. Denham was given a provisional patent protection, however it does not appear that this crude device, was ever realized in a working form. Again, this device lacked any form of programmability, mobility or autonomous decision-making.
The first fully patented automatic serving device widely recognized to be commercially successful went to John G Sandeman & Percival Everitt [John G. Sandeman & P. Everitt, GB Patent 2033/1883, issued 21 Apr. 1883; and APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DELIVERING PREPAID GOODS TO ACCORD WITH THE PRICE PAID THEREFOR, U.S. Pat. No. 323,213, Issued 28, Jul. 1885]. Devices to vend other products soon followed through the 1880s, including some of the first US patents on the topic. Percival Everitt filed a patent for a perfume dispensing machine [P. Everitt, AN APPARATUS FOR THE DELIVERY OF A GIVEN QUANTITY OF LIQUID IN EXCHANGE FOR A COIN, U.S. Pat. No. 371,257, issued 11 Oct. 1887], as well as improvements thereof [P. Everitt, VENDING MACHINE, U.S. Pat. No. 402,515, issued 30 Apr. 1889].
Other commercially successful early vending machines include a device for dispensing packaged goods, including cigarettes and chewing gum [Frederic B. Cochran, COIN-OPERATED VENDING-MACHINE, U.S. Pat. No. 412,469 issued 8 Oct. 1889]. These devices represented the first commercially successful attempts at what came to be known as "robotic" sales. However they operated with manual power provided by the purchaser. They never had the ability to move independently, were not programmable and could only respond to the direct interaction of a user. They had no real anticipatory intelligence.
The first service machine to come with its own source of power was invented by Norman Willis Russ in 1888 [N. W. Russ, COIN OPERATED ELECTRICAL APPARATUS, U.S. Pat. No. 382,734, issued 15 May, 1888]. This was a coin-operated apparatus for delivering electric shocks to people. The power source was an electric pile (an early form of battery). It is important to note that the electricity that was the product of the machine still relied on the manual action of people. While intriguing in that it represented the first time an autonomous service machine with its own power-source appears, the machine wasn't programmable, couldn't move independently and only had very limited user iteration. In this case the coin was deposited and a shock would be dispensed. Perhaps in the days before widespread availability of electricity the delivery of electric shocks was a novelty or seen as medically beneficial, however the present day utility of such a device is unclear. Nonetheless, this device did not use autonomous power to operate the device; the mechanism was still driven by the fall of a mechanical coin. This device clearly had no programmability, no ability to move and no anticipatory intelligence.
With the advent of electrically powered vending machines in the 1940s and 1950s the concept of "robot" selling arose, [see, for example, "Robot selling gets its first big test", Business Week, May 27, 1950, pp. 70-71,73]. The Machines anticipated in this prior art however are electrically powered vending machines. They are largely fixed to the ground, and while they can dispense a dizzying array of products as well as, in some cases, heat those products. With the exception of interpreting a selection indicated by the press of a button, they cannot make independent decisions they are not programmable, nor are they mobile.
In 1942 Raymond Loewy and Harry A. Drew patented a vending machine with wheels [Raymond Loewy and Harry A. Drew, VENDING MACHINE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,583 issued 20 Oct. 1942]. The intent was to devise a system that could be wheeled out to car drivers. This represents the first time that a vending machine was not fixed to one location. However this vending machine did not move under its own power; it required a human operator to move it. Further the human operator needed to make decisions about where the machine would go and how it would operate. While this machine did have its own source of power in the form of a battery, this was not used to operate the machine; it merely provided a light to indicate to the operator when the machine would need to be restocked. There was no programmability, and it required physical modifications to vend different types of product.
In 1958 Regina Klein Patented an automatic dispenser for trucks. [Regina Klein, ADVERTISING LITERATURE AND ARTICLES DISPENSER FOR TRUCKS, U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,159 issued 16 Sep. 1958]. This was a simple mechanism that enabled trucks to throw newspapers towards the front doors of peoples housed. This concept included the notion of a punched tape to determine the location the paper should be thrown. However this machine was not truly programmable in the current sense of the word. The punched tape merely ran and determined the time when a paper would be thrown. It wouldn't actually run a computer program in the sense of loading on a general purpose computing system. The paper tape mechanism existed to enable the machine to operate different routes.
In 1987 Dale Kramer filed a patent for a remotely controlled vehicle [Dale C. Kramer, REMOTELY-CONTROLLED VEHICLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,493, issued 4 Jul. 1989]. This was a remotely controlled golf cart that was intended to follow its owner around a golf course. This system had its own source of power in the form of a battery. However again this was a specific purpose device—carrying only golf clubs and intended for use in a golf course. The device did not have general programmability, and while it was mobile, and had its own source of power.
In 2001 William Credle, Jr. et al. of the Coca Cola Company filed a patent application that issued as two patents [William S. Credle, Jr., John P. Giles, & James Michael Watson, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE SALES OF VENDED PRODUCTS, U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,100, issued 1 Apr. 2003; and its Divisional U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,673, issued 1 Jun. 2004]. In these patents a system to bring vended products to the consumers along a predetermined route is described. However this invention intends for the cart to move along a predetermined route or with remote control, and so it does not truly navigate in its environment. It requires a human operator to tell it where to go.
Overall, the prior art covers a wide range of applications where machines interact with and do things that are useful for humans or non-humans. There are some systems that have elements of mobility; however almost none truly can understand the nature of their environment and therefore they cannot navigate in it. The overwhelming majority of these devices gather power externally (e.g. from a plug in wall socket or frequently from the operator themselves), and although there are some that have their own internal source of power, this power is typically application specific, designed to operate the specific functions that the machine was devised for rather than being of general nature for whatever the machine might be tasked with. Lastly the provision of general purpose computing capabilities to enable the machine to make general decisions is not present. No prior art examples are known to the inventors that comprise a robot or other automated service machine simultaneously endowed with mobility, navigation, power and computing capabilities, and in which these capabilities are available in a general-purpose manner that can be re-tasked to a variety of applications. And there are certainly no prior art examples known to the inventors of such a robot that is additionally provided with a coupling that enables one to attach external items that extend the functionality of the robot to engage in a variety of tasks.
Because of this, such systems are constrained to a narrow set of operations, such as food and beverage serving, and cannot be applied to a wide variety of applications. Therefore it would be desirable to have a machine unit that can be mass produced, reducing costs, and yet tasked with a variety of roles, from serving food and drink, to conveying items in a manufacturing area, to supporting other functionality such as marketing or telepresence. For this purpose the machine base unit would need to have mobility, navigation, power and computing capabilities, along with a means for attaching various additional items to extend the capabilities.

