A multi-stage device for reducing the environmental contaminants in an ISO8217 compliant Feedstock Heavy Marine Fuel Oil involving a core desulfurizing process and an ionic liquid extraction desulfurizing process as either a pre-treating step or post-treating step to the core process. The Product Heavy Marine Fuel Oil is compliant with ISO 8217 for residual marine fuel oils and has a sulfur level has a maximum sulfur content (ISO 14596 or ISO 8754) between the range of 0.05% wt. to 0.5% wt.

There are two basic marine fuel oil types, distillate based marine fuel oil and residual based marine fuel oil. Distillate based marine fuel oil, also known as Marine Gas Oil (MGO) or Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) comprises petroleum fractions separated from crude oil in a refinery via a distillation process. Gasoil (also known as medium diesel) is a petroleum distillate intermediate in boiling range and viscosity between kerosene and lubricating oil containing a mixture of C10 to C19 aliphatic hydrocarbons. Gasoil is used to heat homes and is used for heavy equipment such as cranes, bulldozers, generators, bobcats, tractors and combine harvesters. Generally maximizing gasoil recovery from residues is the most economic use of the materials by refiners because they can crack gas oils into valuable gasoline and distillates. Diesel oils are very similar to gas oils with diesel containing predominantly contain a mixture of C10 to C19 hydrocarbons, which include approximately 64% aliphatic hydrocarbons, 1-2% olefinic hydrocarbons, and 35% aromatic hydrocarbons. Marine Diesels may contain up to 15% residual process streams, and optionally up to no more than 5% volume of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (asphaltenes). Diesel fuels are primarily utilized as a land transport fuel and as blending component with kerosene to form aviation jet fuel.
Residual based fuel oils or Heavy Marine Fuel Oil (HMFO) comprises a mixture of process residues—the fractions that don't boil or vaporize even under vacuum conditions, and have an asphaltenes content between 3 and 20 percent by weight. Asphaltenes are large and complex polycyclic hydrocarbons with a propensity to form complex and waxy precipitates. Once asphaltenes have precipitated out, they are notoriously difficult to re-dissolve and are described as fuel tank sludge in the marine shipping industry and marine bunker fueling industry.
Large ocean-going ships have relied upon HMFO to power large two stroke diesel engines for over 50 years. HMFO is a blend of aromatics, distillates, and residues generated in the crude oil refinery process. Typical streams included in the formulation of HMFO include: atmospheric tower bottoms (i.e. atmospheric residues), vacuum tower bottoms (i.e. vacuum residues) visbreaker residue, FCC Light Cycle Oil (LCO), FCC Heavy Cycle Oil (HCO) also known as FCC bottoms, FCC Slurry Oil, heavy gas oils and delayed cracker oil (DCO), polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons, reclaimed land transport motor oils and small portions (less than 20% by volume) of cutter oil, kerosene or diesel to achieve a desired viscosity. HMFO has an aromatic content higher than the marine distillate fuels noted above. The HMFO composition is complex and varies with the source of crude oil and the refinery processes utilized to extract the most value out of a barrel of crude oil. The mixture of components is generally characterized as being viscous, high in sulfur and metal content, and high in asphaltenes making HMFO the one product of the refining process that has a per barrel value less than the feedstock crude oil itself.
Industry statistics indicate that about 90% of the HMFO sold contains 3.5 weight % sulfur. With an estimated total worldwide consumption of HMFO of approximately 300 million tons per year, the annual production of sulfur dioxide by the shipping industry is estimated to be over 21 million tons per year. Emissions from HMFO burning in ships contribute significantly to both global air pollution and local air pollution levels.
MARPOL, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, as administered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was enacted to prevent pollution from ships. In 1997, a new annex was added to MARPOL; the Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships—Annex VI to minimize airborne emissions from ships (SOx, NOx, ODS, VOC) and their contribution to air pollution. A revised Annex VI with tightened emissions limits was adopted in October 2008 having effect on 1 Jul. 2010 (hereafter called Annex VI (revised) or simply Annex VI).
MARPOL Annex VI (revised) established a set of stringent emissions limits for vessel operations in designated Emission Control Areas (ECAs). The ECAs under MARPOL Annex VI (revised) are: i) Baltic Sea area—as defined in Annex I of MARPOL—SOx only; ii) North Sea area—as defined in Annex V of MARPOL—SOx only; iii) North American—as defined in Appendix VII of Annex VI of MARPOL—SOx, NOx and PM; and, iv) United States Caribbean Sea area—as defined in Appendix VII of Annex VI of MARPOL—SOx, NOx and PM.
Annex VI (revised) was codified in the United States by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). Under the authority of APPS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA), in consultation with the United States Coast Guard (USCG), promulgated regulations which incorporate by reference the full text of MARPOL Annex VI (revised). See 40 C.F.R. § 1043.100(a)(1). On Aug. 1, 2012 the maximum sulfur content of all marine fuel oils used onboard ships operating in US waters/ECA cannot exceed 1.00% wt. (10,000 ppm) and on Jan. 1, 2015 the maximum sulfur content of all marine fuel oils used in the North American ECA was lowered to 0.10% wt. (1,000 ppm). At the time of implementation, the United States government indicated that vessel operators must vigorously prepare for the 0.10% wt. (1,000 ppm) US ECA marine fuel oil sulfur standard. To encourage compliance, the EPA and USCG refused to consider the cost of compliant low sulfur fuel oil to be a valid basis for claiming that compliant fuel oil was not available for purchase. For the past five years there has been a very strong economic incentive to meet the marine industry demands for low sulfur HMFO, however technically viable solutions have not been realized. There is an on-going and urgent demand for processes and methods for making a low sulfur HMFO compliant with MARPOL Annex VI emissions requirements.
The Annex VI (revised) also sets global limits on sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts and particulate matter and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances, such as hydro-chlorofluorocarbons. Under the revised MARPOL Annex VI, the global sulfur cap for HMFO was reduced to 3.50% wt. effective 1 Jan. 2012; then further reduced to 0.50% wt, effective 1 Jan. 2020. This regulation has been the subject of much discussion in both the marine shipping and marine fuel bunkering industry. Under the global limit, all ships must use HMFO with a sulfur content of not over 0.50% wt. The IMO has repeatedly indicated to the marine shipping industry that notwithstanding availability of compliant fuel or the price of compliant fuel, compliance with the 0.50% wt. sulfur limit for HMFO will occur on 1 Jan. 2020 and that the IMO expects the fuel oil market to solve this requirement. There has been a very strong economic incentive to meet the international marine industry demands for low sulfur HMFO, however technically viable solutions have not been realized. There is an on-going and urgent demand for processes and methods for making a low sulfur HMFO compliant with MARPOL Annex VI emissions requirements.
IMO Regulation 14 provides both the limit values and the means to comply. These may be divided into methods termed primary (in which the formation of the pollutant is avoided) or secondary (in which the pollutant is formed but removed prior to discharge of the exhaust gas stream to the atmosphere). There are no guidelines regarding any primary methods (which could encompass, for example, onboard blending of liquid fuel oils or dual fuel (gas/liquid) use). In secondary control methods, guidelines (MEPC.184(59)) have been adopted for exhaust gas cleaning systems; in using such arrangements there would be no constraint on the sulfur content of the fuel oils as bunkered other than that given the system's certification. For numerous technical and economic reasons, secondary controls have been rejected by major shipping companies and not widely adopted in the marine shipping industry. Using secondary controls is not seen as practical solution by the marine shipping industry.
Primary Control Solutions:
A focus for compliance with the MARPOL requirements has been on primary control solutions for reducing the sulfur levels in marine fuel components prior to combustion based on the substitution of HMFO with alternative fuels. However, the switch from HMFO to alternative fuels poses a range of issues for vessel operators, many of which are still not understood by either the shipping industry or the refining industry. Because of the potential risks to ships propulsion systems (i.e. fuel systems, engines, etc.) when a ship switches fuel, the conversion process must be done safely and effectively to avoid any technical issues. However, each alternative fuel has both economic and technical difficulties adapting to the decades of shipping infrastructure and bunkering systems based upon HMFO utilized by the marine shipping industry.
LNG:
