An angled arrangement of a currency document handling device and a second unit and an angle arrangement of two currency document handling devices, components of the same, and methods of coupling and using the same. For example, a currency document processing system for processing currency documents including currency bills comprises a currency handling device, a first currency document receiving unit, and a first angular transport unit. The first currency document receiving unit is adapted to receive at least some bills processed by the currency handling device. The first angular transport unit is adapted to receive bills from the currency handling device and transport bills to the first currency document receiving unit. The angular transport unit is adapted to be coupled between the currency handling device and the first currency document receiving unit such that the currency handling device and the first currency document receiving units are angled relative to each other such as by ninety degrees (90°).

A variety of techniques and apparatuses have been used to satisfy the requirements of automated currency handling machines. As businesses and banks grow, these businesses are experiencing a greater volume of paper currency. These businesses are continually requiring not only that their currency be processed more quickly but also processed with more options in a less expensive manner. At the upper end of sophistication in this area of technology are machines that are capable of rapidly discriminating and counting multiple currency denominations and then sorting the currency bills into a multitude of output compartments.
However, many of these high-end machines are extremely large such that they are commonly found only in large institutions. These machines are not readily available to businesses which have space constraints, but still have the need to process large volumes of currency. For example, one of these machines can cost over $500,000, and with added currency document receiving units, such as a strapping unit, additional output receptacles, or a shredder, the machines may be too large to fit within a room size found in many buildings.
Typically, in the handling of bulk currency, after the currency bills have been analyzed, denominated, authenticated, counted, and/or otherwise processed, the currency bills are sorted by denomination into separate output receptacles or cassettes. The resulting individual stacks of bills having a single denomination often must then be further processed so that the bills therein may be strapped. Bill strapping is a process whereby a stack of a specific number of bills of a single denomination are bounded together such as being secured with a paper strap. For example, one dollar bills may be segregated into stacks of one hundred $1 bills and then bound with a paper strap. Strapping facilitates the handling of currency by allowing the strapped stacks of bills to be counted rather than the individual currency bills. Traditionally, U.S. currency bills are strapped in stacks containing one hundred bills.
Some systems are capable of strapping bills while continuing to evaluate other currency bills or other currency documents. Some such systems are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0003980, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
One limitation with the prior systems is the overall size of the system. While a multi-pocket document processing device may be 5 feet in length, a single additional strapping device may be 3 feet in length. Further, it is common for a multi-pocket currency document processing system to further include additional modular output receptacles, and multiple strapping devices. Thus, it is possible for a multi-pocket currency document processing system to have an overall length of, for example, 25 feet when including all of the additional currency document receiving units such as output receptacles and strapping devices. However, the depth of the multi-pocket processing system is typically less than 2 feet. Thus, a very long, narrow room may be used to house such a document processing system. However, such a long room may not be practical for many locations, thus it would be desirable to have a multi-pocket document processing device that is configured to have a shorter overall length.


In a memory device, memory capacity per unit area is increased while a period in which data is held is ensured. The memory device includes a driver circuit provided over a substrate, and a plurality of memory cell arrays which are provided over the driver circuit and driven by the driver circuit. Each of the plurality of memory cell arrays includes a plurality of memory cells. Each of the plurality of memory cells includes a first transistor including a first gate electrode overlapping with an oxide semiconductor layer, and a capacitor including a source electrode or a drain electrode, a first gate insulating layer, and a conductive layer. The plurality of memory cell arrays is stacked to overlap. Thus, in the memory device, memory capacity per unit area is increased while a period in which data is held is ensured.

In recent years, a metal oxide having semiconductor characteristics, which is called an oxide semiconductor, has attracted attention as a novel semiconductor material having high mobility as in the case of polysilicon or microcrystalline silicon and having uniform element characteristics as in the case of amorphous silicon. The metal oxide is used for various applications; for example, indium oxide is a well-known metal oxide and used as a material of a pixel electrode in a liquid crystal display device. Examples of such metal oxides having semiconductor characteristics include tungsten oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, and zinc oxide. Transistors in each of which a channel formation region is formed using such a metal oxide having semiconductor characteristics have been known (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Device for performing laser angioplasty, in which laser light is beamed via a laser radiation device in the area of a catheter tip, with simultaneous OCT monitoring, for the ablation of plaque. The feed lines for the laser radiation device and the rotating OCT signal lines are disposed in a common catheter sheath, said feed lines leading to an OCT sensor disposed within a ring-shaped window running around the circumference of the catheter sheath, said OCT sensor being disposed at a distance from the laser radiation device.

Vascular disease, in particular cardiac infarction, is one of the most common fatal illnesses. It is caused by diseases of the coronary arteries (arteriosclerosis), in which the build-up of deposits (arteriosclerotic plaque) causes occlusions in the coronary arteries.
Nowadays, if coronary angiography reveals serious stenoses in the coronary arteries, causing angina pectoris which restricts the patient's capability and/or puts the patient at risk, a PTCA (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) is carried out in the majority of cases. This is done by expanding the narrowings in the coronary arteries using a so-called "balloon catheter". In recent years, laser angioplasty (PTLA) has also become established for the removal of plaque from coronary arteries, particularly in cases of elongated stenoses (>2 cm), complete occlusion and in-stent restenoses.
Laser angioplasty means the removal of plaque using a thermal or non-thermal laser. The doctor does this by guiding a laser catheter until it reaches the stenosis in the coronary artery. The laser catheter consists of fine optical glass fibers. The laser energy causes photo-acoustic and photochemical processes that enable the plaque to be removed. In the thermal process, a laser balloon catheter destroys calcification by heating it to a temperature of 80 to 100 degrees for 15 seconds. This method is only used vary rarely today. In the non-thermal process, an ultraviolet-pulsed (308 nm) laser (excimer laser) is used. This pulsed laser results in the creation of vapor bubbles within a few hundred microseconds, causing explosive modification of the plaque. This process enables the plaque to be ablated in a controlled manner. The laser angioplasty can then be followed by a further PCTA and/or implantation of a stent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,128 A discloses a device as mentioned above for laser angioplasty, in which an optical fiber for transmitting laser energy from a laser source to the point of treatment, runs in a first lumen of a catheter. A second lumen can accommodate a fiber for an optical coherence tomograph.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,001 B2 likewise describes a device as mentioned above, in which a plurality of glass fibers for radiating laser energy from a laser source, and a reflectance fiber, which is closely coupled to the optical reflectance system, are further disposed in the catheter.
A device for laser angioplasty is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,877, "Optical Fiber Lasing Apparatus Lens" and in EP 0 355 200 A1 "Balloon dilatation catheter with laser cutting capability". An example of a known product is the CVX-300® Excimer Laser System from Spectranetics, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA.

Device for performing laser angioplasty with OCT monitoring


Improved speakers are better able to accurately reproduce sound through the use of low-mass transducers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to loudspeakers, and more particularly to designing loudspeakers to more faithfully and accurately reproduce signals.
2. Background and Related Art
It is common to play back recorded music through an audio system and/or reproduce the music of a live performance through microphone(s) and an amplified sound system to distribute sound to listener(s). The key elements of an audio system typically consist of a source (a recording or musician for example), an amplifier, and a loudspeaker.