Autonomous mobile platform for service applications

Abstract: In some embodiments, the system comprises a base unit capable of sensing its environment and computing navigation instructions to direct the system to move to particular locations and execute particular functions, as directed by a set of programmed instructions.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a coupling exists on the base unit to attach additional structures and mechanisms. These structures may comprise a means for carrying packages or other items, robotic manipulators that can grab and move objects, interactive audio and video displays for telepresence applications, a means for serving food and drink, etc. These extensions may be designed to be detachable and interchangeable, or may be designed to be permanently attached to the base unit.


A coupling disposed in a pneumatic hammer and for removably connecting a spray can to a plug body for connecting a fluid conduit is provided. The coupling is provided with a socket body having a first end portion, a second end portion and an axial hole open in the first and second end portions, a locking mechanism provided in the first end portion end of the socket body and releasably locking and engaging with the plug body, and a mounting member attached to the second end portion of the socket body in such a manner as to freely slide to an axial direction. The mounting member attaches the socket body to the spray can in a removable manner. Further, the coupling is provided with a pressing portion axially projecting from the second end portion of the socket body, the pressing portion being brought into contact with the front end portion of the nozzle when the spray can is axially pressed toward the second end portion of the socket body, thereby pressing the nozzle to the container portion end of the spray can.

The present invention relates to a coupling for connecting a spray apparatus capable of discharging and/or replenishing a fluid by pressing a nozzle projecting from an end portion of the spray apparatus, to a fluidic apparatus, and more particularly to a coupling capable of performing a discharging operation and an replenishing operation of the spray apparatus in a state of connecting the spray apparatus with the fluidic apparatus, such as a pneumatic tool.
As shown in FIG. 7, conventionally, when a fluid (for example, a washing agent, a lubricating agent, an anticorrosive agent and the like) is injected into an pneumatic tool 19 powered by a compressed air from a spray can by pressing a nozzle 181 projecting at a spray end portion 180, a resin cap 182 provided on the spray can 18 is interposed between the spray can 18 and the tool 19.
The cap 182 is structured such that a recess portion 183 to which the spray end portion 180 of the spray can 18 is inserted is formed in a top plate, that a lock hook 188 adhering the spray can 18 is provided in three portions of a peripheral surface of the recess portion 183, that a through hole 184 to which the nozzle 181 is inserted is provided in a center portion of the recess portion 183, that a cylinder portion 185 having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of a plug body 190 provided in the air tool 19 is provided in a projecting manner, that a holding cylinder portion 186 engageable with the plug body 190 is provided in a projecting manner, and that an inward flange portion 187 having an opening diameter larger than an opening diameter of the nozzle 181 is formed in a front end of the cylinder portion 185. In this case, a center portion of a surface of the recess portion 183 is formed in a taper shape so as to easily insert the nozzle 181 into the through hole 184.
In a use method, at first, a plug body 190 of the air tool 19 is fitted into the holding cylinder portion 186 of the cap 182 so that the air tool 19 and the cap 182 are connected to each other. Next, the nozzle 181 of the spray can 18 is inserted into the through hole 184 open to the center of the recess portion 183 of the cap 182, so that the front end portion of the nozzle 181 is brought into contact with the flange portion 187 provided in the front end of the cylinder portion 185. Further, as well as in this state, the spray can 18 is pressed and the lock hook 188 is brought into contact with the spray end portion 180, the flange portion 187 presses the nozzle 181 so as to open a valve normally set in a closed state and disposed therewithin and the fluid is discharged from the front end of the nozzle 181 in a state that the spray can 18 is in an inserted state, so that the fluid is injected into the air tool 19.
However, in accordance with the conventional spray can method, there is a problem mentioned below. Accordingly, when the nozzle 181 is inserted into the through hole 184 of the cylinder portion 185 formed in the cap 182, there is a case that the nozzle 181 is erroneously pressed and the fluid is carelessly discharged out, and further, since the cylinder portion 185 and the front end portion of the plug body 190, and the holding cylinder portion 186 and the plug body 190 are respectively in contact with each other in a fitting manner, a sealing performance is deteriorated and there is a risk that a fluid leaks from these portions.
