There is provided an apparatus for measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system, wherein each of the processes has a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing. The apparatus includes (a) a counter counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor for each of the processes, (b) a measurement unit measuring a first period of time during which each of the processes make the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing, and (c) a data collector collecting both first data indicative of the number of transaction processing and second data indicative of the first period of time in each of the processes at predetermined time intervals.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus of measuring a throughput of each of processes constituting a transaction processing system, and also to a method of doing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been suggested various apparatuses and methods of measuring a throughput of each of processes in a transaction processing system.
For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-151949 has suggested an apparatus of measuring a throughput, comprising first means for transmitting a start command only while a command transmitted from central processing unit is being carried out, in response to an instruction transmitted from the central processing unit, second means for generating clock pulses on receipt of said start command in a predetermined period of time, third means for counting said clock pulses generated from second means, and fourth means for displaying the result of count carried out by third means, as a processing time of the central processing unit.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-98037 has suggested a system for evaluating dynamic performance of a multi-task program, including (a) a plurality of transaction processors each of which is comprised of a task constituting a multi-task program, processes an input transaction, and activates a next transaction processor, (b) first means for generating input transactions at predetermined time intervals, (c) second means for having each one of the transaction processors carry out transaction processing in accordance with a transaction identifier of the input transaction generated by first means, (d) a transaction processing table storing therein the input transaction to be carried out by each one of the transaction processors, (e) a journal file storing journals of input transactions having been processed by said transaction processors, and (f) third means for retrieving the transaction processing table and the journal file to thereby transmit evaluation such as the number of input transactions not processed yet, and a period of time during which input transaction is processed.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-315837 has suggested a transaction processing unit including a processing system to which a plurality of terminals are connected through lines, and which processes transaction received from the terminals, characterized by a load generator which generates pseud transaction similar to the transaction transmitted from each of the terminals, and inputs into the processing system.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-244927 has suggested an apparatus for measuring a throughput, including at least one counter circuit electrically connected to an external terminal of a device to be measured, for measuring how a signal varies on the external terminal, a packet receiver monitoring packet data received by the device and introducing the packet data thereinto, and a processing unit for analyzing data received by the counter circuit and the packet receiver, and calculating a throughput of a data communication device.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-128274 has suggested a method of grouping transaction, comprising the steps of extracting transaction data indicated with first job control language, from a journal file transmitted from an on-line processing system, and thereby making a transaction file storing data about operation of transaction, and extracting transaction indicated with second job control language in accordance with specific transaction, from the transaction file, and thereby grouping and collection the transaction in accordance with the specific transaction.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-282283 has suggested a method of tracing on-line transaction in a computer which transaction is processed by at least one job task and includes multiplexing and decomposition during generation to termination of transaction. The method includes the steps of, when a transaction is requested for each of traces from the job task, outputting trace data including a time at which the request was made, an ID number of the requested job task, multiplexed transaction ID, a predetermined weigh coefficient assigned to each of multiplexed individual transaction Ids, and accumulating the data each time the transaction request is made.
The above-mentioned conventional apparatuses and methods of measuring a throughput of each processes constituting a transaction processing system are accompanied with the following problems.
For instance, the transaction system is comprised of a plurality of processes, and it is not possible to measure a throughput of each one of the processes. In other words, a throughput of each one of the processes was measured individually in atmosphere suitable for measuring each one of the processes. Hence, data was too insufficient to analyze the transaction system as a whole.
In addition, some of the above-mentioned conventional apparatuses have to be connected to an external terminal additionally provided with a device to be measured. Hence, it is unavoidable from the apparatus to become large in size.
In view of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional apparatuses and methods, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method both of which are capable of measuring a throughout in each one of processes.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system, each of the processes having a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing, the apparatus including (a) a counter counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor for each of the processes, and (b) a measurement unit measuring a first period of time during which each of the processes make the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing.
It is preferable that the transaction processing system is operable in a computer having UNIX operating system.
There is further provided an apparatus for measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system, each of the processes having a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing, the apparatus including (a) a counter counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor for each of the processes, (b) a measurement unit measuring a first period of time during which each of the processes make the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing, and (c) a data collector collecting both first data indicative of the number of transaction processing and second data indicative of the first period of time in each of the processes at predetermined time intervals.
It is preferable that the data collector calculates a throughout X of each of the processes in accordance with the following equation:
X=B/A
wherein A indicates the number of transaction processing, and B indicates the first period of time.
It is preferable that the data collector calculates a rate Y at which each of the processes makes the processor carry out transaction processing, in accordance with the following equation:
Y=C/D
wherein C indicates a difference between a K-th period of time in which the processor is operated and a (K+1)-th period of time in which the processor is operated, the K-th and (K+1)-th period of times being measured at a predetermined time interval, wherein K is an integer equal to or greater than one, and D indicates the predetermined time interval.
It is preferable that the data collector identifies a bottleneck process among the processes in accordance with the throughput X.
It is preferable that the data collector identifies a bottleneck process among the processes in accordance with the rate Y.
It is preferable that the apparatus further includes a recording medium, and that the data collector stores both the first data and the second data, the throughput X, the rate Y, the bottleneck process in the recording medium.
It is preferable that the data collector collects both the first data and the second data in each of the processes at both a starting point and a terminating point in a period of time during which a throughput of each of the processes is measured.
It is preferable that the period of time is variable.
It is preferable that the data collector deems data obtained when a K-th period of time has passed, as data to be obtained when a (K+1)-th period starts.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transaction processing system including (a) at least one process for having a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing, (b) a counter counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor, and (c) a measurement unit measuring a first period of time during which the process makes the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing.
There is further provided a transaction processing system including (a) at least one process for having a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing, (b) a counter counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor, (c) a measurement unit measuring a first period of time during which the process makes the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing, and (d) a data collector collecting both first data indicative of the number of transaction processing and second data indicative of the first period of time at predetermined time intervals.
In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system, each of the processes having a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing, the method including the steps of (a) counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor for each of the processes, and (b) measuring a first period of time during which each of the processes make the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing.
There is further provided a method of measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system, each of the processes having a processor carry out predetermined transaction processing, the method including the steps of (a) counting the number of transaction processing carried out by the processor for each of the processes, (b) measuring a first period of time during which each of the processes make the processor operate for carrying out transaction processing, and (c) collecting both first data indicative of the number of transaction processing and second data indicative of the first period of time in each of the processes at predetermined time intervals.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of calculating a throughout X of each of the processes in accordance with the following equation:
X=B/A
wherein A indicates the number of transaction processing, and B indicates the first period of time.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of a rate Y at which each of the processes makes the processor carry out transaction processing, in accordance with the following equation:
Y=C/D
wherein C indicates a difference between a K-th period of time in which the processor is operated and a (K+1)-th period of time in which the processor is operated, the K-th and (K+1)-th period of times being measured at a predetermined time interval, wherein K is an integer equal to or greater than one, and D indicates the predetermined time interval.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of identifying a bottleneck process among the processes in accordance with the throughput X.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of identifying a bottleneck process among the processes in accordance with the rate Y.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of storing both the first and second data.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of storing the throughput X.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of storing the rate Y.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of storing the bottleneck process.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of storing the bottleneck process.
It is preferable that the first and second data is collected in the step (c) in each of the processes at both a starting point and a terminating point in a period of time during which a throughput of each of the processes is measured.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of deeming data obtained when a K-th period of time has passed, as data to be obtained when a (K+1)-th period starts.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium readable by a computer, storing a program therein for causing a computer to act as the above-mentioned apparatus for measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system.
There is further provided a recording medium readable by a computer, storing a program therein for causing a computer to carry out the above-mentioned method of measuring a throughput in each of processes in a transaction processing system.
The above and other objects and advantageous features of the present invention will be made apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the drawings.

Apparatus for measuring throughput and method of measuring throughput


Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and circuits for frequency mixing signals. One example circuit generally includes a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, the transformer configured to generate a signal across the secondary winding based on a signal at an input node coupled to the primary winding, and a first mixer coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and configured to convert a frequency of the signal across the secondary winding. In certain aspects, the circuit also includes a biasing circuit having an output coupled to a tap of the secondary winding and configured to generate a biasing voltage by applying an offset voltage to a common-mode voltage of the first mixer and apply the biasing voltage to the tap of the secondary winding to bias the first mixer.

Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, and so on. Such networks, which are usually multiple access networks, support communications for multiple users by sharing the available network resources. For example, one network may be a 3G (the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology) system, which may provide network service via any one of various 3G radio access technologies (RATs) including EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized), 1×RTT (1 times Radio Transmission Technology, or simply 1×), W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), UMTS-TDD (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System-Time Division Duplexing), HSPA (High Speed Packet Access), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), or EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution). The 3G network is a wide area cellular telephone network that evolved to incorporate high-speed internet access and video telephony, in addition to voice calls. Furthermore, a 3G network may be more established and provide larger coverage areas than other network systems. Such multiple access networks may also include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) networks, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, and Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) networks.
A wireless communication network may include a number of base stations that can support communication for a number of mobile stations. A mobile station (MS) may communicate with a base station (BS) via a downlink and an uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base station to the mobile station, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the mobile station to the base station. A base station may transmit data and control information on the downlink to a mobile station and/or may receive data and control information on the uplink from the mobile station.
MSs and BSs may include circuitry for converting a frequency of a received signal. For example, the frequency of the received signal may be reduced such that it can be processed more efficiently. For example, a mixer may be used to effectively multiply two input signals together, thereby producing an output signal having frequency components at the sum of and the difference of the two input signals' frequencies. If the two input signals have the same frequency, then the output signal may have frequency components at DC and at twice the frequency of the input signal. Mixers may be implemented using transistors, such as metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).


A medical device and procedure is described for occluding a fallopian tube. A tubal occlusion device is inserted into a uterine cavity. The device includes an RF applicator head including an electrode carrier with one or more bipolar electrodes thereon. During insertion, the RF applicator head can be in a closed position. The RF applicator head is positioned at a tubal ostium of a fallopian tube, such that a distal tip of the RF applicator head advances into the tubal ostium. The RF applicator head is deployed into an open position such that the RF applicator head approximates the shape of the uterine cavity in a region of the tubal ostium. Current is passed through the one or more bipolar electrodes to the tubal ostium to destroy tissue to a known depth, which precipitates a healing response in surrounding tissue that over time scars and occludes the fallopian tube.

Female sterilization typically involves occluding the fallopian tubes to prevent sperm access to an egg within a female's fallopian tube. One conventional female sterilization procedure is laparoscopic tubal occlusion. In this procedure, an incision is made in the abdominal wall to provide access to the fallopian tubes. The tubes are surgically occluded with the aid of a laparoscope, for example, using bipolar or monopolar coagulation. Laparoscopic tubal occlusion is invasive and requires multiple incisions and passing of several instruments and a gaseous distension medium into the patient's abdomen. Thermal and mechanical injury to the surrounding tissues and organs has been reported.
Minimally invasive transcervical approaches to female sterilization have been used more recently. One such procedure involves placing small, flexible devices into the fallopian tubes; the devices are inserted transcervically into the uterine cavity providing access to the fallopian tubes. The devices are made from polyester fibers and metals and once in place, body tissue grows into the devices and blocks the fallopian tubes. The devices permanently remain in the patient's body, which has raised concerns about the long term effects of the implanted devices as well as restrictions on potential subsequent surgical interventions within the uterus, given the conductive metallic components in the devices.
A monopolar radio frequency technique has been investigated that included passing a small diameter wire (an active electrode) transcervically through the uterine cavity and the tubal ostium to the fallopian tubes. A large, passive electrode is positioned externally. The current path between the two electrodes is not well defined and can lead to inadvertent burns. The technique was not successful and was abandoned. It could manage neither the varying thicknesses of endometrial tissue at the tubal ostium, nor the required tight tolerance on the depth of destruction within the fallopian tubes.

Method and system for transcervical tubal occlusion


The liquid crystal display device is provided with: light sources; light guiding plate for guiding light from the light sources to a direction of a liquid crystal panel; reflection sheet to cover the light guiding plate and light sources; frame portion for supporting the light guiding plate and light sources, both of which are covered with the reflection sheet (lighting element), from the upper side of the lighting element; rear face cover for housing the lighting element and fitted with the frame portion; and shield portion disposed between the rear face cover and lighting element. The shield portion is made from high heat conductivity material and shields gaps between the frame portion and rear face cover, gaps between the rear face cover and lighting element, and a plurality of heat discharge holes formed on the bottom of the rear face cover to isolate the display area from the gaps.

In recent years, liquid crystal display devices have frequently been used as display devices of information appliances such as a notebook type personal computer and a word processor and display devices of imaging appliances such as a mobile television, a portable motion picture camera, and a car navigation system owing to its characteristics such as light weight, thin thickness, and low power consumption. In the liquid crystal display devices, generally, a display panel is illuminated with light which is emitted from the rear by an internal lighting unit so as to realize a luminous display screen.
An edge light type lighting unit wherein a light guiding plate is disposed on the rear face of the display panel and a linear light source such as a fluorescent discharge tube is provided at a facet of the light guiding plate is ordinarily used as a backlight of the liquid crystal display device included in the notebook type personal computer and so forth owing to its characteristics of thin thickness and excellent uniformity in luminance on a light emission face.
A conventional edge light type lighting unit UT having fluorescent discharge tubes is shown in FIG. 6, and a liquid crystal display device LD having the lighting unit UT of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. The lighting unit UT has a tabular transparent light guiding plate 1 for transmitting light, fluorescent discharge tubes 2 separately disposed at two opposing sides out of four sides of the light guiding plate 1, and a reflection sheet 3 for reflecting light emitted from the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 to guide the reflected light to facets D1 of the light guiding plate 1. The facets D1 of the light guiding plate 1 are facets at which the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 are provided, and a facet D2 is a facet at which no fluorescent discharge tube is provided. The rear face and the facets D1 and D2 of the light guiding plate 1 as well as the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 are covered with the reflection sheet 3 to form a lighting element 10. This lighting element 10 is supported by frame portion 9 from its upper side and lateral sides as well as by a box-like rear face cover 8 fitted with the frame portion 9 from its lower side, so that the lighting element 10 is housed in a housing 30 formed of the frame portion 9 and the rear face cover 8. Light correction sheets 4 and 5 are provided on a light emission face of the light guiding plate 1. The lighting unit UT is constituted as described above. Then, a liquid crystal panel 11 and a front cover 12 are mounted on the light emission face of the lighting unit UT. The liquid crystal display device LD is thus constituted.
The reflection sheet 3 reflects light leaking from the light guiding plate 1 to the outside of the unit to return the leaked light to the light guiding plate 1, thereby increasing illumination light to be emitted from the light emission face. A white resin film having a high reflectance is used as the reflection sheet 3. Patterns (not shown) which makes a light diffusion area increased in proportion to distance from the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 serving as the light sources may be printed on the reflection sheet 3. As shown in FIG. 5, the reflection sheet 3 is cut to a predetermined shape so as to cover the rear face and the facets D1 and D2 of the light guiding plate 1 as well as the fluorescent discharge tubes 2, and perforations S are formed on predetermined positions so that the reflection sheet 3 is folded along the rear face and the facets.
Though a periphery of each of the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 (hereinafter referred to as "reflecting portion" 20) and the rear face of the light guiding plate 1 are covered with the reflection sheet 3 in this constitution, the reflection sheet 3 may be divided into sheets for separately covering the reflecting portion 20 and the rear face of the light guiding plate 1 with the divided sheets being adhered to one another with an adhesive double coated tape. The reflection sheet 3 shown in FIG. 6, which continuously covers the reflecting portion 20 and the rear face of the light guiding plate 1, is advantageous in achieving the thin thickness of the lighting unit UT and reducing the cost and the number of steps for assembly of the lighting unit UT.
A diffusion sheet, a prism sheet, and the like may be used as the light correction sheets 4 and 5. The light emitted from the light guiding plate 1 can be diffused or condensed by selecting a sheet to be used for the light correction sheets 4 and 5 among a various types of sheets varied in optical characteristics and by setting the number of sheets as required, thereby achieving uniformity and high luminance of the emitted light.
Each of ends of the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 is connected to lead wires (not shown) by soldering or the like, and the lead wires are connected to a power unit (not shown) such as an inverter for generating a high frequency alternating current. During operation of the lighting unit UT, a voltage required for lighting the fluorescent discharge tubes is applied from the power unit through the lead wires. Generally, a high voltage is required for lighting the fluorescent discharge tubes 2. Accordingly, a rubber holder 7 made from an insulator such as a rubber is attached to each of the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 and around the lead wires so as to protect electrodes of the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 and ensure safety of the lead wires by covering exposed portions thereof.
A plurality of heat discharge holes 15 for discharging heat generated from the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 are formed on the bottom of the box-shaped rear face cover 8. As described in the foregoing, the rear face cover 8 is fitted with the frame portion 9 so as to form the housing 30 for housing the lighting element 10.
The conventional lighting unit UT and the liquid crystal display device LD of the above constitution have gaps 16A formed between the rear face cover 8 and the frame portion 9 fitted with each other. Further, the lighting unit UT and the liquid crystal display device LD have gaps 16B formed between the rear face cover 8 and the lighting element 10. The gaps 16A and 16B are formed due to the constitution of itself. Dust entered the device during and after the assembly of the liquid crystal display device LD enters a display area 25 formed of the liquid crystal panel 11 and the light correction sheets 4 and 5 through the gaps 16A and 16B as well as gaps between the frame portion 9 and the lighting element 10. Also, dust entered the device through the heat discharge holes 15 formed on the rear face cover 8 enters the display area 25 through the gaps 16B and the gaps between the frame portion 9 and the lighting element 10. The dust entered the display area interrupts the output light to cause irregular luminance. Further, the components in the display area 25 such as the light correction sheets 4 and 5 are damaged due to friction with the dust. Moreover, when the dust enters a gap between the liquid crystal panel 11 and the lighting unit UT, it is very difficult to remove the dust without disassembling the display device. Thus, a precaution against the dust entrance is an important issue in maintenance of the liquid crystal display device LD after the assembly.
Further, when the heat generated from the fluorescent discharge tubes 2 during the operation of the lighting unit UT is discharged through the heat discharge holes 15 to outside, the air in the gaps 16B between the rear face cover 8 and the lighting element 10 functions as a heat insulation layer to cause insufficient heat discharge, thereby causing various defects attributable to the heat.

