As a preferred embodiment, an information processing method of distributing across a network a control program for controlling a network device to a client apparatus for managing the network device, comprising, a designation step of designating range information for searching for a network device connected to the network, and a search step of searching for the network device corresponding to the designated range information on the basis of the designated range information and a distribution step of distributing a control program to the client apparatus for managing the network device within the range searched by the processing in the search step is disclosed.

One conventional printer driver installation method is to input predetermined items in an interactive manner in accordance with the OS of each client computer for controlling a printer. When "Windows" of Microsoft is used by this method, for example, a user selects "add printer" from "properties" of printer and inputs necessary information by an interactive program called wizard, thereby installing a printer driver.
Another method installs a printer driver by user's operation using an installer in the same manner as addition of an application. Also, when printing is to be performed by controlling a specific client apparatus (Point & Print), a printer driver can be installed in the client apparatus from a print server by distribution by using, e.g., Windows NT/2000.
In the conventional techniques as described above, the printer driver installation operation must be performed for each individual client apparatus. If, for example, printing is to be executed by printers by controlling various client apparatuses across a network in a company having a large number of computers, printer drivers must be installed in all the client apparatuses. The total number of manual steps of the operation cannot be ignored. Furthermore, to normally install a printer driver in each client apparatus, a certain procedure must be reliably followed. Therefore, the operator must have knowledge and capability to some extent or more.
This requires preparations relevant to installation, e.g., it is necessary to form a detailed manual for executing installation, and educate all the clients. In addition, if installation cannot be normally performed, a network manager must install a printer driver in each of all the client apparatuses. This enormous work interferes with the company activities requiring rapid and efficient operations.
Also, in the Point & Print method using a printer server, printer drivers can be installed in all client apparatuses to which automatic printer driver distribution is designated. However, since the printer drivers are installed in all the client apparatuses by automatic distribution, a network manager may become unable to manage the use of a printer.
As a method of solving these problems, a method called "push type printer driver installation" is known. In this method, if client apparatuses require installation or update of printer drivers, this installation or update is not performed on the client apparatuses. Instead, the method allows a network manager on the server side to install or update the printer drivers in all the client apparatuses. In this push type printer driver installation, even if a client apparatus is performing a certain operation or printing data, a printer driver can be installed or updated without any interference with these operations. An operator on the client side need not have any knowledge concerning installation, and the network manager need not go to each client apparatus to install the printer driver. That is, the installation operation can be executed by a few operation steps.
An example of the above prior art is disclosed in patent reference (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-251347).
The push type printer driver installation method is advantageous in that client apparatuses can be managed collectively. However, even when this method is used, a network manager must explicitly select client apparatuses in which printer drivers are to be installed. If the number of client apparatuses as objects of installation is large, selecting these client apparatuses requires a considerable time.

Information processing method and information processing apparatus


The present invention provides a system for assessing the severity and stage of PAD including at least one sensor that measures skin perfusion pressure; a knowledge base that provides data on lower extremity angiosomes; and a processing device in operable communication with the sensor and the knowledge base, the processing device that outputs a visual representation of at least one of the lower extremity angiosomes that guides the sensor in the mapping of a testing site relative to a target vessel where the skin perfusion pressure measurement will be taken.

