The present invention provides for bola amphiphiles compositions which have more than one lyophilic (hydrophilic) head group and a hydrophobic (hydrophobic) moiety capable of hydrogen bonding with other bola amphiphiles. These bola amphiphiles are capable of self assembling into micelles. The advantage of these bola amphiphiles is that they may self-assemble into micelles whose lyophilic head groups are located within the core and on the surface of the micelles. The lyophilic environment at the core and on the surface of the micelles may be different and may be controlled by the choice of head group moieties on the bola amphiphiles. The utility of these compositions is that they can be used to load or encapsulate polar drugs, DNA, mineralizable inorganic salts, or other molecules of interest within the polar interior of the micelle. Such compositions may also provide small water-filled ion-conducting channels within their structure suitable for use in micro electromechanical devices, as templates for nanowires or dielectrics, and as chemical sensors.

Delivering therapeutic drugs or cell therapies at a controlled release rate to a patient, or delivering encapsulated conductive or magnetic materials at a controlled rate and orientation to process are important goals in medicine and the emerging field of nanotechology manufacturing. Controlling the release of drugs can have a positive effect on therapeutic treatments by maintaining a constant level of the therapy in the patient and also eliminating the need for external intraveneous delivery means or risk of delaying or missing oral administrations of a therapy. Encapsulation can provide enhanced solubility or controlled reactivity for drugs, catalysts, or materials like carbon nanotubes. Micelles and self assembled micelles may allow for the controlled encapsulation and delivery of such materials.
The functional head groups from the molecules which form the micelle and encapsulate the material should interact favorably with the material to be encapsulated. The formed micelle, including the material, must also have the proper reactivity and solubility for its intended application. These properties are determined by the head groups on the molecules which are on the exterior of the micelle as well as the intermolecular bonding of the molecules comprising the micelle. For polar drugs, DNA, mineralizable inorganic salts, and other materials with high surface energies, an encapsulating matrix with a polar core is advantageous.
Bola amphiphiles are molecules in which two or more hydrophilic groups are connected by hydrophobic moieties. Many papers report using peptides as the polar headgroups for symmetrical bola amphiphiles—those in which the head groups are the same. Symmetrical bola-amphiphiles with GlyGly as the hydrophilic headgroups, using saturated hydrocarbon 1,7-heptane dicarboxylic acid have been made (Matsui, H.; Douberly, G. E. Langmuir 2001, 17, 7918-7922, and 1,12-dodecane dicarboxylic acid in Shimizu, T.; Kogiso, M.; Masuda, M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 6209-6210). A bola-amphiphile with ValVal as a hydrophilic head group for a bola amphiphile was reported by Kogiso, M.; Hanada, T.; Yase, K.; Shimizu, T. Chem. Comm. 1998, 17, 1791-1792. The dipeptides GlyGly, ProPro, SarSar and (N-methyl)Gly(N-methyl)Gly and the tripeptides GlyGlyGly, GlyProPro, and GlySarSar are the headgroups in a series of bola amphiphiles with 8-16 carbon hydrocarbon diacids as the hydrophobic spacer as reported in Kogiso, M.; Ohnishi, S.; Yase, K.; Masuda, M.; Shimizu, T. Langmuir 1998, 14, 4978-4986. The amino acids Ser, Glu, and Asp have also been reported in bola amphiphiles. Asymmetrical bola amphiphile are those amphiphiles where the hydrophilic groups differ in their hydrophilicity. Some examples of asymmetric bola amphiphiles include sugars, and the nucleosides A and T (Shimizu, T.; Iwaura, R.; Masuda, M.; Hanada, T.; Yase, K. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 5947-5955). Other examples of asymmetrical bola amphiphiles include those prepared from Lys coupled to 12-amino dodecane carboxylic acid oligomers (Fuhrhop, J. H.; Spiroski, D.; Boettcher, C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 1600-1601) in which either rods or tubes are obtained. However, these rods do not bury a polar headgroup within the core of the cylindrical micelle.
There is a need in the art to be able to make self-assembling micelles from amphiphiles that have lyophilic groups at the core and outer surface of the micelle. It would be further desirable to control the structure, reactivity, and function of such micelles by modification of the amphiphile's molecular structure.

Synthesis and self-assembly of ABC triblock bola peptide amphiphiles


A computer-implemented method for rendering mapping data is provided. The method includes obtaining mapping data for displaying a map image, wherein the mapping data comprises data of an image corresponding to a view plane, the view plane comprising an imaginary plane formed perpendicular to a direction of a viewer's line of sight. The method also includes projecting the obtained mapping data onto a reference view plane, identifying a user-selected view plane in which to display the map image, transforming the projected mapping data to correspond to the identified user-selected view plane, and generating the map image based on the transformed mapping data. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Currently, mapping data which is used for displaying a map image may be formed of data for displaying the map image and various counterparts (e.g., another map image showing a different view or layers for overlaying on the map image) to the map image. The displayed map image and its various counterparts include images taken from multiple predetermined angles and/or directions.

Method for transforming mapping data associated with different view planes into an arbitrary view plane


The invention provides a method for annotating a computer program. Program code for the computer program can be displayed in a user interface (100) having a code display window (105). One or more elements of the displayed program code can be linked to a data file (120) having one or more implementation instructions for elements of the computer program. In response to a query initiated by selecting one of the linked elements (157), a corresponding implementation instruction for the queried element can be displayed in an implementation display window (115) of the user interface.

The development of most computer programs requires writing code in a high level language, checking the code to ensure it faithfully reflects the underlying algorithm, and translating the code into equivalent machine instructions. The machine instructions direct a computer to perform the computation specified by the original program. Numerous tools aid the development of programs. For example, editors simplify searching and manipulating code specified in high-level languages. Compilers check the syntax of code written in high level languages and translate code into machine-executable form. Integrated development environments (IDEs) facilitate the efficient production of code. An IDE provides a single user interface having many of the tools that are required throughout the software development cycle. Most IDEs have an editor, a compiler, and a debugger integrated into a single user interface. Each of these development tools can be controlled from within the IDE.
While the aforementioned development tools simplify writing, compiling, and debugging code, they largely ignore an aspect of software development that programmers would like to control: specifying in detail and in a convenient way how software should be implemented at the machine level.
Some tools support global control of implementation such as "optimize code for speed" or "suppress bounds checking on arrays", but do not allow a finer level of control. For example, when only global instructions are available, it is not possible for a programmer to identify a particular loop that should be optimized, or a particular array for which bounds checking should be suppressed. A few tools allow detailed control of implementation, but do so by requiring that the programmer embed "implementation comments" in the program near the construct whose implementation is to be tailored. Such comments obscure the meaning of the program, making it difficult to understand and modify. This is a particular concern when (as is typically the case) the program is large or complex, is to be modified by a number of programmers, and must be maintained and enhanced over a number of years. To avoid this problem, a tool might allow the comments to be stored in a "side file" instead of being embedded directly in the program. Unfortunately, this burdens the programmer with the job of identifying the program construct to which each implementation comment applies. Moreover, each change to the program potentially requires a corresponding manual change to the side file so the two stay synchronized. Whether implementation comments are embedded directly in a program or isolated in a side file, there is another problem: the programmer has a difficult time knowing what sorts of implementation comments are allowed, and what syntax they must be expressed in.
Given these and other inherent drawbacks, there is a need for a more efficient method and system for annotating computer program code with instructions describing details of implementation.
While the above discussion is framed in terms of computer programs, the same problems arise when electronic designs are specified using hardware definition languages (HDLs). Here too the designer would like a fine degree of control over the implementation, and until now has had only global and awkward mechanisms for controlling implementation.

Method and system for annotating a computer program or hardware design


A belt adjusting device of a printer includes a bracket, a base, a driving device, and a resisting member. The bracket includes a bottom wall and a belt placed on the bottom wall. The belt is loop-shaped. The base is slidably mounted to the bracket. The driving device is mounted to the base and includes an eccentric device engaging with the belt. The resisting member resists the driving device to enable the eccentric device to rotate to adjust the belt when the base slides relative to the bracket.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to printers, more particularly to a belt adjusting device of a printer.
2. Description of Related Art
A printer includes a bracket and a base. The bracket includes a motor and a belt driving the base to move. However, the belt contact the shaft of the motor loosely due to repeated use, which affects the precision movement of the base.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

ShenZhen Goldsun Network Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.


Disclosed herein are cells that secrete insulin in a glucose-dependent manner. The cell line comprises insulin-secreting cells that have been transfected with a minigene construct comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In preferred embodiments, the minigene construct is operatively associated with a promoter. The cell line may be used to treat diabetes or other conditions in which delivering insulin in a glucose-dependent manner would be advantageous, to investigate the function and development of pancreatic cells, and to test the efficacy of drugs that stimulate insulin secretion. The cells may be implanted in a mammal, or may be included in a device that resides exterior to the mammal, yet which delivers insulin to the mammal in response to the glucose level of a body fluid in contact therewith. The minigene construct may also be implemented in conjunction with an in vivo gene transfer approach.