Further, since the spray can 18 and the cap 182 are attached to each other in a fitting manner by the lock hooks 188 at a time of inserting the spray can 18 into the cap 182, the fluid is kept in an injecting state from the nozzle 181, so that in the case of stopping the injection of the fluid, it is necessary to remove the spray can 18 from the cap 182 each time, and further, there is a problem that the fluid is carelessly leaked out from the body of the air tool 19 by a backward flow.
Still further, there is a problem that in the case that an air intake port and an air exhaust port of the air tool 19 are provided in the same surface, the cap 182 can not be connected to the plug body 190.


A method and system for securing a substrate such as paper and the like against counterfeiting, photocopying, and facsimile transmission and an applicator and paper for use in the method and system and with the applicator. The method and system comprises providing a substrate having a background color on one surface thereof, covering at least one selected area of the surface with one of the colorless color developer and a colorless color former dye, wherein the color developer and color former dye react when mixed to produce a first given color which is different form the background color and applying the other of the colorless color developer and the colorless color former dye to at least a portion of the at least one selected area to change the background color to said first given color.

The present invention relates to a method and system for securing a substrate such as paper and the like against counterfeiting, photocopying, and facsimile transmission and an applicator and paper for use in the method and system and with the applicator, that is to say paper which when carrying information in a conventional black or similar dark color cannot be readily photocopied or transmitted by telefacsimile in a visually readable manner and is resistant to counterfeiting.
The present day availability of improved photocopiers has increased the problem of rendering documents or portions thereof resistant to photocopying in a readable manner. Moreover, the latest generation of color photocopiers has made it easier to counterfeit valuable documents. Antiphotocopying paper which is successful in preventing visually readable photocopying by most present day photocopiers is described in U.S. Pat No. 4,522,429 (Gardner et al) issued Jun. 11, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,429 (Gardner et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,481 (Gundjian).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,429 teaches the use of antiphotocopying paper having a color with a reflection spectral response of less than about 10% for light with a wavelength below about 600 milimicrons and yet which is sufficiently visually contrasting with information, when such information is typed thereon or otherwise applied thereto, to enable such information to be read by the human eye when the paper is viewed under which light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,429 teaches the use of antiphotocopying paper with a front face having a color with a reflection spectral response which is effectively zero for light with a wavelength below about 625 millimicrons and less than about 1% up to about 1,000 millimicrons so as to render the paper substantially incapable of being photocopied in an information readable manner, after substantially non-translucent information has been typed or otherwise applied to the front face, the paper being capable of transmitting visible light from a rear face to the front face to cause sufficient contrast between the substantially non-translucent information and the transmitted light to enable the information to be read by a human eye viewing the front face of the paper when visible light is transmitted through the paper from the rear face to the front face thereof.
Anti-photocopying paper of the type described in the abovementioned patents satisfactorily fulfills most present day needs, and represents a very significant improvement over prior proposals which were not successful in practice. Such paper is also resistant to transmission by telefacsimile.
The increasing photocopying ability of new generation photocopiers presented a need for still further improved anti-photocopying paper.
A further improved anti-photocopying and anti-telefacsimile effect has been achieved by the spatial, spectral modulation of the paper reflectance at a specific single or preferably, multiple spatial frequencies as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,481 (Gundjian).
Given all the above, it has, however, been recognized that the requirement for the feature of uncopiability on a document is often limited to a selected and limited portion of the said document. Furthermore, having also recognized that generally, it is only after the printing, typing or otherwise transfer of the information to a paper, that the portions of the latter that are required to be secured and hence to exhibit qualities of uncopiability are identified, the present invention has been worked out.