The most prevalent primary control solution in the shipping industry is the adoption of LNG as a primary or additive fuel to HMFO. An increasing number of ships are using liquified natural gas (LNG) as a primary fuel. Natural gas as a marine fuel for combustion turbines and in diesel engines leads to negligible sulfur oxide emissions. The benefits of natural gas have been recognized in the development by IMO of the International Code for Ships using Gases and other Low Flashpoint Fuels (the IGF Code), which was adopted in 2015. LNG however presents the marine industry with operating challenges including: onboard storage of a cryogenic liquid in a marine environment will require extensive renovation and replacement of the bunker fuel storage and fuel transfer systems of the ship; the supply of LNG is far from ubiquitous in major world ports; updated crew qualifications and training on operating LNG or duel fuel engines will be required prior to going to sea.
Sulfur Free Bio-Fuels:
Another proposed primary solution for obtaining compliance with the MARPOL requirements is the substitution of HMFO with sulfur free bio-fuels. Bio-diesel has had limited success in displacing petroleum derived diesel however supply remains constrained. Methanol has been used on some short sea services in the North Sea ECA on ferries and other littoral ships. The wide spread adoption of bio-fuel, such as bio-diesel or methanol, present many challenges to ship owners and the bunker fuel industry. These challenges include: fuel system compatibility and adaptation of existing fuel systems will be required; contamination during long term storage of methanol and biodiesel from water and biological contamination; the heat content of methanol and bio-diesel on a per ton basis is substantially lower than HMFO; and methanol has a high vapor pressure and presents serious safety concerns of flash fires.
Replacement of Heavy Fuel Oil with Marine Gas Oil or Marine Diesel:
A third proposed primary solution is to simply replace HMFO with marine gas oil (MGO) or marine diesel (MDO). The first major difficulty is the constraint in global supply of distillate materials that make up over 90% vol of MGO and MDO. It is reported that the effective spare capacity to produce MGO is less than 100 million metric tons per year resulting in an annual shortfall in marine fuel of over 200 million metric tons per year. Refiners not only lack the capacity to increase the production of MGO, but they have no economic motivation because higher value and higher margins can be obtained from ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel for land-based transportation systems (i.e. trucks, trains, mass transit systems, heavy construction equipment, etc.).
Blending:
Another primary solution is the blending of HMFO with lower sulfur containing fuels such as low sulfur marine diesel (0.1% wt. sulfur) to achieve a Product HMFO with a sulfur content of 0.5% wt. In a straight blending approach (based on linear blending) every 1 ton of HSFO (3.5% wt. sulfur) requires 7.5 tons of MGO or MDO material with 0.1% wt. S to achieve a sulfur level of 0.5% wt. HMFO. One of skill in the art of fuel blending will immediately understand that blending hurts key properties of the HMFO, specifically viscosity and density are substantially altered. Further a blending process may cause a fuel with variable viscosity and density that may no longer meet the requirements for a HMFO.
Further complications may arise when blended HMFO is introduced into the bunkering infrastructure and shipboard systems otherwise designed for unblended HMFO. There is a real risk of incompatibility when the two fuels are mixed. Blending a mostly paraffinic-type distillate fuel (MGO or MDO) with a HMFO having a high aromatic content often correlates with poor solubility of asphaltenes. A blended fuel is likely to result in the precipitation of asphaltenes and/or highly paraffinic materials from the distillate material forming an intractable fuel tank sludge. Fuel tank sludge causes clogging of filters and separators, transfer pumps and lines, build-up of sludge in storage tanks, sticking of fuel injection pumps (deposits on plunger and barrel), and plugged fuel nozzles. Such a risk to the primary propulsion system is not acceptable for a cargo ship in the open ocean.
Lastly blending of HMFO with marine distillate products (MGO or MDO) is not economically feasible. A blender will be taking a high value product (0.1% S marine gas oil (MGO) or marine diesel (MDO)) and blending it 7.5 to 1 with a low value high sulfur HMFO to create a final IMO/MARPOL compliant HMFO (i.e. 0.5% wt. S Low Sulfur Heavy Marine Fuel Oil—LSHMFO). It is expected that LSHMFO will sell at a lower price on a per ton basis than the value of the two blending stocks alone.
Processing of Residual Oil.
For the past several decades, the focus of refining industry research efforts related to the processing of heavy oils (crude oils, distressed oils, or residual oils) has been on upgrading the properties of these low value refinery process oils to create lighter oils with greater value. The challenge has been that crude oil, distressed oil and residues can be unstable and contain high levels of sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorous, metals (especially vanadium and nickel) and asphaltenes. Much of the nickel and vanadium is in difficult to remove chelates with porphyrins. Vanadium and nickel porphyrins and other metal organic compounds are responsible for catalyst contamination and corrosion problems in the refinery. The sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorous, are removed because they are well-known poisons for the precious metal (platinum and palladium) catalysts utilized in the processes downstream of the atmospheric or vacuum distillation towers.
The difficulties treating atmospheric or vacuum residual streams has been known for many years and has been the subject of considerable research and investigation. Numerous residue-oil conversion processes have been developed in which the goals are same, 1) create a more valuable, preferably distillate range hydrocarbon product; and 2) concentrate the contaminates such as sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorous, metals and asphaltenes into a form (coke, heavy coker residue, FCC slurry oil) for removal from the refinery stream. Well known and accepted practice in the refining industry is to increase the reaction severity (elevated temperature and pressure) to produce hydrocarbon products that are lighter and more purified, increase catalyst life times and remove sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorous, metals and asphaltenes from the refinery stream.
It is also well known in these processes that the nature of the feedstock has a significant influence upon the products produced, catalyst life, and ultimately the economic viability of the process. In a representative technical paper Residual-Oil Hydrotreating Kinetics for Graded Catalyst Systems: Effects of Original and Treated Feedstocks, is stated that "The results revealed significant changes in activity, depending on the feedstock used for the tests. The study demonstrates the importance of proper selection of the feedstocks used in the performance evaluation and screening of candidate catalyst for graded catalyst systems for residual-oil hydrotreatment." From this one skilled in the art would understand that the conditions required for the successful hydroprocessing of atmospheric residue are not applicable for the successful hydroprocessing of vacuum residue which are not applicable for the successful hydroprocessing of a visbreaker residue, and so forth. Successful reaction conditions depend upon the feedstock. For this reason modern complex refineries have multiple hydroprocessing units, each unit being targeted on specific hydrocarbon stream with a focus on creating desirable and valuable light hydrocarbons and providing a product acceptable to the next downstream process.
A further difficulty in the processing of heavy oil residues and other heavy hydrocarbons is the inherent instability of each intermediate refinery stream. One of skill in the art understands there are many practical reasons each refinery stream is handled in isolation. One such reason is the unpredictable nature of the asphaltenes contained in each stream. Asphaltenes are large and complex hydrocarbons with a propensity to precipitate out of refinery hydrocarbon streams. One of skill in the art knows that even small changes in the components or physical conditions (temperature, pressure) can precipitate asphaltenes that were otherwise dissolved in solution. Once precipitated from solution, asphaltenes can quickly block vital lines, control valves, coat critical sensing devices (i.e. temperature and pressure sensors) and generally result in the severe and very costly disruption and shut down of a unit or the whole refinery. It has been a long-standing practice within refineries to not blend intermediate product streams (such as atmospheric residue, vacuum residue, FCC slurry oil, etc. . . . ) and process each stream in separate reactors.
Despite the strong governmental and economic incentives and needs of the international marine shipping industry, refiners have little economic reason to address the removal of environmental contaminates from HMFOs. Instead the global refining industry has been focused upon generating greater value from each barrel of oil by creating light hydrocarbons (i.e. diesel and gasoline) and concentrating the environmental contaminates into increasingly lower value streams (i.e. residues) and products (petroleum coke, HMFO). Shipping companies have focused on short term solutions, such as the installation of scrubbing units, or adopting the limited use of more expensive low sulfur marine diesel and marine gas oils as a substitute for HMFO. There remains a long standing and unmet need for processes and devices that remove the environmental contaminants (i.e. sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorous, metals especially vanadium and nickel) from HMFO without altering the qualities and properties that make HMFO the most economic and practical means of powering ocean going vessels. Further there remains a long standing and unmet need for IMO compliant low sulfur (i.e. 0.5% wt. sulfur) or ultralow (0.10 wt. sulfur) HMFO also compliant with the bulk properties required for a merchantable ISO 8217 HMFO.

