A method of performing a simulation of a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir. The reservoir is approximated by a reservoir model having a plurality of cells. Each cell has an equation set representing a reservoir property. An initial guess is provided to a solution for a system of equations formed using the equation set for each of the cells. An iterative root-finding method and the initial guess are used to solve for a solution to the system of equations. When the number of non-converged cells is greater than a predetermined amount, neighboring converged cells are added to the non-converged cells. Parts of the method are repeated, substituting the solved solution for the initial guess and the equation sets corresponding to the non-converged cells for the first system of equations, until substantially all equation sets satisfy the convergence criterion. The solved solution is outputted as a simulation of the subsurface reservoir.

This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with aspects of the disclosed techniques and methodologies. A list of references is provided at the end of this section and may be referred to hereinafter. This discussion, including the references, is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the disclosure. Accordingly, this section should be read in this light and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
Reservoir simulators solve systems of equations describing the flow of oil, gas and water within subterranean formations. In a reservoir simulation model, the subterranean formation is mapped on to a two- or three-dimensional grid comprising a plurality of cells. Each cell has an associated equation set that describes the flow into the cell, the flow out of the cell, and the accumulation within the cell. For example, if the reservoir is divided into 1000 cells, there will be 1000 equation sets that need to be solved.
To model the time-varying nature of fluid flow in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the solution of the equations to be solved on the grid cells varies over time. In the reservoir simulator, solutions are determined at discrete times. The time interval between solutions is called the timestep. For example, the reservoir simulator may calculate the pressures and saturations occurring at the end of a month, so the timestep is a month and a single solution to the equation set is needed. To calculate the changes in pressure and saturation over a year, the simulator in this example calculates twelve monthly solutions. The time spent solving this problem is roughly twelve times the time spent solving the single month problem.
The size of the timestep that a simulator can take depends on a number of factors. One factor is the numerical method employed to find the solution. As some reservoir models may have thousands or millions of cells, various methods have been proposed to efficiently solve the large number of equations to be solved by a reservoir simulation model. One popular strategy for finding the solutions to these systems of equations is to use an iterative root-finding method. These methods find approximate solutions that get progressively closer to the true the true solution through iteration and solution updating. Newton's Method is one type of iterative root-finding method in general use. In Newton's Method, the set of simulation equations are cast into a form that makes the solution an exercise in finding the zeros of a function, i.e. finding x such that ƒ(x)=0.
FIG. 1 is a graph 8 that depicts Newton's Method for a single equation. Curve 10 is the function ƒ(x). What is sought is the value x where ƒ(x)=0, indicated by point 12. The initial guess is x0. The second guess is calculated by taking the line 14 tangent to ƒ(x) at x0 and applying the formula x1=x0−(ƒ(x0)/ƒ′(x0)). Here ƒ′(x) denotes the derivative of the function ƒ(x) and is the slope of the tangent line at x. The third guess, x2, uses the line 16 tangent at the second guess (x1) and applies the same formula, x2=x1−(ƒ(x1)/ƒ′(x1)). Continuing this iterative algorithm one can get very close to the root of ƒ(x), i.e., point 12, in a modest number of iterations.
Reservoir simulators have expanded Newton's Method to solve for the many thousands of equations at each timestep. Instead of one equation a system of equations is used:
                                                        f              1                                                  (                                                x                  1                                ,                …                                                                                ,                                  x                  n                                            )                                =          0                                                                                f              2                                                  (                                                x                  1                                ,                …                                                                                ,                                  x                  n                                            )                                =          0                                                          ⋮                                                                                f              n                                                  (                                                x                  1                                ,                …                                                                                ,                                  x                  n                                            )                                =          0                                    [                  Equation                                                              1                ]            where f1(x1, . . . , xn)=0 are the reservoir simulation equations for grid block 1 containing the variables x1 through xn, and n is the number of grid cells. The variables, x1, . . . , xn, are typically pressures and saturations at each cell.
To apply Newton's method to this system of equations the tangent of the function is needed to use in the iterative method, like that described above for the single equation above. The tangent of this matrix A is called the Jacobian J and is composed of the derivatives of the functions with respect to the unknowns.
                    J        =                  [                                                                                ∂                                          f                      1                                                                            ∂                                          x                      1                                                                                …                                                                                ∂                                          f                      1                                                                            ∂                                          x                      n                                                                                ⋮                                            ⋱                                            ⋮                                                                                ∂                                          f                      n                                                                            ∂                                          x                      1                                                                                …                                                                                ∂                                          f                      n                                                                            ∂                                          x                      n                                                                                ]                                    [                  Equation                                                              2                ]
As in the case with one equation an initial guess {right arrow over (x)}0 is made, where {right arrow over (x)}0 is a vector of solutions. Each subsequent guess is formed in the same manner as that for a single variable, where {right arrow over (x)}i is formed from the previous guess {right arrow over (x)}i−1 using the following equation:{right arrow over (x)}i={right arrow over (x)}i−1−(f({right arrow over (x)}i−1)/J({right arrow over (x)}i−1))  [Equation 3]This equation can be rewritten asJ({right arrow over (x)}i−1)({right arrow over (x)}i−{right arrow over (x)}i−1)=−f({right arrow over (x)}i−1)  [Equation 4]which is a matrix equation of the form A{right arrow over (x)}={right arrow over (b)}. The solution is thought to be converged when either the term ({right arrow over (x)}i−{right arrow over (x)}i−1) or −f({right arrow over (x)}i) approaches zero, i.e. is below a small threshold, epsilon (ε). This idea is applied thousands or millions of times over hundreds of timesteps in a reservoir simulator.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart 20 showing the steps of Newton's Method for a system of equations. At block 21, a solution vector {right arrow over (x)}i, representing the solutions for the system of equations, is set to an initial guess {right arrow over (x)}0. At block 22 a Jacobian Matrix Ji and a vector {right arrow over (b)}i is constructed for all cells Zn, or equation sets associated with the cells, using the solution vector {right arrow over (x)}i. At block 23 a new solution estimate {right arrow over (x)}i1 is obtained for all cells Zn. At block 24 it is determined how many cells are unconverging, which may be defined as having associated equation sets that have not satisfied a convergence criterion. If the number of unconverging cells is zero, then at block 25 the method stops. However, if at block 26 it is determined that the number of unconverging cells is not zero, then at block 27 the solution guess vector {right arrow over (x)}i is set to the new solution estimate {right arrow over (x)}i1 and the process returns to block 22. The method repeats until no cells are unconverging. At that point the system of equations may be considered solved.
While the Newton's Method provides a simple way to iteratively solve for solutions to systems of equations, its effectiveness is lessened when the equations in a system of equations do not uniformly converge. For example, a two-dimensional grid 30 is shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D as having 169 cells. Each cell has an equation or equation set associated therewith. Prior to any iteration (FIG. 3A) the 169 equations are used as inputs to Newton's Method. After one iteration of Newton's Method (FIG. 3B) the equations related to 111 cells have converged (shown by the lighter-colored cells 32). In other words, some areas of the reservoir have found solutions such that the term ({right arrow over (x)}i−{right arrow over (x)}i−1) is below ε for those areas. The unconverged cells are shown as darker colored cells 34. The second iteration (FIG. 3C) uses all 169 equations, and the equations related to 147 cells have converged thereafter (as indicated by reference number 36). After the third iteration (FIG. 3D)—which also uses all 169 equations—is completed, all equations have converged. This example highlights a drawback of Newton's Method: even though most equations have converged to a solution after a single iteration, Newton's Method uses the equations for all cells for all iterations. In other words, the size of the system of equations to be solved does not change after each iteration. For a large two- or three-dimensional reservoir simulation grid having thousands or millions of cells, the time and computational power required to perform Newton's Method repeatedly may be prohibitive.
Various attempts have been made to reduce the time required to solve a system of equations using Newton's Method. Examples of these attempts are found in the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,662,146, 6,052,520, 7,526,418, and 6,230,101; U.S. Patent Application No. 2009/0055141; "Krylov-Secant Methods for Accelerating the Solution of Fully Implicit Formulations" (SPE Journal, Paper No. 00092863); "Adaptively-Localized-Continuation-Newton: Reservoir Simulation Nonlinear Solvers that Converge All the Time" (SPE Journal, Paper No. 119147); and "Preconditioned Newton Methods for Fully Coupled Reservoir and Surface Facility Models" (SPE Journal, Paper No. 00049001). While each of these proposed methods may reduce the time necessary to solve a system of equations, none of the methods reduce the number of equations (or cells) required to be solved using Newton's Method. What is needed is a way to reduce the number of equations needed to be solved in successive iterations of an iterative solver such as Newton's Method.