Illumination unit and liquid crystal display device using the unit

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A laser marking system for marking a predetermined pattern on a workpiece may include a first light source structured to emit first light at a first wavelength; a second light source structured to emit second light at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength and selected to mark a marking surface of the workpiece; beam shaping optics structured to adjust a focal length of the second light; beam steering optics structured to aim the first laser light and the second laser light; a controller configured to control the first light source to emit the first light at the marking surface of the workpiece and control the beam steering optics to aim the second light so as to mark the marking surface of the workpiece and create the first predetermined pattern; and a camera structured to detect first light reflected from the marking surface and record an image.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a laser marking system and a method for laser marking.
Laser marking relates to the user of laser light to remove material from a surface of a workpiece to create an etching, or chemically/molecularly alter the material of a workpiece to change the color of the surface. Laser marking is advantageous in that it can be performed on a variety of materials and does not require physical contact to create the mark.
However, existing laser marking systems require additional surface profiling equipment to locate the work surface in 3D space and either using integrated vision systems or moving the workpiece from the laser marking system to a separate system in order to verify accuracy and quality of the marking. This may introduce errors in the verification process, as there may be minor variations in the alignment and/or coordinate systems between the laser marking system and the surface recognition or verification system. Additionally, using a separate profiling and verification system significantly increases the processing time and cost. Additionally, laser marking systems may produce lower quality markings on a varying workpiece surface due to focal distance of the laser light being used for the marking. Additionally, separate verification systems may be required depending on whether the laser marking is physically altering a surface of the workpiece or the laser marking is inducing a change in color in the surface of the workpiece. Additionally, the ability to detect the workpiece location and focal distance without the need to load 3D CAD file models into the focusing correction system allows rapid setup and laser marking of irregular or non-standard shaped parts in a low volume, high mix laser marking environment.
Accordingly, while existing laser marking systems may be suitable for their intended purpose, it may be desirable to have a system which can streamline the setup and marking process and eliminate verification errors by detecting surfaces, marking, and verifying on the same system. Additionally, it may be desirable to have a system which can accurately produce high quality markings on a varying surface. Additionally it may be desirable to have a laser marking and verification system that can verify both physical laser marking and color-change laser marking without requiring separate verification systems.

Laser marking system and method for laser marking a workpiece


A gun cleaning apparatus includes a central member and a plurality of disc mandrels. The central member passes through a hole in each of the disc mandrels. The plurality of disc mandrels is stacked adjacent to one another on the central member. An adjustable end stop has a linear position adjustable in a compression direction, from a first level of linear compression of the plurality of disc mandrels setting a first radii of the disc mandrels, to a second level of linear compression different than the first level of linear compression of the plurality of disc mandrels, setting a second radii of the disc mandrels different than the first radii. A coilable semi-ridged cable pull cord for a gun cleaning apparatus and a method of pulling a gun cleaning apparatus through a bore of a gun in a close quarters or limited space are also described.

The barrel of all guns must be cleaned on a regular basis to remove contaminants deposited by the burning of gun powder. Large bore guns, such as, for example, 155 mm military howitzers are particularly difficult to clean both because of the relatively large bore diameter and the length of the barrel compared to a small arms long gun.

Large bore gun cleaning apparatus with expanding disc mandrels


A protection circuit for telecommunications equipment powered remotely through a twisted pair subscriber loop, comprising: a charge storage circuit, coupled to the subscriber loop through an arm switch in parallel with an inrush resistor, for storing charge received from the subscriber loop, the charge storage circuit coupled to the telecommunications equipment for providing the charge thereto; a fault detection circuit for setting a first signal during a period of normal operation of the protection circuit and for resetting the first signal for a predetermined period during a fault; a processor adapted for setting an arm signal during the period of normal operation of the protection circuit; and, an AND logic circuit coupled to the arm switch, fault detection circuit, and processor for comparing the first and arm signals and for setting a third signal for opening and closing the arm switch.

In telecommunications systems, some equipment may be located in a remote location where accessing a power source to power the equipment is neither economical nor desirable due to cost or marketing considerations. In these situations, the remote equipment may be powered from a power source through the same type of subscriber loop twisted pair wires (subscriber loops) that are normally used to deliver telecommunication services from service provider equipment to subscriber premises. In this situation, the remote equipment is said to be "loop powered". Remote equipment that may be loop powered may include remote terminals (RT), pairgain devices, loop extenders, network interface devices (NID), optical network termination (ONT) equipment, integrated access devices (IAD), and subscriber communication equipment such as a POTS (plain old telephone service) telephone, IP (Internet Protocol) telephone, FAX, set top box, or data modem.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a typical environment 100 for loop powered remote equipment 110. The power source 102 that sources charge to the subscriber loop 104 is typically an earth referenced power supply with an output impedance of typically less than 5 ohms. The subscriber loop 104 is located physically in the external environment and may be subject to faults 106 from lightning 150 and mains power lines 160. Primary protectors 108 are provided on each wire at each end 103, 105 of the subscriber loop 104. The remote equipment 110 typically consists of a protection circuit 120 which includes protection electronics 170 and also a charge storage circuit 180 with an input impedance of typically less than 5 ohms. Subsequent electronics 130, 140 in the remote equipment 110 may include a power supply 130 that typically uses a transformer 190 to isolate the application electronics 140 from the high voltages that may occur on the subscriber loop 104 due to faults 106 and a regulator 191 to develop a stable power supply to power the application electronics 140.
Due to their physical location in the external environment, faults 106 may occur between the subscriber loops 104 and foreign potentials. These faults may include lightning 150 induced current and voltage, as well as power cross and induced AC current from mains power wires 160. For subscriber loops that are used for the delivery of mainstream telecommunications services to subscribers who use, for example, POTS telephones, modems, fax machines, and data modems, a number of systems are known for the protection of subscriber loop electronics that source charge on one end 103 of the subscriber loop 104, typically in the line card of the service provider, and electronics that sink charge from the other side 105 of the subscriber loop 104, typically the subscriber location. However, these systems are not applicable to subscriber loops that are used for the loop powering of remote equipment, in that the series impedance of electronics on each end of the subscriber loop utilized for loop powering, typically a few ohms, is considerably lower than the series impedance of the electronics on a subscriber loop used for mainstream applications, typically 100 ohms or more. For example, the currents developed from a lightning strike of 1000 V would be 20 times higher in the loop powered circuits, since the input impedance is 20 times smaller.
In general, primary protectors 108 are provided on subscriber loops for shunting charge to earth typically when the potentials across the primary protector exceed several hundred volts. All circuits connected to the primary protectors 108 must operate with consideration of the independent behaviour of these primary protectors 108.
The power supply 102 that sources charge to one end 103 of a subscriber loop 104 is typically earth referenced, thus protection circuits from faults beyond the primary protectors 108 may be designed using relatively simple circuits, or very often no additional circuits at all, that would shunt the fault energy locally to earth. Such protection circuits may be designed to maintain the connection between the power source 102 and the subscriber loop 104 throughout fault events, however this is not always the case.
Equipment 110 located remotely that is loop powered must sink current from a subscriber loop 104. However, such equipment cannot be earth referenced and typically prevents the conduction of current to earth for voltages within the primary protector activation voltage range. Furthermore, the energy that enters the remote equipment 110 may be common mode which occurs when a fault influences both wires of the subscriber loop twisted pair 104, or differential mode which occurs when one of the primary protectors activates prior the other primary protector on the subscriber end 105 of the subscriber loop 104. Thus, protection circuits for electronics that sink energy from a subscriber loop 104 and that form the power supply of remotely powered electronics equipment 110 are challenging to design effectively.
For the protection of remote equipment 110, beyond the primary protectors 108, existing systems typically use simple electronic circuits 170 that have several drawbacks. For example, fuses may be used, however, these require replacement by a service technician after every fault.
Thyristors may be used to activate prior to the primary protectors 108 or in coordination with the primary protectors 108, however as this design method requires the thyristors to conduct most of the energy in the fault event, the thyristors must therefore be quite large. Also, the voltage developed across the thyristors may have large peaks during the fault event that is presented across the subsequent electronics 130, 140, thus the subsequent electronics 130, 140 must be over-designed and expensive. Furthermore, standards bodies are now requiring more stringent testing, thus solutions based on thyristors have greater difficulty achieving compliance.
A relay or solid state switch to isolate the remote electronics 110 may be used that is activated when sensors detect a fault event. However, relays being mechanical are prone to wear and tear. In addition, if a relay or solid state switch is used to disconnect the subsequent electronics 130, 140 when a fault occurs and later reconnect to the subscriber loop 104 when the fault is cleared, a service interruption results. These protection circuits are thus expensive to deliver and maintain and result in interruption of service when faults occur.
Even new generation remote telecommunications equipment that is loop powered with copper subscriber loops, and that relies on optical fiber for all transmission, is subject to disruption of service if the remote equipment 110 is susceptible to outages due to fault conditions that affect the copper subscriber loop (i.e., but not the optical fiber). Such remote equipment 110 may require the addition of battery power if achieving minimum service disruption is an objective. This results in increased costs for capital equipment and maintainance.
A need therefore exists for an effective power and protection system for loop powered remote equipment. Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages.

