A stent pattern includes an improved portal region for repairing a main vessel and a side branch vessel forming a bifurcation. More particularly, the stent has rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis that are connected by links, where the stent has a proximal section, a distal section, and a central section (portal region). The number of rings and the expanded diameter of the sections are varied to create a “trap door” capable of expanding to a slightly larger diameter than the proximal section and the distal section of the stent. The configuration of the stent pattern of the portal region prevents the occurrence of portal overlap of immediately adjacent rings into the portal region during stent deployment. The stent is implanted at a bifurcation so that the proximal section and the distal section are in the main vessel, and the central section contacts at least a portion of the opening to the side branch vessel. A second stent can be implanted in the side branch vessel and abut the expanded central section to provide full coverage of the bifurcated area in the main vessel and the side branch vessel.

The invention relates to vascular repair devices, and, in particular, intravascular stents for repairing bifurcations, blood vessels that are diseased. Stents are particularly useful in the treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis in arteries and blood vessels. More particularly, the invention concerns improved stent patterns for a portal region on a side branch access stent to prevent the occurrence of portal overlap during deployment of the stent. The invention further provides a method of making a stent for repairing a bifurcated vessel.
Stents conventionally repair blood vessels that are diseased. Stents are generally hollow and cylindrical in shape and have terminal ends that are generally perpendicular to their longitudinal axis. In use, the conventional stent is positioned at the diseased area of a vessel and, after deployment, the stent provides an unobstructed pathway for blood flow.
Repair of vessels that are diseased at a bifurcation is particularly challenging since the stent must be precisely positioned, provide adequate coverage of the diseased area, provide access to any diseased area located distal to the bifurcation, and maintain vessel patency in order to allow adequate blood flow to reach the myocardium. Therefore, the stent must provide adequate coverage to the diseased portion of the bifurcated vessel, without compromising blood flow, and extend to a point within and beyond the diseased portion. Where the stent provides coverage to the vessel at the diseased portion, yet extends into the vessel lumen at the bifurcation, the diseased area is repaired, but blood flow may be compromised in other portions of the bifurcation. Unapposed stent elements may promote lumen compromise during neointimal formation and healing, producing restenosis and requiring further procedures. Moreover, by extending into the vessel lumen at the bifurcation, the stent may block access to further interventional procedures.
Conventional stents are designed to repair areas of blood vessels that are removed from bifurcations, and, therefore are associated with a variety of problems when attempting to use them to treat lesions at a bifurcation. Conventional stents are normally deployed so that the entire stent is either in the parent vessel or the proximal portion of the stent is in the parent vessel and the distal portion is located in the side branch vessel. In both cases, either the side branch vessel (former case) or the parent vessel (later case), would become "jailed" by the stent struts. This technique repairs one vessel at the bifurcation at the expense of jailing or obstructing the alternate vessel. Blood flow into the jailed vessel would be compromised as well as future access and treatment into the distal portion of the jailed vessel.
Alternatively, access into a jailed vessel can be attained by carefully placing a guide wire through the stent, and subsequently tracking a balloon catheter through the stent struts. The balloon could then be expanded, thereby deforming the stent struts and forming an opening into the previously jailed vessel. The cell to be spread apart must be randomly and blindly selected by recrossing the deployed stent with a guide wire. The drawback with this approach is that there is no way to determine or guarantee that the main vessel stent struts are properly oriented with respect to the side branch or that an appropriate stent cell has been selected by the wire for dilatation. The aperture created often does not provide a clear opening and creates a major distortion in the surrounding stent struts. A further drawback with this approach is that there is no way to tell if the main vessel stent struts have been properly oriented and spread apart to provide a clear opening for stenting the side branch vessel. This technique also causes stent deformation to occur in the area adjacent to the carina, pulling the stent away from the vessel wall and partially obstructing flow in the originally non jailed vessel. Deforming the stent struts to regain access into the previously jailed strut is also a complicated and time consuming procedure associated with attendant risks to the patient and is typically performed only if considered an absolute necessity. Vessels which supply a considerable amount of blood supply to the myocardium and may be responsible for the onset of angina or a myocardial infarction would necessitate the subsequent strut deformation in order to reestablish blood flow into the vessel. The risks of procedural complications during this subsequent deformation are considerably higher than stenting in normal vessels. The inability to place a guide wire through the jailed lumen in a timely fashion could restrict blood supply and begin to precipitate symptoms of angina or even cardiac arrest. In addition, platelet agitation and subsequent thrombus formation at the jailed site could further compromise blood flow into the side branch.
Plaque shift is also a phenomenon which is of concern when deploying a stent across a bifurcation. Plaque shift occurs when treatment of disease or plaque in one vessel causes the plaque to shift into another location. This is of greatest concern when the plaque is located on the carina or the apex of the bifurcation. During treatment of the disease the plaque may shift from one side of the carina to the other thereby shifting the obstruction from one vessel to the alternate vessel.
In another prior art method of implanting stents, a "T" stent procedure includes implanting a stent in the side branch ostium of the bifurcation followed by stenting the main vessel across the side branch and subsequently deforming the struts as previously described, to allow blood flow and access into the side branch vessel. Alternatively, a stent is deployed in the parent vessel and across the side branch origin followed by subsequent strut deformation as previously described, and finally a stent is placed into the side branch vessel. T stenting may be necessary in some situations in order to provide further treatment and additional stenting in the side branch vessel. This is typically necessitated when the disease is concentrated at the origin of the jailed vessel. This procedure is also associated with the same issues and risks previously described when stenting only one vessel and deforming the struts through the jailed vessel. In addition, since a conventional stent generally terminates at right angles to its longitudinal axis, the use of conventional stents to treat the origin of the previously jailed vessel (typically the side branch vessel) may result in blocking blood flow of the originally non-jailed vessel (typically the parent vessel) or fail to provide adequate coverage of the disease in the previously jailed vessel (typically a side branch vessel). The conventional stent might be placed proximally in order to provide full coverage around the entire circumference of the side branch, however this leads to a portion of the stent extending into the pathway of blood flow of the parent vessel. The conventional stent might alternatively be placed distally to, but not entirely overlaying the circumference of the origin of the side branch to the diseased portion. Such a position of the conventional stent results in a bifurcation that does not provide full coverage or has a gap on the proximal side (the origin of the side branch) of the vessel and is thus not completely repaired. The only conceivable situation that the conventional stent, having right angled terminal ends, could be placed where the entire circumference of the ostium is repaired without compromising blood flow, is where the bifurcation is formed of right angles. In such scenarios, extremely precise positioning of the conventional stent is required. This extremely precise positioning of the conventional stent may result with the right angled terminal ends of the conventional stent overlying the entire circumference of the ostium to the diseased portion without extending into a side branch, thereby repairing the right angled bifurcation.
To circumvent or overcome the problems and limitations associated with conventional stents in the context of repairing diseased bifurcated vessels, a stent that consistently overlays most of the diseased area of the bifurcation and provides adequate access to distal disease without subjecting the patient to any undue risks may be employed. Such a stent would have the advantage of providing adequate coverage at the proximal edge of the origin of the side branch such that a conventional stent which terminates at right angles to its longitudinal axis can be deployed in the side branch or alternate vessel without leaving a significant gap at the origin of the side branch. In addition, such a stent would allow access to all portions of the bifurcated vessel should further interventional treatment be necessary.
In another prior art method for treating bifurcated vessels, commonly referred to as the "Culotte technique," the side branch vessel is first stented so that the stent protrudes into the main or parent vessel. A dilatation is then performed in the main or parent vessel to open and stretch the stent struts extending across the lumen from the side branch vessel. Thereafter, a stent is implanted in the side branch so that its proximal end overlaps with the parent vessel. One of the drawbacks of this approach is that the orientation of the stent elements protruding from the side branch vessel into the main vessel is completely random. In addition excessive metal coverage exists from overlapping strut elements in the parent vessel proximal to the carina area. Furthermore, the deployed stent must be recrossed with a wire blindly and arbitrarily selecting a particular stent cell. When dilating the main vessel the stent struts are randomly stretched, thereby leaving the possibility of restricted access, incomplete lumen dilatation, and major stent distortion.
In another prior art procedure, known as "kissing" stents, a stent is implanted in the main vessel with a side branch stent partially extending into the main vessel creating a double barreled lumen of the two stents in the main vessel distal to the bifurcation. Another prior art approach includes a so called "trouser legs and seat" approach, which includes implanting three stents, one stent in the side branch vessel, a second stent in a distal portion of the main vessel, and a third stent, or a proximal stent, in the main vessel just proximal to the bifurcation.
All of the foregoing stent deployment assemblies suffer from the same problems and limitations. Typically, there are uncovered intimal surface segments on the main vessel and side branch vessels between the stented segments or there is excessive coverage in the parent vessel proximal to the bifurcation. An uncovered flap or fold in the intima or plaque will invite a "snowplow" effect, representing a substantial risk for subacute thrombosis, and the increased risk of the development of restenosis. Further, where portions of the stent are left unapposed within the lumen, the risk for subacute thrombosis or the development of restenosis again is increased. The prior art stents and delivery assemblies for treating bifurcations are difficult to use and deliver making successful placement nearly impossible. Even where placement has been successful, the side branch vessel can be "jailed" or covered so that there is impaired access to the stented area for subsequent intervention. Further, even with the various patterns of the portal region of a currently manufactured type of bifurcated stent, there is a tendency of the ring or rings of the portal region to immediately overlap with an adjacent ring of the proximal section during stent deployment. The present invention solves these and other problems as will be shown.