Adaptive Newton's method for reservoir simulation


A cryostat (1) having a sealable housing (2) is described, the housing (2) enclosing a coolable cryostat chamber (3). For cooling the cryostat chamber (3), a refrigeration device (4), a control system (5) and a power supply (6) are provided. For cutting frozen samples, a microtome is arranged in the cryostat chamber (3). A temperature-controllable heating plate (7) is integrated into the housing (2) of the cryostat (1), outside the cryostat chamber (3).

Such cryostats are used in order to cut frozen specimens with a microtome for subsequent viewing with a microscope. The preparations to be cut are cooled to a specific predefined temperature, the temperatures in this context generally being between −10° C. and −50° C. In order to achieve these temperatures, an appropriately dimensioned refrigeration device, with which a control system and a central power supply are associated, is provided in the cryostat.
To ensure a constant temperature, the microtomes are arranged in complexly encapsulated cryostat chambers, and the latter are correspondingly cooled with the refrigeration device.
The frozen specimens are cut using a microtome arranged in the cryostat chamber, and then transferred from the knife or knife holder onto a specimen slide. It has proven advantageous in this context if the specimen slides are temperature-controlled or preheated in order to ensure reliable transfer of the cut specimen. If the specimen slides are too cold, the section does not thaw out on the specimen slide, and the danger exists that there will be no adhesion and the section will then fall off.
Heating plates are available commercially, but they are always embodied as a separate unit, have a corresponding space requirement, and must be arranged separately from the cryostat.


A method and system for pulse code modulation (PCM) audio ramp and decay function may comprise receiving at least one control signal which indicates whether to enable a ramp-up function or a decay function. When the ramp-up function is enabled, an audio input signal may be modified such that an input low to high transition may make a more gradual transition from low to high at the output, and when the decay function is enabled the audio input signal may be modified such that an input high to low transition may make a more gradual transition from high to low at the output. These functionalities may reduce unwanted noise generated when there is a sudden high to low transition, or a sudden low to high transition, in audio signals.

Pulse code modulation (PCM) is a sampling technique used for converting analog signals, usually audio signals, to digital signals. Although there are more efficient conversion techniques, for example, MPEG 1/2 audio layer 3 (MP3), the telecommunications industry, especially, still maintains and operates legacy systems that utilize PCM for converting analog voice signals to digital signals for transmission over circuit switched networks, whether local or long distance. The PCM standard utilizes a sample rate of 8000 samples per second and generates twelve to thirteen bits of linear digital data output per sample, which is then mapped via a logarithmic compression algorithm to an eight bit output. This mapping results in 64 Kbits of PCM voice data per second.
There are two algorithms that are widely used in the telecommunications industry for compressing linearly digitized voice—A Law and Mu Law. The Mu Law algorithm is used primarily in North America and the A Law algorithm is used in most of the rest of the world. The logarithm compression algorithms are utilized because the wide dynamic range of speech makes it inefficient to use linear digital encoding. By effectively reducing the dynamic range of a speech signal using algorithmic encoding, the speech signal to noise ratio is increased with respect to the linear digital sample and the smaller data size makes data transfer more efficient.
In some conventional systems, which are utilized for processing audio signals, a sudden change in volume from high to low or vice versa, may introduce annoying noises to the listener. These noises, sometimes described as clicks or pops, may also occur during startup or stoppage of playback of audio. On startup, when the speaker is at zero level, a sudden large input of data will produce a glitch which translates to a popping or clicking sound. Similarly, when playback is stopped, if the last data is a large value, the result can be a popping or clicking sound.
Some conventional systems attempt to remove these noises but in doing so introduce an added delay which is very noticeable when switching channels. Some television sets, for example, exhibit this problem when tuning to a new channel. There may be video output, but audio may be muted during a duration when the noises may be exhibited. Some other conventional systems, cable TV decoder or set-top boxes, for example, may stop the output of video and audio signals for the new channel, then use a software algorithm to try to remove the annoying noises, and then continue the output of video and audio signals.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for PCM audio ramp and decay function


A modular fluid handling device includes at least one block having opposing block faces shaped as tessellating regular polygons, and a series of block sides therebetween. Each block includes a central bore and fluid passages extending between the block faces, and possibly ducts extending between the bore and the fluid passages. The blocks may be rapidly horizontally and/or vertically affixed with their bores and/or fluid passages in communication to form a fluid handling device having the desired configuration (e.g., with the bores and fluid passages forming a desired process flow path, fluid circuit, or the like). Star wheels and/or rotor discs can be provided within the block bores for purposes of pumping fluids flowing within the bores, and/or for purposes of deriving power from fluid flow within the bores.

Fluid handling devices including fermenters, distillers, filtration tanks, evaporators, etc. (or combinations of these components) are exceedingly common in industry and in research labs. Researchers and engineers also often need to experiment with models for common thermodynamic cycles, e.g., refrigeration cycles (vapor compression cycle, Einstein cycle, etc.) and power cycles (Otto cycle, Diesel cycle, Brayton cycle, Rankine cycle, etc.). While it is often desirable to generate prototypes or small-scale versions of such devices, they are usually time-consuming, difficult, and expensive to construct. One approach commonly used in laboratories is to connect glassware vessels (e.g., flasks, towers, heat exchangers, etc.) with rubber tubing so that the vessels form some desired fluid process model. Even apart from the significant time and expense required for their construction, these are quite fragile, are unsuitable for pressurized processes, and are also usually unsuitable for processes involving extreme temperatures or corrosive materials owing to the weakness of the tubing. In some cases, more durable fluid handling devices can be formed from metal vessels connected with (for example) brazed copper tubing, but these involve even greater time, cost, and fabrication burdens.
A prior patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,146,999 to Giese et al., which is incorporated by reference herein) describes a modular fluid handling system wherein modular blocks bear passageways for carrying fluids, and wherein inserts having different functionality—e.g., valve inserts, filter inserts, turbine inserts, pump inserts, heating/cooling inserts, sensor inserts, flow routing/diverting inserts, etc.—can be inserted into selected blocks. The blocks, with or without inserts, can be affixed together to construct a durable fluid handling device. This document relates to improvements and additions to the modular fluid handling system described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,146,999 to Giese et al.


Disclosed is a method and a corresponding circuit to compute the result of the division, in a Galois field of 2.sup.n =N elements, of a first number A by a second number B, these numbers being encoded on n bits, wherein said method comprises the following steps:. a--the production of a first intermediate number S(1) encoded on n bits by the squaring of the first number A, PA1 b--the production of a second intermediate number R(1) encoded on n bits by the multiplication of the intermediate number S(1) by the number B, PA1 c--the performance n-2 times of the steps a and b, the intermediate numbers produced by multiplication R(j) being successively squared, and the intermediate numbers produced by squaring S(j) being successively multiplied by the second number B, and PA1 d--the production of the result S(n) by the squaring of the intermediate number R(n-1) produced by the n-1!th multiplication.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to circuits used to perform computations on the elements of a Galois field denoted GF(2.sup.n) and especially a circuit enabling computation of operations of division in such a field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A Galois field is a finite set of binary numbers used, for example, to correct errors in data transmission implementing Reed-Solomon encoding and decoding operations. The set of binary numbers of n bits, n being an integer, forms a Galois field of 2.sup.n =N elements, on which an internal addition and multiplication are defined, i.e. in such a way that the sum or the product of two numbers of the field is also a number of the field. The addition of two numbers consists of the performance of an XOR (or Exclusive-OR) operation bit by bit between these two numbers. The result thereof is that if any element x of the field is considered, then x+x=2.x=0. The multiplication is a standard multiplication of two binary numbers of n bits so long as it generates no carry value, namely so long as the result includes no bits at 1 with a place value greater than n-1. Once a carry value is generated, it is combined by an XOR operation with predetermined bits of the bits with place values 0 to n-1 defined by a polynomial known as the Galois field generator polynomial.
Any non-zero element of the Galois field is a power of another element of this field that is not zero and not unity. In a Galois field with N+1 elements, these power values are defined modulo-N, namely x.sup.i =x.sup.i+N, with x as an element of the Galois field that is not zero and not unity and i as a positive or negative integer. The elements of a Galois field of N+1 elements are 0, .alpha..sup.0, .alpha..sup.1, . . . , .alpha..sup.N-1. The elements .alpha..sup.0 to .alpha..sup.N-1 are the numbers 2.sup.0, 2.sup.1, . . . 2.sup.n-1 constituting the base of the binary numbers of n bits.
In certain applications, it becomes necessary to perform operations of division. Thus, for example, to compute correction coefficients in a Reed-Solomon decoder, it is necessary to compute ratios A/B where A and B are numbers computed by the decoder and capable of assuming any value. At present, there are no simple dividers that can be used to perform a division directly. To compute A/B, A is generally multiplied by the reciprocal of B.
To compute a reciprocal, generally, a table of reciprocals is used. This table is stored in a ROM memory dedicated to this use. However the use of a ROM memory does not lend itself well to an integration with the other processing circuits in present-day techniques for the designing of integrated circuits. With these techniques, the ROM memory must be placed outside a zone in which the other elements of the processing circuit are integrated. This leads to a substantial loss of surface area even if this ROM memory takes up a relatively small surface area (for example if 8 bits words are used, the memory will contain 256 words, which is little).

