A method of forming a single layer inductive coil structure includes forming a first conductive coil on a substrate, forming an insulating layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) over the first coil and the substrate, and forming one or more additional conductive coils on each of adjacent sides of the first coil insulated from the first coil and the substrate by the insulating layer. A method of forming a stacked layer inductive coil includes forming a cavity in a substrate, forming a first coil in the cavity wherein the cavity has an atomic layer deposition (ALD) layer, forming a second coil in the cavity adjacent to the first coil and separated by the ALD layer from the first coil, forming an insulating layer over the first and second coil, and forming a third coil on the insulating layer.

The present disclosure relates generally to hard drive disks, and more particularly, to short yoke length coils for magnetic heads in disk drives.
Data is stored on magnetic media using a write head. Writing involves storing a data bit by utilizing magnetic flux from a write head to set the magnetic moment of a particular area on the magnetic media, typically a magnetic disk. An actuator arm moves the magnetic head on an arc across the rotating disk, thereby allowing the magnetic head to access the entire disk. The state of the magnetic moment is later read, using a read head, to retrieve the stored information. Data density is determined by the amount of data stored on an area of magnetic media and depends on how much area must be allocated to each bit. Data on a magnetic disk is stored in multiple concentric tracks, where increasing the number of bits per track and tracks per disk increases data density. Typically, the bits are orientated perpendicular to the disk. These systems, known as PMR systems, reduce the size of the segment required to represent one bit of information through the perpendicular orientation of the magnetization, thereby increasing the areal density.
Data density, or areal density, is determined by both the bit length and by the width of the bit. Areal density is equal to the bits-per-inch along the track times the tracks-per-inch radially on the disk. To decrease bit size, head size is decreased by fabricating thin film read and write heads.
A thin film write head consists of three principal functional parts, a yoke (having two poles), a pancake shaped copper coil wound around the yoke, and a front gap between the poles, all made from thin films. The coil, which is sandwiched by the two poles (a write pole and a return pole), converts electrical signals (a write current) into magnetic fields. The yoke poles, which are conventionally separated by a gap layer, coil, and insulation layers, is used to form a low-reluctance (high permanence) magnetic circuit and to deliver the magnetic flux generated by the coil to the front gap. Insulation layers between the coil and the poles are typically made of hard-cured photoresist. The stray field from an air bearing surface (ABS) in close proximity to the magnetic disk is used for writing.
The write current applied to the coil is in general rectangular wave shape pulses. When rectangular wave shape pulses are applied, the coil inductance affects the temporal current induced magnetic field response, which depends upon the structure of the thin-film magnetic head, upon an output impedance of a current source connected with the coil, and upon a frequency and a voltage of the applied rectangular wave pulses. These are affected also by a characteristic impedance of trace conductors and connection lines between the current source and the magnetic head. Particularly, when the influence of the trace conductor is eliminated by fixing the frequency and the current of the applied pulses, this variation in the wave shape of the current is caused by non-linearity of the input impedance of the coil.
If the wave shape of the current flowing through the inductive write head element of the thin-film magnetic head is deformed, magnetic patterns written in a magnetic medium will become distorted and thus write and read operations of data will become difficult. Also, in order to improve the non-linear transition shift (NLTS) in dynamic characteristics, it is necessary to shorten a rising time of the wave shape of the current flowing through the coil.
Therefore, the requirements for the wave shape of the current flowing through the coil are to maintain a profile of the rectangular wave shape pulses provided from the current source as much as possible, to have a short rising time, and to have a high current value while holding the rectangular wave shape in order to obtain a strong write magnetic field.
These requirements may be satisfied by decreasing the coil inductance at the frequency of the write current. However, if the number of turns of the coil is reduced to decrease the inductance, magnetic force generated from the coil will decrease causing no improvement of the characteristics. Also, if the size of the coil is reduced by narrowing a coil pitch, difficulty in fabrication of the coil may occur with conventional fabrication procedures.
For high data rate writer application, one of the requirements is to have fast saturation and low inductance to induce short rise time. Using photoresist for insulation may result in limiting minimum dimensions in reducing the yoke length and coil. A shorter coil yoke length may provide an advantage with respect to data rate characteristics of the write head.

Short yoke length coils for magnetic heads in disk drives


Novel bicomponent fibers have a sheath domain and an core domain which is embedded entirely within, and thereby completely surrounded by, the polyamide domain. The core domain is annular and defines a longitudinally extending central void. The preferred bicomponent fibers have a sheath-core structure wherein the polyamide domain constitutes the sheath and a fiber-forming polyolefin polymer constitutes the core. The preferred trilobal bicomponent fibers will exhibit a modification ratio of between 2 to 4, an arm angle of between 7.degree. to about 35.degree., and a total cross-sectional void area between about 3 and about 10 percent. Each lobe of the fiber may optionally contain a lobal void space which, if present, is preferably radially elongate in cross-section.

Polyamide has been utilized extensively as a synthetic fiber. While its structural and mechanical properties make it attractive for use in such capacities as carpeting, it is nonetheless relatively expensive. It would therefore be desirable to replace a portion of polyamide fibers with a core formed from a relatively lower cost non-polyamide material. However, replacing a portion of a 100% polyamide fiber with a core portion of a relatively less expensive non-polyamide material may affect the mechanical properties of the fiber to an extent that it would no longer be useful in its intended end-use application (e.g., as a carpet fiber).
Furthermore, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,107 (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference), hollow trilobal fibers have been proposed in the past so as to provide desirable "cover" and soil hiding properties. In essence, these conventional hollow trilobal filaments are characterized by a total cross-section void area of between about 3 and about 10 percent and have a single approximately axially extending central void.
It would therefore be highly desirable if sheath-core bicomponent filaments could be provided so as to minimize expenses associated with the higher cost sheath component. At the same time it would be desirable if such bicomponent filaments were provided with longitudinally extending central voids so as to provide the cover, luster and soil hiding characteristics associated conventional hollow trilobal filaments. It is towards fulfilling such needs that the present invention is directed.

Hollow bicomponent filaments and methods of making same


A variable power supply is controlled to supply power at approximately a first supply level for an electronic device. The variable power supply is controlled to control a transition of the power from approximately the first supply level toward a second supply level prior to controlling the variable power supply to supply power at approximately the second supply level for the electronic device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of supply power control.
2. Description of Related Art
Subscriber line (or loop) interface circuitry (SLIC) may be found in or near a central office exchange of a telecommunications network.
One SLIC provides a communications interface between a digital switching network for a central office exchange and an analog subscriber line. The analog subscriber line connects to subscriber equipment, such as a subscriber station or telephonic instrument for example, at a location remote from the central office exchange. The analog subscriber line and subscriber equipment form a subscriber loop.
The SLIC detects and transforms voiceband communications transmitted from the subscriber equipment in the form of low voltage analog signals on the subscriber loop into corresponding digital data for transmission to the digital switching network. For bi-directional communication, the SLIC also transforms digital data received from the digital switching network into corresponding low voltage analog signals for transmission on the subscriber loop to the subscriber equipment.
The SLIC typically uses different power supply levels depending on its operation state. The SLIC may use, for example, one supply level when the subscriber equipment is deactivated or on-hook, another supply level when the subscriber equipment is activated or off-hook, and yet another supply level to signal or ring the subscriber equipment for call progress.
The SLIC may be supplied with power at a fixed or constant supply level sufficient to meet the maximum amount of power to be used by the SLIC. The SLIC, however, would then unnecessarily waste power when the SLIC is in an operation state that uses less power than that supplied to the SLIC. The SLIC would also have to be designed to dissipate a maximum possible amount of wasted power to account for times when the SLIC uses minimum amounts of power.
One SLIC controls a direct-current to direct-current (DC-DC) converter to supply power to the SLIC at different voltage levels. The SLIC may then help reduce or minimize any excess power by helping to control the DC-DC converter to change the voltage supplied to the SLIC as the SLIC changes its power usage. A change in supply voltage from one voltage level to another, however, may cause a current overshoot or surge in the SLIC. For relatively fast and/or larger voltage level changes, an attendant current surge may place a high level of stress on and/or damage one or more circuit components of the SLIC. The SLIC may be designed with components that can better withstand such current surges and/or may be designed with improved current overshoot protection circuitry. Such design considerations, however, may add to the cost, size, and/or complexity of the SLIC.


