Methods of etching a semiconductor substrate may include providing a first gas that is chemically reactive with respect to the semiconductor substrate, and while providing the first gas, providing a second gas different than the first gas. More particularly, a molecule of the second gas may include a hydrogen atom, and the second gas may lower a temperature at which the first gas chemically reacts with the semiconductor substrate. The mixture of the first and second gases may be provided adjacent the semiconductor substrate to etch the semiconductor substrate.

As information and telecommunication technologies improve, the semiconductor industry also makes improvements. To provide increased functionalities, a semiconductor device may be required to provide higher operating speeds and/or increased storage capacities. Semiconductor technologies have thus been developed to improve integration densities, reliability, and/or response speeds of semiconductor devices.
A conventional manufacturing process for a semiconductor device may include forming a wafer and processing the wafer. Single crystalline silicon of high purity may be formed on the wafer, and a plurality of processes may be performed on the wafer, thereby manufacturing semiconductor devices. Examples of semiconductor manufacturing processes include photo processes, etching processes, diffusion processes, deposition processes, etc.
A semiconductor substrate including silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and/or silicon germanium (SiGe) may be etched away, or a thin layer on the substrate (such as a silicon (Si) layer, a germanium (Ge) layer, and/or a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer) may be etched away during the etching process.
In particular, an etching technology used to etch a substrate including silicon or a silicon layer (hereinafter referred to as an Si etching technology) has been widely used in processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices. For example, when a surface of a silicon substrate or a silicon layer is damaged or defective, the Si etching technology may be used to remove damaged or defective surface portions of the silicon substrate or the silicon layer. The Si etching technology may also be used to reduce a silicon (Si) thickness of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. Furthermore, a local etching against a silicon (Si) area may be used to manufacture a semiconductor device.
An example of a local etching against a silicon (Si) area to manufacture a semiconductor device is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-13300, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. According to the above identified Korean patent publication, a portion of a silicon substrate corresponding to an active region may be etched away to a predetermined depth at a temperature in the range of about 600 degrees C. to about 800 degrees C. using a mixture of HCl (hydrogen chloride) gas and H2 (hydrogen) gas as an etching gas, so that the active region is formed at a lower position than a field region with a stepped portion.
Another example of the local etching against a silicon (Si) area to manufacture a semiconductor device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1988-062315, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. According to the above referenced Japanese patent publication, an epitaxial layer may be formed using a first process and a second process performed in the same chamber as the first process. A silicon (Si) epitaxial layer may be grown to a predetermined thickness on a substrate in the first process, and the Si epitaxial layer may be selectively dry-etched using a mixture of HCl gas and H2 gas as an etching gas in the second process. In addition, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002-192930 discloses a method of forming a single crystalline silicon pattern, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. More particularly, a polycrystalline silicon layer on an insulation pattern is selectively etched at a temperature in the range of about 700 degrees C. to about 800 degrees C. using a mixture gas of HCl gas and H2 gas as an etching gas. An example of the local etching against a silicon (Si) area to manufacture a semiconductor device is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1988-321533, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. More particularly, a distorted portion of a crystal, (caused by a curing used to remove crystal defects in a crystal growing process) may be removed by an Si etching technology using a mixture of H2 gas and HCl gas remaining in a vapor growth furnace.
A chemical vapor etching (CVE) process using HCl gas may be performed in-situ with an epitaxial growth process, so that defective growth is reduced using the CVE process. Si etching during the CVE process, however, may require a high temperature. Since the HCl gas chemically dissolves at a temperature of about 800 degrees C., a high temperature of about 800 degrees C. may be required for the Si etching process. A high temperature of about 800 degrees C., however, may excessively accelerate electron diffusion in a semiconductor substrate, and device characteristics of a semiconductor device may thus deteriorate. A short channel effect in a transistor of an integrated circuit (IC) is an example of the resulting deterioration. In addition, a metal curing process used to cure damage in a metal layer may follow a metal deposition process. The metal curing process may be a low-temperature process and the Si etching process may thus be inapplicable to the metal curing process.

Low temperature methods of etching semiconductor substrates


A system for and method of scoring a game of golf is provided. A stroke baseline, a points baseline, and a stroke count are utilized to calculate a hole score for each hole. The stroke baseline is typically derived from the par value for a hole, while the stroke count is typically the total strokes required to complete the hole, including any penalty strokes. Typically, the points baseline for each hole is equal to the distance, in yards, between the player's tee-up location and a target location of the hole, the target location being a location on the putting green. Each player selects a tee-up location for each hole, thereby allowing each player to influence the baseline score for each hole. A performance factor is determined for each hole based on the player's performance on that hole.

Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players utilize various clubs to advance balls along a series of holes on a course. The object of the game is to advance a ball, in as few strokes as possible, from a designated starting point of a hole (a "tee box") to a designated ending point of the hole (a "cup"), which is positioned on a putting green. A fairway extending between the tee box and the putting green is generally configured to facilitate advancement of the ball while hazards are generally configured to hinder such advancement. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not utilize a standardized playing area, and coping with hazards and varied terrains encountered on different courses is a key part of the game.
A traditional game ("round") of golf is played on a course with an arranged progression of 18 holes, the completion of which often taking about three or four hours experienced golfers, but even longer for novice golfers. Unfortunately, it can be difficult or impossible to carve out sufficient time to complete a round of golf, especially for less novice golfers. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a system for and a method of shortening the amount of time it takes to play a round of golf.
Regulation golf courses are typically divided into two groups of nine holes, commonly referred to as the front nine and the back nine, while some recreational courses can be smaller, often having just nine holes. Rather than playing a full round, golfers can elect to play part of a regulation course (the front nine or the back nine) or they can play a smaller recreational course. Unfortunately, even nine holes can take two or more hours to complete. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a system for and a method of shortening the amount of time it takes to play a partial round of golf.
Each hole is given a par value, which is equal to the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need to complete play of the hole. The primary factor for calculating the par value of a relatively straight, hazard-free hole is the distance from the tee box to the putting green, with the par value being equal to the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to require to reach the green plus two additional strokes to advance the ball along the putting green into the cup. As such, the minimum par value of any hole is three; one stroke for a tee shot and two strokes for putting. Par values of 3, 4, and 5 are common; far more rarely, courses may feature holes having par values of six or more. Courses are also assigned a par value, the par value of a course being equal to the sum of the par value for each hole of the course. The goal is to complete a round using as few strokes as possible, but preferably not more strokes than the par value for the course. Some courses will display names of players with the lowest scores for the course, thereby recognizing the players with the lowest score while motivating other players to match or beat the low score. Unfortunately, very few players have a chance of matching (or even coming close to) a low score on a golf course. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a different scoring and recognition system so that more players can be recognized and motivated.
A golfer's number of strokes for a hole, a round, or a tournament (which may include several rounds) is compared to the respective par value for the hole, round, or tournament, and is then reported either as the number that the golfer was "under-par" or "over-par", or as "even" if it is equal to the par value. Common scores for a hole also have specific terms that have been attributed to them: −4, Condor (four strokes under par); −3, Albatross (or Double Eagle, three strokes under par); −2, Eagle (two strokes under par); −1; Birdie (one stroke under par); E, Par (equal to par); +1, Bogey (one stroke over par); +2, Double bogey (two strokes over par); +3, Triple bogey (three strokes over par). Another common term is "snowman" (typically eight strokes), which is a point during a hole where many golfers feel obligated or otherwise compelled to pick up their ball and move to the next hole. Unfortunately, failure to complete a hole can reduce confidence, increase frustration, and hinder the golfer's ability to improve. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a system for and a method of increasing the chances that player will complete each hole on a course, thereby increasing confidence, decreasing frustration, and improving the player's abilities.
As with most sports, the best way to improve confidence and abilities is to practice. While driving ranges and putting greens provide opportunities to practice driving and putting, respectively, each is limited in its ability to improve a golfer's game. Instead, many aspects of a golf game, such as club selection and other strategic decisions, are best learned and perfected on a golf course. Unfortunately, few courses, if any, are designed with training in mind, making it difficult for golfers, especially novice golfers, to get the type of repetitive training required to improve their skills and confidence. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a system for and a method of facilitating training on any golf course.
Executive golf courses, which include par three holes as the primary or exclusive hole length, have become fairly popular with novice golfers and busy golfers alike. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of executive golf courses, and novice golfers may grow weary of playing the same executive golf courses. Furthermore, a high number of novice golfers at an executive golf course tend to slow pace of play for more experienced golfers who may have a limited amount of time to play a round, thereby potentially frustrating the purpose for going to an executive course. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a system for and a method of making standard golf courses more accessible to novice golfers. It would be even more beneficial to have a system for and a method of facilitating play by novice golfers so as to minimize or eliminate delays to other golfers, regardless of which course the novice golfer elects to play.
As with any game, competition is a key aspect of golf. There are, traditionally, two basic forms of golf play, match play and stroke play. Stroke play is more commonly utilized. In stroke play, the number of strokes required for all holes of the round or tournament are added to determine a total score, and the player with the lowest total score wins. In match play, the number of strokes required for each hole are compared between two players (or two teams), with the lower score winning a point for that hole. If the scores are equal, the hole is "halved". Unlike stroke play, match play is won by the party with the highest score (most holes won or halved). Unfortunately, these scoring systems leave very little flexibility for golfers to influence their possible scores, often preventing or otherwise limiting a player's ability to utilize strategy. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a system for and a method of allowing golfers to have more influence over their possible scores, thereby enabling golfers to utilize different strategies in different situations.
In addition to traditional stroke and match playing systems, other scoring systems have been utilized, each having its own limitations.
A bogey or par competition is a scoring format sometimes seen in informal tournaments. Its scoring is similar to match play, except each player compares their hole score to the hole's par rating instead of the score of another player. The player "wins" the hole if they score a birdie or better, they "lose" the hole if they score a bogey or worse, and they "halve" the hole by scoring par. Despite being a unique scoring system, a player's score is still dictated by the player's performance while providing little to no opportunity for an individual player to utilize strategy to further influence their score.
The Stableford system is a simplification of stroke play that awards players points based on their score relative to the hole's par; the score for a hole is calculated by taking the par score, adding 2, then subtracting the player's hole score, making the result zero if negative. Alternately stated, a double bogey or worse is zero points, a bogey is worth one point, par is two, a birdie three, an eagle four, and so on. The US Golf Association sanctions a "Modified Stableford" system for scratch players, which makes par worth zero, a birdie worth 2, eagle 5, and double-eagle 8, while a bogey is a penalty of −1 and a double-bogey or worse −3. Once again, such a system provides little to no opportunity for an individual player to utilize strategy to further influence their score.
Foursomes, also known as Alternate Shot, are played in pairs, in which each team has only one ball and players alternate playing it. For example, if players "A" and "B" form a team, "A" tees off on the first hole, "B" will play the second shot, "A" the third, and so on until the hole is finished. On the second hole, "B" will tee off (regardless of who played the last putt on the first hole), then "A" plays the second shot, and so on. Foursomes can be played as match play or stroke play. Once again, such a system provides little to no opportunity for an individual player to utilize strategy to further influence their score.
A scramble, also known as ambrose or best-shot, is where each player in a team tees off on each hole, and the players decide which shot was best. Every player then plays their second shot from within a club length of where the best shot has come to rest (and no closer to the hole), and the procedure is repeated until the hole is finished. This system is very common at informal tournaments such as for charity. While some team strategy is required when determining the "best shot" each time (some shots may be closer to the putting green but another shot may have a better approach), the extent to which such decisions can influence the team's score is very limited.
Handicapping provides the best opportunity for a golfer to influence their ability to win a tournament, but not in a good way. Handicaps have been introduced as a way to facilitate competition between golfers of varied skill levels. A handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer's potential scoring ability over 18 holes. Better players are those with the lowest handicaps, and someone with a handicap of 0 or less is often referred to as a scratch golfer. Handicap systems vary throughout the world and use different methods to assess courses and calculate handicaps.
Golf courses are assessed and rated according to the average good score of a scratch golfer, taking into account a multitude of factors affecting play, such as length, obstacles, undulations, etc. A player's handicap gives an indication of the number of strokes above this course rating that the player will make over the course of an "average best" round of golf, i.e. scoring near their potential, above average. Lower handicap players are generally the most consistent, so can be expected to play to this standard or better more often than higher handicappers. Some handicap systems also account for differences in scoring difficulty between low and high handicap golfers. They do this by means of assessing and rating courses according to the average good score of a "bogey golfer", a player with a handicap of around 20. This is used with the course rating to calculate a slope rating, which is used to adjust golfer's handicap to produce a playing handicap for the course and set of tees being used.
Unfortunately, handicap systems have potential for abuse by players who may intentionally play poorly (such as by routinely taking unnecessary and ill-advised risks), thereby intentionally or unintentionally increasing their handicap (sandbagging) before playing to their potential at an important event with a valuable prize. For this reason, handicaps are not used in professional golf, but they can still be calculated and used along with other criteria to determine the relative strengths of various professional players. Touring professionals, being the best of the best, have negative handicaps; and can be expected, more often than not, to score lower than the Course Rating on any course.
The existing scoring and handicapping methods present a variety of problems that have long plagued the world of golf. One such problem is that it is difficult for players of varied skill to compete with each other and some formats, such as best ball, effectively eliminate contributions from lessor skilled players. Attempts have been made to adjust for lower skilled players via handicaps, but these are after-the-fact adjustments and do not impact the experience of playing the round as it is happening. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a scoring system and method that allows for players of all skill levels to compete together without eliminating or otherwise minimizing contributions from lower skilled players. It would be further beneficial to provide a meaningful change to how a round of golf is played and scored so that all players are involved and competitive.
Moreover, none of the existing scoring systems adequately address pace of play issues. Instead, some scoring systems actually worsen pace of play issues. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a system for and method of scoring that allows players to adjust a given hole to their skill level, allowing them to complete the hole in approximately the same amount of time a player of higher skill would complete it in, thereby eliminating or otherwise minimizing pace of play issues. Additionally, it would be advantageous to have a system for and method of scoring that encourages players to move to the next hole once a certain number of strokes have been undertaken, but preferably while still providing each player with a legitimate opportunity to complete each hole.
The current methods of scoring also can result in immense dissatisfaction with poor performance and a need to undergo significant training prior to playing a full round of golf. New players oftentimes struggle to make par on any hole in a full round and can oftentimes take over 100 strokes to complete a 72 stroke par course. This leaves new players dissatisfied and embarrassed and unlikely to play more often or to play in groups, thereby limiting enjoyment and opportunities to improve. Moreover, courses are oftentimes too difficult for beginners and there is a significant barrier of entry into the game. It would be advantageous to have a system for and a method of scoring that allows beginners to play on their local courses without generating embarrassingly high scores relative to par. It would also be advantageous to have a system for and method of scoring that allows for higher skilled golfers to compete with lower skilled gofers against an achievable target for both levels of players, as this encourages comradery while also encouraging the lower skilled players to participate in the sport more often, leading to more rapidly developed skills and higher engagement.
Moreover, current methods of scoring do nothing to address the monotony of playing the same course multiple times. Golfers typically play the courses that are geographically near to them and eventually develop familiarity with the courses. Unfortunately, the courses can become stale due to this familiarity and golfers constantly desire new challenges that. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a system for and method of scoring that allows a given course to be played from a new perspective while adding in new strategic considerations associated with a given hole on the course, such as how to play certain hazards on the course.
Some initiatives have attempted to address pace of play and barrier issues with limited success. The Tee-It-Forward initiative encouraged golfers of lower skill to tee their ball up further on the course. However, this initiate failed to address the fundamental scoring mechanisms associated with disparities in starting positions, thereby providing a limited ability for players of varied skills to compete against each other. For instance, those who played further forward received no penalty for the move, making the decision less about strategy and more about an acknowledgement of their low skill level. Moreover, those who played further back did not receive any incentive for doing so, making it difficult for them to respect the other player's decision to play it forward. In other words, because the Tee-It-Forward initiative failed to provide additional strategic considerations, it could not overcome the stigma associated with playing forward.
Operation 36 is another initiative to address players of lower skill. This initiative proposes that golfers start by playing holes from a set distance away, such as 25 yards, and move back once they can shoot par from that distance. However, this initiative is mainly geared toward kids and youth golfers and provides no mechanism for golfers of different skill levels to compete against each other. The initiative serves as a training or introductory program only and does nothing to address the limitations of existing scoring methods.
Regardless of whether a golfer is competing against other golfers, they are almost always competing against themselves. For instance, golfers like to see improvement in their game, such as by improving (lowering in traditional golf scoring systems) their best score for a course. Unfortunately, traditional scoring systems provide few opportunities for a golfer to improve their score. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a system for and method of providing more opportunities for golfers to improve their scores.
Regardless of whether a golfer is competing against other golfers or themselves, they are almost always competing against a course. For instance, a golfer essentially competes against each hole by trying to hit par or better each time, and against each course in the same way. Using traditional scoring systems, teeing off from the designated tee box is critical to ensure the credibility of the golfer's score. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a system for and method of scoring that does not require golfers to tee off from a designated tee box, such as by adding strategic considerations to playing from in front of the tee box.