Method and device for the division of elements of a Galois field


The invention relates to an internal combustion engine (1) with a crankcase (3) and a cylinder head (4) having exhaust ports (9) feeding into an exhaust manifold (10) for exhaust gas from the combustion chambers (5) of the internal combustion engine (1). Provision is hereby made for the cylinder head (4) to include at least one region of a heating channel (12) which is different from the exhaust ports (9) and the exhaust manifold (10) and has an inlet side (14) branching from one of the exhaust ports (9) or the exhaust manifold (10), and which is flowed through by an exhaust mass flow that is adjustable by an actuator (13). The invention further relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine (1).

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine with a crankcase and a cylinder head having exhaust ports which feed into an exhaust manifold for exhaust gas from combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. The invention further relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines of the afore-mentioned type are known in the art. They include, in particular, the crankcase, also referred to as engine block, and the cylinder head. The crankcase and the cylinder head jointly form the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine, with the crankcase for example at least largely including the combustion chambers in the form of open-edged recesses in the direction of the cylinder head and with the cylinder head merely closing the latter. The crankcase may further include a cooling jacket and an engine casing of the internal combustion engine. Gas exchange members of the internal combustion engine are oftentimes provided in the cylinder head, i.e. in particular valves. The gas exchange members are provided for intake or discharge of air or exhaust gases into the combustion chambers. A camshaft of the internal combustion engine may also be arranged in the cylinder head. Exhaust gas flows out of the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine, in particular via the gas exchange members, into the exhaust ports. From there, it enters the exhaust manifold and then in an exhaust gas tract of the internal combustion engine for subsequent release into the environment of the internal combustion engine, in particular via an exhaust gas purification device.
In a warm-up operation of the internal combustion engine, i.e. at low temperature of the internal combustion engine, undesirable friction forces are produced in the latter, for example between the walls of the combustion chambers and pistons arranged in the combustion chambers. It is therefore the objective to increase the temperature of the internal combustion engine as quickly as possible and thus to shorten the warm-up operation so as to minimize the frictional forces. Exhaust gas flowing out the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine rapidly heats up as a consequence of combustion processes taking place in the combustion chambers. It is therefore known in the art, for example from DE 33 22 063 A1, to use the temperature of the exhaust gas to heat the lubricating oil of a lubricating oil circuit of an internal combustion engine. For this purpose, the mentioned document describes the provision of a heat pipe between exhaust-gas-carrying parts and the lubricating oil circuit. However, this approach has the disadvantage that the transmitted heat flow (heat quantity per unit time) is limited by the heat pipe on one hand, and the lubricating oil is merely heated on the other hand so that the warm-up operation of the internal combustion engine is only slightly shortened and frictional forces are only indirectly influenced.

Internal combustion engine and method for operating an internal combustion engine


A system and method to transmit frames from a first node to a second node over a plurality of radio links comprising a classifier to classify said frames according to one of a plurality of flow and a sequence number within said one of said plurality of flow and adding said flow and sequence number in a header of said classified frame a splitter receiving said classified frames from said classifier and distributing said classified frames on one of said plurality of radio links for transmission to said second node, a joiner receiving said classified frames and reordering them using an indexed sequence queue corresponding to each of said plurality of flows, a timer for waiting for frames missing in the sequence in one of said indexed sequence queue, wherein when said timer expires, if said frame has not arrived it is deemed lost and a forwarder to extract frames from said sequence queue to forward.

Link aggregation is a widely used, even standardized (e.g., IEEE 802.3ad) technique that splits traffic across multiple network links to increase overall throughput.
Wireless radio equipment is used to construct layer 2 (L2) Ethernet networks in harsh environments where there is little or no existing infrastructure (e.g., oil fields, mines). One property of an unmanaged L2 network is that frames from a source endpoint to its destination endpoint are always delivered in the same order as they are received. In L2 networks that support Quality of Service (QoS), Ethernet frames are classified at ingress and assigned a flow identifier. Frames with a particular flow identifier are delivered in order, but traffic in one flow may be reordered with respect to traffic in other flows. For example, traffic might be classified into high and low priority flows. All high priority traffic is sent in order, and all low priority traffic is sent in order, but high priority traffic is always be prioritized over low priority traffic. Reordering frames between flows is considered acceptable.
A side-effect of transmitting flows in order, is that a single flow is not split across multiple links. This limits the maximum throughput of a single flow to that of a single link. This can be mitigated somewhat by considering more header fields from L3 (or even L4) in the classifier, but the mapping from single flow to single link limitation remains. When backhauling, LTE core traffic is wrapped in the GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) which makes traffic appear as a single flow. As a result, standard link aggregation algorithms do not work for LTE backhaul traffic.


This invention is directed to in-line roller skates. More particularly, this invention pertains to shock absorbent in-line roller skates wherein the wheels are resilient mounted to navigate over rough, bumpy surfaces. An in-line roller skate comprising: (a) a boot adapted to receive a foot of a skater; (b) a first wheel supporting rail means secured to an underside of the boot; (c) a second wheel supporting rail means secured to an underside of the boot, adjacent the first rail; (d) at least three wheel means mounted in a line in association with the first and second rail means, the three wheel means being respectively connected to the first and second rail means by respective axles and bearings; and (e) resilient shock absorbing means located between the axle and bearing means and the rail means to enable the respective three wheel means to move upwardly or downwardly relative to the first and second rail means.

In-line roller skates have become very popular with the public in the past few years. However, the in-line roller skates that are available on the market have a number of inherent limitations. For one thing, the wheels and axles are rigidly mounted to the wheel assembly under the boot and there is no shock absorbing capacity built into the wheels. Accordingly, it is difficult for a person wearing conventional in-line roller skates to skate over uneven or bumpy surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,399, Merandel, granted Apr. 10, 1990 discloses a front and rear -wheel roller skate design which has a suspension system on the front and rear wheels. The roller skate is equipped at the level of the front and rear pivoting axles, with a suspension system for damping shocks resulting from unevenness of a skating surface. The front and rear pivoting axles are each provided with a suspension system which is fixed at one end on the central part of the pivoting axle, and at the other end being guided by a centring barrel located inside a base of the skate. The pivoting axles are also each equipped with a pivoting system secured at one end to the base by a pivoting device while the other end is secured to an arm of the central part by resilient washers. Marandel does not disclose in-line roller skates. He discloses conventional roller skates with a pair of wheels on a front axle and a pair of wheels on a rear axle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,614, Malewicz, assigned to Rollerblade, Inc., granted Mar. 3, 1992, discloses a lightweight in-line roller skate frame and frame mounting system. The in-line roller skate has a frame including a pair of side rails, each side rail having front and rear mounting brackets for attachment of the frame to the boot of the in-line roller skate. Each frame side rail includes a curved portion and a planar portion. The planar portion carries a plurality of axle apertures through which an axle for a wheel may be inserted. Preferably, the axle apertures are configured to receive an axle aperture plug, have an eccentrically disposed axle bore and are situated on the frame side rails such that the wheels may be mounted at multiple relative heights to each other. Malewicz does not disclose any shock absorbing mechanism for the in-line wheels, or any ability for the wheels to move upwardly or downwardly in order to recede when the wheels impact a bump or obstruction.

