A water changing and cleaning system and device for bowl, aquarium or pond kept pet fish is disclosed. You can pour the fish directly from a bowl into this invention, (capacity is unlimited due to flow through design). Device comprises a container within a container, the inner container features a gill port, running horizontally and flush with the bottom of the container, water flows through the inner container and rises in the space between the two containers, until it overflows from the provided outlet on the outer container, carrying unwanted matter with it. Using a source of clean water to flush through the device, once a satisfactory level of cleanliness is observed the inner container is removed and the fish is returned to its cleaned Bowl. The fish was never out of water during the process. Device can be used to capture fish, so no nets required.

Problem Solved: Returning a pet fish to its bowl, pond or aquarium, without transferring old or dirty water or detritus back into your cleaned fishbowl, pond or aquarium.
Containers and nets: you place the fish in a container of water, usually with the aid of a net. In the efforts to catch the fish you can damage/injure the fish especially exotic varieties, and stir up dirt and sediment, which will be transferred with the captured fish into the container.
You can introduce the fish in water directly into this invention, (capacity is unlimited due to flow through design). Device can be used to capture fish, so no net required.

Water changing and cleaning system and device for bowl, aquarium or pond kept pet fish


A stackable winding core in accordance with the invention has a male end and an opposite female end. The ends are configured in such a manner that they do not hinder or prevent the insertion of chucks or mandrels into the core for winding or unwinding of web material about the core. The male end of one core is receivable into the female end of another core so that the cores can be axially stacked end-to-end, the engagement between the ends of the cores keeping the core coaxially aligned with each other. The ends are also configured to support axial loads exerted between the cores.

The invention relates to tubular winding cores about which various materials are wound into rolls, and methods of making winding cores, wherein the cores are configured to facilitate rolls of wound materials being axially stacked end-to-end so they remain coaxial with one another.
Web materials such as paper, plastic film, metal foil, and others, are commonly provided to web converters (e.g., printers, laminators, surface treaters, packaging manufacturers, etc.) in the form of large rolls of the material. The web material is wound about tubular winding cores, which typically are formed of paperboard. It is a common practice to ship multiple rolls of material stacked vertically end-to-end in two or more layers on a pallet. A corrugated paper or plastic separator or slip sheet is positioned between adjacent layers to prevent the rolls from rubbing together and damaging the edges of the web material. The separators or slip sheets increase the cost of shipping the web material.

Stackable winding core and method of making same


A utility vehicle is equipped with a chassis, one or more rows of seats disposed on the chassis, and a cargo bed disposed behind the one or more rows of seats. The cargo bed is rotatably supported by a pivot shaft of the chassis so as to be movable up and down between a normal position in which the cargo bed is in a non-raised state and a dump position in which the cargo bed is in a raised state. Concave portions for cargo bed raising use that are used to raise the cargo bed by hand are integrally formed respectively in the left and right side walls of the cargo bed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a utility vehicle, and more particularly, to a utility vehicle having a cargo bed configured so as to be able to dump.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a utility vehicle having a cargo bed configured so as to be able to dump, a handle is provided at the lower portion of the cargo bed, and the dump operation of the cargo bed can be carried out manually by the user by gripping and moving the handle upward. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,555, a handle is disclosed that is provided so as to protrude downward from the lower portion of a cargo bed.
However, in the case that a grip portion, such as the above-mentioned handle, that is used to raise the cargo bed is provided on the cargo bed, it is necessary to prepare the grip portion as a separate member and to install the grip portion at the lower portion of the cargo bed, for example, by welding or with bolts. In other words, since the grip portion is required as a separate member, the number of components is increased, and man-hours are required to install the grip portion provided as a separate member at the lower portion of the cargo bed. As a result, the cost of the grip portion for dump operation becomes high.


A biometric sensor apparatus uses an infra red light source and a CMOS image sensor. A platen receives a body part and the image sensor receives light transmitted through the body part. A processor determines from the detected through-transmitted light whether the body part is live or is a spoof body part. This determination is based upon a detected variation of the opacity of the body part due to blood flow through the body part. Digital processing of the collected image signal data is performed, such as by smoothing. The sensor may further function as a pattern (such as a fingerprint) sensor for detecting surface patterns on the presented body part and identifying an individual from those sensed patterns.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biometric sensor apparatus and method. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to a biometric sensor apparatus and method for determining blood volume variations with respect to time in a body part. Even more particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining blood volume variations with respect to time in a body part to identify and measure features of a user's heart beat.
2. Description of Related Art
The field of biometrics relates to the statistical analysis of physiological characteristics. For the purposes of identification for security or other purposes, features such as finger prints or retinal scans can be used to uniquely identify individuals.
A weakness of many biometric systems is that they can be fooled or "spoofed". In the case of a fingerprint reader this is done by copying or lifting a fingerprint of a legitimate individual from a surface such as a drinking glass and subsequently presenting it to a fingerprint reader to impersonate that person.
For example, every person has a unique set of fingerprints, and this provides a basis for identification. An image of a fingerprint can be taken and analyzed to see if it matches a recorded sample of the user's fingerprints. This is done by analyzing a number of details, or "minutiae" of the fingerprint. The greater the number of minutiae that are matched, the less the chance of incorrectly identifying an individual.
However, a biometric identification system that relies solely on mathematical analysis of simple optical images can be easily spoofed, as a copy of the pattern of a fingerprint can be easily made and presented to a reader device.
Systems have been developed to determine whether a sample used in a biometric identification process is from a living person i.e. a live finger, or a photocopy, synthetic model or suchlike.
European Patent application publication number 1353292A (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference) describes the use of visible and/or infra red (IR) illumination to capture an optical image of the blood vessels of a user's finger. These images show a changes in opacity of the blood vessels due to blood flow. The changes in opacity of the blood vessels of a user's finger during the cardiac cycle can be used to infer the user's liveness (i.e., that the presented finger is from a live person, rather than some inanimate copy). This enables the system to distinguish a biometric sample presented to a fingerprint reader from a living user to that from a fake finger or spoof.
Typically, heart rate monitors work on the same principal as a two lead ECG and signals are acquired using electrical detectors fitted into a chest strap. These detectors record instantaneous heart rate, maximum heart rate, average heart rate over a period and/or exercise time in a heart rate zone.
As used herein, "an optical image sensor" means a sensor that is responsive to electromagnetic radiation at least in the visible and/or infra red (IR) or near-IR regions. Hereafter, references to IR include near-IR, for example 700 to 1100 nm (nanometers).

STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited


Disclosed is a 5th generation (5G) or a pre-5G communication system for supporting a data transmission rate higher than that of a 4th generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE). An apparatus and a method for performing retransmission in a wireless communication system are provided. A method for operating a transmitting device in a wireless communication system, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, comprises the steps of: transmitting a plurality of data code blocks (CBs) to at least one receiving device in an initial transmission step; receiving, from the at least one receiving device, feedback information including information for indicating the number of data CBs, from among the plurality of data CBs, for which decoding has failed; and transmitting the number of parity CBs, determined on the basis of the number of data CBs for which the decoding has failed, to the at least one receiving device in a retransmission step. Therefore, the resources required for retransmission can be reduced.

To meet the demand for wireless data traffic having increased since deployment of 4th generation (4G) communication systems, efforts have been made to develop an improved 5th generation (5G) or pre-5G communication system. Therefore, the 5G or pre-5G communication system is also called a 'beyond 4G network' or a 'post long term evolution (LTE) System'.
The 5G communication system is considered to be implemented in higher frequency (mmWave) bands, e.g., 60 GHz bands, so as to accomplish higher data rates. To decrease propagation loss of the radio waves and increase the transmission distance, the beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, an analog beam forming, large scale antenna techniques are discussed in 5G communication systems.
In addition, in 5G communication systems, development for system network improvement is under way based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RANs), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, coordinated multi-points (CoMP), reception-end interference cancellation and the like.
In the 5G system, Hybrid frequency shift keying (FSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as an advanced coding modulation (ACM), and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as an advanced access technology have been developed.
In a wireless communication system (e.g., a 5G communication system or a new radio (NR) system), a transmission device may retransmit a code block (CB) that a reception device fails to decode. If a single transmission device transmits data to a plurality of reception devices, CBs that reception devices fail to decode may be different from each other. Accordingly, as the number of reception devices, to which the single transmission device transmits data, is increased, the number of CBs which require retransmission may be increased.

Apparatus and method for performing retransmission in wireless communication system


An alignment system for aligning the print plates of a two-sided contact printing station includes expanding pin assemblies each having an expanding collet and a mandrel for engaging and aligning match drilled holes in each of the print plates. An expansion cylinder moves the mandrel into and out of engagement with the expanding collet to cause the collet to expand into engagement with the match drilled holes. The outside profile of the expanding collet forms a straight-pin diameter which corresponds to the diameter of the match drilled holes when expanded. The expanding pin assemblies may be contracted to facilitate moving the print plates apart for advancing the working material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus to be used in a two-sided contact printing station and particularly as directed to improvements for obtaining a high precision alignment between two plates on opposite sides of a material to be printed.
2. Description of Prior Art
In the present systems for two-sided contact printing, a typical arrangement includes a thin sheet of light-sensitized working material inserted between a pair of photographic plates attached to suitable frames. The photographic plates each contain a pattern which is projected onto a respective light-sensitized surface of the working material using well known photographic techniques.
Some difficulties have been encountered with the plate mountings used heretofore. There has been a tendency for the frames to shift during normal use so that frequent adjustment has been required to maintain precise registration of the plates with respect to each other. Therefore, in addition to the pattern to be photographically reproduced on the working material, the plates typically carry an alignment system to insure precise registration of the projected patterns. The alignment system may take the form of imprinted registration blocks or indices on each of the plates which must be aligned with one another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,430 describes an alignment system where a visual indication of alignment is provided by registration blocks on the plates, and a plurality of adjusting levers are provided to manipulate the plates into position. This lever adjustment has proven too tedious and time consuming for use in a high production environment and has typically been replaced by very complex and costly automated electro-mechanical controls to provide consistent results.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate another known alignment system which includes attaching a number of fixed profile alignment pins 20 or 20' to one of the plates 15, and providing matching female sockets or bushings 21 or 21' in the other plate 16. The system of FIG. 2 utilizes a tapered pin 20 and a corresponding tapered socket or bushing 21. The system of FIG. 3 utilizes a straight diameter pin 20' and a corresponding straight diameter socket or bushing 21'. While providing a low-cost alternative to the automated visual systems, the fixed profile alignment pin systems often suffer from an inherently low precision caused by worn out contact surfaces after prolonged use. Even a small degree of wear is unacceptable in many applications, such as the manufacture of CRT aperture masks and grills, where a precision range of +/-0.0002 inches may be required.

Apparatus for precision alignment of plates used in two-sided contact printing


The present technology relates to an input control device, an input control method, and an operation system, which enable achievement of a highly flexible input operation without a burden on a user. A target point determination unit determines a target point to be a display reference in an operative field image in a display, on the basis of a user's line-of-sight position with respect to the operative field image displayed in the display and of a characteristic point detected in the operative field image. The present technology can be applied to an input device for an operation system.