The present disclosure relates to a water-based amine curing agent which is a reaction product obtained from the reaction of an aqueous epoxy resin dispersion and a polyamine component. The water-based amine curing agent may be used as part of a two component coating system in the curing of modified or unmodified liquid or pre-dispersed curable resin.

Epoxy resin based systems are widely used as sealing materials, coating compositions, adhesives, etc, in a variety of fields such as electricity, electronics, and civil engineering and construction, because, when cured, they exhibit excellent electrical insulating properties, are moisture proof, heat resistant, soldering resistant, chemical resistant, durable, have excellent adhesive properties and mechanical strength.
Two part epoxy resin based systems generally include a curable epoxy resin and a curing agent for the epoxy resin. As typical representative examples of curing agents, there are, for example, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, isophoronediamine, diaminodiphenylmethane, diaminodiphenylsulfone, polyamides, dicyandiamide, hexahydrophthalic anhydride, methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride, methyl nadic anhydride, tertiary amines, imidazoles, and amine complexes of boron trifluoride. During preparation, both the epoxy resin and curing agent are generally dispersed or dissolved in a solvent, for example, an organic solvent, to reduce viscosity. Significant environmental concerns are created due to the use of such solvent-based systems since they create the potential for environmental pollution and health hazards.
Numerous curing agents dissolved or emulsified in water which may be used to cure epoxy resins have been developed to address environmental and health concerns. For example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,389 discloses a curing agent prepared by reacting at least one polyepoxide compound with at least one polyalkylene polyether polyol to form an adduct which is subsequently reacted with a polyamine;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,984 teaches a two-component water based epoxy coating composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of a blend of a water-compatible polyamine-epoxy adduct prepared by reacting a monoepoxide and polyepoxide with a polyamine and a resin-compatible polyamine epoxy adduct prepared by reacting a monoepoxide with an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic polyamine;
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,032,629 and 5,489,630 describe water compatible polyamine-epoxy adducts prepared by reacting poly(alkylene oxide) mono- or diamines with a polyepoxide to form intermediates which are then subsequently reacted with an excess of a polyamine;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,757 discloses waterborne polyamide curing agents produced from the reaction of long-chain dicarboxylic acids and aminoalkylpiperazines;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,835 describes amino-epoxy adduct curing agents prepared by reacting a polyoxyalkylenediamine with a polyepoxide and polyoxyalkylene glycol diglycidyl ether and emulsifying the reaction product in water;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,369 teaches a water dilutable amine curing agent which includes: an adduct obtained by a two-stage reaction of a polyepoxide with an amine; and an emulsifier obtained from the reaction of polyepoxides with chain extenders; and
U.S. Pat. No. 7,615,584 discloses a curing agent formed by blending a reaction product of a polyamine and aqueous epoxy resin with an amine-functional curing agent.
Some problems in using conventional solvent-free curing agents include: they exhibit a less than desirable viscosity making them difficult to apply and process; they are unable to properly wet the substrates to form continuous coatings or adhere to the surface of the substrates to which they are applied; they exhibit a short pot life when mixed with an epoxy resin; or are difficult to manufacture. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel low VOC curing agent for use with aqueous epoxy resin compositions, which overcomes these problems as well as any problems arising from odor, toxicity and/or inflammability caused by the use of solvents, can be easily manufactured, and exhibits both low viscosity at high solids content and improved pot life.

Water-based amine curing agents for curable resin systems

Huntsman Advanced Materials Americas LLC


A resistivity tool for investigating a wall of a borehole drilled with a non-conductive mud includes a tool body adapted to be incorporated in a logging-while-drilling tool assembly; a resistivity sensor disposed on the tool body, wherein the resistivity sensor comprises a sensor pad supporting a current injector electrode, a current return electrode, and an array of measurement electrodes, and a circuitry for controlling current injection from the current injector electrode and for measuring voltage difference between electrodes in the array of measurement electrodes, wherein the current injector electrode and the current return electrode are disposed near opposite ends of the sensor pad and the array of measurement electrodes is disposed between the current injector electrode and the current return electrode, wherein the sensor pad is constructed of an insulating material and includes a conductive shielding member, or wherein the sensor pad is constructed of a conducting material and includes insulating sections around the electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to well logging using a resistivity tool; more particularly, it relates to resistivity logging while drilling in a well drilled with a nonconductive mud.
2. Background Art
In general terms, in order to explore hydrocarbon deposits, it is highly desirable to obtain accurate knowledge of the characteristics of the geological formation at various depths of the borehole. Many of these characteristics are very fine in structure, e.g. stratifications, non-uniform elements, pore characteristics, breaks, etc. By way of example, the orientations, the density, and the lengths of breaks play a major role in the dynamic characteristics of a reservoir rock.
For many years, it has been possible to determine such fine characteristics only by analyzing drill cores taken when drilling the borehole. However the taking of such cores is a technique that is extremely expensive, and use thereof remains relatively exceptional.
Patent EP-0 110 750, or corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,759, issued to Ekstrom et al., describes a technique of producing an image of the wall of a borehole which consists in generating characteristic signals at regular time intervals representative of a measurement with high spatial resolution of some characteristic of the wall, measuring the depth of the hole to which the characteristic signals relate with accuracy of the same order as the spatial resolution of the characteristic signals, and converting the signals representing the characteristic as a linear function of borehole depth with a color scale being associated with the values of the converted signals in order to form a visual image.
That imaging technique is implemented more particularly with a tool for investigating the conductivity of the formation, as described for example in patent EP-0 071 540, or its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,623, issued to Gianzero et al., that is capable of detecting characteristics with millimeter resolution. That type of tool has a series of control electrodes, also known as "buttons", placed on a conductive pad pressed against the wall of the borehole. A constant current source applies voltage to each button and the conductive surface of the pad so that measurement currents are injected into the formation perpendicularly to the wall. A return is provided for the current by means of an electrode situated close to the surface, or possibly on another part of the tool. The pad is moved along the borehole and the discrete currents associated with each button are proportional to the conductivity of the material facing the buttons.
In application of the teaching of patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,759, issued to Ekstrom et al., the signals are modified by eliminating effects such as variations in the speed of the tool and disturbances due to variations in the environment of the tool as amplified and displayed in a manner which comes close to providing a visual image of the inside of the hole. p That imaging technique has been highly successful over the last few years when used in boreholes drilled with conductive drilling mud such as water-base mud or mud of the oil-in-water emulsion type. However, with muds having a continuous non-conductive phase, such as oil-base muds or water-in-oil emulsion type muds, the images obtained are of very poor quality. These poor results are generally attributed to interference due to the presence of a layer of non-conductive mud, or of a layer of mud and a mud cake, interposed between the buttons and the formation under test. Since the thickness of the layer of mud varies in particular as a function of the roughness of the wall, the variations in the resulting currents can completely mask any current variations due to the formation being measured.
Other techniques address measurements in non-conductive mud, among which patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,588 discloses a tool for investigating formation conductivity uses a non-conductive pad and buttons that form voltage electrodes instead of current electrodes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,623. The current injection electrodes are situated off the pad, or in a preferred variant, directly at the ends thereof. In any event, the two injectors are placed in such a manner that current passes through the formation substantially parallel to the pad and thus preferably flows substantially orthogonally to the boundaries of the strata. Under such conditions, the potential difference between two buttons is proportional to the resistivity of the material facing the buttons.
The above-specified U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,588 recommends using DC, or AC at very low frequency, such that the resistivity of the pad is much grater than the resistivity of the drilling mud. However, in practice, working with DC gives rise to problems of noise due in particular to the formation of spontaneous potentials in the formation. In addition, the resistance of the mud limits the quantity of current injected; the potential differences measured between two pairs of buttons are thus very small and therefore difficult to measure.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to work with AC at a relatively high frequency, e.g. on the order of a few thousand hertz. Unfortunately, at such frequencies, the pad behaves like a dielectric whose effective conductivity is similar to that of the mud. This gives rise to an electrical impedance through the pad that is of the same order as the impedance through the layer of mud. Under such conditions, the potential differences between pairs of buttons are more representative of the potential difference applied between the current electrodes than they are of the resistivity of the formation facing them, therefore, the tool becomes unusable.
PCT Patent Application No. WO 01/77710 describes an improvement of the tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,588 to make it possible to work with AC at frequencies higher than 1000 Hz. Therefore, this patent application provides a tool for investigating the wall of a borehole in a geological formation that comprises a non-conductive pad near the end of which are mounted an AC source electrode and a current return electrode and in the center of which is an array of pairs of voltage difference measurement electrode (dV). The resistivity of the formation opposite each pair of dV electrodes is calculated using:ρ=k. dV/I where ρ is the resistivity, k is a geometrical factor, dV is the voltage difference between a pair of electrodes and I is the current in the formation.
To shield the dV electrodes from the electric field generated in the insulating pad and in the non-conducting fluid, a conducting backplate is included behind the insulating pad, parallel to the front face and covering most of the region between the current electrodes. In a particularly preferred variant of the invention, the electrically conductive portion of the pad is connected to ground, or more precisely it is placed at the same electrical potential as the geological formation. Under such conditions, the measurement electrodes do indeed measure the potential of the formation facing them even when the pad is inclined, i.e. when the "standoff" distance between the formation and the source electrodes is different from the standoff distance between the formation and the return electrode.
The major limitation of the measurement is that the pad must be close to the borehole wall, especially in low-resistivity formations. Otherwise, the dV measurement is sensitive to the electric field generated in the borehole fluid and pad rather than in the formation. For example, in a 0.1 Ω.m formation the maximum standoff is about 5 mm, while in a 100-Ω.m formation the maximum standoff is about 15 mm. As a result, when the borehole is rough the images are spoiled by incorrect readings and become uninterpretable.
To overcome this problem, one approach proposes improved methods of shielding the voltage measurement electrodes from the electric field generated in the pad by the current injectors. The shielding is flush with or almost flush with the outside face of the pad.
Due to these particular features, the apparatus according to the above approach allows for accurate resistivity measurements in non-conductive mud wells, even when the pad is not closely pressed against the formation wall, due to thick mudcake or rugosity of said wall. Due to the shielding means, the electrical field in the pad is eliminated or almost eliminated. In the mud between the pad and the borehole wall, the electrical field is also drastically reduced in the vicinity of the measurement electrodes such that electric equipotential curves in the mud remain almost perpendicular to the formation wall. Therefore, the potential at these measurement electrodes remains close to that in the formation.
In one embodiment, the pad itself constitutes the shielding means, said pad being made of electrically conductive material. In this case, electrically insulating inserts are arranged in the pad around each of the source, return and measurement electrodes.
In a second embodiment, the pad is made of electrically non conductive material and the shielding means comprise electrically conductive sheets that are arranged inside said pad such that said conductive sheets are almost flush with the outside face of said pad.
While the above-described tools are capable of providing images of boreholes drilled with non-conductive muds, they are wireline tools and are not suitable for logging-while-drilling applications. Therefore, a need exists for tools or methods for imaging a borehole while a borehole is being drilled with a non-conductive mud.

