A manufacturing method of an optical fiber preform used to produce an optical fiber includes: etching a surface of a core preform that forms a core of the optical fiber with a plasma flame in a chamber; obtaining a porous preform by depositing glass particles on an etched surface of the core preform to form an outside vapor-deposited layer that forms a cladding of the optical fiber in a state where the core preform is put into the chamber; and heating and sintering the porous preform. When obtaining the porous preform, the outside vapor-deposited layer is formed by repeatedly performing the deposition of the glass particles multiple times through supply of source material gas. In a first deposition among the multiple times of deposition of the glass particles, a flow rate of the source material gas is less than or equal to 50% of a stable value.

A so-called silica core optical fiber including a core that is formed of substantially pure silica glass and a cladding that is formed of silica glass doped with fluorine can achieve lower transmission loss than a general germanium-doped core optical fiber (including a core that is formed of silica glass doped with germanium and a cladding that is formed of pure silica glass). The reason for this is that, since the core is formed of pure silica glass, substantially no fluctuation in concentration occurs and Rayleigh scattering is suppressed.
An optical fiber preform of producing the optical fiber can be produced, for example, using a method described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 5771943) including: preparing a core preform using a VAD method (vapor-phase axial deposition method); putting the core preform into a pipe that forms an inner cladding layer; integrating the core preform with the pipe by collapsing the pipe; and further forming a layer that forms an outer cladding layer using an outside vapor-deposition method.
However, in a case where an optical fiber preform is prepared using the method described in Patent Document 1, there is a variation in the sizes and the refractive index of a core preform and a pipe. Therefore, in order to integrate an optimum combination of a core preform and a pipe, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of core preforms and a plurality of pipes. In addition, the inner diameter and the outer diameter of a core preform and a pipe in a longitudinal direction are not uniform, and thus characteristics thereof in the longitudinal direction vary.
In addition, in the manufacturing method of Patent Document 1, a pipe preparation step (for example, drilling or cleaning) or a collapsing step that is not typically required during the production of a general Ge core optical fiber is required, and thus the costs are high. In addition, impurities are likely to be incorporated during drilling or cleaning, and thus the transmission loss is likely to increase. Further, in a case where the thickness of a pipe is large, it is difficult to collapse the pipe, which is not suitable for increasing the size of a preform.
In a case where an outside vapor-deposition method is adopted to form an inner cladding, the above-described circumstances can be avoided to some extent.
However, in a silica core optical fiber, in a case where the bulk density of a soot deposited layer is increased in order to prevent delamination or deviation between a core preform and an inner cladding, the diffusion of fluorine as a dopant in an inner cladding may be insufficient.
In a case where the flow rate of source material gas is reduced during the formation of the soot deposited layer, the diffusion of fluorine is improved. In this case, however, the productivity may deteriorate.

Manufacturing method of optical fiber preform


A device for detecting traces of explosive materials, weapons, firearms, knives or drugs is disclosed. The device is used a stand-alone device, or coupled to an explosive detector using mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry technologies. The device comprises a plurality of sensors, a controller and a memory coupled to the processor. The sensors include radar, a position sensor, a camera and so on. The device scans a plurality of subjects in a field of regard. Based on the signals obtained from the sensors, the device determines presence of the explosive materials, weapons, firearms, knives or drugs and alerts a user of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to detecting explosive materials, weapons, firearms, knives, and substances. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a device for detecting explosive materials, weapons, firearms, knives, and drugs using radar, Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS), a Mass Spectrometry, and Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) technologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that explosive based weapons are used to carryout explosions in crowded areas. The explosive based weapons may include but not limited to RDX, PETN, TNT and so on. Reasons for increase in use of such explosive based weapons may include availability and easy to deploy such explosive based weapons. With increase in technology, novel methods have been invented to provide variety of compositions to make explosives, weapon delivery systems that are very difficult to trace or detect. Additionally, use of weapons such as firearms or guns, knives to create havoc in public places has increased.
Further, individuals are consuming controlled substances at large, which deteriorates health of the individuals. The controlled substances may include, but not limited to, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, PCP, methamphetamine and so on.
Typically, the explosives are detected by collecting vapor or particulate samples. The samples are analyzed with a sensitive sensor system using different techniques. Examples of the techniques include but not limited to an Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS), a Mass Spectrometry (MS), and a Gas Chromatography (GC).
Examples of the devices implementing the above techniques are deployed at airports, border security, government buildings and so on. Examples of the devices used to detect explosives, drugs and other objects are disclosed at least in a U.S.Pat. No. 6,831,590 and in a United States patent application 20090032701. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,590, a concealed object detection system for detecting objects concealed on a person is disclosed. The concealed object detection system includes radar transponders that are each configured and positioned to direct a radar signal at a person and to detect a portion of the radar signal reflected by the person. In US20090032701, a system for detecting analytes in a gas phase sample is disclosed. The system comprises an ion mobility spectrometer provided for detecting analytes having an excess amount of dopant in its separation region.
Although the devices are effective in detecting the explosives, weapons, firearms, knives and drugs, they are very bulky, expensive, and require time-consuming procedures. Further, the devices used to detect explosives, weapons, firearms, knives and drugs cannot be used at homes and cannot be mass-produced due to its overall cost and frequency of utilizing the devices to detect explosives, firearms, knives or drugs.
Other documents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. Specifically, none of the disclosures in the art disclose a device comprising miniature sensors that are capable of detecting explosives, firearms, knives or drugs on their own or when connected with other devices that are capable of detecting explosives, firearms, knives or other controlled substances.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that is portable, the device comprising sensors to detect explosives, weapons, firearms, knives, drugs and other controlled substances.

Device for detecting explosive materials, or weapons or firearms, or knives or substances


A system for controlling or operating a plurality of target systems via spoken commands is provided. The system includes a first plurality of target systems, a second plurality of controllers for controlling or operating target systems via spoken commands, a speech recognition system that stores interface information that is specific to a target system or a group of target systems that are to be controlled or operated. A first controller in the second plurality of controllers includes a microphone for picking up audible signals in the vicinity of the first controller and a device for transmitting the audible signals to a speech recognition system. The speech recognition system is operable to analyze the interface information to recognize spoken commands issued for controlling or operating said target system.

The present embodiments relate to control or operator control of a plurality of target systems, such as target processes or target units, via spoken commands. The control or operator control, which may be referred to as "controlling" or "operating," of individual target systems via spoken commands using automated speech recognition may be used in, for example, office automation or other technical fields. Target systems include text processing systems or other processor controlled machines, which respond to defined commands in a programmed manner. Target systems are controlled using speech recognition systems that use specific characteristics, which are tailored to the application and the target system to be controlled.
The specific characteristics make day-to-day dealings difficult for users wishing to use a plurality of target systems in a mixed sequence and having no opportunity to familiarize themselves with the specific characteristics of different target systems.