Multi-stage device for reducing environmental contaminates in heavy marine fuel oil


Biomarkers and methods for screening expression levels of the biomarkers for predicting suicidality (referred herein to suicidal ideation and actions, future hospitalizations and suicide completion) are disclosed. Also disclosed are quantitative questionnaires and mobile applications for assessing affective state and for assessing socio-demographic and psychological suicide risk factors, and their use to compute scores that can predict suicidality. Finally, an algorithm that combines biomarkers and computer apps for identifying subjects who are at risk for committing suicide is disclosed, as well as methods to mitigate and prevent suicidality based on the biomarkers and computer apps.

The present disclosure relates generally to biomarkers and their use for predicting a subject's risk of suicidality (e.g., suicide ideation and actions, future hospitalization due to suicidality, and suicide completion). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to gene expression biomarkers, and to methods of screening for biomarkers, for identifying subjects who are at risk of committing suicide, as well as for preventing and treating subjects for suicidality. The present disclosure further relates to quantitative clinical information assessments through questionnaires and mobile applications (referred to herein as "apps") for assessing affective state (mood and anxiety), for assessing socio-demographic and psychological suicide risk factors, and for identifying subjects who are at risk of committing suicide. Finally, the present disclosure relates to an algorithm for combining biomarkers and apps for identifying subjects who are at risk for committing suicide.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in psychiatric patients, and in society at large. Particularly, suicide accounts for one million deaths worldwide each year. Worldwide, one person dies every 40 seconds through suicide, a potentially preventable cause of death. Further, although women have a lower rate of suicide completion as compared to men, due in part to the less-violent methods used, women have a higher rate of suicide attempts. A limiting step in the ability to intervene is the lack of objective, reliable predictors. One cannot just ask individuals if they are suicidal, as the desire to not be stopped or future impulsive changes of mind may make their self-report of feelings, thoughts and plans unreliable.
There are currently no objective tools to asses and track changes in suicidal risk without asking the subjects directly. Such tools, however, could prove substantially advantageous as the subjects at risk often choose not to share their suicidal ideation or intent with others, for fear of stigma, hospitalization, or that their plans will be thwarted. The ability to asses and track changes in suicidal risk without asking a subject directly would further allow for intervening prior to suicide attempt and suicide completion by the subject.
Conventionally, a convergence of methods assessing the subject's internal subjective feelings and thoughts, along with external, more objective, ratings of actions and behaviors, are used de facto in clinical practice, albeit not in a formalized and systematic way. Accordingly, there exists a need to develop more quantitative and objective ways for predicting and tracking suicidal states. More particularly, it would be advantageous if objective tools and screening methods could be developed for determining expression levels of biomarkers to allow for determining suicidal risk and other psychotic depressed mood states, as well as monitoring a subject's response to treatments for lessening suicidal risk. The ability to asses and track changes in suicidal risk without asking a subject directly would further allow for intervening prior to suicide attempt and suicide completion by the subject.

Predicting suicidality using a combined genomic and clinical risk assessment

Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation


The present invention is directed to an aerated composition comprising, in a physiologically acceptable medium, an oily phase dispersed in an aqueous phase, characterized in that it contains air or inert gas in a sufficient amount to have a relative density ranging from about 0.2 to about 0.9 (g/cm3) measured at a temperature of approximately 25° C. and at atmospheric pressure, and in that it comprises at least one modified starch, at least one emulsifier, and at least one oil-dispersible structuring agent.

Creams are conventionally composed of an emulsion. Emulsions comprise an aqueous phase and an oily phase dispersed in one another. Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, the external phase of which is the aqueous phase, are more particularly desired because they contribute more freshness on application than water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions comprising an oily external phase. Their feel and their application seem to be less greasy than those of a W/O emulsion. In addition, they make possible a high level of moisturizing, which is particularly useful in caring for dry skin or lips.
In order to confer a novel texture on emulsions, attempts have been made to introduce a gas, generally air, therein in order to confer on them a light texture and to give them the appearance of foam. This is what is known as aeration. The aerated emulsions obtained are appreciated for their lightness on skin feel and ease of application, more specifically on ease of spreadability without dragginess. Nevertheless, they exhibit the disadvantage of being relatively unstable because of their low relative density and thus of separating out after a certain storage time. The document CH-A-674,804 discloses stabilization of an aerated cosmetic cream comprising an inert gas or air by the addition of an aqueous solution of a protein of animal origin. However, the use of such proteins is avoided in cosmetics.
Furthermore, the document JP-A-56/079613 discloses stable aerated surfactant-free compositions comprising from 5 to 20% of waxes, preferably waxes with a high melting point. The emulsions obtained are then stable but exhibit cosmetic properties which are unacceptable to the user. This is because these compositions comprise very little water and therefore lack freshness when applied to the skin. In addition, they comprise a significant amount of humectants, such as glycerol, which leads to a feeling of stickiness to the touch. In addition, the use of a wax with a high melting point in an amount of 5% results in heavy textures which are very difficult to apply to the skin.
The need thus remains for an emulsion which has the appearance of foam, while comprising a large amount of water, and which is fresh and not sticky when applied to the skin.


A fishing hook assembly including a connector for maintaining two J-shaped fishing hooks connected in tandem in axial alignment and occupying a common plane. The connector comprises a wire coiled in the center to define an eye. At both ends of the coil forming the eye, the wire projects outwardly to form parallel arms each terminating in a bent finger or hook. The arms are of unequal length. The two bent fingers are disposed perpendicularly to one another prior to installation. Each bent finger occupies a plane perpendicular to the other, and also perpendicular to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil. After assembly, the eye of the connector encircles the rod of the leading hook. The short arm projects forwardly to engage the rod of the leading hook by its respective bent finger. The long arm projects to the rear to engage the rod of the trailing hook by its respective bent finger.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fishing hook and more particularly to a fishing hook having plural piercing points. Still more specifically, the invention provides a connector for maintaining a trailer hook in operable orientation relative to a leading hook, while still enabling some relative motion therebetween to facilitate assembly of the fishing hooks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When fishing with spoons, spinner baits, or lures that require constant movement, the fisherman frequently encounters fish which strike at the tail of the lure, missing the hook. A traditional response to this situation is to attach a trailing hook. However, this response generates its own problems. The second hook must be maintained in an effective orientation with respect to the first hook.
It is preferable that two hooks connected in tandem be maintained in axial alignment and also in a common plane. The prior art has suggested apparatus for maintaining a trailing hook at a desired orientation with respect to a leading hook. An example is seen in U.S. Pat No. 4,569,148, issued to Wallace W. Kemp on Feb. 11, 1986. Kemp's device comprises a wire spine to which two hooks are secured by coils of wire. By contrast, the present invention lacks two coils of wire serving as encircling ties. The present invention has two hooks, which will be referred to as bent fingers to avoid confusion with the pointed hooks utilized to engage fish, the bent fingers being disposed at opposing ends of a common wire.
U.S. Pat No. 2,443,753, issued to Victor Tusa on Jun. 22, 1948, describes a fishing lure having a flattened rod which holds a second hook to a first hook. This rod has two holes formed therein. Each fishing hook passes through one of the two holes. By contrast, the present invention lacks holes, relying instead upon bent fingers each one of which engages the straight section of one hook. The common wire bearing the two bent fingers is coiled at the center. This coil surrounds the leading fishing hook.
U.S. Pat No. 2,908,990, issued to Harry J. Rimbach on Oct. 20, 1959, describes a fishing hook arrangement wherein one hook terminates at an eye. This eye is slipped over the leading hook. Unlike the present invention, there is no separate wire member engaging each hook and holding the two hooks resiliently in a predetermined mutual orientation.
U.S. Pat No. 3,803,747, issued to Earl Cartwright on Apr. 16, 1974, illustrates a fishing hook terminating in an eye and engaging a leading fishing hook by encirclement. Unlike the present invention, no connector maintains the two hooks in a predetermined mutual orientation.
Thus it will be seen that the prior art has not provided readily removable apparatus for maintaining tandem fishing hooks axially aligned and occupying a common plane. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

Connector for leading and trailing fishing hooks


Techniques are described that enable enterprise management of public instant message (IM) communications. When a user requests a connection with a public IM service, the connection request is redirected to a gateway server that is associated with a domain specified in the user's user ID. The gateway server acts as a pass through server between the user's IM client application and the public IM service. The gateway server may be configured to log IM communications in which the user participates. The gateway server may also be configured to control whether or not the user is able to participate in point-to-point communications through the user's IM client application. An enterprise routing server may also be implemented in a geo-distributed enterprise to route a redirected public IM connection request to an enterprise IM gateway server based on a geographic location associated with the user.

Instant messaging (IM) has become a popular means of communication that, unlike email, enables users to engage in real-time digital conversations. Due to the ease with which digital communication can occur using instant messaging, some companies have begun allowing their employees to communicate company information via IM. As with email, many companies desire the ability to log the content of instant message communications in which their employees participate. This may be achieved for instances in which two employees of the same company participate in an instant message conversation while both logged into an instant messaging application that is provided by a company server. For example, a company may have Microsoft's Live Communication Server installed on a company network, which then enables communication between clients connected to the network using, for example, Microsoft's Windows Messenger. For example, two employees may log onto the company network using their computers at work or through a virtual private network (VPN) connection and use Microsoft's Windows Messenger to communicate with each other via instant messaging. Because the IM communication is enabled using software on the company network, such communication may be logged using additional software installed on the same network.
As described above, companies have the ability to log IM communications if all of the conversation participants are logged into the company network. This is insufficient in many cases, however, due to the fact that employees may be communicating with clients at other companies or may be wanting to communicate via IM from locations other than work, such as from home or while on travel, such as at an Internet kiosk in an airport. In such a scenario, an employee may log into an IM client, such as MSN Messenger, that is available over the Internet and participate in IM conversations as an employee of the company, but there is no way for the company to record a log of the conversation or to apply corporate policies in regard to the employee establishing the public IM connection. This is of great concern, especially in industries such as finance or healthcare, where communications by employees representing a company may be confidential or otherwise sensitive.
In addition to real-time digital conversations, many public IM services also provide the ability for two or more users connected to the public IM service to establish direct point-to-point connections (also commonly referred to as peer-to-peer connections). A point-to-point connection enables the users to exchange files and other data directly, without going through the public IM service.
Point-to-point communications raise an additional level of concern for companies in that a company has no control over what data an individual may be sharing while representing themselves as a company employee (via a user ID associated with the company).
Accordingly, a need exists for a company to have the ability to log instant message conversations that a user participates in while logged in as a company employee, regardless of whether or not the user is connected through a company controlled network. Alternatively, or additionally, a need exists for a company to have the ability to restrict participation in instant message conversations by employees who log into an instant message server from outside of a company controlled network. Furthermore, a need exists for companies to control whether or not their employees are allowed to participate in point-to-point communications, as enabled through an instant messaging client application.