Formation imaging while drilling in non-conductive fluids


A resistance-change type memory device includes a substrate, a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction parallel to an upper surface of the substrate and extending in a second direction intersecting the upper surface, a resistance-change film provided in a third direction that is parallel to the upper surface and intersects the first direction as viewed from the plurality of electrodes, a semiconductor film provided between the plurality of electrodes and the resistance-change film, and an insulating film provided between the plurality of electrodes and the semiconductor film. The resistance-change film has a resistance value that changes when a current flows therein.

In recent years, there has been proposed a resistance-change type memory device using a resistance-change material having a resistance value that changes when a predetermined amount of current flows therein. In such a resistance-change type memory device, it has also been proposed to improve a degree of integration by three-dimensionally arranging memory cells. In this case, there is a problem in the stability in operation of each memory cell.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to a brake rotor which may include a central mounting portion for mounting the brake rotor on a hub, a first annular braking surface and a second annular braking surface, where each braking surface includes an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a bridge provided between the central mounting portion and the inner diameter of at least one of the first and the annular braking surfaces and a plurality of ribs positioned proximate to the bridge.

Generally, existing brake rotors include solid, non-venting rotor designs and venting designs, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,848. Accordingly, conventional ventilated brake rotors generally include a pair of mutually spaced-apart annular disks that present two opposed external braking surfaces for engaging brake pads under a clamping operation of a braking actuator (brake caliper). The space between the disks typically includes a number of vanes with flow passages defined between each pair of adjacent vanes that extend between the disks from a braking surface inner diameter to the outer diameter. Rotation of the rotor causes the vanes to induce air flow through the flow passages from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the braking surfaces, providing increased convective heat transfer from the rotor. Inlets for the vanes reside near the central portion of the rotor.
Ever since the advent of the automobile, automotive enthusiasts have customized their vehicles for both aesthetic and performance reasons. Typically, in the case of braking performance upgrades, enthusiasts would do such things as add braking pads of exotic material compositions. However, such an upgrade usually would not significantly improve braking performance, and is most likely unnoticeable to the average automotive enthusiast.
Accordingly, in order to increase braking performance to a noticeable degree, enthusiasts usually replace existing disc brake rotors with larger (i.e., increased diameter) rotors. These increased diameter brake rotors include larger annular braking surfaces, specifically including larger braking surface widths (i.e., distance between the inner diameter of the braking surface and the outer diameter of the braking surface) than the original. equipment (OE) brake rotors.
The problem with replacing the OE brake rotors with larger diameter brake rotors is that many of the components of the OE brake system now also need to be replaced. For example, the OE calipers, pads and associated hardware cannot be used in combination with the new larger diameter rotors. Thus, to provided a noticeable increase in brake performance, almost the entire braking system at each wheel location having an increased diameter rotor must be replaced. Accordingly, such an undertaking can become complicated and expensive.
Moreover, in using disc brake rotors having increased diameters, they are subject to increased stresses which may cause premature failure (e.g., warping). This is the general reason why most passenger vehicles lack large rotors, and automotive system designers instead focus on the development of exotic materials for brake rotors and brake pads to increase braking performance. Thus, there exists a need for stable and durable larger brake rotors to increase braking performance, and also for a means for increasing brake system performance without having to substantially modify the entire existing brake system.


A self-disinfecting device includes a housing with translucent material and an internal light source that is used to reduce surface pathogens on the translucent material. The device includes a processor and a light source positioned within the housing. At least a portion of the housing is translucent to radiation, and the light source emits radiation at a wavelength and an intensity that kills pathogens residing on the outer surface of the housing.

Many products are used in environments where bacteria reduction or disinfection is mission critical. As an example, products such as hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners are used regularly in hospitals, where decontamination is critically important.
In the hospital environment, hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners are carried room-to-room by doctors and nurses in the performance of their duties. Because these devices may be regularly used or carried by doctors, nurses, or other hospital staff throughout the hospital environment, these devices acquire and carry with them contaminants and pathogens, such as bacteria.
As devices such as hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners are carried throughout the hospital environment and from room to room, patients can be exposed to contaminants (e.g., bacteria) that are carried by the devices posing serious health risks. Because of the risk to patients and visitors, as well as to hospital employees, hospital staff are required to frequently clean these kinds of devices.
While traditional methods of cleansing, such as the application and use of cleaning solutions, is a somewhat effective method of reducing bacteria or other contaminants, the effectiveness of such traditional methods of disinfection is completely dependent upon the quality and thoroughness of the cleaning job that is performed by each employee that is tasked with cleaning the devices.
Therefore, a need exists for more efficient and effective methods and devices for disinfecting products, including but not limited to hand-held mobile computers and bar code scanners.

Device having light source to reduce surface pathogens


A pressure sensor prevents the occurrence of a large deformation or breakage of the diaphragm in a strain gage-type pressure sensor utilizing a thin plate-shaped insulating body as the diaphragm. The pressure sensor comprises an insulating diaphragm having a strain gage on its surface and a substrate positioned opposing the surface of the diaphragm on which the strain gage is mounted and kept a predetermined distance away from the surface. The diaphragm can be formed of material such as ceramic of alumina, zirconia or the like, silicon or crystal. The substrate can be formed of either the same material as the diaphragm, or the surface opposing the diaphragm can be formed of an insulator disposed on metal. The diaphragm and the substrate can be affixed using a low-melting glass.

