A venturi flow sensing method, system, and apparatus. A tube or chamber may be tapered from a larger to smaller diameter to create a venturi region within the tube or chamber. The venturi region causes a local increase in flow velocity. The change in velocity creates a local change in pressure which is, in turn, used to drive flow through a parallel bypass tube or chamber. Inside this bypass, a flow sensor can be located, and in some cases, a pressure sensor as well. The flow is then either exhausted back into the original tube or the bypass tube may alternatively dead end. In either case, flow can be measured without causing a significant overall pressure drop in the system.

Medical devices such as ventilators and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines are designed to provide air to a patient to foster correct breathing. A ventilator, for example, is designed to move air in and out of a person's lungs to assist breathing mechanically (e.g., a life support machine). A similar device is a respirator, which is used to assist or control breathing. Other similar machines facilitate breathing in persons with an impaired diaphragm function. These and other mechanical breathing devices often require a significant pressure change in order to accurately measure airflow. Such pressure changes, however, are often uncomfortable for the patient and do not promote optimal fan performance.
Flow rate control is a key to maintaining the comfort of the patient and proper working order of the mechanical breathing device. The ability to control flow to a patient, during the operation of such mechanical devices, is critical not only during surgical procedures but also during routine medical operations and patient bed rest, particularly with patients who suffer from lung and/or heart disease.
Other devices, such as electronic flow controllers, may be utilized to maintain flow rate control. These types of devices, however, are often expensive. Many hospitals and medical facilities cannot afford or do not have access to such expensive machines. Generally, air flow sensing techniques require an adequate pressure drop in order to sense air flow. It is therefore believed that a solution to these problems involves the implementation of inexpensive yet efficient devices and components for the detection of flow. The embodiments disclosed herein address this problem by providing an improved flow sensor system, method and apparatus


A high smoothness grinding process for obtaining a highly smooth surface of a metal material member. The process includes grinding an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical or generally cylindrical metal material member by using a super abrasive grain grinding wheel in a condition in which a value [a peripheral speed of the grinding wheel/a peripheral speed of the metal material member] is not larger than 100, the grinding serving as a main grinding step.

This invention relates to improvements in high smoothness grinding process and apparatus for metal materials, and more particularly to the high smoothness grinding process and apparatus for making a surface of the metal material highly smooth by using a super abrasive grain grinding wheel.
In order to obtain a highly smooth surface of a metal material by machining, hitherto a grinding step and a lapping (super-finishing) step are carried out as a grinding process for the metal material, or otherwise a rough grinding and a finish grinding step (plural steps of grindings) are carried out as a grinding process for the metal material.
In such grinding processes, it is required to transfer the metal material or workpiece from one grinding device to another grinding device every time a step is changed into another step. This prolongs a machining time for the workpiece and increases the number of steps and machining devices, thereby raising a machining cost. As a result, it is desired and proposed to obtain a highly smooth surface at only a single step by employing a plunge grinding, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2003-94296.

High smoothness grinding process and apparatus for metal material


The invention provides a superior electrostatic capacitance detection device. An electrostatic capacitance detection device includes an M number of individual power-supply lines and an N number of individual output lines arranged in a matrix of M rows and N columns, and an electrostatic capacitance detecting element formed at the intersection thereof. The electrostatic capacitance detecting element includes a signal detection element and a signal amplifying element. The signal detection element includes a capacitance detecting electrode and a capacitance detecting dielectric layer. The signal amplifying element includes an MIS thin-film semiconductor device for signal amplification, including a gate electrode, a gate insulator, and a semiconductor layer.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic capacitance detection device that reads the surface contours of a fingerprint or other target object having extremely small ridges and valleys, by detecting electrostatic capacitance, which changes according to a distance from the surface of the target object.
2. Description of Related Art
As described in Japanese Laid Open to the Public No. Hei 11-118415, No. Hei 2000-346608, No. Hei 2001-56204, No. Hei 2001-133213, in electrostatic capacitance detection devices of the related art that are used in fingerprint sensors and so forth, a sensor electrode and a dielectric layer deposited on the sensor electrode are formed on a single-crystal silicon wafer. The principle of operation of an electrostatic capacitance detection device of the related art is shown in FIG. 1. One of a pair of electrodes in a capacitor is a sensor electrode the other is grounded to a human. Further, a dielectric layer is formed on the uppermost surface of the electrostatic capacitance detection device. The capacitance CF of this capacitor changes according to the ridges and valleys in a fingerprint contacting the surface of the dielectric layer. On the other hand, the semiconductor substrate is equipped with a capacitor that forms an electrostatic capacitance Cs. These two capacitors are connected in series, and a predetermined voltage is applied. The application of a voltage causes a charge Q corresponding to the ridges and valleys in a fingerprint to be formed between the two capacitors. This charge Q is sensed using ordinary semiconductor technology and the surface contours of the target object are read.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electrostatic capacitance detection device


A system includes one or more lasers, a collimator, and a controller. The one or more lasers are configured to generate laser illumination. The collimator is configured to adjust at least one of a degree of collimation, a divergence, and an intensity of the laser illumination and to direct the laser illumination towards one or more targets. The controller is configured to control the one or more lasers and the collimator in order to adjust the laser illumination directed at the one or more targets, and the controller is configured to control the one or more lasers and the collimator differently in different operating modes. Example operating modes could include a spotlight mode, a single-color dazzler or pulsating mode, a multi-color dazzler or pulsating mode, a communication mode, and an infrared-based operation mode.

Various systems have been developed over the years for non-lethal targeting of unfriendly or hostile forces. For example, "dazzlers" are electro-optical (EO) devices that can temporarily disorient or blind targets using directed laser illumination. As particular examples, dazzlers could emit visible light that causes disorientation, nausea, or temporarily blindness in unfriendly or hostile forces. Dazzlers could also emit infrared light to interfere with night vision devices or other infrared-based sensors. These types of devices have a wide range of uses, such as crowd control, defense, and perimeter protection.

Adaptive multi-wavelength laser illuminator


A method for forming shallow trench isolation (STI) structures includes using a hard mask, such as silicon nitride, in shallow trench etching and also as a polishing stop layer in planarizing the dielectric that fills the trenches. After the shallow trench is filled with the dielectric material and planarized, a top portion of the hard mask is removed, resulting in a top portion of the filled dielectric material to protrude above the remaining hard mask. The protruding dielectric is then treated in an oxygen plasma and annealed at a high temperature to form a densified oxide cap layer. The densified oxide layer can provide greater resistance to corrosion and can protect the shallow trench isolation structure during subsequent wet processing, such as DHF clean. Variations in the STI structures can be reduced and device performance improved.

The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing processes. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for forming shallow trench isolation (STI) structures.
In semiconductor manufacturing processes, shallow trench isolation (STI) structures are critical to the final performance of the electrical properties of semiconductor devices. In forming shallow trench isolation structures, the trenches are often filled with dielectrics, for example, using a high aspect ratio process (HARP). Due to loading effects during in the filling process, the quality of the HARP dielectric may be different in different regions in the semiconductor substrate. As a result, the wet etch rate (WER) of a subsequent wet cleaning process, such as dilute hydrofluoric acid (DHF), may be different, thus resulting in height variations in the shallow trench isolation structures over the semiconductor substrate.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating shallow trench isolation structures formed in a substrate 100 using a conventional method. In FIG. 1, shallow trench isolation structures 101 are formed in a region of dense patterns, and a shallow trench isolation structure 102 is formed in a region of less dense or isolated patterns. It can be seen that the height 103 of shallow trench isolation structures 101 is lower than the height 104 of shallow trench isolation structure 102. One explanation is that the width of STI structures 101 in a dense region is narrower than the width of STI structure 102 formed in a less dense region. As a result, more severe loading effect is shown in the filling of shallow trench isolation structure 101 compared with the shallow trench isolation structure 102. During subsequent wet cleaning processes, the wet etch rate of DHF cleaning solution is higher in shallow trench isolation structure 101 compared with the shallow trench isolation structure 102, leading to variations in the height of STI structures.
Due to the non-uniform height of the shallow trench isolation structures, height variations also exist in subsequently formed gate dielectric material layer and gate electrode material. These variations can lead to different electrical properties in devices formed in different regions of the semiconductor substrate.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an improved method for forming STI structures and resolve the problems described above.