P.O. Box 169, Suite 101 - 1184 Denman Street


A process of metal interconnects and a structure of metal interconnect produced therefrom are provided. An opening is formed in a dielectric layer. A metal layer is formed over the dielectric layer filling the opening. A film layer is formed on the metal layer and the dielectric layer. The film layer is reacted with the metal layer during a thermal process, and a protective layer is formed on the surface of the metal layer. The portion of the film layer not reacted with the metal layer is removed to avoid short between the metal layers. The protective layer can protect the surface of the metal layer from being oxidized and thus the stability and the reliability of the semiconductor device can be effectively promoted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure and a process of a semiconductor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure and a process of metal interconnects.
2. Description of the Related Art
After semiconductor fabrication processes reach to a deep sub-micron generation, integration of integrated circuit devices has been greatly enhanced. Deep sub-micron processes, however, has encountered certain problems arising from characteristics of the devices and properties of the materials. Certain characteristics, such as the resistance of the material and electromigration resistivity of aluminum interconnects, are unable to meet the needs of the deep sub-micron processes, which represents one of the pressing problems that need to be solved for fabricating integrated circuits.
In processes of fabricating integrated circuits, technologies of using aluminum to form metal interconnects have become rather mature. In a deep sub-micron process of semiconductor fabrication, however, copper is often used in place of aluminum to form interconnects. This is because copper has an electromigration resistivity 30 to 100 times higher than that of aluminum, a dielectric resistivity 10 to 20 times lower than that of aluminum, and an electric resistivity 30% lower than that of aluminum. Thus, the formation of inter-metal dielectrics by using copper to form metal interconnects in company with use of a material with low dielectric constant (low K) inter-metal can effectively lower resistivity-capacitance delay (RC delay) and increase elelectromigration resistivity.
Referring to FIG. 1, since copper is not easy to be etched, metal interconnects using copper are mostly fabricated by using a method of damascene. In other words, as shown in FIG. 1, a substrate 100 having many preformed devices (not shown) thereon is first provided. A dielectric layer 102a is then formed over the substrate 100 to cover the foregoing devices. The dielectric layer 102a has a damascene opening 108a of a wiring region for connecting with the substrate 100. In the damascene opening 108a is formed a barrier layer 104a, and subsequently a copper metal layer 110a to fill in the damascene opening 108a. The excess portion of the copper metal layer 110a that is outside of the damascene opening 108a is removed through a chemical mechanical polishing method. Over the dielectric layer 102a and the copper metal layer 110a, another dielectric layer 102b is formed having a damascene opening 108b for connecting with the copper metal layer 110a. A barrier layer 104b is formed in the damascene opening 108b, and then a copper metal layer 110b is filled into the damascene opening 108b. Further, the excess portion of the copper metal layer 110b that is outside of the damascene opening 108b is removed to form a structure of metal interconnects.
However, since copper is easy to be oxidized, in the foregoing fabrication processes of a damascene structure, copper oxide is easily formed on the surface of the copper metal layers 110a/110b, which increases electric resistivity of the copper metal layers 110a/110b, and lowers efficiency of the metal interconnects. In addition, copper is a relatively soft metal and the copper oxide formed on the surface of the copper is rather loose, and thus the surface properties of copper are difficult to be controlled, which will induce formation of undercut profile on the copper metal layers 110a/110b, as shown at A and B in FIG. 1, during a process of wet etching or wash with a solvent. Moreover, the formation of copper oxide on the surface of the copper metal layers 110a/110b may also have negative effects to adhesion between the copper metal layers 110a/110b and the barriers layers 104a/104b.


An aircraft landing gear including: a main strut having an upper portion arranged to be coupled to the underside of an aircraft and a lower portion telescopically mounted with respect to the upper portion; a bogie including a bogie beam pivotally coupled to the lower portion of the main strut, the bogie beam having a plurality of axles mounted on it, each axle carrying one or more wheel assemblies; an actuator arranged such that a change in its effective length causes a change in the angular position of the bogie relative to the main strut, and a control port arranged to be coupled to a control fluid supply system, wherein the aircraft landing gear includes or is in combination with a control valve having a first configuration in which it permits control fluid to be supplied to the control port of the actuator at a first pressure and a second configuration in which the control valve permits the supply of control fluid to the control port at a second pressure less than the first pressure so as to reduce loads experienced by components of the actuator during taxiing.

A typical landing gear comprises a main strut having an upper portion adapted to be connected to the underside of the aircraft and a lower portion telescoping within the upper portion and pivotally connected to a bogie. The bogie comprises a bogie beam with axles and wheels mounted on the bogie beam fore and aft of a main pivot by which the bogie beam is connected to the lower portion of the main strut.
The main strut can be moved between a deployed position, for ground manoeuvring take off and landing, and a stowed position, for flight. When in the stowed position both the strut and bogie are contained within a landing gear cavity in the aircraft. The bogie beam must be within a range of angular positions with respect to the strut to enable the landing gear to be stowed in the cavity without striking the aircraft fuselage. The angular position or "pitch" of the bogie beam relative to the strut required for stowing is known in the art as its "trimmed" position.
A "pitch trimming" actuator is provided to control the pitch of the bogie beam. A pitch trimming actuator is generally controlled by hydraulic fluid supplied at positive pressure so as to cause the pitch trimming actuator to adopt a predetermined length corresponding to the trimmed position of the bogie beam.
The pitch of the bogie beam can be changed by external forces applied to it, such as when the aircraft lands and during taxiing of the aircraft. The hydraulic fluid supply constantly works against such forces, such that in the absence of any applied forces that exceed the positioning force due to the hydraulic fluid supply, the bogie beam adopts its trimmed position. An example of this is when the aircraft takes off. When taxiing, the pitch trimmer provides a hydraulic damping function that damps pivoting movements of the bogie as it engages bumps or dips in the runway. The applicant has identified that this can lead to deterioration of components of the pitch trimmer and other parts of the landing gear, such as the linkage bearings.


An imaging element according to the present disclosure includes: a first pixel and a second pixel each including a light receiving section and a light condensing section, in which the light receiving section includes a photoelectric conversion element, and the light condensing section is configured to allow entering light to be condensed toward the light receiving section; a trench provided between the first pixel and the second pixel; a first light shielding film embedded in the trench; and a second light shielding film provided on part of a light receiving surface of the light receiving section of the second pixel, in which the second light shielding film is continuous with the first light shielding film.

Video cameras, digital still cameras, etc. utilize semiconductor imaging devices (imaging devices) configured of image sensors such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device), CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), etc. In these imaging devices, each element is provided with a light receiving section including a photodiode. In the light receiving section, entering light is photoelectrically converted to generate signal charges.
In recent years, there has been developed a system (an imaging surface phase difference detection system) in which some of imaging pixels in the imaging device are used for phase detection so as to increase an automatic focusing (AF) speed. The phase difference detection system involves focus detection of a pupil division system with use of a two-dimensional sensor in which each pixel of an image sensor is provided with an on-chip lens.
In such an imaging device, some reports have been made on techniques to attain light receiving characteristics expected in pixels for imaging (imaging pixels) and in pixels for focus detection (imaging surface phase difference pixels). For example, an imaging device is disclosed in which curvatures of on-chip lenses are varied, or a placement surface of the on-chip lens is allowed to be at a different level, pixel by pixel, in a direction of an optical axis, so as to adjust a condensing point of entering light (for example, refer to Patent Literatures 1 and 2). Also, an imaging device is disclosed in which an element isolation layer made of a non-transparent conductive material is provided on a rear surface side of a silicon substrate on a light entering side, allowing for improvement in both pupil division performance and sensitivity (for example, refer to Patent Literature 3). Furthermore, an imaging device is disclosed in which one on-chip lens is assigned to a plurality of imaging surface phase difference pixels whose light receiving surfaces are allowed to be at a different level (for example, refer to Patent Literature 4).


The invention relates to a cabriolet vehicle having a roof that can be stored underneath a cover part in an open position, at least two displaceable engagement organs and an associated drive being provided to secure a closed cover part. The drive interacts with the engagement organs to transmit a driving force through a force transmission element having a component that extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A driven organ can lie in a transverse direction of the vehicle and generally on the same plane as the force transmission elements. In addition, a gear mechanism can be displaced by a rectilinear coupling organ that is connected to the force transmission element and runs parallel to the drive organ.

A number of convertible vehicles are known in which a movable roof can be stowed in a roof receiving space beneath a cover part in an open position. For this purpose, the cover part is frequently pivoted to the car body in its rear region and has to be held at the car body for securing in its substantially horizontal closed position above the closed roof. Two engagement members, for instance rotary latches, arresting hooks or the like, disposed laterally outwardly can serve for this purpose which are to be actuated via a closure control held at an intermediate wall bounding the roof receiving space to the front. The engagement members can be connected to a central motor drive of the closure control via force communicators, for instance chains, cable controls or in particular pull and/or push bars, extended substantially transversely to the vehicle.
The drive conventionally requires substantial space and thus projects into the trunk or roof stowing space, whereby this is reduced in size. In addition, a high construction effort results for conventional closure controls.
It is the underlying problem of the invention to achieve a reduction in the space requirements and a simplification of the closure control.