Atherosclerotic disease is widespread but commonly associated only with coronary heart disease. However, atherosclerosis of the peripheral vascular system, e.g. in the lower extremities, also contributes to significant morbidity and mortality in patients. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), includes all diseases caused by the obstruction of large arteries in the arms and legs. PAD can result from atherosclerosis, inflammatory processes leading to stenosis, an embolism or thrombus formation. It causes either acute or chronic ischemia (lack of blood supply), typically of the legs. Lower extremity occlusive PAD can be defined on the basis of anatomical or functional considerations. Anatomically it is defined as atherosclerotic arterial disease, while functionally it is defined as arterial narrowing, causing a mismatch between the oxygen supply and demand resulting in symptoms of intermittent claudication (IC), exercise limitations, or tissue loss. These two definitions help divide PAD into asymptomatic and symptomatic disease states.
Worldwide, the prevalence of peripheral vascular disease in people 55 years of age is 10%-25% and steadily increases with age. Over 70%-80% of affected individuals are asymptomatic. In the United States, peripheral arterial disease affects from 12% to 20% of Americans age 65 and older. Despite its prevalence and cardiovascular risk implications, only 25% of PAD patients undergo treatment principally due to lack of diagnosis. However, diagnosis is critical, as people with PAD have a four to five times higher risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Thus, the prognosis for patients with PAD is poor.
Several of the present inventors have collaborated on developing a novel instrument that measures skin perfusion pressure as more particularly described in U.S. Publn. Nos. 2006/0287603 and 2008/0183059. Briefly, the novel instrument measures skin perfusion pressure (SPP), which assists the physician in assessing a patient's micro-circulatory health. The instrument utilizes laser Doppler to evaluate reactive hyperemia, the transient increase in organ or limb blood flow following a brief period of occlusion, by measuring in millimeters of mercury the pressure at which blood flow first returns to capillaries following controlled occlusive release. This generates an SPP value. The instrument also assesses macro-circulatory health by utilizing air plethysmography to evaluate changes in arterial blood volume with each cardiac cycle to generate a pulse volume recording (PVR); these waveforms are rated according to severity ranging from "likely severely abnormal" to "likely normal." Alone or together, SPP and PVR may be used to assess the severity and stage of peripheral arterial disease and the potential for wound healing. However, because the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease is critical the present inventors have developed improvements to the system using angiosome mapping that existing scoring systems, such as Fontaine Stages, Rutherford Category, S(AD) Foot Ulcer Classification, Wagner Scale for wound classification and the like, are unable to objectify.
Angiosomes are three dimensional blocks of tissue supplied by a single "source" artery. Dr. Ian Taylor, expanding on the work of previous anatomists, conducted a landmark anatomic study that detailed the angiosome principal and identified over 40 angiosomes of the body. Dr. Christopher Attinger further investigated angiosomes of the foot and ankle for their impact on limb salvage, specifically in relation to incision planning, blood flow preservation, tissue reconstruction, and revascularization procedures to afford optimal healing of wounds in ischemic limbs. Knowledge of the angiosome principal is frequently utilized by plastic surgeons wherein detailed and specific understanding of vascular sources to skin tissue is critical to successful outcome for the patient. However, knowledge of the angiosome principal is not well understood within other medical disciplines.
One such area is the management of PAD, critical limb ischemia (CLI) and diabetic (DM) foot where there are six distinct angiosomes. The six angiosomes of the foot and ankle originate from the three main arteries to the foot and ankle. The posterior tibial artery supplies the medial ankle and the plantar foot, the anterior tibial artery supplies the dorsum of the foot, and the peroneal artery supplies the anterolateral ankle and the lateral rear foot. The large angiosomes of the foot can be further broken into angiosomes of the major branches of the above arteries. The three main branches of the posterior tibial artery each supply distinct portions of the plantar foot: the calcaneal branch (heel), the medial plantar artery (instep), and the lateral plantar artery (lateral midfoot and forefoot). The two branches of the peroneal artery supply the anterolateral portion of the ankle and rear foot, the anterior perforating branch (lateral anterior upper ankle) and the calcaneal branch (plantar heel). The anterior tibial artery supplies the anterior ankle and then becomes the dorsalis pedis artery that supplies the dorsum of the foot.
Angiosomes are inherently three-dimensional. Currently, however, angiosome concepts are communicated by presenting a combination of two-dimensional flat images and/or flat illustrations of anatomical vasculature. Further, existing representations for angiosomes are not integrated into systems for assessing PAD, CLI or DM conditions. Moreover current use of angiosome concepts, if any, is limited to the subjective interpretation of combined sets of data by the physician.
There is a need to provide health care professionals with a method and system to visually represent lower extremity angiosomes to guide the placement of a skin perfusion sensor and map a testing site relative to a target vessel in the angiosome. A skin perfusion measurement, which is based on the aforementioned angiosome mapping, will enable an accurate assessment of severity and stage of peripheral arterial disease and lower extremity wound healing potential. There is a further need to provide expanded utility with regard to angiosome mapping in identifying a medical condition to objectify changes to skin, pallor, temperature, etc. An additional need is to incorporate angiosome mapping with functional markers and other clinical indices to provide a PAD, CLI and/or wound healing evaluation system. The inclusion of angiosomes brings new perspective to the anatomical and functional considerations that inform education, diagnosis, therapeutic management and communication applications.

Method and system for assessing severity and stage of peripheral arterial disease and lower extremity wounds using angiosome mapping


In one aspect of the invention signal/control messages are embedded as packets in the payloads of SMS messages. The SMS messages are transmitted in a cellular network employing SMPP protocol. SMS messages intended to traverse an TCP/IP network are introduced to the TCP/IP network employing ICMP protocol. The protocol conversions are performed by a message center (MC), such as a SMS center or an SGSN in a cellular network or a WLAN Access Router when the SMS message is forwarded to a WLAN. The SMS messages are typically created by a mobile user, which is also capable of receiving the SMS messages having a signal/control message in the SMS message payload.

The Short Message Service (SMS) is a text message received by a Mobile Station (MS) in 2G cellular system or User Equipment (UE) in 3G Cellular system or any terminal in a network capable of receiving a text message as specified in the SMPP protocol. An MS or UE can also generate the text message, which is known as mobile originated SMS. SMS Messages in the Cellular network are processed in the core network by an SMS center. The SMS center is responsible for processing incoming messages from Non-mobile (Cellular) entities know as External Short Message Entities (ESMEs), validating the subscriber and delivering the message to the mobile in the cellular network. If the MS or UE is not in the home network but is roaming in another cellular network which is known to the home network, and the MS or UE receives an SMS message, the SMS message is delivered to the MS or UE in the roaming network via an SS7 signaling network.
An (MS) or a UE in a 2.5G (such as GPRS network) or 3G such as a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) cellular system, which is running Internet Protocol-level (IP-level) applications, such as MobileIP, etc., has a need to send and/or receive IP-level signaling/control packets. Examples are Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) messages related to MobileIP protocol which, for example, are typically used to report a problem in the communication environment. These signaling/control IP packets are presently sent to, and received by, the MS over the air interface using transport/physical channels such as a dedicated channel (DCH), etc.
Hereinafter a UE, MS or a wireless transmit and/or receive unit (WTRU) shall be used interchangeably and includes but is not limited to a user equipment, mobile station, fixed or mobile subscriber unit, pager, or any other type of device capable of operating in a wireless environment. When referred to hereafter, a base station includes but is not limited to a base station, Node-B, site controller, access point or other interfacing device in a wireless environment.