System and method for the powering and fault protection of remote telecommunications equipment


A circuit, system and method adjusts a reference voltage, such as an internal or external reference voltage VREF, in response to a first voltage at a first contact, such as a pin on a memory controller used for reading or writing data, and a second voltage at a second contact in embodiments. Logic is coupled to the first and second contacts to provide a control signal in response to the first and second voltages. A comparator provides an input signal to the logic in response to a target reference voltage and the reference voltage during a calibration or initialization mode of operation. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of data values at a first contact are compared to a predetermined plurality of test data. An up/down signal is then provided to a counter and a register stores a counter value used to provide a reference voltage.

In high speed signaling, a single-ended signal is typically transferred on a single signal line by using a fixed reference voltage as a reference, such as a VREF voltage, that has an approximate fixed level or value at devices transferring and receiving the varying single-ended signal. However, a reference voltage generally does not track variations that may occur when providing signals, to a device, such as an integrated circuit memory device. For example, voltage sources may be noisy or provide a voltage level that is non-ideal and thus provide a reference voltage that is non-ideal. Termination values in a channel or device may change under various configurations or environmental conditions. Also, a reference voltage should take into account the overall channel effect, such as the length of the channel, when transferring signals.
Furthermore, as signal transfer rates increase in frequency and signal voltage swings are decreased, an erroneous bit value may be obtained when sampling voltage values because a reference voltage value is not adjusted to take into account the resulting smaller voltage difference between a high voltage value (or high logic value) and the non-ideal low voltage value (or low logic value).
If these variations and increases in signal frequencies are not taken into account, a non-ideal reference voltage may result in the reduction of system operating performance.

Circuits, systems and methods for dynamic reference voltage calibration


A method for joining a protective tape to a semiconductor wafer includes the steps of: mounting a semiconductor wafer, which has a surface with a pattern formed thereon, on a holding member; joining a protective tape, which protects the pattern, to the surface of the semiconductor wafer and, also, to a surface of an outer peripheral member disposed around the holding member; and cutting out the protective tape along an outer circumference of the semiconductor wafer. The holding member and the outer peripheral member are disposed on a holding table, which holds the semiconductor wafer, so as to be adjacent to each other, and the outer peripheral member is formed from a member which is different from that of the holding table.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for joining a protective tape to a surface, on which a pattern is formed, of a semiconductor wafer.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Examples of a thin film working method of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "wafer") include a mechanical method and a chemical method such as a grinding method, a polishing method (CMP) and an etching method. In these methods, after a protective tape is joined to a surface, on which a wiring pattern is formed, of a wafer, a back grind method for grinding a back surface of the wafer is generally used.
In the back grind method, a surface (pattern surface) of a wafer is suction-held by a holding table, and a back surface of the wafer is ground using a grindstone. Herein, stress is applied to the surface of the wafer due to the grinding operation, and the pattern may be damaged or contaminated in some cases. For this reason, a protective tape is joined to the surface of the wafer.
Generally, a band-like tape is used as the protective tape, an joining roller is allowed to roll on the wafer, and the protective tape is sequentially joined to the surface of the wafer from an end of the wafer. Conventionally, a diameter of the protective tape to be joined to the surface of the wafer is smaller than a diameter of the semiconductor wafer. This is because that if the protective tape is larger than the semiconductor wafer in diameter, when the wafer is subjected to the back grind processing, a portion of the protective tape which comes out or protrudes from the wafer may flap and damage a circumferential end (edge) of the wafer. The protective tape joined to the surface of the wafer in this manner is separated during a separating process after the back grind processing.
However, a semiconductor wafer to which the protective tape is joined and which is subjected to the back grind processing has following problems. That is, a wafer which has been thinned by the back grind processing has an acute edge which projects from the protective tape covering the wafer. Therefore, if the wafer is contained in a cassette, the edge sticks into an inner wall of the cassette. There is a problem that if the wafer is to be taken out from the cassette from such a state, the edge of the wafer is damaged, or a taking-out error is occurred.
The present inventor apply himself closely to the study thereof and, as a result, he performed an experiment in which a protective tape having a diameter larger than that of a wafer is joined to a surface of the wafer and the back grind processing was carried out. As a result, the present inventors found that even when the protective tape protruded from the wafer, the edge or the like of the wafer was not damaged, and patent applications were filed (see JP-A 2003-209082 for example).
According to the above method, the edge or the like of the wafer were not damaged, but since the protective tape having a diameter larger than that of the wafer is used, after the protective tape is cut, an unnecessary portion of the protective tape remaining on an outer circumference of the wafer finely moves vertically when the protective tape is cut. Therefore, there is a new problem that a section of the protective tape joined to the surface of the wafer and a section of the unnecessary protective tape after the protective tape is cut rub against each other and particles are generated. If the wafer is subjected to the back grind processing in a state where the particles are generated on the protective tape surface, a thickness of a portion of the wafer to which the particles are generated is increased, and only this portion is ground thin. As a result, a thickness of a wafer becomes nonuniform and the wafer is damaged.

Method and apparatus for joining protective tape to semiconductor wafer


A method for modeling the complex refractive index of doped, strained or ultra-thin semiconductors starts with a model for a standard bulk material which may be in any form such as a pre-existing lookup table, a dispersion model derived from an effective medium approximation (EMA) or a critical point (CP) model. The modeling method perturbs the ∈2 curve of the bulk material by enhancing, suppressing or shifting the strong features of the curve. A Kramers-Kronig transformation is then applied to the ∈2 perturbation to obtain the corresponding perturbation to the ∈1 curve. The combination of the perturbed ∈2 curve and the correspondingly perturbed ∈1 curve are then used to obtain the complex dielectric function or complex refractive index of the modified material.