A process for the continuous production of longitudinally welded metal tubes where a metal strip (1) is drawn from a strip supply and gradually shaped into a slit tube in a shaping station (2). The slit tube is welded in a welding system (4) along the edges of the strip, and the welded tube (6) is extracted by an extraction device (5). The welding system (4) is a protective gas arc welding system with several electrodes supplied by separate sources (4c, 4d) of welding current. The electrodes are arranged in succession, in the direction of production. The welding system (4) has two welding devices (4a, 4b), whose electrode tips are directed at a common welding point. Only one of the welding devices (4a, 4b) is in operation at any given time, while the other welding device is in a standby position. When an electrode change becomes necessary, the arc of the welding device in the standby position is first struck by means of an auxiliary arc. The welding current intensity of the welding device presently in operation is then reduced, while the welding current intensity of the welding device in the standby position is simultaneously increased.

Various welding processes for the continuous production of longitudinally welded tubes are known.
Processes that are used include not only the high-frequency resistance welding or induction welding process but also the arc welding process (GTAW welding process) and the laser beam welding process. The laser beam welding process in particular has become increasingly important in recent years. Disadvantages of the laser beam welding process are the high capital costs and operating costs and the fact that the welding of metals with a bright surface, e.g., copper, causes problems, since a large portion of the laser energy is reflected by the bright metallic surface and thus is not available for the welding process. In addition, special precautions must be taken to protect personnel from misdirected laser beams.
The high-frequency welding process is characterized by high production rates, but the weld seam leaves much to be desired, so that high-frequency-welded metal tubes are unsuitable for encasing plastic tubes or electrical cables.
DE 22 56 851A describes a system for welding thin plates passing under a stationary welding head, especially for welding the longitudinal edges of a metal strip that has been shaped into a tube. The welding head of this system has three nonconsumable electrodes that are arranged in succession in the direction of the weld seam and supplied by separate current sources. The use of three electrodes serves to increase the welding travel speed, i.e., all three electrodes participate in the welding operation. If one of the electrodes becomes worn out, the welding operation must be interrupted, with the result that the production process must be stopped and started up again or that, in the case of a continuous operation, the longitudinal seam is not welded over a certain length.
The service life of an electrode in the case of arc welding under a protective gas depends on the degree of contamination of the strip material that is used. In practice, lengths of up to 1,000 m can be produced in the case of the welding of aluminum strip.

Process for the continuous production of longitudinally welded metal tubes


The support (1) comprises a main body (3) which has a convex shape comprising facets which are planar and curved and free of edges, and it is provided with main contact surfaces (5) each of which is able to accept an electric cable, and with openings (6) surrounding each of the main contact surfaces (5).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring support for an aircraft.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
In general, such a support comprises a main body of elongate shape, which is provided with a first face able to be fixed to a structural element of the aircraft and with a second face to which electric cables can be attached. The present invention relates to a support which mainly (although not exclusively) allows the electric cables to be attached orthogonally. In addition, in the context of the present invention, the support is intended to support any type of electric cable used in the aeronautical field, namely both a metal wire inside a protective sheath and, more frequently, a loom of sheathed electric wires, and to do so irrespective of the size and function of the electric cable.
In general, such a support (for supporting electric cable installation), for example of rectangular transverse surface, requires the use of at least one intermediate component in order to be able to fix a cable to the support without damaging this cable. Such a conventional support requires the addition of intermediate elements (nuts and bolts, spacer pieces etc.), because of the sharp edges on its profile, which carry a risk of rubbing against the electric cables and therefore of damaging them. This compulsory addition of intermediate elements has an impact on the cost of the installation, installation time, the final weight of the installation, a risk of loss of a point of attachment, and flexibility (as a support and with respect to the fixing).
Also known is a support which is obtained by assembling various primary elements. These primary elements may be end-pieces, supporting pieces, for example V-shaped ones (for guiding the cable), couplings, support portions, bends, etc. These elements are preselected according to the design adopted for the final support, and are then manufactured before being assembled.
As a result, having received all of the primary elements that will make up the support (end-pieces, supporting pieces, support sections, couplings, etc.), all these elements have to undergo a (bonded) assembly operation. This has a considerable impact on industrialization costs (proliferation of tooling, low quantities of the various elements, etc.).
This latter approach also displays other disadvantages such as a fixed configuration in which the cables are positioned, because the design of the support is connected directly with where the point of attachment is positioned on the structure or where the loading is applied to the support, the design will not be the same from one installation to another, and reduced load bearing capability.
It is an object of the present invention to rectify these disadvantages.


Novel methods for synthesizing wholly un-supported, high-flow catalytic membranes consisting of 100% crystalline ZSM-22 crystals with no binder phase, having sufficient porosity to allow high Weight Hourly Space Velocities of feedstock to pass through without generating back pressure. The ZSM-22 membranes perform favorably to existing bulk ZSM-22 catalysts (e.g., via 1-butene conversion and selectivity). The method of membrane synthesis, based on Vapor Phase Transport, allows free-standing, binder-less membranes to be fabricated in varied geometries and sizes so that membranes can be tailor-made for particular geometries applications. The ZSM-22 precursor gel may be consolidated into a semi-cohesive body prior to vapor phase crystallization, for example, by uniaxial pressing. These crystalline membranes may be modified by ion exchange, pore ion exchange, framework exchange, synthesis modification techniques to incorporate other elements into the framework, such as K, H, Mg, Zn, V, Ga, and Pt.