Method and apparatus for transmission of internet control message protocol messages as short message service (SMS) messages in a communications network comprised of mobile stations


A method of forming transistor gate structures in an integrated circuit device can include forming a high-k gate insulating layer on a substrate including a first region to include PMOS transistors and a second region to include NMOS transistors. A polysilicon gate layer can be formed on the high-k gate insulating layer in the first and second regions. A metal silicide gate layer can be formed directly on the high-k gate insulating layer in the first region and avoiding forming the metal-silicide in the second region. Related gate structures are also disclosed.

In order to reduce leakage current due to decreased thickness of a gate dielectric layer, a layer having a high-k dielectric constant may be used. Accordingly, a hafnium-based insulating layer, such as a hafnium oxide layer or a hafnium silicon oxide layer, can be used. However, if a hafnium-based insulating layer is used with a polysilicon gate electrode, the bonding between the hafnium-based oxide layer and the polysilicon layer can be inadequate so that a Fermi level pinning phenomenon can affect the work function of the gate electrode, which can lead to an increase in the threshold voltage Vth of the device. Moreover, the increase of the threshold voltage in a P-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor region may become significantly more than the threshold voltage of an N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor in the same device.
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit having a dual-gate structure is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,642 ('642) entitled Method of fabricating gate electrode of CMOS device. According to the '642 patent, a gate electrode including a polysilicon layer and a silicide pattern is disposed in the PMOS transistor region, whereas and a gate electrode of an NMOS transistor (in the NMOS region) is polysilicon.

Methods of forming different gate structures in NMOS and PMOS regions and gate structures so formed


A device and a method are described for controlling an internal combustion engine, in particular an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas aftertreatment system. A parameter is determined which characterizes the intensity of a reaction in the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, starting from operating parameters which characterize the state of the internal combustion engine and/or the state of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system. When a threshold value is exceeded by the parameter, measures are introduced for reducing the reaction speed.

Methods and devices for controlling an internal combustion engine are known. Internal combustion engines, especially Diesel engines, are frequently equipped with exhaust gas aftertreatment systems, which may especially include a particulate filter. To regenerate the particulate filter, temperatures above the usual exhaust gas temperatures are required. Without additional measures, the particles oxidize at ca 550 to 600° C. The lower temperature threshold for the oxidation may be reduced to about 250 to 350° C. by combining the particulate filter with a oxidation catalyst, by catalytic coating of the filter and/or by the addition of an additive.
If the particulate filter reaches a certain load, and if regeneration of the filter is not ensured because of the engine operating state, it is provided that the exhaust gas temperature is raised to the point where the particles rapidly burn off. In that case, so much heat is liberated by the oxidation that the particulate filter and the exhaust gas heat up further. This further speeds up the oxidation, the filter heating becomes even greater, and this may lead to damage of the filter under certain circumstances.
A supercritical heating of the filter may also occur if the operating manner of the engine is changed during the regeneration. A sudden transition to an overrun operation or a transition to idling operation withdraw from the particulate filter the necessary cooling by the high volume exhaust gas flow, or rather, they increase the burn-off speed by the increased supply of oxygen in the exhaust gas flow.

Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine


Embodiments for the present invention provide a semiconductor device and methods for fabrication. In an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor structure comprises a first conductor horizontally formed on a semiconductor substrate. A second conductor is vertically formed in a semiconductor stack that includes the semiconductor substrate. An oxidized region is formed proximate to the first conductor. The second conductor is formed in a manner to be in electrical communication with the first conductor. The first conductor is formed in a manner to be laterally connected to the second conductor. The first conductor is formed in a manner to not traverse beneath the oxidized region. The first conductor is formed in a manner to have a reduced link-up resistance with adjacent epitaxial material included in the semiconductor structure.

Resistance to plate is a performance limiter for semiconductor structures, such as embedded dynamic random access memory (hereinafter "eDRAM") access times. eDRAM is DRAM that is embedded on the same die as an ASIC or processor. DRAM is a type of semiconductor memory which stores information as data bits in capacitors on metal-oxide-semiconductor integrated circuits. Each bit is typically stored as an amount of electrical charge in a storage cell consisting of a capacitor and a transistor. Conventional semiconductor DRAM devices are formed in bulk substrate semiconductor material by implanting a well of either p-type or n-type material in a wafer of either type of material. Gates and source/drain diffusions are then manufactured using commonly known processes. Memory cells may be arrayed in a matrix manner.
Ion implantation is essential to modern integrated-circuit manufacturing. Conventional doping or modification of silicon and other semiconductor wafers relies on the technology, which may involve generating an ion beam and steering it into the substrate so that the ions come to rest beneath the surface of the substrate. Ions may be allowed to travel through a beam line at the energy at which they were extracted from a source material, or they can be accelerated or decelerated by direct current or radio-frequency electric fields. Conventional processes for implanted silicon create a high resistance connection (i.e. a connection that resists the flow of electricity therein) to the backside of capacitors, such as metal-on-metal capacitors, which can lead to elevated delays when such chips are operated at high frequency.