A new semiconductor structure for a ROM device and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The ROM device includes a plurality of trench-type source/drain regions which serve as a plurality of bit lines for the ROM device. By this method, the conventional step of using ion implantation to form the bit lines can be eliminated. Further, an insulating layer is formed between the source/drain regions and the underlying a substrate such that the leakage current in the junction between the source/drain regions and the substrate can be minimized. The ON/OFF state of each of the MOSFET memory cells of the ROM device is dependent on whether the associated channel region comes into lateral contact with the neighboring source/drain regions through a mask removed portion of the insulating layer. A particular MOSFET memory cell is set to a permanently-ON state provided that its source/drain regions come into lateral contact with the associated channel region through a removed portion of the insulating layer, and is set to a permanently-OFF state otherwise. The new semiconductor structure for the ROM device allows for an increase in the breakdown voltage of the source/drain regions and thereby the operating current of the memory cells during access operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly to an improved semiconductor structure for a ROM (read-only memory) device of the type including an array of MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) memory cells and a method of fabricating the same. It is a characteristic feature of the invention that an insulating layer is used for mask programming of data into the ROM device.
2. Description of Related Art
Read-only memory (ROM) is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory widely used in computer and microprocessor systems for permanently storing information including programs and data that are repeatedly used, such as the BIOS (abbreviation for Basic Input/Output System, a widely used operating system on personal computers) or the like. The manufacture of ROMs involves very complicated and time-consuming processes and requires costly equipment and material to achieve. Therefore the data to be permanently stored in ROMs is usually first defined by the customer and then furnished to the factory to be programmed into the ROMs.
Most ROMs are identical in semiconductor structure except for the different data stored therein. Therefore, the ROM devices can be fabricated up to the stage reads for programming and then the semi-finished products can be stocked in inventory to await customer orders. The customer then furnishes the data to the factory where the data are to be stored in the semi-finished ROMs by using the so-called mask programming process. This procedure is now a standard method in the semiconductor industry for fabricating ROMs.
In most ROMs, metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET) are used as the memory cells for stored data. In the mask programming stage, impurities are selectively diffused into specific channels of the MOSFET memory cells so as to chance the threshold voltage thereof thereby setting the MOSFET memory cells to ON/OFF states representing different binary data. The MOSFET memory cells are connected to the external circuits via a plurality of polysilicon-based word lines and bit lines. The channel regions are located beneath the word lines and between each pair of adjacent bit lines. Whether one MOSFET memory cell is set to store a binary digit of 0 or 1 is dependent on whether the associated channel is diffused with impurities or not. If the associated channel is diffused with impurities, the MOSFET memory cell is set to have a low threshold voltage, effectively setting the MOSFET memory cell to a permanently-ON state representing the storage of a binary digit of 0, for example; otherwise, the MOSFET memory cell is set to have a high threshold voltage, effectively setting the MOSFET memory cell to a permanently-OFF state representing the storage of a binary digit of 1.
One conventional ROM device is shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C, in which FIG. 1A is a schematic top view of the ROM device, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the ROM device of FIG. 1 cutting through the line 1B--1B, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the ROM device of FIG. 1 cutting through the line 1C--1C.
As shown, the conventional ROM device includes a semiconductor substrate such as a P-type silicon substrate, on which a plurality of parallel-spaced bit lines 11 and a plurality of parallel-spaced word lines 13 intercrossing the bit lines 11 are formed. The word lines 13 are separated from the underlying bit lines by an oxidation layer 12. This ROM device includes a plurality of MOSFET memory cells, each being associated with one segment of the word lines 13 between each neighboring pair of the bit lines 11.
Referring to FIG. 1C, in the method for fabricating the foregoing ROM device, the first step is to conduct an ion implantation process so as to diffuse an N-type impurity material, such as arsenic (As), into selected regions of the substrate 10 to form a plurality of parallel-spaced diffusion regions serving as the bit lines 11. The interval region between each neighboring pair of the bit lines 11 serves as a channel region 16. Subsequently, a thermal oxidation process is performed on the wafer so as to form the oxidation layer 12 over the entire top surface of the wafer. Next, a conductive layer, such as a highly-doped polysilicon layer is formed over the wafer, and then selectively removed through a photolithographic and etchings process. The remaining portions of the conductive layer serve as the word lines 13. This completes the fabrication of a semi-finished product of the ROM device awaiting a customer order.
In the masks programming process, a mask 15 is placed over the wafer. This mask 15 is predefined to form a plurality of openings according to the bit pattern of the data that are to be programmed into the ROM device for permanent storage. These openings expose those channel regions that are associated with a selected group of MOSFET memory cells that are to set to a permanently-ON state, with all the other MOSFET memory cells being to be set to a permanently-OFF state. Subsequently, an ion implantation process is conducted on the wafer so as to diffuse a P-type impurity material, such as boron, into the exposed channel regions. This completes the so-called code implant process.
In the finished product of the ROM device, the doped channel regions cause the associated MOSFET memory cells to be set to have a low threshold voltage, effectively setting the MOSFET memory cells to a permanently-ON state representing the permanent storage of a first binary digit, for example 0. On the other hand, the undoped channel regions cause the associated MOSFET memory cells to be set to have a high threshold voltage, effectively setting the MOSFET memory cells to a permanently-OFF state representing the permanent storage of a second binary digit, for example 1.
The threshold voltage level of each MOSFET memory cell is dependent on the concentration of the impurity ions diffused into the associated channel region. If the concentration is too high, the threshold voltage of the associated MOSFET memory cell will be raised to a higher level, This may cause the undesired effect of junction breakdown between the source/drain regions and the substrate. To prevent the junction breakdown, the concentration of the implanted impurity ions should be reduced. However, this will cause a decrease in the ratio of the ON-current I.sub.ON to the OFF-current I.sub.OFF (I.sub.ON refers to the current flowing through a permanently-ON MOSFET memory cell during access operation, while I.sub.OFF refers to the current flowing, through a permanently-OFF MOSFET memory cell during access operation). This drawback will cause the external circuitry to have difficulty in distinguishing between the ON/OFF states of the MOSFET memory cells of the ROM device during access operation. Moreover, the existence of a diode junction between the source/drain regions during access operation causes a large leakage current in the ROM device.

Semiconductor read-only memory device and method of fabricating the same


Systems and methods for correcting a vibration-induced error on a touch screen display device on an aircraft are provided. A method can include providing a user interface for display on a touch screen display device. The user interface can include one or more virtual elements associated with functions to be performed by a component of the aircraft. The method can include receiving data indicative of an actual user interaction with the touch screen display device. The method can include receiving data indicative of an intended user interaction. The method can include receiving data indicative of a sensed vibration. The method can include determining a corrected user interaction corresponding to a selected virtual element based on the data received. The method can also include sending one or more command signals to one or more components to perform a function associated with the selected virtual element.

During aircraft operation, flight crew members can use touch screen display devices to perform various functions, such as input flight plan data or check weather conditions nearby. These touch screen display devices can allow for quick and efficient input and review of data and flight conditions, while condensing the function of several components into a single screen. The touch screen display device can display one or more user interfaces, which can be navigated by selecting virtual elements displayed on the touch screen display device with, for example, a finger or stylus.
However, during operation, the aircraft may encounter turbulence, gravitational forces, or mechanical vibrations, which can cause the flight crew member to have difficulty controlling his or her movement. In some cases, flight conditions can be so severe as to cause a flight crew member intending to select a particular element on a touch screen display device to inadvertently select an unintended element. The flight crew member may then need to re-enter the intended input on the touch screen display device, which may require navigating backwards through the user interface. This can lead to frustration on the part of the flight crew members and decreased efficiency due the need to re-enter the intended selection on the touch screen display device.

Correction of vibration-induced error for touch screen display in an aircraft


A walker includes a universal mount adapted to interchangeably receive multiple different attachments useful for a patient using the walker. A single walker may have an array of attachments adapted to be interchangeably used by a particular user. Alternatively, a care provider may stock a single walker available for use by many different patients, because individual needs may be met by the different attachments that may be interchangeably used with the mount on the single walker.

Many patients have some type of infirmity, whether temporary or otherwise, that requires the use of a walker to assist with ambulation. By definition, a walker requires the use of one or both hands by a patient when going anywhere. As a result, a patient's hands are essentially fully occupied by the walker during use.
As a result of the foregoing, many different walkers are engineered with different attachments for use by patients. For instance, a walker may be specifically engineered to receive and carry an oxygen bottle or a tray or an umbrella or one of many other types of attachments to a walker in order to allow that patient to carry or transport the various items. The problem is when patients require different attachments at different times. A patient may need a basket to carry various items one day and an umbrella to take a walk in the rain another day. Or, in the case of a health care provider that reuses walkers with different patients, there may be a need for an oxygen bottle carrier for one patient, an IV pole for another, and a stroke handle for still another. Therefore, there is a need for a walker having a universal mount adapted to interchangeably receive multiple different attachments that may be used with a walker.


A waterproof electrical connection apparatus having a plug casing which is inserted into a socket casing. The socket casing is provided with a hinged protective cover which is movable between an open position and a closed position. The socket casing can be used as an outlet or the connector of an extension lead of an appliance coupler. The socket casing has on an upper portion an annular groove intended to receive a singular annular seal which extends from the groove in an axial direction. The annular seal has a hooked-shaped cross-section which extends towards the interior of the socket casing. The cover and the plug have meeting surfaces intended to come into contact with the seal when the cover is in a closed position and when the plug is coupled to the socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a water-tight electrical connector. In particular, the present invention relates to a water-tight electrical connector which includes a socket adapted to receive a plug to electrically connect the plug and the socket, and which constitutes the base of a plug and socket outlet or a connector of an extension cord or an appliance coupler.
2. Background and Material Information
Electrical connector casings that include a hinged protective lid movable from an opened position to a closed, secured position are known. However, it is difficult to design these prior electrical connectors as water-tight electrical connectors because of the difficulty in maintaining tolerances between the various parts comprising the connector. Prior electrical connectors have used two flat annular seals designed to fit over the frontal rim of the base of the connector in order to provide a water-tight seal. In these prior electrical connectors, one seal is fitted into the cover and the other seal is fitted around a part of the plug.
In addition to the above, prior water-tight electrical connectors have not been adapted to a wide variety of electrical connection systems. In particular, there is a need for improved water-tight electrical connecters which may be used in mobile electrical connector sockets, or connectors of an extension cord or an appliance coupler.