As geometries continue to shrink, manufacturers of semiconductor devices need continually to improve the control of their manufacturing processes. At the same time as layer thicknesses and feature sizes decrease, so also the complexity of the structures to be measured and of the materials within those structures increases. In many cases it becomes necessary to characterize material properties that were previously neglected to the first order, or to find new methods of characterization where the limitations of previous methods have become significant obstacles to progress.
For a long time, optical techniques have been favored for measuring the thicknesses and other properties of transparent or semi-transparent films. Techniques of this type, known generally as optical metrology, operate by illuminating a sample with electromagnetic radiation (typically referred to as a probe beam) and then detecting and analyzing the reflected energy. They have the advantage of being non-contact and non-destructive, and they can provide high throughput and almost arbitrarily small measurement spot sizes (ultimately limited only by the wavelength of the probe beam).
Two broad classes of optical technique commonly used in this context are Reflectometry and Ellipsometry. In Reflectometry, changes in the amplitude of the reflected light are measured, usually as a function of either the angle of incidence or the wavelength of the probe beam. The latter case is more usually referred to as Spectrophotometry, or just Spectrometry. In Ellipsometry, the change in polarization of the probe beam is measured, usually by quantifying the difference in sample reflectance between s-polarized light (in which the electric field vector is perpendicular to the plane of incidence) and p-polarized (in which it is parallel to the plane). This too can be carried out as a function of either the angle of incidence or the wavelength of the light.
A variety of such techniques can be combined on a common platform, as is the case with the Opti-Probe® tool offered by the Assignee and conceptually described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,837 which is incorporated in this document by reference. In particular, this tool combines a proprietary method of single-wavelength Reflectometry, a method of Spectrophotometry and three complementary methods of Ellipsometry which can be employed singly or in any combination.
In addition to film thickness, techniques of this type may be used to analyze a wide range of attributes including refractive index and extinction, crystallinity, composition, porosity and roughness. To measure the doping level in a semiconductor material, however, it has often been necessary to resort to a non-optical technique such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) or resistivity modeling.
An optical technique does not of course measure the material attributes directly, but by comparing the reflected light from the sample with the calculated reflectance of a "model filmstack". The computer program controlling this process is customarily referred to as a "recipe", and the aim of the recipe is to find the model that is the most faithful possible representation of the sample. This is done by regressively optimizing the parameters that describe the model filmstack until there is the closest possible correspondence between the calculated reflectance of the model and the actual reflectance of the sample. The outputs from the recipe are the parameters describing the model filmstack. It is customary to quantify the closeness of the correspondence between the calculated and actual reflectances by means of a "Residual" or "Goodness of Fit" (GOF) parameter.
It can therefore be seen that the success of such an approach depends upon being able to choose parameters that accurately represent the physical attributes of the sample. For any film layer, these parameters include thickness as well as dielectric properties of the material. Typically, these parameters are expressed in terms of the sample's optical dispersion; that is, the manner in which the complex refractive index (N=n−ik) or complex dielectric function (∈=∈1+i∈2) varies as a function of the wavelength or (equivalently) photon energy of the light. There is a large class of models that enable these functions to be represented parametrically. Simplest of all is the lookup-table approach, in which case the values of n and k (or ∈1 and ∈2) at each wavelength are effectively independent parameters, but it is usual to seek to reduce the number of parameters using a mathematical formula of some sort. The most familiar is the Cauchy model, whereby n and k are represented as an expansion of the form
                                          n                                      (              λ              )                                =                                    n              0                        +                                          n                1                                            λ                2                                      +                                          n                2                                            λ                4                                      +            ⋯                                                                                k                                      (              λ              )                                =                                    k              0                        +                                          k                1                                            λ                2                                      +                                          k                2                                            λ                4                                      +            ⋯                                              (        1        )
However, this still suffers from the drawback that n and k are regarded as being independent functions, whereas in fact they are not: they are related via the Kramers-Kronig transform, viz.
                              n          +          ik                =                                            ɛ              1                        +                          i                                                                                ɛ                2                                                                        (        2        )
                                          ɛ            1                                          (                          E              0                        )                          =                  1          +                                    ∫              0              ∞                                                                                E                                                                                ɛ                      2                                                                                (                      E                      )                                                                                E                    2                                    -                                      E                    0                    2                                                                                ⅆ                E                                                                        (        3        )
By far the most satisfactory models are those that explicitly satisfy this condition, but even of these there are a great many. Most involve the use of ensembles of oscillators, either of classical Lorentz form (see, for example, C. Ygartua and M. Liaw, "Characterization of epitaxial silicon germanium thin films by spectroscopic ellipsometry", Thin Solid Films 313–314, 237 (1998)) or of modified harmonic form (see, for example, J. Leng, J. Opsal, H. Chu, M. Senko and D. E. Aspnes, "Analytical representations of the dielectric functions of materials for device and structural modeling", Thin Solid films 313–314, 132 (1998), C. C. Kim, J. W. Garland, H. Abad and P. M. Raccah, "Modeling the optical dielectric function of semiconductors: extension of the critical-point parabolic-band approximation", Phys. Rev. B45, 11749 (1992), or F. L. Terry, "A modified harmonic oscillator approximation scheme for the dielectric constants of AlxGal-xAs", J. Appl. Phys. 70, 409 (1991)). Models also exist to combine two or more pre-existing Kramers-Kronig consistent dispersions into a resultant dispersion, either via an effective-medium approximation (EMA—see, for example, M. Erman, J. B. Theeten, P. Chambon, S. M. Kelso and D. E. Aspnes, "Optical properties and damage analysis of GaAs single crystals partly amorphized by ion implantation", J. Appl. Phys. 56, 2664 (1984) which, incidentally, also presents an early version of the harmonic oscillator model) or an Alloy model (see, for example, D. E. Aspnes, S. M. Kelso, R. A. Logan and R. Bhat, "Optical properties of AlxGal-xAs", J. Appl. Phys. 60, 754 (1986) and P. G. Snyder, J. A. Woollam, S. A. Alterovitz and B. Johs, "Modeling AlxGal-xAs optical constants as functions of composition", J. Appl. Phys. 68, 5925 (1990)).
However, none of these techniques are naturally suited to modeling the specific effects that doping has upon the dielectric functions of semiconductors. The presence of dopants can have a significant effect on the dielectric response of semiconductor materials. To illustrate, FIG. 1 shows measured values for ∈2 plotted as a function of photon energies for Silicon. As shown, the ∈2 curve has two strong features. These occur at photon energies of ˜3.4 eV and 4.2 eV and are denoted "E1" and "E2" respectively. As described in "Effects of Heavy Doping on the Optical Properties and the Band Structure of Silicon" (L. Viña and M. Cardona, Phys. Rev. B29, 6739 (1984), and contemporaneously by D. E. Aspnes, A. A. Studna and E. Kinsbron in "Dielectric properties of heavily doped crystalline and amorphous silicon from 1.5 to 6.0 eV", Phys. Rev. B29, 768 (1984)) the principal effect of doping on the optical properties of these materials is to suppress, and at higher doping levels shift, the E1 and E2 features (with the effect on the E1 feature typically being more profound). This is verified by modeling the dielectric function of a doped epitaxial Si film (with a Boron content of ˜2.5×1019 cm−3) on a nominally undoped Si substrate, as also shown in FIG. 1. The limitations of the existing models are these: firstly, in the oscillator methods each feature in the ∈2 curve is made up of contributions from more than one oscillator, so it is difficult to correlate subtle changes in the shapes of features with specific oscillator parameters. Secondly, because of this "nonlocal" nature of oscillator models, the ability to fit the shape of a feature in one part of the spectrum where data is available may be hindered by the unavailability of data from another part of the spectrum. A practical example of this is when a SiGe layer buried under an epitaxial Si cap must be measured, as the Si cap is opaque to wavelengths of light in the DUV region (photon energies above ˜3 eV) and so no information about the SiGe is available in this range (which includes the positions of both the E1 and E2 peaks). The method of Herzinger et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,983, would seem to address the first of these limitations but not the second. Alloy or EMA models could be used to interpolate between different dispersion curves corresponding to known levels of doping, but this could only work if all other material properties (e.g. Germanium content in a SiGe film) could be assumed constant. Moreover, the component models with known doping levels would need to exist for the particular combination of other material properties being studied, and this would not generally be the case.
Other effects that can cause similar subtle changes to the dielectric functions of the film are strain (see for example U. Schmid, J. Humlí{hacek over (c)}ek, F. Luke{hacek over (s)}, M. Cardona, H. Presting, H. Kibbel, E. Kasper, K. Eberl, W. Wegscheider and G. Abstreiter, "Optical transitions in strained Ge/Si superlattices", Phys. Rev. B45, 6793 (1992)) and (in very thin films, of the order of tens of nanometers or less) quantum confinement (see, for example, D. V. Lang, R. People, J. C. Bean and A. M. Sergent, "Measurement of the band gap of GexSi1-x/Si strained-layer heterostructures", Appl. Phys. Lett. 47, 1333 (1985)).
There is therefore a need for a technique that can decouple these subtle effects from the complex overall structure of the semiconductor's dielectric functions. Such a technique should be able to distinguish changes in, for example, doping level from other things that may affect the material's optical properties (such as changing Ge content in a SiGe film), extract such information even when optical data is only available from a limited wavelength range (such as, for example, a doped SiGe layer buried under an epitaxial Si cap), and enable an efficient computational algorithm to implement the technique in the context of real-time production measurement. The present invention provides such a technique.

Method for determining modifications to semiconductor optical functions


A tubing and connector system including a plastic tubing or hose having a helical outer surface, a plastic lock nut having a helical internal surface with the same thread pitch as the pitch of the tubing outer surface, and a fitting having several barbs formed on its outer surface. The tubing and connector system has few parts and is easy to assemble by having the inner surface of the tubing engage the barbs of the fitting, and the lock nut, being mounted on the outer surface of the tubing, is rotated over the tubing and the fitting so as to squeeze the tubing between the lock nut and the fitting. Disassembly for washing is also easily accomplished by backing the lock nut away from the fitting and pulling the tubing off of the fitting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tubing and connector system and more particularly to a simple tubing and connector system that is made of few parts and is easy to disassemble and wash.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hoses and related couplers, especially those used on food processing equipment, tend to be relatively expensive and of complicated design. Thus, they are not easy to disassemble in a complete fashion or to wash as required or as desirable. The complicated structure of these hoses and connectors not only makes the combination expensive but provides nooks and crannies that are breeding locations for bacteria. These same nooks and crannies make washing prolonged and difficult.
Devices that have been made to completely disassemble may require clamps and these too tend to be expensive and complicated and often require tools for assembly and disassembly.