Enterprise management of public instant message communications


A method, system, computer program product, and data structure for processing requests for services in a networked data processing system is provided. In one embodiment a request is received by a service provider. The request includes defined allowable actions and request definition compositions. The request also includes a plurality of actions wherein the relationships between the plurality of actions are defined. The service provider processes the plurality of actions according to the defined relationships and generates a response.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to computer software and more specifically to methods for facilitating business to business interactions in electronic commerce.
2. Description of Related Art
Automating business to business interactions is an important problem in electronic commerce. With the increase in the automation of internal business processes of organizations, there is a demand for building systems to address the issues of seamlessly automating long running business to business interactions. Several approaches have been adopted to address this problem.
Currently, there are peer business applications that interact through simple request/response interactions. The communications between the businesses are guided by well defined protocols for exchanging the requests and responses. The request/response interactions may be either synchronous or asynchronous. An example of a synchronous interaction could be a HTTP request by one business, which triggers a business process inside the peer business system and finally gets a response when the processing of the request is completed. Alternatively, asynchronous requests and responses are sent as separate messages, i.e., the server processes a request asynchronously, and sends a response back to the requester.
For example, referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a typical prior art business-to-business interaction is depicted. In the prior art, a business A 102, implemented as a data processor, sent a request 106 to business B 104, also implemented as a data processor. Business B 104 then sent an acknowledgment 108 back to business A 102 and then a response 110. The second request 112 is then sent from business A 102 to business B 104. This second request 112 may depend on the results of the response 110 to the first request 106. Business B 104 then sends an acknowledgment 114 back to business A 102 and then a response 116 after the request 112 has been processed.
Electronic service contracts help simplify the setting up of long standing business relationships. Electronic service contracts may define either synchronous or asynchronous processes. Synchronous refers to events that are synchronized, or coordinated, in time, whereas, in contrast, asynchronous refers to events that are not synchronized, or coordinated, in time. An example of asynchronous interaction could be requests made using the Coyote Business Process Framework as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,290 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Contracts explicitly specify the messages that are exchanged for requests and responses. The Coyote business process framework provides a base for setting up and conducting long running asynchronous transactions.
All of the approaches described above require the exchange of several messages back and forth for each process (each process may include multiple requests) before a desired result could be achieved. Typically an alternative action or a successive action is requested only after the results of the preceding action are known to the requesting business. This results in long delays and longer connectivity between the partners.
Thus, for example, business A 102 may be an agent purchasing airline tickets and hotel accommodations for a traveler. However, suppose the traveler is unwilling to travel unless airline tickets are obtained for less than a specified amount. Business A 102 must then await the response related to the request for airline tickets before submitting the request for hotel accommodations. However, such a wait is time consuming and also may result in hotel accommodations at a preferred location becoming unavailable during periods of high demand.
Among the other models that address the business to business interactions are mobile agents that are dispatched from one business to another. The mobile agents are software defined by a programming language or a scripting language which can be executed or interpreted by the node at which the agent is deployed. The peer business system then executes the logic packaged into the mobile agent and then responds with the results of the actions.
Prior art approaches to solve this problem have tried to use mobile agent technology as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, mobile agents 206 and 208, which are arbitrary programs written in high-level programming languages, contain the logic for generating multiple requests 210 to be performed by business B 204, the decision logic to be adopted after the outcome of each action, as well as generating the final responses 212. There are many problems however with this scenario as illustrated by Stefan Pleisch in IBM Research Report RZ 3152 State of the Art of Mobile Agent Computing—Security, Fault Tolerance, and Transaction Support, IBM Zurich Research Lab, 1999.
First, there is the problem of persistence and fault-tolerance. The mobile agent depends on the mobile agent execution system to provide persistent storage and tolerance to faults. This is especially essential in an ecommerce setting since ecommerce interactions are typically long-running and may take days or even weeks. However, the state to be made persistent in mobile agents is not explicitly defined and it is difficult for a server business to give any kind of guarantees.
Second, there is the problem of transaction support. Ecommerce interactions often require ACID transaction guarantees or possibly weaker transaction guarantees across multiple requests (may use compensating transactions). Again, the mobile agent execution system would have to provide these support to the mobile agent. This is difficult to do since the server system does not have an explicit understanding of the mobile agent code.
Third, there is the problem of resource control. An arbitrary piece of Java code may invoke any actions in an uncontrolled manner leaving the mobile agent execution system responsible for determining the access control policies. Again, this is difficult to achieve in a mobile agent setting because of the lack of well-defined, mutually-agreed-on policies (contracts) between the server and client.
Fourth, there is the problem of complexity. Writing a mobile agent is a non-trivial task requiring programming in a programming language. It is also procedural rather than declarative in style (for mobile agents written in imperative languages). The business logic may not require this full complexity and it does not make the composition semantics explicit as in a declarative style.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system and data structure for processing service requests such that recovery of previous steps is possible after failure and, additionally, in a manner that does not compromise the security of the computer receiving the requests.

System and method for composite business interactions in electronic commerce

International Business Machines Corporation


A composition comprising a mixture of coarse and fine iron powder and at least one densification enhancing additive for economically producing metal injection molding components.

This invention relates generally to the metal injection molding (MIM) industry, and more specifically, to a composition for use in MIM processes.
MIM processes have generally been expensive in the past due to the relatively high cost of the fine metal powders used in such processes. This cost is about an order of magnitude higher than that of more coarse powders used in conventional press and sinter powder metallurgical processes.
These fine powders have heretofore been considered necessary because the fine particle size provides an extremely high particle surface area. This high surface area is a primary factor in known MIM compositions and processes to allow for densification to a level sufficient to provide satisfactory mechanical and physical properties in the parts produced by MIM processes. Molded and debinderized MIM components typically have about 35-40% porosity and a large amount of shrinkage, or densification, is necessary to reduce the porosity of the finished component to about 1-5% in order to obtain the requisite properties.
The use of more coarse powders, such as those commonly used in powder metallurgy processes, or a mixture of coarse and fine powders, is possible using known MIM compositions. However, the use of coarse powders theoretically requires extending sintering times as much as 10,000 times the time required for fine powders in order to achieve the requisite densification. Therefore, it is desirable, in order to make MIM components more economical to produce, to provide a composition which will allow the use of fine and coarse powders in MIM processes without requiring such extended sintering times.
Known MIM compositions and processes utilize grain boundary or surface diffusion controlled sintering processes. These processes depend on surface energy as the driving force for sintering. Therefore, the fine MIM-type powders exhibit greater shrinkage than the coarser P/M-type powders because of the larger surface area which is characteristic of the fine MIM-type powders. While these surface energy dependent solid state sintering processes work well with the fine powder compositions presently used in MIM processes, new compositions and processes are needed to take advantage of the economic benefits of using coarse powders.

Composition and process for metal injection molding


The disclosure provides a bicycle rear derailleur including a linkage assembly, a chain guiding assembly, a first assembling component, a first elastic component and a locking mechanism. The linkage assembly is a four-link mechanism and includes a fixed component, a movable component, a first link and a second link. The chain guiding assembly is pivotably connected to the movable component. The first assembling component is pivotably connected to the movable component and disposed between the first assembling component and the chain guiding assembly. The opposite ends of the first elastic component are respectively fixed to the movable component and the first assembling component so as to provide a torque that allows the first assembling component to be pivotable with respect to the movable component.

In recent years, riding bicycle becomes one of the popular sport, causing the bicycle market flourished. In order to meet requirements of users, the manufacturers have improved the function and the equipment of a bicycle. In general, the bicycle has a chain ring and a cassette, and the chain ring and the cassette are connected to each other via a chain. When the user steps on pedals of the bicycle, the chain ring is rotated to rotate the cassette via the chain. As such, the rear wheel of the bicycle is driven by the cassette to allow the bicycle to move forward. In addition, the bicycle also has a front derailleur and a rear derailleur. The user can adjust the gear ratio between the front derailleur and the rear derailleur according to the road condition.
However, the conventional of the rear derailleurs are inconvenient for being detached and the removal of the bicycle chain as well. In detail, there is a torsion spring disposed between a four-link mechanism and a chain guiding assembly of the rear derailleur for keep tension on the chain, thus the removal of the chain or the rear derailleur requires to loosen the chain. To do so, the user has to pivot the chain guiding assembly in a way that overcomes the elastic force of the torsion spring and to plug a pin to fix the chain guiding assembly in position at the same time. This operation should be performed by two hands, which is inconvenient to the user and is a problem desired to be solved.