The pressure sensor of the prior art utilizing a strain gage is formed by providing an insulator of polyimide and the like on a metallic diaphragm and forming a strain gage by evaporation on top, or by adhering an already-formed strain gage on a metallic diaphragm by an adhesive and the like.
The pressure sensor utilizing such a strain gage has an advantage that the output linearity is well and the structure of the electric circuit is relatively simple. However, the characteristics of the metallic diaphragm, for example, the flexural strength, the deformation hysteresis by the change in pressurization, and the permanent deformation by heat expansion and stress caused deterioration of accuracy and durability of the sensor.
Especially, as shown in FIG. 10, in a pressure sensor formed by cutting out from a metal block a clamp member 101, a diaphragm portion 102 and a pressure opening 103 having a screw portion 104 on the inner wall thereof for fixing a piping, further having a strain gage 105 formed on top of the diaphragm 102, the clamp member 101 and the diaphragm 102 are formed solidly, so strain will occur in the diaphragm 102 when being clamped by too much torque, resulting in unnecessary change in output.
Further, in order to detect the accurate pressure, there was a need to utilize dielectric pressure, since there was only a very thin insulating body between the metallic diaphragm and the strain gage.
In such a case, there was a need to put an insulating body between the metallic diaphragm and the strain gage, but this insulating body causes a drift phenomenon wherein the output characters will change by cause of change in contact between the diaphragm by temperature, and the deformation by the repeated displacement of the diaphragm.
Further, according to the structure of the strain gage, the permanent deformation or the breakage of the diaphragm may happen when too much stress is loaded to the diaphragm. The breakage of the diaphragm may cause serious damage like the emission of pressure medium.
On the other hand, a capacitance-operated pressure sensor is known as the pressure sensor utilizing insulators such as ceramic and the like to the diaphragm. These kind of pressure sensors are advantageous in that very high durability and repeatability of the measurement could be gained because of the characteristics of the material being used.
However, these type of pressure sensors have problems such as the method of detecting the change in distance between the electrodes by the capacitance being inferior to the potential linearity of output, the electric circuit being very complicated, the floating capacity being unstable, the manufacturing of ceramic elements of the sensing unit needing high accuracy, and so on.
Still further, a pressure sensor gained by forming and baking a thick-film resistor in a bridge state on a diaphragm formed of a ceramic plate by a screen print is known, as is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. S62-12458. This pressure sensor will not be influenced by the capacity, but when the impressed pressure rises above a certain level, it will cause permanent deformation to the diaphragm, or even worse, break the diaphragm.
The object of the present invention, based on the problems mentioned above, is to provide a strain gage-type pressure sensor utilizing insulating thin plate of ceramic materials such as alumina and zirconia, silicon or crystal and the like, wherein too much deformation or breakage of the diaphragm is prevented.
Further, the present invention is aimed at providing a pressure sensor with high accuracy and high repeatability.

Strain gage pressure sensor wherein a gap is maintained between the diaphragm and the substrate


A through image with a trace frame is displayed. A subject on which a trace frame is superposed when a shutter key is half-depressed is determined as a target image. A trimming frame is additionally displayed. Whether the target image has moved within the through image or not is determined. When the target image has moved within the through image, the trace frame and the trimming frame are displayed so as to follow the target image. Then, whether the center vector of the trimming frame≈four surrounding vectors is established or not is determined. When this determination results in YES, it is assumed that the target image is larger than the trimming frame and the trimming frame is enlarged by a predetermined amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera apparatus having a so-called auto-framing function, a recording medium in which a camera apparatus control program is recorded, and a method for controlling the camera apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras having the so-called auto-framing function have been put into a practical use. This camera displays a through image and displays a trimming frame showing an image-capture range on the through image. This camera also detects the motion of a target image (target subject) in the through image and changes, in accordance with the motion of this detected motion, a position at which a trimming frame is displayed. When a photographing instruction is given, the camera cuts the image in the trimming frame to record the image. This allows, even when the target image moves, the trimming image accommodating the target image to be imaged and recorded (e.g., see Japanese Patent No. 3750499).
However, in the above-described auto-framing function, the position at which the trimming frame is displayed is controlled in accordance with the motion of the target image in the through image (i.e., the motion vector of the target image on a two-dimensional coordinate). Thus, when the subject as the target image moves in a front-and-rear direction, the trimming frame cannot be proportionally controlled. This may cause a case where the subject approaches the camera to cause the target image in the through image to be larger than the trimming frame, thus preventing the trimming image accommodating a desired subject from being imaged or recorded.
This problem of a mismatch between a target image and a frame is not limited to the trimming frame showing an imaging/recording range. This problem is also caused in an Auto Focus (AF) measurement frame showing the range in which the brightness of a subject subjected to Automatic Exposure (AE) is measured and an AF measurement frame showing a range in which the contrast of a subject subjected to AF is measured.

Camera apparatus, which controls a displacement and size of a frame region in a captured subject image, recording medium in which a camera apparatus control program is recorded, and method for controlling the camera apparatus


A method for designing and manufacturing lens modules includes selecting design parameters from a design database stored with the design parameters suitable for a lens module desired to be manufactured to design the lens module according to characteristics of the lens module and storing the design parameters of the lens module in an analysis database, analyzing the lens module based on a predetermined analysis process to generate analysis parameters corresponding to the lens module and storing the generated analysis parameters in the analysis database, and re-designing the lens module based on the analysis parameters stored in the analysis database.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lens modules, and more particularly, to a method and system for designing and manufacturing lens modules.
2. Description of Related Art
Compared with information industry, optics industry has a higher gross profit margin, but is much more similar to conventional industry. Optics industry has to rely on skilled and experienced workers, especially the workers in developed countries such as Japan, to design and manufacture perfect optic products. Moreover, it generally takes a long time to design a new model of optic product, so it happens sometimes that the new model of optic product, though having been designed completely, cannot be manufactured in result.
To solve the above-mentioned problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,067 "METHOD FOR EVALUATING AND DESIGNING LENSES" further adds a cost and a manufacturing capability, both of which are factors having to be taken into consideration when manufacturing lenses, to a merit function when designing a lens. Therefore, a lens designer, when executing an optimization process, can further take the manufacture-related factors into consideration.
However, a primary objective of the prior art is to promote the manufacturability of lens products. Taking the manufacture-related factors further into consideration when the optimization process is performed has been a help to the manufacturability of lens products, but promoting the manufacturability of lens products is not one of the most urgent issues in the art. Moreover, the prior art does not provide any help to solving problems happening in recent years when designing lenses, lens modules or optic system, and has been out of date.

Method and system for designing and manufacturing lens modules

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The present invention relates to an oblique-driven platform having three coplanar driving axes, in which three oblique driving modules are disposed on an identical base, so as to drive a work platform to rotate and carry out 2-dimensional motion by the controlling of the three oblique driving modules. Thus, this design could solve the problems occurring in the conventional stacked machine tools; such as the deformation or the displacement of the sever axis or the rotation axis caused by the upper-layer machine tools. Moreover, by the disposing of the three oblique driving modules, the work platform can be driven to stably rotate and carry out 2-dimensional motion with high precision and high accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-precision machine tool platform, and more particularly, to an oblique-driven platform having three coplanar driving axes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the development of industry and technology, every industrial product now progresses toward micro and concise. Hence, a new developed topic on micro/meso-scale manufacturing technology will be critical to manufacturing technology, wherein the micro/meso-scale drilling technology can be applied to national defense, aerial transportations, electronic devices, optical devices, communication, and bio-medical industry, particularly to high speed communication micro optical devices, micro-actuator and micro-sensor on vehicle and medical tools, micro-nozzle on high temperature jet engine, and micro fuel cell.
Currently, the micro/meso-scale drilling technology is mostly achieved by using multi-axles machine tool. General machine tool and work platform lays a X axis moving device, a Y axis moving device and a rotating axis on one point, so as to make the machine tool and work platform move or rotate. However, the design of laying the X axis moving device, the Y axis moving device and the rotating axis on each other has some flaws, such as sever axis system would consume more energy and easily occur displacement or transformation.
Accordingly, in view of the conventional machine tool and work platform still have shortcomings and drawbacks, the inventor of the present application has made great efforts to make inventive research thereon and eventually provided an oblique-driven platform having three coplanar driving axes.