This invention relates generally to catalytic materials and membranes that are used in the chemical and petroleum refining industry, and more specifically to high-flow catalytic zeolite membranes and methods of synthesis.
Zeolites comprise microporous inorganic aluminosilicates with pore diameters in the 3–7 Å range. They are commonly used in bulk form for gas separations, as catalysts, and for dehydration.
The commercial market for industrial membranes is growing rapidly and is expected to reach $3.5 billion by 2005. Zeolitic membranes figure prominently in this rapidly developing area. Development of new methods of zeolite synthesis and new methods of membrane synthesis will greatly expand the variety of organic and inorganic molecular separations possible. Substitution of zeolites in membrane form, as opposed to a loose powder, would allow these industrial processes to operate using continuous flow reactors, as well as eliminate the use of binders, thereby substantially reducing energy consumption and overall operating costs.
A particularly useful zeolite, ZSM-22, is currently used as a catalyst in many industrially important applications, including: (a) olefin isomerization (specifically production of MTBE, among others); (b) catalytic dewaxing (refining of heavy oils); (c) toluene alkylation (for production of p-xylene); (d) isomerization of aromatic compounds (for production of p-xylene); and (e) production of jet fuels. All of these industrial processes currently utilize the zeolite in bulk form (e.g., powders, granules and pellets held together with binder phases) in batch type reactors because ZSM-22 is not commercially available in membrane form.
Historically, zeolites with the high-flow, open TON crystal structure were synthesized first as Theta-1 [1], KZ-2 [2], Nu-10 [3], and ZSM-22 [4] via hydrothermal methods. These were later determined to have identical crystal structures though varied morphology [5]. This family of zeolites is characterized by high aspect ratio crystals with uni-dimensional pores formed by 10-member rings. The shape selective and catalytic properties of TON zeolites are widely known, though there is some disagreement as to the source of these properties [6–10]. Platinum doping [11], ion exchange [12], framework metal substitution [13], and silicon deposition [14] are all methods shown to be useful in enhancing desirable properties for industrial applications. In particular, ZSM-22 has the ability to isomerize 1-butene to 2-butene, which is a precursor in the manufacture of methyl tert-butyl ether [15].
Zeolites are typically synthesized by hydrothermal or solvothermal methods; ZSM-22 solely by hydrothermal methods [1–4]. Recently, however, Vapor Phase Transport (VPT) and Dry Gel Conversion (DGC) have been used to synthesize a variety of zeolites and zeolite membranes [16–22]. VPT refers to conversion of a dry, amorphous precursor into a fully crystalline material via contact with a vapor phase organic-water mixture, while DGC refers to conversion of a dry, amorphous precursor into a fully crystalline material via contact with only vapor phase water.
One difference between the vapor phase method versus traditional hydrothermal methods is that rather than dissolving or dispersing all the ingredients into a solution (i.e. into excess solvent), the ingredients, in proper proportion are mixed together and gelled into a non-crystalline, solid, precursor. A standard definition of gelation is forming a continuous, 3-dimensional interconnected (chemically bonded) network throughout the entire solution—the solution is transformed from a liquid to a solid without significant loss of volume or solvent. Such gels typically contain a lot of solvent, alcohols, water, etc. Gels are not really 'solids', but super viscous liquids—in the same manner as glass is a liquid—because they contain no long range structural order.
In order to crystallize this material, energy in the form of heat, and some additional organics are added (in the vapor phase). Some water may also be necessary to allow bond breakage, without which molecular rearrangement (i.e. crystallization) could not take place. The organics help to form nucleation sites (together with the inorganic gel) from which the crystal grows. A particular chemistry gel, i.e. elements in the correct range of proportions, as well as an adequate—but often not excessive—amount of vapor phase organic & water will grow crystals.
The type of vapor phase organic(s), the ratio of water to organic, and water/organic to solid, the type of chemical elements, the ratio of chemical elements, the degree of association between the chemical elements (largely determined/fixed at the point of gelation by the gelation method but also a factor of temperature and aging of gel), amount and type of liquid solvent used to form the pre-gel solution, the type and form of the chemicals used in the pre-gel solution—all help determine which crystal phase will nucleate and grow.
In VPT and DGC the outcome of the crystallization process can be controlled to a much greater degree because the precursor chemicals in the gel are "frozen", whereas in hydrothermal synthesis all of the ingredients are just dumped into a solution and heated—there is much less control, or no control at all, of the factors listed above.
A membrane form of ZSM-22 could have different properties, such as: (1) a robust structure due to the crystal intergrowth, allowing it to have sufficient strength to be entirely un-supported; (2) a ZSM-22 membrane made up of 100% pure crystalline zeolites without any binder phase would have no impurities or additional components that could possibly contaminate or interfere with processing of a hydrocarbon stream; (3) a ZSM-22 membrane could be high-flow, where high volumes (high Weight Hourly Space Velocities) of feed stock may be passed through the membrane past the crystals that have a very high surface area for catalysis without fouling or build-up of back-pressure, which would be an extremely important property for industrial membrane processes; and (4) ZSM-22 membranes could be fabricated and manufactured in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, shapes, and non-planar curvatures that could be tailored to meet a wide variety of specific needs. Synthesis of ZSM-22 membranes using VPT and/or DGC methods could reduce manufacturing costs since there would be no excess or wasted materials, and since there would be no need to add binders, which adds additional process steps.
A need remains, therefore, for a method of synthesizing un-supported, high-flow ZSM-22 zeolite membranes that do not have a binder phase. Against this background, the present invention was developed.

Synthesis of an un-supported, high-flow ZSM-22 zeolite membrane


A transparent shrink film made from propylene useful for all-round labeling of essentially cylindrical containers, such as bottles, comprises a propylene polymer and has, at 100.degree. C., a shrinkage in the longitudinal direction of at least 10% and a shrinkage in the transverse direction of less than 2%. A process for producing the film is also provided.

The present invention relates to a transparent shrink film made from polypropylene useful for all-round labeling of essentially cylindrical containers such as bottles. The invention furthermore relates to a process for the production of this type of film.
Presently, the following two main processes for all-round labeling of essentially cylindrical containers or bottles are known:
1. A flat film is first converted into a tube or into tube sections, which is hen inverted over the bottle and subsequently shrunk onto the bottle in a shrink oven. PA0 2. The film is processed directly from the roll, from which the film is first wound around the bottle/container and then bonded in an overlapping manner. In the subsequent shrink oven treatment, the film comes into close contact with the container.
For the first-mentioned process, a film having high shrinkage perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle is required; this direction is identical to the transverse direction of the film. For the second process, a film having increased shrinkage in the direction of winding is required; this means that shrinkage in the longitudinal direction is preferred.
The present invention relates to a film which is especially suitable for use in the second process. The instant film simultaneously achieves high longitudinal shrinkage and .slow transverse shrinkage throughout the relevant temperature range.
At present, films useful in the second process usually comprise polyvinyl chloride or polystyrene and are generally stretched longitudinally. Both of these materials have disadvantages. Specifically, the relatively high price due to the high density of the polyvinyl chloride, and the high formulation price for the glass-clear form of the polystyrene.
Other materials, for example biaxially oriented polypropylene, have hitherto not been employed to any great extent for the above application. In the case of biaxially oriented polypropylene, it is theoretically possible to achieve the desired shrink properties in the longitudinal direction by using only longitudinal stretching. However, this film has the disadvantage of poor mechanical properties. A relatively large film thickness is therefore necessary for processing on fast-running machines such as at 600 units/minute, which is customary today. The relatively thick film is relatively cloudy and non-glossy, which adversely affects the appearance. In addition, a purely longitudinally stretched film tends to split in the longitudinal direction, an effect which is extremely undesired during processing. In addition, a longitudinally stretched film also has the general property of expanding in the transverse direction, i.e., in the direction perpendicular to the shrink direction, under the action of heat. This property can result in the label projecting beyond the edge of the container.

Transparent shrink film made from biaxially oriented polypropylene


A turbine blade for a turbine engine having a cooling system in the turbine blade formed from at least one cooling channel. The cooling channel may be a serpentine cooling channel with a flow guide extending from a first turn to a second turn of the cooling channel and formed from a first turn section, a second turn section, and a body coupling the first and second turn sections together. The flow guide substantially eliminates separation of cooling fluid flow in the tip region of the cooling channel, thereby increasing heat transfer. In at least one embodiment, the flow guide extends from a first turn in the cooling channel proximate to the blade tip to a second turn proximate to a root of the blade.

Typically, gas turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for mixing the compressed air with fuel and igniting the mixture, and a turbine blade assembly for producing power. Combustors often operate at high temperatures that may exceed 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Typical turbine combustor configurations expose turbine blade assemblies to these high temperatures. As a result, turbine blades must be made of materials capable of withstanding such high temperatures. In addition, turbine blades often contain cooling systems for prolonging the life of the blades and reducing the likelihood of failure as a result of excessive temperatures.
Typically, turbine blades, as shown in FIG. 1, are formed from a root portion at one end and an elongated portion forming a blade that extends outwardly from a platform coupled to the root portion at an opposite end of the turbine blade. The blade is ordinarily composed of a tip opposite the root section, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The inner aspects of most turbine blades, as shown in FIG. 2, typically contain an intricate maze of cooling channels forming a cooling system. The cooling channels in the blades receive air from the compressor of the turbine engine and pass the air through the blade. The cooling channels often include multiple flow paths that are designed to maintain all aspects of the turbine blade at a relatively uniform temperature. However, centrifugal forces and air flow at boundary layers often prevent some areas of the turbine blade from being adequately cooled, which results in the formation of localized hot spots. Localized hot spots, depending on their location, can reduce the useful life of a turbine blade and can damage a turbine blade to an extent necessitating replacement of the blade.
Some conventional turbine blades incorporate serpentine cooling channels for directing cooling fluids through internal aspects of a turbine blade. Often times, the channels forming the cooling channels are nearly equal in cross-sectional area. The cooling channel proximate to the leading edge has a chordwise cross-section with a generally triangular shape. The apex of the triangular shaped cooling channel is the leading edge of the turbine blade. The configuration of the cross-sectional area negatively affects the distribution of cooling fluids to the leading edge and reduces the cooling fluid flow velocity as well as the internal heat transfer coefficient.
Other conventional cooling systems have attempted to overcome the negative impacts of the shape of the cross-section of the leading edge cooling channel by decreasing the size of the leading edge cooling channel relative to the downstream return cooling channel, as shown in FIG. 2. In short, the central rib has been shifted closer to the leading edge, thereby resulting in a leading edge cooling channel having a reduced cross-sectional area. The reduced cross-sectional area in the leading edge cooling channel increases the velocity of the cooling fluids, but causes the separation of cooling fluid flow in the tip region and a temperature increase at the blade tip. Therefore, while the reduced cross-sectional area of the leading edge cooling channel reduces the temperature at the leading edge, the temperature in the tip region has increased. Thus, a need exists for a cooling system for a turbine blade with a serpentine cooling channel that has increased heat transfer capabilities.