When a movement of a sight point of a virtual camera along a line of sight thereof in a virtual game space is completed, an image representing the virtual game space is taken by the virtual camera and the image is used as a reference image. At the same time, started is a measurement of elapsed time since the generation of the reference image. Next, shifted images are generated based on the reference image, and a shift width representing a space on a screen between the reference image and each of the shifted images is determined in accordance with the elapsed time. An image is generated such that each of the shifted images is displaced from a position of the reference image on the screen by the shift width in a predetermined direction and the generated image is displayed on the screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage medium having a game program stored thereon and a game apparatus, and more particularly to a rendering process for a background image in a virtual game space.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, a three-dimensional game using a three-dimensional computer graphics technology has been widespread with a computer incorporated in a game system having an enhanced performance. In the three-dimensional game, objects of polygons such as a player object and topography objects are disposed in a three-dimensional game space so as to represent, on a three-dimensional game screen, a state of the game space seen from a predetermined point of view.
As a rendering method for rendering a background in a player's (virtual camera's) field of vision in a game for allowing the player to operate a player character in the aforementioned virtual space, the following method can be used. In the method, an α value is set for each pixel in accordance with a depth value (Z value) of the pixel of an original image rendered as a background. A blurred image corresponding to the original image is generated. The original image is combined with the blurred image based on the α value so as to render the combined image. This method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-175884 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1).
In the rendering method disclosed in Patent Document 1, a combination ratio between the original image and the blurred image can be changed against the depth value, whereby it is possible to represent a depth of field and the like. However, such a method fails in rendering, with reality, the background which quickly changes in accordance with the character being operated in the virtual space. Specifically, for example, when a person quickly turns backward, the background quickly changes, so that he or she cannot quickly focus his or her eyes in the real world. That is, he or she gradually focuses his or her eyes as time passes. Human eyes have such characteristics. However, the rendering method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not based on such characteristics of human eyes. The combination ratio between the original image and the blurred image changes against only the depth value. Therefore, when the depth value is unchanged, the constant depth of field is used to render the background regardless of how the background is changed. Accordingly, the image lacks reality when seen with human eyes.

Storage medium having game program stored thereon and game apparatus


An optical transceiver can be calibrated using an internal receiver side eye scan generator, and calibration values (e.g., modulator values) can be stored in memory for recalibration of the optical transceiver. The eye scan generator can receive data from the transmitter portion via an integrated and reconfigurable loopback path. At a later time, different calibration values can be accessed in memory and used to recalibrate the optical transceiver or update the calibrated values using the receive-side eye scan generator operating in loopback mode.

Modern high-speed integrated circuits have complex architectures, with millions of components such as transistors that operate in concert to transmit data at multi-gigabit data rates required by modern communication networks. One of the critical steps of manufacturing such devices is the testing and calibration of the high-speed devices to ensure the devices do not fail at a later point in time (after integration into a product). One issue with testing and calibration of such high-speed devices stems from the modern design process, in which different components of the device are designed by different companies as "off the shelf" components. To this end, automatic test equipment (ATE) can be implemented by the device engineers to efficiently test high-speed designs at the chip and wafer level. Generally, an ATE system includes one or more computer-controlled equipment or modules that interface with the device under test (DUT) to perform stress testing and analyze individual components with minimal human interaction. Current ATE systems that are configured for electronic or semiconductor devices are not configured to provide rapid testing and calibration of some modern hybrid high-speed devices, such as optical transceivers that process both electricity and light to achieve higher data rates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Some embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus to achieve a layout that is compatible with a multiple-patterning process. Two or more unit cells are constructed with layouts which satisfy the properties of the multiple-patterning process, and are each decomposed into two or more colors to support the multiple-patterning process. An active layout feature is merged with a dummy wire at a shared boundary between two unit cells. In the event of a short between two active layout features at the shared boundary, an automatic post-layout method can rearrange the layout features in a vicinity of the shared boundary to separate the active layout features to achieve cell functionality while satisfying the multiple-patterning properties.

Moore's Law scaling dictates that the number of transistors within an integrated circuit (IC) essentially double from technology node to technology node, and consequently the chip area required to for a fixed number of transistors be cut in half for silicon cost savings and increased performance. This drives a decrease the minimum feature pitch within the IC for increased feature density. To achieve this, multiple-patterning processes may be utilized in for patterning of features formed on front-end-of-line (FEOL) layers (e.g., polysilicon gate materials) and back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers (e.g., metal wiring) in advanced technology node semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


An electric propulsion unit can include a propeller for producing thrust, a motor for driving the propeller, and a fuel cell for supplying electric power to drive the motor. The fuel cell can include a fuel cell stack for generating power and a fuel tank for feeding fuel to the fuel cell stack.

1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to propulsion units for watercraft, and more particularly, electric propulsion units mountdable on boats.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some boats utilize an outboard motor as a propulsion device. Most outboard motors include an internal combustion engine driving a propeller for generating thrust. In these arrangements, a fuel tank for the internal combustion engine is disposed in the watercraft and is connected to the internal combustion engine with a flexible fuel line.
Other types of outboard motors utilize an electric motor for driving the propeller. Most of these types of outboard motors are configured for low power output and thus are typically used for "trolling." These types of outboard motors usually have a small control unit disposed at a top portion of the outboard motors, with a control handle extending outwardly therefrom. These motors are typically connected to a battery inside the associated watercraft. For example, Japanese Patent Document JP-A-Hei 9-164999 (pp. 1–11, FIGS. 1–13) discloses such an electric outboard motor.


To eliminate interruption of a service used by a user and reset of communication caused by switching of an operating server such as a process migration or the like. On receiving a session migration start request, server/network cooperation control means 2 issues an operating server-switching control start notification to an operating server switching control means 3 (step S702). On receiving the operating server switching control start notification, the operating server switching control means 3 switches an operating server. Next, on receiving an operating server switching control completion notification, the server/network cooperation control means 2 sends a connection destination target network-switching request to a connection control means 4 (step S707). The connection control means 4 switches the connection destination target network of the user corresponding to a user name whose connection destination target network is to be switched, from a target network including a main server to a switch destination target network including a backup server (step S708).

When a disaster such as power failure, fire, or the like, by which a data center is affected in its entirety, occurs, a disaster recovery technology is used to enable a user who executes business through a server connected to him from a remote place, to continuously execute the business. A conventional disaster recovery technology (technology for avoiding failure caused by disaster) includes a method of switching an operating server, which provides service, to a remote server by using technology such as a dual operation, a process migration, or the like.
As shown in a patent document 1, the process migration is a technology for migrating a program operating on a computer to another computer while maintaining the executing status of the program and causing the program to be continuously executed in the same status as that in the original computer.
Further, as shown in a patent document 2, there are also known a VLAN switching technology and the like in which a gateway of a user site switches the connection destination VLAN of a user, as a technology for switching the connection destination target network of the user that has accessed to a main server to a backup server and switching an operating server while maintaining a connection between the user and the server or between the user and a process.
Patent documents 3, 5 and 6 disclose technologies for migrating an IP address when a current system is switched to a waiting system in a dual operation arrangement. Further, a patent document 4 discloses a technology in which a client executes communication by converting a connection destination IP address from a virtual IP address to an actual IP address, and, when failure occurs, the actual IP address to be converted is switched from an actual IP address of a current (main) system to an actual IP address of a waiting (backup) system.    Patent document 1: JP-A-08-329025    Patent document 2: JP-2003-375352 (JP-A-2005-142702)    Patent document 3: JP-A-08-335198    Patent document 4: JP-A-09-034814    Patent document 5: JP-A-09-091233    Patent document 6: JP-A-10-320323

Method of migrating processes between networks and network system thereof


Methods for treating a bioprosthetic tissue are described herein. The methods comprise contacting the bioprosthetic tissue with at least one nucleophile and/or at least one electrophile in the presence of a catalytic system comprising at least one or a combination of a fluoride-based salt, a cesium-based salt, a potassium-based salt, a rubidium-based salt, or a carbonate-based salt. The methods may be used to alter functional groups on biological tissue which represent actual and potential calcium binding sites and also processes for cross-linking bioprosthetic tissue. Both processes may be used in conjunction with known fixative techniques, such as glutaraldehyde fixation, or may be used to replace known fixative techniques.