Semiconductor structure having buried conductive elements

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a single cancer direct detection device comprises an electrode having a nanopore biomimetic membrane inducing a bio-communication signal by cancer cells selectively under antibody-free and label-free condition. Methods of detecting cancer cells and monitoring cancer progresses in a contour map format are also discussed. In particular, the cancer cell heat release map comprises multiple variables correlations, a ratio of “Action potential/Resting potential” (RAPRP) as a special biomarker for the variable along with other variables of current or concentration makes visual display cancer progresses possible compared with normal cells which have negligible heat release.

It is a well recognized phenomenon that cancer cells have abnormal cell membrane potential [1-3]. The conventional biopotential method used for diagnosing cancer is lacking in sensitivity and selectivity [3]. Biologists measure cell membrane action and resting potentials with burdensome instrumentation with time consuming procedures. A recent report shows breast cancer cell division caused a membrane potential increase [4] due to variations in ion channel expression. However, the method requires a time consuming large computer algorithm for modeling, and still lacks selectivity and sensitivity. A recent paper reported that the measured neural cell membrane spiking potential has a signal to noise ratio of 2 [5]. Because the normal cell membrane action potential is 58 mV, and −70 mV is for the resting potential [6], the small signals are very easily buried in the background noises [7] that can cause problems to pediatric neurologist and intensive care unit doctors who need strong signals to monitor and diagnose the neonatal neurological diseases [7]. There is very few, if any, to build a device that can induce receptors of cancer cells spontaneous and direct interact with the artificial receptor of the membrane of the device without using antibody or labeling. The amplified signals are several orders of magnitude higher in signal to noise ratio than the conventional methods, will provide means to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of the detection. The goal of this invention is to develop such a handhold device by fabricating a nanopore structured biomimetic membrane on a gold chip with an imidazolium receptor in the polymer network to induce the direct biocommunication to cancer surface receptors without using antibody, and without labeling in order to overcome the current technology drawbacks and through the functions of discharge and change electric pulses at real time, hence the transformed energy from the cancer cells can be mapped out in three dimension with a contour form, therefore the progress of the cancer can be monitored visually, that will be beneficial to patients and medical doctors.

Nanostructured biomimetic device for detecting a cancer cell or cancer cells


A leakage current interrupter comprising a trip mechanism that operates automatically in response to the presence of a shock hazard condition. Actuation of the trip mechanism automatically interrupts the flow of current to a load and permits movement of a reset button to take place to visually signal that current to the load has been interrupted, although interruption of current flow is not in any way dependent on movement of the reset button, whereupon if movement of the reset button is prevented for any reason, the flow of current to the load is still automatically and instantaneously interrupted in response to the presence of a shock hazard. Such shock hazard exists when two separated shock hazard conductors in said load are bridged by a conductive material, such as water.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to the field of shock hazard protection and more particularly to a circuit to detect the presence of a shock hazard in an appliance and a trip mechanism to remove the power to such appliances.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One prior art device employs a second set of contacts, momentary contacts, and a transistor to provide current to a relay coil to hold the main contacts closed. However, as soon as the reset button is depressed, the appliance power is restored before the device determines whether or not there is a shock hazard condition.
Another prior art device employs a ground fault detector to operate a trip mechanism to disconnect an appliance from a power source but does not recognize shock hazard conditions in the load.

Resettable immersion detecting circuit interrupter (IDCI)


A medium conveyance device includes a drive roller that conveys an original in first direction, a guide in which a first surface and a second surface are formed, a slider in which a first point and a second point are formed, a pinch roller that is rotatably supported by a pinch shaft that is fixed to the slider and that pushes the original against the drive roller, and a sensor that measures a thickness of the original based on an amount of move of the slider in a second direction that is different from the first direction, wherein the first point slides on the first surface and the second point slides on the second surface and accordingly the slider is supported on the guide movably in the second direction, and a distance between the first point and the second point is longer than a diameter of the pinch shaft.

Image read devices in which a return path on which an original is conveyed while curving is formed are known. In such an image read device, it is possible to arrange an original table on which originals to be fed near a stacker on which ejected originals are placed, thereby reducing a setting space. In the image read device, a straight path on which an original is conveyed without curving is further formed. The image read device measures the thickness of the original based on an amount of displacement of a roller that is used to convey the original and, based on the measured thickness, switches between ejecting the original to the straight path and ejecting the original to the return path (see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-203001, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-026080 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-052929).
There is however a problem in that the thickness thus measured is less accurate when the pinch roller is not displaced properly.