Method for forming shallow trench isolation

Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation


An ion implanter includes a sample stage for setting a sample having a main surface, an ion generating section configured to generate a plurality of ions, the ion generating section including a container into which an ion source gas is introduced and a filament for emitting thermal electrons provided in the container, an implanting section configured to implants an ion beam containing the plurality of ions in the main surface of the sample, and a control section configured to control a position of the sample or a spatial distribution of electrons emitted from the filament so that a direction of eccentricity of a center of gravity of the ion beam coincides with a direction of a normal line of the main surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ion implanter and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including an ion implanting process.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, large scale integrated circuits (LSI) have often been used in important parts of computers and communication apparatuses; the large scale integrated circuits are formed by connecting a large number of transistors and resistors together as electric circuits and integrating the circuits together on one chip. Thus, the performance of the whole apparatus depends strongly on the performance of a single LSI. The performance of the single LSI can be improved by increasing the degree of integration, that is, miniaturizing the elements.
Miniaturization of elements can be formed by reducing the junction depth of a diffusion layer, for example, a source/drain diffusion layer. The junction depth can be reduced by optimizing ion implantation and the subsequent heat treatment step (annealing). This serves to realize, for example, a MOS transistor having a shallow source/drain diffusion layer of junction depth not higher than 0.2 μm.
To form a shallow diffusion layer by doping impurities, it is necessary to make a reduced heat budget so as to shallowly distribute impurity atoms during ion implantation and to prevent the impurity atoms from diffusing deeply during the subsequent heat treatment. Further, to use impurity doping to form wells in which elements such as MOS transistors are formed and areas (channel doping layers) in which channels of MOS transistors are induced, it is necessary to accurately control the amount of impurities implanted.
On the other hand, with a miniaturization of elements, for example, a reduction in gate processing size, offset is more likely to occur in a source/drain area owing to shadowing of a gate electrode and deviation of the incident angle of ion beam. Such offset makes notable transistor characteristics asymmetric.
A cone angle has been considered to be the cause of the asymmetry of the transistor characteristics which may occur if a batch type high current ion implanter is used. Thus, attempts have been made to eliminate the asymmetry of the transistor characteristics by adjusting an α angle and a β angle (Extended Abstracts of International Workshop on Junction Technology 2002, S2-3.).
However, at present, the asymmetry of the transistor characteristics is not necessarily eliminated simply by adjusting the α and β angles.

Ion implanter and method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A lock-down device for use in a circuit breaker assembly. The device comprises a base for releasably securing the device to the assembly's saddle, an arm portion connected to the base, and a hand portion, connected to the arm portion, for engaging the housing of a first circuit breaker such that when the first circuit breaker and a second circuit breaker is mounted on the saddle the hand portion is intermediate the first and second circuit breakers and the first circuit breaker cannot be inadvertently removed from the saddle. In an alternative embodiment, the hand portion of the device comprises flanges for engaging and permitting the lock-down of the second circuit breaker as well.

The present invention is generally directed to circuit breaker assemblies and devices to secure the circuit breakers to a circuit breaker saddle, and in particular, to an improved lock-down device that prevents the inadvertent removal of circuit breakers from the saddle upon which the breakers are mounted, while achieving maximum utilization of the saddle on which the circuit breakers are mounted. The invention is also directed to a circuit breaker assembly that utilizes such a lock-down device.
Over the years, attempts have been made to adequately ensure the safety of humans while handling circuit breakers. One such concern is faced when a user confronts a main circuit breaker which is electrically connected to a utility line. As it would be appreciated, removal of the main breaker while current is flowing into the breaker could spell disaster for anyone coming into contact therewith. Accordingly, by code, it is required that this main circuit breaker be "locked-down" so that any inadvertent removal is eliminated. At least two approaches are known which have attempted to achieve the goal of eliminating inadvertent removals. As will be explained in further detail below, one known prior lock-down arrangement secures the circuit breakers from the rear. Undesirably, this requires that each circuit breaker have its own lock-down device. Another known approach of locking-down a main circuit breaker utilizes a lock-down device that extends across the saddle. As explained in further detail below, this approach is undesirable since it effectively eliminates the ability to mount a maximum number of circuit breakers on the saddle.
Specifically, in the situation whereby it is necessary to mount, in facing alignment, two back fed main breakers (one line from a standard utility and one line from a generator) or one main breaker and at least one branch breaker, the aforementioned lock-down methodologies are less than desirable. That is, in the first example, two lock down devices would be required to achieve the locking down of both back fed main breakers. In the latter example, if the lock-down device extends across the saddle, the slot for the branch breaker may be unusable.
The current circuit breaker art is therefore deficient for its inability to provide an assembly that can maximize the number of circuit breaker arrangements on a saddle and simultaneously provide the proper safety features desired and/or required.
Accordingly it is desirable to provide a lock-down device and a circuit breaker assembly that overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies. In particular, it is desirable to provide a lock-down device which maximizes the usable slots in a saddle and at the same time provides for maximum safety. The invention disclosed herein achieves the aforementioned and below mentioned objectives.

Lock-down device for a circuit breaker assembly and assembly incorporating same


The storage proxy method is used in a storage area network (SAN) which includes a server, a SAN device coupled to the server, and a first and a second storage systems coupled to the SAN device and their logic units mirrored with each other to form a combined mirrored logical unit. The storage proxy method includes the following steps. One of the logical units of the storage systems as a proxy logical unit is selected. The mirrored logical unit is simulated as a virtual logical unit in the SAN device, wherein the virtual logical unit has a virtual identity the same as the identity of the selected proxy logical unit. A transparent communication for management functions between the server and the proxy logical unit is provided via the virtual logical unit or a special proxy logical unit.

A data-services storage area network (SAN) appliance, inserted into a data path between servers and storage systems, can provide data services, such as data replication, data caching, etc., by passing some commands through transparently, while altering others and initiating additional commands itself, depending on the needs of the service being provided.
Today, most other SAN applications choose to "virtualize" the storage underneath them (storage virtualization) and present a new "virtual volume" with its own identity to servers, and provide its own drivers and management programs to operate it.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows a conventional SAN configuration 1a that is configured between a first fibre channel (FC) switch 110 and a second FC switch 120. The conventional SAN configuration 1a includes a server set 100, the first FC switch 110, a SAN appliance 140, the second FC switch 120 and a storage system set 130, wherein the server set 100 contains a plurality of servers 100.1-100.3 and the storage system set 130 contains a plurality of storage systems 130.1-130.3. The plurality of servers 100.1-100.3 are electrically connected to the first FC switch 110 individually and the first FC switch 110 is electrically connected to the SAN appliance 140. Similarly, the SAN appliance 140 is electrically connected to the second FC switch 120 and the plurality of storage systems 130.1-130.3 are electrically connected to the second FC switch 120 individually.
Document US2007/0294563A1 discloses a data storage system and method. The system may comprise a data repository, and first and second storage controllers. One or more clients may access the data in the data repository via the first and second storage controllers. The second storage controller may be configured to at least partially inhibit network connectivity of the first storage controller if the first storage controller at least partially fails.
Document US2002/0133746A1 discloses a system and method of achieving High Availability on fibre channel data paths between an appliance's fibre channel switch and its storage device by employing a technique called "port spoofing." The main purpose of this patent is dealing with component failure and does not provide transparent data-service for uninterrupted online maintenance.
Document US2012/0030670A1 discloses various systems and methods for providing high availability of an application executing in a highly-available virtual machine environment. This patent designs a method to determine whether the virtual machine should be restarted. The main purpose of this patent is dealing with component failure and does not provide transparent data-service for uninterrupted online maintenance.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,270B1 discloses a computer-subsystem configuration that allows Fibre Channel devices to couple with more than one such device or host computer. The main purpose of this patent is to allow configuration options without the use of an external hub device and does not provide transparent data-service for uninterrupted online maintenance.
Document US2002/0103943A1 discloses a distributed storage management platform (DSMP) architecture. This patent further introduces an idea of "storage virtualization" and does not provide transparent data-service for uninterrupted online maintenance.
Document US2003/0236945A1 discloses a method for storage virtualization in a Storage Area Network (SAN). The method is characterized by comprising the step of coupling a Storage Virtualization Manager (SVM). Also, the patent does not provide transparent data-service for uninterrupted online maintenance.
The conventional SAN configuration 1a is described above. Today, most other SAN appliances choose to "virtualize" the storage underneath them (storage virtualization) and present a new "virtual volume" with its own identity to servers, and provide its own drivers and management programs to operate it. However, in this respect, owing to the presence of the new "virtual volume", the servers may not recognize the storage without re-configuration and re-mediation.
In order to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, a storage proxy method for data-service SAN appliance is provided. The particular design in the present invention not only solves the problems described above, but also is easy to be implemented. Thus, the present invention has the utility for the industry.