Portal design for stent for treating bifurcated vessels


An assembly of connectors adapt multiple optic fiber illuminators of microsurgical instruments for use with a variety of different available light sources.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an assembly of connectors that are used to adapt optic fiber illuminators of microsurgical instruments for use with a variety of different available light sources.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In microsurgery such as ophthalmic surgery or surgery of the eye, various different types of instruments are available for use by the surgeon to illuminate the interior of the eye. These include a basic microsurgical illuminator that is comprised of a handle with a projecting tubular probe or tip and a length of optic fiber entering the rearward end of the handle and passing through the handle and tip to the tip distal end. By positioning a proximal end of the optic fiber adjacent a light source, the light is transmitted through the fiber to its distal end and is emitted from the distal end. In use of such an instrument in ophthalmic surgery, a small incision is first made in the eye and the probe tip is then inserted through the incision. The light transmitted through the probe by the optic fiber is emitted from the distal end of the probe and is used by the surgeon to illuminate the area of surgery in the interior of the eye.
Various other different types of instruments are available to the surgeon for illuminating the area of surgery in the interior of the eye. Many of these instruments also make use of a length of optic fiber to transmit illumination from a light source to the distal end of the surgical instrument where the light is needed.
There are many different manufacturers of light source apparatus that are used to illuminate optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments. Many manufacturers of microsurgical light sources also manufacture a set of optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments specifically adapted for use with their light source. This creates a situation where many optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments are suited for use with only one particular light source, the connector of the instruments being complementary to a connection of that one particular light source and not suited for use with light sources manufactured by competitors. Manufacturers have also provided adapter connectors that adapt the fiber optic connectors of other manufacturers for use with their light source, and to adapt their fiber optic connectors for use with the light sources of other manufacturers. However, production of these adapters requires their being machined to specific tolerances to match the connection of other manufacturers' light sources and fiber optic instruments. This is an expensive situation for the surgeon and the hospital, where a complete set of optic fiber illuminated surgical instruments must be available for use with each different type of optic fiber light source or adapter used by the surgeon or hospital.
What is needed to overcome this inconvenient and expensive situation is an inexpensive means of using any optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instrument available to the surgeon with any optic fiber illuminating light source available to the surgeon, and preferably to use a multiple of optic fiber instruments that are all simultaneously connectable to the same light source, thereby eliminating the expense of providing a separate light source for each instrument used.

Adapter assembly for connecting multiple optic fiber illuminated microsurgical instruments to a single light source


An improved method of manufacturing high performance field emission devices is set forth which provides for high frequency and high switching speed operation. A field emission device employing an electron emitter is disposed on a projection provides for significant reduction in interelectrode capacitance. A method for forming the improved field emission device includes selective etching of one of the substrate and conductive/semiconductive materials to provide a projection or plurality of projections on which the electron emitter(s) is (are) disposed. The projections may be on the order of 100 .mu.m in extent.

This invention relates generally to methods of manufacturing field emission devices and more particularly to methods of manufacturing high frequency/high speed field emission devices.
Field emission devices which may be realized by any of many known configurations suffer from inherent limitations due to attendant interelectrode capacitances.
Some recent attempts to reduce the objectionable interelectrode capacitances have yielded particular geometries, such as those detailed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,591 and 5,064,396. However, any benefit realized by employing structures detailed in those references are not sufficient to provide for high frequency or high speed field emission device performance.
Accordingly there exists a need to provide an improved field emission device and method which overcomes at least some of the shortcomings of the prior art.

Method for realizing high frequency/speed field emission devices and apparatus


An energy dissipation resistor for dissipating electrical energy stored in implantable defibrillation capacitor(s). The resistor comprises a layer of resistive foil sandwiched between two layers of electrically insulative material so as to define a circuitous resistive path. At least two electrically conductive contacts are disposed through one of the insulative layers such that each of the contacts provides an electrically conductive path from the exterior of the energy dissipation resistor to the resistive foil layer enclosed therein. Conductive leads are electrically connected to the conductive contacts and provide a means by which the energy dissipation resistor can be connected to defibrillation circuitry. The energy dissipation resistor can also be formed integrally with a flexible circuit board, a rigid circuit board, a circuitry liner, or a hybrid substrate.

The present invention relates to the art of implantable cardiac defibrillators, and in particular, is related to an energy dissipation resistor capable of efficiently and reliably dissipating energy stored in the capacitor(s) of an implantable cardiac defibrillator.
It is often the desire to dissipate electrical energy stored in defibrillator capacitors, rather than discharging to the heart, by diverting the capacitor voltage to an internal resistor. This is commonly referred to as an "internal dump". See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316,472 and 4,488,555 to Imran and Mirowski, respectively, where internal load resistors are shown. Presently, conventional resistive elements, such as carbon or ceramic resistors, and the like are used to dissipate the energy. Such conventional resistive elements tend to be large and bulky, and therefore difficult to package, often requiring extensive incoming inspection processes to assure that a desired reliability is achieved. In addition, although conventional resistive elements have proven generally effective in practice, worst case testing with multiple shock and internal dump episodes has resulted in heating of the resistive element and occasional destruction thereof.
Some types of implantable defibrillation circuitry are disposed on small, light-weight, and flexible printed circuit boards. Consequently, "board real-estate" becomes increasingly important, as does the size, weight, and flexibility of components mounted thereon. It is, therefore, desirable to minimize the size and weight of individual circuit components, while maximizing their structural flexibility to coincide with that of the flexible circuit board to which they are mounted.
Still other types of implantable defibrillation circuitry are disposed on small, light-weight, but rigid printed circuit boards or ceramic substrates. In such cases, it is usually desirable to conserve "board real-estate" while, at the same time, maintaining structural rigidity in the circuit board.