Societe d'Exploitation des Procedes Marechal (SEPM)


A device for analyzing a film on a surface of an electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery includes: an inert chamber capable of maintaining an inert atmosphere including controlled amounts of moisture and oxygen and including an inner space for pretreating a sample including the film on the surface of the electrode; a first analyzer coupled to the inert chamber through a connection tube, the first analyzer being configured to receive the sample and being configured to provide composition and thickness information of the film; an inert holder configured to be assembled around the sample in the inert chamber and configured to maintain the inert atmosphere around the sample; and a second analyzer mounted with the inert holder therein and configured to provide shape information of the film. A method of analyzing a film on a surface of an electrode using the device is also disclosed.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to a device for analyzing a film on a surface of an electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery and a method of analyzing a film on a surface of an electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since portable electronic devices have been recently propagated, a rechargeable lithium battery having a high energy density and output voltage is highly required and has drawn more attention. The rechargeable lithium battery has relatively well satisfied the demands as compared to other batteries, so far.
During charging and discharging a rechargeable lithium battery, a film is provided on a surface of an electrode. In other words, an organic solvent of the electrolyte is decomposed on the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte to provide a passivation film (hereinafter referred to 'SEI film') or SEI (solid Electrolyte Interface) on the surface of the electrode.
Since the electrochemical characteristics of rechargeable lithium battery are significantly affected by the film formed on the surface of electrode, it is very important to accurately analyze the film condition. Conventionally, a film on a surface of an electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery is analyzed using any one of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), an atomic force microscope (AFM), and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM).
The transmission electron microscope (TEM) provides a transmission image obtained under the high accelerating voltage condition of several hundred kiloelectron volt (keV), but pretreating and observing a sample consumes much time. The SEI film is an organic-inorganic composite layer and has an irregular shape, so the thickness measured in a local region (in several ten to several hundred nanometer scale) is difficult to estimate the thickness of entire film. In addition, pretreatment under the high accelerating voltage damages an organic material, deteriorating the reliability of the measurement.
The atomic force microscope (AFM) provides a surface image and may measure a thickness. However, the technical know-how is very specialized or highly required, and too much time is required for the analysis. In addition, a cantilever is applied in a contact mode, so the cantilever tip is worried to wear off during observing the thickness; in addition, it may not analyze the composition, and it may not be confirmed whether the SEI film is completely removed.
Also, the electric field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) usually provides a bulk low-magnified image using a high accelerating voltage (greater than or equal to 10 kV), so the definite monitoring for the surface shape is difficult.

Device for analyzing film on surface of electrode for rechargeable lithium battery and method of analyzing film on surface of electrode for rechargeable lithium battery using same


A method and apparatus for analyzing skin surface conditions which includes transferring horny cells from a skin surface of a subject onto an adhesive face of a base sheet. In addition, a learning-type image measurement system equipped with autocorrelation mask patterns is executed on a morphology of the horny cells in the image, thus judging at least one of a degree of overlapping, a degree of ellipticity and a degree of area of the horny cells. Further, the skin surface conditions are analyzed using this information.

To examine skin surface conditions, there have been known methods for analyzing horny cells. For example, McGinley reports a method therefor which comprises pressing a chamber onto the skin, dispersing horny cells in an aqueous solution of a nonionic surfactant, collecting the horny cells thus dispersed by centrifuging and then analyzing the conditions of the horny cells [Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Vol. 53, p. 107 (1969)].
Another method therefor comprises pressing the skin against the adhesive face of an adhesive tape, thus sampling horny cells onto the adhesive face, dissolving the horny cells in an organic solvent, collecting the horny cells by centrifuging, transferring the horny cells onto a slide glass and then analyzing the same. Alternatively, a slide glass coated with an adhesive is pressed onto the skin and thus the conditions of horny cells are analyzed [Shino, Journal of Society of Cosmetic Science, No. 2, 13 (1978)].
Furthermore, Kawai reports another method which comprises sampling horny cells from the skin with the use of an adhesive tape having a water-soluble adhesive, dispersing the horny cells together with the adhesive in a water-soluble solvent, filtering the dispersion through a membrane filter, transferring the horny cells, which have been optionally dispersed again, onto a slide glass, and then analyzing the conditions of the horny cells [Journal of Japanese Society of Dermatology), Vol. 99, No. 9, p. 999 (1989)].
In these methods, horny cells which have been preliminarily sampled are analyzed by dyeing followed by microscopic observation, counting a number of the cells, measuring the cell area, determining the ratio of nuclear cells, etc.
However, these conventional methods suffer from a problem that horny cells are damaged (i.e., suffering from the elimination of the constituents) due to the treatment with a solvent and thus cannot be properly analyzed. There is another problem that troublesome pretreatments including dyeing are required and thus horny cells cannot be quickly analyzed.
To overcome these problems, the present inventors have previously proposed a simplified method for counting cells which comprises pressing a transparent adhesive tape onto the skin, thus peeling off horny cells from the skin, irradiating the transparent adhesive tape having the horny cells adhering thereto with parallel beams, detecting the transmitted light, converting the transmitted light thus detected into a digital signal to thereby calculate the quantity of the transmitted light and counting the horny cells based on the relationship between the quantity of the transmitted light determined above and the cell count separately determined by the dyeing method (JP-A-7-55707; the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). By using this method, horny cells can be easily and quickly sampled and counted within a short period of time, thus evaluating the skin conditions.
The simplified method for counting cells disclosed in JP-A-7-55707 makes it possible to evaluate the skin conditions based on the count of the horny cells which have been peeled off from the skin and adhered to the transparent adhesive tape, namely, the skin conditions based on the peelability of the horny cells. However, it is impossible thereby to evaluate the skin conditions on the basis of the morphology, etc. of horny cells. Accordingly, the physiological conditions of the skin surface cannot be accurately evaluated by this method.

Method for analyzing skin surface and apparatus therefor


In a gaming environment including an aggregation platform, remote game servers (RGS) and Gaming Platform as a Service (GPAS), a method for operating an aggregation platform in a gaming environment. The method including associating a player with tokens and features, where the tokens are usable to acquire the features, monitoring operation of the player with the tokens in the games, and determining operation of Features in the games, based upon the operation of the player with the tokens.

The industry of computerized games is in the process of taking on a new shape, from providing traditional boxed products, toward providing games using service-oriented platforms, in a model of operation referred to as a "Game as a service (GaaS)". In the GaaS model, the actual game software can be stored on the hosting company's servers and streamed to the player's device as cloud gaming services on a subscription basis of the player. Traditionally, all data relating to the player and the player's activity in the game is stored on the user's computer. The GaaS model, providing cloud gaming services, involves technologies relating to how games are developed, deployed, and maintained, including monitoring a player's activity in the gaming system's level, and providing advanced game functionalities based on the player's activity.
Similar to other cloud computing services, cloud gaming services have many advantages compared to traditional gaming systems, such as scalability, ubiquitous and cross-platform support for providing an immersive gaming experience, cost effectiveness for system development, software distribution, etc. One of the advantages of the GaaS model is that GaaS augments the accessibility of games to players and allows them to play multiple games without installing them. However, this availability involves technological challenges relating to tracking data related to the user's activity during the various games, and consolidating this data at the gaming systems' end. Specifically, the gaming system needs to provide ability to effectively manage users' activity involving real time data tracking and deployment, supporting actions relating to instant approval and distribution of microtransactions, maintain subscription billing, and more.