Storage proxy method for data-service SAN appliance


An adjusting seat of an injection molding machine has a split-flow hydraulic pump secured thereon; the split-flow hydraulic pump is equipped with several oil input/output conduit sets; several hydraulic motors are secured on the adjusting seat and connected to respective ones of the oil input/output conduit sets of the split-flow hydraulic pump; each of the hydraulic motors has a toothed disk on an output portion thereof; the injection molding machine further has several gears, which are positioned around tie rods of the molding machine, and engage the toothed disks respectively; each of the toothed disks has a sub gear joined thereto while a chain is positioned over and engaged with the sub gears.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjusting structure of an adjusting seat of an injection molding machine, more particularly one, which includes a split-flow hydraulic pump, four hydraulic motors connected to conduits of the split-flow hydraulic pump, four toothed disks on the output portions of the hydraulic motors, and four gears respectively positioned around tie rods and engaging the toothed disks such that position of the adjusting seat can be smoothly adjusted, and the risk of damage reduced.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a currently existing injection molding machine 1 includes a first mold support 11, an adjusting seat 12, a second mold support 13, a moving wall 14, four tie rods 15, a toggle arm mechanism 16, and a hydraulic cylinder 17. The first mold support 11 is used for supporting a male part of a mold. The second mold support 13 is arranged between the first mold support 11 and the adjusting seat 12 for supporting a female part of a mold while the moving wall 14 is arranged between the second mold support 13 and the adjusting seat 12. The tie rods 15 are passed through the first mold support 11, the adjusting seat 12, the second mold support 13, and the moving wall 14. The hydraulic cylinder 17 is used to move the moving wall 14 on the tie rods 15 while the toggle arm mechanism 16 is positioned between the second mold support 13 and the adjusting seat 12, and movable together with the moving wall 14; thus, when the hydraulic cylinder 17 is actuated to move the moving wall 14, the toggle arm mechanism 16 will move so as to make the second mold support 13 change its position in relation to the first mold support 11 for mold closing or opening.
Because different molds have different thicknesses, when a new two-part mold is used on the molding machine instead of the original one, the adjusting seat 2 usually has to be adjusted in position such that the two-part mold can be properly closed by means of the hydraulic cylinder 17 and the toggle arm mechanism 16.
Referring to FIG. 2, the adjusting seat 2 has a motor 18, a toothed disk 19, and four gears 10 thereon; the motor 18 is used for causing rotational motion of the toothed disk 19 while the gears 10 are positioned around respective ones of the tie rods 15, and engaged with the toothed disk 19. Therefore, when the motor 18 is activated, rotational motion of the motor 18 will be transmitted to the gears 10 through the toothed disk 19, and in turn the gears 10 will move linearly on the tie rods 15, thus causing linear displacement of the adjusting seat 12 on the tie rods 15.
However, the above adjusting structure of the adjusting seat has the following disadvantages:
1. The motor has to provide power to the toothed disk alone therefore the motor has to be capable of producing great force. Consequently, consumption of electricity and the cost increases.
2. All power will be concentrated on the currently engaged teeth of the motor and the toothed disk therefore the teeth of the motor and the toothed disk are prone to get damaged, and power won't be effectively transmitted any more.
3. The toothed disk has to precisely engage all of the four gears otherwise power transmission won't be smooth. Therefore, the toothed disk and the gears have to be precision-manufactured, causing increase to the cost as well as time used in the assembly and calibration.
Germany Patent No. DE 4329070 discloses an adjusting structure of an adjusting seat of a molding machine, which includes a belt used to transmit power from single motor to several gears positioned on respective tie rods. Because the motor has to provide power alone, the output thereof has to be relatively large. Consequently, service life of the motor will shorten. In addition, the power transmission can't be very effective because the gears don't have equal force exerted thereon with the belt used as the transmission means.

Adjusting structure of an adjusting seat of an injection molding machine


Head-to-head variations in the head gap distance between write and read heads is compensated by measuring the head gap distance in each head by writing and reading a predetermined unique pattern, and compensating the timing to start the data writing by changing it in a head-to-head manner based on a time gap that corresponds to the measured head gap distance in each head. This allows data to be written at a desired physical position regardless of the variation of the head gap distance, thereby allowing formatting efficiency to be improved.

The present invention relates generally to magnetic disk devices having separate heads for writing (recording) and reading (reproducing) data, and more specifically to compensating timing for starting writing to account for different distances between the heads.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how the data is typically written and read in a conventional magnetic disk device 1 in which data sectors (minimum addressable units for writing and reading) are arcs formed at specified positions on concentric circles (tracks). Servo signals 11 are written on the magnetic disk 1 in advance and are spaced uniformly in the rotation direction and include information in the radial direction. When the data is written and read in a specified data sector 12, a magnetic head 2 is first positioned with respect to the radial direction of the magnetic disk 1 by moving a rotation system support arm (not shown), to which the magnetic head 2 is attached, based on the information of the servo signals 11.
Next, a commanded position in the rotation direction on the disk is determined with reference to any signal identifying a specific physical position on the disk such as, for example, the end of the servo signals 11. Clocks and the like provide timing signals that are used to establish the waiting time T until the magnetic disk 1 is rotated so that a magnetic head 3 is positioned at the top of one of the data sectors. Typically, there are several data sectors between the servo signals 11. When the magnetic disk has rotated the correct distance, a write gate or a read gate is asserted.
When the write gate is asserted, a write current flows through the magnetic head 3 so that a signal is converted by the magnetic head 3 into magnetic information and written on the magnetic disk 1. On the other hand, when the read gate is asserted, the magnetic information on the magnetic disk 1 is converted into electric information by the magnetic head 3 and, then, the data is sent to a host through circuits such as an amplifier.
As described above, physical positions on the magnetic disk must be determined in order to assert the write gate and the read gate and, then, the signals to determine the physical positions on the magnetic disk should be determined based on the servo signals read from the read head. FIG. 5 shows a deviation in timing between the write head and the read head in the prior art wherein, in a magnetic disk device in which the write head and the read head are provided separately and the data is written and read by both heads as shown in FIG. 5, in the case where the write head 2b is apart from the read head 2a by a distance L in the backward direction, when a duration equivalent to the waiting time T has elapsed from the reference position defined by the servo signal 11, the read head 2a is placed at the top of the data sector 12 but the write head 2b is placed not at the top of the data sector 12 but at the preceding sector. Therefore, if the write gate is asserted to start writing at this timing, the data on the preceding sector would be overwritten. Further, if the data is written on the data sector disposed just after the servo signal, the servo signal may also be overwritten.
When the data is written using such magnetic heads, the write gate must be asserted to write the data after the magnetic disk has rotated a sufficient amount so that the write head is positioned at the top of the desired data sector as the magnetic disk rotates. This time gap TG depends on a head gap distance L of the write head and the read head as well as a relative speed v between the magnetic disk and the magnetic heads. Therefore, in a magnetic disk device in which the magnetic disk rotates with a uniform speed, as the relative speed v between the magnetic disk and the magnetic heads varies according to the radial position on the magnetic disk, the time gap TG must be compensated according to the radial position and a measure against the variation of the relative speed according to the radial position has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-open Hei 6-176486).
Further, as the prior art, a concept in that values of the time gap TG resulted from the head gap distances L that vary from one head to another are measured to compensate the time gap TG for each head has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-open Hei 09-115124).
In this connection, generally speaking, in the magnetic disk devices, as the head gap distance L is a value unique to each head and may vary in some extent due to manufacturing reasons, the time gap TG to be compensated may vary from one head to another. Further, based on the fact that it is difficult to measure the head gap distance L for each head, as the head gap distance L is replaced by a representative value and only the variation due to the relative speed v between the magnetic disk and the magnetic heads is compensated, the head-to-head variation of the time gap TG is accommodated by providing redundancy in the format of the data sectors as shown in (1) of FIG. 6 (or, more specifically, by adding areas A, B and C as shown in the figure, which will be described in detail later). Here, it is to be noted that FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing the format when the variation of the gap between the write head and the read head is not compensated.
Typically, the format of the data sectors includes minimal required areas consisting of: a Preamble area for compensating deviations in frequency and phase between writing and reading; a Sync area for indicating the top of the data; and a Data area including information to be written. However, the format shown in FIG. 6 further includes the extra areas A, B, and C for accommodating the variation of the time gap TG.
The areas A and B are needed so as to prevent forward and backward sectors from being overwritten due to the variation of the time gap TG. As described above, the write gate must be asserted when the write head 2b is positioned at the top of the data sector 12. However, as the physical positions on the magnetic disk can be determined by the servo signals read through the read head 2a, the positional relationship between the read head 2a and the magnetic disk can be known accurately but the determination of the position of the write head 2b should inevitably depend on the setting of the time gap TG.
Therefore, if the write operation is performed with a uniform time gap TG without compensating the head-to-head variation, the write gate will be asserted with uniform timing regardless of the head gap distance. At this time, if the data is written on the data sector 12 having an identical address by the head having a head gap distance L larger than the design value, the data may be written at a physical position that is offset forward from the position where the data ought to be written as shown in (2) of FIG. 6 and, therefore, the data on the receding sector may be overwritten. The area A is necessary to prevent this problem or, in other words, an area where the data is not written must be provided in the forward of the data sector so as to compensate the forward offset of the write position due to the variation of the head gap distance.
Similarly, if the data is written by the head having a head gap distance L smaller than the design value, as the data may be written at a physical position that is offset backward from the position where the data ought to be written as shown in (3) of FIG. 6, in order not to overwrite the data on the subsequent sector, the area B where the data is not written must be provided in the backward of the data so as to compensate the backward offset of the write position due to the variation of the head gap distance.
On the other hand, the area C is needed when the data is read. Typically, the read operation is started by asserting the read gate wherein, first, the deviations in frequency and phase from the data as written are corrected by a PLL circuit. This correction is performed in the Preamble area and, generally speaking, a constant periodic pattern, which is ready to be corrected, is written on the Preamble area. Then, the Sync pattern that indicates the top of the data is searched and, if the Sync pattern is found, the data after the Sync pattern is transferred to the host.
It is possible to know the physical position of the read head 2a on the magnetic disk and, therefore, the read gate can be asserted accurately at the top of the data sector 12 but, as the physical position where the data is written may be offset forward or backward due to the variation of the head gap distance in the write operation as described above, the signal may be read from the data with different timings depending on the variation of the head gap distance. At this time, if the Preamble area, which is necessary to correct the deviations in phase and the like of the timing to assert the read gate by the PLL circuit, cannot be obtained, the deviations in phase cannot be corrected sufficiently and the subsequent Sync area and the data cannot be read accurately and, therefore, the timing to assert the read gate will be synchronized with the head having the largest head gap distance by which the data is written at the most forward position.
However, when the read gate is asserted with such timing, if the head has a smaller head gap distance, the written data is offset backward and, therefore, no signal state will continue for a certain time period after the read gate is asserted. In the situation where the deviations in phase and the like is corrected by the PLL circuit after the read gate is asserted, the operation of the PLL circuit may be unstable and the subsequent correction may be impossible if the no signal state continues while the PLL circuit is operated and, therefore, the signal identical to the one written in the Preamble area must be written over the entire area C.
As there are these redundant areas in the format shown in FIG. 6, a portion that can be used effectively as the data area is reduced or, in other words, the formatting efficiency is reduced and, therefore, the write density must be increased in order to achieve the theoretical data storage capacity of the entire magnetic disk device.
In Japanese Patent Laid-open Hei 6-176486 described above, though the time gap TG corresponding to the head gap distance L between the write head and the read head is compensated according to the radial position on the magnetic disk, it is not contemplated to compensate the head-to-head difference of the head gap distance L.
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Hei 09-115124 described above, a concept in that the head-to-head difference of the head gap distance L is compensated so as to eliminate the redundant areas (the areas A, B and C) described above and increase the formatting efficiency is proposed at least, wherein the time gap TG is measured by employing an unwritable area (a splice) created due to the delay after the write gate is asserted until the write amplifier outputs the write current. However, in this measuring method, the splice may greatly depend on characteristics of the write amplifier and the length and other properties of the splice may vary according to circumstances, it is very difficult to detect the position of the splice.