An MEMS variable optical attenuator includes a substrate having a planar surface, a micro-electric actuator arranged on the planar surface of the substrate, a pair of coaxially aligned optical waveguides having a receiving end and a transmitting end, respectively, and an optical shutter movable to a predetermined position between the receiving end and the transmitting end of the optical waveguides, and driven by the micro-electric actuator. A surface layer is formed on the optical shutter, has reflectivity less than 80% so as to allow incident light beams to partially transmit thereinto, and further has a sufficient light extinction ratio, thereby extinguishing the partially transmitted light beams therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical attenuator that uses an element of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device, and more particularly to an MEMS variable optical attenuator having an improved optical shutter for regulating optical power of an optical signal by partially intercepting incident light beams.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical attenuator for use in optical telecommunication networks is an optical component for delivering beams of light passing out an exit end of an optical waveguide to an incident end of an optical waveguide by causing insertion loss to the light beams.
Generally, optical power levels are regulated over wide ranges based on a configuration of an optical telecommunication system. For example, the optical power levels are determined by an optical transmission loss typically varied based on a length of an optical transmission line, the number of connection points of optical fibers, and the number and performance of optical components such as optical couplers coupled to the optical transmission line. An optical attenuator is needed in optical telecommunication networks to reduce an optical power when an optical signal with an excessive power level greater than an allowed power level is received to an optical signal receiver. The optical attenuator further may be used in evaluating, adjusting and correcting telecommunication equipments and optical measurement equipments.
Such optical attenuators are classified into two types, a fixed optical attenuator for reducing an optical power by a fixed amount of attenuation and a variable optical attenuator (VOA) capable of attenuating an optical power by a varied amount of attenuation based on user's requirements. The optical attenuator is required to be produced at low cost with high reliability and small size.
To satisfy such requirements, an optical attenuator that uses an element of an MEMS device has been suggested. Such MEMS optical attenuator is realized by forming a microstructure acting as an actuator on a substrate such as silicon using thin film processing technology. Generally, an MEMS actuator is driven to move by a driving force caused by thermal expansion or an electrostatic force. As the MEMS actuator moves, an optical shutter coupled to the MEMS actuator is displaced so as to be inserted into a gap between two optical waveguides, thereby partially intercepting light beams traveling from a transmitting end (or the exit end) of the optical waveguide such as an optical fiber to a receiving end (or the incident end) of the optical waveguide.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a conventional variable optical attenuator using an actuator driven by an electrostatic force. A variable, optical attenuator shown in FIG. 1 includes a substrate 11 with a pair of optical fibers having a transmitting end 20 and a receiving end 30, respectively, an electrostatic actuator comprised of driving electrodes 12a, 12b, a ground electrode 14, a, spring 15 and a movable mass 16, and an optical shutter 17 connected to the movable mass 16 of the electrostatic actuator.
The driving electrodes 12a, 12b and the ground electrode 14 are formed over the substrate 11 and supported by an oxide layer called an "anchor". The movable mass 16 is connected to the ground electrode 14 via the spring 15 and has a comb shape. The driving electrodes 12a, 12b have respective extended portions 13a, 13b, each with a comb shape. The comb of each of the extended portions 13a, 13b is interdigitated with the comb of the movable mass 16.
When driving signals are applied to the driving electrodes 12a, 12b so as to generate a potential difference between the driving electrodes 12a, 12b and the ground electrode 14, electrostatic force arises between the interdigitated combs of movable mass 16 and extended portions 13a, 13b, thereby driving the movable mass 16 to move. As the movable mass 16 moves, the optical shutter 17 is inserted into a gap defined by the transmitting end 20 and the receiving end 30 so as to partially intercept beams of light incident onto the optical shutter 17.
It is important for the variable optical attenuator to vary an amount of attenuation based on wavelengths of incident light beams.
Further, it is important for the variable optical attenuator to minimize variation of a power level of the attenuated light beams, such variation being caused by a disturbance such as time passing, wavelengths of the incident light beams, polarization change of the incident light beams and vibration.
However, a conventional variable optical attenuator is disadvantageous in that wavelength dependent loss (WDL) and polarization dependant loss (PDL) are great because the optical shutter has a flat panel shape.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate schematic views of conventional optical shutters in accordance with the conventional art.
Referring to FIG. 2A, light beams traveling from the transmitting end 20 of an optical fiber to a receiving end 30 of an optical fiber are partially intercepted by an optical shutter 27. Here, the optical shutter 27 is formed of the same silicon material as a known actuator.
Of the light beams incident to the optical shutter 27, a great portion of light beams R is reflected by the optical shutter, so that entry of the reflected light R to the receiving end 30 is prevented. However, since the optical shutter 27 is made of silicon having high transmittance, a portion of the light beams T is allowed to be incident to the receiving end, 30 of the optical fiber through the optical shutter 27. Further, the light beams are scattered by reflection and therefore scattered lights S1, S2 are generated. Of the scattered lights, a portion S1 enters the receiving end 30 and the other portion S2 may be reflected back into the transmitting end 20. Accordingly, the conventional optical shutter 27 has a disadvantage of low light shutoff efficiency because the optical shutter 27 is made of silicon having high transmittance. Therefore, to solve a problem of low light shutoff efficiency of the optical shutter 27, an optical shutter coated with a reflective metal layer having high reflectivity (about 90%) is provided with reference to FIG. 2B. The reflective metal layer is formed of a material of Au, Ni, Cu, Al and Pt.
FIG. 2B illustrates an optical shutter 37 coated with a reflective metal layer 37a made of Au. The optical shutter 37 reflects almost of light beams R incident onto the optical shutter 37, so that few of light beams may be incident onto the receiving end 30 of the optical fiber.
However, the optical shutter 37 coated with the Au layer 37a generates scattered lights S1, S2, and the scattered lights S1, S2 enter the receiving end 30 and the transmitting end 20.
For example, in the case of attenuating light beams incident to the optical shutter coated with the Au layer to 50%, 49% of light beams R of the entire light beams passing out the transmitting end 20 may be intercepted by reflection from the Au layer on the optical shutter 37, but 1% of light beams are scattered and the scattered lights S1, S2 enter the receiving end 30 and reenter the transmitting end 20.
However, even though the scattered lights S1, S2 are few, reentry of the scattered lights S2 to the transmitting end 20 by back reflection increases. Further, the amount of the scattered lights S1, S2 is subtly changed based on wavelengths and polarization of the incident light beams. In the case that the scattered lights enter the receiving, end 30, WDL and PDL increase, thereby deteriorating attenuation reliability.
As described above, the conventional MEMS variable optical attenuator has a disadvantage of low reliability because an the amount of back reflected lights increases due to the low light shutoff efficiency of the optical shutter and because the WDL and PDL increase.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) variable optical attenuator


An optical connector of an embodiment of the present invention includes a fixing member made up of two half sprit members engaged with each other, the fixing member applying external pressure, toward an optical fiber combining section of a spring push, to a protection tube which covers a stair part of an outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber combining section. The fixing member securely fixes the protection tube to the optical fiber combining section. As such, it is possible to provide a general-purpose optical connector having a high reliability that an optical fiber cord is unlikely to come off from the optical connector.

As optical connectors known are a single-core optical fiber connector such as an SC-type optical connector defined by JIS C 5973, an F13-type multi-core optical fiber connector defined by JIS C 5982 (a so-called MPO connector), and like optical connectors. An optical connector has a basic structure in which (i) a connector housing houses an optical ferrule which fixes an end part of an optical fiber which is inserted into the optical ferrule, a coil spring which gives force to the optical ferrule, and a spring push which receives reactive force of the coil spring, and (ii) a rubber boot is combined with a back part of the spring push so as to protect a vicinity of a connection part of the optical fiber. When the optical connector is connected to an adaptor on a first side of the adaptor, the optical ferrule faces an optical ferrule of another optical connector connected to the adaptor on a second side opposite to the first side. This allows the optical fiber to be optically connected to another optical fiber.
Patent Literatures 1 and 2 disclose examples of the optical connector having the basic structure.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a connector provided with a stopper which serves as locking means which prevents a ferrule from coming off. The connector is configured so that the stopper is combined with an optical fiber cord by further causing a crimping section to crimp part of an outer circumferential surface of the stopper which part is covered with a tension-resistance member of an optical fiber cord.
Patent Literature 2 discloses an optical connector configured so that a loose tube into which a bare fiber is being inserted is provided inside of a cylindrical stop ring that partially constitutes a connector housing. A metallic crimping pipe is provided outside of the loose tube. The metallic crimping pipe is uniformly reduced in diameter toward the loose tube, so that the bare fiber is fixed in a substantial center of the loose tube.