In recent years, it has been proposed for operation systems that screen operations are performed by zoom control of a camera or drive control of a camera arm by a natural user interface (NUI) of a user (operator), such as lines of sight with respect to an operative field image.
Furthermore, conventionally, screen operations have been performed by zoom control of a camera or drive control of a camera arm by regarding, as a target point, a characteristic point of an operation instrument or the like displayed in an operative field image acquired by the camera.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that, in an endoscopic operation system, a marker is provided in the vicinity of a tip of a treatment device. Display contents of the marker are changeable by using switches provided at a hand-side of the treatment device, and an endoscope is operated on the basis of the change in the display contents of the marker in an observation image from the endoscope.
A screen operation by a line-of-sight position allows a user to select an arbitrary position in a screen as the target point without using a hand. However, the user has not been able to operate the screen while comprehensively observing an operative field, because the user is inevitably not able to observe positions other than a gaze point.
On the other hand, a screen operation regarding, as the target point, the characteristic point of an operation instrument or the like allow the user to observe a position other than the target point. However, although an operation instrument needs to be moved for observation of a wider operative field, the user has sometimes not been able to perform a desirable screen operation in a case where the movement of the operation instrument is limited, for example, a case where an operation instrument is holding an organ.

Input control device, input control method, and operation system


An SRAM memory cell structure utilizing a read driver transistor and a column select write transistor, and a method of operating the same. The SRAM memory cell comprises first and second cross-coupled inverters, having a first and second latch nodes, respectively. The cell further comprises a first write pass transistor connected between the first latch node of the first inverter and a first pass node, and a first wordline pass transistor connected between the first pass node and a first bitline. The cell also includes a first read driver connected between the first pass node and a source potential, and a control terminal of the first read driver connected to the second latch node of the second inverter.

Current trends in the semiconductor and electronics industry require memory devices to be made smaller, faster and require less power consumption. One reason for these trends is that more personal devices are being manufactured that are relatively small and portable, thereby relying on battery power. In addition to being smaller and more portable, personal devices are also requiring increased memory and more computational power and speed. In light of all these trends, there is an ever increasing demand in the industry for smaller, faster, and lower power dissipation memory cells and transistors used to provide the core functionality of these memory devices.
Semiconductor memories can, for example, be characterized as volatile random access memories (RAMs) or nonvolatile read only memories (ROMs), where RAMs can either be static (SRAM) or dynamic (DRAM) differing mainly in the manner by which they store a state of a bit. In SRAM, for example, each memory cell includes transistor-based circuitry that implements a bistable latch, which relies on transistor gain and positive (e.g., reinforcing) feedback so that it can only assume one of two possible states, namely on (state 1) or off (state 2). The latch can only be programmed or induced to change from one state to the other through the application of a voltage or other external stimuli. This arrangement is desirable for a memory cell since a state written to the cell will be retained until the cell is reprogrammed.
DRAMs on the other hand implement a capacitor that is either charged or discharged to store the on (state 1) or off (state 2) state of a cell. Capacitors discharge over time, however, and DRAMs must therefore be periodically 'refreshed'. Also, a bistable latch can generally be switched between states much faster than the amount of time it takes to charge or discharge a capacitor. Accordingly, SRAMs are a desirable type of memory for certain types of applications.
SRAM is typically arranged as a matrix of memory cells fabricated in an integrated circuit chip, and address decoding in the chip allows access to each cell for read/write functions. SRAM memory cells use active feedback from cross-coupled inverters in the form of a latch to store or "latch" a bit of information. These SRAM memory cells are often arranged in rows so that blocks of data such as words or bytes can be written or read simultaneously. Standard SRAM memory cells have many variations.
The basic CMOS SRAM cell generally includes two n-type or n-channel (nMOS) pull-down or drive transistors and two p-type (pMOS) pull-up or load transistors in a cross-coupled inverter configuration, with two additional nMOS select or pass-gate transistors added to make up a six-transistor cell (a 6 T cell). Additionally, application specific SRAM cells can include an even greater number of transistors. A plurality of transistors are utilized in SRAM requiring matched electrical characteristics to provide predictable cell switching characteristics, reliable circuit performance, and minimize array power dissipation.
As transistor scaling trends continue, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to design an SRAM cell that has both adequate static noise margin (SNM) and adequate trip voltage (Vtrip), because of their interdependency in cell design. For example, if the pass gate is too strong relative to the drive transistor, SNM is degraded. If the pass gate is too weak relative to the drive transistor, Vtrip is degraded. Also, if the load is too weak relative to the drive transistor, SNM is degraded. With technology scaling to the 45 nm node and beyond, it may no longer be possible to achieve a balance in the relative strengths of the pass gate, drive, and load transistors over the desired range of temperature and bias conditions as well as process variations. Thus, the current balance in these design values often involves a trade-off that may translate to a higher incidence of data upsets and/or slower access times.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved SRAM cell that allows independent optimization of the static noise margin, trip voltage, and read current of SRAM cells, while minimizing data upsets and power dissipation in the fabrication of SRAM memory devices.