Significant challenges are presented by the use of non-autologous tissue in bioprosthetic implants. Chief among the challenges are preventing immunological rejection of the bioprosthetic implant by the host and calcification of the tissue, which results in the undesirable stiffening and degradation of the tissue. Immunological rejection and calcification are particularly problematic for bioprosthetic heart valves, as calcification of valve leaflets after implantation will adversely affect its ability to maintain a one-way flow of blood and prevent undesirable leaking or regurgitation of blood.
Glutaraldehyde has long been the reagent of choice for fixing and sterilizing tissue intended for bioprosthetic implants. The use of glutaraldehyde for fixing bioprosthetic tissue, however, has many significant disadvantages. Because glutaraldehyde tends to polymerize in solution, glutaraldehyde-fixed tissues are often characterized as having residual aldehyde groups associated with the fixed tissue.
Additionally, glutaraldehyde reacts with the free amines in the tissue to generate labile Schiff bases. Both the residual aldehydes and Schiff bases in glutaraldehyde-fixed tissues represent potential calcium binding sites that may lead to in vivo calcification. Moreover, because glutaraldehyde is cytotoxic, it inhibits the desired cellular in-growth and integration of the implanted and glutaraldehyde-treated bioprosthetic tissue.
What is therefore needed are strategies that may be used in place of, or in conjunction with, glutaraldehyde fixation for mitigating some of the undesirable interactions between implanted bioprosthetic tissue and the host.

Methods for treating bioprosthetic tissue using a nucleophile/electrophile in a catalytic system


A CRC calculating unit calculates a DCS code for a DA field to a DATA field and an FCS code for the DA field to a DCS field. A DCS checking unit outputs a DCS check result with a calculated DCS code and a DCS code in the DCS field to a terminal operating unit. An FCS checking unit outputs an FCS check result with a calculated FCS code and an FCS code in the FCS field to an FCS converting unit. The FCS checking unit determines whether to forward through the frame or to forward the frame by storing the calculated FCS code in the FCS field based on the FCS check result. The terminal operating unit determines a processing mode based on the DCS check result.

Conventionally, there has been developed various technologies for detecting an error in a communication frame using a CRC (cyclic redundancy check). For example, the IEEE Standard 802.5 Token Ring, which is a ring-shaped network, is composed of a single master node device and a plurality of slave node devices. If a received frame is in a normal condition, each of the slave node devices transmits a frame in which data and a BCC (Block Check Character) are scrambled in a legitimate manner. If the received frame is in an abnormal condition (i.e., an error is detected in the frame), each of the slave node devices transmits a frame in which data and a BCC are scrambled in a manner different from the legitimate manner. Namely, once any of the slave node devices detects an error in a frame, the slave node device circulates a frame that causes an error every time the other slave node devices descramble the frame in a legitimate manner, so that an error occurs in the subsequent slave node devices, and also the master node device can recognize the occurrence of the error (for example, see patent document 1).
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-37541

Communication apparatus and switching device


A metal contact in a semiconductor device is formed by forming an insulating layer having a contact hole therein on a silicon substrate. A cobalt layer is formed on a bottom and inner walls of the contact hole. A cobalt silicide layer is formed at the bottom of the contact hole while forming a titanium layer on the cobalt layer. A plug is formed on the titanium layer so as to fill the contact hole.

As semiconductor devices have become more highly integrated, the design rules for semiconductor devices have been gradually reduced. Accordingly, the areas associated with a contact, which connects individual devices to circuit interconnect wiring in the semiconductor device, and a via contact, which connects an upper interconnect wiring to a lower interconnect wiring, have generally been reduced. In addition, contact depth is generally increasing due to a multi-layered semiconductor device structure.
Consequently, because the resistance of contacts is generally increasing, which may degrade semiconductor device characteristics, technology for reducing contact resistance may be desirable. With contact surface area decreasing and depth increasing, achieving adequate step coverage may be difficult. In other words, the depth of the contact is increased while reducing the area of the contact to increase an aspect ratio so that a process of filling metal in a contact hole without a void or disconnection may be difficult.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are sectional views illustrating a conventional method for forming a metal contact in a semiconductor device. Referring to FIG. 1A, an insulating layer 15 having a contact hole 13 is formed on a silicon substrate 11. A titanium layer 17 and a titanium nitride layer 19 are sequentially formed in the contact hole 13 and on the insulating layer 15 to form a barrier metal layer 21. The titanium layer 17 operates as an ohmic layer and the titanium nitride layer 19 operates as a diffusion barrier layer for preventing the diffusion of a tungsten layer 25 (refer to FIG. 1B), which will be formed in a subsequent process, into the silicon substrate 11. The titanium nitride layer 19 may also improve the surface adhesion of the tungsten, which will be formed in a subsequent process. A thermal process, such as a rapid thermal processing (RTP) or a rapid thermal annealing (RTA), is performed on the silicon substrate 11 having the barrier metal layer 21 so that a titanium silicate 23 layer is formed.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a tungsten layer 25 is formed on the barrier metal layer 21 in order to fill the contact hole 13. The tungsten layer 25 may be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which has generally effective gap filling characteristics. Because the tungsten layer 25 is formed using CVD, the contact hole 13 is generally efficiently filled with the tungsten layer 25.
Because the titanium silicate 23 layer of FIGS. 1A and 1B has a relatively high level of contact resistance in a highly integrated semiconductor device, however, another material may be substituted for the titanium silicate layer 23. Accordingly, a method for forming a metal contact in a semiconductor device using cobalt silicate will now be discussed.
FIGS. 2A through 2F are sectional views illustrating a conventional method for forming a metal contact in a semiconductor device using cobalt silicide. Referring to FIG. 2A, an insulating layer 33 having a contact hole 32 is formed on a silicon substrate 31. A cobalt layer 35 is formed in the contact hole 32 and on the insulating layer 33 by physical vapor deposition (PVD). In addition, a titanium nitride layer 37 is formed on the cobalt layer 35.
Referring now to FIG. 2B, a first thermal process, such as RTP or RTA, is performed on the silicon substrate 31 on which the cobalt layer 35 and the titanium nitride layer 37 are formed to silicidate the silicon substrate 31 and to form a CoSix layer 39 on the bottom of the contact hole 32.
Referring now to FIG. 2C, the silicon substrate 31, on which the CoSix layer 39 is formed, is dipped in a sulfuric acid solution to strip the cobalt layer 35 and the titanium nitride layer 37 from the contact hole 32 and the insulating layer 33. As a result, the CoSix layer 39 remains on the bottom of the contact hole 32. Because the CoSix layer 39 has a relatively high resistance, the CoSix layer 39 may be transformed into a CoSi2 type cobalt silicide layer by performing a subsequent thermal process.
Referring now to FIG. 2D, a second thermal process, such as RTP or RTA, is performed on the silicon substrate 31 on which the CoSix layer 39 is formed to silicidate the silicon substrate 31 and to form a cobalt silicide 41 layer on the bottom of the contact hole 32. Thereafter, the silicon substrate 31 having the cobalt silicide 41 layer formed thereon is cleaned. Referring now to FIG. 2E, a titanium layer 43 and a titanium nitride layer 45 are sequentially formed on the top surface of the silicon substrate 31 having the cobalt silicide 41 layer to form a barrier metal layer 47.
Referring now to FIG. 2F, a tungsten layer 49 for filling the contact hole 32 is formed on the barrier metal layer 47. The tungsten layer 49 is formed using CVD, which has generally effective gap filling characteristics. Because the tungsten layer 49 is formed using CVD, the contact hole 32 is generally efficiently filled with the tungsten layer 49.
According to the method described with respect to FIGS. 2A through 2F, because the cobalt silicide layer 41 has a generally lower reactivity to dopant than titanium silicide, the cobalt silicide layer 41 can attain a lower contact resistance. Unfortunately, forming a metal contact in accordance with the method of FIGS. 2A through 2F involves performing thermal processes twice and a strip process. In addition, the cobalt layer 35 is formed using PVD according to the method described with respect to FIGS. 2A through 2F, which generally provides poorer step coverage. Accordingly, the thickness of the cobalt layer 35 is typically increased to obtain a cobalt silicide layer 41 having a proper thickness on the contact bottom. When such a thick cobalt layer 35 is deposited, a strip process for removing the cobalt layer 35, which remains after a silicidation process, may be necessary. Furthermore, a reinforced cleaning process is typically performed after the strip processes.