Energy dissipation resistor for implantable defibrillation circuitry


Disclosed are methods and systems for granting an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in a multi-ASIC environment controlled access to a shared resource. A system includes a first ASIC, a second ASIC, and a shared memory that stores a shared resource and a data set partitioned into fields. The first ASIC writes data to a first subset of the fields and reads data from the fields. The first ASIC includes first logic that computes a first value based on the data read from the fields. The second ASIC writes data to a second subset of the fields and reads data from the fields. The second ASIC includes second logic that computes a second value based on the data read from the fields. Based on the first and second values respectively computed by the first and second logic, only one of the first and second ASICs gains access to the shared resource.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to computing operations performed in computer systems.
2. Background Art
In some computing environments, it is desirable to have multiple processing blocks or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that can access a single shared resource, such as a shared memory. For example, some computer systems use multiple graphics processor units (GPUs) to improve graphics processing performance. In such computer systems, the GPUs may write to and/or read from a shared memory.
For example, FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram 100 illustrating a system that includes two GPUs—a GPU A 108 and a GPU B 110. Block diagram 100 also includes various software elements, such as an application 102 (e.g., a video game application), application programming interface (API) 104, and a driver 106, that execute on a host computer system and interact with GPU A 108 and/or GPU B 110 to perform graphics processing operations for output to a display 130. During the performance of these operations, GPU A 108 and GPU B 110 may read from and/or write to a local memory A 118 and a local memory B 128, respectively. In addition, GPU A 108 and GPU B 110 may also read from and/or write to a shared memory 105. Because GPU A 108 and GPU B 110 may each access shared memory 105, there must be a mechanism to insure that only one GPU accesses a particular location of shared memory 105 at a time. If such a mechanism is not included, the data in shared memory 105 could become corrupted.
A conventional mechanism that is used to restrict access to a shared resource in a multi-processing environment is a semaphore. A semaphore may be implemented as a single memory location that stores a count, which can be read/modified/written in an atomic operation. A semaphore may be used, for example, in a producer/consumer environment, to insure that the producer and the consumer do not access the same portion of the shared memory at the same time. A producer is a process that writes data to a shared memory and then updates the count, thereby indicating that data stored in the shared memory is ready for consumption. The consumer is a process that reads the data from the shared memory that is ready for consumption and then decrements the count stored in the semaphore.
The conventional semaphore mechanism could be implemented in a multiple GPU environment, but such an implementation would require a single point of control. For example, a single memory controller could be coupled to each GPU or one of the GPUs could be designed as a "master" GPU. Although such approaches would provide controlled access to a shared memory, such approaches require additional chip area because additional wires would be needed to couple the GPUs to the single memory controller or the "master" GPU. Furthermore, such approaches may result in timing lags because, if a first GPU in the multi-GPU environment stalls, the other GPUs coupled to the first GPU may also stall.
Given the foregoing, what is needed is a method and system that provide a mechanism for granting controlled access to a shared resource, without requiring a single point of control.
The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.

Mechanism for granting controlled access to a shared resource


A coolant system includes a heat exchange circuit capable of being in a heat exchange relationship with a heat generating component, such as an engine, to remove thermal energy from the engine and transfer the thermal energy to a coolant, and an insulated tank in fluid communication with the heat exchange circuit. The system also includes a control and associated conduits and valves for passing coolant through the heat exchange circuit and the insulated tank so as to fill the tank with a first volume of coolant in a first operational state, for passing an additional amount of coolant from the heat exchange circuit into the insulated tank so as to fill the insulated tank with a second volume of coolant which is greater than the first volume of coolant in a second operational state, and for passing the additional amount of coolant from the insulated tank to the heat exchange circuit in a third operational state. A method of operating the coolant system to store thermal energy is also provided.

Thermal energy storage devices can find use in many applications. For example, they can be used to preheat fuel cell coolant to heat a fuel cell stack, particularly on vehicles such as hybrid vehicles that include a fuel cell, to preheat the engine of a vehicle for rapid engine warm-up, to preheat a transmission for rapid transmission warm-up, and/or to heat a passenger compartment of a vehicle under conditions where the heat from the vehicle engine is not sufficient.
One way to heat the passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine is to redirect some of the thermal energy carried away from the engine by the coolant system. Normally, coolant circulates between the engine and a radiator, absorbing thermal energy from the engine and rejecting the thermal energy to the environment via the radiator. To heat the passenger compartment, a portion of coolant from the engine is diverted to a secondary heat exchanger, where the coolant rejects its thermal energy to a stream of air, which is subsequently directed into the passenger compartment.
However, the supply of thermal energy in the coolant system often lags behind the demand for warmer cabin temperatures. In particular, if the engine is turned off in the cold weather, the thermal energy carried by the coolant system will soon dissipate into the environment. If the engine is then restarted and the heater turned on, cold air may actually be exhausted into the passenger compartment because the coolant is not warm enough to sufficiently heat the air stream passing through the secondary heat exchanger. Most people find this to be uncomfortable and undesirable.
To reduce this supply-demand problem, it is known in the art to equip the coolant system with heat batteries. Heat batteries are rechargeable devices which store the thermal energy generated during the operation of the engine for later release. Conventionally, heat batteries are included as an add-on to the standard coolant system, which, as described above, includes the radiator and the secondary heat exchanger as well as a circulation pump, a surge tank, and a series of conduits to connect the radiator, secondary heat exchanger, circulation pump and surge tank.
One commonly-used type of heat battery is a sensible heat battery. A conventional sensible heat battery is constructed by disposing an inner container within an outer container to define a space therebetween, and by filling the space with insulation. During the time the engine is operational, the circulation pump forces coolant through the coolant system and the inner container of the heat battery. When the engine is turned off, the circulation pump is deactivated and the coolant contained in the inner container of the battery is retained therein, the insulation preventing the thermal energy carried by this coolant from being rapidly exhausted to the environment. Upon subsequent start-up, the circulation pump forces the coolant in the battery out of the battery and through the remainder of the coolant system. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,558,055 and 5,765,511.
There are drawbacks, however, to adding sensible heat batteries to conventional coolant systems. Because coolant can only carry so much thermal energy in the form of sensible heat, the conventional sensible heat battery is quite large. To accommodate the addition of the heat battery to the coolant system, it may be necessary to remove or repackage other accessories, or enlarge the size of the engine compartment. Furthermore, the weight of the additional coolant needed to fill the heat battery (over that required to fill the coolant system) can degrade such weight-dependent performance characteristics as fuel economy. Moreover, heat batteries can be expensive to install and maintain.
Alternatively, it is known in the art to divert a portion of the coolant from the coolant system to the heat battery only when the engine is turned off. The diverted coolant is retained in the insulated heat battery to limit the loss of thermal energy. Prior to start-up, the coolant is returned to the cooling system. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,630.
However, it is believed that problems may arise when the coolant in the heat battery is pumped back into the coolant system. As the coolant displaces the air in the engine jacket, some of the coolant will become entrained in the exiting air stream. This coolant returns to the heat battery via a vent line, and remains there after the pump is deactivated. Consequently, with this heat battery there will always be some coolant which cannot be recovered for use in the coolant system.

Coolant system with thermal energy storage and method of operating same


A handle for a foldable stroller having a pair of stroller handles includes a foldable bar with lateral ends. A clamp for engaging one stroller handle is located at each lateral end. A pair of outer members is included in the foldable bar, and each outer member is pivotally coupled to one clamp. A pair of inner members is included in the foldable bar, and each inner member is pivotally engaged to the other inner member and pivotally engaged with one outer member. A lock is disposed at the pivotal coupling between the inner members. When the lock is disengaged, the stroller may be freely moved between a collapsed position and an open position; but when the lock is engaged, the stroller is fixed in the open position.

Collapsible or foldable strollers (e.g., 'umbrella strollers) typically have two stroller handles. These handles are used to move the stroller (forward and back) and maneuver the stroller (side-to-side, left or right). To efficiently control these stroller movements, it typically requires that both handles be engaged. If only one handle is engaged, control of the stroller is hindered. Often times, for example, while traveling through an airport, a parent is juggling carry-on luggage, perhaps another child, and the stroller, and two hands for the stroller handles is difficult. The collapsible stroller is good for travel, but it could be improved, so that it would only need a single hand for controlling the stroller's movement.
The prior art teaches several collapsible handles, for example see the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,974 shows, see FIG. 2 (also see FIG. 12), push rod connecting links 213 are pivotally affixed to push rods 205, paragraph bridging columns 3-4. Links 213 are connected by wires 215/216 to front legs 201 and rear legs 203. Operation of grip 214 and pedal 212 facilitates opening and closing of the stroller, first full paragraph column 6.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,100 shows, see FIGS. 1-3, a foldable cross connecting rod 4. This push bar is pivotally affixed to push rods 5. This rod consists of two members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,410 shows a three wheeled stroller with a push bar. The push bar is affixed to the stroller frame, and has two members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,061 shows, see FIG. 6, a three wheeled stroller with a push bar. The push bar is pivotally affixed to frame 22, compare FIG. 8. The push bar has two members 48/52 interconnected by a lock assembly 54, first paragraph column 5.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,186,706 shows, see FIGS. 1, 4, 8, 11, 18, 22, & 31, a cross bar 90 that is pivotally affixed to upper ends 84. Bar 90 has three members, sections 94a/b and actuator 92, second & third full paragraphs, column 7.
Accordingly, there is a need for a handle for a foldable (or collapsible) stroller that not only allows a single hand to control the movement of the stroller, but also collapses and opens with the stroller.