SRAM cell with independent static noise margin, trip voltage, and read current optimization


An electrical connector includes a row of terminals (20) having a pair of differential signal terminals (21) mounted on a mating tongue (11). Each of the signal contact terminals has a rear end (211) on a back outer face of the connector and a free mounting end (213) away from the back outer face. The free mounting ends are located on a first end row and bent from the rear ends and away from each other in opposite transverse directions so as to widen a pitch therebetween to improve impendence for decreasing interference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector with contact terminals having at least one differential pair of signal contact terminals spaced with a predetermined distance to improve impendence.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,656 discloses an electrical connector having an insulative housing defining a mating tongue, and a plurality of contact terminals mounted on a first surface of the mating tongue. The contact terminals include pairs of differential signal contacts having free mounting ends extending out of the insulative housing for being mounted onto a printed circuit board, and contact sections mounted on the first surface of the mating tongue. The lateral spacing distance or pitch between the contact sections of every two adjacent contact terminals is equal as required by the Serial ATA specification, and even equal to a lateral spacing distance or pitch defined between the free mounting ends of every two adjacent contact terminals. This configuration of contact terminals has impendence not in line with the customer's requirement.

Electrical connector with contact terminals designed to improve impedance


Disposable email address generation, and processing thereof at a disposable address system are provided. The generated disposable email address includes a hostname domain, a username, a domain tag, and a passcode, wherein the passcode is selected by a user employing a user chosen algorithm of a plurality of passcode validation algorithms provided to the user by the disposable address system. The user chosen algorithm for generating the passcode can be periodically changed for different disposable email addresses owned by the user. The disposable address system includes storage for holding an indication of revocation of a compromised disposable email address to prevent future emails with that destination email address from being forwarded to the user owning the email address.

Electronic mail or email was historically one of the very first applications of the Internet. Internet users are now facing a growing problem: Unsolicited Mass Email (UME). UME is defined as email messages that are sent in very large quantities to as many recipients as possible, regardless of the desire of the recipients to receive these messages. The senders of UME, hereafter called mass-mailers, typically ignore requests to be removed from future mass mailings.
Mass-mailers collect email addresses from several sources, including:
1. The Internet: recipients often post their addresses on web sites or in online forums, where mass-mailers collect them with special tools dubbed "address harvesters".
2. Promotional web sites: recipients are enticed to enter their email address for a chance to win a small prize, if any, and are thereafter included in mass-mailers' address lists.
3. Legitimate contact lists: some companies periodically sell name and email addresses of potential prospects. Address and contact lists are also part of the assets that are liquidated when a company goes bankrupt. Mass-mailers buy these email addresses and resell them to other mass-mailers.
Once an email address has been included in a list used by a mass-mailer, it is often quickly resold and used by many other mass-mailers. The recipient will receive an ever-larger amount of UME. Such an email address is said to be compromised.
Protecting one's email address from being compromised through methods 1 and 2 is relatively easy (i.e., don't post your email address and don't give it to unknown entities). However, method 3 is impossible to avoid with the current email system. Corporate workers must often give their email address to contacts, suppliers, customers and other entities or persons outside their company, each of which can potentially disseminate these addresses and add them to mass-mailing lists.
Current solutions to the UME problem are unsatisfactory and often impractical for the business world, if not for most email users. These solutions include the following.
1. Filtering known UME senders. This doesn't work well because mass-mailers often forge their sender address (i.e., the "From:" field).
2. Filtering all unknown senders (a.k.a. "white listing"). This is not practical because business recipients often receive emails from new contacts, for example after initiating communication across the telephone or in person.
3. UME detection (a.k.a "message matching"). This method employs several email addresses that are posted on the Internet for the express purpose of being harvested by mass-mailers to be compromised. The idea is that if these email addresses receive a message, that message will be UME, and all similar email messages can be tagged as UME. However, mass-mailers are sprinkling messages with random parts, adding or changing character strings in individual messages, which can defeat message matching systems.
4. Filtering on content. Most UME contain "trigger words" that can be detected by filtering software. For instance, "mortgage" is unlikely to show up in your professional email if you aren't in the real estate business, but it is frequent in UME messages. This filtering can be quite efficient. However, recent trends in UME show that mass-mailers avoid trigger words by misspelling or altering them (e.g., "m0rtgage" or m:or.t.gage" instead of "mortgage"), which decreases the filters' efficiency. Other mass-mailers fool naive filtering software by inserting comments within HTML messages to break trigger words (e.g., "mo<!--ZZZZ-->rtgage"). Note that this insertion of useless strings in the UME messages also tends to increase their average size.
5. Adaptative filtering. Adaptative filters can be taught to recognize the format and layout of UME messages, which often rely on HTML formatting with several images. However, legitimate emails containing genuine press releases and newsletters are now as likely to be filtered as UME. Besides, mass-mailers have started sending UME with Javascript encoding as well as UME entirely composed of one or more images, which cannot be filtered on content. These Javascript-encoded and image-based UME message are of ever-increasing sizes.
Other problems with existing anti-UME solutions include:
1. Client-location filtering is not a good solution. When filtering is done on the client side, UME is sent to the recipient's machine, only to be discarded by the recipient's mail agent. Meanwhile, the network connection of the recipient's machine is clogged by UME. When the recipient must download email using a slow dial-up connection (e.g., when the recipient is away from a corporate office equipped with high-speed networking), the time wasted downloading UME can be significant.
2. Wireless devices. A growing number of portable devices offer to receive email wirelessly. The service providers generally sell wireless connectivity by the hour or by the megabyte. When an email address connected to one of these devices is compromised, it is a real problem because the recipient must then download UME on a slow and expensive connection. Even if an UME message is identified as such, it still has to be downloaded.
In summary, existing filtering systems typically require emails to be downloaded and processed. A lot of corporate filtering systems are server based, but they merely identify UME messages and tag them as such, clogging the mailbox and network connection of the corporate recipient.