The wind power plant includes blades mounted on an annular pontoon. The pontoon is rotatable about a vertical axis. An energy converter is situated on a platform that is encircled by the annular pontoon. A kinematic mechanism is designed so as to be capable of transmitting the rotational energy of the annular pontoon to the receiving unit of the energy converter. The floating platform is equipped with positioning means that include at least six anchors located on the bottom of a body of water. The anchors are connected to the platform by flexible members and are offset in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the annular pontoon relative to the point at which the flexible member is attached to the platform. The technical result is an increase in the number of places where the wind power plants can be installed and an increase in electric power generation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to small-scale power generation and can be used for producing wind farms.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
A wind power plant is known that comprises wind-receiving work members arranged on an annular pontoon and an energy converter kinematically connected to the pontoon (USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 1719713, IPC5 F03D Mar. 6, 1992).
The disadvantage of this solution consists in complicated transfer of mechanical energy to electric generators, especially when the wheel dimensions are increased, which is caused by the presence of forces moving the pontoon radially during its rotation. Thus, the pontoon efficiently interacts only with those generators toward which the said force acts. Moreover, the necessity of constructing an annular channel (or, at least, installing several supporting members (stops) along the pontoon external periphery) significantly complicates and raises the price of the plant mounting.
A wind power plant is also known that comprises an energy converter made capable of converting rotational energy, an annular pontoon arranged with the possibility of rotating about its vertical axis, rotatable blades arranged on the annular pontoon and made rotatable about their vertical axes, flexible links coupled to the annular pontoon and to the energy converter hub arranged with the possibility of rotating co-axially with the annular pontoon, a kinematic mechanism made capable of transferring the annular pontoon rotational energy to the receiving unit of the energy converter (RF Patent No. 2330989, IPC F 03 D Mar. 6, 2008).
The disadvantage of this solution consists in great hydrodynamic losses of energy and low productivity, since the floating platform is made rotatable.
A wind power plant is also known that comprises blades arranged on an annular pontoon made rotatable about its vertical axis, an energy converter made capable of converting rotational energy and arranged on a platform encircled by the annular pontoon, a kinematic mechanism made capable of transferring the annular pontoon rotational energy to the receiving unit of the energy converter (RF Patent No. 2118705, IPC6 F 03 D Mar. 6, 1998).
The disadvantage of this prototype consists in that the wind power plant cannot be installed at a deep-water shelf area because the platform in this solution is made stationary.
The task which the claimed solution is directed to is to remove limitations concerning a place for installing a wind power plant in a water area.

Federal Agency for Legal Protection of Millitary, Special and Dual Use Intellectual Activity Results (FALPIAR)


A longitudinal expansion joint for piping systems, includes a first casing member and a second casing member telescopically engaged with a second end of the first casing member, the second casing member having a first end adapted to connect to a second pipe and having a second end with a flange portion having a threaded outer surface. A longitudinal adjustment mechanism for longitudinally adjusting a position of the second casing member relative to the first casing member. A locking sleeve for locking a longitudinal position of the second casing member relative to the first casing member. A sealing system including a seal unit disposed between the first casing member, and the second casing member and a push plate disposed against the seal unit. A seal energizing system pushes against the push plate to energize the seal unit to seal between the first casing member and the second casing member.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Piping systems for subsea oil wells are commonly constructed of prefabricated piping components based upon dimensions and models that closely approximate the real system. However, it is common that prefabricated piping system is not accurately dimensioned for the real world environment. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an expansion joint that accommodates for inaccurate dimensioning of the piping system.

Longitudinal expansion joint for piping system


In order to make possible formation of a deposited film of a relatively large area at a treatment rate which could not accomplished by the plasma process of the prior art, and in order to make possible stable production of the deposited film without variation in film quality, in an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film, a part of a reaction vessel is formed of a dielectric member, at least one high-frequency electrode is arranged so as to face at least one substrate with interposition of the dielectric member, an earth shield is arranged so as to cover the reaction vessel and the high-frequency electrode, plasma is generated between the high-frequency electrode and the substrate, and a deposited film is formed under the conditions in which the following equation:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming functional deposited films and more particularly to an apparatus and method for forming functional deposited films which are suitably usable for preparing an amorphous silicon (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ca-Sixe2x80x9d) photosensitive member for electrophotograph by using plasma CVD.
2. Related Background Art
There have been proposed amorphous materials such as, for example, amorphous silicon compensated with hydrogen or/and halogen as a device member for use in semiconductor devices, light-receiving members for electrophotograph, line sensors for image-input use, image pickup devices, photovoltaic devices, and other semiconductor devices represented by various electronic devices.
Some of these devices, however, have room for improvement in characteristics and production cost of their production. For example, in the production of light-receiving members for electrophotograph, since deposited films of a relatively large area are required to be formed, formation of such deposited films with uniformity in both thickness and electric characteristics and with less defects becomes difficult. Thus there have been demands for a method for forming deposited films for such use which ensures satisfactory productivity and yield.
The deposited films as described above can be formed by the plasma enhanced CVD process, that is, by decomposing a raw material gas with the aid of direct current or high-frequency microwave glow discharge to deposit a thin film on a substrate consisting of a material such as glass, quartz, heat-resistant synthetic resin film, stainless steel, or aluminum. And there have been proposed various apparatus which enable the formation of deposited films which satisfy the above demands.
The apparatus for forming deposited films as described above have, for example, a configuration shown in the schematic view of FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically. FIG. 1A is a schematic transverse sectional view of an apparatus for forming deposited films and FIG. 1B is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus for forming deposited films.
The apparatus for forming deposited films shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B includes a reaction vessel 301 having a vacuum air-tight structure. Inside the reaction vessel 301 a plurality of cylindrical substrates 302 for forming deposited films are arranged in such a state that they are mounted on and held by respective substrate holders. Each of the substrate holders for holding the cylindrical substrates 302 can be rotated with a rotating shaft 310 driven by a rotating mechanism 311 consisting of a motor and a gear. Inside the rotating shaft 310 a heater is provided for adjusting the temperature of the cylindrical substrate 302. Further, inside the reaction vessel 301 electrodes 304 for introducing high-frequency electric power and gas introducing pipes 308 for introducing a raw material gas are disposed. To the electrodes 304 a high-frequency power source 307 is connected via a matching unit 306. Each of the gas introducing pipes 308 includes a plurality of openings for emitting gas uniformly and is connected to a raw material gas cylinder via a flow rate control portion (not shown in the figure). One end of an exhaust hole 309 is open to the reaction vessel 301 and the other end communicates with an exhauster (not shown in the figure).
The formation of deposited films by using the conventional apparatus for forming deposited films as described above is performed in the following procedure.
First, the cylindrical substrates 302 each mounted on a substrate holder are installed inside the reaction vessel 301. Then, the reaction vessel 301 is exhausted with a vacuum pump (not shown in the figure) and its internal pressure is decreased to, for example, 10 Pa or less. Then, current is applied to the heater (not shown in the figure) arranged inside each substrate holder to heat each cylindrical substrate 302 to a temperature suitable for depositing films. Once the temperature of the substrates 302 reaches a desired value, a gas for forming a deposited film, such as silane gas, is introduced into the reaction vessel 301 through the gas introducing pipes 308. At the same time, the high-frequency power source 307 is set at a desired electric power to generate high-frequency energy of, for example, 105 MHZ, and high-frequency electric power is introduced into the reaction vessel 301 through the high-frequency matching unit 306, so as to allow glow discharge to occur. This discharge energy serves to decompose the raw material gas introduced into the reaction vessel 301 and form a desired deposited film on each substrate 302. During the formation of deposited films, each rotating shaft 310 is rotated by rotating the rotating mechanism 311 to rotate each substrate 302. Repeating the same operation a plurality of times allows the formation of light-receiving films having desired multilayer structure.
On the other hand, the manufacturing of a-Si photosensitive members (photosensitive members containing a hydrogen-based amorphous material at least in its photoconductive layer) requires advanced technology. Particularly in the photosensitive members for electrophotograph, they require films of larger area and thickness than those of other devices and accordingly, it is an important element how the uniformity of the films is ensured and how the film is formed at a higher deposition rate. From that viewpoint, there have been proposed various methods of manufacturing high quality a-Si photosensitive members in an industrially stable manner. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,469 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-310181) discloses a technique of uniformly plasma-treating a substrate of a relatively large area while speeding up the treatment by constituting a part of a reaction vessel with a dielectric member and generating a plasma between a cathode electrode and its counter electrode which are placed interposing the dielectric vessel part therebetween to plasma-treat the substrate in the vessel.
In recent years, however, with increasing demands for electrophotographic apparatus which allow higher-quality images and speed-up, there have also been increasing demands for an apparatus for forming photosensitive members which meets the above demands and has high productivity. Thus the present inventors have concentrated their energy on investigating a method for forming high-quality deposited films at a higher deposition rate using high-frequency electric power with a frequency band of 50 to 450 MHZ. The film formation at this discharge frequency, however, gives rise to a problem such that plasma tends to be maldistributed, and thereby non-uniform treatment is likely to occur in film thickness and quality. This problem is serious particularly when treating a relatively large area, such as of a photosensitive member for electrophotograph. Furthermore, a problem arises such that plasma discharge is difficult to start and the disorder of plasma at the beginning of discharge can sometimes cause deterioration of the whole film and variation in film quality over the whole film.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film which allow the formation of a deposited film of a relatively large area at a treatment rate which could not be accomplished by the plasma process of the prior art and allow the stable production of the deposited film without creating variation in the quality.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film, in which the deposited film is formed by providing a dielectric member between at least one high-frequency electrode and a plasma region and applying high-frequency electric power to plasma, whereby a more uniform deposited film can be formed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a deposited film which does not cause contamination of a substrate due to the peeling of the by-products deposited on a high-frequency electrode, thereby allowing the formation of a deposited film of higher quality, which makes it easier to clean the inside of its reaction vessel and to adjust its electrodes, and which is excellent in maintainability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a deposited film which is designed to maintain a desired ratio of the impedance from the surface of its high-frequency electrode to plasma through its dielectric member to the impedance from the surface of its high-frequency electrode to its earth shield, and thereby allows the easy and reliable start of plasma discharge.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film which allow the elimination of the bad effect on an initial deposited film due to the non-smooth start of plasma discharge, and thereby allows the stable production of the deposited film of higher quality.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film which allow the formation of an initial deposited film under more ideal conditions, and thereby allow the improvement in the film quality.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film which allow the stable plasma discharge over a wider range of conditions, and thereby allow dealing with the formation of various types deposited films.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film which allow the prevention of the maldistribution of plasma probably due to errors in apparatus, for example, an error in setting at each film forming operation, and thereby allow the improvement in uniformity in the quality of a deposited film in the same lot.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for forming a deposited film which allow the formation of a deposited film of high and uniform quality on a large area of a substrate at a high deposition rate and allow the stable mass production of a large area of a deposited film excellent particularly in the electrophotographic characteristics.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a deposited film, comprising: a pressure-reducible reaction vessel a part of which is formed of a dielectric member; at least one substrate and raw material gas introducing means both arranged inside the reaction vessel; at least one high-frequency electrode arranged outside the reaction vessel; and an earth shield arranged in such a manner as to cover the reaction vessel and the high-frequency electrode, wherein high-frequency electric power is applied to the high-frequency electrode, high-frequency electric power is introduced into the reaction vessel through the dielectric member constituting the part of the reaction vessel to generate glow discharge in the reaction vessel, thereby decomposing the raw material gas introduced into the reaction vessel, and wherein the following equation (1):
0.8xc3x97(xcex52/d3) less than 1/(d1/xcex51+d2/xcex52)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
is satisfied where d1 is the thickness of the dielectric member, d2 is the distance from the surface of each of the high-frequency electrodes to the dielectric member, d3 is the distance from the surface of the high-frequency electrode to the inside surface of the earth shield, xcex51 is a dielectric constant of the dielectric member, and xcex52 is a dielectric constant of a space between the reaction vessel and the earth shield. Preferably, the substrate and the high-frequency electrode are provided in plurality, respectively.