Method for compensating timing to start data recording and magnetic disk device using same

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan, Ltd.


A liquid fabric softener composition is provided which includes a texture enhancing component, such as a long chain difatty acid, that is deposited on a fabric during laundering, the deposited enhancing component changing the “feel” of the fabric. Preferably, the deposited enhancing component substantially detaches from the fabric in subsequent laundering cycles to reduce build-up. The enhancing component is preferably water-insoluble in an acidic pH, such as during the rinse cycle occurring after washing fabrics with a detergent, yet water soluble in an alkaline medium enabling the deposited enhancing component to be detached from fabric in subsequent “wash” cycles.

Liquid fabric softeners of various formulations are well known. Many of these formulations have fabric texture or "feel" enhancing components such as silicone based compositions that are deposited onto fabrics during laundering, often during the rinse cycle.
In this regard, fabric softeners commonly include materials that, when deposited on fabric, impart a slick feel to the fabric. This is typically accomplished by the use of polysiloxanes. However, silicones, including polysiloxanes, by their very nature, are water-insoluble. Thus, when used in fabric softening formulations, polysiloxanes will attach to fabrics during a rinse cycle, but typically do not adequately detach (wash off) during subsequent laundering. Because the polysiloxanes do not detach, over time, build up on the fabric occurs. Due to such build up, over time, fabrics become duller or dingier because of the presence of the polysiloxanes components.
Therefore, what is needed is fabric softener that includes a texture enhancing component that will deposit onto fabrics when laundered, yet which detaches from the fabric when subsequently laundered.


The present invention features a fiber optic imaging system for generating a customized spectral response comprising (a) an optional optical source for generating optical energy, (b) an optical system for focusing multi spectral optical energy to form a focal surface; (b) a fiber optic element for conveying the optical energy, wherein the fiber optic element has an input end optically coupled to the focal surface to receive the optical energy and an output end to transmit the conveyed optical energy; and (c) a spectral filter optically coupled to at least one of the input and output ends of the fiber optic element, wherein the spectral filter has a filter passband configured to provide the fiber optic element with a pre-determined wavelength transmittance capacity, such that only pre-determined wavelengths of the optical energy are transmitted through the output end, thus achieving a customized spectral response. The fiber optic imaging system may further comprise an imaging array optically coupled to the output end of the fiber optic element and configured to gather the transmitted optical energy and to convert it into a data signal corresponding to an image based on the customized spectral response. An example of this type of configuration is a spectrometer.

Various systems and devices utilizing fiber optics to convey optical energy, such as an image, are well known in the art. In addition, the use of fiber optical elements near focal planes is also well known in the art. Indeed, fiber optics technology is utilized in a wide variety of applications for transmitting voice, video, and data signals. Fiber optic cables have significant advantages over electrical voice, video and data signal carriers, one of which is their capacity for increased data transfer.
A typical fiber optic cable includes a silica core (glass optical fiber element), a silica cladding, and a protective coating. The glass optical fibers of fiber optic cables have very small diameters, which are susceptible to external influences such as mechanical stress and environmental conditions. The index of refraction of the core is higher than the index of refraction of the cladding to promote internal reflection of light propagating down the core.
Recently, fiber optic elements have been utilized with imaging sensors or imaging arrays to create an imaging system. These systems are typically called fiber face plates and are associated with image intensifiers used in the visible and near-infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
When an image is formed on a detector array, the image is pixilated. The energy in each pixel is represented electronically in the form of digital bits. Unless some sort of spectral filter is used, this electronic image will include all wavelengths of light to which the detector is sensitive. This monochromatic or single spectral band type of sensor would record overall irradiance at the pixel but would result in a loss of color information.
There are also several types of color imaging systems. A typical imaging sensor uses red, green and blue as primary colors. The system may include red, green and blue transmissive filters or beamsplitters. A color image may be built up in a time sequential fashion by positioning the filters in front of a single detector array in a time sequenced fashion. Alternatively, the color image may be created by splitting the incoming beam of light into red, green, and blue components using the spectral filters and then imaging the beam on to three separate detector arrays; one each for the red, green, and blue colors. Another method of creating a color image is to use spectral filters directly on or close to the detector array distributed according to some predetermined color pattern. One such commonly used pattern is the Bayer pattern.
Prior to the present invention, several electronics instruments for remotely sensing light have been built using the traditional filter deposited on a substrate, including the ALI, ASTER, MISR, MODIS, and SeaWiFS. The disadvantage of the traditional filter substrate approach is that light can couple into adjacent spectral bands. This has been partially solved by placing an opaque layer between the different substrates and filters but this process is still dependent on cutting small pieces that are pre-coated or subsequently coating them. The small pieces must then be glued together to form the final filter. FIG. 11 shows the crosstalk problems and how some of them have been partially addressed in the past.

Spectral selection and image conveyance using micro filters and optical fibers

Utah State University Research Foundation


A virtual payment system for paying for goods, services and content ordered over an internetwork is disclosed. The virtual payment system includes a commerce gateway. Buyers and sellers becomes registered participants by applying for virtual payment buyer and seller accounts. Once an account is established with the commerce gateway, a digital certificate is stored on the registered participant's computer. A buyer can then order a product, i.e., goods, services or content from a seller and charge it to the virtual payment account. When the product is shipped, the seller notifies the commerce gateway, which applies the charges to the buyer's virtual payment account. The buyer can settle the charges using a prepaid account, a credit account, or by using reward points earned through use of the virtual payment account. A buyer may create sub-accounts.