Method, system and computer program product for generating and processing a disposable email address

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention provides a method of preparing β-erythritol fatty acid monoester, including: subjecting a fatty acid and erythritol to esterification reaction in the presence of an acid catalyst, a water carrier and an optional phase transfer catalyst, wherein the molar ratio of the fatty acid to erythritol is 1:2 to 1:3, and the temperature of the esterification reaction is 80-100° C. In addition, the invention further provides a method of preparing 2,3-erythritol fatty acid diester, including: subjecting a fatty acid and erythritol to esterification reaction in the presence of an acid catalyst and a water carrier, wherein the molar ratio of the fatty acid to erythritol is 2:1 to 3:1, and the temperature of the esterification reaction is 120-160° C.

In recent years, as people's living standard rises, they have a growing demand on food's color, scent and taste. Good smell is one of the characteristics of food. However, the scent of some foods can not last long. Hence, fragrance or flavor needs to be incorporated in the course of food processing to augment the food's aroma. Nonetheless, fragrance and flavor obtained by extraction and refining often have such disadvantages as easy evaporation, poor storability, etc. In allusion to this problem, if fragrance and flavor are microcapsulated, the following advantages may be achieved: healthfulness, economy, performance stability, uniform scent, good storability, convenient use, etc. In the United States, powder flavor made by microcapsulation technology accounts for more than 50% of the food fragrance. Powder flavor is now widely used in cakes, solid beverage, solid soup, fast food and leisure food, such as baked products, confection products, soup powder, and the like. Particularly for baking occurring in high temperature environment which tends to damage or evaporate flavor, microcapsulation can reduce loss of flavor to a great extent.
However, the performance of these microcapsulated fragrance products can't fully meet people's requirements yet. For example, Ding Lizhong, et al elaborated the release mechanism of a microcapsule in "Development of Research on Microcapsulation of Food Flavor" published on China Condiment, No. 2, pp. 90-95, 2009. In the processing of baked food, flavor experiences a high temperature above 80° C. A conventional liposoluble wall material, a glycerin ester, melts prematurely during baking due to its low melting point (generally below 60° C.), leading to release of the embedded flavor. As such, loss of flavor is still noticeable notwithstanding its release is somewhat retarded by the wall of the microcapsule. Research and development are continued in an attempt to find wall materials for microcapsules to obtain more ideal slow release performance.
High purity fatty acid mono- and di-esters of erythritol are good wall materials for microcapsules, because they have relatively high melting points (about 80° C.) and thus can achieve better protection and slow-release of flavor embedded therein. Preparation of these two compounds via biocatalysis is known in the art. For example, Junkui Piao, et al disclosed in particular the synthesis of erythritol α-monooleate and erythritol 1,4-dioleate by enzymatic catalysis in a paper titled "Synthesis of Mono- and Di-oleoyl Erythritols through Immobilized-lipase-catalyzed Condensation of Erythritol and Oleic Acid in Acetone" and published on Biochemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 79-84, May 2003. Up to date, preparation of high purity mono- and di-ester products of erythritol by a chemical esterification process rather than enzymatic catalysis has not been disclosed by any references in the art. For example, Chinese Patent Application CN1649664A mentioned use of fatty acid esters or polyesters of erythritol in applications such as cosmetics, etc, wherein tin chloride was used as a catalyst, and diester, triester and tetraester in the resulting products had similar proportions. This mixture of mono- to tetra-esters has a significantly lowered melting point, and has no remarkable comparative advantages over conventional glycerin esters. Therefore, a need exists for development of a new process for preparation of high purity mono- and di-esters of erythritol, which can realize high product selectivity as well as simplified process and reduced cost.

Method for selective preparation of fatty acid mono- and di-esters of erythritol

Wilmar (Shanghai) Biotechnology Research & Development Center Co., LTD


A method for simultaneously heating the subsurface and imaging the effects of the heating. This method combines the use of tomographic imaging (electrical resistance tomography or ERT) to image electrical resistivity distribution underground, with joule heating by electrical currents injected in the ground. A potential distribution is established on a series of buried electrodes resulting in energy deposition underground which is a function of the resistivity and injection current density. Measurement of the voltages and currents also permits a tomographic reconstruction of the resistivity distribution. Using this tomographic information, the current injection pattern on the driving electrodes can be adjusted to change the current density distribution and thus optimize the heating. As the heating changes conditions, the applied current pattern can be repeatedly adjusted (based on updated resistivity tomographs) to affect real time control of the heating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the heating of the underground by ohmic dissipation of energy as current flows through the ground. More specifically, it relates to a method using electrical resistance tomography to adjust the distribution of energy deposition so that heating of a region underground is controlled by depositing energy in a predetermined pattern.
2. Description of Related Art
Many applications require heating of regions underground. For example, heat can be used to: (1) reduce the viscosity of heavy oil deposits so they can flow to a wellbore and be pumped to the surface; (2) vaporize contaminants in the soil so they can be collected in wells or the surface and removed from the ground; and (3) enhance the in situ microbial degradation of organic pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOC). For example, the growth and metabolic rates of many naturally occurring microorganisms double with each 5 to 10 degree Celsius increase in temperature between 20 and 45 degrees Celsius. Electric heating might therefore reduce the time required for microbial in situ remediation more than an order of magnitude with a possible commensurate cost savings. Also, temperature optimization generally results in more complete metabolic degradation, yielding lower residual pollution concentrations.
Joule heating of highly viscous oils to reduce viscosity and enable recovery of these resources is already being practiced in industry. The use of imaging techniques such as seismic tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance are also being developed by other groups. Any practical method to control the power dissipation pattern in the ground must start with information about the resistivity distribution in the region to be heated. To obtain this information requires an imaging method that is designed specifically for resistivity. Methods such as seismic tomography are not candidates. Seismic tomography images mechanical properties such as sound wave speed. A method that images the resistivity distribution itself is clearly to be preferred. Such a method is electrical resistance tomography. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) uses electric currents to image the region which is also being heated by electric currents.
Two problems exist with traditional subsurface heating methods such as hot air or steam injection. First, it is difficult to determine where heat is being deposited. Second, there is little or no control over where the heat is deposited. The proposed method is a new and novel approach to optimized heating-monitoring of the subsurface. Because of its unique capabilities, various underground processes would be practical which before were not: (1) heating heavy oil formations, (2) enhancing production of a depleted oil formation, (3) enhancing microbial metabolism of hydrocarbons and (4) volatilization of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) at a hazardous waste site.
Several methods have been used to heat the subsurface. These include injecting into the ground hot water, hot air, steam, electric current and even radio waves. Each approach has unique features. However, they all have in common that it is difficult to determine or control what is heated. For example, when a fluid such as steam is injected, it establishes a channel along the path of greatest fluid permeability, the most highly conducting route between the injection and extraction points. The more steam that flows along this path the higher the fluid permeability becomes and the lower the resistance to flow. Heat can be deposited along that path. However, there is no good method to determine the location of that path. Even more difficult, there is no way to change that path. Usually it is desirable to heat more than the zone chosen by nature. A way is needed to determine where heat is being deposited, and just as importantly, to change it at will. The present invention provides such a method.