Insulin is essential for proper metabolism in humans: in addition to its familiar role as the chief regulator of blood sugar levels in humans, it is essential for carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, as well. Pancreatic beta (β) cells of the islets of Langerhans, epithelial cells dispersed throughout the pancreas, secrete insulin. When β cells are destroyed or their function impaired, insulin production declines, and diabetes results.
Diabetes currently affects about 14 to 16 million individuals in the United States alone. Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by an abnormally elevated plasma glucose level. The condition may result from an absolute deficiency of insulin due to the autoimmune destruction of insulin-secreting cells (i.e., Type I diabetes), or it may result from a relative deficiency of insulin due to either a secretory defect of production (i.e., by insulin-synthesizing cells) and/or by a resistance to the action of insulin (i.e., Type II diabetes).
For those patients that respond to insulin therapy, limitations remain in the methods of administering the hormone. For instance, insulin may be administered to a diabetic patient by way of an insulin pump. However, conventional insulin pumps deliver insulin to a patient at a set, constant rate (e.g., by pre-determined bolus size). Thus, the patient must constantly monitor his own blood glucose levels, by taking blood samples four or five times each day. Careful blood glucose monitoring is essential, since there is an ongoing risk of administering too much insulin, which may cause hypoglycemic shock. Hypoglycemic shock may cause a coma, and, not infrequently, may be fatal.
Drugs that promote insulin secretion or that lower glucose levels by other means are commonly prescribed to treat patients with type II diabetes. Sulfonylureas are the principal drugs prescribed to such patients. They stimulate insulin production by directly stimulating β cells; the effectiveness of such drugs therefore depends on the number of functioning β cells remaining in the pancreas. Repaglinide also stimulates insulin production by stimulating β cells, but differs structurally from the sulfonyluereas. Other drugs, such as metformin and troglitazone (known better by its brand name, REZULIN®), lower glucose levels by reducing glucose production in the liver and by promoting insulin sensitivity. Another drug, acarbose, inhibits digestive enzyme secretion and thereby delays digestion of carbohydrates (which when broken down in the body ultimately yield glucose). The efficacy of these drugs is tested first in vitro using existing cell lines that seek to model insulin-secreting β cells. None of these cell lines provides a satisfactory model, however, because they lose their responsiveness to glucose. As a result, in vitro studies of insulin-secreting drugs currently provides only limited information regarding their efficacy.
Understanding the function and development of insulin-secreting β cells is a critical step in developing better drugs to treat—and ultimately cure—diabetes. Pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cells (the cells that secrete insulin and other hormones) originate from a precursor epithelial cell during the development of the pancreas. G. Teitelman and J. K. Lee, "Cell lineage analysis of pancreatic islet cell development: glucagon and insulin cells arise from catecholarninergic precursor present in the pancreatic duct." Dev. Biol. 121:454–466 (1987); R. L. Pictet et al., "An ultrastructual analysis of the developing embryonic pancreas." Dev. Biol. 29:436–467 (1972) (the foregoing publications, and all other publications cited herein, are incorporated by reference in their entirety). Various differentiation factors are required to achieve the mature phenotype characteristic of islet β cells.
New β cells are formed from existing islets and from ductal epithelial cells. The latter source has greater intrinsic biological relevance. Indeed, the possibility of differentiating insulin-secreting cells from non-endocrine cells supports the hypothesis that the biological source (pancreatic ductal epithelium) for this compensatory mechanism may be present even in the setting of a generalized destruction of the entire population of islet β cells. This is strongly supported by recent studies demonstrating that primary cultures of epithelial ductal cells (from human and mouse pancreas) are susceptible to undergo differentiation into endocrine cells. V. K. Ramiya et al., "Reversal of insulin-dependent diabetes using islets generated in vitro from pancreatic stem cells." Nature Medicine, 6(3):278–82 (2000); S. Bonner-Weir et al., "In vitro cultivation of human islets from expanded ductal tissue. Proc. Nratl. Aca. Sci. USA, 14:7999–8004 (1997).
An incretin hormone, glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), is believed to play a role in the development of the pancreas, though researchers have disagreed as to precisely what this role is. A decade ago, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,712, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference, stated that "The failure to identify any physiological role for GLP-1 caused some investigators to question whether GLP-1 was in fact a hormone and whether the relatedness between glucagon and GLP-1 might be artifactual." Researchers have more recently learned that GLP-1 has a function in rats. Bonner-Weir et al., for example, demonstrated that an analog of the incretin hormone glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), termed exendin-4, was able to increase islet mass in adult animals previously subjected to subtotal pancreatectomy. G. Xu et al., "Exendin-4 stimulates both beta-cell replication and neogenesis, resulting in increased beta-cell mass and improved glucose tolerance in diabetic rats." Diabetes 48:2270–2276 (1999). Similarly, one of the inventors has demonstrated that treating glucose-intolerant aging Wistar rats with GLP-1 restored normal glucose tolerance and induced islet cell proliferation. Y. Wang et al., "Glucagon-like peptide-1 can reverse the age-related decline in glucose tolerance in rats." J Clin Invest 99:2883–2889 (1997).
Islet duodenal homeobox-1 ("IDX-1," also known variously as IPF-1/STF-1 and PDX-1) is a homeodomain protein and an insulin gene transcription factor expressed in the early pancreatic gland of the embryo. During pancreatic islet development, IDX-1 plays an important role in determining islet cell differentiation. It is the early IDX-1 gene expression during embryogenesis, coupled with the activation of other transcription factors (for example, NeuroDBeta 2, Pax 4, etc.), that determine the pancreatic endocrine hormone production. In adult (mature) animals, the expression of IDX-1 is repressed in the majority of pancreatic cells, with the exception of the β- and δ-cells (somatostatin-secreting cells) of the islets of Langerhans.
The mechanisms regulating proliferation and differentiation of the pancreatic hormone-producing cells and the chronology of these biological events are still largely undetermined. The sequence of events one of the inventors describes in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/920,868, filed Aug. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,003, issued Nov. 4, 2003, suggests that the ability of regulating glucose uptake by the islet-specific glucose transporter GLUT2 is the first step necessary for the "sensitization" of the regulatory region(s) of the insulin gene to glucose. This would then promote the transcription of insulin mRNA. GLP-1-dependent activation of IDX-1 would further "commit" these cells toward a β cell-like pathway of differentiation by inducing the synthesis of glucokinase, the chief element of the "glucose-sensing machine" of the islets of Langerhans.
Researchers have learned much of the role of GLP-1 and IDX-1 in the rat and mouse, where knock-out mouse or other animal models were available to study the role of these hormones. Researchers know little of the role GLP-1 and IDX-1 in the development of human insulin-secreting cells, or of their interaction with other hormones present in the endocrine system. There is therefore an important need in the art for an analytical tool that permits researchers to elucidate the role of GLP-1 and IDX-1 in humans. A human model would be of immense importance in testing theories of endocrine development, in evaluating antidiabetic drugs, and developing new approaches to treat diabetes.
An important need exists in the art to implement the insulin-regulating abilities of GLP-1. Numerous disease conditions are related to the failed or deteriorated insulin regulation properties of particular cells in the body, such as diabetes; or the substantial lack of these cells in the body. Technology incorporating the insulin-regulating abilities of GLP-1 may obviate these disease conditions. A variety of potential insulin delivery applications may similarly be implemented in conjunction with this technology, such as insulin pumps which reside exterior to the body and implantable structures that release insulin internally in a glucose-dependent fashion.

Glucose-dependent insulin-secreting cells transfected with a nucleotide sequence encoding GLP-1


Emulation methods are provided for two PACK instructions, one for Unicode data and the other for ASCII coded data in which processing is carried out in a block-by-block fashion as opposed to a byte-by-byte fashion as a way to provide superior performance in the face of the usual challenges facing the execution of emulated data processing machine instructions as opposed to native instructions.