Methods for forming a metal contact in a semiconductor device in which an ohmic layer is formed while forming a barrier metal layer


A microwave cooker capable of cooking an assortment of foods by a variety of methods while maintaining constant pressure. The cooker of the present invention boils and steams foods continuously without pressure build up and without the need to shut off the microwave oven. Food spattering and spillage are prevented by a unique internal baffle rib design and a mechanism that releaseably locks the top cover.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is generally related to microwave cooking devices and is specifically directed to a microwave cooker that cooks food at a constant pressure while minimizing oven clean up.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional cooking methods are often duplicated in a microwave oven. Just as in stove top cooking, steaming and boiling food in the microwave requires careful monitoring in order to avoid spattering or spilling food. Loss of food during preparation effects the outcome of the recipe and makes clean up burdensome. Moreover, regulating pressure build up inside a microwave cooker during the boiling or steaming process is critical to avoid an explosion.
A wide assortment of cookers boil and steam heat food inside the microwave oven. Some have a complex structure, others are simple. Yet, no cooker continuously alleviates pressure build up inside the food chamber while at the same time minimizing the mess created by boiling foods.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,927 presents a microwave cooker designed specifically to steam heat food. This device features a separate water absorbing member to generate steam. The member controls heat distribution and reduces cooking time. However, pressure build up is not continuously released from the food container, or does the cooker obstruct food from splattering or pouring over into the oven.
The device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,484 boils rice in a microwave oven. The cooker employs an open bowl inverted and positioned at the bottom of another bowl. The inverted bowl contains slits that circulate water. During the cooking process, the water must be periodically discharged and new water added. A lid supporter prevents overflow and scattering of boiling water within the food container. However, pressure is not adjusted, nor pressure build up alleviated, without shutting off the oven. Also, this cooker does not have a lid enclosure which prevents food from overflowing into the oven.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,344 is directed to cooking and softening foods, without dehydration or loss of moisture content. A heating chamber contains a plate having a plurality of apertures in a predetermined pattern for the passage of vapor. The plate is designed to obstruct food from projecting above a liquid level. The cooker further contains a shield lid made of metallic material causing a portion of the high frequency electromagnetic waves to be reflected before reaching the food. However, nothing is offered to equalize pressure.
Microwave cookers of simple construction, without special designed implements or separate compartments, also lack the necessary mechanisms that relieve pressure build up and prevent food spattering and spillage. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,349 is an uncomplicated device to heat and cook both food and beverages in a microwave oven. This microwave cooker features an insulated dish having a double walled vessel construction and lid. An air cavity separates a removable inner container from an outer container of similar shape. A flange and rim assembly support the inner container and allow pressure to escape from the air cavity. However, nothing relieves pressure build up within the inner chamber containing the food. Moreover, no implement ensures that the lid stays closed and the food stays inside the dish.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,765 offers a microwave cooker comprising a container for holding food, an outside lid and an inside cover. This cooker features an inside lid which shuts off vent holes during the microwave heating, deliberately halting any dispensation or flow of vapor from the container. Although simple to manufacture and use, the cooker does not release pressure build up until the microwave oven is turned off.
Hence, a need exists for a microwave cooker of simple construction that relieves pressure build up during continuous microwave processing while impeding the spattering of food throughout the microwave oven.


Non-oriented electrical steel sheet superior in core loss characterized by containing, by mass %, C: 0.01% or less, Si: 0.1% to 7.0%, Al: 0.1% to 3.0%, Mn: 0.1% to 2.0%, N: 0.005% or less, Ti: 0.02% or less, REM: 0.05% or less, S: 0.005% or less, O: 0.005% or less, and a balance of iron and unavoidable impurities and having a mass % of S shown by [S], a mass % of O shown by [O], a mass % of REM shown by [REM], a mass % of Ti shown by [Ti], and a mass % of N shown by [N] satisfying [Formula 1] and [Formula 2]:[REM]2×[O]2×[S]≧1×10−15  [Formula 1]([REM]2×[O]2×[S])÷([Ti]×[N])≧1×10−10  [Formula 2].

Non-oriented electrical steel sheet is known to become minimum in core loss at a grain size of 150 μm or so. In the finish annealing process, the crystal grains are therefore grown. For this reason, from the viewpoint of product core loss or from the viewpoint of the simplification of production and raising productivity, steel sheet with better crystal grain growth characteristics in the finish annealing is therefore desired.
On the other hand, electrical steel sheet is stamped by the consumer for use for producing cores. The smaller the grain size, the better the stamping precision in the stamping operation. The grain size is therefore, for example, 40 μm or less.
Therefore, sometimes the measure is taken of shipping the product sheet with the small grain size, then having the consumer stamp it, then for example perform stress relief annealing at 750° C.×2 hours or so to grow the crystal grains.
In this case, consumers increasingly demand product sheets with good growth potential of the crystal grains even with low temperature, short time stress relief annealing so as improve productivity.
One of the primary factors that obstruct crystal grain growth is the inclusions finely dispersed in the steel. It is known that the greater the number of inclusions contained in the product and the smaller their size, the more the crystal grain growth is obstructed.
That is, as indicated by Zener, the smaller the r/f value as expressed by the spherical equivalent radius r of the inclusions and the volume fraction f of the inclusions in the steel, the worse the crystal grain growth. Consequently, in order to improve the crystal grain growth, the number of inclusions must, of course, be reduced and it is critical to increase the size of the inclusions.
As fine inclusions that obstruct crystal grain growth of the non-oriented electrical steel sheet, oxides such as silica and alumina, sulfides such as manganese sulfide, and nitrides such as aluminum nitride and titanium nitride are known.
In order to eliminate these fine inclusions or decrease them to the necessary and sufficient level, it is self-evident that the purity should be increased at the molten steel stage.
However, eliminating these fine inclusions or decreasing them to the necessary and sufficient level by increasing the purity at the molten steel stage is not preferable since an increase in the steelmaking cost is unavoidable.
Therefore, as other methods, several methods are known of adding various elements to the steel ensure to render the inclusions harmless.
For the oxides, technological advances have made it possible to eliminate and render harmless oxides at the molten steel stage by adding a sufficient amount of the strong deoxidizing element Al and allowing sufficient time for the flotation and removal of oxides.
For the sulfides, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 51-62115, Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 56-102550, Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 59-74212, Japanese Patent No. 3037878, etc., the method is known of adding rare earth elements (below called "REM"), which are desulfurization elements, etc. so as to increase the size of S inclusions and render them harmless.
Further, for nitrides, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 1167896 and Japanese Patent No. 1245901, the method for rendering N harmless as coarse inclusions by the addition of B is well known.
However, even if using the above stated methods to eliminate oxides, sulfides, and nitrides of non-oriented electrical steel sheet or increase the size of the inclusions to render them harmless and then perform the finish annealing or stress relief annealing, the crystal grains will partially vary in growth and fine crystal grains and coarse crystal grains will be mixed together—sometimes leading to poor core loss.
The cause, it has been found, is the fine titanium carbides (below called "TiC"), derived from the Ti and C which had been in solid solution at the stage of the finish annealing or stress relief annealing, precipitating at parts of the product sheet and obstructing the growth of the crystal grains. This will be explained specifically below.
Non-oriented electrical steel sheet is often treated by finish annealing or stress relief-annealing at a comparatively low temperature of 1000° C. or less. In particular, stress relief annealing is performed at 750° C. or so or at a further lower temperature to prevent wear of the surface coating of the product sheet.
Therefore, in order to sufficiently grow crystal grains at such a low temperature, it is necessary to perform the annealing over a long time of 1 hour or more.
With annealing at this low temperature and long time, it is difficult to control the temperature of the product sheet to become uniform over the entire surface at all times. Parts of the product sheet become lower in temperature, while other parts become higher in temperature, i.e., a variation often occurs in the temperature distribution.
Incidentally, when TiC precipitates in electrical steel, it has been learned from separate studies that it precipitates within a range of 700 to 800° C., particularly actively precipitates at 750° C. or less.
Consequently, in annealing at a low temperature over a long time, at the parts where the temperature of the product sheet becomes relatively high, the precipitation temperature of TiC is exceeded, so TiC does not precipitate. Further, since these parts are high in temperature, the crystal grain growth rate is also fast. Therefore, the crystal grains of these parts become coarse in size.
On the other hand, at the parts where the temperature of the product sheet becomes relatively low, the temperature is less than the precipitation temperature of TiC, so TiC precipitates during the annealing.
In particular, the TiC produced under a low temperature, due to the low temperature, cannot grow to TiC of a sufficient size and becomes fine, so obstructs crystal grain growth during annealing over a long time.
Since the TiC particles precipitating in this case are fine, even if the amount of Ti and the amount of C contained in the steel are high ones of several ppm, sometimes a number of TiC particles sufficient for obstructing crystal grain growth will precipitate.
Furthermore, at the parts where the temperature of the product sheet is relatively low, due to the low temperature, the growth rate of the crystal grains itself is slow and therefore the effect of the fine TiC particles obstructing crystal grain growth becomes stronger. Therefore, the crystal grains do not sufficiently grow and remain fine.
In this manner, the reduction of the annealing temperature or the unavoidable variation in the annealing temperature causes variation in presence of TiC in the electrical steel sheet and consequently variation in crystal grain growth in the electrical steel sheet.