Computerized gaming system and method of operating thereof


A current boost circuit includes: a first transistor M.sub.10 having a gate coupled to an input node; a second transistor M.sub.11 ; a first capacitance C.sub.C3 coupled between a gate of the second transistor M.sub.11 and a drain of the first transistor M.sub.10 ; a third transistor M.sub.17 having a gate coupled to a drain of the second transistor M.sub.11 ; and a second capacitance C.sub.C1 coupled between the drain of the second transistor M.sub.11 and a drain of the third transistor M.sub.17.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art operational amplifier output stage. The prior art circuit of FIG. 1 includes transistors M.sub.10 -M.sub.17, resistors R.sub.C1 and R.sub.C2, capacitors C.sub.C1 and C.sub.C2, negative rail V.sub.SS, positive rail V.sub.DD, input voltage V.sub.IN, output voltage V.sub.OUT, and bias voltages V.sub.B1 and V.sub.B2. When the input voltage V.sub.IN is close to the negative rail V.sub.SS, transistor M.sub.16 has the potential to source much more current than M.sub.17 sinks so the output voltage V.sub.OUT is close to the positive rail V.sub.DD. The gate of transistor M.sub.17 is then at a lower voltage than the drain. If there is a large positive voltage step at the input V.sub.IN of this stage, transistor M.sub.16 turns off quickly. However, to drive the output voltage close to the negative rail V.sub.SS, M.sub.17 must provide current to the load. Thus the voltage from gate to drain of M.sub.17 must change from a large negative value to a positive value. This change requires a large current to pass through C.sub.C1. The only source for this current is transistor M.sub.11. Due to a constant voltage at its gate, transistor M.sub.11 provides a constant bias current for M.sub.13 and M.sub.15, but this current is not sufficient to charge C.sub.C1 quickly enough for large signal transitions. Therefore this output stage exhibits crossover distortion under heavy loading conditions.

Current boost circuit for reducing crossover distortion in an operational amplifier


A voltage control system has a pair of clockwise and counterclockwise interleaved coils on a portion of a transformer core, the coils having multiple spaced turns providing sets of co-planar alternate electrical contact pairs extending linearly to form a tapping system for varying the output voltage of the transformer. A conductive electrical bridging member is movable in the linear direction of extension of the contacts and bridges a selected pair of contacts, one contact from each coil, to alter the effective number of electrical turns of the two coils between a minimum and maximum output voltage. An adjunctive feature is to provide both a contact lead to the bridging member and appropriate rectification at output ends of the pair of coils in order to produce a direct current output.

Several methods are commonly used for controlling the output voltage for welders and various other kinds of equipment requiring adjustable power supplies. Examples are the tapped transformer and range selector switch, and the sliding brush variable transformer. More recently, silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) and other electronic devices have come onto the scene as more sophisticated forms of controls. There remains room for improvement of the less sophisticated versions, however, not only for cost reduction, but also for ease of servicing and repairing where electronic service is not readily available.
The workhorse of the welding equipment industry has long been the manually-operated range selector switch at the terminal ends of conductor wires which lead from locations where they are physically tapped to the secondary winding of a transformer. The transformer, switch and other controls are typically located within a housing, and a range selector switch handle is on the housing for ease of reach and operation by the welder. The present invention is designed to eliminate the need for a separate range selector switch, its contacts and the leads tapped to the transformer secondary winding.

Variable transformer with slidable contactor


The invention relates to a guide-bar tube for an automatic lather. The guide-bar tube includes a centering traveler comprising balls distributed in two parallel planes in a manner which allows the centering traveler to be locked either to the guide-bar tube or to the rod of a feed piston. This arrangement allows the displacement of the feed piston both for advancing the bar stock towards the lather and for retraction of the piston towards the rear of the device by vacuum. The presence of the traveller, which is normally mounted on the rod of the feed piston, eliminates buckling and floating of the bar stock and of the feeder rod in the guide-bar tube. This structure results in a considerable increase in the number of turns of the bar and a great reduction of noise.

In the machining operation of the bars in automatic lathes, said bars tend to buckle in the guide-bar tubes and/or in the headstock of the lathe. This buckling occurs more particularly at high rotational speeds of said bars due to the fact that the latter have a great length and a relatively small diameter. The risk of buckling is enhanced when the bar is being pushed towards the headstock of the lathe. Due to this buckling (FIG. 1), bar 3 will float in guide-bar tube 1 and in the headstock of the lathe. Said floating of the bar creates balance errors and vibrations which are transmitted up to the headstock of the lathe, thus producing inexactitudes in the machining of the bar, such as concentricity errors, ovalities and surface quality defects of the machined pieces. FIG. 1 shows a device where bar 3 is free between the head 11a of feed piston 2 and chuck 5 of the lathe. This is the most unfavorable case since the length of deformation is maximum. FIG. 2 shows the effect of a centering ring which is disposed between the exit of guiding tube 1 and the entry of head stock 4. Such a centering ring is the object of U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,992 of the same inventor. Said centering ring 7 provides an improvement in that bar 3, which is held by the chuck of the lathe while being centered and supported at the rear by the feed piston, is kept from floating at the location of ring 7. In this case, however, the bar can still be floating between feed piston 2 and ring 7 and between the latter and the chuck of the lathe, respectively.
The ideal solution would consist in guiding the bar over its entire length in the headstock of the lathe by a headstock reducing sleeve corresponding to the material diameter and by a hydrodynamic guide-bar tube whose internal diameter is dimensioned optimally with respect to the diameter of the bar to be guided. Such a solution, however, is difficult to apply in practice, since it would require a guiding tube for each diameter and each profile of bars to be machined, which entails costs and start-up times which are inacceptable in practice.
FIG. 3 suggests still another improvement which consists in placing a headstock reducing sleeve 8 between centering ring 7 and headstock 4 of the lathe. This procedure is being used by the inventor in the device which is the object of European Patent Application No. 88810416.3. This principle has the drawback that the diameter of the feed piston must be equal to or smaller than that of the bar to be machined in order to allow the penetration of said feed piston through the centering ring and into reducing sleeve 8 of headstock 4 of the lathe. In this case, bar 3 with the feed piston may still float in guiding tube 1 whose internal diameter is greater than that of the bar and of the feed piston, respectively.
Also, a telescopic guide-bar device is known from German published application No. 25 33 502, said device having an outer tube which is slidable in a fixed tube of the device, a feed piston rod being slidable in said external tube. Said feed piston rod is provided at its front end with a head which bears against the rear portion of the bar to be machined in order to feed it towards the headstock of the lathe. The diameter of the head is smaller than that of the spindle and of the centering ring which is disposed at the entry of the headstock, such that said head can penetrate into the headstock. The telescopic principle allows to reduce the longitudinal dimension of the device. However, the device according to the abovementioned document is relatively complicated and expensive in conception. The advance of the bar to be machined is controlled pneumatically, without providing a hydrodynamic bearing for supporting the bar, and the rotational speed of the latter is thus limited.


The present invention is concerned with a drum printer in which the loading and unloading of printing medium onto and off a drum of the printer is performed without interrupting or decelerating the drum rotation and the printing process.

Inkjet printing is well known in the art. The basics of this technology are described, for example by Jerome L. Johnson "Principles of Non-impact Printing", Palatino Press, 1992, Pages 302-336. ISBN 0-9618005-2-6. Commercial products such as computer printers, large format graphics printers and others exist.
An ink-jet print head consists of an array or a matrix of ink nozzles, with each nozzle selectively ejecting ink droplets towards a printing medium. The printing medium could be mounted on a drum, flat bed or just pulled from one roll to other. Relative movement between the print head and the medium allows image printing. Drum printers are the fastest of all known printer architectures, since at least in one direction (drum rotation) the medium movement is a continuous one. Recently, page wide or sheet wide arrays have become popular. They have further increased printer throughput. However, for exchange of the imaged or printed medium on a new one requires complete stop of the drum rotation.
This medium loading and unloading process, especially for wide format printers, where the medium may be 2×5 m2wide, reduces printer utilization and overall printer throughput. Therefore, there is a need in a method and printer that would perform the medium loading and unloading process without losing time and interrupting the printing process.

Drum printer with continuous load-print-unload cycle

Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing Ltd.


An inspection system includes a stage, a light source, and a light collection subsystem is disclosed. The stage supports an article for inspection, the article having a surface. The light source provides light impinging on and scattering from an illumination area of the surface. The light collection system includes a plurality of collectors arranged generally in a semi-spherical layout such that each collector collects at least a portion of the scattering light at a collection polar angle and a collection azimuthal angle that are unique relative to collection polar angle and collection azimuthal angle of other collectors. The collectors are arranged in three rings of collectors. The inspection system includes a plurality of channels where each collector of the light collection subsystem is associated with a channel. The inspection system includes a processor connected to the channels. The processor is adapted to process information from the channels.