An optical head for information recording and/or reproduction has a light source, a deflecting mirror, an adjusting mechanism and an objective lens. A light beam generated by the light source is deflected by the deflecting mirror to be directed to a recording and/or reproducing surface of a recording medium while adjusting the position of the deflecting mirror by the adjusting mechanism. The light beam deflected by the deflecting mirror is converged on the recording and/or reproducing surface of the recording medium by the objective lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for effecting recording and/or reproduction of information by utilizing a laser beam on a recording medium, and more particularly, to an optical head adapted for use in such apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
With the progress in increasing the capacity of information recording/reproducing apparatus, an optical disk memory is attracting attention as a high density recording medium. Information recording or reproduction with such an optical disk is generally conducted by radially moving an optical head with respect to the optical disk, and effecting tracking and focusing operations of a laser beam, emitted from said optical head, onto a desired track of the recording medium.
Though various methods have been proposed for moving such an optical head, a linear motor utilizing a voice coil is frequently employed for achieving high-speed access, in order to respond to the requirement of recording and retrieving data having a large capacity with a high speed. Also, for reducing the weight of the optical head itself, there has been realized an optical head of separate structure in which an objective lens and an optical path deflecting member alone are constructed as movable members while the laser light source, signal detection unit and other principal optical members are fixed on a frame member constituting a part of the apparatus.
Also, for realizing a higher response speed or a thinner structure, there is conceived a structure in which the objective lens contained in the movable unit is driven by a uniaxial actuator solely for focusing instead of a biaxial actuator for focusing and tracking, while the tracking operation is executed by the entire movable optical head.
In the following there will be given an explanation of the conventional optical information recording/reproducing apparatus (also called an optical disk apparatus) mentioned above, with reference to the attached drawings.
FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are respectively a perspective view, a plan view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view and a transversal cross-sectional view (along a line A--A in the plan view) of a conventional optical disk apparatus.
In these drawings there are shown an optical disk 1; an objective lens 2; a carriage 3 supported movably in the radial direction (arrow A) of the optical disk 1; a bobbin 4 on which the objective lens 2 is fixed; a focusing coil 5 fixed to the vertically movable bobbin 4 for focusing the objective lens 2 to the optical disk 1; paired parallel plate springs 6 respectively fixed to the bobbin 4 and the carriage 3, for supporting the bobbin 4 elastically and movably in the focusing direction (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) with respect to the carriage 3; a driving coil 7 fixed to the carriage 3, for driving said carriage 3 in the radial direction (indicated by an arrow A) of the optical disk 1; laterally paired magnets 8 for generating a magnetic field acting on the focusing coil 5 and the driving coil 7; four guide shafts 9 fixed to the carriage 3; mutually opposed yokes 10 constituting a magnetic circuit in cooperation with the magnets 8 and also serving as a support mechanism for the carriage 3; steel balls 11 positioned between the guide shafts 9 and V-sectioned grooves 10a, 10b of the opposed yokes 10 and adapted to roll therebetween, thereby movably supporting the carriage 3 in the radial direction of the optical disk 1; rear yokes 12 supporting the magnets 8; intermediate yokes 13 connecting the opposed yokes 10 and rear yokes 12 thereby constituting a magnetic circuit; a triangular prism-shaped mirror 14, with a reflecting face 14a, for deflecting a light beam, projected parallel to the optical disk 1 from an unrepresented fixed head, into a perpendicular direction (optical axis direction of the objective lens 2), said mirror 14 being fixed, by a portion 14b thereof, to a fixing face 3a formed on the carriage 3; and a guide frame 15 serving to fix the opposed yokes 10 and rear yokes 12 thereby maintaining constant distances between said yokes and between the yokes 10.
For satisfying the optical performance required for information recording and reproduction, the objective lens employed in the optical head has to be adjusted within a precision of several minutes for the inclination of the optical axis of a light beam with respect to the optical disk constituting the information recording medium. Consequently, a precision within several minutes is required for the otical axis of the laser beam, which is projected from the fixed optical head, deflected perpendicularly to the optical disk by the triangular prism-shaped mirror and enters the objective lens.
In the above-explained conventional structure, however, since the triangular prism-shaped mirror is directly fixed on the carriage, there have been required highly precise components and an expensive and time-consuming assembling and adjusting operation in the construction of the support mechanism for the carriage, in order to attain the above-mentioned precision within several minutes.

Optical head with an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of an optical mirror