Apparatus and method for forming deposited film

Abstract: is satisfied where d1 is the thickness of the dielectric member, d2 is the distance from the surface of the high-frequency electrode to the dielectric member, d3 is the distance from the surface of the high-frequency electrode to the inside surface of the earth shield, xcex51 is a dielectric constant of the dielectric member, and xcex52 is a dielectric constant of a space between the reaction vessel and the earth shield.


A weed puller that comprises a plurality of prongs positioned about an axis, an anvil plate, and a moveable mass adapted to be driven into the anvil plate so as to transmit a force through the anvil plate to the prongs where the force has a substantial component in line with the axis about which the plurality of prongs are positioned. In a preferred embodiment, the weed puller comprises a body having a cavity that terminates at the anvil plate with the moveable mass slideably positioned within the cavity and the moveable mass being coupled to a rod that extends out of the cavity from an end opposite the anvil plate.

Tools useful in pulling weeds from soil (i.e. weed pullers) are well known. However, many prior art devices are not suitable for use by people who with relatively little strength and/or flexibility. Moreover, a number of people with relatively little strength and/or flexibility have minimal or no income, but have a need to remove weeds. As such, there is a need for weed pullers that are simple to use, can be used by those having relatively little strength and/or flexibility, and which can be manufactured cheaply enough to be affordable by those with minimal or no income.


A method can be performed by adjusting a temperature of a gas sensor to a first temperature value for a first period of time and a second temperature value for a second period of time. The gas sensor signal may be measured during the first period of time to determine a first signal value and during the second period of time to determine a second value. Then, concentration information for at least one gas is calculated according to the first signal value and the second signal value. While the gas sensor signal may include information about a presence of a first gas and a second gas, the concentration information for the at least one gas may not substantially include concentration information for the second gas.

Generally speaking, this application discloses techniques of measuring concentration information for one or more gasses in a fluid environment with gas sensors.
Gas sensors may be sensitive to a partial pressure or concentration of one or more gasses in a fluid environment. Some types of gas sensors may include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,795 or U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/033214. Such sensors may be sensitive to one or more types of gas such as H2 or O2. Gas sensors may be designed to provide measurements from which a gas pressure can be estimated. Such measurements may correspond to variations in resistance and/or capacitance of a gas sensor in response to changing concentrations of gasses. A gas sensor may include palladium, such as a palladium-nickel alloy or a palladium metal-oxide semiconductor. Some mechanisms of resistance and capacitance variations in gas sensors are explained in Bridging the Pressure Gap for Palladium Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Hydrogen Sensors in Oxygen Containing Environments, M. Johansson et al., Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 84, July 1998 and R. C. Hughes et al., Solid-State Hydrogen Sensors Using Palladium-Nickel Alloys: Effect of Alloy Composition on Sensor Response, J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 142, No. 1, January 1995. It should be emphasized that the techniques disclosed in this application are in no way limited to such gas sensor structures or physical mechanisms.
Some gas sensors, such one that has a PdNi lattice, may have increased resistance or capacitance as concentration information for H2 increases. For example, resistance may increase linearly in proportion to the levels of hydrogen in a PdNi lattice, which in turn is related to gaseous H2 pressure as described by Sievert's law. This law holds that, at moderate pressures, concentration for hydrogen dissolved in solid metals is approximated by the following relationship:c≈s*p1/2 where c is the concentration of dissolved hydrogen in equilibrium with gaseous hydrogen at pressure p, and s is Sievert's parameter.
For a given application, a gas sensing system can be designed to detect the pressure of a target gas, for example, H2. In addition to the target gas pressure, however, there may be factors that can influence a gas sensor's measurements. For example, temperature of the gas sensor may influence measurements. To address this issue, a heater may be used to maintain the gas sensor within a desired temperature range. In addition to temperature, other factors may influence gas sensor measurements, such as a bias voltage applied to the gas sensor or the overall pressure of the fluid environment.
As another example, non-target gasses, such as O2, may influence a gas sensor's measurements. The presence of non-target gasses may influence or interfere with target gas measurements in at least two ways. First, because the sensor is responding to both a target and a non-target gas, the sensor reading may be too high or too low. In this respect, the influence of the non-target gas may be thought of as an offset to the target gas reading. Second, the presence of a non-target gas can alter the way a sensor measures a target gas. For example, non-target gasses can occupy receptor sites inside or on the surface of the lattice. This leaves less available receptor sites, thereby making the sensor less sensitive to the target-gas. As another example, in a PdNi gas sensor, the presence of oxygen in the lattice may affect the resistive or capacitive characteristics of the sensor. Thus, an oxygen-permeated lattice may respond to the presence of hydrogen in a different way than if the lattice was not permeated with oxygen. When oxygen permeates the lattice adsorption of hydrogen results in the formation of molecules such as H2O, OH, etc. These molecules may, by themselves, influence the resistive or capacitive characteristics of the gas sensor.
One attempted solution for reducing the influence of non-target gasses may be to use a blocking coating on a gas sensor to filter such non-target gasses. However, such a filter may reduce a gas sensor's sensitivity or response time. Another attempted solution may be to use multiple gas sensors to specifically detect non-target gasses to determine and account for concentration information for non-target gasses. However, such a solution may be expensive and/or introduce additional system complexity. Yet another attempted solution is to simply limit gas sensing applications to ones that do not include interfering gasses.
As another example of gas sensor influences, the character of a gas sensor tends to change over time, thus causing "drift." One solution to such a problem is to repeatedly recalibrate a drifting sensor manually.
In view of the foregoing, it may be useful to provide a gas sensing system that reduces the effects of interferences with the gas sensor measurements of a target gas.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Techniques for calculating gas concentrations in a fluid environment


A system and tool assembly for driving threaded members includes, a set of interlocking torque transfer modules for transferring a torque between a driver coupled with a first one of the modules and a threaded member coupled with a second one of the modules. At least one of the modules has a body and a torque transmitting geartrain housed within the body, the geartrain includes an input gear rotatable about a first axis and an output gear rotatable about a second, different axis. The input gear includes a first connecting interface configured to receive an input torque from a driver, and the output gear has a second connecting interface configured to output an output torque to a threaded member, such as a bolt or sparkplug.

A great many types of tools and tool assemblies for use in driving threaded members have been developed over the years. Box end wrenches, socket wrenches, adjustable wrenches and numerous others are familiar examples. Certain designs are purpose built for driving specific types of fasteners, spark plugs and other threaded machine components. Tools may also be designed to access threaded members located in certain positions within a machine system, or configured to optimize mechanical advantage.
Despite a multiplicity of different tool designs, there are many instances where threaded members in hard-to-reach locations remain difficult to access, or require laborious disassembly of components of a machine system before the threaded members can be accessed. Transmission bell housing bolts, spark plugs and oxygen sensors are commonly threaded into a housing in difficult to reach areas of an engine system. When a technician wishes to replace a spark plug, for example, it may be necessary to remove components of an air conditioning system of an associated automobile. Even where it is physically possible to remove certain threaded members without disassembly of unrelated components, it may be uncomfortable for a technician or even dangerous.
The present disclosure is directed to one or more of the problems or shortcomings set forth above.