The fuser roller in a fixing unit of a (duplex) electrographic copying or printing apparatus is provided with an oil application system having an oil sump, two metallic rollers for delivery of fusing oil to a applicator roller contacting the fuser roller. The system is characterized by an oil transfer coefficient C which is not higher than 0.5 in order to avoid visible stepwise variation of fuser oil offset on the final copy. The system can further be provided with an oil compensation roller for further improvement of oil distribution on the copy and can be equipped with a cleaning system to remove picked-up impurities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device for an electrographic (colour) printing apparatus in which for example two images on both sides of a receiving member can be fixed in one step.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an electrophotographic black-and-white printing machine, a photoconductive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive member is image-wise exposed. Exposure by irradiation of the charged photoconductive member selectively dissipates the charge thereon in the irradiated areas. As a result an electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member corresponding to the informational areas contained in the original document being reproduced. After the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed by bringing a charged toner brush into contact therewith. A developed toner image is formed on the photoconductive member. The toner image may be subsequently transferred in one or more steps to a receiving member. The receiving member carrying the toner image is then heated to permanently affix the toner image thereto in image configuration. A toner image can also be obtained using other electrographic systems. In direct electrostatic printing for example switchable aperture electrodes image-wise regulate the toner transfer through the printhead to the receiving medium. Multicolour electrophotographic printing is substantially identical to black and white printing described hereinbefore. However, rather than forming a single latent image on the photoconductive surface, successive latent part-images corresponding to different colours are recorded thereon. Starting from colour separation information obtained by scanning or computing an image according to the additive colour system using red, green and blue (RGB), the part-image forming data is calculated for obtaining an electrostatic latent image which is preferable developed with a toner of the subtractive colour system using magenta, yellow and cyan toner.
This process is repeated at the image forming station or duplicated at plural image forming stations for the respective subtractive colour system toners (YMC). A fourth image using black toner can be included to provide better image reproduction. Each single colour component toner image is transferred to the receiving member sheet in superimposed registration with the prior toner image, thereby creating a multilayered toner image on the receiving member. Thereafter, the multilayered toner image is permanently fixed to the receiving member creating a colour copy or print.
The fixing is usually done by a fusing apparatus comprising two pressure rollers exerting pressure to the receiving member which is fed in between the rollers. Due to the pressure the toner compacts and adheres to the receiving member. Usually at least one of the rollers is heated in order to cause melting of the toner providing fast and high quality fixing of the copy. This provides a capability of a high throughput fixing apparatus. A problem herein is that the melted toner not only adheres to the receiving member, but also tends to adhere to the fixing rollers which exert pressure and heat to the receiving member. This causes smearing of the rollers, resulting in image quality defects in copies made hereafter.
To avoid these problems and to exert a uniform pressure, the fixing rollers are usually made of a rubber material having a low affinity for the toner composition. To even further diminish the toner offset to the rollers a releasing agent is applied to the fixing rollers. This is usually a type of silicone fuser oil forming a thin layer on the fixing rollers. This oil usually is applied to the fuser roller by a contacting oil application roller on which a constant oil film is applied by an oil applicator and metering blade. The oil ensures no tacking of the toner to the fixing roller. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No.5,504,566 wherein an oil application system uses a dual metering blade. However a small portion of the oil applied to the fixing roller is also transferred to the final copy, which is fixed in the fuser. This thin oil film results in a light gloss visible in the final copy.
This oil offset also results in a change in the amount of oil present on the fixing rollers even if a fresh supply is provided. In order to maintain good toner offset properties, the amount of oil on the fusing rollers has to be maintained at a certain level.
Another problem arises when the thickness of the oil film deposited on the copy varies within one page. The visible variation of gloss results in a degraded image quality to the viewer. In order to counteract these problems a rapid variation of the oil film thickness has to be avoided. It can be seen that there is still a need for a better control of silicone oil application to maintain good offset properties and a high image quality.
When the fuser is activated without actually fusing copies, the oil application system ensures a maximum of oil deposited upon the fuser rollers.
If the fuser is used to fuse a continuous web of paper, the oil film on the rollers diminishes each revolution until a minimum value is reached. At this point the amount of oil offset on the paper equals the amount of oil supplied by the applicator system. This maximum and minimum value can be calculated and measured. Normal copy or print operation however cannot be compared to either situation. In between copies the amount of oil on the rollers increases whereas it decreases when a sheet is fed through the nip. This decrease is not continuous as the length of the paper sheet normally exceeds the circumference of the fuser roller. During the first revolution of the fuser roller in contact with the leading portion of the receiving sheet, the fuser roller is fully oiled and a certain amount of oil transferred to the paper. During the second revolution of the fuser roller in contact with the second portion of the receiving paper there is less oil on the roller and a smaller amount of oil is transferred to the paper. During further revolutions the amount of oil on the roller will diminish to the minimum value. The transition of two areas having a different oil coverage occurs in discrete steps clearly visible to the viewer.
A further problem which arises is the fact that several systems using metering blades or wicks cause premature wear of the fusing rollers due to sliding contacts.
An oil application system in a fuser is normally provided only for the roller contacting the toner image. Till now no oil application system is provided for fusing a duplex copy wherein the two toner images on both sides of the receiving layer are fused simultaneously.

System for application of fuser oil to a fusing unit


A radiation image read-out apparatus is provided with a line sensor which detects stimulated emission emitted from a radiation image convertor panel upon exposure to a line-like stimulating light beam extending in a main scanning direction and reads out a radiation image recorded on the radiation image convertor panel while moving the line sensor and the radiation image convertor panel relatively to each other in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction. The line sensor includes a CCD having a number of light receiving portions two-dimensionally arranged along the main scanning direction and outputs electric charges obtained by photoelectrically converting the stimulated emission received by the light receiving portions after binning the electric charges in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a radiation image read-out apparatus, and more particularly to a radiation image read-out apparatus in which stimulated emission emitted from a radiation image convertor panel is detected by a line sensor formed of a CCD.
2. Description of the Related Art
When certain kinds of phosphor are exposed to radiation such as X-rays, they store a part of energy of the radiation. Then when the phosphor which has been exposed to the radiation is exposed to stimulating light such as visible light, light is emitted from the phosphor in proportion to the stored energy of the radiation. A phosphor exhibiting such properties is generally referred to as "a stimulable phosphor". In this specification, the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor upon stimulation thereof will be referred to as "stimulated emission". There has been known a radiation image recording and reproducing system, comprising a radiation image recording apparatus and a radiation image read-out apparatus, as a CR (computed radiography) in which a layer of the stimulable phosphor is exposed to a radiation passing through an object such as a human body to have a radiation image of the object stored on the stimulable phosphor sheet as a latent image, stimulating light such as a laser beam is projected onto the stimulable phosphor sheet, and the stimulated emission emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet is photoelectrically detected, thereby obtaining an image signal (a radiation image signal) representing a radiation image of the object.
There has been known a radiation image convertor panel comprising a stimulable phosphor layer formed on a substrate as a recording medium employed in the radiation image recording and reproducing system. As the radiation image read-out apparatus, there has been known an apparatus which detects stimulated emission emitted from a radiation image convertor panel upon exposure to a line-like stimulating light beam extending in a main scanning direction by a line sensor comprising a CCD having a number of light receiving portions and, while moving the line sensor and the radiation image convertor panel relatively to each other in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,326,636, 6,521,908, and 6,605,820. The resolution in the main scanning direction of a radiation image read out by the line sensor from the radiation image convertor panel is governed by the pitch at which the light receiving portions are arranged in the main scanning direction. Whereas the resolution in the sub-scanning direction of the same is governed by the width in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction of the stimulating light beam projected onto the radiation image convertor panel.
Since the stimulated emission emitted from a radiation image convertor panel is weak, the amplification factor becomes large in order to amplify electric charges obtained by photoelectrically converting stimulated emission and to convert the electric charges into a digital image signal representing a radiation image, which results in increase of noise in the image signal. There has been a requirement for reduction of noise in the image signal, thereby improving the quality of radiation image represented by the image signal. Accordingly, to increase in S/N of the image signal by enlarging each light receiving portion in the sub-scanning direction to increase the amount of the stimulated emission received by the line sensor is being studied. Even if each light receiving portion is increased in the sub-scanning direction, the resolution can be held unchanged in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction for the reason described above.
However, this approach is disadvantageous in that when the amount of the stimulated emission received by the line sensor is increased by enlarging each light receiving portion in the sub-scanning direction, the electric potential gradation per unit length on the light receiving face is reduced and storing of the next electric charges is started before a part of the electric charges is left unreleased from the light receiving portion. The part of the electric charges left in the light receiving portion generates noise in the image signal.
Further, when the amount of the stimulated emission received by the line sensor is increased by increasing the number of rows of the light receiving portions in the sub-scanning direction with the size of each light receiving portion in the sub-scanning direction held unchanged, the image signal components obtained from respective light receiving portions adjacent to each other in the sub-scanning direction must be added into an image signal component for a pixel corresponding to the light receiving portions after respectively amplified. When adding the two image signal components after amplification, amplified noises for the two image signal components are also added. Accordingly, the ratio of the amplified noise in an image signal obtained is substantially the same as that in an image signal obtained through a row of light receiving portions, which shows that the S/N cannot be improved even if the amount of the stimulated emission received by the line sensor is increased by increasing the number of rows of the light receiving portions in the sub-scanning direction.


A number of arms are coupled to a base. Each arm is to hold a blade of a respective knife, and is moveable relative to the other about a pivot axis. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Kitchen utensils such as knives, forks, and spoons have typically been stored in a drawer underneath a countertop. Knives in particular, however, have also been stored in a dedicated block, typically made entirely of wood. Such a storage unit has typically been referred to as a "block" which is descriptive of the overall shape of the unit, as well as the fact that it is a solid compact piece of substantial material. Openings shaped in the form of slots are formed that run vertically down from a top surface and into the block, and in which the knives are inserted blade first.
More recently, the market has seen a knife block that contains multiple sections that appear to be attached to form a unit, where each section has slotted openings to receive either knives or a pair of scissors. The knives have end caps bearing text labels such as "slicer", "bread", "utility", and "paring" that appear to refer to the function of the particular knife.