As is well known, the Unicode standard for character representation is a two byte ("double byte" in some terminology) system in which each character is represented by 16 bits or two bytes of information. This standard provides a vastly expanded range of representable characters including those from languages in which ideographs are employed to represent words and ideas as opposed to the use of individual letters. This is in distinction to ASCII or EBCDIC character representations which provide a maximum of 255 characters or signal indicators.
It is also known that each byte (eight bits) in a data processing system can represent two decimal numbers. However, it is often the case that decimal numbers are provided in a format in which each byte contains a representation of but one decimal number. It is therefore convenient to be able to PACK decimal numbers (or other data) into a packed format, that is, from a one-decimal-digit-per-byte format to a two-decimal-digit-per-byte format. This is typically accomplished with some form of PACK instruction which is structured as a basic member of the set of a computer's instruction set. These instructions usually come in PACK/UNPACK pairs.
Also relevant to the present discussion are the notions of big-endian and small-endian. These concepts relate to the position in the memory architecture where the high order byte portion of an integer (or other data) is stored. In the big-endian scheme, the most significant byte of the integer is stored in the memory location with the lowest address. In the small-endian scheme, the most significant byte of the integer is stored in the memory location with the highest memory address. The Intel x86 processors and chips which seek to duplicate their functionality, such as those produced by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., use the small-endian (also called little-endian) format. The zSeries of machines and most of the PowerPC devices employ the big-endian format.
PKU is an instruction present in the very well known zSeries computer architecture as found in products manufactured and sold by the assignee of the present invention. Descriptions of this and other instructions are found in any of the Principles of Operation (PoP) manuals published as accompanying documentation for the aforementioned data processing machine products. This particular instruction converts a Unicode string to a packed format. The format of the PKU instruction is "PKU TARGET, SOURCE (L2)" where L2 is the Length of the second operand (0≦L2≦64). The length of the target is always 16 bytes. A sample program included herein as Appendix I provides a description of an approach to providing emulation code for the PKU (Pack Unicode) instruction. Appendix I thus illustrates a block level algorithm that is used herein.
The format of the second operand is changed from Unicode to packed, and the result is placed at the first-operand location. The packed format is described in Chapter 8, "Decimal Instructions."
The two-byte second-operand characters are treated as Unicode Basic Latin characters containing decimal digits, having the binary encoding 0000-1001 for 0-9, in their rightmost four bit positions. The leftmost 12 bit positions of a character are ignored. The second operand is considered to be positive.
The implied positive signal (1100 binary) and the source digits are placed at the first-operand location. The source digits are moved unchanged and are not checked for valid codes. The sign is placed in the rightmost four bit positions of the rightmost byte of the result field, and the digits are placed adjacent to the sign and to each other in the remainder of the result field.
The result is obtained as if the operands were processed right to left. When necessary, the second operand is considered to be extended on the left with zeros.
The length of the first operand is 16 bytes.
The byte length of the second operand is designated by the contents of the L2 field. The second-operand length must not exceed 32 characters or 64 bytes, and the byte length must be even (L2 must be less than or equal to 63 and must be odd); otherwise, a specification exception is recognized.
When the length of the second operand is 32 characters (64 bytes), the leftmost character is ignored.
Paragraphs [0005] to [0011] above are taken from the published description of the Pack Unicode instruction z/Architecture Principles of Operation having a document number of SA22-7832-03 with a "Build Date" of May 4, 2004 12:13:20 and a "Build Version" of 1.3.1 of "BUILD/VM Version:UG03935" and a Drop Date of Thursday Aug. 8, 2003.
PKA is a zSeries instruction that converts an ASCII string to packed format. The format of the PKA instruction is "PKA TARGET SOURCE (L2)" where L2 is the Length of the second operand (0≦L2≦32). The length of the target is always 16 bytes.
The format of the second operand is changed from ASCII to packed, and the result is placed at the first-operand location. The packet format is described in Chapter 8, "Decimal Instructions."
The second-operand bytes are treated as containing decimal digits, having the binary encoding 0000-1001 for 0-9, in their rightmost four bit positions. The leftmost four bit positions of a byte are ignored. The second operand is considered to be positive.
The implied positive sign (1110 binary) and the source digits are placed at the first-operand location. The source digits are moved unchanged and are not checked for valid codes. The sign is placed in the rightmost four bit positions of the rightmost byte of the result field, and the digits are placed adjacent to the sign and to each other in the remainder of the result field.
The result is obtained as if the operands were processed right to left. When necessary, the second operand is considered to be extended on the left with zeros.
The length of the first operand is 16 bytes.
The length of the second operand is designated by the contents of the L2 field. The second-operand length must not exceed 32 bytes (L2 must be less than or equal to 31); otherwise, a specification exception is recognized.
When the length of the second operand is 32 bytes, the leftmost byte is ignored.
Paragraphs [0014 to [0020] above are taken from the published description of the Pack Unicode instruction found in the same published Principles of Operation manual cited above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of doing PACK unicode zSeries instructions

International Business Machines Corporation


A knitting needle assembly for knitting tubular configurations having pairs of oppositely disposed rigid knitting needles interconnected by a flexible member of similar trans-dimensional properties.

1. Technical Field
This device relates to knitting needles which are typically elongated cylindrical elements with a pointed and opposing blunt ends used in the process of hand knitting in which yarn is manipulated in interlocking patterns to form integral panels of configured material that can be fashioned into clothing, for example.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art devices disclose a variety of knitting needle combinations; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,507,174, 4,553,410, 5,720,187 and 6,397,640.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,507,174 a bend type knitting needle is shown having a pair of curved needles interconnected by multiple linked flexible connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,410 claims knitting needles with a flexible cord interconnect. The needles are of a larger diameter than the cord with a transition connection therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,187 discloses a knitting needle pair with an interconnected small diameter flexible cord therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,640 discloses a pair of knitting needles with elongated channels within from which extend interlinking cord extends.


A system includes a paralleled inverter circuit and a controller. The paralleled inverter circuit includes a first inverter and a second inverter. The controller is configured to control a first plurality of switches of the first inverter and a second plurality of switches of the second inverter based upon a control vector. The controller controls the paralleled inverter circuit using a first unit vector for a first time period and controls the paralleled inverter circuit using a second unit vector for a second time period. The first unit vector and the second unit vector are selected based upon the control vector, and the first time period and the second time period are determined based upon the control vector.

The present invention relates generally to power inverters, and in particular to a system and method for controlling paralleled inverters using pulse-width modulation (PWM).
Three-phase inverters are often implemented within, for example, variable speed motor drives. Three-phase inverters are utilized, for example, to convert a direct current (DC) input into an alternating current (AC) output for a motor or other load that utilizes AC power. Prior art inverters were implemented as single stage inverters having a plurality of switches. The switches are selectively enabled and disabled to convert the DC input power into controlled AC output power.
Electromagnetic interference, or "noise," is a common problem in electrical circuit design. Noise may originate from natural sources, such as background radiation or lightning strikes, but the more common and more problematic noise is electromagnetic noise generated by components in electrical systems, such as three-phase inverters. EMI noise can be divided into two major groups: differential-mode (DM) EMI and common-mode (CM) EMI. CM noise creates several concerns such as conduction through bearings in the motor which may reduce the reliability of the motor. In prior art systems, CM filters containing, for example, CM chokes and CM capacitors are utilized to filter the CM noise. The weight of CM filters is dependent upon the CM voltage of the inverter. Different PWM schemes for inverter control can generate different CM voltage, but CM voltage cannot be eliminated for prior art two-level inverters. It is desirable to eliminate the CM output voltage of the inverter to eliminate the need for CM filters.

Pulse-width modulation control of paralleled inverters


In one example, a programmable integrated circuit (IC) includes a first logic tile in a first power domain having a first local voltage. The first logic tile includes a driver operable to use the first local voltage to output a signal having a logic-level referenced to the first local voltage. The first logic tile further includes a level-shifter coupled to receive the signal from the driver and operable to output a level-shifted signal having a logic-level referenced to a global handshaking voltage. The programmable IC further includes a second logic tile in a second power domain having a second local voltage, the second logic tile including a receiver operable to use the second local voltage to receive the level-shifted signal. The global handshaking voltage is at least as high as the first local voltage and at least as high as the second local voltage.

Voltage scaling in integrated circuits (ICs) can be used to control power consumption. For example, the design for an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) can be specified having a plurality of different power domains. Different blocks or subsystems can be designed for operation using different voltages. Level-shifters can be used at the interfaces between blocks/subsystems operating in different power domains. Since ASICs use structured floorplanning, level-shifters can access the source and destination voltages at the planned interfaces.
Programmable integrated circuits (ICs) are often used to implement digital logic operations according to user configurable input. Example programmable ICs include complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). One type of FPGA includes an array of programmable tiles. The programmable tiles have interfaces to adjacent tiles, as well as with non-adjacent tiles. The far-reaching signal boundaries of programmable tiles in a programmable IC, such as an FPGA, add complexity to any voltage scaling implementation. Specifically, the techniques used for ASICs cannot be applied to programmable ICs.