Tool assembly, system and method, for driving threaded members


A method for zone passage control in an underground worksite having a plurality of operation zones for autonomously operating mobile vehicle operations includes the steps of receiving position information of at least one autonomously operating mobile vehicle in a fusion zone merged of at least a first zone and a second zone associated with a first passage control unit, and in response to detecting a mobile object by a second passage control unit associated with the first zone, performing: checking position of the at least one autonomously operating mobile vehicle, in response to an autonomously operating mobile vehicle being positioned in the second zone, preventing a control command to stop the autonomously operating mobile vehicle in the second zone, and demerging the first zone and the second zone.

Underground worksites, such as hard rock or soft rock mines, typically comprise a variety of operation zones intended to be accessed by different types of mobile work machines, herein referred to as mobile vehicles. An underground mobile vehicle may be an unmanned, e.g. remotely controlled from a control room, or a manned mobile vehicle, i.e. operated by an operator sitting in a cabin of the mobile vehicle. Mobile vehicles operating in underground work sites may be autonomously operating, i.e. automated mobile vehicles, which in their normal operating mode operate independently without external control but which may be taken under external control at certain operation areas or conditions, such as during states of emergencies.
An isolated operation zone is typically reserved in mines for the operation of the automated mobile vehicles, into which zone an access by outsiders and outside vehicles is prevented in order to eliminate any risk of collision. The operation zone being provided with this kind of limited access may be separated from other zones in the mine by gates or other kind of passage control devices. However, in order to provide an effective operation of the mine, access may need to be provided also for persons or outside mobile vehicles into the operation zone being originally reserved only for the operation of the automated mobile vehicles.
EP3040508 discloses a system for zone passage control for a zone of an autonomously operating mobile object, comprising a set of detection units to detect a mobile object entering and/or exiting the zone, a set of identification units to identify the mobile object entering and/or exiting the zone. An admissibility level for a mobile object to enter the zone is determined and a control signal to stop at least one autonomously operating mobile object existing in the zone is provided in response to the determined admissibility level being negative for the mobile object entered the zone.


A compact, waterproof swim mask having a unitary skirt, a frame, and a clinging device. The unitary skirt has two lenses for covering the eyes and/or the nose of a user, a flexible frame including two eye-shaped frame elements being capable of communicating with each other. Each frame element is bendable to slightly enlarge when an upper portion is pulled away from a lower portion so that the two frame elements communicate through a gap of a separable intermediate portion for mounting the skirt. The frame also has two endpieces for coupling a rear headband therebetween. The clinging device is secured to the separable intermediate portion of the frame by snapping for fastening the whole swim mask.

A mask for swimming, diving, or athletic sports should be waterproof, light-weight, and low friction, and have an aesthetically pleasing design.
A conventional swim mask, shown in FIG. 1, includes a main frame A, an auxiliary frame B, an annular skirt C, and lens (lenses) D in which the skirt C and the lens D are sandwiched and fastened together when the rear main frame A and the front auxiliary frame B are snapped together. A connection between skirt C and lens D is waterproof. Finally, a headband (not shown) is provided between both endpieces of the main frame A. The headband is formed of elastomeric material and its length is adjustable to accommodate users with different head sizes.
However, the prior art has several disadvantages, including: (1) either the main frame A or the auxiliary frame B has a thickness to sufficiently clamp the skirt C and the lens D together therebetween; (2) the swim mask is bulky and thick and in turn increases the weight of the swim mask and thus bears a heavy burden upon a head of a user; (3) a swimmer wearing such a swim mask may not be agile while swimming, diving, etc; and (4) the large and thick swim mask is not visually aesthetic.
Another conventional design has the skirt and the lens formed together in the manufacturing process, which improved the waterproof feature. However, in use, a crack tends to occur at a joining portion of the skirt and the lens after a short period of time. It is understood that lens is hard. Thus, it is difficult to fit a formed skirt and lens in a light, compact frame. As such, commercially available swim masks still have a skirt and lens sandwiched and fastened between main and auxiliary frames that are snapped together.
In view of above, continuing improvements in the exploitation of swim mask are constantly being sought.


Methods for repairing and restoring water manifold pipes, particularly locomotive diesel motor water manifolds exhibiting excessive corrosion around at least one water port. Exemplary methods include inserting a pipe segment into a selected water port and using the inserted pipe segment as a build-up or brazing form. Braze material is applied in one layers around and against the inserted pipe segment. Excess braze material and the pipe segment are thereafter removed in order to restore the manifold pipe to an original dimension.

This invention relates generally to the repair of a liquid-carrying article, and more specifically to methods for repair or restoration of a diesel motor water manifold exhibiting corrosion adjacent a water port.
Heavy-duty engines in locomotives may be diesel engines that are used to generate electricity to power the electric motors to provide electromotive force to the wheels. Such diesel engines are water cooled where a metal pipe to each "power pack" of the diesel engine supplies water from a cooling manifold.
No matter how well a locomotive engine is constructed, over time and use, parts will require replacing, re-manufacturing, or repair. One such part is the inlet water manifold for the power assembly cylinder liners. Excessive corrosion around the water ports causes water leaks where the jumper lines connect the manifold to the power assembly cylinder liner. Currently, no methods exist for refurbishing a locomotive diesel inlet water manifold that has been rated as non-serviceable if the water manifold water ports and attachment flanges exhibit excessive corrosion.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have methods and systems for repairing a diesel motor water manifold exhibiting excessive corrosion.

Method for repair of a locomotive diesel motor water manifold


An electronic component embedded substrate and a method for manufacturing the substrate are disclosed. The electronic component embedded substrate includes a substrate main body and an electronic component embedded in the substrate main body. The center plane of the electronic component in the thickness direction thereof and the center plane of the substrate main body in the thickness direction thereof generally match each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component embedded substrate and a method for manufacturing the same, and particularly relates to an electronic component embedded substrate wherein an electronic component is embedded in a substrate main body and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In these years, as semiconductor elements with higher operating frequency have been mounted on semiconductor devices, stabilization of the power supply voltage to the semiconductor elements is becoming necessary. To meet such a need, an electronic component embedded substrate is proposed wherein an electronic component (e.g. capacitor element) is embedded in a semiconductor substrate on which a semiconductor element is mounded.
In the meantime, with the increase of mounting density of semiconductor elements, the pitch of electrode pads formed on the semiconductor elements is being made smaller. However, it is difficult to form wiring patterns on conventional common printed wiring boards with the pitch as small as the pitch of the electrode pads formed on the semiconductor elements. Therefore, the common printed wiring boards are becoming unusable as substrates for mounting semiconductor elements.
Due to such circumstances, the use of multilayer wiring boards called built-up printed wiring boards is increasing. In a multilayer wiring board, a printed wiring board is used as a core layer, and built-up layers and wiring layers are laminated on both faces of the printed wiring board. The wiring layers are interconnected through vias. The term "built-up layer" used herein indicates a layer (a single layer) which is formed with a built-up method, and on the surface of which a wiring layer is formed.
As disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, in order to embed an electronic component such as a capacitor element into a multilayer wiring board of this type, the electronic component is incorporated into one of multiple built-up layers.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a related-art electronic component embedded substrate 1. The electronic component embedded substrate 1 comprises a core substrate 2, an electronic component 5, and built-up layers 6. The core substrate 2 is, for example, a resin substrate, having wires 3 on upper and lower faces thereof.
The electronic component 5 is, for example, a capacitor element or a semiconductor element, which is bonded to one of the faces (the upper face in the example shown in FIG. 1) of the core substrate 2 with an adhesive agent 4. The built-up layers 6 are formed on the upper and lower faces of the core substrate 2, so the electronic component 5 is incorporated in the built-up layer 6 formed on the upper face of the core substrate 2.
The upper built-up layer 6 is provided with electrode vias 8, through vias 9, and wires 10. The electrode vias 8 are configured to electrically connect the wires 3 formed on the upper face of the core substrate 2 to the wires 10 formed on an upper face of the upper built-up layer 6. The through vias 9 are configured to electrically connect electrodes 7 formed on the electronic component 5 to the wires 10.
Solder resists 11 are formed on surfaces of the built-up layers 6 formed on both faces of the core substrate 2. Openings are formed at predetermined positions of the solder resists 11 such that the wires 10 can have external connections.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-197809, also published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0116843
In such a electronic component embedded substrate 1 in which the core substrate 2 is provided, the electronic component 5 is fixed to either one of the upper face and the lower face of the core substrate 2 and incorporated in one of the built-up layers 6 formed on the same side. With this configuration, however, a center plane of the electronic component 5 does not coincide with the center plane of the electronic component embedded substrate 1.
More specifically, there is a distance (indicate by an arrow H) between the center plane CE1 of the electronic component embedded substrate 1 in a thickness direction (indicated by arrows Z1 and Z2 in FIG. 1) and the center plane CE2 of the electronic component 5 in the thickness direction.
The electronic component 5 is made of a material, such as ceramic and silicon, different from the material (resin) of the core substrate 2 and the built-up layers 6. That is, the electronic component 5 has a thermal expansion coefficient different from the core substrate 2 and the built-up layers 6. Therefore, when the electronic component 5 is embedded in the core substrate 2 with a distance between the center plane CE1 of the electronic component embedded substrate 1 and the center plane CE2 of the electronic component 5, an imbalanced thermal expansion within the electronic component embedded substrate 1 causes warpage in the electronic component embedded substrate 1. For example, experience shows that if the substrate size of the electronic component embedded substrate 1 is 7×10 mm, a warpage of 120 μm occurs. This size of warpage is large enough to make it difficult to have the electronic component embedded substrate 1 in practical use.