Novel food, dietary supplement and nutraceutical products containing phenol/protein complexes derived from vegetable sources have high antioxidant activity and very high levels of protein. The products provide novel means for administering high levels of plant antioxidants to human and mammals in the form of a protein concentrate. Due to their high antioxidant capacity these novel products are useful as aids in the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

It has been known for a long time that many plant materials contain phenols or phenolic compounds. The term phenols, phenolic compounds or plant phenolics in the context of plant materials and in the context of the present application for patent refer to a multitude of naturally occurring substances which have one or more phenolic hydroxyl groups. As is known, a phenolic hydroxyl group is a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to a carbocyclic aromatic ring. Phenol (hydroxybenzene) is the simplest example of a phenolic compound, but the naturally occurring phenols or phenolic compounds tend to be of more complex structure, and include polyphenols having complex substitution patterns and compounds having condensed rings. Phenolics isolated from plants including seeds and fruits of plants include gallic acid, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, phloridzin, cinnamates, hydroxymethyl furfural and anthocyanins.
Phenolics compounds contained in plant materials, particularly in plant materials from which proteins are isolated for human or animal consumption, have long been considered undesirable. This is primarily because phenolics tend to bind strongly to proteins (by hydrogen bonds) and also by covalent bonds, and tend to provide undesired color to the plant protein isolates. Whereas the present applicant does not wish to be bound by theory, it is noted that the process by which phenolic compounds are bound to proteins is generally understood to involve a step of oxidation that occurs while the plant isolate is in aqueous suspension or solution, and is exposed to atmospheric oxygen, or to oxygen dissolved in water, followed by a 1,4 addition (Michael addition) of a sulfhydryl (SH) or amino (NH) function of the protein to the resulting quinone. This series of reactions is illustrated below in a simplified form. The reaction below is simplified, because the plant phenolic compound is not simple phenol or hydroquinonone as illustrated below, but a more complex phenolic compound of the nature described above. The group R in the simplified scheme represents the rest of the plant protein molecule, just like the simple phenol or hydroquinone in the simplified scheme represents the more complex phenolic compound naturally occurring in the plant.

A detailed description and review of the chemistry of the attachment of plant phenolics to plant proteins by hydrogen bonding and through oxidation to quinones followed by 1,4 (Michael) addition, can be found in the publication by Loomis et al., "Plant phenolic compounds and the isolation of plant enzymes" Phytochemistiy, 5,423, (1966).
Because the plant phenolics are generally considered in the prior art to be undesirable contaminants of proteins which are isolated from the plant, the prior art has strived to isolate the proteins flee of the phenolics, and to discard the undesirable phenolics while keeping the desired protein material. Thus, processes for removing the phenolics from plant proteins, and to isolate proteins as free of phenolic contaminants as possible, are described in several publications and patents, such as:
Lusas "Sunflower Seed Protein", New Protein Foods, 5, 393-433, (1985);
Sodini et al. J. Agric. Food Chem., 25, 822-825, (1977), and
Pearce U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,319.
Perhaps because of the difficulty or expense of removing "undesirable" phenolics from phenolics-rich plant flours, the phenol-rich flours are typically considered to be of poor quality for human or animal consumption and are hence abundant and inexpensive. These typically are by-products of oil extraction (e.g., flax meal) or represent a by-product of a specialized milling fraction (e.g., buckwheat).
In addition to being considered undesirable as a colorant, plant phenolics were also suggested to have anti-nutritive value (Food Phenolics, Chapter 6, p. 171-9, 1995).
On the other hand, it has been relatively recently recognized in the prior art that oral consumption of antioxidants increases serum antioxidant levels (see Rao et al., J. Medicinal Food, Mar. 15, 2000) and that orally consumed anti-oxidants have beneficial value to human (and other mammalian) health. More specifically, the health benefits or potential benefits shown by epidemiological studies and generally attributed to consumption of anti-oxidant rich food or food supplements include or relate to prevention of various cancers, decrease in the incidence of cardiovascular disease, and decrease in the incidence of stroke. Recognizing the importance of anti-oxidants in foods or food supplements, the prior art has actually developed an assay for determining the amount of anti-oxidants contained in a food product. The assay termed the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity Assay (ORAC) is described by Cao et al., in Clinical Chemistry, 41, 1738, 1995. This assay allows one to quickly compare the total antioxidant capacity of various food servings (Prior et al. J. Amer. Nutraceutical Assoc., 2, 46, (1999)).
As an exception to the prior art generally making great efforts to remove undesirable phenolics from isolated plant proteins, buckwheat protein from which phenolics have not been removed has been reportedly fed to experimental rats, as is described in a series of publications:
Kayashita et al., Nutrition Research, 15, 691-8, 1995;
Kayashita et al., J. Nutrition 127, 1395, 1997;
Kayashita el al., Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 60, 1530, 1996;
Kayashita et al., Current Advances in Buckwheat Research, 935, 1995;
Kayashita et al., BioSci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 63, 1242, 1999, and
Kayashita et al., BioSci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 63, 1837, 1999.
In these publications about buckwheat protein, the authors suggest that whatever health effects were observed in the experimental rats they were entirely due to the protein composition of the buckwheat versus soy protein or casein. The authors discuss in detail the amino acid profiles of buckwheat protein and find several features of buckwheat protein that suggest health benefits. Indeed, buckwheat has been shown in the prior art to have great health benefits independent of its protein or phenol content. Hence, any phenolic compounds which may have been present in the buckwheat protein of these experiments would have been considered impurities, and thus feeding of protein-phenol complexes to animals is not suggested by these publications of Kayashita et al.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Food products and dietary supplements containing phenolated proteins and process for preparing the same


The present invention relates to a method in positioning, to determine assistance information of a satellite positioning system. The assistance information is transmitted in a communication system (1) with at least one server (4). The assistance information is transmitted from the communication system (1) to the electronic device (8). At least one server (4) of the communication system is used for determining the assistance information. The determined assistance information is converted to meta data format, and the assistance information converted to meta data format is transmitted to the electronic device (8). In the electronic device (8), said assistance information is used for positioning, when necessary. The invention also relates to a system and an electronic device, in which the method is applied.

In positioning systems based on satellites, the positioning receiver attempts to receive signals transmitted from satellites, to compute its own position. Normally, the reception of at least four different satellite signals is needed to determine the three-dimensional position and the time data. However, satellite signals are relatively weak upon arrival at the receiver. The signal level is often below the level of background noise. In practice, this means that the positioning receiver cannot necessarily receive the required number of satellite signals. For such a situation, there are systems under development which utilize assistance information and mobile communication networks. In this case, assistance information related to the satellites is transmitted to the positioning receiver via base stations of a land mobile communication network. In such a system, at least some base stations are provided with a positioning receiver to receive signals transmitted from satellites. At the base station, the coordinates of the base station are known at a relatively high precision, wherein the satellite signals received at the base station and the coordinates of the base station can be used to determine some information relating to the satellite signals, such as the propagation time from the satellite to the base station and the ionospheric corrections. Furthermore, it is possible to transmit assistance information, such as Ephemeris and almanac data, from an earth station belonging to the satellite positioning system to the base stations. In this case, the assistance information can be utilized in the positioning to use also such a satellite signal whose strength is not sufficient for the demodulation of the information in the signal. This will facilitate the positioning under poor signal conditions.
One known positioning system based on satellites (satellite positioning system) is the Global Positioning System (GPS) comprising several satellites orbiting the earth. Each operating satellite of the GPS system transmits a so-called L1 signal at the carrier frequency of 1575.42 MHz. This frequency is also indicated with 154f0, where f0=10.23 MHz. Furthermore, the satellites transmit another ranging signal at a carrier frequency of 1227.6 MHz called L2, i.e. 120f0. In the satellite, these signals are modulated with at least one pseudo random sequence. This pseudo random sequence is different for each satellite. In each satellite, for modulating the L1 signal, the pseudo random sequence used is e.g. a so-called C/A code (Coarse/Acquisition code), which is a code from the family of the Gold codes. Each GPS satellite transmits a signal by using an individual C/A code. The codes are formed as a modulo-2 sum of two 1023-bit binary sequences. The first binary sequence G1 is formed with the polynomial X10+X3+1, and the second binary sequence G2 is formed by delaying the polynomial X10+X9+X8+X6+X3+X2+1 in such a way that the delay is different for each satellite. This arrangement makes it possible to generate different C/A codes by using identical code generators. The C/A codes are thus binary codes whose chipping rate in the GPS system is 1.023 Mchips/s. The C/A code comprises 1023 chips, wherein the iteration time (epoch) of the code is 1 ms. The carrier of the L1 signal is further modulated by navigation information at a bit rate of 50 bit/s. The navigation information comprises information about the "health", orbit, time data of the satellite, etc. In the GPS system, the codes used in the modulation of the L1 signal are not particularly efficient in view of eliminating the above-presented narrow-band interference. Thus, the cross-correlation caused by a strong spurious signal in the weaker signal to be received may prevent the receiver from acquiring this signal to be received.
International patent application WO 99/47943 presents a system and a method for determining the position of a wireless CDMA transceiver. The publication presents typical transmission of assistance information to a receiver in the case of satellite positioning. The assistance information can be satellite identification data, Dopper shift data, information related to the distance between the base station and the satellite, or information related to a search window. The search window can be determined on the basis of the round trip delay between the receiver and the base station, or information related to the angle of the satellite. In the system according to the reference, the base station is provided with a GPS receiver which the base station can use to acquire information relating to satellite signals, for example to determine the distance between the satellite and the base station.
One problem in systems of the above-described kind is that the implementation of the system requires modifications in the mobile communication network, for example for the reason that at least some base stations must be provided with a positioning receiver. Furthermore, the system is bound to the communication protocol used on the transmission channel of the mobile communication network, and the implementation of the physical layer. Also, the operator of the mobile communication network must implement the transmission of the assistance information in the mobile communication network. Furthermore, the use of the system requires that the user's electronic device is provided not only with the positioning receiver but also a receiver functioning in such a mobile communication network. Consequently, it is a system bound to a specific communication network and protocol. The implementation of such a system is relatively expensive, and the use of the system is limited to the subscribers of this mobile communication network only.