Power grid architecture for voltage scaling in programmable integrated circuits


It has been found that selective metallization in integrated circuits is expeditiously achieved through a copper plating procedure. In this process, palladium silicide is used as a catalytic surface and an electroless plating bath is employed to introduce copper plating only in regions where the silicide is present. Use of this procedure yields superior filling of vias and windows with excellent conductivity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fabrication of integrated circuits and, in particular, to the fabrication of integrated circuits involving conductive regions.
2. Art Background
In the fabrication of integrated circuits, generally multiple layers of material are formed and electrical interconnects are made between these layers. These interconnects are generally formed by etching a via or window through an intermediate layer, e.g., a dielectric layer, and filling the conduit with a metallic material to establish a conduction path. An electrically conductive pattern produced on the overlying layer then provides the desired electrical circuit connection to regions in the underlying layer.
At design rules less than 0.5 micron, the aspect ratio of the via or window defining the interconnects is generally greater than 3 and often as high as 5 to 10. (Aspect ratio is the ratio of height to width of the opening defining the interconnect.) For such high aspect ratios, it is often a challenge to fill the via completely with the metallization material and to assure good electrical continuity between the adjoining conducting layers. Seams and voids resulting from poor filling not only yield a high via resistance but also invite entrapment of contaminants in subsequent processing steps that, in turn, often lead to reliability problems. To avoid gaps and the attendant problems, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) procedures are typically employed. Since CVD occurs at a surface from a gas, filling of high aspect ratio interconnects is possible. However, CVD for metals such as aluminum involves many difficulties and often requires significant care. (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,217, dated Apr. 16, 1991.) Use of directional sputtering has also been investigated but is extremely difficult to control, especially at small dimensions and high aspect ratios.
Sometimes, it is also desirable that the interconnects be filled during formation of the metal pattern on the overlying layer. In this case, pattern forming is generally accomplished by blanket deposition to fill the interconnects and to produce an overlying layer of metal, with subsequent delineation of this layer by etching through a photolithography defined mask.
Although aluminum metallization patterns together with aluminum or refractive metal interconnects have almost uniformly been employed in integrated circuit devices for strict design rules, i.e., less than 0.5 micron, at such design rules the time delay in the circuit attributed to the delay in the interconnects becomes a significant factor. To reduce this delay, use of copper with its lower electrical resistivity has been proposed. (The specific resistivity of pure copper is 1.7 microohm-cm, that for aluminum is 2.8, and 3.3 is typical for copper-containing aluminum alloys presently used for VLSI metallization.) Metallization with a copper material, i.e., a material of at least 90 mole percent copper also offers other advantages. With smaller device dimensions, concomitant current density increase in the narrowed aluminum conductors often engenders reliability problems due to electromigration, i.e. distortion of the lines in the pattern. Copper appears to be less susceptible to such problems.
However, implementation of copper metallization for submicron device fabrication has been extremely difficult. Copper has a tendency to diffuse into silicon and silicon dioxide. The adhesion of copper is known to be notoriously poor. It is also extremely difficult to etch copper to produce desired fine line (0.5 .mu.m or finer) circuit patterns. Comparable procedures such as chemical vapor deposition for depositing copper suffer many complications relating to selectivity and processing temperatures. Therefore, although use of copper in the metallization of integrated circuits might be theoretically desirable for shrinking design rules, suitable means are still lacking.

Fabrication of electronic devices by electroless plating of copper onto a metal silicide


An elongated, semi-flat tubular body constructed of flexible fluid impervious material is provided and the tubular body is divided into separate longitudinally spaced compartments along longitudinally spaced flexible transverse zones of the body. The compartments are filled with a fluid eutectic solution and the body may be folded along the transverse zones for relative angular displacement of the adjacent compartments. The elongated, semi-flat tubular body may removably supported within the channel defined by the sweat band of a hat or cap and may be used to absorb heat from the adjacent head areas of the wearer of the hat or to provide heat to those adjacent head areas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cap or hat construction wherein the sweat band area thereof is provided with a relatively flat tubular sleeve removably secured therein and extending appreciably thereabout and in which a flat tubular body constructed of flexible fluid impervious material is removably anchored, the tubular body containing a eutectic solution which may be chilled and thereby utilized to absorb heat from the head of the wearer of the cap or hat. In addition, the tubular body also may be filled with a material to be heated and thereby to provide heat to the headband area of the wearer of the cap or hat.
2. Description of Related Art
The Applicant herein, at the present time, is aware of only one hat liner which is designed with a replaceable thermal pack. This replaceable thermal pack is specifically designed for use in connection with a hard hat for industrial purposes and the radial shape thereof is not easy to install or manufacture. Also, it is bulky, has many seams, and is not specifically designed to cool the areas of the head most in need of being cooled (the forehead and temples) and it is not adaptable to other hats in a universal manner.
To overcome these shortcomings, the liner of the instant invention has been designed in a strip-like shape covering the areas of primary thermal function for the human body. Also, the lighter weight design is more comfortable. The pack is easier to install and remove. Also, the new thermal pack is easily attached to other styles of caps or hats such as baseball caps, thus allowing it to be stylish in more general usage.


In a communications system a message is sent from a mobile terminal to a radio access network on a common transport channel, the message comprising information associated with one or more access entities of the radio access network. The information which is sent to the radio access network is based on a default reporting configuration stored in the mobile terminal.

A communication system can be seen as a facility that enables communication sessions between two or more entities such as user equipment and/or other nodes associated with the communication system. The communication may comprise, for example, communication of voice, data, multimedia and so on.
Communication systems providing wireless communication for user equipment are known. A cellular telecommunications system is a communication system that is based on use of radio access entities and/or wireless service areas. The access entities are typically referred to as cells. Examples of cellular telecommunications systems include standards such as the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) or various GSM based systems (such as GPRS: General Packet Radio Service), AMPS (American Mobile Phone System), DAMPS (Digital AMPS), WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), TDMA/CDMA (Time Division Multiple Access/Code Division Multiple Access) in UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), CDMA 2000, i-Phone and so on.
In a cellular system, a base transceiver station (BTS) provides a wireless communication facility that serves mobile stations (MS) or similar wireless user equipment (UE) via an air or radio interface within the coverage area of the cell. As the approximate size and the shape of the cell is known, it is possible to associate the cell to a geographical area. Each of the cells can be controlled by an appropriate controller apparatus.
Cellular systems typically support communication with user equipment changing locations (mobile users). The support for communications for mobile users may include support for handing existing connections from one cell to another cell. At least routing of calls or communications for a mobile user in a new cell is typically supported in cellular systems.
In a radio access network (RAN) based on a cellular system, communication takes place from the network to a mobile terminal or user equipment (UE) in downlink, and from the UE to the network in the up-link.
In certain communication systems, two types of transport channels—dedicated channels and common channels—may be provided. A common channel is a resource divided between all or a group of users in a cell, whereas a dedicated channel is by definition reserved for a single user.
An example of a common channel in a typical system is a random access channel (RACH). The RACH is mapped onto the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH). It carries uplink common control information, i.e. Common Control Channel (CCCH), such as requests to set up radio resource control (RRC) connections. It may further carry dedicated control information, i.e. the Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH), between the UE and the network, established through the RRC connection setup procedure. The RACH is further used for sending dedicated user information, i.e. the Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH), such as small amounts of uplink packet data.
Thus during a RRC connection setup procedure, the RACH may be used by the mobile terminal in order to initiate access to the RAN. However, before the mobile terminal can send an RRC connection setup request to the RAN, it is typically required that the mobile terminal must have received and processed certain system information broadcast from the RAN. The system information is usually broadcast in blocks, each block grouping together system information elements of the same nature.
The system information may include a definition of what types of information the RAN requires from the mobile terminal in order to initiate a connection. In a cellular system, this information may relate, for example, to the relationship between the mobile terminal and different access entities of the communication system.
The information may enable the RAN to select the most appropriate access entity to serve the mobile terminal, to calculate the initial downlink power when transmitting to the mobile terminal and/or to select the active set when moving the terminal equipment into a different control state. For instance in a 3G WCDMA packet data mobile network, the terminal may be in one of a number of radio resource control states such as CELL_DCH (in which the terminal has a dedicated channel to the access network), CELL_FACH (Forward Access Channel, in which the terminal is tracked at cell level but shares an access channel with other terminals) and CELL_PCH (Paging Channel, in which the terminal is tracked at cell level and needs to be paged and shifted to a higher power control state before sending or receiving packet data). The cell reporting information may be required by the RAN in order to select the appropriate settings when shifting the mobile terminal to the active CELL_DCH state.
Thus the system may define that the mobile terminal needs to report the results of particular measurements to the RAN, the measurements relating to properties associated with signal transmission between the mobile terminal and the various access entities. After receiving the system information, the mobile terminal may send the required data (such as measurement results) to the RAN in a connection request message, according to the required reporting configuration specified in the system information.
A problem associated with this method is that the requirement for the mobile terminal to read certain system information before sending a connection request message can introduce a significant delay into the setup procedure, during which time the mobile terminal is unable to contact the RAN. A similar problem arises when the mobile terminal needs to send other types of message to the RAN (such as a measurement report message, a location update (e.g. cell update) or core network message) on a common transport channel such as RACH, before a dedicated physical channel between the mobile terminal and the RAN has been established.
One potential approach to solving this problem would be to allow the mobile terminal to send a connection request message or other message type on the common transport channel before it has read the system information. However, in this case it is not apparent how the required cell information should be provided from the mobile terminal to the RAN.