Communication networks are well known in the computer communications field. By definition, a network is a group of computers and associated devices that are connected by communications facilities or links. Network communications can be of a permanent nature, such as via cables, or can be of a temporary nature, such as connections made through telephone or radio links. Networks may vary in size, from a local area network (LAN) consisting of a few computers or workstations and related devices; to a wide area network (WAN), which interconnects computers and LANs that are geographically dispersed; to a remote access service (RAS), which interconnects remote computers via temporary communication links. An internetwork, in turn, is the joining of multiple computer networks, both similar and dissimilar, by means of gateways or routers that facilitate data transfer and conversion from various networks. A well-known abbreviation for the term internetwork is "Internet." As currently understood, the capitalized term "Internet" refers to the collection of networks and routers that use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to communicate with one another.
A representative section of the Internet 40 is shown in FIG. 1 (Prior Art) in which a plurality of local area networks (LANs) 44 and a wide area network (WAN) 46 are interconnected by routers 42. The routers 42 are generally special purpose computers used to interface one LAN or WAN to another. Communication links within the LANs may be twisted wire pair, or coaxial cable, while communication links between networks may utilize 56 Kbps analog telephone lines, or 1 Mbps digital T-1 lines and/or 45 Mbps T-3 lines. Further, computers and other related electronic devices can be remotely connected to either the LANs 44 or the WAN 46 via a modem and temporary telephone link. Such computers and electronic devices 48 are shown in FIG. 1 as connected to one of the LANs 44 by a dotted line. It will be appreciated that the Internet comprises a vast number of such interconnected networks, computers and routers and that only a small, representative section of the Internet 40 is shown in FIG. 1.
The Internet has recently seen explosive growth by virtue of its ability to link computers located throughout the world. As the Internet has grown, so has the World Wide Web (WWW). The WWW is a vast collection of interconnected or "hypertext" documents (also known as "Web pages") written in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) that are electronically stored at "Web sites" throughout the Internet. A Web site is a server connected to the Internet that has mass storage facilities for storing hypertext documents and that runs administrative software for handling requests for those stored hypertext documents. A hypertext document normally includes a number of hyperlinks, i.e., highlighted portions of text that link the document to another hypertext document possibly stored at a Web site elsewhere on the Internet. Each hyperlink is associated with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that provides the exact location of the linked document on a server connected to the Internet. Thus, whenever a hypertext document is retrieved from any Web server, the document is considered to be retrieved from the WWW.
A user is allowed to retrieve hypertext documents from the WWW, i.e., a user is allowed to "surf the Web," via a Web browser. A Web browser, such as NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR® or MICROSOFT® Internet Explorer, is a software program implemented by a Web client, i.e., a user's computer, to provide a graphical user interface to the WWW. Upon request from the user via the Web browser, the Web client accesses and retrieves the desired hypertext document or Web page from the appropriate Web server using the URL for the document and a protocol known as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HTTP is a higher-level protocol than TCP/IP and is designed specifically for the requirements of the WWW. It is used on top of TCP/IP to transfer hypertext documents between servers and clients.
At the advent of the WWW, the information stored on the Internet was freely transferred back and forth between those parties interested in the information. However, the WWW is quickly becoming a channel of commercial activity, whereby a vast number of companies have developed their own Web sites for advertising and selling their goods and services. Commercial activity that takes place by means of connected computers is known as electronic commerce, or e-commerce, and can occur between a buyer and a seller through an on-line information service, the Internet, a bulletin board system (BBS), or between buyer and seller computers through electronic data interchange (EDI). A buyer (also referred to as a user, consumer or purchaser in the context of e-commerce) may "visit the Web site" of a company or seller, i.e., retrieve the hypertext documents located on the Web server of a particular seller, and order any good or service that the seller has to offer. If that good or service is in the form of electronically stored information, such as a book, a video, a computer game, etc., the buyer may simply download the good or service from the company's Web site to his or her computer for immediate consumption and use. If the good or service is of a more tangible nature, such as an appliance or article of clothing ordered from an on-line catalog, a more conventional method of delivery, e.g., the postal service or a common carrier, is used.
A common method of payment for e-commerce purchases is electronic credit, or e-credit. E-credit is a form of electronic commerce often involving credit card transactions carried out over the Internet. Traditional e-credit purchases are paid for by a major credit card, wherein the buyer is required to transmit his or her credit information, for example, an account number and expiration date, over the Internet to the company's Web site. Many buyers are concerned about the security and confidentiality of such electronic transmissions. Furthermore, many buyers do not have a major credit card with which to make such purchases. Alternative billing systems, such as providing credit information by facsimile or postal service, are much less convenient and often prove enough of a barrier to prohibit the sale altogether. Finally, the traditional methods of billing and payment do not adequately protect the seller or buyer from fraudulent purchases.
Accordingly, a more effective method and apparatus for ordering and billing for goods, services and content over a network, and ultimately the Internet, is needed. The method and apparatus should protect the seller and buyer from fraudulent purchases. Additionally, the method and apparatus should provide an element of non-repudiation to all transactions. The method and apparatus should also prevent buyers with histories of nonpayment from purchasing additional goods, services and/or content. Finally, the method and apparatus should allow a buyer without a major credit card to purchase goods, services and content over the network.

Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork using a virtual payment account


An optical amplification system includes: a first amplification module configured to amplify at least a conventional band (C band) optical signal; a second amplification module configured to amplify a longer wavelength band (L band) optical signal; an attenuator configured to attenuate at least the C band optical signal to obtain a first optical signal and a second optical signal, where the attenuator is further configured to output the first optical signal to the second amplification module and output the second optical signal to a wavelength division multiplexing module, which is configured to combine and output the C band optical signal and the L band optical signal.

As a wavelength division multiplexing network is widely applied, a system capacity is greatly improved. However, currently, improvement of spectral efficiency of a conventional band (C band) has reached a bottleneck, and therefore, a wavelength division multiplexing system begins extending to bands apart from the C band. A longer wavelength band (L band), due to low attenuation, becomes a first choice of an extended frequency band. Therefore, for an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) system including a C band and an L band (C+L band EDFA), the EDFA system needs to be re-designed to match broader amplification bandwidth.
Currently, a conventional C+L band EDFA adopts a manner in which a C band EDFA and an L band EDFA are connected in parallel. FIG. 1 shows an optical amplification system including a C band EDFA and an L band EDFA. As shown in FIG. 1, an input end and an output end each use a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) for wavelength splitting and combining, and the C band EDFA and the L band EDFA that are connected in parallel respectively amplify a C band optical signal and an L band optical signal.
Due to parallel use of the C band EDFA and the L band EDFA, and relatively low pumping efficiency of the L band EDFA, a total pumping power demand of the C+L band EDFA is doubled or even more compared with that of a single C band EDFA. Consequently, power consumption of the EDFA is increased, and application costs of a WDM system are also increased.
Therefore, an optical amplification system is urgently needed to improve the pumping efficiency.


An interlocked connector having integral interlock components such as a spring biased pin in a female connector which actuates an interlocked switch whenever the female connector is mated with a male connector. The interlocked switch interrupts a power source to avoid a dangling live connector.

Connecting a power source, such as a radio frequency ("RF") power source, to a device, such as an RF match unit, can be hazardous if the connecting cable can be disengaged at the device while still attached, at the other end, to the power source, resulting in an open live cable end. To avoid this hazard, the cable may be configured so as not to provide a disconnection at the device, thus allowing the connecting cable to be disengaged at the power source. However, in industrial applications, cables are commonly not supplied with equipment. Rather, the equipment includes standard connection jacks for receipt of industry standard cables.
One known solution to having a live open end on a connecting cable typically involves an interlocked switch provided between the cable and device. The interlocked switch disables a power source when the connecting cable is disengaged at the device. Interlocked switches typically include two bulky housings which enclose a male/female connection and a microswitch that is actuated by mating the housings around the male/female connection. The microswitch is in turn connected by a control wire to control circuits that switch the power source off when the male/female connection is disengaged. Unfortunately, some of the interlocked switches rely heavily on the integrity of equipment operators since the housings can be mated and activate a power source without enclosing the male/female connection. The incentive to bypass an interlocked switch arises when the interlocked components are time consuming to use properly.
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) shows such an interlocked switch assembly for disabling an A/C power source 10 which powers a semiconductor processing platform 12 which typically includes two or more high vacuum chambers 14, 16. Each chamber 14, 16 typically receives RF power through an RF match unit 18, 20 from an RF source 22, 24 which employs A/C power. The RF sources 22, 24 are connected to the RF match units 18, 20 by flexible RF cables 26, 28 having male connectors on each end. Connection of each RF cable 26, 28 at the RF match unit 18, 20 presents the possibility of a dangling live male connector. Each chamber 14, 16 typically has an independently powered interlock circuit 30, 31 which is disabled by an interlock switch string 32, 33 unless an interlocked switch 34, 36 is closed to establish a completed male/female RF connection at the RF match unit 18, 20.
FIG. 2 (Prior Art) shows an interlocked switch 34 positioned to be closed after a male RF connector 42 on the RF cable 26 and a female RF connector 44 on the RF match unit 18 are mated to supply RF power to the RF match unit. The interlocked switch 34 is closed by joining a first housing 46 and a second housing 48 around the RF connection.
FIG. 3 (Prior Art) is a schematic circuit diagram for the interlocked switch assembly of FIG. 1. The independently powered interlock circuit 30 includes a battery 50, a contactor 52 which interrupts power to the chamber 14 from the A/C power source 10, and a relay 54 which is closed by a current in the interlock switch string 32. The interlock switch string 32 includes the relay 54 and further includes a separate power source 56, the interlocked switch 34 which interlocks the RF match unit 18, and one or more additional switches 58, 59 which interlock other components with the A/C power source 10 to the chamber 14.
There is a need for a passive interlocked switch for use with connecting cables which connect a device to a power source wherein the interlocked switch does not require separate action by an operator to connect or disconnect the interlocked switch when replacing the connecting cable. It would be desirable if the interlocked switch was not easily bypassed.