A reflecting mirror tilting actuator comprises a base having an inner space defined therein, a mirror holder having a fixing part fixed to the base and a horizontal part integrally connected with the fixing part by a resilient connection part, the mirror holder being provided with at least one resilient member for resiliently supporting the reflecting mirror upward, a mirror supporting unit having a cover attached to the horizontal part and a mirror stopper disposed between the horizontal part and the cover, a tilting unit having an actuating member whose upper end comes into contact with the horizontal part and a tilting stopper whose upper end comes into contact with the horizontal part, and a horizontal adjusting unit having at least one adjustment screw, whose lower end contacts the mirror stopper through at least one adjustment hole formed at the cover, for adjusting flatness of the reflecting mirror.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator for tilting a reflecting mirror of a digital micromirror device (hereinafter, referred to as "DMD") for digital light processing (hereinafter, referred to as "DLP") type projection, and, more particularly to an actuator for tilting a reflecting mirror of a DMD for DLP type projection that is capable of more accurately adjusting flatness of the reflecting mirror, which is tilted by the reflecting mirror tilting actuator according to the present invention, and of more conveniently performing flatness adjustment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, large-sized high-definition displays have been increasingly popularized. For example, projection televisions and projectors have been developed and commercialized as the large-sized high-definition displays.
Each of the projection televisions and the projectors commonly includes an optical engine. In the optical engine is mounted a display unit for displaying signal-processed image information, such as a cathode ray tube (hereinafter, referred to as "CRT"), a liquid crystal display (hereinafter, referred to as "LCD"), a liquid crystal on silicon (hereinafter, referred to as "LCoS"), and a DMD.
A projection system adopting the CRT, which is usually used, forms desired images through very small bright cathode ray tubes and projects them through a lens. However, the CRT has several problems in that the brightness is low, adjustment of deflection based on frequencies is difficult, and adjustment of focus is difficult. As a result, the use of the CRT has been gradually decreased.
As the display units become miniaturized and lightened, a projection system adopting the LCD has been put on the markets, which is replaced with the projection system adopting the CRT, which is heavy and thick. In addition, other projection systems adopting the LCoS or the DMD have been put on the market or increasingly developed.
At present, LCD type projection systems are most widely used. However, the DLP type projection system using the DMD, which is excellent in realizing high contrast and fast in development speed as compared to the LCoS, which is advantageous in realizing high definition but slow in development speed, is now being developed and put on the markets.
The CRT and the LCD are display units that are driven by analog signals, and therefore, digital signals are converted into analog signals at the final signal-processing stage, and then the converted signals are displayed. On the other hand, the DMD is driven through pulse width modulation of digital signals without digital to analog conversion. Consequently, the DMD has the advantage in that errors generated during digital to analog conversion are minimized, and therefore, the DLP type projection systems using the DMD are in the spotlight of the recent projection systems.
FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the structure of a conventional DLP type projection system 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the conventional DLP type projection system 1 comprises: an illuminating optical system 1a; a reflecting type display unit 1b; and a projecting optical system 1c.
The illuminating optical system 1a comprises: a light source 10; and an optical lens 20 for illuminating light output from the light source to the reflecting type display unit 1b.
The light source 10 comprises: a lamp for generating light; and a reflector for reflecting the generated light to guide a route of the light.
The optical lens 20 comprises: a condensing lens 21 for condensing light output from the light source 10; and a shaping lens 23 for changing the condensed light into uniform light to shape the light in a predetermined pattern.
Between the condensing lens 21 and the shaping lens 23 is disposed a color wheel 22, which is rotated in one direction by a driving source (not shown) for selecting color light having a predetermined color and transmitting the selected color light. The color wheel 22 has a plurality of color filters, which are arranged in the circumferential direction of the color wheel 22 while being uniformly spaced apart from each other.
The display unit 1b, to which the light output from the illuminating optical system 1a is illuminated, comprises a DMD 30. The DMD 30 is mounted on a substrate 33, on which a processor 31 and a memory 32 are also mounted. The DMD 30 serves to separate a light route of the illuminating optical system 1a from a light route of the projecting optical system 1c based on tilting angles.
The DMD 30 is a projection type display unit using an optical semiconductor, which has been developed by Texas Instrument Incorporated in the United States of America. Specifically, the DMD 30 comprises a plurality of reflecting mirrors, each having a very small size, disposed on a silicon wafer in two dimensions. Each reflecting mirror corresponds to each pixel. The DMD 30 controls the light reflected by the reflecting mirrors to display pictures.
Each reflecting mirror is tilted by a reflecting mirror tilting actuator at high frequency, for example, tilted every 10 μs, for switching an incident light route between two states (ON and OFF) to reflect the incident light.
When the reflecting mirror corresponding to each predetermined pixel is tilted by the reflecting mirror tilting actuator such that the reflecting mirror is in the ON state, the light reflected by the reflecting mirror is magnified through a projection lens 40 of the projecting optical system 1c to illuminate the magnified light onto a screen 50. When the reflecting mirror is tilted by the reflecting mirror tilting actuator such that the reflecting mirror is in the OFF state, on the other hand, the light reflected by the reflecting mirror is away from the projection lens 40 of the projecting optical system 1c with the result that the light is not illuminated onto the screen 50.
Consequently, the digital micromirror device 30 changes the reflecting angle of the light by independently tilting the reflecting mirrors according to an image signal based on each pixel to turn the light ON/OFF, and illuminates the images magnified by the projection lens 40 onto the screen 50 in large size.
The reflecting mirror tilting actuator tilts the reflecting mirror to a tilting angle of from approximately −10 to +10 degrees in a cycle of 60 Hz to guide the light reflected on the reflecting mirror to a predetermined direction. At this time, it is necessary that flatness of the reflecting mirror be accurately adjusted to below 1.2 μm.
After assembly of the reflecting mirror and the reflecting mirror tilting actuator is completed, however, it is difficult to accurately adjust flatness of the reflecting mirror to below 1.2 μm. Furthermore, flatness adjustment is very difficult.

Actuator for tilting reflecting mirror of digital micromirror device for digital light processing type projection


A pneumatically controlled seat for a vehicle has a multiple air cell inflation system which can adjust the pressure in each of the cells simultaneously or sequentially to individually inflate or deflate the cells to a desired pressure level to control the tilt angle of a lumbar support.

Inflatable air cells have been used in a variety of configurations in the lumbar region of a seat to provide adjustments to the contour of a seat and in this manner enhance the comfort of the individual using the seat. This is especially important in automobiles where long periods of driving can cause pain and distraction or in other seating applications where individuals are sedentary for long periods of time.
The seating system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,124 involves a simple system of multiple air cells in which each cell is connected through a valve to a source of pressurized air in a manner which allows for simultaneous inflation or deflation of the cells in response to a manually operated switch.
Another air cell inflation system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,765. This device inflates the air cells according to two predetermined modes, through tubes individually controlled by valves which are in turn controlled by a microcomputer. The microcomputer is responsive to the fatigue of the driver as represented by seat belt displacement.
The air cells of U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,550 are adjusted in response to engine speed or steering angle and allows for selective inflation between two zones of air cells, one at the sides and one for the bottom and back of the seat. One valve controls each of the zones and is actuated by a microcomputer which receives sensed signals relative to the operating parameters of the automobile.
A manually operated power control system for a lumbar cushion is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,027. A complex seating mechanism is devised to allow the operator to inflate and deflate the cushion while sensing pressure in the cushion to limit actuation of the system to prevent damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,614 shows a system by which an air cell can be inflated to a selected pressure by sensing the actual pressure, comparing it to the pressure selected and then adjusting the air supply to inflate or deflate the air cell to the selected pressure. In this case the microcomputer converts the pressure signal it receives to a time based signal relative to the period necessary to run the pump to obtain the selected pressure. The pressure is sensed directly from sensors within the air support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,505, assigned to NHK Spring Co. Ltd., discloses a pneumatically controlled seat for a vehicle that has a mechanism which can sense the pressure in each air cell remotely in a manifold using one sensor.
The above systems are limited either to narrow preset operational boundaries or rely on the operator to provide a manual interactive response and they do not provide an arrangement in which the lumbar air cells can be separately adjusted to provide a tilt support to a user's back in the vicinity of the lumbar air cells. Although each attempts to improve the comfort of the user and adjust in some manner to the variety of shapes and sizes of the user, each falls short because of the inherent limitations in the particular system.
Another air cell adjustment mechanism of the prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,329. This patent describes a support structure consisting of front and back plates between which are sandwiched two air cells. The air cells may be selectively inflated and deflated to provide pivoting adjustment motion to the front plate which provides the support contour for the seat.
Tactile adjustment is provided by the air cell of U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,931 which is also mounted in a seat to provide the support contour for directly engaging the lumbar region of the user's back.
However, such prior art does not utilize the positioning of lumbar air cells to provide a tilt adjustment of a lumbar support for adjusting it to a wide variety of users.