Method in positioning, a system, and an electronic device


The present invention relates to a novel protein interacting with phytochromes and use thereof, and more particularly, to a polypeptide having either an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4 or an amino acid sequence having at least 70% with said amino acid sequence, and use thereof. The polypeptide interacts with phytochromes A and B, and the TPR domain present at the N-terminal region of the polypeptide is involved in the interaction. Also, a PP2A catalytic domain (PP2Ac) having phosphatase activity is present at the C-terminal region of the polypeptide. The polypeptide can be used as a phosphatase, and is useful in the production of plants sensitive to light signal transduction. Furthermore, the TPR domain present in the polypeptide is useful in the production of dwarf plants.

To perceive the status of their light environment, plants have evolved various photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (an unidentified UV-B receptor, a phototropin and cryptochrome sensing TV-A/blue light region of the spectrum, and phytochromes sensing red (R)/far-red (FR) region of the spectrum) mediate signals to genes regulating the growth and development of plants (Fankhauser, C. & Chory, J. Curr. Biol., 9:R123-R126, 1999; Neff, M. M., et al., Genes Dev., 14:257-271, 2000). The recent development of molecular biological and biochemical research technologies and molecular genetic research technologies have been made in the molecular cloning and genetic characterization of the photoreceptors themselves, as well as some signal intermediate components involved in transducing perceived signals from photoreceptors to photoresponsive genes (Quail, P. H. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol., 14:180-188, 2002; Gyula, P. et al., Curr. Opin. Plant Biol., 6:446-452, 2003).
Phytochromes are photoreceptors whose characteristics were most well studied, that regulate various aspects of the growth and development of higher plants. Depending to the spectrum of light irradiated on phytochromes, a reversible photo-conversion occurs between a biologically inactive, red light-absorbing form (Pr) and a biologically active, far-red light-absorbing form (Pfr). The photo-conversion into the Pfr form by red light treatment initiates translocation from the cytoplasm of phytochromes themselves to the nucleus, and activates the signal transduction pathway inducing various effects on the expression and development of genes, thus regulating the growth and development of plants (Quail, P. H. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol., 14:180-188, 2002; Fankhauser, C. & Chory, J. Curr. Biol., 9:R123-R126, 1999). It is reported that there are five different phytochromes (designated phyA, phyB, phyC, phyD and phyE) in Arabidopsis thaliana (Neff, M. M., et al., Genes Dev., 14:257-271, 2000; Quail, P. H. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol., 14:180-188, 2002).
The generic phytochromes consist of an apoprotein of about 116-121 kDa and a tetrapyrrole chromophore, phytochromobillin that is covalently linked to the apoprotein (Quail, P. H. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol. 14:180-188, 2002; Gyula, P. et al., Curr. Opin. Plant Biol., 6:446-452, 2003). The photosensoty activity of phytochromes resides in their unique capacity for reversible, light-induced interconversion between the Pr form and the Pfr form. The monomer of phytochrome molecule is composed of a globular N-terminal domain (˜70 kDa), which is anchoring the chromophore, and a C-terminal domain linked via a flexible hinge region. The N-terminal domain is responsible for photosensory function. Also, the conformationally open C-terminal domain (about 55 kDa) is known to be involved in signal transfer (Quail, P. H. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol., 14:180-188, 2002; Gyula, P. et al., Curr. Opin. Plant Biol., 6:446-452, 2003). The C-terminal domain contains a pair of the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) motifs around the regulatory core region. The PAS motifs are known to be involved in protein-protein interaction and inter-domain communications in some sensory proteins. The results of analysis with recombinant oat phytochrome A showed that the C-terminal domain of phytochromes possesses serine/threonine protein kinase activity (Yeh, K. C. & Lagarias, J. C. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95:13976-13981, 1998; Fankhauser, C. et al., Science, 284:1539-1541, 1999). Furthermore, it was suggested by the results of spectral and photochemical tests that the photo-isomerization of phytochromes induced by chromopores triggers conformational changes throughout the whole phytochrome molecule via inter-domain communication within the molecules, like the well-characterized rhodopsin visual receptor in animals (Maeda, T. et al., Prog. Retin. Eye Res., 22:417-434, 2003; Vishnivetskiy, S. A. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 275:41049-41057, 2000). In addition, the conformational signals of phytochrome could be further differentiated by inter-domain interactions in the phytochrome molecule, and this is presumed to be modulated by reversible phosphorylation/dephosphorylation at serine residue in the hinge region. In spite of these many authentic findings, however, minute mechanisms by which the phytochromes transduce light signals to photoresponsive genes are not yet completely established.

Phytochrome-interacting protein and a use thereof


A hydraulic control system is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have an input device to generate a first signal indicative of a desired swing motor movement, and a control valve configured to selectively pass fluid to the swing motor and drain from the swing motor to drive the swing motor based on the first signal. The hydraulic control system may also have a pressure sensor to generate a second signal indicative of a swing motor pressure, a speed sensor configured to a third signal indicative of a swing motor speed, and a controller configured to make a comparison of at least one of the swing motor speed and the swing motor pressure with a threshold speed and a threshold pressure, and open the control valve to drain fluid from the swing motor to the tank based on the comparison when the input device is in a neutral condition.

Swing-type excavation machines, for example hydraulic excavators and front shovels, require significant hydraulic pressure and flow to transfer material from a dig location to a dump location. These machines direct the high-pressure fluid from an engine-driven pump through a swing motor to accelerate a work tool at the start of each swing, and then restrict the flow of fluid exiting the motor at the end of each swing to slow and stop the work tool.
The restriction placed on the flow of fluid exiting the motor at the end of each swing has historically be generated by one or more pressure relief valves. In particular, the high pressures produced during swing deceleration are typically forced through pressure relief valves to a low pressure tank, the pressure relief valves restricting the flow of fluid to a desired degree. As pressures within the system are reduced by the draining fluid, the pressure relief valves would close by greater amounts thereby increasing the restriction on the fluid until the swinging motion eventually stopped altogether.
Unfortunately, in most situations, pressure settings of the pressure relief valves cause the valves to close completely before the swinging motion of the work tool is completely stopped. This premature closing allows residual fluid left in the circuit to be pressurized by the final swinging movement. And because this fluid has a pressure just less than the pressure required to open the pressure relief valves, the fluid would not be relieved to the tank. Instead, the trapped fluid would act as a compressed spring. After the swinging motion in the first direction stops, the spring decompresses (i.e., the pressurized fluid expands back against the motor) and functions to accelerate the work tool in an opposing direction. Fluid is again trapped during this return swing, and it functions as another spring to push the work tool back in the first direction. In some situations, this operation continues multiple times, bouncing the work tool back and forth, until the energy is finally dissipated in the form of heat.
One attempt to reduce the oscillation when a hydraulically driven member of a machine is decelerating, stopping, or reversing directions, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,404 of Joseph Pfaff that issued on Nov. 20, 2007 (the '404 patent). The '404 patent provides a method that controls deceleration of the hydraulically driven member. A variable filter function is configured to control the rate at which a motion command goes to zero to stop the machine member so that the command does not close a related valve providing fluid to the member faster than the machine member can respond without oscillation.
Although the system of the '404 patent may help to reduce the amount of oscillation of a hydraulically driven member that is stopping, it may be less than optimal. In particular, the '404 patent does not distinguish between situations where normal swinging movements of the member create large enough pressure differentials to trigger relief valves, and situations where operator input indicates a neutral position where pressure differentials may not be sufficient to trigger standard relief valves.
The disclosed hydraulic control system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.

Hydraulic control system having swing oscillation dampening


A method for providing a firmware developer user interface in a multi-nodal computer system comprises polling for a break command during boot of a multi-nodal computer system and invoking a firmware developer user interface when the break command is encountered.