Cooling system with internal flow guide within a turbine blade of a turbine engine


A method and device for controlling the triggering of passive safety systems, such as airbags in vehicles, in response to criteria being detected that are to be interpreted as the existence of a dangerous impact. One of these criteria is the impact speed. A measure of the impact speed is ascertained in that first the instant of the impact onset of the vehicle against an obstacle is detected and then the instant is detected when the acceleration of the rigid support structure of the vehicle transitions from light to heavy acceleration. The time difference between the impact-onset instant and the acceleration-transition instant is a measure of the impact speed. To ascertain the instants, integral values of acceleration signals from acceleration sensors may be utilized and analyzed in an appropriate manner. The method and device are applicable, in particular, in the discrimination of impact processes at low driving speeds.

To protect passengers in a motor vehicle, the vehicles are increasingly equipped with production passive safety systems, in particular with airbags. Depending on the type and severity of the specific impact, the airbags are to be triggered in such a way that the particular passenger of the vehicle strikes the inflated airbag with sufficiently gentle force and is decelerated. It is usual, for example, to ignite an airbag in two stages and to control the time interval between the two ignition procedures. The control of the triggering classically occurs when the abrupt braking of the vehicle upon impact against an obstacle exceeds a threshold value, this control being implemented with the aid of an acceleration sensor, which is affixed on the rigid support structure of the vehicle and assigned to the control unit. Avoiding erroneous activation becomes increasingly more important, especially at low driving speeds. For reasons of product liability, but also because of testing regulations mandated by law for type approval, the impact velocity, in particular at low driving speeds, must be detected as accurately as possible, at least with respect to the magnitude, so that low speeds that are in close proximity to each other are also able to be discriminated. This is not possible with speed sensors commonly used in motor vehicles, at least in those cases where the conventional measuring tolerances of ∓10% are insufficient to reliably implement the discrimination, especially since additional variation parameters such as vehicle aging and the like must be taken into account.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to indicate a possibility of ascertaining a utilizable measure for the impact velocity, in particular at low vehicle speeds.
According to the present invention, what is achieved is the recognition that a certain time interval elapses between the first impact against an obstacle and the deformation onset of the rigid parts of the vehicle structure during which deformable parts of the vehicle structure are deformed. This time characteristic of the impact velocity is essentially proportional and may thus be utilized as a measure for the impact velocity. While this is true only for barriers that are identical in rigidity and mass, this happens to be the case in test regulations. It is particularly important to detect the impact onset, for example with the aid of an impact switch, and to detect the transition from light to heavy acceleration or delay. In particular the latter instant may be established by analyzing the integral values of acceleration signals.
This makes it possible at low vehicle speeds to distinguish even among vehicle speeds that
are in close proximity to each other and thus to comply with the US requirement according to NHTSA 208, for example, in the low-risk deployment range. The corresponding requirement, namely to differentiate between a frontal impact against a rigid barrier as the obstacle at 26 km/h and at 32 km/h may thus be met. On the same basis, it is also possible to classify the degree of overlap, in particular in order to ascertain whether the given overlap amounts to 100%, in accordance with the aforementioned regulation. Furthermore, in combination with other criteria, a conclusion may be reached on the same basis as to whether or not an impact against a hard barrier has occurred.
The obtained data may then be utilized in a variety of algorithms to influence the triggering conditions, possibly together with additional criteria.

Method and device for controlling the triggering of passive safety system and the use thereof


An ink jet or other printer serves to print for each row of input pixels, two superimposed rows of contiguous “super pixels,” each print pixel being capable of receiving print contributions from N super pixels. The super pixels are twice the width of the input pixels and one row of super pixels is offset by half a super pixel width from the next row of super pixels. Redundancy is thus provided against the loss of a print element. The effects of smoothing or an image are reduced by edge enhancement processes.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to printing and, in a particularly important example, to ink jet printheads.
2. Related Technology
There is a demand for digital printers having a printhead that extends across the full width of the printed page offering both high throughput and high print quality.
In an ink jet printer of this character, having the necessarily large number of closely spaced ink chambers and nozzles, there will always be a risk of failure of one or more nozzles, whether as a consequence of a manufacturing error or through nozzle blockage or other failures in use.
It will be possible to detect and discard manufactured printheads having even a single failed nozzle. However, because of the very large number of nozzles in each printhead, and because of the sophistication of the manufacturing techniques, such quality control measures would likely lead to an uneconomic manufacturing yield.
In use of the printhead, failure of even a single nozzle can lead to perceptible print artifacts, because of the spatial correlation of the artifact as the printed substrate is indexed past the printhead.


A disk array flushing method and a disk array flushing apparatus. The method includes acquiring a sequence, which is according to physical addresses of logical units, of the logical units in a same redundant array of independent disks (RAID) group in a disk array, and sequentially flushing, according to the sequence of the logical units, concurrent flushing input-outputs (IOs) of the RAID group to the logical units in the RAID group. According to the disk array flushing method and the disk array flushing apparatus, by uniformly scheduling logical units in a single RAID group and performing flushing according to a sequence of physical addresses, it takes less time for a magnetic arm to jump back and forth for addressing, and influences between RAID groups are prevented by means of independent control over the RAID groups, thereby improving flushing efficiency of a disk array, and increasing throughput of the disk array.

With the rapid development of computer application technologies, massive data is generated, which results in higher requirements on storage space and performance. Because operations on a current mainstream disk still include a large number of mechanical operations, a gap exists between performance of the current mainstream disk and that of a processor and a memory. A cache technology is applied to the storage field, which not only can hide a host delay, but also can integrate data, and data is written to a disk in a disk-friendly manner by using a CACHE, that is, the disk is flushed, thereby achieving optimum throughput of a storage system.
After decades of research, an existing CACHE algorithm becomes mature. However, applications provided by computers become diversified day by day, and both space and performance provided by a disk array need a more flexible scheduling method. A same disk array usually may include disks of different types, and even in redundant array of independent disks (RAID) groups that include disks of a same type, the number of member disks included in each RAID group is usually different. Moreover, the number of logical units identified by using logical unit numbers (LUN) in a single RAID group also gradually increases.
In the prior art, during flushing of a disk array, scheduling is performed in a logical unit layer, that is, each flushing input/output (IO) is for a single logical unit. However, a disk array includes multiple RAID groups, and each RAID group further includes multiple logical units; a current disk array flushing method cannot properly work in this situation. For example, for multiple logical units in a same RAID group, flushing IOs for a single logical unit are ordered flushing IOs in the logical unit; however, because concurrent flushing needs to be performed on multiple logical units, and the multiple logical units on which the concurrent flushing is performed have a discrete sequence, concurrent flushing IOs in the whole RAID group are usually discrete. Concurrent flushing IOs that are discrete may cause a magnetic arm of a disk to jump back and forth for addressing, and a lot of time is spent in addressing by the magnetic arm rather than data reading and writing, leading to a severe negative effect on overall performance of the disk array, and low throughput of the disk array.

Disk array flushing method and disk array flushing apparatus


A security system that secures a building includes a weather detector for detecting weather conditions, such as thunder or high winds, which are likely to cause false alarms in sensors such as an acoustic glass break sensor, shock sensor and vibration sensor. The weather detector may include a sensing component that senses atmospheric conditions external to the building, such as temperature, pressure, wind speed and/or lightning. The weather detector may also include a component for receiving a data communication, such as from a radio, Internet, or telephone link, indicating that the weather condition is present in a vicinity of the building. The security system operates in a bad weather mode by requiring corroboration of intrusion detection signals from the sensors that can cause false alarms.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to security systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reducing false alarms in security systems by using a weather sensor that detects weather conditions that can cause false alarms.
2. Description of Related Art
Security systems, such as for homes and businesses, have become commonplace as people seek to protect themselves and their property. Home security systems typically employ sensors at entry points, such as windows and doors, along with interior sensors such as motion detectors, vibration sensors, shock sensors, and glass break sensors. However, false alarms have become a growing problem with such systems. False alarms lead to the unnecessary dispatch of emergency personnel such as police and fire personnel. Moreover, the problem has become so great in some areas that local governments levy fines against home and business owners who cause such unnecessary dispatches. Even worse, alarms may be ignored altogether for chronic offenders. False alarms in a security system can be caused by various factors, including loud noises and vibrations caused by trucks, construction, aircraft and weather conditions.