Optical connector and method of preventing protection tube from coming off from optical connector


To provide a simple on-board refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) system without separate check valves and the like, a multi-path valve, typically a 6/2 valve (5) is provided, and formed with a discrete switching path (13) which is inserted in a pressure equalization line (12). Upon valve operation between a fuel filling mode position and an operating mode position, respectively, the valve switches the discrete switching path of the pressure equalization line (12) to connect the equalization line (12) to a fuel vapor receptor through a valve outlet when the valve (5) is in operating mode position, while blocking the equalization line (12) when the valve (6) is in filling mode position. A roll-over valve (14) can be integrated into the system, preferably coupled to a small-diameter pressure equalization duct (15) with a fill vent line (3) which, by operation of the valve, is open when a nozzle (9) is introduced into a filling stub (2) for the fuel tank, but closed when the nozzle is removed, leaving only an operating vent line (4), the pressure equalization line (12) and the small-diameter pressure equalization duct (15) in communication with the outlet from the valve leading to vapor receptor.

ORVR systems, although not restricted to automotive vehicles, is particularly suitable for use therewith. A fuel tank can receive fuel through an inlet pipe which has an inlet stub, of a diameter which is dimensioned to build up a column of fuel when fuel is filled into the tank. Apparatus is provided to control the liquid level and vapor flow which includes a filling vent line of a diameter sufficiently large to provide venting during fuel being filled into the tank, and an operating vent line, of a dimension small with respect to the diameter of the filling vent line, as well as a multipath valve which has a valve operating element, for example a pin or a cam, which controls the valve operation. Both the filling vent line and the operating vent line are coupled to the multipath valve. The multipath valve has an outlet to lead vapors vented through the valve to a vapor receptor. The valve operating element, in dependence on whether a fuel fill nozzle is present or absent in the fuel inlet stub, is operable to shift a valve fluid path between a filling mode position, when the nozzle is present, and an operating mode position, for example for operation of the vehicle and after the filling is completed and the nozzle is absent. In the filling mode position, the filling vent line is open, and in communication with the outlet leading to the vapor receptor, while the operating vent line is blocked. In the operating mode position, that is, when the filling nozzle is absent, the operating vent line is open and in communication with the outlet from the valve and hence the vapor receptor, while the filling vent line is blocked. A pressure equalization duct, of a diameter small with respect to the diameter of the filling vent line, is coupled from an end of the filling stub, for communication with the vapor receptor.
This type of arrangement is portion of an on-board refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) system in order to permit vapors, arising upon filling a fuel tank of the vehicle, that is, filling the tank "on board", to be connected to the vapor receptor. Typically, the vapor receptor has an active carbon filter. In operation, the active carbon filter is flushed with fuel vapors operating the vehicle, which dissolve off residues of fuel from the filter and lead it to combustion in an internal combustion engine.
The system described is part of a "liquid seal" system in which a column of fuel liquid builds up in the inlet stub, to form what might be termed a liquid seal to prevent escape of fuel vapors via the inlet stub. To form such a liquid column, the inlet stub is formed with a comparatively narrow cross section. This narrow cross section, however, has the result that the liquid column, after the fuel filling operation is terminated, tends to remain in the inlet stub, unless special arrangements are made to provide for draining of the inlet stub after the fuel filling operation is terminated.
To provide for draining of the liquid column, it has previously been proposed to provide a vapor pressure equalization line, located at an upper end of the inlet stub and in communication with the fuel vapor receptor. Such a vapor pressure equalization line must be so constructed that escape of fuel into the vapor receptor is prevented through the pressure equalization line. To ensure that no fuel can reach the vapor receptor, additional elements were used, such as check valves and switching valves in the pressure equalization line; such additional elements and valves increase assembly and manufacturing costs and additional contribute to the complexity of the overall system.

On-board refueling vapor recovery system with fuel inlet stub venting


An operating control system for a retractable shade including a roller reversibly rotatable within a headrail includes a clamp system for gripping an endless operating cord in a neutral position to prevent rotation of the roller and a tensioner if properly mounted in a fixed position will release the clamp system to permit rotation of the roller while positioning the runs of the endless cord in a closely spaced relationship to minimize the risk of an infant or child becoming entangled in the cord.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to retractable coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doorways, archways, and the like, and more particularly to a system for mounting and controlling the operating cord for such coverings to minimize risk to infants who might otherwise be harmed by having a body part entangled within the operating cord.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Retractable coverings for architectural openings have taken numerous forms for many years. Many retractable coverings have a roller across the top of the architectural opening, and an operating system including clutches, brakes or the like for rotating the roller with the operating system typically comprising one or more pull cords at one end of the roller so that the pull cords can be selectively pulled, or, in the case of an endless pull cord, circulated to cause the roller to rotate in one direction or another about its longitudinal axis. The roller itself might anchor the top edge of a shade material in which case the shade material can be wrapped around the roller in a retracted position of the covering or extended into a suspended position relative to the roller when it is unwrapped from the roller. The rollers might also be used to anchor one end of a plurality of lift cords which extend from the roller to a bottom rail of the covering so that by rotating the roller about its longitudinal axis, the lift cords can be wrapped around the roller to raise the bottom rail toward the roller and by rotating the roller in the opposite direction, the lift cords can be unwrapped from the roller to lower the bottom rail thereby extending the covering across the architectural opening.
The roller is typically reversibly rotated by an operating cord sometimes referred to as a pull cord. The operating cord (which might constitute two separate and independent cords) is operatively connected to the roller so that by pulling the pull cord or operating cord, in one direction or the other, the roller can be selectively rotated in one direction or the other. Sometimes the operating cord is an endless cord which forms a closed loop that is operatively connected to the roller so that by circulating the closed loop operating cord in one direction, the roller is caused to rotate in a corresponding direction, while circulating the operating cord in the opposite direction causes the roller to rotate in an opposite direction. Circulating movement of such an endless cord in one direction or the other causes the covering for the architectural opening to move between extended and retracted positions. Such retractable systems typically include a clutch/brake system to selectively retain the roller in any predetermined position.
Endless operating cords can pose significant risks to infants or small children who might become entangled in the loop of cord hanging from the end of the roller. Accordingly, efforts have recently been made to control the operating cord to minimize the risk of an infant or child becoming entangled in the cord.

Operating cord system for retractable coverings for architectural openings


A basket-style article carrier (10) with straight, non-stepped side walls (26, 72) and end walls (52/86, 112/122) wherein partition portions containing cell-forming partition straps (34a, 34b, 64a, 64b) are struck from a multiple-ply handle structure and are adhered to a central support member (104) which is also struck from the multiple-ply handle structure. The multiple-ply handle structure which includes handle panels (44, 46, 94, 96) lie within the perimeter of the side wall and end structure panels of the blank (16) for forming the carrier.

A basket-style carrier generally has end walls, sidewalls and transverse partition straps together forming a plurality of cells for receiving articles such as beverage containers. Some carriers have stepped sidewalls forming cells of different heights. In a basket carrier with stepped side walls the transverse straps which form cells are normally struck from the side and end wall portions that are "stepped down" from a central cell. Often, it is desirable to have a basket carrier with straight, non-stepped side walls. Usually, in order to create a basket-carrier having non-stepped, straight side walls additional carrier material must be provided in order to form the transverse straps which form the cells. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,927,009, 5,029,698, and 5,040,672, all owned by the Mead Corporation, also the owner of the present invention, relate to basket-style carriers having straight, non-stepped side walls.