A correlator extracts a plurality of related queries corresponding to each one of a plurality of answers. A classifier matches each one of the related queries corresponding to the answer with a category. A statistical tool determines the relevance of each category relative to the categories matched to the related queries corresponding to the answers.

The internet is often used to obtain information regarding news, businesses, events, movies, etc. in a specific geographic area. A user interface is typically stored on a server computer system and transmitted over the internet to a client computer system. The user interface typically has a search box for entering a text search query. A user can then select a search button to transmit a search request from the client computer system to the server computer system. The server computer system then compares the text with data in a database or data source and extracts information based on the text from the database or data source. The information includes uniform resource locators (URLs) or other answers pertaining to the text search query. The information is then transmitted from the server computer system to the client computer system for display at the client computer system.

System and method for categorizing answers such as URLs


A device and method are provided for spontaneous electrochemical production of therapeutic species, in vivo. An active metal is implanted in the tissue. The metal undergoes corrosion, thus acting as a reducing agent to constituents in the tissue, so as to cause these constituents to form the therapeutic agents.

Electrochemical reactions are chemical reactions in which electrons are transferred from one atom to another. Electrochemistry is thus a branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical changes produced by electricity and conversely, the production of electricity by chemical changes. A basic overview of electrochemistry may be obtained, for example, from Stoner et al. Bioelectrochemistry and Bioengineering, 9, (1982) 229-243.
Three types of electrochemical reactions may be distinguished, as follows:
i. An oxidation reaction, in which electrons are lost by atoms of the species involved in the reaction, so that the atoms become more positive, i.e., their oxidation state increases. In an oxidation reaction, electrons appear as products.
ii. A reduction reaction, in which electrons are gained by the species involved in the reaction, so that they become less positive, i.e., their oxidation state decreases. In a reduction reaction, electrons appear as reactants.
iii. A redox reaction, which involves both a reduction and an oxidation, and is called redox as an abbreviation to these. The stoichiometry of a redox reaction is such that all the electrons lost in the oxidation are gained in the reduction, so in a redox reaction, electrons do not appear explicitly.
One may thus define a reducing agent, as a species that reduces another species, and is itself oxidized in the process. Similarly, one may define an oxidizing agent, as a species that oxidizes another species, and is itself reduced in the process.
Two types of electrical conductors are operative in electrochemical reactions. An electronic conductor, such as a metal, and an ionic conductor, such as a solution containing ions, often called an electrolyte solution, or an electrolyte.
An electronic conductor, such as a metal, in contact with an electrolyte, is termed, an electrode. An electrode on whose surface an oxidation reaction takes place is defined as an anode. The anode acts as an electron sink to the electrolyte. Similarly, an electrode on whose surface a reduction reaction takes place is a cathode. The cathode acts as an electron source to the electrolyte.
In corrosion reactions, an electrochemical reaction may be sustained by a single metal, immersed in an electrolyte. The corroding metal acts both as the anode and the cathode. For example, when a strip of zinc is immersed in an acidic solution, an oxidation reaction takes place on its surface, as follows:Zn→Zn2++2e−  [I]
This process cannot continue for any significant length of time, without a suitable cathodic process, in which the electrons are consumed. Thus the strip of metal zinc also acts as a cathode, providing a nucleation site and a source for the electrons, for example, in the cathodic reaction:2H++2e−→H2  [II]
Corrosion reactions may also take place in a neutral environment, wherein the cathodic reaction may cause the solution to become more alkaline:O2+2H2O+4e−→4(OH)−  [III]
Although the zinc strip may act both as anode and as cathode, the addition of a second conducting strip, connected by wire to the zinc strip, will form an electrode pair. If the second strip is less active than the zinc, then the zinc strip will operate as the anode, and the second strip will operate as the cathode.
Certain metals such as platinum, though inert to electrochemical reactions, have a catalytic effect on the corrosion reaction. For example, when using platinum as a cathode, for reaction [II], the rate of the reaction may increase by a factor of 104-105, compared to its rate on zinc
Two or more electrodes, immersed in an electrolyte and connected by an electronic conductor, form an electrochemical cell.
In a galvanic electrochemical cell, current flows, power is produced, and the cell reaction proceeds spontaneously.
In an electrolytic electrochemical cell, current flows, power is consumed, and the cell reaction, which is driven, is the reverse of the spontaneous reaction of the glavanic cell.
In a reversible electrochemical cell, an infinitesimal change in cell potential can cause the reaction to proceed in either direction.
Chemists have selected the electrode reaction of hydrogen, under standard conditions of pressure and concentration, as a basis against which others electrode reactions are compared, and have termed it, standard hydrogen electrode (S.H.E.). The physically measured potential difference across a reversible cell made up of any electrode and a standard hydrogen electrode is called the reversible potential of the electrode, E. If the electrode (other than hydrogen) is also being operated under standard conditions of pressure and concentrations, the potential difference across the cell is the standard electrode potential, E0 of the electrode other than hydrogen.
The Nernst Equation for an electrode links the actual (measurable) reversible potential of an electrode E, to the standard reversible potential, E0. It may be described as:E=E0−(0.05915/n)log(activity of the reactants/activity of the products),
where n is the reaction charge (the number of electrons that are transferred).
Another use of the Nermst equation is to provide the activity ratio, which is approximately equal to the concentration ratio between the reactants and products. Given the reversible potential at an electrode E, and the concentration of the reactants, the concentration of the products may be calculated, and vise versa.
While electrochemistry is extensively applied in many technological fields, its application in vivo is limited to fewer reports and applications.
Electrochemical treatment of tumors is referred to in the medical literature as ECT.
In an ECT procedure, electrodes are implanted at spaced positions in or around the malignant tumor to be treated. Applied across these electrodes is a low DC voltage usually having a magnitude of less than 10 volts, causing a current to flow between the electrodes through the tumor. Due to an electrochemical process, reaction products are formed, which include cytotoxic agents that act to destroy the tumor cells.
In the ECT technique disclosed by Li et al., in Bioelectromagnetic 18:2-7 (1997), in the article "Effects of Direct Current on Dog Liver: Possible Mechanisms For Tumor Electrochemical Treatment" two platinum anode and cathode electrodes were inserted in a dog's liver with a 3 cm separation therebetween. Applied across these electrodes was a DC voltage of 8.5 volts, giving rise to an average current through the liver of 30 mA. This was continued for 69 minutes, with a total charge of 124 coulombs.