The present invention generally relates to surface inspection and review systems and methods. In particular, the present invention relates to improved system and method for detecting and analyzing anomalies on surfaces such as surfaces of silicon wafers.
Surface inspection systems are widely used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry to inspect the surfaces of various material wafers to monitor and detect defects. These systems are typically based on an imaging method, a light scattering method, or a combination of both.
In the imaging method, the surface of a wafer under test is imaged (using an image sensor array) and the image analyzed. In general, imaging based inspection systems have higher sensitivity in inspecting patterned wafers compared to sensitivity of light scattering method based systems for patterned wafers.
In the light scattering method, light is introduced to the surface of a wafer under test and scattered light is captured and analyzed. In general, light scattering based inspection systems have higher sensitivity in inspecting unpatterned wafers compared to sensitivity of imaging method systems for unpatterned wafers.
Conventionally, imaging based systems have lower throughput than that of the light scattering based systems, and therefore are used to inspect wafers only on a sampling basis. Accordingly, it takes a relatively long time to image the entire wafer surface. It would be preferable to inspect all patterned wafers rather than inspecting merely a sampling of the wafers.
To increase the throughput of the inspection systems for inspecting patterned wafer surfaces, several approaches were proposed and implemented. In particular, efforts have been made to develop a light scattering based system that is optimized for both patterned and unpatterned wafer inspection.
However, each of these prior art systems presents its own set of shortcomings. For example, many prior art systems lack the polar and azimuthal angular resolution of the scattered signal. Without the angular resolution of the scattered signals, not only is it difficult to identify defects, but also difficult to categorize or classify defects if and when identified. Other prior art systems include many optical elements in complex configurations that lead to attenuation of collected scattering signals. With attenuated signals, it is difficult to identify defects. Yet other prior art systems use ellipsoidal mirrors to collect scattering light and to direct them to fibers or detectors. Such systems are overly sensitive to misalignments, present alignment and focusing challenges, and provides distorted scatter signal angular information due to the ellipsoidal mirrors.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a system and method that alleviates or overcomes these shortcomings.


A microprocessor to reduce leakage power of execution units or reconfigurable cells, and method thereof are provided. The microprocessor may include a control unit for assigning an instruction, a plurality of execution units connected to the control unit, and a temperature sensor unit for acquiring temperature information of each of the plurality of execution units. The control unit may select one or more execution units according to the temperature information and assigns the instruction to one or more of the plurality of execution units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to microprocessors and methods for reducing leakage power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, it has been a concern to reduce power dissipation for microprocessors, which is currently being investigated in the field. As attempts are made to reduce unnecessary power dissipation in microprocessors, a source of concern in power dissipation may be the leakage process in microprocessors. Therefore, in order to form a microprocessor with reduced-power dissipation, it may be necessary to reduce the leakage power.
Leakage power may be closely related with temperature. As shown in Equation 1 (below), leakage power of a processor may increase proportionally to the exponential temperature.Pleak=Pleak110×Pβ(T-110)  [Equation 1](where, Pleak represents leakage power of a processor, Pleak110 represents leakage power at 110° C. (at the temperature of 110° C., an operation of the processor may be stopped), β represents leakage power coefficient and T represents the current temperature).
Further, in microprocessors with a pipeline structure, an execution unit for executing an actual instruction among components of the microprocessors may be a concern as higher temperature may be achieved when executing instructions among the components of the microprocessors.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional microprocessor with the pipeline structure. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional microprocessor with the pipeline structure may include at least a instruction fetch block 104, a scheduling block 106, a plurality of execution units 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, . . . , 108-n, and a storage unit 110.
The instruction fetch block 104 may execute an instruction fetch function. For example, the instruction fetch block 104 may predict an instruction to be executed next and then previously fetches a pertinent instruction. The scheduling block 106 may select an execution unit for executing a fetched instruction among a plurality of execution units 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, . . . , 108-n and may assign the fetched instruction to the selected execution units 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, . . . , 108-n. The execution units 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, . . . , 108-n may then execute an assigned instruction and may store execution results in the storage unit 110.
However, in the conventional microprocessor of FIG. 1, the scheduling block 106 only decides whether the execution unit will be used or decides not to use the execution unit for executing the fetched instruction. If the execution unit may not be used, that is, an idle state, the scheduling block 106 may assign an instruction. In this case, an execution unit having a relatively high temperature may be assigned in order to execute the current instruction according to the type and frequency of the previous executional instruction. As previously mentioned, temperature may be closely related with leakage power. In other words, leakage power may be proportional to the exponential temperature. Accordingly, in case that an execution unit having a relatively high temperature may be assigned to execute an instruction, there may be unnecessary leakage power.
To reduce this leakage power, various methods have been used recently. For instance, an execution unit may be duplicated, or the leakage power may be reduced by decreasing the temperature of an execution unit by duplicating a pipeline. However, there may be problems associated with the above methods. For example, the dimensions of the microprocessor may be increased and/or the additional power dissipation due to duplication may be unavoidable.

Microprocessor for reducing leakage power and method thereof


The present invention provides for a plenum assembly coupled to an arc resistant cabinet, the plenum assembly comprising of individual modules coupled in a telescopic manner. Each module encloses a chamber to form a central conduit for exhaust products generated from the electrical equipment. The plenum assembly further comprises of a resilient deflector plates angularly prescribed to horizontal plane M-N which manages the direction of gas flow inside the plenum so that the hot gases are diverted to the outside of the building.

Electrical equipments such as arc resistant switchgears are usually designed to withstand the pressures and temperatures of gases associated with an internal arcing fault. For this purpose, they are equipped with exhaust chambers or plenums which channel exhaust products such as hot gases, debris and metal parts away from the room where the arcing electrical equipment and handling personnel are present.
Usually a plenum assembly provided on top of the switchgear so that the hot gases flow out through the plenum and to outside of the building through the opening provided in the wall. Many-a-times, there exists a clearance distance between the opening of the wall and the plenum assembly termination and the clearance distance varies at various different locations depending on the distance of the wall form the switchgear. Considering that commonly available plenums are of standard lengths, such clearances could result in a gap creating an escape route for hot gases within the building itself which can lead to serious consequences during an arc flash. At present, the only available method to avoid such clearances is to make plenum of customized length as per requirement.
The occurrence of arcing inside electrical switchgear has many undesirable results. The arc energy can cause a sudden pressure increase inside the enclosure resulting in severe mechanical and thermal stress on the equipment and its panel parts. As arcing begins, gases inside the switchgear ionize. The ionization reduces the ability of air inside the switchgear to provide its previous insulative capabilities, and the ions generated by the degradation of the air molecules inside the switchgear cause the air to more readily conduct electricity leading to arc flashes. An arc flash is a phenomenon in which large amounts of light and waves of heat energy are released explosively from electrical equipment. The electric arcs produced by these sources jump anywhere from a few inches to several feet, depending on the voltage level involved and can result in an explosion with a shockwave. If an individual is nearby the unit where are flash occurs, they can be seriously injured, if not killed. Since the human body is a great conductor of electricity, the are travels through human body literally seeking ground resulting in severe injuries.
In case of switchgears having more than one vertical section, there is a possibility of occurrence of secondary fault. An electrical arc contains conducting ions. When this arc travels outside the electrical equipment it can pass through a healthy busbar section usually to the adjacent vertical section. This can cause another fault known as secondary fault which may be more severe than the first arc fault. For example as seen in FIG. 1, which depicts a switchgear 10 comprising vertical sections 11, 12 and 13 and having a plenum 15, in which a fault 14 occurs in section 12. The arc travels out of section 12 through the roof 17 and enters into section 11 to create secondary fault 16. Similarly, the secondary fault can occur in more sections.
Presently available prior art solutions provide arc resistant cabinets which typically include a frame having a hinged flap assembly which open to relieve the pressure inside the cabinet when an arc occurs. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,331, as depicted herein in FIG. 2A a pressure release panel 36 is provided for use with arc resistant cabinets. The pressure relief panel 36 includes at least one flap 38 defined by a plurality of cuts 40 within the panel. The patent further describes that during normal operation of the circuit breaker, the flaps remain closed (FIG. 2A). In the event of arcing, as seen in FIG. 2B the flaps open to approximately vertical position by the high pressure expanding gases.
Another prior art, WO2012/088009 describes a vent flap member which opens vertically to permit gases into the opening into the arc chamber. Referring to FIG. 2C depicting the binge assembly of this prior art where each flap 42 is hinged at the junction of the housing and a bottom edge of the flap 42 via two overlapping members. The flaps 42 define at least one detent opening 47 and the flaps 42 are affixed to a surface, of the housing, which has no detent opening. The detent openings of the flaps 42, received the knuckle of the hinge 53 that interlocks with at least one pin structure 51 to form the hinge structure 46. This hinge structure 46 allows the flaps 42 to lay flat generally sealing against the housing surface in both directions of rotation about this hinge structure 52 when in closed position thereof.
Therefore, in actuality, the flap door is typically forced open due to the force of high pressure expanding gases generated during arcing. This delay in release of exhaust material caused due to delay in opening of flap door can lead to the metal housing of the cubical to burn through. While it is apparent that the problem associated with arcing in electrical switchgear has been recognized, it is also readily apparent that the need continues to exist for arc resistant switchgear. Attempts have focused on lessening the chance of an arc occurring, but when it occurs, the only way to minimize it quickly is by providing for the safe exhaust of hot gases. Existing methods have not adequately solved the problem. Accordingly, there is a need for an arc resistant cabinet having means for directing high temperature, expanding gases away from the cabinet whereby said means do not suffer from delay in opening and thus release of hot gases. There is also a need for providing a plenum having means to direct the hot exhaust gases from the arcing section away from the other non-arcing sections to avoid secondary fault. And a further need is felt to provide for a plenum assembly where the exhaust gases are thrown out of the area enclosing said arc resistant cabinet efficiently and safely and without causing any leakage there within.