Basket-style article carrier with non-stepped side walls


A method and system for generating flashes on a substrate. The method includes receiving one or more figures of a pattern to be printed on the substrate and decomposing each figure into at least four substantially rectangular shapes. The four substantially rectangular shapes are separated by at least one horizontal boundary and at least one vertical boundary. The method further includes generating a flash for each substantially rectangular shape such that each edge of each figure is an image of the same aperture.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to lithography and to electron (or other energy) beam columns, and more specifically to a writing technique using variable shaped beams.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known in the field of lithography (pattern generation) that it is desirable to increase the accuracy of pattern generation systems. Two main applications for such pattern generation systems are making masks for use in semiconductor fabrication by electron beam lithography and electron beam direct writing of patterns onto wafers to form semiconductor devices.
Lithography systems generate or expose patterns by controlling the flow of energy (the beam) from a source to a substrate coated with a layer sensitive to that form of energy. Pattern exposure is controlled and broken into discrete units commonly referred to as flashes, wherein a flash is that portion of the pattern exposed during one cycle of an exposure sequence. Flashes are produced by allowing energy from the source, for example light, electron or other particle beams, to reach the coated substrate within selected pattern areas. The details of flash composition, dose and exposure sequence used to produce a pattern, and hence the control of the lithographic system, are generally known as a writing strategy.
Often times, however, the beam and/or the apertures used in connection with generating the beam may drift over time and move due to noise, thereby negatively affecting critical dimension uniformity of the figures associated with the pattern. Such negative effects may commonly be referred to as critical dimension uniformity errors. Such errors may be caused by a number of factors, such as shaping electronic noise, noise due to aperture and column mechanical vibrations, beam noise due to magnetic field radiation, beam drift, random errors in the electron dose and vector electronics noise.
Since slowly varying noise and drift are often related to environmental conditions that are only partially under control, a need exists in the art for a method and system for a writing strategy that mitigates critical dimension uniformity errors caused by the drifts and low frequency noises.

Method for eliminating low frequency error sources to critical dimension uniformity in shaped beam writing systems


A toilet seat lifting apparatus comprising two side-by-side pivotally connected flat members, a first member having two spaced holes for alignment with seat attachment holes in a rear portion of a toilet bowl, and a second member extending from the first member in a forward direction toward the front of the toilet bowl having a projection at its forward end for engagement with a toilet seat. The second member further includes a lever extending rearwardly past the first member. This assembly is operated by a foot operated actuating member mounted adjacent a side of the toilet bowl with a connection between the lever and the actuating member. Upon installation of the members beneath a toilet seat, operation of the actuating member pulls the lever down and forward, causing the second member to pivot up to lift the seat. This assembly further consists of a resilient restraint connected to a lower surface of the second member and above a top surface of the toilet bowl for restraining downward movement of the second member with respect to the top surface of a toilet bowl.

Various reasons create a need or desire to raise a toilet seat without using hands. For example, if it is desired to empty a container into the toilet and both hands are occupied, a remote operated seat lifter is useful, and in addition avoids dirtying the seat. For hygienic reasons persons may wish to avoid touching the seat or any other part of the toilet by hand. This device allows the toilet seat to remain in the current position for women at all time, and allows hands free operation for men.
The present invention provides a toilet seat lifting apparatus which is, for example, foot operated, and will lift a seat, and a lid if present thereby allowing hands free operation of the seat. The apparatus can be fitted to existing toilets without any changes to the toilet and can be removed without impairing the toilet visually or mechanically. Once a lid has been lifted up, it would normally stay up, but the seat will return down when the actuating member is released. To prevent slamming down of the seat, the downward movement of the seat can be controlled, for example by an air bag. Also, with the device of the present invention, the seat can be retained in the lifted position, until return is required.


A packaged transmitter device includes a base member comprising a planar part mounted with a thermoelectric cooler, a transmitter, and a coupling lens assembly, and an assembling part connected to one side of the planar part. The device further includes a circuit board bended to have a first end region and a second end region being raised to a higher level. The first end region disposed on a top surface of the planar part includes multiple electrical connection patches respectively connected to the thermoelectric and the transmitter. The second end region includes an electrical port for external connection. Additionally, the device includes a cover member disposed over the planar part. Furthermore, the device includes a cylindrical member installed to the assembling part for enclosing an isolator aligned to the coupling lens assembly along its axis and connected to a fiber to couple optical signal from the transmitter to the fiber.

The present disclosure is related to an optical transmitting device. More particularly, the present invention provides an improved 1550 nm DFB laser diode package on a submount sharing the cold side of a built-in thermoelectric cooling module with an assembly of an aspherical optical coupling lens. Processes for assembling the optical transmitting device are also disclosed.
As science and technology are updated rapidly, processing speed and capacity of the computer increase correspondingly. The communication transmission or reception using the traditional cable is limited to bandwidth and transmission speed of the traditional cable and mass information transmission required in modern life causes the traditional communication transmission overload. To correspond to such requirement, the optical fiber transmission system replaces the traditional communication transmission system gradually. The optical fiber transmission system does not have similar bandwidth limitations, and also has advantages of higher speed transmission, longer transmission distance, its material is not susceptible to the electromagnetic interference. Therefore, present electronic industry performs research in optical fiber transmission which will become the mainstream in the future. Said optical communication is a technology in that light functions as signal carrier and is transmitted between two nodes via the optical fiber. Field of the optical communication can be divided into optical communication side and electrical communication side according to the transmission medium. By the optical transceiver, the received optical signal can be converted to an electrical signal capable of being processed by an IC, or the processed electrical signal can be converted to the optical signal to be transmitted via optical fiber. Therefore, objective of communication can be achieved.
Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a multitask technology of processing multiple optical carrier signals transmitted by the optical fiber, and this technology is applied on the different wavelengths of laser optical signal. Besides, the term "wavelength-division multiplexing" is mostly applied in optical carrier, and frequency-division multiplexing is applied in radio carrier. Moreover, both of wavelength and frequency are in reciprocal relationship, so their concept can be applied to each other.
Wavelength-division multiplexing is implemented by dividing the data channel into multiple wavelengths in the optical fiber to enable mass data transmission in one optical fiber. The complete wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) system can be implemented by a wavelength division multiplexer at transmitting end and a wavelength division demultiplexer at receiving end. At present, there are commercial wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer which can combine/divide 80 or more channels in the optical fiber communication system, so that the data transmission speed can exceed multiple Tb/s effectively.
In the transmitting module adapted for WDM technology, the connector usually has single light transmitter structure. However, such light transmitter structure can emit optical signal with preset frequency which usually lacks stability and often drifts away from the preset wavelength during environmental temperature changes. Although adding thermoelectric cooler module to the transmitting device is known, an improved package integrating a thermister, a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) module, and a laser diode (LD) chip on a submount sharing a common code side of the TEC module with an aspherical optical coupling lens is still highly desired for enhancing control of operation temperature, wavelength stability, and LD-to-fiber coupling efficiency of emitted light especially in 1310 nm or 1550 nm DWDM channels.


A speed interlock can prevent a sliding fifth wheel on a vehicle from being unlocked while the vehicle is moving faster than a threshold speed. A processor, such as the vehicle's electronic control unit, advantageously monitors the vehicle speed and a switch that controls the fifth wheel slide, preventing the fifth wheel from being unlocked if the vehicle speed is above a threshold.

This invention relates to systems and methods of controlling a vehicle, especially a heavy vehicle such as a highway truck or a tractor, in particular by controlling the vehicle's fifth wheel.
Over-the-highway trucks and tractor-trailer combinations come in many different sizes and configurations, and the relative geometry of the tractor and trailer in a load-carrying vehicle such as a class-8 tractor-trailer combination can vary widely. For example, the distribution of a tractor-trailer's weight on its axles can vary based on, among other factors, the position of a "fifth wheel" with respect to the cab of the tractor. A "fifth wheel" is generally a wheel or portion of a wheel placed horizontally over the rear axle or axles of a tractor or truck that is a coupling for a trailer.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical tractor 100 having a cab 102, front wheels and axle 104, a pair of rear wheels and axles 106, and a fifth wheel 108. Some tractors have sliding fifth wheels, which can be used to manage vehicle weight distribution by moving the trailer closer to or farther from the tractor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,892 to Frampton et al. describes a device for attachment to a tractor for selectively moving the fifth wheel assembly of the tractor. The device has two drive members that can be extended or contracted from the cab of the tractor to slide the fifth wheel back and forth.
For safety, the fifth wheel should not be permitted to slide when the vehicle is moving. U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,716 to Eckelberry describes a trailer slider positioning alarm. The slider (fifth wheel) is locked in place with a set of pins. A speed sensor detects a speed of the unit and a pin position sensor detects whether any of the pins are unlocked. An alarm sends an alert signal in response to the speed sensor's detection of a predetermined speed and the pin position sensor's detection of at least one unlocked pin.
Some sliding fifth wheels, like other truck components, are actuated by pneumatic pressure that is controlled from the dash in the cab of the tractor. Actuating a switch on the dash locks and unlocks the position of the fifth wheel. The fifth wheel slide lock may be activated by an electrically controlled air solenoid or similar device.
The pneumatic supply to a bank of air solenoids, including the fifth wheel slide solenoid, usually uses a common feed. Because the air supply is shared by other truck components, a pneumatic interlock cannot be provided for the fifth wheel slide and so the fifth wheel slide can be released at any vehicle speed simply by activating the slide switch on the dash of the truck. If the fifth wheel slide is released while the vehicle is moving, the truck or trailer fifth wheel components could be damaged.