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


A movable barrier operator (10) has a wireless status condition data transmitter (15) that wirelessly transmits status condition messages to one or more remote peripherals (20). The latter can in turn use this status information to effect their own functionality and supported features.

Movable barriers of various kinds are known in the art, including but not limited to horizontally and vertically sliding barriers, vertically and horizontally pivoting barriers, single-piece barriers, multi-piece or segmented barriers, partial barriers, complete barriers, rolling shutters, and various combinations and permutations of the above. Such barriers are typically used to control physical and/or visual access to or via an entryway (or exit) such as, for example, a doorway to a building or an entry point for a garage.
In many cases, a motor or other motion-imparting mechanism is utilized to effect selective movement of such a movable barrier. A movable barrier operator will then usually be utilized to permit control of the motion-imparting mechanism. In some cases a user may control the movable barrier operator by indicating a selection via one or more control surfaces that are physically associated with the movable barrier operator. In other cases such control can be effected by the transmission of a wireless remote control signal to the movable barrier operator.
Over time, the capabilities of and features supported by such movable barrier operators has expanded to include actions other than merely opening and closing a corresponding movable barrier. Some movable barrier operators provide ambient lighting. Some movable barrier operators can sense the likely presence of an obstacle in the path of the movable barrier and take an appropriate corresponding action. And some movable barriers have a plurality of operating modes to facilitate differing control strategies (for example, many movable barrier operators have a so-called vacation mode that prompts use of a differing set of operational states when the user leaves the movable barrier operator for an extended period of time or a learning mode that places the movable barrier operator into a programmable state to permit manual and/or automatic setting or selection of one or more operational parameters such as a maximum force setting).
Installation settings and needs can vary considerably from one place to another. Notwithstanding this truism, movable barrier operator manufacturers prefer to seek the economies of scale that attend the manufacture and distribution of movable barrier operator platforms that will provide satisfactory service in a wide variety of settings. As a result, some movable barrier operators are manufactured with the ability to support a wide range of functionality. Unfortunately, this often means that a physical interface must be provided to support numerous potentially utilized peripheral devices (including but not limited to sensors, control surfaces, alarms, displays, ambient and/or spot lighting, and so forth). This physical interface can represent undesired additional cost when part of the interface goes unused in a given installation.
Furthermore, even when a given installation includes use of all potentially supported peripherals, the physical installation itself will often necessarily include a physical signaling path to couple the movable barrier operator to the various peripherals. This in turn can result in undesired exposed wiring and/or an undesired increase of installation time.
It is also likely in some installation settings that the physical interface of a given movable barrier operator, regardless of how well conceived in the first instance, may nevertheless fail to permit compatible support of a given peripheral. For example, a given user may wish to provide a quantity of individual lighting platforms that exceeds the number of lights that are supported by the physical interface for a given movable barrier operator. As another example, another given user may wish to support a relatively new function, such as an alarm that sounds when a possibly unauthorized individual enters an opened entryway, that is not specifically supported by a given movable barrier operator.
For these and other reasons, prior art movable barrier operators are often partially or wholly inadequate to suit the present and/or developing needs of a given application.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typically not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Movable barrier operators status condition transception apparatus and method