A surgical room camera replacement cover assembly comprising a universal adapter interface unit and substantially rigid, disposable, universal camera cover detachably coupled with the universal adapter interface unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to camera covers, and more specifically, to universal and disposable sterile replacement camera covers that may be used in sterile environments such as an operating room.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional surgical cameras mounted on surgical light assemblies are well-known and have been in use for a number of years. FIGS. 1A to 1D are illustrations of an exemplary surgical camera mounted on a surgical light assembly, including an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) camera cover. It should be noted that FIGS. 1A to 1D illustrate a very specific surgical camera with a corresponding or matching surgical camera cover that is made specifically for the illustrated surgical camera to exactly match and cover the shown surgical camera. In fact, all existing surgical light assemblies, their associated camera equipment, and their camera cover mounted thereon are unique, specifically manufactured by competing companies and are not interchangeable. Accordingly, the FIGS. 1A to 1D are merely provided for illustrative purposes and for better understanding of the present invention and should not be limiting to the specific surgical light, surgical camera and its correspondingly matching camera cover illustrated.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1D, an exemplary surgical light assembly 100 may include a surgical light camera 102. The surgical light camera 102 typically includes a camera body 104, a lens 106, and a connection section 108 that connects to the surgical light 100. In general, the connection section 108 of the surgical light camera 102 includes a fastening mechanism 110 that allows coupling of a uniquely manufactured, correspondingly matching OEM camera cover 112 onto the surgical light camera 102.
As best illustrated in FIG. 1B, the OEM camera cover 112 is typically comprised of a cover body 114, a lens cover 116, and an upper section 118 that includes a mounting mechanism 120 that detachably couples the OEM camera cover 112 onto a correspondingly matching surgical light camera 102. More specifically, the upper section 118 of the OEM camera cover 112 with its mounting mechanism 120 couples with the connection section 108 of the surgical light camera 102 with its complementary (i.e., corresponding) fastening mechanism 110.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D, in this particular instance, the fastening mechanism 110 of the connection section 108 of the camera 102 is an exemplary biased button that may be biased outward by a spring. On the other hand, the correspondingly matching (i.e., complementary) mounting mechanism 120 of the upper section 118 of the OEM camera cover 112 is an exemplary aperture that receives the fastening mechanism (or biased button) 110 of the OEM camera cover 112, when the OEM camera cover 112 is fully installed. That is, to detachably mount the OEM camera cover 112 onto the surgical light camera 102, the biasing button 110 of the surgical light camera 102 is inserted and locked within the aperture 120.
Regrettably, surgical camera covers, including those illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1D suffer from obvious disadvantages in that they are not disposable and they are not universal. There are a few disposable accessories that are placed on or drape over an OEM surgical camera cover itself, but these accessories are not rigid and are uniquely and specifically manufactured for a specifically corresponding OEM camera cover, and most are of soft type. Obviously, soft type OEM camera covers do not provide the same level of physical protection for the surgical room camera or the OEM camera cover itself as do the rigid OEM covers and therefore, rigid covers such as the cover 112 are preferred. That is, soft covers must incorporate a viewing area that must always be aligned with the lens of the camera, due to the soft nature of the soft type OEM camera covers, a user may accidentally mishandle and touch the camera or pull the soft cover, which may jeopardize the viewing area of the camera lens or the camera itself.
Nonetheless, as illustrated, rigid OEM operating room camera covers provide a protective, sterilized covering for the more expensive and costly surgical room camera equipment that is mounted onto the surgical light assembly. The rigid OEM camera covers provide a sterile grip section (e.g., the body 114) for maneuvering the camera to different orientations without contacting or grabbing the actual camera equipment. The camera cover is generally dismounted from the camera and the surgical light assembly, and put through a rigorous, time consuming, and costly sterilization procedure after every surgery, enabling the reuse of the actual camera equipment. The camera covers may be considered as a part of the sterile field (or sterile zone) of an operating room.
As stated above, surgical light assemblies, the associated camera equipment, and the camera cover mounted thereon are unique, specifically manufactured by competing companies and are not interchangeable. Accordingly, a hospital having multiple operating rooms may have multiple surgical light assemblies (including the uniquely associated mounted camera and cover) from multiple manufacturing companies, none of which can be interchanged for use. Therefore, for a busy hospital, the constant and continuous use of the operating room is not possible because after every surgery the unique camera cover used must be dismounted and put through the time consuming sterilization procedure, creating a bottleneck effect that impedes the turn-around time for preparation and reuse of the operating room. (Of course, it is assumed that sufficient numbers of sterilization equipments are available to timely handle sterilizing of camera covers and other surgical equipment.)
To overcome the problem associated with the bottleneck effect caused by the sterilizing the uniquely manufacture camera covers, hospitals can order multiple camera covers from different manufacturers. However, this would be impractical in terms of purchasing costs, storage, inventory, and maintenance of the covers. Further, the addition of more camera covers does not obviate or relieve the requirement for their sterilization, but compounds it. Instead of sterilizing a single camera cover, the hospital would have to sterilize multiple camera covers. Other options include the use of disposable accessories, but as mentioned above, these accessories are also uniquely and specifically manufactured for a specific camera cover, are not interchangeable, are very costly, and most are of soft type, which makes it difficult to grip and maneuver the camera during a surgical procedure.
Accordingly, in light of the current state of the relevant art and the drawbacks to current camera covers, a need exists for a sterile replacement camera cover that is disposable, rigid, and universal that may be used with all types of cameras.

Operating room universal disposable camera cover and adapter system


An improved information marker for a clothes hanger is disclosed. Between the shoulder and the hook of the hanger, a web is secured. At two or more locations on the web, a profiled surface is created. These profiled surfaces engage with fingers on the interior of an information tab, so as to hold the information tab securely on the web and necessarily the hanger.

The invention relates to the clothes industry and, in particular, to a clothes hanger with an information marker tab.
In the clothing industry, hangers of all shapes and sizes are used for storing and displaying all types of clothing, including slacks, jackets, coats, sweaters, etc. Because it is not always easy to determine the difference in shades of color or sizes, it is useful to have some type of information marker or tab on the hanger, so as to facilitate identifying the color and/or size of the particular garment.
Therefore, it has been common in the industry to provide hangers with removable (or non-removable) information tabs. In this way, for storage and display purposes, clerks and purchasers can quickly discern pertinent information about the garment by quickly, visually inspecting the information marker or tab.
Over the years, based on a similar concept, different companies have develop varying structures for supporting these information markers.
For example, Eiley (U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,469) identifies a resilient identification clip which is secured over a retaining pin that extends approximately in the region between the shoulder and the hook of the hanger.
A common construction in the industry is a profiled web located in the neck of the hanger between the shoulder and the hook. As demonstrated by Abdi (U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,840), Dooley (U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,801), Bredeweg (U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,995), Blanchard (U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,099), Zuckerman U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,583), and Norman U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,101) the web would have a continuous, but profiled surface. For example, Abdi discloses a triangular cross-section and also a rounded cross-section. In the case of Dooley, the web is bullet shaped. Bredeweg also discloses a bullet shape, as does Blanchard. A narrow head shape is suggested by Norman.
One of the continuing themes in all of these patents is that the profile of the web, regardless of its shape, is continuous throughout its surface.
Therefore, it is the object of this invention to provide a tab holder on the web, wherein the profiled surface is not continuous along the length. In particular, there are two or more sections of the web which are profiled in order to interact with and hold an information tab, instead of the web having such a profiled surface along its entire length.


A heating convection unit and a method of mounting the same, provided with an envelope having a front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom and peripheral side walls. The front face and the peripheral side walls define an inner enclosure. The unit is also provided with a medial shield having front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom and peripheral side walls. The medial shield is mounted within the inner enclosure defined by the envelope and spaced apart therefrom. The rear face and peripheral side walls of the medial shield and the front face and peripheral side walls of the envelope define a ventilation passage having top and bottom openings in communication with ambient air. The medial shield preferably has an intermediate opening communicating with the ventilation passage. The unit is also provided with a cover having a front face, a rear face, a top and a bottom. The cover is fixed over the medial shield. The cover has top and bottom openings in communication with the ambient air. The top and bottom openings of the cover communicate with the top and bottom openings of the ventilation passage. The rear face of the cover and the front face of the medial shield define a convection passage between the top and bottom openings of the cover. The unit also has a heating element located inside the convection passage for heating the ambient air. The heating element is located proximate to the bottom opening of the cover. The intermediate opening of the medial shield is located above of the heating element.