Transmitting information to a radio access network based on default reporting


An actuator that can be driven at a reduced voltage and manufactured with ease, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The actuator includes second supporting portions 31 and 32 secured to a supporting substrate 4 through a spacer, fixed portions 33 and 34 secured to the supporting substrate 4 with no intervention of the spacer, fixed comb electrodes 331 and 341 integrally formed the fixed portions 33 and 34 and meshing with movable comb electrodes 211 and 212 in a spaced-apart relationship, and bridge portions 35 and 36 for connecting the fixed portions 33 and 34 to the second supporting portions 31 and 32. The fixed portions 33 and 34 are affixed to the supporting substrate 4 in a condition that they are deflected toward the supporting substrate 4 with respect to the second supporting portions 31 and 32 while bending the bridge portions 35 and 36, thereby initially deflecting the fixed comb electrodes 331 and 341 so as to be out of alignment with the movable comb electrodes 211 and 212 in a thickness direction of the supporting substrate 4.

There is known a polygon mirror (rotary polyhedron) as an actuator provided in laser printers, for example. In such a printer, in order to achieve higher-resolution and higher-quality printed output as well as higher-speed printing, it is necessary to rotate the polygon mirror at higher speed. Currently, an air bearing is used to rotate the polygon mirror at high speed with stability. However, the method using the air bearing involves a problem in that it is difficult to rotate the polygon mirror at much higher speed than the speed available at the present. Further, although a larger motor is required in order to rotate the polygon mirror at higher speed, use of such a larger motor gives rise to a problem in that it is difficult to miniaturize the size of an apparatus in which the polygon mirror is used. Furthermore, use of such a polygon mirror gives rise to another problem in that the structure of the apparatus becomes necessarily complicated, thus leading to an increased manufacturing cost.
Taking such problems into account, an actuator of a relatively simple structure has been proposed that employs a torsional vibrator (for example, see JP-A No. 2004-13099). The actuator disclosed in this reference includes a fixed comb electrode and a movable comb electrode, both of which mesh with each other in a spaced-apart relationship. In the actuator of this type, alternating voltages are applied to between the fixed comb electrode and the movable comb electrode, thus creating an electrostatic attractive force to rotate the movable electrode. In the actuator referred to above, a SOI substrate having a SiO2 layer sandwiched between two silicon layers is used. The movable comb electrode is patterned on one of the silicon layers of the SOI substrate, while the fixed comb electrode is patterned on the other silicon layer of the SOI substrate. Thus, the fixed comb electrode and the movable comb electrode remain out of alignment with each other in a thickness direction of the SOI substrate. This enables the actuator to start its operation in an easier manner.
According to the above-described actuator, however, it is necessary to form masks on the opposite surfaces of the SOI substrate by use of a photoresist and then to etch both of the silicon layers, at the time of forming the fixed comb electrode and the movable comb electrode. For this reason, the gap between the fixed comb electrode and the movable comb electrode varies depending on the alignment accuracy of the masks formed on the opposite surfaces of the SOI substrate, thereby making it difficult to provide the gap with an increased degree of precision. As a result, the gap between the fixed comb electrode and the movable comb electrode becomes greater, which results in a problem in that an increased drive voltage is required.

Actuator having fixed and movable comb electrodes


A method for monitoring and diagnosing an air charger system for use in an engine assembly having pre-existing sensors, having the steps of providing an air charger having a turbine and a compressor operatively coupled to one another. Providing a control unit for monitoring a plurality of operating conditions of the engine assembly. The control unit calculates an expected value of a selected operating condition based upon at least another of the plurality of operating conditions. Comparing the expected value and at least another of the plurality of operating conditions. Diagnosing a fault condition, if present, based upon the expected value and said at least another of said plurality of operating conditions being outside a predetermined tolerance.

Emission control devices are used in the automotive industry for limiting the amount of emissions discharged by the automobile, and to monitor and run diagnostics on the emission control devices. Emission control devices can utilize an electric air pump or a secondary air charger, which inject air into an engine's exhaust system to reduce emissions. It is important to have some way to test the functioning of such a system to ensure the emission reduction is in compliance with the regulations.
In order to monitor or run diagnostics on the emission control device utilizing the electric air pump, the air pump has to be turned on under predetermined conditions. When the air pump is turned on, the engine's oxygen sensors should detect the increase in oxygen in the engine. However, the oxygen sensors may not be able to detect the minimal increase in oxygen in the system, and thus an inaccurate result can be obtained. Further, it may be required to turn the air pump on at a time when the air pump would not normally be turned on or when it is an undesirable time to run the air pump. Under these conditions it is likely that an inaccurate result will be obtained due to operating conditions not being ideal for operating the air pump. In addition, the system will not be as efficient when the air pump must be turned on when it is otherwise desirable to be turned off. This also is undesirable since it draws power and causes wear on the air pump components.
When the emissions control device utilizes the secondary air charger, an air charger system can be diagnosed or monitored using sensors or control units that are only used for running diagnostics on the device. It is, however, undesirable to include sensors or control units in the air charger system that are only used for diagnosing the air charger system. The diagnostic system that only has these single use sensors or control units adds components and thus cost to the air charger system.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a method for monitoring and diagnosing the air charger system that uses sensors and/or known conditions that are otherwise in the air charger system.


A self-documenting clinical trial operations system and service suite and method, with a clinical trial operation software, a coordinator application and coordinator portal, providing information for the clinical trial operation software, a trial design services module, examining a trial design provided by a coordinator and automatically generating a software specification for a trial operations service suite, a patient application and patient portal generated from the trial design services module, for providing patient information for the clinical trial operation software, a customization option to customize at least one of the patient application and patient portal, a specification option to generate a specification document describing a design of a coordinator-customized patient application, wherein the customization and specification options are provided to the coordinator via the coordinator portal.

Conventional clinical trial operations systems require, at a minimum, several months of engineering and software development effort to translate a designed trial protocol to a working software system with a full suite of document management, respective interfaces and menus for the trial participants, as well as for the clinicians and coordinators, etc. Because of the software manpower required, the cost and effort to go from clinical trial protocol design to clinical trial protocol implementation is significant.
What is needed, then, is a capability to generate automatically documents such as software specifications and trial protocol descriptions, at any point in the trial design life cycle, thereby representing and communicating the current state of the design for those documents' respective audiences.

Automatic self-documentation in a mobile-native clinical trial operations system and service suite

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings


The present invention is drawn to a media sheet for color electrophotographic printing. The media sheet can comprise a base stock having a first side and a second opposing side, base coating layers coated directly on the first side and the second side, and receiving layers coated directly on the base coating layers. The base coating layers can include inorganic pigments, a binder, and a charge control agent. The receiving layers can include inorganic pigments, a binder, and a discharge control agent. In one embodiment, the binder of the receiving layers can be hollow particle pigments.

Color electrophotographic printing is becoming popular for in-house publishing and other applications. To achieve a high quality image, printing media selected for use can play an important role.
Paper blister is common problem that can occur with many coated papers used for electrophotographic printing, typically due to fusing processes required in such printing procedures. Coated papers typically include a hydrophilic paper base that is coated with pigment particulates. When toner images are transferred onto the paper, and the paper/toner combination undergoes fusing, the water absorbed inside the media is typically heated causing vaporization, thereby generating strong vapor pressure beneath the coating. If the vapor pressure cannot dissipate relatively instantly and homogenously along the paper surface, a "popcorn" effect can occur that causes blistering. This can be further exacerbated if the media was prepared or printing occurs under higher humidity conditions. Further, if multiple heated fuser rollers are used, or higher fusing temperatures are present to achieve high toner gloss, blistering can be even more pronounced. Additionally, when duplex printing using media that is coated on both sides, it is even more difficult for water vapor to escape from the media.
Another problem associated with electrophotographic media is related to image defect caused by electrostatic discharge, especially when printing is carried out at a low temperature and/or a low relative humidity condition. This defect can produce uneven color density, particularly in lower toner density areas. The mechanism of this defect caused by an undesirable electrostatic discharge is not fully understood. It can be related to surface smoothness and thickness of the media, where rough surfaces and thicker media usually exhibit more significant defects than smoother and/or thinner media, but it is also related to the resistivity of the media. The electrical resistivity of the media, with an optimum value of 1×109 to 1×1011 ohm/square, plays a dominant role in controlling image quality. When the surface resistivity is below 1×108 ohm/square, an insufficient amount of toner can be transferred to the receiving layer, leading to low optical density print images. When the surface resistivity exceeds 1×1013 ohm/square, an excessive amount of electrostatic charge can be generated during toner transfer and paper transport, which can lead to uneven toner density caused by electrical discharge. Additionally, the speed of charge dissipation on the media surface, known as electrical relaxation, is also related to image defect caused by electrostatic charge. Thus, an appropriate relaxation time can be desired, keeping in mind that too long of a dissipation time can result excessive electrostatic building-up.