Many failure modes are possible in existing multi-nodal or cellular architecture computer systems. There are failure modes in multi-nodal, computer systems that are not well supported within existing boot or initial program load (IPL) firmware. In such a system, each system cell, or node, boots at a firmware level within the cell. The firmware of each cell then starts communicating with the firmware of other cells, with the goal of making one system, from the server OS's point of view, such that the cells are transparent, externally presenting the system as a single computer. This joining of cells is commonly referred to as rendezvous. Due to some sort of failure, such as a machine check abort (MCA), a cell or multiple cells may not make the rendezvous. In existing systems, that cell, or those cells, reboot and is/are unavailable to the system. In other words, in existing multi-nodal systems, if a cell does not make rendezvous it is left out of the system. As a result, if a particular cell has a resource that the system OS requires, and that cell fails to make rendezvous, the boot of the entire existing multi-nodal system may fail. Such a required resource may be the operating system disk drive, console universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) connector, local area network (LAN) system boot card, or the like.
Existing firmware user interfaces, designed to be accessed under normal boot conditions and/or from a system-wide perspective, have been implemented, but these interfaces cannot be invoked at the cell level during cell or system boot. Typically, for multi-nodal or cellular architecture server-class computers, when an error state arises during system start-up or boot, an available interactive interface with the system, known as the console, is invoked. Firmware specialist engineers or developers are often involved in the diagnosis of boot-firmware-related problems. However, a firmware specialist or developer is not typically able to gain access to the firmware via this console. In existing multi-nodal computers, firmware runs at a very low level in each node and the console does not allow selective access into the firmware of the cells of the system.
In existing firmware of multi-nodal systems that have an interpreter, it is possible to periodically poll, in the interloop of the interpreter, for a certain escape sequence at the console. However, such an interpreter-based scheme requires that firmware code be rebuilt during every boot calling for an inordinate amount of advance planning to place break points to invoke the console for a cell of a multi-nodal computer system.
Existing interrupt systems call for entering commands at compilation (i.e. anticipating where interrupts are needed) and then hitting the interrupt keys at the right time to catch the interrupt during boot Lip. For example, a particular implementation of an existing firmware console invocation scheme in a Forth-system-based Precision Architecture Reduced Instruction Set Computer (PA-RISC) Open Boot PROM (OBP) firmware system requires storing commands in the nonvolatile random access memory run command (NVRAMRC) file, stored in system nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). Forth is a computer programming language used in the OBP system and the IEEE P1275-standard for open firmware. These NVRAMRC stored commands conditionally execute early in bootstrap, prior to activating boot device drivers. This general purpose NVRAMEC file allows insertion of machine-code break points anywhere in the firmware, up to a fixed table limit. Upon encountering the breakpoint, the processor state is saved and the firmware provides an interactive debugger prompt at the system console that has full access to debugger commands as well as all normal Forth system commands. These break points appear to remain persistent across reboots because the commands that insert them into the program text are re-executed on every boot that uses NVRAMRC.
Existing firmware, for example the firmware of multi-node PA-RISC or Scalable Parallel Processor (SPP) based computers, might have interruptible locations polled during bootstrap. These Forth-based capabilities are hidden from end users in the product, but are useful to firmware and kernel developers in the development labs. However, these interruptible locations are not flexible or changeable by a user and are only active momentarily, during a boot sequence. If a user does not interrupt at the right time using an interrupt key, or keystroke combination, the boot firmware flow is never interrupted. Since each node in an SSP has its own NRAMRC, break points may be designated in any node or cell, not just the "monarch" node.
However, existing implementations of firmware consoles have not allowed for robustness in flow of control interruption. Such existing implementations have had the capability to interrupt boot of a cell of a multi-nodal computer system, but not at multiple points on individual cells. These implementations also do not have the ability to set multiple breakpoints that remain pervasive across boots through the setting of an NVRAM variable. Existing solutions do enable setting breakpoint through firmware NVRAM, nor do existing solution enable a nearly infinite number of potential breakpoints through an interrupt keystroke.

Firmware developer user interface with break command polling

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A package base structure of a light emitting device and associated manufacturing method is provided. The method includes steps of forming a first mask layer and a second mask layer on a first surface and a second surface of a substrate; defining a first opening and a second opening on the first mask layer and the second mask layer wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening; etching the substrate to form the package base structure having a holding space and at least two through holes. The upper opening of the holding space is located on the first surface of the substrate, and the bottom of the holding space can support the light emitting device. The lower openings of the through holes are located on the second surface of the substrate, and the tops of the through holes reach the bottom of the holding space. There is at least one slant structure at the contact between sidewalls of the through holes and the bottom of the holding space.

The Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a light emitting device. Similar to a diode, LED consists of a semiconductor material, and the doped and implanted impurities therein create a p-n junction. When voltage bias is applied across the p-n junction, the current flows from the p-side, the anode, to the n-side, the cathode, and the charge-carriers, electrons and electron holes flow into the junction from the anode and cathode, respectively, and meets each other. Then the electron falls into a lower energy level, and releases a photon, that is lighting. The LEDs have benefits in their low operating voltages, small power consumptions, high-efficiency light emitting, extreme short emitting response time, pure light color, firm structures, anti-impact, anti-vibration, stable and reliable performances, light and small bodies, and low cost, etc. The development in LEDs is prompt, and it is now capable of manufacturing high-illuminant and high-performance LEDs for emitting light of all colors in the visible light spectrum in mass production. The LED manufacturing process includes the upstream processes for manufacturing the epitaxial layers of the LEDs, while the middle-stream processes includes the chip design and wafer dicing process, and the downstream processes includes the packaging and testing of the LEDs. The quality of the final LEDs product is greatly depending on the package technology. The conventional packaging of the LEDs includes two types: the circuit type and the lead-frame type. The circuit-board type process uses circuit boards made of composite material as substrates to be compression molded so as to package the LEDs. In the lead-frame type process, a metallic lead frame is used as the substrate, and the packaging is performed by injection molding or compression molding. However, the LEDs produced by this two packaging methods have common defects such as deficient heat resistances and poor heat dissipations, etc.
Therefore, a process for forming a LED packaging substrate is developed and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,328. The steps for this method are illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1G. Firstly, as shown in FIG. 1A, a silicon substrate 1 with (100)-oriented lattice structure is provided. Then, as indicated in FIG. 1B, a photoresist 10 is applied on one side of the silicon substrate 1. A photolithography process is then executed so that the photoresist in area 11 (see FIG. 1C) is removed. FIG. 1D indicates that etched grooves 12 are formed by wet etching the substrate 1. Each of the etched grooves 12 has an inclined wall with an inclined angle of 54.74°. In FIG. 1E, the photoresist 10 is removed. After then, another photoresist is applied on the other side of the silicon substrate. The photoresist is then exposed and developed to define a semi-through hole and a through-hole pattern in respective aligned relationship with the etched groove 12. The semi-through hole pattern and the through-hole pattern are then dry-etched to form the semi-through hole 14 and the electrode holes 15 through the silicon substrate. After removing the photoresist from the silicon wafer substrate, the structure of the substrate 1 made by silicon is shown in FIG. 1F. The final steps include forming an insulation layer 16 on the front and back sides of the substrate 1 by oxidation or nitridation; and applying a conductive metal layer 17 by electroplating to the front and back sides of substrate 1 and inside electrode holes 15. The LED packaging substrate, as shown in FIG. 1G, is then formed.
However, in the process of manufacturing the above-mentioned conventional LED packaging substrate structure, wet/dry etchings are needed to etch the front/back side of the silicon substrate. Therefore, the process needs complex steps to perform the manufacturing of the packaging substrate, which also increases the cost. Furthermore, many of the products manufactured by the above-mentioned method cannot conduct current normally. That is because an unpredictable fault phenomenon may happen when applying the conductive layer 17 on the electrode hole 15, which will reduce the yield of the packaging of the LED grain on the substrate 1. Furthermore, when welding the packaged LED to the printed circuit board, some solder may overflows from the rear side 19 of the silicon substrate 1 to the lateral side 18, which will cause an leakage current. Therefore, the above-mentioned defects are intended to be improved by the present invention.

Package base structure and associated manufacturing method


An improved process workflow and apparatus for S/TEM sample preparation and analysis is provided. Preferred embodiments provide improved methods for an automated recipe TEM sample creation, especially for small geometry TEM lamellae, employing CAD data to automatically align various stages of sample preparation. The process automatically verifies and aligns the position of FIB-created fiducials by masking off portions of acquired images, and then comparing them to synthesized images from CAD data. SEM beam positions are verified by comparison to images synthesized from CAD data. FIB beam position is also verified by comparison to already-aligned SEM images, or by synthesizing an FIB image from CAD using techniques for simulating FIB images. The automatic alignment techniques herein allow creation of sample lamellas at specified locations without operator intervention.