The present invention concerns a heating convection unit. More specifically, it concerns such a unit for diffusing air and heat that can be recessed into a wall.
Convection systems are well-known to heat a room. They include essentially an convection passage in which a heating element is located. The ambient air to be heated circulates inside the convector by a movement of convection from the bottom towards the top of the device. For example, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,048 to CARTER; U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,786 to LEVY; and to French application Ser. Nos. 2,302,485 and 2,679,982. However, one of the problems related to the use of conventional convectors is that these can only be mounted on the surface of a wall which is not generally very aesthetic.
Also known are the fan forced convectors that can be recessed. However, these convectors are considered to be noisy.
Consequently, there exists a need to conceal convectors by building them into walls without, however, creating noise problems as in fan forced convectors.
The present invention concerns a heating convection unit which is more aesthetic, more powerful, and which is noiseless, providing a greater comfort and that can be advantageously recessed in a wall.
According to the present invention, there is provided a heating convection unit comprising:
an envelope having a front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom and peripheral side walls, the front face and the peripheral side walls defining a inner enclosure;
a medial shield having front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom and peripheral side walls, the medial shield being mounted within the inner enclosure defined by the envelope and spaced apart therefrom, the rear face and peripheral side walls of the medial shield and the front face and peripheral side walls of the envelope defining a ventilation passage having top and bottom openings in communication with ambient air;
a cover having a front face, a rear face, a top and a bottom, the cover being fixed over the medial shield, the cover having top and bottom openings in communication with the ambient air, the top and bottom openings of the cover communicating with the top and bottom openings of the ventilation passage, the rear face of the cover and the front face of the medial shield defining a convection passage between the top and bottom openings of the cover; and
a heating element located inside the convection passage for heating the ambient air, the heating element being located proximate to the bottom opening of the cover.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of mounting a heating convection unit on a wall, comprising the steps of:
mounting an envelope on the wall, the envelope having a front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom and peripheral side walls, the front face and the peripheral side walls defining a inner enclosure;
mounting a medial shield within the inner enclosure defined by the envelope and spaced apart therefrom, the medial shield having front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom and peripheral side walls, the rear face and peripheral side walls of the medial shield and the front face and peripheral side walls of the envelope defining a ventilation passage having top and bottom openings in communication with ambient air;
fixing a cover over the medial shield, the cover having a front face, a rear face, a top and a bottom, the cover having top and bottom openings in communication with the ambient air, the top and bottom openings of the cover communicating with the top and bottom openings of the ventilation passage, the rear face of the cover and the front face of the medial shield defining a convection passage between the top and bottom openings of the cover; and
providing a heating element inside the convection passage for heating the ambient air, the heating element being located proximate to the bottom opening of the cover.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the medial shield has an intermediate opening communicating with the ventilation passage, permitting the unit of the present invention to permit the mixing of fresh air provided by a fresh air network with ambient air present in the convection passage.


A radial expansion system for a fastener is disclosed. The radial expansion system can include a plurality of wedge guides. Each wedge guide can have at least one guide surface. The plurality of wedge guides can be operable to be movably arranged along an axis with the guide surfaces of adjacent wedge guides opposing one another. The radial expansion system can also include a plurality of expansion wedges. Each expansion wedge can have wedge surfaces configured to slidingly interface with the at least one guide surface. Each expansion wedge can also have a clamp surface operable to interface with an interior portion of a first component. The plurality of expansion wedges can be operable to be disposed between adjacent wedge guides such that the wedge surfaces interface with the opposing guide surfaces. A second component and the plurality of wedge guides can be operable to be drawn toward one another by a fastener to cause the plurality of expansion wedges to displace radially outward from the axis such that the clamping surfaces engage and apply a clamping force to the interior portion of the first component, and thereby couple the first and second components to one another.

All bolted interfaces have tolerance mismatches and misalignments. Traditional bolted joints clamp these interfaces together, which forces the mismatched surfaces together and causes distortion in both parts. Part distortion is especially problematic for mounting optics, as bolted joint deformation can cause a significant reduction in image quality. To mount optics under severe environmental conditions (e.g., in a high vibration environment), a rigid joint is needed that does not stress or distort the optic. To achieve a stress or distortion free rigid joint, traditional bolts have been utilized and assembled with low preload to avoid part distortion. Adhesive mounting has also been utilized as a bolt substitute to achieve a stress or distortion free rigid joint.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.


This invention relates to a method for light-assisted curing of coatings by providing coatings with an enamine content sufficient to enhance the cure rate of the coatings. The coatings exhibit improved weatherability and gloss retention when exposed to light.

It is advantageous for coatings to cure quickly, particularly to develop favorable surface properties such as, for example, print and block resistance and good resistance to weathering.
In the particular case of coatings incorporating emulsion-polymerized latex polymer coatings binders, there is a need for a soft binder polymer, i.e., a polymer with a low glass transition temperature (Tg), so that facile film formation can be achieved while at the same time there is a need for the surface hardness, print resistance, outdoor durability, etc. characteristic of a harder polymer. This problem can be solved by using a coating binder which will cure quickly after a film is formed, thereby achieving a beneficial level of coatings properties.
The method of this invention provides an improved rate of coatings property development of coatings subjected to ultraviolet radiation ("UV") or sunlight by providing coatings with an enamine content sufficient to enhance the cure rate of the coating.

Method for light-assisted curing of coatings


A system of elementary processors in array form organized in accordance with a plurality of nodes with SIMD operation, each having a plurality of elementary processors connected to one another so as to form a ring of elementary processors, each elementary processor being associated with a connection cell connected to the cells of neighbouring elementary processors in order to form a ring network. Each SIMD node is provided with a memory and addressing module ensuring an addressing independence of the node, as well as a control unit connected to the control units of neighbouring nodes in order to form an internode control network in which priority tokens circulate, each memory and addressing module of a node being connected to the memory and addressing module of neighbouring nodes so as to form an internode data network. The system may find one application in the simulation of fluid flows.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an array system architecture of processors having multiple parallel structures which in particular is suitable for the digital simulation of fluid flows.
The invention has applications in the field of data processing, particularly for data relative to fluid flows (water, air, gas, molten metals, etc.). It can e.g. be used in geology for studying the behaviour of porous media, the strength of materials for the study of the resistance of parts to fluid flows, in aerodynamics for atmospheric reentry problems, in chemistry for the study of catalytic phenomena, or finally metallurgy for the study and design of liquefied metal filtering means, etc.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the data processing field, it is often necessary to process inhomogeneous data structures, i.e. structures having on an overall basis identical behaviours, but whose local behaviours may differ. This is in particular the case for data relative to fluid flows, which generally have identical macroscopic behaviours, but which are dependent on the microscopic behaviours of the constituents of the fluid.
For studying the macroscopic behaviour of fluids, it is known to carry out a modelling thereof. This is done by discretizing the physical space into a two or three-dimensional network with unity spacing, in which each constituent molecule of the fluid is modelled by a point moving on a grid of discrete positions, i.e. the network. Each site of the network, i.e. each point of the grid, corresponds to a local value of several fields representing physical quantities, such as the particle density, flow, etc.
The time is also discretized for such a modelling. For each time interval, each site evolves following a law simulating the physical behaviour of the flow in question using the values taken by the fields in the vicinity thereof.
This evolution of the sites can be carried out in different ways. Conventionally it takes place by means of laws expressed in the form of partial differential equations, such as NAVIER-STOCKES equations, by means of a method of finite elements or finite differences.
This evolution can also be carried out by so-called gas-on-network methods consisting of simulating the macroscopic behaviour of the fluid by means of a mesoscopic space provided with "automaton-type" evolution laws, determined in such a way as to correspond to partial differential equations, such as NAVIER-STOCKES equations. This gas-on-network method consequently makes it possible to model on a microscopic scale the behaviour of a fluid seeking the similarity between the macroscopic behaviour of the gas and that of a real fluid.
Compared with conventional methods, these gas-on-network methods have the advantage of permitting much more varied applications as a result of the considerable adaptability capacity of the rules used in these methods for modelling various physical systems.
In gas-on-network methods, the propagation on the links of the network takes place at the speed of one network spacing per time unit. This propagation is synchronized, so that for each time interval all the particles having a non-zero speed are simultaneously displaced. This propagation phase is followed by a collision phase on each site, i.e. on each point of the grid or network. For this method, the collision rules consist of associating with each possible configuration representing an entry state of the particles on the site, another configuration which will represent the outlet state produced by the collision of the particles on this site. This simulation of the behaviour of the fluid is governed by collision rules differing as a function of the chosen model.
In gas-on-network methods, it is e.g. possible to use Boolean models. In this case, the collision rules used operate solely on binary variables and are in the form of collision tables representing all the possible cases. Thus, these collision tables summarize the evolution function of the system, which takes account of quantities retained in the studied system, such as the movement quantity and mass.
Such a Boolean gas-on-network method is generally performed by architectures of parallel structure processor systems performing a simultaneous processing on a large number of sites. It is known to install accelerating cards on working stations such as the CAM machines described by T. TOFFOLI and M. MARGOLUS in "Cellular Automa Machines", MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1987, or the R.A.P. machines described by A. CLOUQUEUR and D. D'HUMIERES "R.A.P.: a family of cellular automaton machines for fluid dynamics", in Proceedings of the 12th Gwatt workshop on complex systems, Gwatt, Switzerland, October 1988.
This Boolean model gas-on-network method is easy to perform as a result of the use of collision tables. It is therefore fast and can be adapted to problems of different types. Moreover, the operations are carried out without information loss, so that said method is digitally stable. However, this method suffers from a major disadvantage with respect to the presence of digital noise found on the results obtained at the end of processing and the digital noise can disturb the extraction of the results.
The gas-on-network method can also use BOLTZMANN models. In this case, the collision rule consists of a local resolution of an equation of state. Contrary to the collision rules with respect to Boolean models, this collision rule based on BOLTZMANN models uses variables having real values representing particle distributions. Thus, this makes it necessary to carry out floating calculations, whose performance is difficult and burdensome. This method also requires the resolution of partial differential equations, which is also burdensome to perform. Moreover, this method permits a good precision of the calculations, due to the quasi-continuous aspect of the particle distributions forming said model, which ensures a reduced digital noise, but said calculations are not very stable.