Printing media for color electrophotographic applications

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method of manufacturing a solid state image sensor is provided. The method includes forming electrically conductive layer and an interlayer insulation film above a first region and a second region, performing an annealing process after forming the conductive layer and the interlayer insulation film, and forming a protective film above the interlayer insulation film and the electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive layer includes a light shielding layer arranged above the second region. The interlayer insulation film includes a first portion located above the first region and a second portion located above the second region and below the light shielding layer. Before performing the annealing process, an average hydrogen concentration of the second portion is higher than an average hydrogen concentration of the first portion.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid state image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2012-23319 discloses a manufacturing method aiming to uniformize the dark current that occurs in, of the effective pixel region of a solid state image sensor, a portion that is in the vicinity of the optical black pixel region and a central portion that is distant from the optical black pixel region. According to this method, the protective film is formed such that its portion located above the optical black pixel region has a greater thickness than its portion located above the effective pixel region. During sintering, at the portion of the effective pixel region in the vicinity of the optical black pixel region, some of the hydrogen supplied from the protective film to the substrate is absorbed into the light shielding layer of the optical black pixel region. At the portion of the effective pixel region in the vicinity of the optical black pixel region, the amount of hydrogen supplied from the protective film to the surface of the substrate is increased by forming the protective film such that its portion located above the optical black pixel region has a large thickness. This configuration uniformizes the amount of hydrogen supplied to the substrate surface at the portion in the vicinity of the optical black pixel region and the central portion distant from the optical black pixel region, of the effective pixel region. Consequently, this configuration reduces the variation of the dark current all over the effective pixel region.

Solid state image sensor and method for manufacturing the same


A system includes a measuring station for positioning an eddy current probe proximate to a substrate in a substrate holder. The probe can produce a time-varying magnetic field, in order to induce eddy currents in one or more conductive regions of a substrate either prior to or subsequent to polishing. The eddy current signals are detected, and may be used to update one or more polishing parameters for a chemical mechanical polishing system. The substrate holder may be located in a number places; for example, in a substrate transfer system, a factory interface module, a cleaner, or in a portion of the chemical mechanical polishing system away from the polishing stations. Additional probes may be used.

The present disclosure relates generally to metrology for chemical mechanical polishing, and more particularly to systems and methods for eddy current metrology.
An integrated circuit is typically formed on a substrate by the sequential deposition of conductive, semiconductive or insulative layers on a silicon wafer. One fabrication step involves depositing a filler layer over a non-planar surface, and planarizing the filler layer until the non-planar surface is exposed. For example, a conductive filler layer can be deposited on a patterned insulative layer to fill the trenches or holes in the insulative layer. The filler layer is then polished until the raised pattern of the insulative layer is exposed. After planarization, the portions of the conductive layer remaining between the raised pattern of the insulative layer form vias, plugs and lines that provide conductive paths between thin film circuits on the substrate. In addition, planarization is generally needed to planarize the substrate surface for photolithography.
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is one accepted method of planarization. Conventionally, this planarization method involves holding a substrate on with a carrier head and placing the substrate against a rotating polishing pad. The carrier head provides a controllable load on the substrate to push it against the polishing pad. The polishing pad can be either a "standard" pad or a fixed-abrasive pad. A standard pad has a durable roughened surface, whereas a fixed-abrasive pad has abrasive particles held in a containment media. A polishing solution, including at least one chemically-reactive agent, and abrasive particles if a standard pad is used, is supplied to the surface of the polishing pad (also, some processes use "abrasiveless" polishing).
One problem in CMP is determining whether the polishing process is complete, i.e., whether a substrate layer has been planarized to a desired flatness or thickness, or when a desired amount of material has been removed, or whether an underlying layer has been exposed. Overpolishing (removing too much) of a conductive layer or film leads to increased circuit resistance. On the other hand, underpolishing (removing too little) of a conductive layer leads to electrical shorting. Variations in the initial thickness of the substrate layer, the slurry composition, the polishing pad condition, the relative speed between the polishing pad and the substrate, and the load on the substrate can cause variations in the material removal rate. These variations cause variations in the time needed to reach the polishing endpoint. Therefore, the polishing endpoint cannot be determined merely as a function of polishing time.
Two techniques are used to compensate for variations in the polishing endpoint. In-line metrology systems measure the thickness of layers on the substrate before and after processing. Assuming the layer thickness is determined prior to polishing, the polishing time can be adjusted to provide more accurate control of the amount of material remaining on the substrate after polishing. In-situ systems monitor the substrate during polishing to measure the amount of material removed or to detect sudden changes in substrate characteristics that indicate that a layer has been exposed.
A recent in-situ endpoint detection technique induces an eddy current in a metal layer on the substrate and uses an eddy current sensor to monitor the change in the eddy current as the metal layer is removed.

System and method for in-line metal profile measurement


A freewheeling diode device (10) for a commutation branch includes a first diode (12) with a soft recovery behavior and a second diode (14) with a snappy recovery behavior. The second diode (14) is connected in parallel to the first diode (12).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a freewheeling diode device for a switchable device component including a commutator branch.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
A so-called freewheeling diode is used in switching circuits with inductive load such as described, for example, in the German Printed Patent document P-4,105,155.6 of the applicants. The requirements relative to the respective freewheeling diodes increase with the quality of switching device components. In addition to a blocking voltage loadability of, for example, more than 1200 volts, to a low forward voltage drop and to a small reverse current, there is required a soft recovery behavior, i.e. a soft reverse current behavior, wherein reference is made to a property related to the dynamic behavior of the diode, as described in the German Printed Patent document DE-3,823,795-A1. This soft reverse current behavior of the diode concerns the emptying of a plasma of charge carriers from the semiconductor body during switching from the conducting phase into the blocking phase In case of a soft recovery behavior, the reverse current decays slowly. Since the induced surge voltage corresponds to this decay behavior, only a small voltage is generated in case of a soft switching diode, whereas in contrast high voltages can be induced in connection with a diode with a hard or snappy switching behavior. The characterizing parameter for the recited recovery behavior is the so-called softness factor, as is defined in the above-recited reference, German Printed Patent document DE-3,823,795-A1.
A freewheeling diode is essentially a rectifier diode connected across an inductive load to carry a current resulting from the energy stored in the inductance when no power is being supplied by the source to the load and until all the energy in the inductance has been dissipated or until the next voltage
In connection with devices of fast-recovery power diodes of conventional construction, the recovery behavior is influenced by doping and dimension of the high-resistive center zone of the three-layer structure of the semiconductor body.
A fast-recovery diode is essentially a diode in which very little carrier storage occurs and which may therefore be used to give an ultrahigh speed of operation.
Depending on the presetting of the reverse blocking voltage loadability, the maximum doping concentration can amount to, for example, 1.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.3 for 1000 volts and to 7.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.3 for 2000 volts with a coordinated minimum thickness of the center zone of 80 microns or, respectively, 180 microns. To make a soft recovery diode there exists a general rule that the n.sup.- layer is to be produced in such doping and in such thickness, that the charge carrier zone does not reach the n.sup.+ zone in case of a presence of maximum allowable operating voltages.
However, the recovery behavior cannot be optimized in a desired way, based solely on the dimensioning of the width of the center zone by way of a predetermination of doping concentration and blocking capability, as has been shown by investigations. The requirements to the softness factor w, depending on the application case and depending on the application of the presently offered switchable semiconductor device elements, are not achievable with such dimensioning of a fast-recovery power diode.
It is further known to employ an irradiation with protons and an irradiation with helium nuclei for setting the local carrier lifetimes and thus for influencing the switching behavior in the sense of a changing of the recovery behavior. This advantage of this method is the substantial apparatus expenditure and effort required in processing times.
A further constructive possibility includes a subdivision of a p anode zone into two zones, of which the inner zone exhibits a surface concentration of from 1.times.10.sup.15 to 2.times.10.sup.16 cm.sup.3 and where the outer zone, having a doping level concentration larger than 3.times.10.sup.17 and a penetration depth less than 2 micrometers, serves only for ohmic contacting. Such structure is taught, for example, in German Patent Application Laid Open DE-OS 3,633,161. This structure furnishes an improved recovery behavior based on a substantial lowering of the charge carrier concentration on the p side. The structure taught in German Patent Application Laid Open DE-OS 3,633,161, however, is associated with a substantially reduced surge current in addition to higher production costs and expenditures.
In addition, it is possible to subdivide this p zone into several sub-regions, of which one exhibits a higher penetration depth, as well as to import n.sup.+ doped islands into the p zone. Again, the disadvantage associated with such structure resides in an increased production expenditure based on a requirement of masked diffusion.
In connection with known construction shapes of fast power diodes, the recovery behavior is influenced, for example, by doping of the emitter, by special emitter structures, or by proton irradiation. It has been found, however, that these steps for the improvement of the soft recovery behavior are obtained at the expense of the forward voltage drop. This causes high on stage losses and high switching losses. In particular, the switching losses on one of the limit for the use of the known freewheeling diodes with soft recovery behavior.
The dynamic loadability of freewheeling diodes has been considered in lecture notes for the 20th Colloquium Semiconductor Power Device Elements and Material Quality of Silicon in a lecture entitled "Dynamic Loadability of Freewheeling Diodes" by U. Scheuermann, J. Lutz, R. Spiegl of the Semikron company in Nuremberg, Germany. This paper shows how the dynamic behavior of various freewheeling diodes can be determined and that certain problems arise in the dynamic behavior when freewheeling diodes are commutated.
The journal article by S. D. Brotherton et al., entitled "A Comparison of the Performance of Gold and Platinum Killed Power Diodes" published in Solid-State Electronics, Vol. 25, No. 2, pages 119-125 (1982) shows the influence of the distribution of deep impurities such as gold upon the detailed switching characteristics.
The journal article by Yu. V. Bulgakov et al., in the publication Soviet Physics Semiconductors, Vol. 18, Issue 9, September 1984, pages 1009-1010 brings an article entitled "Investigation of the Profile of Recombination Parameters of Proton-irradiated Silicon". The article describes a method for determining the profile of the diffusion length of minority carriers in silicon.
The journal article by E. E. Velmre, in the Soviet publication Electrical Engineering, Vol. 55, No. 3, pages 47-51 (1984), entitled "Influence of the Lifetime Distribution of Electrons and Holes on the Reverse Recovery Process of p.sup.+ -n-n.sup.+ Diodes" shows the results of a study of the reverse recovery process of diffused diodes.
The German Printed Patent Document DE-3,631,136-A1 to Peter Voss teaches a diode with a soft recovery behavior. The reference teaches the production of such a diode.
The German Patent DE-2,506,102-C3 to Hansjochen Benda et al., teaches a semiconductor rectifier. The reference is concerned to provide a structure which dampens high-frequency oscillations in a semiconductor rectifier.
The German Patent DE-3,008,034-C2 to Yoshihito Amemiya et al. teaches an electrode for semiconductor device elements. The teaching of the reference is directed to reducing the voltage drop in forward direction and the recovery time of a diode.