Oblique-driven platform having three coplanar driving axes


A thin film magnetic head is described, the magnetic head having an insulating layer and a protrusion which has an upper portion and a base portion, and the upper portion has an extended portion. The insulating layer is present under the extending part. A method of manufacturing the magnetic head includes forming a first insulating layer around the lower core layer; simultaneously forming a coil layer by plating the lower core layer with a coil insulating underlayer interposed between the lower coil layer and a coil lead layer connected to the coil layer on the first insulating layer; forming a coil insulating layer of an inorganic material on the coil layer and the coil lead layer; and, simultaneously forming a first plating underlayer for forming an upper core layer by plating, a second plating underlayer on the first coil lead layer exposed through the plating-forming opening, and a current-carrying lead layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thin film structures in which a conductive protrusion is provided on a conductive layer and is surrounded by an insulating layer formed on the conductive layer, and more particularly, relates to a thin film structure having resistance against mechanical impact or the like and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of a related thin film structure. In this thin film structure, for example, a conductive layer 2 is formed on an insulating layer 1, the conductive layer 2 being connected to a lead layer extending from a coil layer of an inductive magnetic head or to a lead layer extending from an electrode layer of a magnetoresistive effect element. On the conductive layer 2, a protrusion (bump) 4 is formed with a metal film 3 interposed therebetween. Around the protrusion (bump) 4, an insulating layer 5 made of Al2O3 or SiO2 is formed, and the upper surface of the protrusion (bump) 4 is exposed at the surface of the insulating layer 5. The metal layer 3 is a remaining part of a current-carrying layer which was used for supplying current for forming the protrusion 4 by plating.
The protrusion 4 has a base portion 4a connected to the metal film 3 and an upper portion 4b provided on this base portion 4a. A sidewall part of the upper portion 4b extends outward from a periphery of the base portion 4a to form an extending part 4c. On the upper surface of the protrusion 4, a metal pad 6 made of a metal material is formed.
FIGS. 41 to 45 are cross-sectional views for illustrating a manufacturing method of the related thin film structure.
First, in a step shown in FIG. 41, the conductive layer 2 is formed on the insulating layer 1 by plating. Next, over the conductive layer 2 to the insulating layer 1, a current-carrying layer 7 used for forming the protrusion 4 by plating is formed by sputtering. In addition, on the current-carrying layer 7, a resist layer R for forming the bump is provided, and an opening portion Ra is formed in the resist layer R at a position at which the protrusion 4 is to be formed. In this method, the current-carrying layer 7 is formed to extend in the right direction in the figure, and from an end portion thereof, current is to be supplied.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 42, on the current-carrying layer 7 exposed through the opening portion Ra of the resist layer R, isotropic plating is performed using nickel (Ni), gold (Au), copper (Cu), or a conductive material containing Cu, thereby forming the protrusion 4. For example, a height H1 of the protrusion 4 is 40 μm.
After the protrusion 4 is formed, the resist layer R is removed, and as a result, the state shown in FIG. 43 can be obtained. Next, the current-carrying layer 7 around the protrusion 4 is removed by ion milling or the like. In this milling, a part of the current-carrying layer 7 located under the upper portion 4b of the protrusion 4 remains, and as a result, the metal film 3 shown in FIG. 44 is formed.
After the current-carrying layer 7 is removed, as shown in FIG. 45, on the conductive layer 2 and the protrusion 4, the insulating layer 5 is formed which is made of Al2O3 or SiO2.
Next, in order to expose the protrusion 4 at the surface of the insulating layer 5, the insulating layer 5 is milled, for example, to a level indicated by the line A-A shown in the figure, and the metal pad 6 is then formed, thereby forming the thin film structure shown in FIG. 40.
In addition, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-21919, a technique has been disclosed in which a wire density can be increased by disposing another lead conductor 28 under the protrusion 4. The thin film structures and the manufacturing methods thereof as described above have been disclosed in the following six patent documents, that is, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 11-100690 (p. 3, FIG. 1), 9-73608 (p. 3, FIG. 3), 2000-149221 (p. 3, FIG. 8), 58-179922 (pp. 1 and 2, FIGS. 2 and 3), 4-21919 (pp. 4 and 5, FIGS. 5 and 6), and 2003-123208 (pp. 4 and 5, FIGS. 1 to 8).
However, the related thin film structure described above has the following problems.
In the step shown in FIG. 43, when the resist layer R is removed, a space S is formed under the extending part 4c of the upper portion 4b of the protrusion 4. When the insulating layer 5 is formed in the step shown in FIG. 45, since the space S is present under the extending part 4c, the insulating layer 5 is not filled in the space S, and hence a void is formed. As described above, when the space S under the extending part 4c of the protrusion 4 remains as the void, the mechanical strength of the insulating layer 5 is decreased, and as a result, in the milling step shown in FIG. 45, a crack C indicated by a dotted line is liable to be formed in the insulating layer 5. When the crack C is formed in the insulating layer 5, corrosion resistance of the thin film structure is extremely degraded, and in addition, wire-breakage may occur in some cases.
In addition, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 58-179922, the structure has been disclosed in which an overhang part (extending part) of a conductor (protrusion) is removed by milling (milling along chain lines E shown in FIG. 44) so that the space formed under the overhang part is eliminated, and in which an insulating layer is formed around the entire periphery of the conductor (protrusion). However, since the step of milling the conductor (protrusion) is additionally performed, the manufacturing process becomes complicated, and in addition, due to the decrease in volume of the conductor (protrusion), a problem may arise in that the electrical resistance is increased. Furthermore, the variation in volume of the conductor (protrusion) is increased, and as a result, the electrical resistance also varies.
In addition, according to the thin film structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2063-123208, it is difficult to supply current for forming a lower pad 3A and an upper pad 3B by plating, and hence the structure described above must be further improved.

Method of manufacturing a thin film structure


A device for holding measurement instruments (2), in particular interferometers, is formed from a plurality of structure elements (4, 5, 6, 7) connected to one another and made from at least one material. The at least one material has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion α. The structure elements (4) on which the measurement instruments (2) are arranged are secured between at least two structure side parts (5) in such a way that the thermal expansions of the structure side parts (5) and of the connections (3) have no effect in the measurement direction of the measurement instruments (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for holding measurement instruments, in particular interferometers, formed from a plurality of structure elements connected to one another and made from at least one material, the at least one material having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion α, in particular being a glass-ceramic or a metal alloy.
Moreover, the present invention also relates to a device for the stress-free connection of at least two components.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of optical systems which are intended to be suitable for generating optical images with a very high level of accuracy, for example optical systems for lithography, the individual optical elements have to be positioned as accurately as possible in all six degrees of freedom in terms of their orientation.
Optical systems of this type often include sensors which are able to monitor the position of the optical elements and carry out path length measurements or measurements relating to the change in path length.
If optical systems of this type arc used in practice, loads on the optical system itself may arise on account of temperature fluctuations which may occur through environmental influences. These temperature fluctuations may have a serious effect on the results, in particular in the case of objectives used in semiconductor lithography; to achieve a very high level of measurement accuracy, the influence of thermal expansion should be minimized.
DE 101 34 387.6, which was not published before the priority date of the present application, describes an objective, in particular a semiconductor lithography, which has two separate structures. A load structure is intended to hold optical elements, in particular mirrors, while a further structure is designed as a measurement or reference frame. The load structure in this case bears the entire load of the optical element and the reaction forces which occur in the event of corresponding movements. The measurement structure, on the other hand, bears only its own weight, so that a highly stable measurement structure can be achieved.
A measurement frame of this type can be produced from materials which are known in the prior art with a very low thermal expansion, such as for example ZERODUR®, ULE or the like. However, large measurement frames have to be assembled and connected from a plurality of structure parts made from materials of this type. Although the materials used have a low thermal expansion, they are not suitable for producing connecting elements required for assembly, on account of their mechanical properties. In the region of the connections between the individual structure elements, the materials used there for the connecting elements means that the thermal expansions will be very much greater. The geometric dimensions of the overall measurement frame will therefore change when temperature fluctuations occur to a sufficient extent for the required degree of accuracy in the nanometer range no longer to be achieved.
Furthermore, in connection with the prior art reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,754 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,691 A and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,193 A.