Array system architecture of multiple parallel structure processors


A substrate includes a first region and a second region. The first region comprises a III-nitride layer, and the second region comprises a first semiconductor layer. A first transistor (such as an n-type transistor) is formed in and on the III-nitride layer, and a second transistor (such as a p-type transistor) is formed in and on the first semiconductor layer. The III-nitride layer may be indium nitride. In the first region, the substrate may include a second semiconductor layer, a graded transition layer over the second semiconductor layer, and a buffer layer over the transition layer, where the III-nitride layer is over the buffer layer. In the second region, the substrate may include the second semiconductor layer and an insulating layer over the second semiconductor layer, where the first semiconductor layer is over the insulating layer.

Performance and behavior characteristics of electronic devices are heavily influenced by the material of the device active regions. Or example, P and N channel transistors have performance characteristics that depend on the material of the channels. Choosing the appropriate channel material for the different transistor types is important in optimizing or at least enhancing device performance. For example, P channel transistors are known to have better hole mobility using a silicon channel with a (110) crystal surface orientation than a silicon channel with a (100) crystal surface orientation, whereas N channel transistors are known to have better electron mobility using a silicon channel with a (100) crystal surface orientation than a silicon channel with a (110) crystal surface orientation. P and N channel transistor mobilities also depend on channel composition. For example, gallium arsenide improves electron mobility over silicon but does not improve hole mobility.
Thus, there is a benefit in a device structure, as well as a method for making that device structure, that uses different materials for the channels of P and N channel transistors.

Integrated circuit with different channel materials for P and N channel transistors and method therefor


A method and apparatus for rate control adjusts or otherwise requests adjustment of a communication link data rate based on transmit queuing delays. For example, a mobile station may monitor expected transmit queuing delays relative to one or more delay targets or other Quality-of-Service constraints, and request reverse link rate increases or decreases accordingly. Similarly, the mobile station may be configured periodically to request reverse link rate changes based on determining the rate needed to meet targeted queuing delays for one or more service instances being supported by the mobile station in each of a succession of ongoing rate control intervals. Requested rates may be defined data rates or may be virtual rates that can be achieved by using combinations of defined data rates. Queuing-based rate control also can be applied to the base station's forward link, and, more broadly, to essentially any rate controlled communication link.

The present invention generally relates to wireless communication networks, and particularly relates to rate control in such networks.
Rate control is a form of radio link adaptation wherein the transmission rate from a transmitter to a receiver is adjusted during ongoing communications responsive to changing signal quality, network loading constraints, etc. As an example, a wireless network base station may enforce common or per-user reverse link rate control to maintain reverse link loading at or around some targeted level.
Base stations also may enforce or otherwise supervise reverse link rate control of individual mobile stations to meet Quality-of-Service (QoS) requirements that specify maximum delay or jitter limits for reverse link transmissions for particular mobile stations. For example, a given mobile station may run one or more applications, each having its own logical "service instance," and each potentially having its own QoS requirements.
Supporting reverse link rate control in this context, the base station tracks or otherwise monitors indications of reverse link performance for each mobile station, so that it can determine when rate adjustments are required for the individual mobile stations to meet QoS or other requirements. Such monitoring requires the mobile stations to provide, i.e., transmit, reverse link information to the base station. For example, the mobile stations may provide the base station with information regarding their transmit buffer sizes as an indication of whether their reverse link rates should be adjusted upward or downward.
With this approach, for example, the base station may grant a higher reverse link rate to a mobile station that has more than a certain amount of pending transmit data buffered. In other words, a large amount of pending transmit data at the mobile station may trigger the base station to grant a higher rate for one or more subsequent transmit periods. Obviously, the base station can provide such control only when it is provided with transmit buffer information from the mobile stations. Thus, the need for additional signaling between the mobile stations and the base station is one drawback of this approach.
Another drawback stems from the approach's failure to directly indicate a pending service problem, i.e., knowledge of a given mobile's transmit buffer size does not equate to direct knowledge of whether the mobile station's reverse link performance is at risk of violating QoS or other service constraints. For example, the average reverse link throughput of the mobile station may be quite high at the current time and, thus, one would expect even a relatively large transmit buffer to drain quickly. Thus, in addition to receiving transmit buffer size reports from the mobile stations, which undesirably adds overhead signaling to the finite-capacity reverse link, the base station generally has to monitor other conditions, or calculate additional metrics, to determine whether rate adjustments are needed for particular mobile stations.


Apparatus and methods in the field of bi-directional (or interactive) networks. In some embodiments, bi-directional networks which provide, include, and/or enable point-of-purchase options (e.g., to or within displays or plays of media such as movies, television, and/or video). In some embodiments, bi-directional networks which permit or allow product placements to be directly monetized. In some embodiments, bi-directional or interactive networks which provide and/or include selectively visible advertising. In some embodiments, bi-directional or interactive networks which provide or include selectively visible advertising or point of purchase opportunities which are uniquely associated, affiliated, or connected to a consumer interest. In still other embodiments, methods and/or apparatus for increasing advertising and/or product placement effectiveness and/or for apportioning profits related to commercialization of advertised goods and/or services.

"Product placement" is a known but non-traditional advertising technique in which products (or in some cases services) are intentionally displayed in movies or television shows. In a conventional product placement advertisement, there is an agreement between the manufacturer of a product and a media company, such as a movie or television production company, where the product manufacturer pays to have one or more products prominently displayed in a movie or television show. In such an arrangement, the product manufacturer is willing to pay product placement fees, particularly in the case of a movie featuring famous actors or a television show which is popular among viewers, in the hopes that viewers will be more likely to buy a "placed" product if it is seen associated or identified with a famous actor, a well-known character (e.g., James Bond), or a popular television show personality. Although often large fees are charged to place products within movies or television shows, it is impossible to measure the true effectiveness of such product placement advertising. Moreover, heretofore there have been no immediate opportunities for a viewer to purchase a product, even if it is perceived as desirable by the viewer, after the product is seen as a result of the product placement.
Similar to "product placement" advertising, although television commercials have been used for decades between television shows and during interruptions of television shows, there has been no way to measure their effectiveness or to directly, immediately monetize a television commercial. Furthermore, with the advent of new technologies, television viewers are now able to skip or pass over television commercials entirely, such as when watching a television program which has been pre-recorded at a viewer's home on a digital video recorder or "DVR" (thus, effectively making commercials useless in some cases).
It is, in certain embodiments, a purpose of the herein described inventions to address one or more of the above drawbacks of product placements and television commercials. It is also a purpose of the herein described inventions to address other drawbacks and/or other desires for improvements in the art, whether or not currently known, which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the present disclosure.

Upstream/downstream network and/or content delivery apparatus and methods