Improved techniques for facilitating identification of a computer system's hardware features to software executing on the computer system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the software is system management software that serves to monitor and control the computer system to reduce failures and/or improve performance. In a general sense, the invention provides a system feature table within a computer system to describe each of the hardware features of the computer system, including feature data and appropriate access mechanisms for additional information. In addition, a user can be notified when the software does not support all the hardware features of the computer system. The invention also is able to identify locations of failing hardware features for easy replacement or examination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system and, more particularly, to identification of features of a computer system to software executing on the computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are known to include a variety of different hardware features. These hardware features also tend to be implemented differently in different computers (even from the same company). However, conventional software executing on the computers must understand not only the hardware features present but also how the hardware features are implemented in order to interact with the hardware features. One type of software that often interacts with hardware features of a computer system is known as system management software which monitors and controls the computer system to reduce system crashes or catastrophic failures or to improve performance.
Hardware features include many different apparatuses within a computer system. A few examples of hardware features are: fans, DC-DC converters, power supplies, thermal trip sensor, bus monitors, and the like. Different computer systems have different hardware features which are implemented differently. Although in subsequent versions of the same computer system the hardware features present tend to be the same, these hardware features can be implemented differently in the various versions of the same computer system. For example, computer systems generally include a fan for cooling purposes. However, some computer systems include multiple required fans, and other computer systems may include multiple fans some of which are redundant (i.e., not required).
Hence, with each different computer system, not only are the hardware features provided usually different, but also the placement of the hardware features and hardware for accessing the hardware features that are common tends to be different. Even with subsequent versions of the same computer system, occasionally some of the hardware features are placed differently and/or use different hardware for accessing the hardware features.
Nevertheless, in order for system software to properly monitor the operation of the computer system and its hardware features, the system software needs to know what features are provided in the computer system. A number of different techniques have been used in recent years to inform the software of the features provided by the computer system.
One conventional approach is to provide a table within the system software that would identify each machine on which the software could be executed. The major disadvantages of this approach were that the number of tables in the software grew exponentially in order to handle all the existing machines on which the software could be executed, and that the software was not operational on new machines.
Another conventional approach is to provide a read only memory (ROM) within the computer system to describe the hardware features of the computer system. The system software was then able to access the ROM and obtain some limited information on the hardware features of the computer system. This approach is effective so long as the software supports the features of the computer system. One problem with this approach is that the size of the ROM, even though typically describing features of only a single computer system, grows exponentially to handle the myriad of different implementations that develop with subsequent versions of the computer system. With each different implementation the software assumed a particular way to access the needed signals from the hardware features. The hardware of the computer system was then thereafter fixed with that particular way of accessing the hardware feature. However, if the access to the hardware features were to be changed for a different implementation, the software would fail unless the ROM had been specially updated to include a specific description of the different implementation. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a ROM table according to this conventional approach.
More particularly, FIG. 1 is a diagram of a simplified ROM table 100 that provides hardware feature information for a computer system. Here, the particular feature is a fan and the bits of the ROM table 100 identify whether the fan is supported by the computer system, whether the fan is a redundant fan, and then provides additional information that is specific to the implementation of the computer system, namely machine-w, machine-x, machine-y, and machine-z. For example, if the six (6) bits of the ROM 100 were "110010", this would signal the software that the fan is provided in the computer system, is a redundant fan, and follows a machine specific implementation for machine-Z. The software then assumes how to access the fan based on the machine specific implementation for machine-Z. The required support for the system software to produce and maintain all of the machine specific implementations is overly burdensome.
Another approach to inform software of features of a computer system is illustrated in a simplified ROM table 200 illustrated in FIG. 2. In the ROM table 200, information about a DC-DC converter feature of a computer system is provided. In the ROM table 200 the information provided indicates the board type, board slot, number of converters (provided, necessary), scan chain bytes, and status chain bits for status and presence information. For example, the information provided in the first row in the ROM table 200 indicates that the particular DC--DC converter is a processor board type in slot 6; that there are three (3) DC--DC converters provided of which one (1) is necessary; and that the presence and status information are obtained from bits 3 and 4 of byte 7 in a scan chain. Although some information was provided for locating status and presence information of specific features, the mechanisms used to acquire the status and presence information were fixed. Further, software maintenance was still burdensome even under this approach because the access mechanism was fixed and because the mechanism information was provided only for this specific feature and not provided on a global basis.
Thus, there is a need for improved techniques for facilitating identification of hardware features of computer systems to software such that the software is able to access the hardware features.

Method and apparatus for identification of features associated with computers


The several embodiments include a hypodermic needle with a hollow member positioned over a portion of the needle, thus covering that portion of the needle. Prior to and during use, the hollow member is held away from the piercing end of the needle to allow it to be used in the normal manner. After the needle has become contaminated, a simple action by the user places the hollow member in a position covering the piercing end of the needle, and the hollow member is supported in this position against rearward pressure. The hollow member is similarly kept from sliding off the end of the needle.

One of the major safety concerns of nurses and other health workers is the risk of accidentally pricking oneself with contaminated hypodermic needles. This concern has become particularly acute since the onset of the AIDS epidemic. It has been reported that, as of January 1989, 20 health workers have been infected by the AIDS virus by such accidental needle pricks.
In light of the dangers associated with contaminated hypodermic needles, it would be of importance to develop a hypodermic needle that is safer than existing hypodermic needles to the people who must handle them. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hypodermic needle that is safer than existing hypodermic needles for health workers and others to use and handle. In keeping with the proceeding object, it is also an object of this invention to develop such a hypodermic needle that is not cumbersome in use, and that can be put into the safe mode by a simple action by the health worker immediately after the needle has been removed from the patient. And in light of the large quantity of hypodermic needles that are used by the health profession, and the expense involved with this large quantity of use, it is a further object of this invention to provide such a safe, easy to use hypodermic needle that can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.


For the preparation of (6S)- and (6R)-tetrahydrofolic acid and their addition salts with a sulfonic acid or with sulfuric acid, (6R,S)-tetrahydrofolic acid is reacted with a sulfonic acid or with sulfuric acid, the resulting acid addition salt is fractionally crystallized and, if desired, the (6S)- or (6R)-tetrahydrofolic acid is liberated from the resulting diastereomeric acid addition salts by treatment with a base and isolated.