A growth crucible (2) for depositing on a seed crystal substrate (5) a silicon carbide single crystal (6) using a sublimate gas of a silicon carbide raw material (11) is disposed inside of an outer crucible (1). During the course of silicon carbide single crystal, a silicon raw material (22) is continuously fed from outside into a space between the growth crucible and the outer crucible for the purpose of vaporizing the silicon raw material. An atmosphere gas surrounding the growth crucible is constituted of a silicon gas. The pressure of the atmosphere silicon gas is controlled to suppress a variation in the composition of the sublimate gas within the growth crucible to thereby grow a large-sized silicon carbide single crystal with few crystal defects on the seed crystal substrate reliably at a high growth rate.

Silicon carbide single crystal, which has become of interest as a semiconductor material, is generally produced through a sublimation process employing silicon carbide powder serving as a raw material. In the sublimation process, the silicon carbide powder and a seed crystal substrate are placed in the interior of a graphite-made growth crucible such that the powder and the substrate face each other, and the silicon carbide raw material is heated to 1,800 to 2,400° C. in an inert gas atmosphere. The thus generated silicon carbide sublimate gas reaches the seed crystal substrate, which is maintained at a temperature suitable for crystal growth, whereby a silicon carbide single crystal is deposited on the substrate.
In the sublimation process, sublimate gas components, e.g., Si, Si2C, SiC2 and SiC, are generated from the silicon carbide raw material, and some of the gas components are deposited onto the seed crystal substrate to thereby grow a silicon carbide single crystal. In the sublimation process, the silicon carbide single crystal is grown through sublimation and deposition of a solid compound. Therefore, the sublimation process involves the problems in 1) that the growth rate of the single crystal is low and 2) that when the growth rate is increased, generation of crystal defects and polycrystallization tend to occur.
During the growth process of the silicon carbide single crystal, the composition of the sublimate gas varies depending on various factors including sublimation and decomposition of the silicon carbide powder serving as a raw material, interaction between the sublimate gas components in a vapor phase and reaction of the gas components with graphite constituting the inner wall of the growth crucible. When the silicon carbide raw material is heated, the silicon component, which has a high vapor pressure, is readily gasified, but the carbon component tends to remain in the raw material. Therefore, during the heating process, sublimation of the silicon component contained in the silicon carbide raw material precedes sublimation of the carbon component. This phenomenon is one of the factors that cause variation in the composition of the sublimate gas. Other factors causing variation in the composition of the sublimate gas include the sublimation temperature of the raw material, the composition of the raw material and time-course change in the temperature profile in the growth crucible.
Variation in the composition of the sublimate gas at a region in the vicinity of the surface of the seed crystal substrate on which the single crystal is grown is considered to cause generation of crystal defects in silicon carbide crystals and formation of polytypes or growth of anisotropic crystals (i.e., polycrystallization), which lead to deterioration of crystallinity of the single crystal. Therefore, production of a silicon carbide single crystal of high quality requires control of the aforementioned factors that cause variation in the composition of the sublimate gas.
Conventionally, several measures have been taken in order to improve crystallinity of a silicon carbide single crystal. For example, when a silicon carbide single crystal is grown, the growth rate thereof is lowered to thereby suppress generation of crystal defects, or the time for growth continuity of the single crystal is shortened so as to reduce variation in the composition of a sublimate gas. However, these measures are not satisfactory in terms of the quality and stability of a silicon carbide single crystal produced through the sublimation process.
In view of the foregoing, the following improvement in the sublimation process has been proposed in JP-A HEI 6-316499, for example. The improvement relates to a method for reducing variation in the composition of a sublimate gas, which method comprises disposing a silicon raw material and a carbon raw material separately, reacting gas components generated from the silicon raw material with the carbon raw material to thereby form silicon carbide, and sublimating the thus formed silicon carbide to produce a silicon carbide single crystal. However, this method inevitably involves a fundamental problem associated with the sublimation process, i.e., variation in the composition of the sublimate gas with the progress of sublimation of the silicon carbide. In addition, in this method, production of a silicon carbide single crystal requires a two-step process, leading to relatively long production time.
In addition, JP-B SHO 51-8400 discloses a method that comprises evaporating silicon under heating in a reaction crucible, reacting the resultant silicon vapor with carbon vapor obtained through evaporation of carbon contained in the inner wall of the crucible, and transferring the resultant reaction gas into a silicon carbide deposition chamber to thereby deposit a silicon carbide single crystal onto the inner wall of the chamber. However, this method entails a drawback in that the growth rate of the silicon carbide single crystal is low since the vapor pressure of carbon is lower than that of silicon.
As described above, there has not yet been established an effective method for controlling factors causing variation in the composition of a sublimate gas to thereby grow a silicon carbide single crystal of high crystallinity.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for growing, through the sublimation process, a large-sized silicon carbide single crystal with few crystal defects on a seed crystal substrate at a high growth rate and in a reliable manner, with an atmosphere gas controlled to reduce variation in the composition of a sublimate gas and provide an apparatus for carrying out the method.
Another object of the invention is to provide a silicon carbide single crystal, with crystal defects reduced and with quality and stability maintained sufficiently high.

Silicon carbide single crystal and method and apparatus for producing the same


An inner chamber is arranged inside an outer chamber and stores quartz crystal powder. A space is defined between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, and an oxygen gas is introduced into that space. The quartz crystal powder is supplied from the inner chamber into a burner section, together with the oxygen gas. The burner section is also supplied with a flammable gas from a gas control device. The flammable gas contains an NH.sub.3 gas. The heat produced by the combustion of the flammable and oxygen gases fuses the quartz crystal powder supplied from the inner chamber into the burner section. As a result, quartz containing nitrogen is produced. The nitrogen is contained in the fused quartz in an amount which is expressed as 1 to 10% by molar ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to quartz with which to form a chamber, susceptor, or other jigs used for the manufacture of semiconductors, an apparatus for manufacturing the quartz, and a method for manufacturing the quartz.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, fused quartz is utilized for the manufacture of jigs which have to be formed of quartz. The fused quartz is obtained by fusing quartz crystal powder by means of a burner or an electric furnace. Where the burner is employed, the quartz powder is fused by the oxyhydrogen flame in the atmosphere containing H.sub.2 and O.sub.2. Where the electric furnace is employed, the quartz crystal powder is fused in the vacuum atmosphere by the heat generated by the heater. However, the fused quartz obtained in these processes has the following drawbacks:
Although quartz is a material which cannot be easily softened, it may deform when heated at a temperature higher than 1,100.degree. C. Therefore, it is not desired to use quartz as the material of jigs which are subjected to high-temperature processing, such as high-temperature annealing.
In addition, quartz permits easy permeation of a metal which has a high diffusion coefficient in quartz, such as Cu or Ni. That is, quartz cannot be used for forming a chamber which is used for treating such metals.
Further, particles of boron (B) or aluminum (Al) may easily attach to quartz. If a chamber having such an impurity is used for a long time, the impurity may be emitted from the quartz constituting the chamber, resulting in contamination of semiconductor substrates.
If quartz is used for forming a chamber or a susceptor of a CVD apparatus which forms films by use of chemical vapor phase growth, the films attaching to the susceptor or the inner wall of the chamber have to be removed regularly. During the cleaning process for this removal, the chamber or susceptor formed of quartz may be damaged.
When a film to which a large amount of phosphorus (P) or B is added by use of vapor phase growth is formed on a wafer, the wafer has to be held by a jig. If this jig is formed of quartz, it is likely that the jigs will be damaged by the diffusion of P or B. The jig may crack when the temperature for treatment is greatly raised or lowered.

Quartz used in semiconductor manufacturing device, apparatus for manufacturing the quartz, and method for manufacturing the same


Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, a wearable device, an electronic device, and a computer program product for monitoring a user. The method includes verifying an identity of the user by analyzing user data related to the user and obtained by a wearable device, the user data including at least a first image of a part of the user's body. The method further includes monitoring a relative position of the wearable device with respect to the user based on sensor data obtained by the wearable device if the verification on the identity of the user succeeds; monitoring a surrounding environment of the user based on a second image of the surrounding environment obtained by the wearable device; and monitoring behaviors of the user based at least in part on the monitored relative position and the monitored surrounding environment.