A vehicle body includes a first door member and an opening/closing mechanism. The first door member can rotate between a first position in which it covers the part of a opening of a storage section and a second position in which it opens the part of the opening. The opening/closing mechanism that rotates the first door member includes a rotation shaft that supports the first door member. The rotation shaft is disposed at a position in which the first door member does not come out from a rotation area overlapping the first door member that is in the first position vertically when the first door member rotates. The opening/closing mechanism moves the first door member up to a third position in which the first door member does not interfere with a vehicle main body when the first door member rotates between the first position and the second position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle body of a convertible type car.
2. Description of the Related Art
The vehicle body of the convertible type car includes a hood member which covers the top of its vehicle compartment and can be folded down. A storage section for accommodating the hood member is formed in the rear section of the vehicle body. In a condition in which the hood member is folded, the hood member is accommodated in the storage section.
The storage section has an opening. The opening extends up to a quarter trim section of the vehicle body. When the hood member is expanded, that is, the hood member covers the top of the vehicle compartment, part of the hood member comes out through the opening formed in the quarter trim section.
The opening formed in the quarter trim section is provided with a door member. The door member opens/closes the opening. After the hood member is accommodated in the storage section, the door member covers the opening.
This kind of the door member is supported by hinges on the vehicle body through ends thereof and rotates around a hinge so as to open/close the opening. When the door member rotates around the hinge so that the opening is opened, the door member is accommodated within the quarter trim section through the opening. Such a vehicle body is disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-164847.
As a supporting structure for the door member, a structure provided with plural levers is provided. An end of each lever is supported rotatably on the vehicle body. The door member is supported rotatably on the other end of each lever. When each lever is erected to the vehicle body, the door member rotates relative to the lever so as to open the opening. Such a vehicle body is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,715B1.
According to the supporting structure of the door member disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-164847, the door member rotates from a position for closing the opening and then is accommodated within the quarter trim section. For this reason, when the door member rotates, it is necessary to consider providing a space in the interior of the quarter trim section or the like for the door member not to interfere with the surrounding.
Further, according to the supporting structure of the door member disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,715B1, each lever rotates to the vehicle body and at the same time, the door member rotates to each lever. Thus, it is estimated that a range in which the door member moves becomes relatively wide.
As a result, it can be considered that when the door member opens the opening, the door member interferes with the surrounding because of invasion of part of the door member into the vehicle compartment or the like.
As described above, according to the supporting structures of the door members described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-164847 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,715B1, it can be considered that when the opening is opened/closed, the door member interferes with the surrounding.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body capable of suppressing an interference of a first door member with the surrounding when the opening of the storage section is opened/closed.

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


A method and apparatus for dispensing and retrieving products is provided. A system may include: a grasping head; first and second grasping members, each grasping member comprising: a top member; a post member; and first and second grasping fingers, where the first and second grasping fingers extend from the post member and are spaced apart from the top member by a predetermined distance, where the first and second grasping members are connected to the grasping head, where at least one of the first and second grasping members is movably connected to the grasping head, where the at least one of the first and second grasping members is movable relative to the other of the first and second grasping members.

The dispensing of goods is a common practice that can often be time consuming and prone to error, particularly when performed manually. The automation of dispensing can improve both efficiency and accuracy of the dispensing operation; however, different types of articles necessarily require different types of dispensing. Further, automated dispensing can be costly, and if the dispensing operations are not frequent enough, or there is a low-risk associated with errors, the cost of automation may not be justified.
Automated dispensing may conventionally occupy a substantial footprint, particularly when there are many types of products to be dispensed. Products may be arranged in a manner that is less efficient for storage, but more conducive to an automated dispensing operation, which may substantially increase the floor space required for automated dispensing, thereby increasing the effective cost while decreasing the efficiency. Therefore it may be desirable to implement apparatuses, systems, and methods which may facilitate automated retrieval and dispensing in a relatively compact form factor to provide efficiency improvements and for flexibility in installation.

Apparatuses and systems for the automated retrieval and transport of articles


The present invention provides a method of reutilization and method of shaping of waste plastic which reduces the amount of volatile ingredients and oil cake* to extents preferable as materials for coke ovens, enables the formation of plastic granular materials able to maintain suitable shapes even after charging into a coke oven, and does not require expensive facilities for treating any produced hydrogen chloride gas, that is, a method of reutilization of waste plastic characterized by melting waste plastic at over 160° C. to 250° C. in temperature in part or whole, compression shaping it to thereby obtain a plastic granular material having an apparent density of 0.7 to 1.2 kg/liter, and mixing this plastic granular material with coal for dry distillation in a coke oven. By bringing the gas produced at the time of compression shaping the waste plastic into contact with water or an ammonia solution and combining the water or ammonia solution with an ammonia solution of an ammonia solution treatment facility attached to the coke furnace, it is possible to remove the hydrogen chloride contained in the produced gas.