Features on semiconductor wafers and dies are three-dimensional structures and a complete characterization must describe not just a surface dimension, such as the top width of a line or trench, but a complete three-dimensional profile of the feature. Process engineers must be able to accurately measure the critical dimensions (CD) of such surface features to fine tune the fabrication process and assure a desired device geometry is obtained.
Typically, such CD measurements are made using instruments such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a primary electron beam is focused to a fine spot that scans the surface to be observed. Secondary electrons are emitted from the surface as it is impacted by the primary beam. The secondary electrons are detected, and an image is formed, with the brightness at each point of the image being determined by the number of secondary electrons detected when the beam impacts a corresponding spot on the surface. As features continue to get smaller and smaller, however, there comes a point where the features to be measured are too small for the resolution provided by an ordinary SEM.
As semiconductor geometries continue to shrink, manufacturers increasingly rely on transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) for monitoring the process, analyzing defects, and investigating interface layer morphology. TEMs allow observers to see features having sizes on the order of nanometers, and to see the internal structure of a sample. The sample must be sufficiently thin to allow many of the electrons in the primary beam to travel though the sample and exit on the opposite site.
Because a sample must be very thin for viewing with transmission electron microscopy (whether TEM or STEM), preparation of the sample can be delicate, time-consuming work. The term "TEM" as used herein refers to a TEM or a STEM and references to preparing a sample for a TEM are to be understood to also include preparing a sample for viewing on an STEM. TEM samples are typically less than 100 nm thick, but for some applications samples must be considerably thinner. With advanced processes at 30 nm, 22 nm, and below, the sample needs to be less than 20 nm in thickness in order to avoid overlap among small scale structures. The precision and accuracy involved in producing such samples is typically very time consuming. In fact, even though the information that can be discovered by TEM analysis can be very valuable, the entire process of creating and measuring TEM samples has historically been so labor intensive and time consuming that it has not been practical to use this type of analysis for manufacturing process control. While the use of focused ion beam (FIB) methods in sample preparation has reduced the time required to prepare samples for TEM analysis down to only a few hours, it is not unusual to analyze 15 to 50 TEM samples from a given wafer. As a result, speed of sample preparation is a very important factor in the use of TEM analysis, especially for semiconductor process control.
FIG. 4 illustrates a prior art automated S/TEM sample management (available commercially as the ExSolve™ system) according to described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,890,064 to Arjavac et al. The ExSolve wafer TEM prep (WTP) workflow addresses the needs of facilities that require automated, high-throughput sampling at advanced technology nodes. It complements the capabilities of dual beam systems such as the FEI company's Helios NanoLab™ DualBeam™ 1200AT, which provides more flexible, operator-directed, sample preparation methods, along with additional capabilities such as high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and analysis.
In the depicted system of FIG. 4, TEM samples are processed by a cluster of different processing tools having the capability of sequentially processing samples (e.g., lamellae extracted from semiconductor wafers). The S/TEM sample management tool suite 100 generally includes a Process Controller 110 and a Fab Host computer 112 operably connected to (or integrated with) a FIB system 114, a lamella extraction tool 116 such as an Ex-Situ Plucker ("ESP"), and a S/TEM system 118. FIB system 114 may comprise a dual beam FIB/SEM system such as the Certus™/CLM available from FEI Company of Hillsboro, Oreg., the assignee of the present invention; and S/TEM system 118 may comprise a system such as a Tecnai™ G2 S/TEM also available from FEI Company. In the system of FIG. 4, each processing tool is operably connected to (or integrated with) a computer station 120, which uses software 122 for implementing TEM sample creation and processing. Any suitable software (conventional and/or self-generated) applications, modules, and components may be used for implementing software. For example, in the system of FIG. 4, the automated S/TEM sample management is implemented using IC3D™ software for automated machine control and metrology, which is also available from FEI Company.
However, even in such automated systems, the requirement for manual intervention at various recipe creation steps such as specifying and verifying fiducial locations slows down the process. The time and number of representative samples required to develop/create a fully automated TEM sample preparation recipe (or "TEM prep recipe") is too long to enable leading semiconductor manufacturers to realize "time to data" in an automated workflow for both process monitoring and defect root cause analysis. Foundry-type manufactures are specifically challenged due to the large number of different wafers for different fabless customers. By the time they develop a robust recipe, the pattern may have changed so a new recipe would have to be developed. Recipe development time must be reduced and optimally automated to enable foundry customers to realize the benefits of fully automated TEM Prep.
For TEM prep, the problem is presently solved by skilled engineers creating the recipe in an advanced visual scripting authoring software framework that enables automation of a wide range of instrument control commands and imaging tasks (the iFAST™ software by FEI) software on an automated, high-throughput sample preparation system that can prepare site-specific lamellae (the ExSolve™ system described briefly above), creating test samples, and manually analyzing samples in offline TEM. The learning is then applied to the recipe parameters and the process is iterated. However, such a process is relatively slow and resource intensive, and not readily scalable. Recipe creation/development for a fully automated TEM prep processing can be a time consuming and applications engineering intensive activity due to lack of pre-determined knowledge of pattern information available on wafer/sample.


A safety garage door apparatus includes a garage door, two tracks, a controller, a linking device and a detecting device. Two tracks are installed on two sides of the garage door, respectively. The controller includes a motor, a driving device connected to the motor, and a microprocessor. The linking device includes a rail, a rack slidably mounted in the rail, and a linkage with one end connected to the rack and the other end connected to the garage door. The rack is connected with the driving device. The detecting device is mounted in the controller to continually detect a location of the rack so that a moving speed of the rack is determined by the microprocessor to compare with a predetermined rate to determined whether an operation of opening or closing the garage door needs to be stopped or reversed, or a maintenance of the garage door apparatus is needed.

The present invention relates to a garage door having precise control for opening and closing and prompt reminder when maintenance is needed so that the safety of operation can be improved.
Please refer to FIG. 1. A garage door apparatus typically has two tracks 2a on both sides of a garage door 1a, respectively, so that the garage door 1a can move along the tracks 2a through rollers. Above the garage door 1a, there are a linking device 4a and a controller 3a. The linking device 4a includes a rail 41a with one end fixed on the wall and the other end connected to the controller, a rack 42a slidably attached to the rail 41 and a linkage 43a with one end connected to the garage door 1a and the other end connected to the rack 42a Accordingly, after the controller 3a receives user's command, the garage door can be opened or closed.
In order to prevent accidents, such as closing garage door 1a to injure people, usually a detecting device 5a that includes a single-beam transmitter unit 51a and a receiver unit 52a is installed near the ground at two sides of the garage door 1a, respectively. An electric wire 6a along the periphery of the garage door 1a connects the detecting device 5a and the controller 3a Thus, when an obstacle appears on the path to block the emitting beam at closing garage door 1a, the controller 3a can respond immediately to reverse or stop the operation of the garage door 1a to assure the safety.
Besides, the maintenance on garage door apparatus is usually carried out according to an estimate period of usage or a predetermined schedule. However, this may not assure a timely service when maintenance is actually needed according to the machine condition. Therefore, conventional method fails to work as a criterion to determine whether a required maintenance is due. Consequently, it may have safety concerns in use.
Altogether, the conventional garage door apparatus has disadvantages as follows.    1. The detecting device utilizes a single horizontal beam, so it only detects the obstacle at a certain horizon level. Thus, when it fails to detect the obstacle on other situations, a detection error will happen and an accident could happen. This design cannot assure safety operation.    2. The estimated or predetermined maintenance schedule fails to work properly to provide timely service. Therefore, safety concerns of use are existed.    3. The installation of the detecting device and the controller connected by the exposed wire is lousy and inconvenience. In addition, the exposed wire is easily damaged to cause maintenance problem and interruption of signal transmission. This aggravates the difficulty in safety control. On the other hand, exposed wiring affects aesthetics and tidiness for the garage.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,751 discloses a garage door with moving speed detection, its design is different from Applicant's invention and it cannot provide a prompt reminder for the maintenance to enhance the safety and prolong the life.