With the rapid development of information technologies, remote applications such as remote office, remote education, and remote examination are more and more widely used in various fields. These remote applications have changed users' original behavior patterns to a large extent and provide convenience for users. For example, remote examinations do not require the use of an examination room, and users taking the examinations do not need to run back and forth between their residences and the examination room, which saves paper and can further save costs and time.
For these users who adopt a remote application, how to monitor the users' behaviors has attracted widespread attention. For example, the users who take the remote examination cannot be monitored on site. In a conventional monitoring method, the users' behaviors can be monitored in real time by an invigilator through cameras. However, this conventional monitoring method cannot detect certain cheating behaviors of the users, and the user experience is not good.

Method, device, and computer program product for monitoring user


A processing apparatus supports a narrowing-and-rounding arithmetic operation which generates, in response to two operands each comprising at least one W-bit data element, a result value comprising at least one X-bit result data element, with each X-bit result data element representing a sum or difference of corresponding W-bit data elements of the two operands rounded to an X-bit value (W>X). The arithmetic operation is implemented using a number of N-bit additions (N<W), with carry values from a first stage of N-bit additions being added at a second stage of N-bit additions for adding a rounding value to the result of the first stage additions. This technique reduces the amount of time required for performing the narrowing-and-rounding arithmetic operation.

A data processing apparatus may perform a narrowing-and-rounding arithmetic operation in which two data values are added or subtracted and the result of the addition or subtraction is rounded to yield a data value having fewer bits that the original data values. The present technique seeks to speed up implementation of such an operation.

Data processing apparatus and method for performing a narrowing-and-rounding arithmetic operation


A scanning head for use in a register mark detection apparatus for detecting register marks on a web during relative movement between the web and the scanning head. The scanning head comprises an optical sensor and a first optical mask spaced from the optical sensor and having an aperture therethrough to define the viewing footprint of the optical sensor. In some embodiments, the scanning head also includes a second optical mask in series with the first optical mask. The scanning head is versatile and capable of operating with high sensitivity and accuracy even with low contrast media, including with embossed or relief marks, or for fold-line registration or with translucent media.

As in many other industries, it is desirable in the printing industry to simplify the design of equipment used to ensure efficient operation and cost savings. One area where technological advances afford cost savings is in the design of the printing press and print registration equipment. Through enhancements to the print registration equipment, considerable savings have been achieved while reliably ensuring that each of the color-global change layers in a four color print process are printed in register with each other as they are sequentially applied to the print web, and minimizing the wastage in each print run. In some equipment, one or more arrays of optical sensors are deployed in one or more scanning heads overlying the print web to detect the print registration marks on the print web and a processor linked to the scanning heads monitors the signals from the sensors and determines when a sensor or group of sensors has sensed the passage of a print registration mark.
Although much improvement has been obtained in the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the print registration equipment, the hardware costs have not been as effectively addressed. It is, accordingly, desirable to provide for a more economical construction of print registration equipment while maintaining the high standards of accuracy and reliability that the print industry has come to expect and require. It is further desirable to provide for a more compact construction of print registration scanning head.


A distributed disparate wireless switching network is described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary network architecture includes, but is not limited to, a connection origination exchange (COX), a proxy controller coupled to the COX, an access point coupled to the proxy controller, and a mobile node wirelessly coupled to the access point. The mobile node communicates with a terminating node of a network through the access point and the proxy controller using an identification maintained by the proxy controller. The COX originates a connection with the terminating node on behalf of the mobile node using the identification provided by the proxy controller. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Wireless communication has become pervasive over the last couple of decades. Specifically, cellular networks have become ubiquitous both within the United States as well as internationally. Recent advances in Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and WiMax are further receiving much attention for data communications within wireless local area network (WLAN). Increasingly, WLAN technologies are becoming capable of providing high bandwidth services and adequate quality of service for multi-service communications, such as voice, video and data.
WLAN penetration within the enterprises and small and medium businesses (SMB) promises to significantly improve workforce productivity. Present architectures for data and voice communications are inadequate to provide true workforce mobilization within the enterprises and SMBs. The cellular architecture in the form of second generation (2G), third generation (3G), and the forthcoming fourth generation (4G) architectures are commonplace and provide limited mobility management infrastructure.
However, such architectures are generally private to the operating carrier, and no access is available for external agencies to the carrier's network for comprehensive device mobility management. The general reluctance of the wireless carriers in opening up their private mobility management solutions to the public is rooted in the business need for the carriers to maintain control over the subscribers within their networks.
On the other hand, the subscriber's preference is to carry a single mobile device for comprehensive communications with custom mobility management capabilities and is in direct odds with the business needs of the carrier. The convergence of wireless local area networks and cellular wireless networks further highlights the competing interests of the subscriber and the service provider.
An advanced technique for comprehensive mobility management under the control of the subscriber is needed to provide true workforce mobilization and advanced services within the enterprise, SMBs and subscribers in general.

Distributed disparate wireless switching network


An electrophotographic apparatus for providing a thermally fixed toner image on a recording medium and wherein the fixing temperature can be selectively canceled. The apparatus is of the type including: an image forming unit for forming a toner image to be printed and for then transferring the toner image onto a recording medium, a feed mechanism for feeding a recording medium supplied via one of at least two guide paths to the image forming unit, a fixing unit for thermally fixing the transferred toner image on the recording medium, and a temperature control unit for setting a fixing temperature for the fixing unit. A controller is provided to determine the particular guide paths used to supply the recording medium and to command the temperature control unit to set a fixing temperature in accordance with the determined guide path. Preferably, one of the guide path is supplied by a sheet feeder and the other guide path is a horizontal path permitting manual insertion, and the controller causes a lower fixing temperature to be set when the recording medium is supplied by the feeder and a higher fixing temperature when the recording mechanism is supplied via the horizontal guide path.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus of the type where toner is thermally fixed on a recording medium, and especially to an electrophotographic apparatus permitting fail-free fixing irrespective of the type of recording medium.
An electrophotographic apparatus is equipped with a cylindrical photoreceptor, a primary charger for charging a surface of the photoreceptor, an exposure light source for forming a latent electrostatic image on the photoreceptor, a developing device for applying toner to the latent electrostatic image to develop the same, a transfer charger for electrostatically attracting the toner from the photoreceptor to a recording medium so as to achieve transfer of the toner, a cleaning device for removing any toner still remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor, a fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the recording medium, and a feed mechanism for feeding the recording medium.
The primary charger charges the surface of the photoreceptor to impart photosensitivity to the surface. Next, the exposure light source illuminates the photoreceptor to form a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the photoreceptor. The developing device then applies toner in accordance with the latent electrostatic image on the surface of the photoreceptor so that a toner image is formed. Subsequently, the toner image is transferred onto the recording medium by the transfer charger.
Recording media, such as normal paper sheets, stored in a paper supply tray are fed out one by one from the tray along a usually curved guide path in accordance with rotation of the feed roller and are then delivered to the transfer charger in synchronization with rotation of the photoreceptor. After the toner image has been transferred at the transfer charger, the recording medium is subjected to thermal fixing at the fixing unit so that the toner image is fixed on the recording medium.
On the other hand, special media such as envelops or postcards are each conveyed horizontally to the transfer charger via a guide path or route into which such special media are manually inserted. These special media are therefore conveyed without bending. Each special medium with a toner image likewise transferred thereon by the transfer charge, is fed to the fixing unit, where thermal fixing is conducted similarly.
The above-described electrophotographic apparatus permits printing on a wide variety of media, including recording media, such as general paper, and special media such as envelops and postcards. However, for this purpose, the fixing unit normally must be set at a fixing temperature sufficiently high to fix toner images on various media without failure. Namely, its fixing temperature must be set at a level sufficiently high so that fixing is feasible even on recording media having a large thickness and poor fixation such as envelops and postcards.
Fixing is therefore always performed at the high temperature set in view of media having poor fixation properties despite that fixing can be conducted at a lower temperature when general or normal paper is being printed. Accordingly, when a general recording medium such as normal paper is being used, electricity is wasted and, moreover, curling of the recording media occurs.


A system for compensating a power transmission grid is provided. The system includes one or more non-conventional power generating sources that are connected to the power transmission grid. At least one series compensation circuit is connected to at least a portion of the power transmission grid, to compensate the power transmission grid. At least one damping circuit is connected to at least a portion of the power transmission grid, and it mitigates subsynchronous series resonance caused by the series compensation circuit on the power transmission grid.