False alarm reduction in security systems using weather sensor and control panel logic


A cryptographic method is provided. The cryptographic method comprises an initialisation phase for determining a provisional generator point G′ equal to a first product G′=[d′]G, where d′ is a first random scalar forming a secret key of N bits and G is a generator point of an elliptical curve, and determining a provisional key Q′ equal to a second product Q′=[d′]Q, where Q is a point of the elliptical curve forming a public key. During an encryption phase a second random scalar forming a second secret key k of M bits, with M<N; a public key P is calculated such that P=[k]G′; a coordinate of an intermediate point SP1, of the elliptical curve, equal to a fourth product SP1=[k]Q′; at least one key by application of a derivation function (F1); and data (T1) are encrypted based on said at least one key.

In telecommunications, "4G" refers to the fourth generation of standards for mobile telephony corresponding to LTE-Advanced (IMT-Advanced). 4G networks, comprising a network core based on IP have offered more efficient rates and services than what was possible in preceding 2G or 3G generations.
As is known, to access a mobile 4G network and utilise the associated services a telecommunications terminal ("smartphone" telephone or other) must send identification data to be authenticated with the network. To achieve this, a subscriber identity module (a SIM card for example) is generally embedded in the terminal so as to send an IMSI identifier (for "International Mobile Subscriber Identity") of the subscriber to the 4G network and complete an authentication procedure with the 4G network.
But security problems and risks of infringing private lives have been noticed in the context of 4G. In particular, the lack of security during transmission of the IMSI identifier from the terminal to this 4G network exposes the subscriber to the risk of interception of his IMSI identifier by malevolent third parties called "IMSI interceptor" or "IMSI catchers". By way of a monitoring system used to intercept mobile communications traffic a malevolent third party is in fact capable of remotely retrieving sensitive information (including the IMSI) or tracing the movements of users of 4G terminals. To achieve this, an IMSI interceptor simulates a false relay antenna by interposing it between the network of the telephone operator and the target client terminal.
The fifth generation—called 5G—of standards for mobile telephony is extending technological exploration LTE (for "Long Term Evolution") and offers even more effective rates and services. The 5G generation of telecommunications networks has now introduced measures for reinforcing security of the private life of users, and especially for combating the illegal interception of subscriber identifiers during authentication of terminals with 5G networks.
5G provides in particular cryptographic processing events which are implemented by the embedded subscriber identity modules (for example of SIM, "eSIM" card type for "embedded SIM", or others) to encrypt the identifiers (SUPI for "Subscription Permanent Identifier") of subscribers. SUPI identifiers are sent in encrypted form from the embedded subscriber identity modules to the associated 5G networks.
To achieve this, the embedded subscriber identity modules comprise means for cryptographic processing capable of generating an encrypted identifier known as "SUCI" (for "Subscription Concealed Identifier") from the SUPI identifier and from cryptographic keys. Providing of the encrypted SUCI identifier allows the terminal client to be authenticated securely with the network and receive a provisional identifier which is substituted for its encrypted identifier SUCI and allows it to be authenticated regularly with the network.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a telecommunications terminal 2 of a user UR, this terminal being capable of cooperating with a 5G mobile network (noted 6) via an access point 4 (or relay antenna, for example). In this example, the terminal utilises an embedded subscriber identity module 3 to generate (S4) an encrypted identifier SUCI in response to the receiving (S2) of a request RQ1 coming from the access point 4. The encrypted identifier SUCI is sent (S6) in a message MSG1 to the access point 4, the latter determining (S8) from the SUCI that the network 6 is the network associated with the subscriber UR. It should be noted that the access point 4 normally has no means necessary for decrypting the identifier SUCI itself.
The access point 4 sends (S10) the encrypted identifier SUCI (with other associated information) to the network 6 which then decrypts (S12) the encrypted identifier SUCI to deduce the SUPI identifier of the subscriber from it. The network 6 and the subscriber identity module 3 together carry out a procedure of mutual authentication and set up a secure channel (step S14). Once this step S14 is completed, the network 6 sends (S16) the SUPI identifier in its decrypted form to the access point 4. From the SUPI, the access point determines (S18) a provisional identifier called "5G-GUTI" which it logs along with the SUPI identifier of the subscriber UR. The access point 4 also sends (S20) the provisional identifier 5G-GUTI to the embedded subscriber identity module 3 which logs it (S22) locally.
After this, the embedded subscriber identity module 3 can be authenticated regularly with the network 6 by means of its provisional identifier 5G-GUTI which it sends to the access point 4. In this way, the user identifier SUPI is never communicated in decrypted form between the terminal 2 and the access point 4, which prevents all non-authorised interceptions of the SUPI by malevolent third parties monitoring communications. The access point 4 can also regularly renew (S24) the provisional identifier 5G-GUTI attributed to the embedded subscriber identity module 3 to limit risks of the terminal 2 being traced by a malevolent third party.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the embedded subscriber identity module 3 can later again be authenticated by sending (S30) its current provisional identifier 5G-GUTI to the access point 4 which then consults its database to retrieve the associated SUPI identifier (S32). The access point 4 then sends (S34) the SUPI identifier retrieved from its database to the network 6. From the SUPI, the network 6 can now carry out a new procedure for authentication and setting up a secure channel (S36).
The measures described hereinabove have secured the subscriber SUPI identifier during authentication of client terminals with 5G networks, thereby limiting the risk of fraudulent interceptions by malevolent third parties. The personal data and the private life of users are therefore better protected.
But there is a problem in that the cryptographic processing events needed for encrypting the identifiers SUPI are very costly in resources and processing time, which degrades the performance of client terminals when accessing a 5G network and using associated services.
There is currently no satisfactory cryptographic solution for obtaining a good compromise between a high level of security for a subscriber identifier and effective access to a telecommunications network (rapid and secure authentication), whether in a 5G network or in any other type of telecommunications network. More generally, there is a need for effective cryptographic processing for encrypting or decrypting any data (whether this is a SUCI identifier or other data in another context) while offering a good compromise between level of encryption security and encryption performance (cost of resources, processing time, etc.).

Cryptographic processing events for encrypting or decrypting data


An airport field light protector consists of a flange-shaped body having an interior area, a central portion and a peripheral portion extending upwardly from the central portion. An opening is formed within and passing through the central portion of the body. In use, the opening circumvents a post of an airfield light and at least the central portion of the protector is elevated from a base of the light and the ground. Thus, an enclosed space is formed between the interior area of the protector, a base of the light and the ground inhibiting growth of vegetation and preventing erosion of the ground around the airfield light.

To improve visibility of runways, taxiways, etc., elevated airport field lights such as: runway, taxiway, threshold edge lights, etc. are customarily used in aviation industry.
Proliferation of airport field lighting is also a result of the tendency for great majority of airports to accept not only daylight but night traffic as well. Thus, depending upon the size of an airport, a number of airfield lights are typically found to be in hundreds or thousands. As such, airport operators typically spend a great deal of time in maintaining airfield lights in compliance with safety and other requirements. These factors contribute, often substantially, to an overall high cost of airport maintenance.
Since the airfield lights are typically of relatively short height, an important problem facing airports in general and relatively small, field airports in particular, is that vegetation, such as weeds, may obscure such lights from pilot's view. Consequently, a pilot may not be able to visually ascertain a position of his aircraft relative to the edge of the runway or taxiway that is marked by the airfield lights. Obviously, such condition could result in safety hazards.
The Federal Aviation Administration has certain minimum standards with respect to the intensity and visibility provided by elevated airport runway, taxiway and threshold edge lights. The necessity to meet these standards has created a need for often expensive specialized equipment and trained personnel to maintain airport runways and taxiways and other airfield lights in operational condition. Typically, there are two different operational steps (and corresponding equipment) involved in removal of vegetation from airport grounds. Initially, a large size equipment, such as industrial lawn mowers, is involved in removal of vegetation from the runways/taxiways and from the strips separating the airfield lights from the runways/taxiways. However, such bulky equipment cannot remove the vegetation from the area in the direct vicinity of the airfield lights. This makes it necessary to utilize another type of smaller equipment for such direct removal of vegetation. Thus, use of such equipment and services of specially trained maintenance personnel are essential to safe operation of airports.
Additionally, to suppress vegetation growing, such chemicals as herbicides and ground sterilizers are used by airport maintenance personnel contributing to ecological pollution.
However, the process of soil sterilization which leads to elimination of vegetation, may result in soil erosion in the direct vicinity of a base of airfield lights. Such process is particularly common for the field airports in the areas having sandy soil where winds and airstreams resulting from operation of aircraft engines blow away soil from the area surrounding the base of the light. This is because, in a sandy soil environment, upon elimination of vegetation, there is very little to keep soil together around the base of the light. Thus, wind blows the soil away, producing depressions around the base of the lights which collect environmental water. This leads to further safety hazards.
Thus, it has been a long felt and unsolved need for a simple, inexpensive and reliable device enabling airport operators to suppress vegetation growth and prevent soil erosion in the area surrounding the base of an airfield light without polluting environment.