The concentration of selected ions near the anode and cathode were measured. The concentration of Na+ and K+ ions were found to be higher around the cathode, whereas the concentration of Cl− ions was higher around the anode. Water content and pH were determined near the anode and cathode, the pH values being 2.1 near the anode and 12.9 near the cathode. The released gases were identified as chlorine at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode. The series of electrochemical reactions which took place during ECT resulted in the rapid and complete destruction of both normal and tumor cells in the liver.
Another example of ECT appears in the article "Electrochemical Treatment of Lung Cancer" by Xin et al. in Bioelectromagnetics 18:8-13 (1997). In this ECT procedure platinum electrodes were inserted transcutaneously into a tumor, the voltage applied thereto was in the 6-8 volt range, the current was in the 40 to 100 mA range, and the electric charge, 100 coulombs per cm of tumor diameter.
According to this article, the clinical results indicate that ECT provides a simple, safe and effective way of treating lung cancers that are surgically inoperable and are not responsive to chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Also disclosing ECT techniques are Chou et al., Bioelectromagnetics 18:14-24 (1997); Yen et al., Bioelectromagnetics 20:34-41 (1999); Turler at al., Bioelectromagnetics 21:395-401 (2000); Ren at al., Bioelectromagnetics 22:205-211 (2001); U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,440 to Andersen and U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,347 to Herbst et al.
Electrochemical reactions as a function of pH and electrode potential can be predicted by means of a Pourbaix diagram, as disclosed in the Atlas of Electrochemical Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions—Pergamon Press, 1986—by Pourbaix.
While U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,627 to Baranowski Jr., et al. does not relate to ECT but to the electrochemically controlled stimulation of osteogenesis, it is nevertheless of prior art interest, for it discloses that reaction products produced by an electrochemical reaction includes not only hydrogen and oxygen, but also hydrogen peroxide.
In the text Methods in Cell Biology, Vol. 46—Cell Death—published by Academic Press, it is noted (on page 163), that hydrogen peroxide has been reported to be an inducer of cell death in various cell systems. This type of cell death is attributed to the direct cytotoxicity of H2O2 and other oxidant species generated from H2O2.
The above described ECT technologies are limited in several aspects. First, they all pertain to the treatment of solid tumor masses, yet other applications are not envisaged. Second, they all fail to teach implantable electrochemical devices which are controlled and/or powered via telemetry.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,797,898 and 6,123,861 to Santini Jr. et al. both describe microchips which comprise a plurality of drug containing capped reservoirs, whereas in one embodiment the release of the drug therefrom is effected by disintegration of the caps via an electrochemical reaction.
While Santini Jr. et al. teach an electrochemical in vivo drug release mechanism effected by telemetry, Santini Jr. et al. fails to teach the in vivo electrochemical production of therapeutic agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,455, teaches functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) or functional electrical stimulation (FES) devices, designed also to locally release drugs that inhibit physiological reactions against the devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,903 teaches a microelectrode for inserting in vivo, in vitro into a warm-blooded or cold blooded animal brain or body, or extra-corporeally and measuring intracellular and/or extracellular concentration and/or release and/or reuptake of one or more biogenic chemicals while measuring said chemical in vivo or in vitro.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,715 teaches a pacing lead having a stylet introduced anti-inflammatory drug delivery element advanceable from the distal tip electrode. The element is formed as a moldable biocompatible composite material. The element has a biocompatible matrix material which may be combined with drugs and therapeutic agents to deliver the drugs and agents by co-dissolution or diffusion to the point of either passive or active fixation. The drug delivery element may be rigid and serve to center an active fixation mechanism, preferably a helix, which penetrates the myocardium.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,578 teaches a method and apparatus for electroanalysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,991 teaches a method and system for preventing or treating atherosclerosis in which a blood vessel susceptible to or containing atherosclerotic plaque is subjected to a low-frequency electrical impulse at an effective rate and amplitude to prevent or impede the establishment or decrease the size of the plaque in the vessel. The system can be implanted into the body of a patient or applied externally to the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,440 teaches an apparatus for the in situ generation of an electrical current in a biological environment characterized by including an electrolytic fluid. The apparatus comprises first and second electrodes of differing electrochemical potentials separated by an insulator. The apparatus is adapted to be implanted in the environment. The presence of the electrolytic fluid and formation of a current path by hyperplastic cells bridging the electrodes enables electrolysis to occur and a direct current to pass through the current path to impede hyperplastic cell growth.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,914 teaches an implantable system that includes a carrier and eukaryotic cells, which produce and release a therapeutic agent, and a stimulating element for stimulating the release of the therapeutic agent. The system can also include a sensing element for monitoring a physiological condition and triggering the stimulating element to stimulate the delivery device to release the therapeutic agent. Alternatively, the patient in whom the system is implanted can activate the stimulating element to release the therapeutic agent. In one embodiment the carrier is medical electrical electrodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,808 describes an implantable electrical method and apparatus for the treatment of cancer tumors based on the usage of various levels of electrical fields and current to assist in specific ways to reduce tumor size. The method comprises: (1) implanting at least one electrode into or near a tumor, (2) implanting a source of electrical power, (3) connecting the electrode to the source of electrical power and (4) delivering electrical current into the tumor. Alternatively, the method comprises: (1) implanting at least one electrode into a tumor, (2) implanting a source of electrical power, (3) connecting the electrode to the source of electrical power, (4) monitoring at least one voltage from within tissue, and (5) delivering electrical current into the tumor. In both cases, it is the electrical current that provides the therapeutic action.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,458 describes a method for inhibiting restenosis by local application of an oxidizing agent to blood vessel walls. Preferred oxidizing agents include peroxides, most preferably hydrogen peroxide. Oxidizing agents can be delivered utilizing drug delivery balloon catheters. Preferred delivery catheters include an inflatable balloon having a perfusion lumen therethrough to allow for longer application periods. Oxidizing agents can be delivered either alone or in conjunction with radiation or stent delivery. One method includes local delivery of 0.1% hydrogen peroxide to a dilated stenosis wall for a period of 10 minutes at a rate of 0.5 cc per minute.
Each one of these patents, however, fails to teach in vivo electrochemical production of therapeutic agents.
There is thus a great need for and it would be highly advantageous to have methods, systems and devices for in vivo electrochemical production of therapeutic agents.