This invention relates to a process for the preparation of N-[4-[[(2-amino-1,4,5,6,7,8,-hexahydro-4-oxo-(6S)-pteridinyl)methyl]amino] benzoyl]-L-glutamic acid (hereinafter called (6S)-tetrahydrofolic acid) and its salts and N-[4-[[(2-amino-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-4-oxo-(6R)-pteridinyl)methyl]amino]b enzoyl]-L-glutamic acid(hereinafter called (6R)-tetrahydrofolic acid) and its salts.
Tetrahydrofolic acid derivatives contain 2 asymmetric centers. In this case, owing to the synthesis of these derivatives from folic acid, N-(pteroyl)-L-glutamic acid, the optically active C atom contained in the glutamic acid residue is present in the L-form, whereas the optically active C atom in position 6 formed by hydrogenation of the double bond in the 5,6-position of the pteroyl radical is in the racemic, (6R,S)-form. Synthetic derivatives of tetrahydrofolic acid therefore consist of a 1:1 mixture of 2 diastereomers. On natural occurrence, for example in the liver, the tetrahydrofolates are found only in one diastereomeric form, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid being in the (6S)-form.
As medicaments, tetrahydrofolates are mainly used as the calcium salt of 5-formyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid (leucovorin) or 5-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid for the treatment of megaloblastic folic acid anemia, as an antidote for increasing the tolerability of folic acid antagonists, especially of aminopterin and methotrexate in cancer therapy ("leucovorin rescue"), for increasing the therapeutic effect of 5-fluorouracil and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis and for increasing the tolerability of certain antiparasitics, for example trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, in chemotherapy. Tetrahydrofolic acid is used as the basic substance for the preparation of diverse tetrahydrofolic acid derivatives.
Efforts to prepare (6S)- or (6R)-tetrahydrofolic acid have been based on:
enzymatic methods PA1 physicochemical methods PA1 chemical methods
Enzymatic methods comprise reduction, normally carried out chemically, of folic acid to 7,8-dihydrofolic acid and subsequent enzymatic reduction thereof to (6S)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid, for example according to L. Rees et. al., Tetrahedron 42(1), 117-36 (1986) or EP-A2-0,356,934. However, these processes can only be stopped with difficulty in the chemical step at the 7,8-dihydrofolic acid stage and also typically give only very small space-time yields in the enzymatic step, require expensive co-factors such as NADPH and necessitate an usually complex working-up methodology. Methods for the enzymatic preparation of optically pure tetrahydrofolic acid known hitherto are not suitable for the preparation of this compound on the industrial scale.
The separation of the diastereomer pairs was also attempted by means of chromatography, J. Feeney et. al., Biochemistry, 20, 1837, (1981). These methods are not suitable for the preparation of the diastereomers on the industrial scale.
An asymmetric reduction of folic acid on chiral electrodes is also known from the group of physicochemical processes, S. Kwee et. al., Bioelectrochem. Bioenerg. 7, 693-698, (1980). Owing to the concentrations of folic acid (typically 10.sup.-3 M) permitted during the reduction and the removal of the asymmetric inductor, which can only be carried out with difficulty, after reduction has taken place, these reactions, however, cannot be employed for industrial preparation.
From the field of chemical synthesis, the possibility of asymmetric hydrogenation of folic acid in the presence of an optically active catalyst exists, for example according to P. H. Boyle, et. al., J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. (1974), 10, 375-6. However, this requires the use of very expensive catalysts, which, after homogeneous catalysis has taken place, can only be separated off with great loss of the product.
There is to date therefore still no industrially utilizable process for obtaining optically pure tetrahydrofolic acid.

Process for the preparation of (6S)- and (6R)-tetrahydrofolic acid


A folding-jaw cylinder of a folder for a printing press is disclosed. Actuable folding-jaw cheeks are assigned to a first cylinder part of the folding-jaw cylinder and fixed folding-jaw cheeks are assigned to a second cylinder part. Both cylinder parts are assigned one shaft, via which the cylinder parts can be driven rotationally. An intermediate gear is coupled on one side to a drive and on the other side to at least one actuating unit in such a way that the intermediate gear can be driven by the drive and inputs its drive into at least one of the shafts of the cylinder parts via the, or every, actuating unit, and the, or every, actuating unit is assigned an adjusting drive in order to adjust the two cylinder parts, and therefore the folding-jaw cheeks which are assigned to the cylinder parts, relative to one another.

The invention relates to a folding-jaw cylinder of a folder for a printing press.
German Patent Document No. DE 44 15 620 C2 discloses a folding-jaw cylinder for a folder of a printing press. The folding-jaw cylinder which is disclosed there has a plurality of folding jaws which are formed in each case by an actuable or movable folding-jaw cheek (controlled folding jaw) and a fixed or immovable folding-jaw cheek (fixed corresponding jaw). The actuable or movable folding-jaw cheeks are assigned to a first cylinder part (discs) and the fixed or immovable folding-jaw cheeks are assigned to a second cylinder part (cylinder body). The discs which form the first cylinder part and the cylinder body which forms the second cylinder part are mounted rotatably on a common axle or shaft, the second cylinder part having the fixed folding-jaw cheeks being positioned between the discs which serve to mount the actuable folding-jaw cheeks. The two cylinder parts can be adjusted relative to one another, in order to set the opening width or mouth width of the folding jaws. In DE 44 15 620 C2, the two cylinder parts can be adjusted relative to one another or the actuable folding-jaw cheeks can be adjusted relative to the fixed folding-jaw cheeks with the aid of an adjusting eccentric bolt which is to be actuated manually.
Proceeding from this, the present invention is based on the problem of providing a novel folding-jaw cylinder of a folder for a printing press.
According to the invention, both cylinder parts are assigned in each case one shaft, via which the cylinder parts can be driven rotationally, an intermediate gear being positioned coaxially with respect to the shafts of the cylinder parts and being mounted rotatably with respect to the shafts, the intermediate gear being coupled on one side to a drive and on the other side to at least one actuating unit in such a way that the intermediate gear can be driven by the drive and inputs its drive into at least one of the shafts of the cylinder parts via the, or every, actuating unit, and the, or every, actuating unit being assigned an adjusting drive, in order to adjust the two cylinder parts and therefore the folding-jaw cheeks which are assigned to the cylinder parts relative to one another.
Within the meaning of the present invention, a folding-jaw cylinder of a folder for a printing press is provided, it being possible to adjust the two cylinder parts of the folding-jaw cylinder relative to one another by motor and in an automated manner (it also being conceivable manually via a handwheel, however), which cylinder parts are assigned firstly the actuable folding-jaw cheeks and secondly the fixed folding-jaw cheeks. Every cylinder part is assigned a shaft, via which the cylinder parts are driven rotationally. An intermediate gear is positioned coaxially with respect to the shafts of the two cylinder parts, which intermediate gear is mounted such that it can rotate freely with respect to the shafts. The intermediate gear which is mounted coaxially on the two shafts is coupled on one side to a drive and on the other side to at least one actuating unit. The intermediate gear can be driven by the drive. The intermediate gear inputs its drive into at least one of the shafts of the two cylinder parts via the, or every, actuating unit. Furthermore, the, or every, actuating unit is assigned an adjusting drive, in order to adjust the two cylinder parts relative to one another and therefore the actuable and fixed folding-jaw cheeks which are assigned to the two cylinder parts, in order to adapt the opening width or mouth width of the folding jaws. The folding-jaw cylinder according to the invention is of simple construction and permits both symmetrical and asymmetrical adjustment of the actuable and fixed folding-jaw cheeks relative to one another during the adaptation of the opening width or mouth width of the folding jaws. The adjustment is low in play, reliable and very precise.