A pharmaceutical composition includes, as an active ingredient, a compound according to formula 1436 as shown in FIG. 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient. Various pharmaceutical products may be produced including this pharmaceutical composition. Such pharmaceutical products may be used for the treatment of obesity or diabetes. Methods for using the pharmaceutical compositions also are described. In these methods, various diseases are treated or other body functions are activated or inhibited by administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition. For example, diabetes and obesity may be treated by administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical compositions. Weight gain, and growth factor production can be inhibited by administering an effective amount of these pharmaceutical compositions. Appetite can be suppressed by administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical compositions, and a diuretic effect can be produced.

I. Information Relating to Previous Patents and Applications
Several aminosterol compositions have been isolated from the liver and stomach of the dogfish shark, Squalus acanthias. One important aminosterol, squalamine, is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,756 to Zasloff, et al., which patent is entirely incorporated herein by reference. That patent describes the antibiotic properties of squalamine. Since the discovery of squalamine, several interesting properties of this compound have been discovered. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,733,899 and 5,721,226, squalamine may function as an antiangiogenic agent. These patents are entirely incorporated herein by reference. Additional uses of squalamine (e.g., as an NHE3 inhibiting agent and as an agent for inhibiting the growth of endothelial cells) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,635 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/840,706 (filed Apr. 25, 1998, entitled "Treatment of Carcinomas Using Squalamine in Combination with Other Anti-cancer Agents," in the names of Michael Zasloff and Jon Williams) and continuation of this application Ser. No. 09/150,724 filed Sep. 10, 1998 and PCT Application US99/20645. These applications also are entirely incorporated herein by reference.
Methods for synthesizing squalamine have been devised, such as the methods described in WO 98/24800 (published Jun. 10, 1998) and in U.S. Patent Appl. No. 60/032,378. This PCT publication and the U.S. patent application are entirely incorporated herein by reference. The PCT application relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/985,876, which application also is entirely incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,635 also discloses squalamine isolation and synthesis techniques.
Stemming from the discovery of squalamine, other aminosterols have been discovered in the dogfish shark liver and stomach and have been investigated. One important aminosterol that has been isolated and identified has the structure shown in FIG. 1. In this application, the compound having the structure shown in FIG. 1 will be referred to as "compound 1436" or simply "1436." This compound has the general molecular formula C37H72N4O5S and a calculated molecular weight of 684.53017.
Compound 1436 previously has been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,795,885, 5,763,430, and 5,847,172. Each of these U.S. patents is entirely incorporated herein by reference. These U.S. patents describe the structure of compound 1436 and other aminosterols, as well as processes for synthesizing and isolating compound 1436 and related aminosterols. For example, compound 1436 may be prepared from squalamine as starting material. Additional methods for synthesizing compound 1436 (as well as squalamine) are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Appl. No. 60/032,378, filed Dec. 6, 1996, which application is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
As further described in these patents and patent applications, compound 1436 has a variety of interesting properties. For example, compound 1436 has been found to be capable of inhibiting mitogen-induced mouse, dog or human T-lymphocyte proliferation, as well as being capable of inhibiting the proliferation of a variety of other cells and tissues.
II. Information Relating to this Application
Compound 1436 and other aminosterol compounds isolated from the dogfish shark liver and stomach have been found to possess interesting antibiotic and anti-proliferative properties with respect to a variety of cells and tissues. These interesting properties of compound 1436 have prompted applicants to conduct further investigation into the uses and properties of this compound.
In addition to treating various ailments and diseases, such as viral based ailments and diseases, cancers, and arthritis, compound 1436 has been found to have other favorable properties and effects. As one specific example, applicants have found that compound 1436 may be used to reduce weight gain in mammals and in a mouse model of type II diabetes to prevent weight gain and to maintain blood glucose at normal levels. The weight gain of the animals in these studies was controlled due to reduction of net food consumption and they were apparently healthy, viable animals.

Therapeutic uses for aminosterol compounds


A virtual token represents an item, and includes embedded data defining rules and/or capabilities which apply to the use of the item. A virtual token may include graphical image data which is used to generate a display on a computer, whereby selection of the display allows the item represented by the virtual token to be used. A virtual token may contain instructions for sending access requests to a location on a communications network. A system for handling virtual tokens includes a clearing and routing house for routing token access requests, authenticating and generating tokens, and maintaining container structures for tokens. The system also includes connectors installed in a communications network for creating, controlling and managing items represented by tokens, and device clients for executing token components that issue access requests to the clearing and routing house.

Electronic commerce is touted as being the basis on which the majority of all transactions will be conducted in the future. For it to be accepted and utilised requires a change in traditional concepts associated with value, how it relates to assets or services, and in particular how that value is traded.
Traditionally the value of a telephone, calculator, software package or music album was quantifiable in terms of units of currency. Yet, in today's economy mobile phones are given away with the service, calculators are given away with magazine subscriptions, Internet browsers are free, and music can be copied and distributed freely by average citizens. Each still holds value for the bearer, but in a form that is getting more difficult to quantify in the form of currency units. As basic assets and services become commoditised (especially digital assets or services) and economic value shifts towards personalised packages of assets and services, the value of a given offering will differ by content, individual, time, and circumstance. Electronic money, barter tokens, e-wallets, online auctions, and online trading initiatives are currency-centric and do not address this issue.
Currency (in all its forms: money, credit cards, debit cards, pre-paid tokens, etc) is not likely to disappear as a convenient form of exchange. Its greatest strength, however, is also its greatest weakness. It can be exchanged for anything and it can be "laundered" or swapped for alternate currency units. For this reason, there will continue to be attempts to steal it. Security will continue to be improved and it will just as quickly be cracked. Unless each atomic currency unit is continuously tracked it can be quickly "laundered" and rendered untraceable and unrecoverable in an International network. One approach to circumventing this issue would be to provide an alternative that is less atomic and more traceable. Barter solutions have been proposed, but have not offered a sufficiently compelling alternative to currency-based systems to convince people to switch. Facilitating an exact match in an exchange of goods and services is complex and the issue is typically resolved by introducing barter units which are typically not tracked at an atomic level, so no currency issues are resolved. Most transaction-centric systems are prone to this effect.
The Internet has also given rise to a new paradigm for the manner in which assets or services can be distributed. Yet, despite the possibilities provided by the communications infrastructure of the Internet, information and content delivery is still primarily message based and addresses to locations, such as HTTP and e-mail addresses, are provided to identify where requests for the information can be made. This limitation also exists in other communications networks, such as mobile telecommunications networks, where again requests need to be made to an interactive voice response system or a messaging server, such as an SMS server, to obtain information. This limited approach is also adopted when seeking to direct potential customers or clients to a product or service. Messages are sent with address locations, or the address locations are advertised in traditional media, such as on television or on billboards. These approaches all require a person to use the address in the normal manner to access content or information. No additional value is provided with the address.
New business initiatives continue to replicate comfortable strategies. Targeted email (targeted mail), banner ads (physical ads), Multimedia Contact Centres (Call Centres), eCommerce Web sites (physical storefront), account aggregation sites (brokers), and portals (shopping malls) deliver an online commercial experience remarkably similar to a traditional commercial experience in the physical world. Innovations continue to promote a currency and transaction-centric, rather than results-centric, view of economic activity and value.
New technical initiatives have emerged based on the science of object-oriented (OO) design to propose systems that leverage the advantages of mirroring the real world. They are novel and provide some new benefits, however, they are still typically used to support the same comfortable strategies as those provided using other system architectures. Object-oriented proposals involve objects that have a life span, are self-describing and contain a representative image as these are usually fundamental aspects of object-oriented design in a visual world. There are systems that focus on encapsulating a transaction and others that focus on encapsulating real world objects such as ownership or digital asset management systems. The transaction-based systems typically involve disposable objects and do not support the business trend towards persistent relationships and the increased value of the ongoing support for the asset or service involved in the transaction. Transactions are a means to an end whereas the value is in the result. Ownership and digital asset management systems typically exclude transaction support, or are non-interactive, or do not support the object inter-relationships required by modem business relationships. To meet the needs of modem business relationships, a system is required that can: create, deliver and support a mechanism to represent a package of contextually related assets and services; reflect the influence of the involved parties; be secure and interactive; and combine the benefits of persistent elements and elements with a limited life span. The system should be simple to manage and scalable.
It is desired to address the above, or at least provide a useful alternative.