Method and device for electrochemical formation of therapeutic species in vivo


A method is provided for additionally oxidizing a thin-film oxide. The method includes: providing a substrate; depositing an MyOx (M oxide) layer overlying the substrate, where M is a solid element having an oxidation state in a range of +2 to +5; treating the MyOx layer to a high density plasma (HDP) source; and, forming an MyOk layer in response to the HDP source, where k>x. In one aspect, the method further includes decreasing the concentration of oxide charge in response to forming the MyOk layer. In another aspect, the MyOx layer is deposited with an impurity N, and the method further includes creating volatile N oxides in response to forming the MyOk layer. For example, the impurity N may be carbon and the method creates a volatile carbon oxide.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the fabrication of integrated circuit (IC) devices, and more particularly, to a method for additionally oxidizing an oxide film using a high-density plasma oxidation process.
2. Description of the Related Art
The quality of polysilicon thin-films and the interface between silicon and silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) layers are critical to the performance of thin-film transistors, MOS capacitors, and various ICs. The quality of the SiO2/Si interface is dependent upon the quality of the SiOx (where x is less than, or equal to 2) transition layer at the interface and the defects in the poly-Si layer. The general approach is to improve the quality of the SiOx transition layer at the Si/SiO2 interface. Defects in the poly-Si can also be passivated and the stoichiometry improved by oxidation and hydrogenation processes. These same issues also apply to semiconductor processes that form other types of oxide thin-films.
Although lower temperatures are generally desirable for any device fabrication process, they are especially critical in LCD manufacture, where large-scale devices are formed on a transparent glass, quartz, or plastic substrate. These transparent substrates can be damaged when exposed to temperatures exceeding 650 degrees C. To address this temperature issue, low-temperature Si oxidation processes have been developed. These processes use a high-density plasma source such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, and are able to form Si oxide with a quality comparable to 1200 degree C. thermal oxidation methods.
Various semiconductor devices require the deposition of SiO2, or other oxide thin-films, on structures that are both planar and non-planar. For planar surfaces there is usually no problem in depositing uniform SiO2 thin-films over large areas in the fabrication of stable and reliable devices. However, for a device with vertical steps in the structure, such as shallow-trench isolation (STI), vertical thin-film transistors (V-TFTs), graded steps, or curved surfaces, it is important to deposit SiO2 films with sufficient step-coverage to maintain film integrity, device performance, and yield. Thermal oxide has proven to be the most suitable oxide from the step-coverage point of view. However, the low growth rates and high processing temperatures exceeding 800° C. make thermal oxidation unsuitable for low-temperature devices.
Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes are suitable for the low temperature processing of the SiO2 thin-films. The electrical quality and the step-coverage of the PECVD deposited oxide thin-film are strongly dependent upon the processing conditions. It is possible to improve the step-coverage of the deposited oxide by decreasing the process temperature or varying the process chemistries and plasma process variables. However, any such attempt to improve the step-coverage results in a corresponding decrease in the oxide quality.
Generally, a fixed oxide charge is a positive charge that remains, after annealing out interface trap charges, and is caused as a result of a structural defect. These fixed oxide charges occur primarily within 2 nanometers of a Si/SiO2 interface. The charge density is dependent upon oxidation and hydrogenation processes. It is known that these fixed oxide charges can be minimized through the use of high oxidation temperatures. Fixed oxide charges in a gate oxide layer can act to degrade the threshold voltage of a transistor.
Oxide trapped charges can be formed at the interface between a silicon layer and a metal or Si substrate, or can be introduced throughout the oxide layer as a result of ion implantation. Mobile ionic charges can also be formed at the silicon oxide interface as a result of ionized alkali metals, sodium, or potassium. A gate insulator with any of the above-mentioned oxide charge types can degrade the threshold voltage, breakdown voltage, and current gain of a transistor.
There are two important factors that dictate the quality of the oxide thin films: Oxygen vacancies and impurities. Oxygen vacancies and impurities result in poorer electrical performance, stability, and reliability. There are various sources for the impurities in thin oxide films, such as the substrate material, deposition method, fabrication technique and setup, precursor composition and purity, device processing methods/steps, to name a few. One common impurity in thin oxide films is carbon (C), which can be induced by the system or process. C impurities can also come from the substrate, in the case of SiC-based devices. It is important to reduce the level of C or other impurities in thin films to fabricate reliable electronic devices.
The issue of incomplete oxidation can be addressed by exposing the films to oxygen atmosphere, while the carbon type impurities can be effectively removed by conversion of the C to CO or CO2, which diffuses out of the film. One common approach to improve oxidation and minimize the C type impurities in oxide thin films is a post-deposition treatment in an oxygen atmosphere. However, the thermal oxidation processes have the major limitation of a high thermal budget (high temperature/long oxidation time), which is not suitable for low-temperature devices. Additionally, the thermal oxidation process has a low oxidation efficiency due to the molecular state of the oxygen species, and often results in undesirable interactions, such as diffusion, among various layers in the devices. Rapid thermal oxidation processes also show poor oxidation efficiency, especially at film thicknesses greater than 100 Å, and the thermal budget is not suitable for low-temperature (<600° C.) devices integrated on glass, plastic, polymer, or other low temperature substrates.
Plasma oxidation processes have a lower thermal budget and the higher efficiency than thermal processes. However, the oxide formed from a conventional capacitively-coupled plasma (CCP) generated plasma may create reliability issues due to the high bombardment energy of the impinging ionic species. It is important to control or minimize any plasma-induced bulk or interface damage. However, it is not possible to control the ion energy using radio frequency (RF) of CCP generated plasma. Additionally, the low plasma density associated with these types of sources (˜108-109 cm−3) leads to inefficient oxidation and impurity reduction at low thermal budgets, which limits their usefulness in the fabrication of low-temperature electronic devices.
Other approaches such as radical oxidation, photo oxidation, and ozone oxidation, have been taken to improve the oxidation efficiency, by the creation of an active oxygen species. However, the process complexity, plasma density, nature and life-time of active species, low efficiency, high thermal budgets, and large area processing limit the applicability of these approaches to low-temperature and high-throughput device fabrication.


An inflatable tent construction 10 including a wall unit 11, and a roof unit 12 fabricated from fifteen side panels 40 wherein each side panel 40 comprises a panel member 30 surrounded by two inflatable side channels 21, 22, and an inflatable base channel 23 that define generally identically shaped equilateral triangles. The wall unit comprises first and second groups of five panel members 30, respectively, and the roof unit 12 comprises a third group of five panel members 30 to create the pentadecahedron configuration of the wall 11 and roof 12 units of the tent construction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of tent constructions in general, and in particular to inflatable tent constructions.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,742,658; 3,994,102; 4,295,302; and 4,332,112, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse inflatable wall tent constructions.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they do not represent the culmination of efforts to improve upon the overall design of inflatable tents.
In particular, the Meyer patent at first glance shares many structural similarities to the present invention; however, a more detailed comparison of the two constructions will reveal a number of significant differences.
In all inflatable tent constructions, the primary objective is to provide an inflatable chamber tent wall support system that is both practical and effective.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved type of inflatable tent construction that has a unique wall support configuration that provides improved stability and support over the prior art constructions, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.


An apparatus and a method for detecting a traffic lane using wireless communication is provided and includes a sensor unit including an image recognition sensor and a radar sensor. In addition, a controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one of a plurality of other vehicles and generate road driving information regarding a traveling vehicle after confirming a reliability of the at least one other vehicle using traffic lane recognition information received from the at least other vehicle. The controller is configured to confirm a traffic lane of the traveling vehicle based on the reliability and output the road driving information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting a traffic lane using wireless communication, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for detecting a traffic lane using wireless communication that receives the traffic lane recognition information from other vehicles using the wireless communication between vehicles, and detects the traffic lane of the traveling vehicle based on the traffic lane recognition information according to reliability of other vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, to guide a vehicle to remain within a traffic lane, an exact entry into and exit from interchange (IC)/junction (JC), and an exact path to a destination, during driving of the vehicle, a global positioning system (GPS) mounted in a navigation system or sensors mounted in the traveling vehicle such as an image recognition sensor, a radar sensor, and the like are used to estimate the traffic lane in which the vehicle is traveling.
However, when estimating the traffic lane using the GPS, it may be difficult to estimate the exact traffic lane due to error of the GPS. In addition, when estimating the traffic lane using the image recognition sensor or the radar sensor, it may be difficult to estimate the traffic lane on the road on which there are many vehicles, and it may be difficult to estimate the traffic lane while driving in a substantial middle of the road on which there are many traffic lanes.

Apparatus and method for detecting traffic lane using wireless communication


Implementations include receiving image data representative of images of items within a physical environment and depicting defects in at least one item, providing one or more of a set of augmented images using image augmentation based on the image data and a set of synthetic images using ML-based image synthesis based on the image data, processing one of the set of augmented images and the set of synthetic images using an ML model to provide a set of defect characteristics representative of defects in the at least one item, providing one or more root causes of each of the one or more defects by processing the set of defect characteristics and ancillary data, the ancillary data representative of the physical environment, and generating one or more alerts based on the one or more root causes for remediation of at least one root cause of the one or more defects.

Physical structures can require inspection for defects that can render the physical structure unfit for its intended purpose. In some instances, failure of a physical structure due to a defect can result in losses (e.g., financial losses, physical losses). Consequently, inspection systems have been developed in an effort to enhance efficiencies in defect detection. In some examples, traditional inspection systems process images of physical structures in an effort to detect occurrences of defects.
Some traditional systems implement rule-based object detection to detect defects. However, rule-based detection struggles to adapt to misalignment and tiny shifts in defect images. Some traditional systems use machine learning (ML) models to detect defects in images. However, such ML models need to be trained and training can require training data including labeled defect images. Labeling of defect images typically requires human experts to view and label each image, which is expensive and labor-intensive. Also, the defect images are often imbalanced, meaning available defect image data is not uniformly distributed between the different image classes (usually a strong minority class). This imbalance can negatively affect the accuracy of the resulting ML model (e.g., convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier).
Further, in order to remediate defects, causes of defects also need to be determined. In some scenarios, a cause of a defect may need to be determined rapidly (e.g., in real-time, or near real-time) to avoid further occurrences of the defect and/or imminent failure. In some scenarios, a difference between a target structure (also referred to as golden structure) and the actual structure should be determined rapidly (e.g., in real-time, or near real-time) to detect so-called killer defects. Further, to address causes of defects, defect types, counts, locations, and severity are to be determined and appropriate personnel notified to address the issues identified. Traditional defect detection systems are deficient in addressing one or more of these issues.