Electronic component embedded substrate and method for manufacturing the same


A skylight operator includes a chain drive driven by a motor. Polarity of power applied to the motor is controlled to selectively open or close the window. Polarity is controlled by an H-bridge switching circuit driven by a microcontroller. The microcontroller receives commands from any one of a plurality of control devices The operator includes a feedback circuit using a hall effect sensor in connection with a ring magnet on the motor shaft for sensing incremental movement of the motor, representing movement of the window. A potentiometer control device allows unattended full or partial opening of the window. A user need only turn the potentiometer knob to a desired amount of opening. The microcontroller in response to such a command compares the command to the feedback signal and controls the motor to minimize the difference between the two.

Known window units, such as a skylight window, utilize a power unit which can cause extension and retraction of a chain connected to a movable sash of the window for causing opening and closing movement of the window sash. Window operators for skylight windows are know in the art. An example of such a window operator is shown in Tacheny et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,993, owned by the assignee of this application, and the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. This window operator has a chain storable within a housing with the chain being extended from and retracted into the housing by means of a rotatable drive sprocket having a toothed relation with the chain.
The Tacheny et al. patent discloses a two-part housing with a housing base providing for chain storage, chain guiding, and rotatable mounting of the drive sprocket. An upper part of the housing mounts means for driving the rotatable drive sprocket which can either be a manually operable means or a motor drive, as shown in FIG. 5 of the patent. An alternative motor drive is illustrated in Berner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,678, owned by the assignee of this application, and the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Prior motorized window operators used manually operated switches to command energization of power to the motor to open or close the window. However, such operators require that the user continue to actuate the switch until the window opens or closes to the desired position. Alternatively, the control moves the window to a full open or full closed position and limit switches provided deenergization of power to the motor at the end of the stroke. This requires that additional hardware be added to either the operator itself or to the window.
In certain applications, a plurality of skylight windows may be installed in proximity to one another. For example, a single room in a home could include two or three skylight windows along the ceiling thereof. With prior skylight operators, a separate control device is required for each. As such, a separate, for example, wall mounted control must be provided for each so that the windows must be opened or closed separately and independently.
The present invention is intended to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.

User selected controller for a window operator


The alignment method of the electrical conductors includes an aligning step of aligning a plurality of electrical conductors 40 in an annular shape while being overlapped in a circumferential direction of the annular shape by moving gripping devices 230 inward in a radial direction of the annular shape, in which the gripping device 230 has a pair of claws 232g1 and 232g2 capable of pinching one leg portions 41 of the substantially U-shaped electrical conductors 40 one by one, one claw 232g1 has a length capable of gripping one leg portion 41, and the other claw 232g2 has a length capable of gripping one leg portion 41 of one substantially U-shaped electrical conductor 40-1 and gripping the other leg portion 44 of the other substantially U-shaped electrical conductor 40-2.

A stator coil of a rotary electric machine is formed, for example, as follows. First, a plurality of electrical conductors formed in a substantially U-shape are aligned in an annular shape while being overlapped in a circumferential direction. Next, leg portions of the electrical conductors aligned in the annular shape are aligned in a straight line and are each inserted into slots arranged in a stator core in an annular shape. Then, end portions of the adjacent leg portions are connected to each other. Accordingly, the stator coil of a rotary electric machine is formed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 5705287 H116-0463-US01 (HNEF-103)
Patent Document 2: PCT International Publication No. WO2014/010642

Alignment method and alignment device for annularly aligned conductors


A method and system include a biometric monitor monitoring an occupant of the vehicle and a vision detector detecting a condition of an upcoming road segment. A controller determines an adjustment to the biometric monitor for the biometric monitor to counteract an expected effect that the condition of the upcoming road segment will have on the biometric monitor in monitoring the occupant when the vehicle drives over the upcoming road segment. The controller adjusts the biometric monitor according to the adjustment such that the biometric monitor is adjusted in monitoring the occupant according to the adjustment as the vehicle drives over the upcoming road segment. The controller may determine an adaptation to a suspension assembly of the vehicle for the suspension assembly to counteract the expected effect and adapt the suspension assembly according to the adaptation. The adjustment to the biometric monitor is modified accordingly.

A vehicle may have a biometric monitor for monitoring physical characteristics, such as heart rate and respiratory rate, of an occupant of the vehicle. The biometric monitor may not properly monitor the physical characteristics when the vehicle jostles such as when the vehicle is driving over a bumpy road. The jostling movement of the vehicle introduces noise to the biometric monitor causing it to either erroneously or be unable to monitor the physical characteristics.
The vehicle includes a suspension assembly to reduce jostling movement of the vehicle. To make the ride even smoother, the suspension assembly may be a suspension assembly that can be adapted as the vehicle encounters different road conditions. A suspension assembly which is adapted based on road conditions as they are encountered employs a "feed-back" control system. An issue is that it can be difficult to make the appropriate adaptions to the suspension assembly in a short amount of time. This is because the lag time between when a road condition is encountered and when the feed-back control system makes the adaption may be too long.

Method and system for proactively adjusting vehicle occupant biometric monitor in view of upcoming road conditions


The present invention relates to a method of forming a flash memory device, which is capable of forming floating gates. According to a method of forming a flash memory device in accordance with the present invention, isolation mask patterns are first formed over a semiconductor substrate. Trenches are formed by performing an etching process using the isolation mask patterns. Isolation layers are formed between the isolation mask patterns, including the insides of the respective trenches. The isolation mask patterns are removed. Tunnel dielectric layers and crystallized first conductive layers are sequentially formed over the exposed semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer and a second conductive layer are formed over the isolation layers and the first conductive layers.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a flash memory device and, more particularly, to a method of forming a flash memory device, which is capable of forming floating gates.
A flash memory device includes a floating gate for storing data and a control gate for transferring voltages.
More specifically, a flash memory device is formed by stacking a tunnel dielectric layer, a floating gate, a dielectric layer, and a control gate over a semiconductor substrate. When a program voltage is applied to the control gate, the coupling ratio between the floating gate and the control gate increases, and electrons are tunneled from the semiconductor substrate to the inside of the floating gate. Accordingly, the threshold voltage rises, so a program operation is performed.
In particular, electrons stored in the floating gate are concentrated more on a surface than in the inside of the floating gate. It is advantageous to increase the area of the floating gate in order to prohibit a shift in the distribution of threshold voltages.
Meanwhile, as the level of integration increases, it becomes difficult to align floating gates on an active area. Accordingly, after forming a conductive layer for the floating gates is formed over a semiconductor substrate, trenches for isolation may be formed by performing an etching process using an isolation mask pattern so that the floating gates are automatically aligned. This is called as a Self-Aligned Floating Gate (SAFG) method.
Further, even in the SAFG method, in order to increase the volumes of floating gates, after a first conductive layer and an isolation layer are formed, a second conductive layer for the floating gates are further formed over the first conductive layer. More specifically, a tunnel dielectric layer and a first conductive layer for floating gates are formed over a semiconductor substrate. An isolation mask pattern is formed on the first conductive layer. An etching process is performed using the isolation mask pattern, thus forming trenches for isolation. In view of the etching process, a width at the bottom of the isolation mask pattern is narrower than that at the top thereof, thus forming a negative profile. Next, after an isolation layer is formed within the trenches, the isolation mask pattern is removed in order to expose the first conductive layer. Next, a second conductive layer for floating gates is formed over the first conductive layer. Since a width at the top of a region from which the isolation mask pattern has been removed is narrower than that at the bottom thereof, over-hang is likely to happen when forming the second conductive layer. Accordingly, void or seam may be generated within the second conductive layer. If void or seam is generated within the floating gates, the electrical characteristics of the flash memory device may be deteriorated, resulting in low reliability.