A biological aerosol detector is provided. The biological aerosol detector uses a semiconductor optical source with an ultraviolet emission band to excite biological molecules in an aerosol sample. Filtering optics are configured to attenuate radiation from a secondary emission band of the optical source to prevent false signals due to scattering of secondary emission band radiation from non-biological molecules. An intake/exhaust manifold that includes an intake pipe that fits within a concentric exhaust pipe is also provided. The intake/exhaust manifold planarizes the flow of the sampled aerosol to maximize the time of irradiation. An electrostatic sampling grid is also provided to selectively draw biological molecules having a net charge into the optical chamber.

The detection of aerosols within fluid samples can be accomplished by optical methods. Such methods are useful in detecting potentially harmful aerosols, such as biological aerosols that may be present after a biological agent attack or industrial accident. It is well known that biological molecules fluoresce when excited by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As a result, biological molecules in an aerosol sample can be optically detected by irradiating the sample with ultraviolet radiation, and observing the fluorescence response. Since differing excitation wavelengths may be used to detect different classes of biological molecules, the excitation wavelength can be chosen to detect specific classes of biological molecules such as proteins, flavinoids, and metabolite products.
A biological aerosol detector of the type described above is described in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/720,877, now allowed, which is incorporated herein by reference. The detector described in patent application Ser. No. 10/720,877, includes a light source 4, which can be a UV laser light source or an LED light source. Recently, UV light sources in the form of semiconductor ultraviolet optical sources or SUVOS have become available. These light sources typically have both a primary emission band with a center wavelength in the ultraviolet region (i.e., a primary emission band that is capable of eliciting a fluorescence response from a biological aerosol), and a secondary emission tail at longer wavelengths that overlaps and interferes with the fluorescence response. When SUVOS type light sources are used in the biological aerosol detector described in patent application Ser. No. 10/720,877, light from the source's secondary emission band can be scattered by particles in the aerosol detector's optical cavity, thereby creating a positive response signal in the aerosol detector regardless of whether the scattering particle was a biological molecule or not. To reduce the occurrence of these types of false positive signals, the radiation from the SUVOS's secondary emission band must be attenuated to prevent it from entering the aerosol detector's optical cavity.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A plastic archery arrow nock (10) having a stiffener of light weight high strength material such as carbon composite therein permits fine tuning alteration of the dynamic spine of the arrow and reduces flexure of the nock relative to the arrow shaft (12) to prevent fatigue failure of the nock. The stiffened nock reduces the flex in the nock and the connection of the nock to the arrow shaft arrow shaft (12) as it is propelled forward by acceleration of the bowstring at the moment of release.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to archery arrows and, more particularly, to arrow nocks affixed to the arrows which receive the bowstring.
2. Prior Art
Conventional arrow nocks are ordinarily made of lightweight metal or plastic and are subject to breakage due to the substantial stresses which are imparted by the bowstring to the nock which in turn transmits such stresses to the arrow during shooting. It has been found that these stresses result in substantial flexing of the connection between the nock and the arrow. This flexing of the nock connection and inconsistent flexing of the nock itself substantially detract from shooting accuracy. The problem is compounded by either intended or unintended off center loading of arrow nocks by highly skilled target archers and the fact that the nock material is usually constructed of plastic which is substantially weaker than the material of which the arrow is constructed. Accordingly, the nock rather than the arrow is subject to fatigue failure and repeated shooting results in increased flexing of the connection until failure occurs at which time the nock is simply replaced.
High level target archery requires precise fine tuning of the arrows to the bow to obtain consistent results. The objective here is to substantially achieve one complete cycle of arrow flexing as the arrow leaves the bow so that the two bending nodes of the arrow remain aligned with the target and so that the fletch does not contact the bow and thus disrupt the intended line of flight of the arrow. With a finger controlled bowstring release, the arrow first flexes toward the bow then away from it. This flex is increased whenever the weight of the point is increased since the bowstring must induce motion of a greater mass. Accordingly, if a complete cycle of flex is desired by the time the arrow leaves the bow so that contact of the fletch with the bow is negligible or non-existant, a means for adjusting the flex of the arrow is needed.
Among the parameters which have in the past been varied to change the dynamic stiffness or flex without changing the length of the arrow are the point weight and the shaft stiffness. In the prior art, the archer could only change shafts or adjust the arrow by changing the point weight since most prior art replaceable nocks are of substantially identical characteristics so that a nock change made no substantial difference. If the archer wished to match the arrow stiffness with a particular bow, in the past he had no easy way to do so.
Although it is well known that arrows flex when propelled by the bowstring and continue to do so while in flight, it is not readily appreciated that the amount of flex can be controlled by adding weight to the nock. Flex in the connection between the arrow and the nock also occurs and this connection should therefore also be stiffened to compensate for the added weight. Arrow flex is ordinarily reduced by stiffening of the arrow shaft itself where the flex is known to take place. This necessarily results in significant additional arrow weight and correspondingly less arrow velocity. Consideration has been given to stiffening of the nock material with fiber reinforcement; however, this has been found to lower the overall impact resistance of the nock and eliminate desired visual transparency of the plastic which is important in determining if nock failure has taken place.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a means of adjusting the flex or dynamic spine of the arrow to tune the arrow to the bow.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a means of adjusting the dynamic spine or flex without substantially changing of the location of the center of gravity of the arrow.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an easily replaceable arrow nock which prevents damage from incoming arrows to the shaft of an arrow shaft embedded in a target.


An integrated circuit memory device includes a memory array with associated word lines and bit lines. A switching arrangement is connected between a word line and a first voltage source that selectively connects the word line to the first voltage source, and also is responsive to a short-circuit between the word line and the bit line.