One embodiment disclosed relates to a scanning electron beam apparatus including an objective lens, scan deflectors, de-scan deflectors, an energy-filter drift tube, and a segmented detector. The objective lens may be an immersion lens configured with a high extraction field so as to preserve azimuthal angle discrimination of the electrons scattered from the specimen surface. The de-scan deflectors may be used to compensate for the scanning of the incident electron beam. The energy-filter drift tube is configured to align the scattered electrons according to polar angles of trajectory from the specimen surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for electron beam imaging.
2. Description of the Background Art
The two most common types of electron microscopes available commercially are the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the transmission electron microscope (TEM). In an SEM, the specimen is scanned with a focused beam of electrons which produce secondary and/or backscattered electrons as the beam hits the specimen. These are detected and typically converted into an image of the surface of the specimen. Specimens in a TEM are examined by passing the electron beam through them, revealing more information of the internal structure of specimens.
Bright field imaging and dark field imaging are often used in the context of TEMs. A bright field image may be formed in a TEM by selecting electrons from a central diffraction spot to form the image. A dark field image may be formed in a TEM by selecting some or all of the (non-central) diffracted electrons to form the image. The selection of electrons may be implemented using an aperture into the back focal plane of the objective lens, thus blocking out most of the diffraction pattern except that which is visible through the aperture.
Dark field imaging are typically less commonly used in SEMs. SEM dark-field detection systems may be categorized as below-the-lens detectors or behind-the-lens detectors.
A conventional SEM dark field detection system with a below-the-lens configuration 100 is depicted in FIG. 1. In a below-the-lens configuration 100, the detectors 104 are positioned below the objective lens 102 at the bottom of the electron beam column (near the specimen). Unfortunately, immersion objective lens technology interferes with the collection efficiency of below-the-lens detectors 104. Thus, non-immersion objective lens designs are typically used, resulting in higher lens aberration coefficients and leading to inferior image resolution. In addition, the polar angle discrimination threshold is not well controlled for such below-the-lens detectors 104 because the electron energy and emission azimuth can affect the polar angle acceptance of the detector 104. The definitions of the polar angle θ and azimuth angle φ in relation to the scattered electrons emitted from the specimen are shown by illustration in FIG. 2.
A schematic diagram of a conventional SEM dark field detection system with a behind-the-lens configuration 300 is depicted in FIG. 3. A typical behind-the-lens configuration 300 uses off-axis detectors 304 similar to those shown in FIG. 3. These detectors 304 are located "behind" the objective lens 302. In other words, the detectors 304 are located above and to the sides of the objective lens 302 in the electron beam column. The behind-the-lens configuration 300 allows the use of immersion objective lens technology, but unfortunately the behind-the-lens configuration 300 typically has poor polar angle discrimination. In addition, polar angle acceptance is sensitive to primary beam landing energy and beam scanning.
Another behind-the-lens approach uses a segmented detector in conjunction with a Wien filter. Immersion lens technology can be used with this approach, but the approach is sensitive to beam scanning and provides only poor azimuth discrimination and little or no polar angle discrimination.

Apparatus and method for E-beam dark field imaging


A cleaning tool for cleaning the walls of a swimming pool or other concrete structures. Two different sized aggregate or abrasives are combined with a binder to provide an improved cleaning device. The binder and the aggregates are matched so as to wear at substantially identical rates.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cleaning devices for swimming pools and concrete, and in particular, to a device for cleaning rust spots, calcium deposits, etc. from swimming pool walls and concrete.
2. Description of the Related Art
In-ground swimming pools are sometimes formed of concrete, gunite or plaster (generally referred to herein as concrete). Algae stains, metal stains, and calcium scale often build up on the walls of swimming pools. Some stains may be removed with a brush or rag, but persistent stains such as calcium scale are more difficult to remove. If the swimming pool becomes extremely stained, it is well known to drain and "acid wash" the entire pool. This typically includes scrubbing the pool walls with a diluted mixture of muriatic acid and water and sometimes the use of bleach. This, of course, is highly undesirable because tens of thousands of gallons of water are wasted by emptying the pool, and muriatic acid is dangerous to work with. In addition, in-ground swimming pools are structurally designed to be filled with water, and when they are emptied there is a danger that the hydrostatic pressure underneath the pool can cause the pool floor to crack.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt need in the art for a cleaning device for concrete swimming pools, patios, paths, driveways and other concrete structures that can effectively remove stains, and is easy to use and avoids the necessity of draining the pool.

Device for removing stains from swimming pool walls and concrete


A differential amplifier is configured in a cascode configuration that includes input transistors that are connected to corresponding cascode transistors. The gates of the cascode transistors are tied together to form a common bias for the cascode devices. The input transistors of the differential amplifier receive a differential input signal that is amplified and outputted to an output circuit that is connected to the cascode transistors. The cascode devices require a bias voltage for proper operation. Preferably, the bias voltage puts the cascode devices into the saturation region. The gates of cascode devices are coupled together and connected to a bias terminal. In embodiments of the invention, the bias terminal is connected to another terminal of the chip to provide the bias for the cascode devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cascode devices, and more specifically to biasing cascode devices without an external biasing circuit.
2. Background Art
Communications circuits often include a differential configuration and differential amplifier to improve noise performance. Using a cascode configuration in a differential pair is a common practice. The advantages include, but not limited to, providing more isolation from the input to the output of the trans-conductor stage, higher impedance at the output of the input trans-conductor thereby boosting the gain, and protecting the drain of the input devices. As a result, the cascode configuration is quite popular in differential pairs. However, the cascode devices require a bias voltage. This is usually done by adding some circuitry particularly for this purpose which is undesirable for very low-power applications.
Therefore, what is needed is a cascode configuration in a differential amplifier with a low power bias circuit configuration.

Apparatus and method for biasing cascode devices in a differential pair using the input, output, or other nodes in the circuit


A method for operating a motor vehicle with an automated gearbox (1), which can be connected, via a clutch (2), to a prime mover (3). The output rotational speed of the gearbox (1) is detected by sensors and evaluated for plausibility by comparison with an arithmetic mean value of sensor-detected rotational speeds of the rear wheels (7, 8) of the motor vehicle. It is also possible to determine plausibility, using the arithmetic mean of the sensor-detected rotational speeds of the front wheels (9, 10), in case of a failure of at least one of both generated signals (20, 21) of the rotational speed sensors (18, 19) of the rear wheels (7, 8) for checking the plausibility of the output rotational speed of the gearbox (1).

An automatic clutch between the motor and drive train of a motor vehicle with a gearbox, which is arranged on the output side of the clutch, and can be shifted by the driver, is known from WO 98/13620. A positioning unit used for engaging and disengaging the clutch is controlled by sensors taking preset values into account, whereby the sensors have signal generators for the respectively engaged rotational speed and/or the respectively engaged gear as well as signal generators for rotational speed detection arranged on the input side and output side of the clutch, and whereby the engaging and disengaging of the clutch are controlled as a function of the rotational speed differences between the clutch input and output. In the event that the signals of the signal generators are no longer available for the rotational speed on the output side, replacement signals will be calculated using other values. In particular, it is proposed that the clutch output rotational speed is determined on the basis of a gearbox output rotational speed that has remained the same since the last phase of the previous engaged state of the clutch and taking into account the respectively engaged rotational speed.
It is further known that knowing the gearbox output rotational speed is especially important in the control of automated gearboxes. Therefore, an ascertained rotational speed signal of a rotational speed sensor at the gearbox output shaft is usually compared, with regard to its plausibility, with the wheel rotational speed signals of sensors at the rear wheels of the motor vehicle, whereby these wheel rotational speed signals are also available for controlling an anti-lock braking system or an anti-slip regulating system (ABS/ASR system). By means of such plausibility checking of the determined rotational speed values of the transmission output shaft, the following malfunctions should especially be prevented:
a) the measured gearbox output rotational speed is equal to zero and therefore indicates that the motor vehicle is standing still, while it is actually moving. In this operating situation, automatic shifting of the first gear as a start-up gear can result in the destruction of the clutch by an inadmissibly high rotational speed of the gearbox input shaft.
b) the measured gearbox output rotational speed is greater than zero, and therefore indicates a vehicle rotational speed, while the vehicle is actually standing still. This circumstance can lead to an erroneous detection of the vehicle motion, and thus to automatic engagement of the clutch, so that the vehicle is unintentionally started because the automated clutch is engaged according to known control methods during motion, even without the deflection of the accelerator pedal in order to use the braking effect of the prime mover.
Rendering the ascertained rotational speed signals usually takes place such that an arithmetic mean value of sensor-detected rotational speeds of both rear wheels of the motor vehicle is formed. The rear differential ratio is taken into account, and the calculated input rotational speed of the rear axle gearbox thus ascertained is compared to the sensor-detected gearbox input rotational speed. The arithmetic mean of the rotational speed signals of both rotational speed sensors at the rear wheels is used for averaging the rotational speed differences between both rear wheels that are to be balanced by the differential gear while cornering.
With this intrinsically advantageous plausibility check of the rotational speed it cannot, however, be ruled out that the signal transmission of at least one rotational speed sensor at the rear wheels may fail due to damage to the rotational speed sensor itself, or due to failures in the signaling lines and/or their electric contacts. As a result of such false report, which is detrimental to further operation of the motor vehicle, for example start-up shifting of the gearbox during motion is prevented subject to the current operating state, or the gearbox is shifted into neutral while the vehicle is standing still, as a result of which the vehicle can no longer be started up. Both known control reactions limit and/or prevent operation of the vehicle.


A digital communications system with fast facility protection is disclosed. The system includes at least one digital cross-connect which is in bidirectional communication with east and west routes of the network via east and west transmit ports and east and west receive ports. The cross-connect broadcasts a facility over both the east and west routes, and receives the return facility over one of the routes. The cross-connect monitors the error status of the received facility for hard error conditions and excessive error rates, by way of a distributed processor in communication with the port. In the event of an error, the cross-connect blind switches the facility to the inactive port by way of a receive-end switch, according to a first embodiment. According to another embodiment, a head-end switch is performed, thus allowing for improved flexibility for port assignment in the cross-connect.