Apparatus and method for adjusting a folding-jaw cylinder of a folder for a printing press


A modular thermal magnetic trip unit includes the bimetal, magnet, armature and latch in a one-piece assembly. A latch opening is formed in a bottom part of the magnet on a side opposite the bimetal for receiving and retaining the tip of the cradle. The motion of the inodular assembly is accelerated by the combined thermal and magnetic forces acting in unison.

Residential circuit interruption is efficiently accomplished within residential circuit breakers containing a thermal-magnetic trip unit, an operating cradle and a pair of separable contacts. The thermal response is provided by means of a bi-metal element that is electrically-connected in series with the separable contacts for so-called "long time" current sensing and the magnetic response is provided by a stationary magnet that partially surrounds the bimetal and interfaces with a movable armature that carries the cradle retention latch for so-called "short time" current sensing. A good example of a residential circuit breaker including a thermal-magnetic trip unit is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,268 entitled Automated Q-Line Circuit Breaker".
Various enhancements are available for enhancing the magnetic response and allowing short time protection at lower ampere ratings. One such enhancement is found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/804,045 filed Feb. 21, 1997 entitled "Residential Circuit Breaker Having an Enhanced Thermal-Magnet Trip Unit".
Efforts to enhance both the thermal and magnetic response of low cost residential circuit breakers often result in a cost increase due to additional components and increased manufacturing time.
Accordingly, it would be economically feasible to enhance both the thermal and magnetic response within such residential circuit breakers without incurring a corresponding cost increase.
One purpose of the invention is to describe one such thermal-magnetic trip unit having enhanced thermal and magnetic response at a savings in both component cost and in manufacturing time.

Modular thermal magnetic trip unit for rapid circuit interruption


In an anti-theft system for a motor vehicle, an oscillating circuit of a transceiver in the motor vehicle is modulated with code information of a portable transponder. A demodulator detects the code information and carries it onward to a computer unit, where it is checked for authorization. Component tolerance or temperature changes can mean that initially no code information will be demodulated, despite a properly functioning transponder. According to the invention, the frequency of the modulated oscillation is then measured and reregulated to a command frequency.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an anti-theft system for a motor vehicle. It relates in particular to a system for locking the doors of a motor vehicle and to an immobilizer block, which is used to permit starting of the engine upon authorization.
A known anti-theft system (U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,955) has an ignition lock with a transmitting antenna in the form of a coil. The coil is excited by an oscillator. The ignition key has an oscillating circuit that cooperates with the transmitting coil. As soon as the ignition key is introduced into the ignition lock, encoded information is transmitted from the ignition key to the lock. If the encoded information matches command code information, a driveaway block in the motor vehicle is released so that the motor vehicle can be started.
In such systems, however, it is possible for no coded information to be detected by a receiving circuit, despite the insertion of a properly functioning ignition key. The reason therefor is that because of component tolerances or the effect of temperature, an operating point of the system has shifted so far that it is in a so-called null point.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. In the method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, a first insulating layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A metal line layer and an etch-stop layer are formed over the first insulating layer. The etch-stop layer and the metal line layer are patterned to form a metal line. A second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer and the etch-stop layer. A first etch process for etching part of the second insulating layer is performed by using a first etch gas so that the etch-stop layer is exposed. A second etch process for removing the etch-stop layer is performed by using a second etch gas so that the metal line is exposed.

The invention relates, in general, to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a method of forming a via hole in a semiconductor device.
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory cells and transistors, and consists of many elements. Lines connecting the plurality of elements are also extended. As the level of integration in the semiconductor device increases, the width of an individual element and the distance between adjacent elements decreases.
The memory cells are connected by bit lines to form a string structure. The bit lines are formed of metal.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor memory device