Device for holding measurement instruments


A method and apparatus for boring a hole in the earth including a drill bit assembly including a fluid-powered impact engine contained within a drillpipe sub between an ordinary drillpipe and a modified conventional rotary drill bit. The impact engine is powered by pressurized drilling fluid delivered via the drillpipe which acts on a piston to charge an energy accumulator, preferably in the form of a spring. Periodically, the pressurized drilling fluid in the impact engine is vented, allowing the energy accumulator to rapidly transfer its stored energy to an impact bit which is slidingly housed in a rotary bit to strike and fracture the formation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for boring a hole in the earth and specifically to rotary and percussive drill bit assembly, which is preferably adapted for drilling wells for the hydrocarbon exploration and production industries but may be used for tunneling or similar applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The process of drilling a hole in the earth's crust involves abrasive wear of the formation, wherein earth is removed or displaced by hard particles or protuberances on a drill bit forced against or slid along the formation surface at the bore/formation interface. For a solid subjected to a uniaxial stress in the form of a point load (force), the observed behavior of the solid is usually perfect elastic deformation followed by irrecoverable distortion that may take the form of plastic flow or fracture. In other words, the abrasive wear generally occurs by two distinct mechanisms—abrasive wear by plastic deformation and abrasive wear by brittle fracture. Under some circumstances, either plastic deformation or brittle fracture may occur alone, but both often occur together. For both modes, the particle or protuberance must have a hardness greater than the hardness of the material to be abraded. The mechanisms of abrasive wear are treated by I. M. Hutchings in Tribology: Friction and Wear of Engineering Materials, CRC Press (1992).
In abrasive wear by plastic deformation, a hard particle or protuberance affixed to the drill bit is dragged across the surface of the formation under an indentation pressure. The ductile formation flows due to the action of the moving particle. Preferably, the flowing material is deflected, forming a chip which flows up the leading face of the particle in a process referred to as cutting. In cutting, all of the flowing material is removed from the substrate in a process analogous to cutting material with a single point tool in a machining process, such as turning on a lathe. However, abrasive wear by plastic deformation also occurs when the flowing material forms a raised prow of material in front of the leading edge of the particle. Some of the flowing material accumulates in the prow as the indenting particle is dragged across the substrate, while the remainder of the flowing material is ploughed under the particle. Eventually, a portion of the raised prow is lifted up the leading face of the particle and removed—a sequence referred to as wedge formation, which is repeated continuously as the particle moves across the substrate. The abrasive wear by plastic deformation removal mechanisms are exemplified by the use of early rotary drag-type drill bits (which are readily identified by their fish-tall-shaped blades) and present-day diamond-dressed (polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) or natural diamond) bits.
Contrarily, in abrasive wear by brittle fracture, material removal predominantly occurs by brittle fracture of the formation with little contribution from plastic flow mechanisms. When a solid is subjected to a uniaxial stress in the form of a point load from a hard angular particle which indents the solid, intense shear and compression stresses are induced in the solid at the tip of the particle. At load values less than a critical value (which depends on the hardness and fracture toughness properties of the solid), the induced stresses are relieved by local plastic flow of the solid, densifying the immediate area surrounding the indentation. However, at load values above the critical value, the induced stresses cause a median vent crack to form perpendicular to the surface of the substrate from the bottom of the indention into the substrate. Increasing the point load deepens the crack. After a median vent crack is formed, removing the point load by moving the indenting particle away from the solid results in a relaxation of the deformed material around the point of indentation. Residual elastic stresses in turn cause the formation of one or more lateral vent cracks originating at the median vent crack and curving upwards to the surface of the solid. These lateral vent cracks destroy the integrity of the solid and lead directly to the removal of material from the solid. The abrasive wear by brittle fracture mechanisms are exemplified by the use of percussive early cable tool drilling techniques.
The modern tricone bit, a refinement over the Hughes cone bit introduced in 1908, marries the plastic deformation and the brittle fracture abrasive wear mechanisms in a single bit. As the drill bit axially rotates in the bore under a longitudinal compressive load, the roller cones are forced to revolve around their axes causing the protuberances to rapidly impact the formation (abrasive wear by brittle fracture), but cone offset and friction in the roller cones under load also cause the protuberances to be dragged slightly across the formation for shearing (abrasive wear by plastic deformation). For the protuberances to be effectively impacted against the formation surface, a large axial force must be imparted to tricone bits because the axial force is spread across a large number of indentation points on the roller cones which contact the formation at any given time.
Drilling methods, in which the entire rotary drill bit is periodically axially impacted against the formation during rotation in a manner to aid in fracture of the formation, have been proposed as another means of combining the two modes of abrasive wear to increase drilling rates. Most commonly, the entire cutting surface of the drill bit impacts against the formation due to hammering an anvil surface of the drill bit. The hammer that impacts the anvil surface of the bit can be located at the earth's surface, but it is more commonly located downhole in a drillpipe sub just above the drill bit. Such downhole hammers are usually pneumatically driven from a supply of compressed air at the earth's surface, but hydraulic downhole hammers are also known. Additionally, some down hole impact hammers include a transmission with cams or gears to transfer the rotational energy of the drill string into an axial impact force. Although such systems may use standard off-the-shelf drill bits, because the entire bit is impacted against the formation, the impact force is still spread across the large number of impact points resulting in only a fraction of the overall impact force acting at any given point in the formation.
Regardless of the abrasive mechanisms at play, it has been long recognized by those familiar with the art of drilling oil and gas wells that the most efficient drill assembly is that assembly which transfers maximum energy to the formation (rock face) to aid in the removal of the material of the well bore. Improvements that have advanced the drilling industry to its present day state include increased weight run on existing bit assemblies, increased rates of revolution through advances of down-hole motor assemblies, percussive means on the drill bit assembly, modifications of conventional rotating core bits, improvements to conventional button drag type and PDC drag type bits, and refinements of the mud systems employed. Such improvements are chronicled by the encompassing treatise, J. E. Brantly, History of Oil Well Drilling, Gulf Publishing Company (1971).
Despite such advancements, even today conditions exist in the drilling of deep, horizontal, or high pressured wells where the rates of penetration are very low and the associated costs are high. There is a need for a drill bit assembly that applies additional energy to the rock face (over what is being applied in the industry today) for an increased rate of penetration of the well bore and an accompanying reduction in the cost of the well bore.
3. Identification of Objects of the Invention
The primary object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that results in increased drilling rates.
Another object of the invention is to provide a drill bit assembly for which additional energy can be applied to the rock face (over what is being applied in the industry today) that results in a greater rate of penetration of the well bore and a concomitant reduction in well bore cost.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus where, by increasing the energy level of the mud system to accommodate the piston mud engine of the invention, the drilling system is allowed to operate as before but with the added energy applied to the rock face that will aid in the penetration rate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that can be used in any type of mud system including water, oil and polymer systems.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that can be used without modification in conventional rotary systems with ordinary drillpipe, downhole motor systems with conventional drillpipe or coiled tubing systems, top drive systems, vertical wells, deviated wells, and horizontal wells.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that includes a mud engine of the simplest type which uses the technology of the mud pumps that exist today.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that uses a metal spring as an energy accumulator that can be tailored to accommodate varying power directed to the impact bit.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus where the mud engine components such as liners, pistons, ports, and valves use state of the art elastomers and hardened wear-resistant materials that typically allow for operation under normal conditions for continuous periods of up to 400 hours.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus where the impact bit is of sufficient size and strength to drill and last for periods equaling or exceeding the expected life of the piston mud engine.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus where the life of the accumulator metal spring exceeds the other components of the drill bit assembly.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that aids and improves control of directional drilling.