As is well known in the art, significant advances have been made in telecommunications systems over recent years, particularly in the rate at which information can be communicated. Modern digital telecommunications systems and communication media provide very high bandwidth, such as the 44.736 Mbps data rate provided by the DS-3 data frame standard. Furthermore, conventional fiber optic cable and systems can provide even higher bandwidth and data rates by time-division multiplexing of up to twelve DS-3 lines, providing bandwidth of up to 536.8 Mbps.
These extremely high bandwidths now available in digital telecommunications systems have enabled the communication of large volumes of data at high speeds. Since voice channels require very little bandwidth (on the order of 4 kbps each), a large number of voice channels may now be communicated over a single communication line by way of time division multiplexing. The available bandwidth now also enables the communication of large blocks of digital data from computer-to-computer, as well as digital data representative of other media such as video displays.
Unlike voice transmissions, however, in which some amount of errored signals can be readily tolerated without garbling of the message, the successful transmission of digital data among computers requires high reliability and high quality transmission. Accordingly, conventional digital cross-connects now provide "performance monitoring" (commonly referred to as "PM"), by which the error rate of received digital data is monitored by way of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) and other conventional coding techniques. Such performance monitoring is used to ensure the desired grade of service desired by those telecommunications customers paying premium tariffs for high quality and low error rate communications.
Conventional telecommunications systems also generally provide some amount of redundancy so that failure of a telecommunications line or network element does not result in the loss of the communicated message. Conventional telecommunications systems with performance monitoring have implemented certain alarm conditions by which a human operator is alerted to events such as "loss of signal" and to error rates exceeding various thresholds. In response, the operator can manually switch to a redundant line to again enable communication of the digital data in the system. Of course, the procedure of generating an alarm condition and the manual switching of input/output ports to other lines cannot be effected quickly.
By way of further background, conventional fiber optic terminals (commonly referred to as FOTs) have implemented 1:1 redundancy for the fiber optic lines in a system, with some amount of automatic switching. According to this 1:1 redundancy scheme, the overhead portion of the bandwidth is monitored to determine if a loss-of-signal ("LOS") or alarm indication signal ("AIS") condition is being received. In these FOT 1:1 redundancy schemes, upon receipt of an LOS or AIS signal, the FOT will automatically switch its transmission to the other of the two fiber optic lines, enabling transmission of the data despite the failure of the first fiber optic line.
FIG. 1 illustrates the bandwidth in a conventional 1:1 redundant fiber optic lines 1E, 1W, as received by a conventional fiber optic terminal (FOT) 3. Each of fiber optic lines 1E, 1W in this example are of the OC-12 type, and as such bidirectionally communicate twelve DS-3 lines in time-domain multiplexed fashion. The DS-3 paths occupy much of the available bandwidth, as shown in FIG. 1. According to conventional standards, a portion of the remainder of the bandwidth communicated by fiber optic lines 1E, 1W is reserved for line data, such as framing and synchronization signals, frame identifying signals, and also signals such as LOS and AIS which indicate a line failure somewhere in the system. This line data portion of the bandwidth is also referred to as overhead, as it does not carry any traffic data. Fiber optic terminal 3 is operable to multiplex and de-multiplex the data to and from one of fiber optic cables 1E, 1W, for communication with twelve individual DS-3 lines.
According to the conventional 1:1 redundancy scheme, conventional FOT 3 monitors the line data and switches communication between fiber optic lines 1E, 1W upon receipt of a signal indicating a line failure. However, many conditions other than the LOS and AIS conditions are unacceptable to the telecommunication customer that is demanding high quality communication, particularly where computer data is to be transmitted and received. These other conditions may not be of such degree as to cause loss of an entire line (i.e., all channels or "paths" being communicated along the fiber optic line), but may be due to a hardware failure for a single path within the line. Examples of these other conditions include loss-of-frame ("LOF"), and "soft" errors in which a particular path has experienced a high rate of errored seconds. The mere monitoring of line data by conventional FOT 3 provides no visibility into these other path-related conditions, and as such the redundancy scheme of FIG. 1 is unable to provide the high level of protection desired by certain customers. Conventional FOT 3 thus only provides line protection, and as such requires doubling of the available fiber optic capacity from that required for traffic only, to accomplish such line protection. As such, the utilization of system fiber optic cable is relatively low in such situations.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and system for providing facility protection for a digital telecommunications system, which monitors path data and provides automatic switching on both hard and soft error conditions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system to provide such protection where the switching time between the primary and secondary lines for a failing path is extremely short, such as on the order of 50 msec or less.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system which may be readily implemented into existing cross-connect installations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system in which the possibility of blocking is much reduced.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system in a distributed manner in a digital cross-connect.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system in which the soft error rate thresholds may be modified.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system in which the utilization of fiber optic cables may be increased dramatically.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and system in which transmission media of different types (e.g., microwave and light wave) may provide protection for one another.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the following specification together with the drawings.

High-speed facility protection in a digital telecommunications system


Apparatus and method for receiving and transmitting streaming live imagery data and audio signals in real time is provided. Imagery data and audio signals are acquired through a telestreamer input device and streamed to one or more remote recipients, allowing remote operators to electronically collaborate by telestrating, annotating, and sketching image overlays. Streaming video images displayed on a monitor are superimposed onto a virtual mesh projected via computer graphics. Vertices of the virtual mesh move according to a computational physics engine. Virtual tools are also superimposed onto a virtual mesh projected via computer graphics. The virtual tools interact with the virtual mesh to deliver real time, realistic modifications of the streaming image data. Recursive positioning of mesh layers and creation of a multi-layered virtual mesh enhance the realistic nature of the modified streaming image data.

Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to telestration for remote video collaboration with streaming imagery and is more specifically related to enhancing a remote operator's ability to annotate and interact with streaming imagery in a realistic, yet virtualized manner through simulating movement and reaction of the streaming imagery.
Related Art
Industries that develop, manufacturer, and maintain complex products often find an insufficient number of employees with extensive training and experience to meet demand. This is particularly relevant as businesses become more geographically diverse. It is inefficient (and sometime physically impossible) to deploy an expert "into the field" on every occasion at a moment's notice. Rather, companies typically deploy technicians with relative degrees of experience who collaborate with the expert remotely. For example, a multi-national aerospace company might have local technicians in an Italian production plant conferring with senior designers in the United States regarding the fabrication concerns for a specialized airframe. Similarly, technicians on an ocean oil rig may consult with shore side experts to address problems with specialized drilling machinery. Traditionally, video monitoring, as described in previous art, has been instrumental in achieving this collaboration.
Conventional tele-monitoring (aka teleconferencing) allows real-time audio and video tele-collaboration to improve education, training, and performance in many fields. Current collaboration methods include telestration, which can be performed either locally or remotely to identify regions of interest within the video images. For example, television personalities routinely annotate video of live or replayed video broadcasts to highlight their commentary. Similarly, flight engineers can remotely inspect possible damage to space vehicles using telestrated, high-definition images of the equipment while it is still in orbit. In short, expert know-how can be maintained at a centralized location while being mobilized anywhere at a moment's notice.
Current telestration techniques, as defined in prior art, primarily display freehand and other two-dimensional drawings over a video image or series of images. However, true collaboration is better achieved if the remote expert can demonstrate information through movement and manipulation of the images. In this invention, a computer simulation of the objects within the video images is constructed so that they can be manipulated in a more realistic manner.

System and method for surgical telementoring


A method of mixing two fluids together includes introducing a stream of first fluid through a nozzle into a volume of second fluid at an accelerating rate over a time period of at least 0.1 seconds. The acceleration of the first fluid forms a vortex of first fluid having a tail of first fluid within the volume of second fluid. The stream of first fluid is then decelerated over a time period of at least 0.1 seconds which produces rapid mixing of the second fluid in the tail of first fluid.

Many processes involving fluids, which can be liquid or gases, require that the fluids be mixed. Examples include the fuel intake process in internal combustion engines, the mixing of chemicals in the chemical processing industry and the injection of fluorine into hydrogen for pulsed HF lasers.
The mixing of fluids has been commonly performed by injecting a steady jet of one fluid through a nozzle into a volume of another fluid. However, the maximum mixing rate of fluids obtainable with a steady jet is not always fast enough for some applications. A faster method for mixing gases was developed in which a series of short pulses of one gas were injected into a volume of another gas. Each pulse of injected gas lasts only milliseconds and produces small puffs or vortices of the injected gas within the volume of the other gas. The small puffs of gas increase the surface area between the two gases, thereby, increasing the rate of mixing.