Typically, a computer system includes a number of integrated circuit chips that communicate with one another to perform system applications. Often, the computer system includes a controller, such as a micro-processor, and one or more memory chips, such as random access memory (RAM) chips. The controller and memory communicate with one another to store data and to read the stored data.
The memory chips can be any suitable type of memory including RAM, which can be any suitable type of RAM, such as dynamic RAM (DRAM). DRAM typically includes a plurality of memory banks. Each memory bank includes one or more arrays of memory cells. The memory cells in each array of memory cells are arranged in rows and columns, with the rows extending along a row direction and the columns extending along a column direction. Conductive word lines and bit lines extend across the array of memory cells, with a memory cell located at each cross-point of a word line and a bit line or located at each second cross-point for example. Memory cells are accessed using a row address and a column address.
Each of the memory cells in an array of memory cells includes a capacitor and a transistor. The capacitor is electrically coupled through the transistor to one of the bit lines. The control input of the transistor is electrically coupled to one of the word lines. The transistor is switched on (conducting) to access the capacitor and off (non-conducting) to capture a voltage level on the capacitor via the appropriate word line. The capacitor is charged to a high voltage level that can represent a logic one or discharged to a low voltage level that can represent a logic zero.
During a precharge operation, a pair of bit lines are equalized to a common voltage level. In known memory systems, the bit line pair is coupled together and a precharge voltage is applied to the bit lines via one or more limit transistors, which among other things, limits the precharge current supplied by a voltage source during the equalization/precharge operation. Following the precharge operation during a BANKACTIVATE operation, one of the bit lines of the bit line pair receives a data bit value from a memory cell activated by the corresponding word line and the other bit line is used as a reference. To read the data bit, a sense amplifier amplifies the difference between the data bit value and the reference value and provides a sensed output value to an output driver. To write a data bit into a selected memory cell, input drivers overdrive the sense amplifier. One input driver overdrives a data bit value onto the bit line that is connected to the selected memory cell and another input driver overdrives the inverse of the data bit value onto the reference bit line.
Short-circuits can occur between word lines and bit lines in devices such as DRAMs. This is especially problematic in the precharge operations. To remedy this, the sense amplifier includes the limit transistors that function to limit current resulting from these short-circuits. The provision of the limit transistors, however, increases the size of the sense amplifier, and in turn, uses additional chip surface. Still further, the provision of such limit transistors may not adequately limit all of the undesirable short-circuit current in all situations.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Integrated circuit memory device responsive to word line/bit line short-circuit


The linear fan comprises blades that are fixed onto a flexible transmission engaging leading and follower pulleys. Each blade has cylindrical shanks to facilitate swivel fixation. The veer of the blades is provided with directive disks.

The presented linear fan belongs to category of industrial fans and blowers. The known implementations of a linear fan usually have smaller transversal sizes than ordinary fans. The blades of such fans are placed on flexible endless transmission. Herewith the blades of one branch of the transmission interact with air in a manner not coordinated with blades on the other branch of the transmission. So, the known implementations of linear fan, in some cases, have mechanisms for a cyclical veer of the blades, in other cases, this shortcoming is ignored. In any case, power losses due to the inherent design characteristics of linear fans can be substantial. The goal of the presented invention is to reduce the losses.


A counterweight to facilitate endcuts from silicon ingots comprising a bent angle moment arm and adjustable weighting means.

The fabrication of semiconductors utilizes wafers of silicon basically comprising thin slices from large cylindrical crystalline ingots. Typically, such ingots must first be machined into the cylindrical shape by grinders, leaving relatively short cone-shaped sections on one end of the cylindrical ingot and a longer, tapered, irregular-shaped tail section. Both the cone and tail sections must first be removed, typically by way of an inner diameter diamond circular saw blade, in order to facilitate further processing of the cylindrical ingot. Because its generally longer taper makes for a greater moment arm, the tail section is readily removable by the saw blade without any problems.
However, as the inner diameter saw blade cuts through the cone-shaped end of the ingot, a vacuum is often produced in the space between the blade and the cone section being removed, due in part to the narrow gap between the planar surface of the saw blade and the cut portion of the wall of the ingot, in part to the greater cross-sectional area being cut, and in part to the extremely-high velocity (ca. 1100 rpm) of the saw blade. The so-created vacuum tends to pull the section of the ingot being cut into the blade, thereby creating a number of problems: friction between the ingot and the saw blade reduces blade life and increases saw downtime; resultant shear stress on the outer portion of the uncut crystal can lead to chips and cracks in the crystal upon completion of the cut, thereby reducing the yield of useable crystalline ingot; and, on occasion, due to the build-up of vacuum between the blade and the section being cut, the entire section being cut will adhere to the spinning blade, the blade then often throwing the cut piece into the mounting assembly of the blade, which in turn results in catastrophic failure of the blade and severe damage to the cut end of the ingot.
The conventional way of dealing with all of the aforesaid problems is to affix a mass of clay or putty to the end of the ingot that is being cut off. However, this method has a number of engineering drawbacks, chief among which is the difficulty of molding the clay or putty into the proper size and shape so that it will not only stick to the end of the ingot being cut off but at the same time provide sufficient moment to eliminate the vacuum yet not so great a moment as to cause the uncut section of the crystalline ingot to break. Another significant drawback with this prior art method comes into play by virtue of the extremely sensitive slicing machine sensors which are very diameter-sensitive; improper placement of the clay or putty can and often does confuse the machine's sensors, resulting in the cut being made at an improper location. Still another draw-back is the safety-related problem comprising imbedment of sharp silicon shards in the putty during cutting which shards tend to cut operator's hands when the putty is removed and/or reattached to a new ingot.
There is therefore a need in the art of making endcuts from silicon ingots for a method or device which will provide an adjustable moment on the section of ingot that is being cut off, the device being securely attachable to that section and being reusable, so as to eliminate the creation of a vacuum and at the same time not generate sufficient downward force to cause premature breakage of the section being cut off from the ingot. These needs and others are met by the present invention, which is summarized and described in detail below.


A computer-implemented method includes recording one or more actions being performed by an agent using at least one resource of a resource provider environment, the at least one resource being associated with a non-restricted zone in the resource provider environment. The method includes creating a primitive that describes the one or more actions. The primitive is able to be executed on at least one different resource in a restricted zone in the resource provider environment to perform the one or more actions using the different resource. The restricted zone includes resources associated with a customer that are directly accessible only to at least one authorized entity. The method includes submitting the primitive to the restricted zone in the resource provider environment. The primitive is able to be executed by the at least one authorized entity on the at least one different resource in the restricted zone.

As an increasing number of applications and services are being made available over networks, such as the Internet, an increasing number of content, application, and/or service providers are turning to technologies such as cloud computing. Cloud computing, in general, is an approach to providing access to electronic resources through services, such as Web services, where the hardware and/or software used to support those services is dynamically scalable to meet the needs of the services at any given time. A user or customer typically will rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to resources through the cloud, and thus does not have to purchase and maintain the hardware and/or software to provide access to these resources.
It might be the case, however, that a customer will have applications that relate to, or utilize, restricted data, such that the customer will want to be able to execute operational actions to the restricted data, or have the resource provider execute operational actions on the customer's behalf, while still abiding by legal or organizational constraints that regulate which entities have the authority to access the restricted data and to execute the operational actions. Conventional cloud management approaches thus cannot be utilized as the persons, resources, and applications typically responsible for managing the resources in a resource provider environment will not have direct access to any of the resources in that restricted zone. The people inside the restricted zone also typically will not have the knowledge and/or information needed to properly operate and update the resources of the provider from within the restricted zone.

Interacting with restricted environments


A method is provided of in-situ casting well equipment wherein a metal is used which expands upon solidification. A body of such metal is placed in a cavity in a well. Before or after placing the metal in the cavity in the well, the body is brought at a temperature above the melting point of the metal. The metal of the body in the cavity is solidified by cooling it down to below the melting point of the metal.

It is standard practice to cast cement linings around well casings to create a fluid tight seal between the well interior and surrounding formation
A disadvantage of this and many other in-situ casting techniques is that the cement or other solidifying substance shrinks during solidification or curing as a result of higher atomic packing due to hydration and/or phase changes.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of creating a reliable and strong seal in a hydrocarbon fluid well.


A method of manufacturing an oval shaped catalytic converter that reduces the amount of material and number of parts that are required for permitting the catalytic converter to treat the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine and also improves the structural durability of the converter for high temperature applications by maintaining a higher mat density along the minor axis of the converter housing.

One form of catalytic converter presently being manufactured has an oval-shaped catalyst coated substrate made from an extruded ceramic located within an oval-shaped housing with dual wall end cones. The end cones cooperate to form air chambers at the opposed ends of the converter that serve to reduce the outside temperature of the converter and also serve to block the hot exhaust gases from impinging directly on a mat material located between the substrate and the housing.
One problem with a converter of this type is that, when the substrate together with the mat material is stuffed into the oval housing, the outer oval configuration of the housing can distort. As a result, the outer end cones which fit onto the opposed open ends of the housing are required to have large tolerances to accommodate the varying outer configurations of the housing. This then, causes some difficulty in welding the end cones to the housing. Another problem is that during high temperature operation of the converter, there is a tendency for the housing to expand along the minor axis so as to reduce the density of the mat which, in turn, reduces the life of the mat material.
It has been proposed (see SAE Technical Paper 922340, entitled "Effect of Header Truncation on Monolith Converter Emission-Control Performance", authored by Daniel W. Wendland et. al. and presented in October 1992 at the International Fuels and Lubricants Meeting and Exposition) to shorten the distance between the inlet and outlet tube and the substrate to approximately one inch. The single wall end cone design prevalent at that time, however, presents a further problem in that the mat material supporting the substrate is exposed to hot exhaust gases which, if the catalytic converter is placed in a location close to the vehicle engine where the exhaust gas temperature at the inlet of the catalytic converter is sufficiently high, will tend to erode the mat resulting in a loss of substrate retention and heat insulating capability of the mat material.