Rotary and mud-powered percussive drill bit assembly and method


A technique for providing enhanced intuitive navigation in a virtual world. User selectable hot spots are provided within a virtual world that users may select to automatically be moved to predetermined move-to coordinates within the virtual world. The user may be transported directly to the move-to coordinates or the user may have its motion controlled by the virtual world to in essence walk the user to the move-to coordinates within the virtual world. The selectable hot spot may become inactive following selection of the hot spot by a user until the user moves off of the move-to coordinates, or a plurality of move-to coordinates may be provided such that the hot spot remains active until all of the move-to coordinates are occupied by users. Additionally, the hot spot may be visually enhanced to make it easier to be seen and selected when the user is more than a predetermined distance from the hot spot within the virtual world.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for providing a participant in a virtual world with means for intuitively navigating through the virtual world more quickly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technique for providing selectable navigation hot spots in a virtual world which a user may select to automatically move to a hot spot associated location in the virtual world.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet has existed for a number of years as a means for exchanging information. The first phase in the development of the Internet was the development of a TCP/IP infrastructure which permitted documents and data to be stored on a networked system of computers which permitted access of the documents by users of the Internet. This system was difficult to use, as access was restricted to serious or expert level computer users who could maintain internal cognitive maps of data space.
The next phase of the Internet development was the development of the World Wide Web, which is a hypermedia system which added another layer of abstraction to the existing Internet structure. This abstraction provided an addressing scheme in the form of a unique identifier or universal resource locator (URL). With this system, anyone could tell where to go and how to get there for any document or piece of data within the Web. This permitted use by novice computer users. However, the only form of navigation consisted of direct reference in the form of a URL such as "http:.backslash..backslash.www.ibm.com.backslash.". In combination with Internet search engines that have been developed for finding URLs for information on the Web, the World Wide Web now provides a retrieval mechanism which compliments the original storage mechanism of the Internet. Still, the system is not entirely user friendly as the user must rely on rigid addressing standards, search engines for finding URLs/addresses, and links within documents to navigate through the World Wide Web.
The recent explosion in popularity of the Internet can be attributed to a number of factors, the advent of the World Wide Web among them. Another factor has been the decreasing cost of computers and related technologies, and the increases in the speed of communication via high speed modems and the like. This has made possible the graphic-rich portion of the Internet, which is accessed via the World Wide Web. This graphic rich content has given the Internet the mass appeal that it previously lacked.
In the World Wide Web, documents or sites are typically written in the definition language known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Until very recently, the World Wide Web comprised sites which include almost exclusively two dimensional graphics. This was due in part to limitations inherent in HTML. The Internet itself is a large number of computers networked together which contains a large number of sites. Each site has its own unique URL which identifies the computer on the Internet on which the site resides. Typically, a user accesses a site on the Internet from a personal computer via a phone line to an Internet service provider which links the user to the Internet. The user needs Web browser software, such as Netscape Navigator from Netscape Communications Corporation or WebExplorer from the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), on his or her computer in order to view most World Wide Web content on the Internet. The Web browser software is able to display the HTML content of World Wide Web sites on the user's monitor.
While it was the advent of two dimensional graphically intense Web sites that spurred the popularity of the Internet, the next level of technology may bring Internets, internal networks such as intranets, and networks in general to a new level. This third phase of Internet development has been the introduction of intranetworks, which are essentially documents and their data (World Wide Web sites) which have been rendered sensually. That is, a user interacts or exists within a site or intranetwork and experiences and perceives the site from within. This new Internet technology involves three dimensional technology which permits simulation of real world objects. The three dimensional technology, also known as virtual reality, permits users to enter three dimensional worlds. Additionally, this three dimensional phase of the Internet permits worlds in which actual people actually participate interactively with each other.
However, this technology is still embryonic. The technology is written in a definition language known as Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML). VRML is a language for describing multi-participant interactive simulations in virtual worlds networked via the global Internet and hyperlinked with the World Wide Web. To appropriately view or access a VRML document or site on the World Wide Web, a user is required to have an appropriate VRML viewer or browser in addition to (or in combination with) a Web browser.
As virtual worlds become a reality, virtual worlds will provide a number of advantages over two dimensional documents that will become apparent. Three dimensional worlds hold a promising future in the area of electronic commerce, as users of an electronic store or electronic mall can shop through the store and see the items that are available. It is also anticipated that virtual worlds will become prevalent in business and social environments as well.
However, virtual worlds in use today lack a number of systems and characteristics which will make them more acceptable to the general public and enhance usability. One current problem with virtual worlds is that it is difficult for a user to navigate his or her avatar through a virtual world in order to see what is to be seen and participate in the activities available in the virtual world. Basically, a user navigates his avatar through a virtual world using a set of sometimes awkward controls which are manipulated via a mouse to perform something akin to a human walking. The user's viewpoint or visual perspective is that of the avatar; that is, the user sees what the avatar sees. With these controls, the user controls the direction and speed in which the avatar walks, where the avatar looks, etc. Such interaction with a virtual world can be relatively slow. One solution to this problem is proposed in "The VRML 2.0 Handbook" by J. Hartman and J. Wernecke at pages 160-168. This solution provides signs which users may select to take a predetermined animated tour of the virtual world, preferably via a conveyance of some type, such as a train or moving sidewalk. Thus, users may be provided automatic tours of a virtual world. However, this solution certainly does not address all aspects of the navigation difficulties that users encounter in a virtual world.
Accordingly, a need exists for an enhanced mechanism for permitting a user to navigate through a virtual world.

Visual metaphor for shortcut navigation in a virtual world


A device and method for ablating tissue includes a sheath system with an occlusion structure. In certain embodiments, arrhythmias originating in pulmonary veins are treated cryogenically.

Cardiac rhythm is maintained by precisely timed nerve signals electrically exciting and being conducted through cardiac tissue to stimulate synchronous contractions of the four heart chambers (2 ventricles and 2 atria). In a normal sinus rhythm, the nerve signals are typically conducted along paths initiating at the sino-atrial (SA) node and passing from there through the atrioventricular (AV) node and the bundle of His to the ventricular myocardial tissue.
Potentially dangerous abnormal cardiac rhythms, or arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, are common medical conditions which may result from disturbances in the site of origin and/or the pathways of conduction of the nerve signals exciting contraction of the four chambers of the heart. The site of origin and pathways of conduction of these signals are currently mapped, for example using an electrocardiograph (ECG) in conjunction with mapping methods such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,649 to Walinsky et al.
One common type of atrial fibrillation occurs when the contraction initiating signals originate within one or more of the pulmonary veins rather than at the SA node. These atrial arrhythmias have been treated by a variety of methods including pharmocologic treatments, highly invasive surgical procedures and linear and circumferential RF ablations of the myocardial wall. However, each of these methods has drawbacks, e.g., the pain and extended recovery time for invasive surgery, relative ineffectiveness of pharmacologic treatments and restenosis at the ablation site due to the application of RF energy or other heat based therapies thereto.

Device and method for the creation of a circumferential cryogenic lesion in a pulmonary vein


An electromagnetic field generating element includes a conductor that generates near-field light when irradiated with light and generates a magnetic field when a current flows through the conductor. The electromagnetic field generating element further includes a soft magnetic body provided at a position along a dimension of the conductor, the dimension being perpendicular to (i) a direction in which the conductor faces a magnetic recording medium to which the near-field light and the magnetic field are applied and to (ii) a direction in which the current flows. The present invention thus allows for provision of an electromagnetic field generating element that allows for reduction in its power consumption in optically assisted magnetic read/write using near-field light.

In the field of magnetic memories represented by hard disk drives (HDDs), research has been actively conducted on a recording method involving the use of heating means using a light beam, for the purpose of achieving higher bit density.
For example, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukaihei, No. 4-176034 A; Publication Date: Jun. 23, 1992) discloses, as a technology for high-density magnetic read/write, a magnetic recording medium including a recording layer made of an n-type ferrimagnetic material having a compensation temperature substantially equal to room temperature, and also discloses an optically assisted read/write system using a light beam and the above medium.
According to the above system, recording is performed by heating a local portion of the magnetic recording medium by light irradiation, i.e., by providing optical assistance. This reduces the coercive force of the local portion and thereby allows a magnetic head to perform recording. As described above, the optically assisted read/write system allows data to be recorded on a magnetic recording medium having a high coercive force as compared to the intensity of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic head. In the case of a magnetic recording medium having a high coercive force, the above arrangement further prevents the problem of heat fluctuation, thereby allowing ultrahigh-density magnetic recording. The "problem of heat fluctuation" herein refers to a problem of loss of data recorded on a magnetic recording medium, the loss being caused when heat energy of room temperature, for example, disturbs the magnetization direction of the magnetic recording medium.
Further, a method is proposed as an application of the above optically assisted read/write system. The method uses near-field light as a light beam for forming smaller magnetic bits so that recording is performed with higher density. This method allows an area of a magnetic recording medium, the area having a temperature elevated by optical assistance, i.e., a spot of illumination by the near-field light, to have a diameter of several tens of nm or less. This in turn allows for formation of a magnetic bit of several tens of nm or less in size. Consequently, this method enables ultrahigh-density recording.
One disclosed example of the above magnetic head is a magnetic head (information recording and reproduction head) including an electromagnetic field generating element that includes: a substrate serving as a slider; a semiconductor laser section disposed on the substrate and serving as a light source; and a conductor section disposed on the substrate and having a constricted portion. The electromagnetic field generating element, disclosed in Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2004-303299 A; Publication Date: Oct. 28, 2004), includes: a light source; a conductor having a constricted portion in which an electric current path is narrowed; and a substrate on which the conductor is disposed in the form of a layer. Irradiation of the constricted portion with light from the light source generates a near-field light in the constricted portion.
Patent Literature 3 (Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2002-298302 A; Publication Date: Oct. 11, 2002) discloses a magnetic head (optically assisted magnetic recording head) that includes a pair of structures (preferably, soft magnetic bodies) separated by a gap and that applies a near-field light and a magnetic field from the gap.