The present invention relates to power transmission. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for compensation of power transmission lines.
The quality of power distributed through modern electrical distribution systems continues to be an issue concerning operators of large systems. One such power quality problem is known as voltage flicker. Voltage flicker is a voltage dip that is of a magnitude sufficient to have an objectionable effect on other loads connected to the same circuit. The disturbance may be experienced as only blinking lights, but the magnitude and the frequency of the occurrences determine flicker's impact on system users.
FIG. 1 illustrates a common voltage flicker scenario. Flicker-producing loads 110 on system 100 are typically caused by large motors, welders, or arc-furnaces. These loads are characterized by high inrush currents of relatively short duration, as experienced in the starting of a motor. The motor's inrush current is typically of a low power factor, and causes a voltage dip of increasing magnitude along the feeder up to the point of the load's connection. This causes voltage flicker problems between the load 110 and the source 120, which, when severe enough often leads to a user complaint 130.
The distribution series capacitor 140 has long been recognized as a cost-effective solution to these types of flicker problems. Unfortunately, distribution-class electrical power lines equipped with a distribution series capacitor are subject to two distinct and damaging phenomena, ferroresonance involving transformers, and self-excitation of motors during starting. Ferroresonance is an often severe and rapidly building oscillatory overvoltage condition caused by system non-linearities that can appear when power transformer cores saturate. These non-linearities interact with the series capacitor to produce a low-frequency resonant condition, often in response to large inrush currents following breaker operations. Self-excitation of induction motors is a potentially damaging condition that can occur on the same system. The term "self-excitation" refers to sub-harmonic oscillations that may occur in an electric supply circuit that includes series capacitors. The sub-harmonic oscillations result from the interaction between the series capacitors and an induction motor when the motor is in the process of starting. These oscillations are typically characterized by motor starting problems and sustained overcurrent conditions.
When ferroresonance occurs, immediate action must be taken to prevent damage to other equipment. Ferroresonance is a rapidly occurring, high magnitude, and low frequency oscillation capable of reaching power system voltage levels of 100-200% above normal for brief periods. When self-excitation occurs, low-frequency oscillations are produced as the motor starting sequence fails. The motor will search for the proper operating frequency, which will cause large current surges as the shaft acceleration alternates.
Power generation sites (e.g., thermal prime movers, induction generators, wind turbines, etc.) are often located very far from load centers. To enable the transmission of power over long distances, the use of series capacitors is often employed to raise the power limits of the resulting long transmission lines. The series capacitors can cause series-resonant oscillations, which have been known to cause damage to generator shafts. Damage could also be inflicted on wind turbine power transmission and control components.
The series-resonant oscillations occur at a sub-harmonic of the supply frequency (typically 60 Hz in North America). This effect has become known as subsynchronous resonance (SSR). The most famous incident involving SSR occurred in 1970 and again in 1971 at the Mohave Generating Station in southern Nevada, USA. A generator experienced a gradually growing vibration that eventually led to a fracture of the shaft section between the generator and the rotating exciter. Investigations determined that an electrical resonance at 30.5 Hz produced torque at 29.5 Hz (the 60 Hz compliment frequency), which was near coincident with the frequency of the second torsional vibration-mode of the turbine-generator at 30.1 Hz. This interaction between the series capacitors and the torsional system is an example of subsynchronous resonance.
Wind turbines and wind farms are becoming increasingly popular and are being installed in greater numbers around the world. The best locations for wind farms are often located far from load centers. In addition, multiple wind farms may need to be connected to an existing electrical grid that may also connect to thermal generation stations (e.g., gas or steam turbines driving one or more generators).

Compensation system for power transmission


In the embodiment described in the specification, the fuel injection quantity for an internal combustion engine is adjusted for regulating smooth operation by recording a number of uneven operation fuel injection values for each individual cylinder during an observation interval, sorting the recorded uneven operation values individually for each cylinder operation according to their sign and magnitude, determining, individually for each cylinder, whether the median uneven operation value is lower than, equal to, or higher than zero, and increasing the injection quantity if the median uneven operation value is lower than zero, or reducing the fuel injection quantity if the median uneven operation value is higher than zero.

This invention relates to methods for adjusting the fuel injection quantity of an internal combustion engine for regulating smoothness of operation, especially for automobiles.
In automobiles, low frequency vibration of the entire vehicle often occurs in the lower speed range of the vehicle, in particular during idling. This vibration is often referred to as "shaking" and has a frequency in the range between 1 and 5 Hz.
The reason for this shaking is the range of tolerances required for mass production of fuel injection equipment. In this case, dimensional variations which can occur within the permitted tolerance ranges for the injection components give rise to fuel injection quantities which differ from cylinder to cylinder. These fuel quantity differences lead to rapid changes in torque which produce vibrations in the engine and body structure. Shaking is therefore an unavoidable consequence of manufacturing tolerances.
These low frequency vibrations can be damped, for example, by adjusting the fuel quantities injected into the individual cylinders. One arrangement for damping shaking comprises, for example, a controller which varies a predetermined desired fuel quantity value as a function of the rapid variations in torque in an attempt to make the torque variations as insignificant as possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,535 discloses an arrangement in which each cylinder has a control which forms a regulating fuel quantity value for that cylinder as a function of the actual fuel quantity value supplied to that cylinder and of an average of the fuel quantity value for all of the cylinders. Furthermore, in that arrangement the average value is formed from the preceding actual fuel quantity values of all of the cylinders. A disadvantage of that arrangement is the requirement for a complicated individual cylinder correction control which makes the arrangement complex and expensive.
German Patent No. 37 05 586 discloses an arrangement that generates fuel quantity signals which are dependent on the engine operating characteristics, determines from an engine speed signal a smooth running signal, derives from the smooth running signal a fuel quantity error per engine working stroke and cylinder, and superposes a corresponding correcting signal on the fuel quantity signal. The time period of the correcting signal corresponds to one camshaft revolution and the phase relationship of the corrective signal is oriented to the cylinder having the greatest fuel quantity deviation above the average value. In this case, therefore, the fuel quantity correction takes place uniformly for all cylinders.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 43 19 677 discloses a method for regulating the smooth operation of an internal combustion engine in which a segmented wheel generates segment pulses, with two segment pulses defining each segment, and each cylinder of the internal combustion engine is assigned an actual smooth operating fuel quantity value, a desired smooth operating fuel quantity value, a control deviation, and a controller. Each controller predetermines a cylinder-specific regulating fuel quantity value, starting from the associated control deviation, and the actual smooth operating fuel quantity value and desired smooth operating fuel quantity value are predetermined, starting from at least one segment period duration, the actual smooth operation values and/or the control deviations supplied to the controllers being predetermined by using a weighted average value.
One disadvantage of the conventional methods is that they readjust the fuel quantity for each cylinder on the basis of individual deviations with the result that the overall behavior of the internal combustion engine is uneven. This is particularly true in the case of singular deviations or periodically occurring fluctuations of individual combustions resulting from deposits on the injection valves.

Method for adjusting the fuel injection quantity of an internal combustion engine for regulating smooth operation


A line pressure control apparatus of an automatic transmission controls the line pressure of the automatic transmission under a lockup condition to ensure an engagement capacity and an amount of lubrication oil for an engaged friction element under a high vehicle speed condition. The line pressure control apparatus comprises a line pressure lowering section, a vehicle speed deciding section and a pressure changing section. The pressure lowering section lowers a line pressure under a lockup condition of the automatic transmission. The vehicle speed deciding section decides whether a vehicle speed of the automotive vehicle is higher than a predetermined value. The pressure changing section changes the line pressure under the lockup condition from the lowered line pressure to a line pressure under a normal condition when the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined value.

The present invention relates to improvements in a line pressure control apparatus of an automatic transmission which apparatus controls a line pressure of the automatic transmission under a lockup condition so as to ensure an engagement capacity and an amount of lubrication oil for an engaged friction element under a high vehicle speed condition.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-309056 discloses a conventional line pressure control apparatus of an automatic transmission which apparatus is arranged to lower the line pressure when an engagement of a lockup clutch of a torque converter is established. More particularly, during the time period from the output of the lockup engagement command to the time elapsed the predetermined time period, the line pressure is gradually lowered according to an input torque of the automatic transmission. Further, when the lockup engagement is accomplished, the line pressure is set at a value lower than that of the normal condition. In this conventional line pressure control apparatus, the balance between the supply and consumption of lubrication oil at the automatic transmission under the lockup condition is controlled by decreasing the leak amount of lubrication oil for the automatic transmission. The decrease of the leak amount is executed by setting the lockup line pressure at a lower value as compared with that of the normal condition.
In contrast, the necessary amount of the lubrication oil in the automatic transmission is generally determined according to the input torque to the engaged friction element such as the engine torque and the rotation speed of the engaged friction element such as the vehicle speed. However, the conventional line pressure control apparatus is arranged to determine the amount of the lubrication oil for the automatic transmission only by the engine torque. This may cause a shortage of the lubrication oil when the vehicle travels in a high vehicle speed.

Line pressure control apparatus of automatic transmission