Intelligent defect detection from image data


A dispenser for flexible sheet material rolls in which a first roll is supported in a dispensing position, a second roll is supported in a reserve position and a roll transfer apparatus is operative to transfer the second roll to the dispensing position upon depletion of sheet material from the first roll with the supporting arrangement for the roll in the dispensing position being rotatable with such roll and thereby subject to significantly reduced friction effects. The described dispenser organization also includes a novel arrangement for retaining the cores and spindles of spent rolls within the dispenser until the closure cover is opened for replenishing the dispenser with fresh rolls whereupon, by opening the cover, the spent residual roll elements are automatically deposited into the opened cover that forms a receptacle from whence the elements can be retrieved for disposal and following which the dispenser organization is automatically returned to its operative condition in a single step upon simply closing the closure cover. In order to retard the fall of a roll to the dispensing position, and thereby avoid injury or unpleasant surprise to a user and reduce noise upon roll transfer, a star wheel may be mounted to be contacted and rotated by a falling roll.

This invention relates to dispensers for flexible sheet material, such as toilet tissue, in which a reserve roll is automatically movable from its stored position into a dispensing position upon dissipation of sheet material from the supply roll, and for means for conveniently storing the residual portions of dissipated rolls and their removal upon opening of the dispenser cover.
Flexible sheet material dispenser devices having the capability of moving a reserve roll into a sheet dispensing position upon dissipation of sheet material from the original supply roll, are known. One such example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,222 granted Nov. 6, 1973 to Paul W. Jespersen and assigned to the assignee hereof. The device shown in this patent, while being relatively simple in design and effective in operation, suffers from certain disadvantages. For example, the patented dispenser organization relies for support of the supply roll upon the wall of the dispenser cabinet thereby increasing to a significant extent the undesirable effects of friction on the operation. Deriving support of the supply roll by its continual contact with the cabinet wall not only adds to the amount of force required to be imparted by a user in withdrawing sheet material from the dispenser, it also creates the danger of damage to the delicate sheet material being dispensed caused by the erosive effects of the material rubbing against the wall surface as the supply roll rotates during the withdrawal of sheet material.
Another deleterious characteristic of prior art devices of the concerned type is that, commonly, the residual elements of the spent supply rolls, namely the core and spindle end caps therefor, are discharged by simply being permitted to fall from the open bottom of the dispenser and thus become an eyesore to the environs of the dispenser. Where the problem has been addressed, the solutions proposed involving closing the bottom of the dispenser to form a collection compartment is less than totally satisfactory due to the problem of gaining access to the elements for ultimate disposal.
It is to the amelioration of the above problems, therefore, to which the present invention is directed.
Prior art dispensers such as disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,222 are also arranged such that the fall of a reserve roll to the dispensing position is broken at a position well within the dispenser, out of hands reach, so that a user whose hand happens to be inserted into the dispensing opening does not experience injury or unpleasant surprise due to the impact of a falling reserve roll at the time of roll replacement. This leads to the need for a depth dimension of the dispenser which is substantially greater than the diameter of the rolls of sheet material. Accordingly, a larger space must be allocated for the dispenser. Furthermore, such prior art arrangements do little to alleviate the potentially disturbing noise caused by the sudden impact of a falling roll within the dispenser.
Accordingly, there is a need for a dispenser design that avoids the above-described potential problems associated with the impact of a reserve roll falling to a dispensing position, without requiring a dispenser depth dimension substantially greater than the roll diameter.


A method for forming a patterned layer of material begins by providing a substrate (12). A device layer (14) is formed overlying the substrate (12). A layer (16) is formed over the device layer (14). Layer (16) is further characterized as being an inorganic dielectric material, such as a plasma enhanced silicon nitride (PEN) material. A mask (18) is positioned adjacent the layer (16). Ultra-violet (UV) light (20) is selectively exposed to the layer (16) through the mask (18). Exposure from the UV light (20) forms exposed regions (16b) and unexposed regions (16a) of the layer (16). The UV light (20) alters an atomic bonding energy of hydrogen atoms within the exposed regions (16b) while not altering unexposed regions (16a). The layer (16) is exposed to an etchant which etches the exposed regions (16b) and unexposed regions (16a) at different rates. The etching forms a patterned layer from the layer ( 16) which may be used as a masking layer.

Photolithographic processing is an important technology in the manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs). Photolithography, or like lithographic techniques (i.e. X-ray lithography, E-beam exposure, phase shift technology, etc.), is usually used several times during the course of fabricating an integrated circuit wafer.
Conventionally, photolithography requires that a layer of organic photoresist be formed over the IC wafer. This photoresist or resist is typically applied by spraying an organic light-sensitive photoresist over the IC wafer while the wafer is being rotated at a predetermined number of rotations per minute (RPM). The RPM is selected to provide a photoresist layer which has a relatively planar topography and thickness.
In most cases, after photoresist is applied to an IC wafer, the IC wafer and photoresist layer are exposed to a thermal heat cycle or a like thermal step. This heat cycle, known also as a "soft bake", bakes the photoresist onto the IC wafer surface to ensure adequate photoresist adhesion and limited subsequent photoresist peeling.
A mask, usually made of chromium opaque regions and a quartz substrate, is positioned over the IC wafer. A lamp or like energy source selectively exposes portions of the photoresist layer on the IC wafer through the mask. The light exposure alters the molecular weight of exposed portions of the photoresist layer while leaving the molecular weight of unexposed portions unchanged.
A solution or chemical, known also as a "developer", is then used to "develop" or etch the photoresist. The developer etches the photoresist selectively as a function of the molecular weight. Some developers etch photoresist molecules having a low molecular weight, and other developers etch photoresist molecules having a high molecular weight. By using the developer, a masking pattern defined by the mask is transferred to the photoresist layer which overlies the IC wafer. In some cases, a "hard bake" is performed after the photoresist development step to bake the photoresist a second time.
The photoresist pattern which overlies the IC wafer is then used to etch or form patterns/regions in layers which underlie the photoresist. Once the photoresist has been used to form IC patterns in underlying layers, an etch step is used to remove all portions of the photoresist. Known ash steps, wet etch techniques, cleaning cycles, de-ionized water rinses, and/or like processes are used to clean the IC wafer after being exposed to photoresist.
Although photoresist is used extensively in IC processing, photoresist has some disadvantages. Photoresist processing, as indicated above, requires many processing steps. Also photoresist is a source of unwanted IC contaminants such as metal contaminants and sodium. Exposing photoresist to certain etch chemistries, plasma environments, and the like may create undesirable organic layers known as "veils" or "scum" which overlie an IC wafer. These undesirable organic layers are difficult to remove and may reduce yield or increase contact resistance. Other known problems with photoresist, such as reflective notching, etc., exist in the art.
Another material which may be patterned in a manner similar to photoresist is polyimide. Polyimide is an organic material and is susceptible to contamination in a manner similar to photoresist. Polyimide is also not an adequate diffusion barrier, is difficult to control in terms of film thickness, has stress-related problems, and does not have adequate sub-micron resolution capabilities.
Therefore, an improved lithographic process and lithographic material is desired.

Method for forming a patterned layer using dielectric materials as a light-sensitive material


There is provided an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can suppress hindrance to viewing/listening to content. A control unit controls output of a tactile stimulus in a case where notification information is received during output of content including sound. Further, the control unit performs a process of controlling the tactile stimulus in response to the content or a process of controlling the content in response to the tactile stimulus. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a mobile device such as a smartphone and the like capable of reproducing content including sound.

An electronic device having all of an audio output function of outputting sound, a vibration output function of outputting vibration, and an information communication function of performing communication for exchanging information includes, for example, a smartphone and the like. Further, an electronic device group capable of linking an audio output function, a vibration output function, and an information communication function in real time includes, for example, a combination of a smartphone and a smart watch interlocking with the smartphone and the like. The above-mentioned electronic device and electronic device group are also collectively referred to as an electronic device system.
According to an electronic device system equipped with an audio output function, a vibration output function, and an information communication function, when a user enjoys audio content including music and other sounds by the audio output function, notification of a message received by the information communication function can be reported to the user by output of alarm sound by the audio output function or output of vibration by the vibration output function.
In the electronic device system, in addition to the message, notification information for notifying a user of various contents including highly urgent information such as an incoming call, a sudden change in weather, and the like and less urgent information such as a battery residual quantity, campaign information of a store that a user usually uses, and the like is received (acquired).
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a mobile communication terminal device that sets report sound from a speaker and vibration of a vibrator according to urgency of notification information.

Information processing device, information processing method, and program