Electromagnetic field generating element, information recording and reproduction head, and information recording and reproduction device


A rocking device is described for receiving a lower part of a carriage, perambulator, cot or the like in particular to rock an infant therein, with oscillation means to impart an oscillating motion thereto comprising an elongate roller (2) mounted about a generally longitudinal axis, and drive means (9) associated therewith to cause the roller to rotate, the transverse shape of the roller and the position of the axis together being such that the roller imparts an oscillating motion to the carriage in mechanical engagement therewith in use. A method of rocking a carriage, perambulator, cot or the like is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and method for imparting an oscillating or rocking motion to a carriage, perambulator, cot bed or the like, in particular for soothing a baby or infant therein.
It is well known that distressed and crying babies in a carriage, pram, cot or the like can be soothed by rocking. This is particularly so when the baby is in a wheeled carriage, which facilitates the application of a continuous rocking motion for a period of time to soothe the baby.
Conventionally, the rocking action is applied directly to the baby's carriage by the baby's parent or other carer. However, this procedure, although effective, is time consuming, physically demanding, and likely to be frustrating particularly having regard to the already frustrated state of mind which the carer may find triggered by the baby's continuous crying. The development of a mechanical device which the carer could therefore use to impart this rocking motion would clearly be beneficial.
2. Description of Related Art
Whilst a number of devices exist in more developed technical fields to impart oscillating motion to bodies contained therein, it is an overriding consideration for devices for use by the parents or other carer's of babies and young children that the devices should be of suitable scale, robust, and mechanically simple (both for ease of operation and to keep costs reasonable). In consequence, many known oscillating devices are likely to be unsuitable for this application.
A number of mechanical devices exist which impart horizontal, reciprocating oscillation to a baby carriage (for example UK Patent Application 2061836, 2191448 and 2145981). However, these fail to take advantage of the known soothing effect which can be attributed to at least some degree of vertical rocking motion.
An attempt to provide a device for importing a rocking motion including an up-and-down element to a baby carriage is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,144. In this device a drive motor drives torque converters which act on lifting cams to cause up and down motion of pistons, the pistons acting on a wheel receiving plate to produce a rocking motion on the pram wheels. Although this device produces an up and down motion, it is of considerable mechanical complexity, and is therefore inherently likely to be less robust and more expensive than would a simpler design.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,144 concentrates on up and down motion only, whereas in practice a combination of up and down and reciprocating motion, and in particular an orbital oscillation motion, has been shown to be effective. Attempts have been made to adapted reciprocating drive systems for use in conjunction with ramps (see for example UK patent 2 150 086) to give motion in both a vertical and horizontal sense, but these are cumbersome, and motion is still essentially linear rather than orbital.


A node on a core network, in accordance with a connection state of a terminal, releases a transmission path resource which is made unnecessary due to LIPA (Local IP access) or SIPTO (Selected IP traffic offload) connection configuration.

With the increase in the volume of user communication, in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) standardization, a study is currently being made of the technique that enables a terminal (User Equipment: UE) to access to an external network directly from a radio access network of a service area in which the terminal stays, without capturing a user traffic into the EPC (Evolved Packet Core), as in                LIPA (Local IP access); or        SIPTO (Selected IP traffic offload). It is noted that the LIPA/SIPTO system provides a mechanism of directly connecting a radio base station, a radio control apparatus or a simple structure type radio apparatus, such as Femto base station, to an external network.

Communication system and communication control method


A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises detecting an occurrence of a slip event, of a step encounter event, or of both events at a leading wheel of the vehicle. The method also comprises predicting that the occurrence of the detected event(s) will occur at a following wheel of the vehicle. The method yet further comprises automatically controlling vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, or both vehicle speed and acceleration in response to the detection, the prediction, or both the detection and prediction. A speed control system comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.

In known vehicle speed control systems, typically referred to as cruise control systems, a set-speed for the vehicle may be initially set by a user (e.g., driver). Once set by the user, the vehicle speed is maintained, on-road without further intervention by the user so as to improve the driving experience for the user by reducing workload. So long as the speed control system remains in an active state, the speed control system attempts to maintain the speed of the vehicle at the designated set-speed as the vehicle progresses.
One drawback of such known speed control systems, however, is that the systems may allow a user to select and/or may maintain the vehicle speed at, a user-selected set-speed without regard to whether various conditions exist that, when encountered or met at certain vehicle speeds, may adversely affect vehicle composure and/or vehicle occupant comfort. These conditions may include, for example, those related to the terrain the vehicle is traversing, the movement of the vehicle body, and the occupancy of the vehicle (e.g., the number of vehicle occupants and their respective locations within the vehicle), to name a few. If the user selects, and/or the speed control system maintains the speed of the vehicle at a set-speed that is too high for certain conditions when that or those conditions are encountered or met, the comfort of the vehicle occupants, as well as the composure of the vehicle, could be significantly affected unless corrective measures are taken by the user, such as, for example, the deactivation of the speed control system.
Known cruise control systems are also arranged cancel in the event that a wheel slip event is detected repairing intervention by a traction control system (TCS) or stability control system (SCS). Accordingly, they are not well suited to maintaining vehicle progress when driving in off-road conditions or on slippery roads, where such events may be relatively common.
Accordingly, there is a need for a speed control system and method for use with the same that minimizes and/or eliminates one or more of the above-identified deficiencies.

System and method for controlling vehicle speed


A positioning device includes a clamping seat having first and second clamping members with clamping portions mounted around a fixed rod of a chair having an inclinable seat to which the first clamping member is fixed. An adjusting rod includes a coupling seat having a positioning groove with a low-profile section and a high-profile section. A positioning block is mounted to the second clamping member and includes a protrusion received in the positioning groove. The protrusion is engagable with one of the low-profile section and the high-profile section, so that the clamping portions can be clamp on or disengage from the fixed rod, allowing controlling of movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod. The first clamping member includes a sidewall having a hole slideably receiving the fixed rod and in slight tight coupling with the fixed rod.

The present invention relates to a positioning device for a chair and, more particularly, to a stable, easy-to-adjust positioning device for a leisure chair with an inclinable seat.
A typical leisure chair includes a base, a rod fixed on the base, and an inclinable seat mounted on the base and pivotable to an inclined angle relative to the rod. A positioning device in the form of a knob is releasably mounted to the rod and fixed to the seat to move therewith. When it is desired to move the seat to an inclination angle, the knob is firstly disengaged from the rod to allow the seat to be pivoted to a desired inclined angle. Then, the knob is reengaged with the rod to fix the seat in the inclined angle. However, operation of the knob is inconvenient, and the knob can not provide a reliable positioning effect. Furthermore, the backrest is liable to incline rearward due to gravity during adjustment, which is not always desirable.
Thus, a need exists for a positioning device for a chair with an inclinable seat that can be easily operated while providing a reliable positioning effect.


In an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for providing an alternate modality of input for filling a form field in response to a failure of voice recognition is disclosed including prompting the user for information corresponding to a field of a form, generating speech data by capturing a spoken response of the user to the prompt using at least one input device, attempting to convert the speech data to text, determining that the attempted conversion has failed, evaluating the failure using at least one speech rule, selecting, based on the evaluation, an alternate input modality to be used for receiving the information corresponding to the field of the form, receiving the information corresponding to the field of the form from the alternate input modality, and injecting the received information into the field of the form.

Forms have traditionally been filled out by hand. In the past, a physical form would be filled out using a pen or pencil by an individual, for example, an employee of a business, a customer, or another party. Later, as forms became digitized, the fields of a form were separately designated by a computing device and a user of the computing device would fill in each field individually using an input device, e.g., a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, etc. More recently, voice recognition has been used to fill out the fields in a digital form. For example, a user's speech may be received by an input device such as a microphone and may be recorded, digitized, and analyzed by the computing device to generate text corresponding to the user's speech. The text may then be used to fill in the field of the form.

Cognitive intervention for voice recognition failure

International Business Machines Corporation