A digital demodulator (10) reads symbol samples into a memory buffer (38) that can be played forward and backward into a phase locked loop (48). During an initial non-data directed symbol timing estimating phase (56) the demodulator (10) achieves an approximate frequency synchronization and starts to achieve phase synchronization on an incoming stream of symbols. During a first forward readout pass (58) of stored samples, the phase locked loop (48) begins the frequency and phase convergence. During subsequent pass (60) using a reverse readout of stored samples, phase locked loop (48) continues to converge toward zero phase error. Then another forward pass (66), phase locked loop (48) achieves usable frequency and phase synchronization of carrier and begins valid data extraction.

Demodulation schemes that employ phase locked loops typically do not have an internal signal source that is initially synchronized precisely with a received burst carrier signal. Thus, receivers use the phase locked loops to converge on an incoming frequency and/or phase during the "acquisition" of a received carrier signal. An acquisition phase occurs before valid data can be extracted and includes both carrier acquisition and symbol synchronization.
The steps of carrier acquisition and symbol synchronization are often unproductive overhead time in communication systems. In communication systems conveying lengthy transmissions of large amounts of data, this overhead acquisition phase is relatively unimportant. However, in certain other systems, such as TDMA burst systems, slow overhead acquisition times translate into unacceptably low operating efficiencies.
Various demodulation methods have been used to rapidly extract data from a carrier signal. As an example, the technique known as "differential" demodulation is a robust method of data extraction, but the penalty for using it is a 3-6 dB performance loss that leads to higher transmission power requirements, greater flux density, unsuitable bit error rates, and/or greater likelihood of interference with adjacent channels.
A phase coherent demodulator solves the 3-6 dB penalty of differential demodulation. With coherent demodulation, a phase locked loop accurately achieves carrier synchronization. The problem with the phase locked loop's ability to acquire frequency and phase synchronization is that acquisition times are highly dependent upon the frequency and phase error, or the amount of deviation between the incoming signal and an internal phase locked loop oscillator. Phase locked loops can require an undesirably long time to converge on a signal during acquisition unless the loop filter bandwidth is made very wide. The wider the bandwidth, the more the phase locked loop exhibits phase jitter.
An attempt to overcome this problem by estimating phase based upon a captured block of samples rather than relying solely a phase locked loop has been developed. This technique is called Block Phase Estimation. Block Phase Estimation has one major limitation. It does not work well if the frequency error is more than approximately one percent of the symbol rate. Unfortunately, frequency errors of greater than one percent are not uncommon.
One could simply capture an entire burst and reprocess the burst over and over as taught in U.S. Pat. No 5,440,265 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. But excessive reprocessing of symbols leads to transport delay and should be kept to a minimum. Moreover, reprocessing a block of symbols in a consistently forward order after a phase locked loop has begun its convergence process and has partially acquired a frequency and a phase causes the phase locked loop to experience a discontinuity or transient that extends the carrier acquisition time. In particular, the phase of the incoming signal at the end of the block typically bears no relationship to the phase of the incoming signal at the beginning of the block. Thus, phase convergence efforts of the phase locked loop in a prior block-processing pass are largely lost when a subsequent block-processing pass begins.

Carrier phase synchronization by reverse playback


Provided is a method of transmitting and receiving personal broadcasting data in a peer-to-peer (P2P) based network. A terminal (client) that receives a personal broadcast requests a tracker server for a viewing reservation by using electronic program guide (EPG) information or a uniform resource locator (URL) of a personal broadcasting channel, a terminal (broadcaster) that transmits personal broadcasting data receives a list of clients that made a viewing reservation of the personal broadcast from the tracker server and notifies the clients about starting of the personal broadcast when it is time to start the personal broadcast. Accordingly, the client starts streaming when notified of the starting of the personal broadcast by connecting to the personal broadcasting channel after making the viewing reservation, without having to wait for the personal broadcast to start.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the inventive concept relate to transmitting and receiving personal broadcasting data by using peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.
2. Description of Related Art
Unlike a server-client model, where a plurality of clients receive a service from a server as resources are concentrated on a central server, network participants exchange data as equal peers in a peer-to-peer (P2P) based network.
The network participants can share each other's digital contents via P2P communication, and one of the network participants can directly transmit a broadcast to other network participants in real time by generating a personal broadcasting channel.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional P2P based method of transmitting and receiving personal broadcasting data.
In operation 101, a first terminal (broadcaster) that transmits personal broadcasting data registers a personal broadcasting channel in a tracker server. Here, the tracker server manages a list of personal broadcasting channels in a P2P based network.
In operation 102, the broadcaster starts a broadcast.
In operation 103, a second terminal (client) that wishes to view a personal broadcast obtains the list of personal broadcasting channels from the tracker server.
In operation 104, the client selects a channel according to a user input.
In operation 105, the broadcaster transmits the personal broadcasting data to the client via streaming.
In a conventional P2P based personal broadcast, a client is unable to determine information about or broadcast starting times of programs of various personal broadcasting channels. Also, since there is no method of making a reservation to view a personal broadcast, the client needs to wait until a desired program is broadcast after connecting to a personal broadcasting channel.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving personal broadcasting data based on peer-to-peer communication


An ultrasound system comprises a probe for acquiring ultrasound data associated with a patient and a microphone detecting audio. The system further comprises a processor module and a memory. The processor module is configured to receive the ultrasound data from the probe and processes the ultrasound data to form an image file. The processor module is further configured to receive the audio from the microphone and forms a voice recording file based on the received audio. The memory stores the image file and the voice recording file, and the processor module automatically associates the image file and the voice recording file with each other.

This invention relates generally to ultrasound imaging, and more particularly, to recording vocal information during an ultrasound exam.
Ultrasound systems are finding use in an increasing number of applications. The cost of an ultrasound exam may be less than other technologies, and the portability of the system provides many advantages. Cart-based systems are often used in hospital and clinic settings, but smaller sized systems, such as laptop computer, pocket and handheld systems are becoming more popular due to their portability as well as lower cost.
Regardless of the size of the ultrasound system, ultrasound exams can be complicated and time consuming. An operator, such as a physician and/or sonographer often wishes to record notes, findings, observations, diagnosis and the like during the exam, often directed to a particular image or series of images. For a system that provides a keyboard, the operator either types with one hand while scanning with the other, or has to remove the scanning probe from the patient. In some cases, such as during surgery or an interventional or invasive procedure, the operator may not be able to access the unit to enter comments. While scanning with a smaller handheld system, the operator may hold the unit in one hand and the probe in the other. Therefore, keyboard entry, if even provided, is difficult or impossible to accomplish without disrupting the procedure. In order to make any permanent record, the operator relies on memory and records a diagnosis after the exam is complete or must stop scanning in order to write or otherwise record notes.
Therefore, a need exists for a hands-free ability to record findings and comments during an ultrasound procedure.

Method and apparatus for voice recording with ultrasound imaging


A chip antenna comprising a substrate comprising at least one material selected from dielectric materials and magnetic materials, at least two conductors formed on at least one surface of the substrate or inside the substrate, and at least one feeding terminal provided on the surface of the substrate for applying a voltage to the conductors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chip antennas and particularly a chip antenna used for mobile communication and local area networks (LAN).
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional antennas include monopole antennas and chip antennas, for example.
FIG. 9 shows a typical prior art monopole antenna 1. The monopole antenna 1 has a conductor 2 perpendicular to an earth plate (not shown in the figure) in air (dielectric constant .epsilon.=1 and relative permeability .mu.=1), the one end 3 of the conductor 2 forming a feeding section and the other end 4 being a free end.
FIG. 10 is a side view of a typical prior art chip antenna 5. The chip antenna 5 comprises an insulator 6, a coil conductor 7, a magnetic member 8, and external connecting terminals 9a and 9b.
Each of the prior art monopole antenna and chip antenna set forth above has only one feeding section and conductor, and thus has only one resonance frequency. Thus, a plurality of monopole antennas or chip antennas are required for responding to two or more different resonance frequencies, and they are not applicable to uses, requiring compact antennas, such as mobile communication, for the reason of their sizes.

Chip antenna having multiple resonance frequencies