Non-oriented electrical steel superior in core loss


An electrode connection system for connecting an electrode to a substrate, such as to human skin. The system includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member, wherein the first connecting member is connectable to an electrode, and the second connecting member is connectable to the substrate, either directly or through an attachment device, such as a bandage. In a first embodiment of the present invention, the first connecting member and the second connecting member may be reversibly and securely connected to each other by inserting a loop of one of the connecting members into a retaining groove of the other connecting member. In a second embodiment, the first and second connecting members may be reversibly and securely connected to each other by inserting a nub of one of the connecting members into a retaining basin of a locking groove of the other connecting member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrodes. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems for reversibly attaching an electrode. The present invention is an electrode connection system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrodes are routinely used in medicine and in scientific research. For example, electrodes are used as part of electrocardiograph machines, which monitor heart rhythm, and electroencephalograph machines, which monitor brain activity. For these machines to function properly, their electrodes must be held in contact with the skin throughout the monitoring process. Further, their electrodes must not move from the position on the skin where they were originally attached by the physician or scientist. This is important because whenever an electrode is improperly attached to the skin, becomes wholly or partially detached from the skin, or moves about the skin during the monitoring process, any data generated by the machine thereafter likely will be inaccurate, and therefore, unreliable. Unreliable data obtained in the course of treating of a human patient may cause the patient's condition to be misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis, in turn, can cause the physician to perform unnecessary steps, such as prescribing medicine or undertaking surgery, which can harm the patient. Alternatively, misdiagnosis can lead the physician to conclude further treatment is not needed, when further treatment actually is needed, and perhaps is even needed to save the patient's life.
Since it is important that electrodes be correctly and securely attached to a patient's skin, it is unfortunate that existing means for attaching electrodes are not optimally designed to achieve this purpose. One existing device for attaching an electrode to skin involves using a device having two parts. One part attaches to the skin, and the other part, which is coupled to an electrode, connects to the first part, thereby connecting the electrode to the skin. Existing electrode connection devices of this kind are not optimal because it is difficult to connect and disconnect their two parts when one of the parts is attached to skin. For example, some of these connection devices contain several movable parts, each of which must be finely manipulated in concert to achieve connection or disconnection. Having to make such fine and precisely timed manipulations can be frustrating to the user, namely because the user often will have to make several attempts before successfully connecting or disconnecting the parts. Further, having to make fine and precise manipulations makes it more likely that the user will only partially connect the parts.
Some existing two-part electrode connecting devices are not optimal because they do not always enable a secure connection to be made, thereby increasing the likelihood that the connecting parts will accidentally disconnect. This problem is likely to arise when a patient is being monitored for an extended period of time, and is especially likely to occur when a patient is sleeping, for example, when tossing and turning by the patient often cause tension between the two parts. Whenever these parts accidentally disconnect, a health care provider must physically reconnect the parts. This practice can be disruptive both to the nurse and the patient, especially when the nurse is busy and is needed to perform other duties and the patient needs to rest as part of the recovery process. It can also increase the overall healthcare cost per patient.
As a specific example of an existing electrode connection device having suboptimal connectivity of parts, in one particular device the device includes a nipple-like member, which is attachable to skin, and an electrode wire connected to a coupling device such as a ring-like member or the clip, wherein the ring-like member or a clip is placeable around a smooth and slight indentation in the wall of the nipple-like member. In this arrangement, the ring-like member may be slid over the top of the nipple-like member and rested within its indentation, or the clip may be clipped to the nipple-like member. The problem with the design of this particular device is that the indentation does not have a lip or other like-component for preventing the ring-like member from slipping away from the nipple-like member. Therefore, the connection made between the ring-like member or clip and the nipple-like member is not a particular secure one even when the ring-like member or clip and the nipple-like member are clean and dry. Worse, when sweat and oil of the patient infiltrate the connection between the ring-like member or clip and the nipple-like member, which they are prone to do, the ring-like member or clip is even more likely to accidentally become disengaged from the nipple-like member.
What is needed therefore is a system for securely attaching an electrode to skin to prevent it from moving about the skin or from becoming detached from the skin during normal use, such as when it collects sweat and oil from a patient and when it is attached to a sleeping patient. Further, what is needed is an electrode connection system that is easy to use. In particular, it should be easy for users of the electrode connection system to quickly swap electrode wires when desired.


An article transport carriage includes a carriage main body configured to travel along a travel path, a support portion configured to support a bottom surface of an article from below, a projecting and retracting actuator for projecting and retracting the support portion between a projected position and a retracted position, a pressure applying portion located directly above the article supported by the support portion in the retracted position, and a distance changing actuator for changing the distance in the vertical direction between the support portion and the pressure applying portion between a pressure applying distance and a spaced apart distance.

An example of article transport carriages such as one described above is described in JP Publication of Application No. H06-321316 (Patent Document 1). When transporting an article to a transfer target location with the article transport carriage of Patent Document 1, the article is transported to the transfer target location by causing the carriage main body to travel to a stop position that corresponds to the transfer target location with the article supported by the support portion, and thereafter by causing the support portion to be projected and retracted between the projected position and the retracted position by means of the projecting and retracting actuator. And when transporting an article from a transfer target location, the article is received from the transfer target location by causing the carriage main body to travel to a stop position that corresponds to the transfer target location with no article supported by the support portion, and thereafter by causing the support portion to be projected and retracted between the projected position and the retracted position by means of the projecting and retracting actuator. Subsequently, the carriage main body is caused to travel from the stop position with the article supported by the support portion.


Communication traffic management systems and methods are disclosed. A threshold status of a communication traffic queue of a second communication traffic management device which is capable of receiving communication traffic from a first communication traffic management device is determined, by comparing a depth of the queue to a corresponding threshold for instance. A rate of transfer of communication traffic to the second device, and possibly to particular queues of the second device from corresponding queues of the first device, is controlled based on the threshold status. Transmission of communication traffic from the queues of the second device may thus be in accordance with one communication traffic management scheme, whereas the content of each queue of the second device is controlled according to another communication traffic management scheme used by the first device to transfer communication traffic from its queues, to thereby provide for complex combined communication traffic management.

When providing Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) access on a communication switch or router capable of sophisticated Layer 3 communication traffic management, as is often the case in communication systems, it is generally desirable to allow outgoing customer communication traffic to be subject to communication traffic management at both Layer 3, typically Internet Protocol (IP), and Layer 2 (ATM). In other words, a service provider may wish to shape or rate limit different classes of IP traffic separately, and then shape the aggregate flow in conformance with an ATM traffic descriptor.
However, ATM traffic management is typically provided through specialized hardware that is also responsible for cell segmentation and reassembly, while IP traffic management may use the same hardware as is used for other access technologies at a switch or router. Relatively generic and costly hardware which supports various technologies such as IP may therefore be provided in multiple circuit card slots of a switch or router. Any of a variety of types of less costly medium- or protocol-specific access technology modules such as line cards are then connected to the generic hardware to provide an interface to a lower layer protocol for each circuit card slot. The same routing hardware may thus be used with different access technology modules.
In advanced communication switches or routers, communication traffic management at both Layer 3 (L3 ), to enable different communication traffic handling for different Differentiated Service Code Point (DSCP) codepoints for instance, and Layer 2 (L2 ), such as shaping in conformance with an ATM traffic descriptor, may be achieved through the use of specialized hardware that combines L3 and L2 communication traffic management in either a single communication device or a small number of devices that were designed to work together.
Hardware hierarchical ATM traffic management devices, for example, support multiple levels of hardware scheduling decisions that first decide whether a given ATM Virtual Circuit (VC) should be allowed to transmit, typically based on a weighted-round robin for scheduled ATM traffic or a slot-based shaping wheel for shaped ATM traffic, and then decide which L3 class-based queues constituting that VC should be allowed to transmit, based on strict priority of some classes over others, weighted round-robin or simple round-robin, or some combination of all three. If ATM traffic management is implemented in a separate communication device from the L3 traffic management, then there will typically be per-VC queuing in the ATM device and a per-VC backpressure mechanism from the ATM device to the L3 device to govern when L3 queues corresponding to a given VC should be allowed to transmit. In the latter scenario, the hardware backpressure mechanism must be able to support backpressure on thousands of contexts, which rules out standard buses such as System Packet Interface (SPI) 4.2, which is limited to 255 backpressure contexts.
When budget, time-to-market, or other constraints preclude the creation of specialized hardware, it may be necessary to combine L3 and L2 communication devices which were not designed to work together. Existing techniques for combined multi-layer communication traffic management do not deal with the problem of interconnecting separate traffic management devices. In this type of implementation, a particular traffic management device typically would not provide backpressure to a different traffic management device at all. Instead, each traffic management device discards communication traffic as queues exceed configured thresholds or if buffer pool exhaustion, indicative of high total queue occupancy, occurs. In the above example of L3 and ATM traffic management, the ATM traffic management device would discard communication traffic as its per-VC queues fill up. These discards are not L3 class-aware, with communication traffic of any particular L3 class just as likely to be discarded as communication traffic of any other L3 class, thereby effectively defeating the L3 traffic management.
Known communication traffic management techniques thus require that an ATM traffic management device either be integrated into or specially designed to operate with an L3 device in order to preserve any benefit of L3 traffic management. These techniques are therefore not suitable for adding ATM to existing communication equipment which already has an L3 traffic management device. This situation may arise during a product development cycle which, due to budget or time-to-market constraints, must use existing hardware devices.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a communication traffic management mechanism which allows the use of different traffic management devices to accomplish complex traffic management without using specialized hardware.