In the past, the scrap plastic and used plastic produced in the plastic processing process (hereinafter referred to as "waste plastic") was incinerated or was disposed of in landfills. As a result, in the case of incineration, there were the problems that the high temperature of combustion damaged the incinerators and that reaction with chlorine caused the production of dioxins. Further, even with disposal in landfills, since plastic does not decompose and the soil does not solidify around it, there was the problem that the newly created land over the landfills was low in value of use.
As a means for dealing with this, various technologies are being put to use for recycling plastic. For example, plastic is being converted to oil or gas, however, this has the problem of a high treatment cost. On the other hand, dry distillation of plastic in a coke furnace is an economical method enabling a large amount of recycling. With dry distillation in a coke oven, coke can be recovered along with fuel gas and oily matter, so this is also an excellent method in terms of the diversity of possible applications.
The method of dry distillation of waste plastic in a coke oven is the method of mixing the waste plastic with coal, charging the mixture into the coke oven, then dry distilling it at about 1200° C. For example, this method is described in Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 48-34901. While differing depending on the type of the plastic used, about 35% of the plastic becomes coke, about 25% oily matter, and about 40% coke oven gas. The coke derived from the plastic is discharged from the coke oven in a state mixed with the coke derived from the coal and is utilized as a reducing agent or fuel in a blast furnace or iron alloy making process etc.
As explained above, the method of dry distillation of waste plastic in a coke oven is an effective means for economical recycling of plastic. However, there has been no accurate knowledge regarding the relationship between the method of using plastic and the coke quality, so there have been problems in the quality of the coke produced. For example, in the means for recovering large amounts of gas or tar using the technology described in Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 8-157834, there was no consideration given to coke quality and there was the problem that when a large amount of plastic was mixed in, the coke declined in strength. Note that since coke is used in blast furnaces, cupola furnaces, and other large sized facilities, it has to withstand the load conditions in these furnaces. High strength coke is therefore being sought. The deterioration of coke strength has become an important quality issue.
On the other hand, in the past, the readily available waste plastic produced in the processing of plastic (hereinafter referred to as "scrap plastic") had been used in coke ovens. This scrap plastic was mainly chip-like in form, relatively high in purity, and of a shape able to be used in coke ovens as it was, so in the past there was no knowledge about the effects of its ash content on coke furnace operations or the effects of its apparent density. As a result, even when using used plastic produced from the home etc., which is poor in purity and mostly thin in shape (hereinafter referred to as "used plastic"), the same simple method was employed for using it in coke furnaces. When using this, however, there were detrimental effects on the quality of the coke.
Used plastic has problems due to its poor shape and low apparent density. If using large amounts of too small plastic, for example, plastic of a size of 5 mm or less or a thickness of 1 mm or less, there was the problem that the produced coke declined in strength. Further, if the plastic used was too large, the problem was observed of a drop in the yield of the lump coke. If using large amounts of poor grade, large ash content used plastic, there was the problem of a drop in the strength of the lump coke.
Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2001-49261 discloses the method of compression shaping waste plastic to obtain a plastic granular material with an apparent density of 0.40 to 0.95 kg/liter and mixing this with the coal by a mass ratio of 5% or less for dry distillation in a coke ovens. By using granulated plastic having an apparent density of 0.40 kg/liter or more, the problem of coke powdering can be solved. On the other hand, if trying to melt the plastic to shape it, problems arise such as the production of harmful gases at the time of melting, so the melting method is not considered an economical or safe method. As a condition for compression shaping plastic without melting it, the upper limit of the apparent density is deemed to be 0.95 kg/liter. The temperature of the plastic at the time of shaping is made 100° C. or more in order to remove the moisture content of the plastic. If the temperature exceeds 160° C., part of the plastic will start to melt and harmful gases will be produced, so 160° C. or less is considered preferable.
Further, in the method of treatment of waste plastic in a coke furnace described in Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2002-12876, the method is disclosed of dechlorinating the waste plastic at a temperature of 300° C., compression shaping it to adjust the density to 0.78 to 1.0 g/cm3, and mixing a predetermined amount of the shaped waste plastic into a coke oven for dry distillation.

Method of reutilization and method of shaping of waste plastic


The present invention relates to centerless grinding methods and corresponding devices such as feedthroughs for implantable medical devices and for batteries for implantable medical devices. The present invention provides certain advantages, including the elimination of longitudinal anomalies in drawn wire and increasing the reliability of implantable medical devices. In a method of the present invention, the surface of an over-size medical grade wire having a known anomaly depth is centerless ground to a depth past which those anomalies disappear. Centerless grinding of the present invention may be accomplished using an abrasive wheel and suitable coolant.

There are numerous applications where it is necessary to penetrate a sealed container with one or more electrical leads so as to provide electrical access to and from electrical components enclosed within. One such application for which the present invention has particular but not limited utility is in body implantable pulse generators (e.g., for the treatment of bradycardia, tachycardia or nerve stimulation), referred to generally herein as implantable pulse generators (IPG's). Typical devices of this type are formed of a metal container housing the electrical power source components of the IPG with a lid or the like welded to the container to close the device and provide it with a hermetic seal.
An electrical lead or pin is electrically connected to the IPG by means of attachment to one or more feedthroughs which penetrate the container but maintain the hermetically sealed environment thereof. A typical feedthrough consists of an external metal part, or frame or ferrule, into which an insulator solid part typically formed of glass, ceramic, or glass and ceramic is sealed. Within the insulator, one or more metal leads or pins are sealed. Since the reliability of critical implantable medical devices depend on hermetic sealing of various components, the integrity of such seals is of paramount importance.
In many implantable devices, metals which have long term corrosion resistance and biocompatability are needed to provide years of reliable service since maintenance or repair possibilities for the devices are extremely limited. Moreover, since such devices are sometimes lifesaving for the patient, failures of the hermetic seal materials can have catastrophic consequences.
Wire fabricated by drawing or forming processes often contains anomalies such as drawlines, cracks or seams. See FIG. 1, where an example of a prior art drawn wire having defects such as cracks and longitudinal seams is shown.
It is a common practice to incorporate wire as conductors in glass-to-metal and ceramic-to-metal seals. The wire anomalies described above can induce the loss of hermeticity in such seals if the orientation of such anomalies is parallel to the seal cross-section. Deep or narrow anomalies in wire are difficult to completely fill with either glass or solder-braze alloys that typically form the types of hermetic seals described above. Deep or narrow anomalies may also act as stress-risers, such that application of thermal or mechanical loads to the seal can induce latent hermetic failure.
The inability of manufactures to routinely produce wire free from the anomalies described above makes it difficult to produce reliable hermetic seals. The inability of wire manufacturers to consistently meet the surface requirements for hermetic seal applications conflicts directly with the opposing requirement for highly reliability components in implantable medical devices.
Other disclosures relating to feedthroughs generally include the U.S. patents listed below in Table 1.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Prior Art Patents U.S. Pat. No. Title ______________________________________ 4,180,700 Alloy Composition and Brazing Therewith, Particularly for Ceramic-Metal Seals in Electrical Feedthroughs 4,225,262 Niobium Coatings for Joining Ceramic to Metal 4,495,917 Surgically Implantable Disconnect Device 4,525,766 Method and Apparatus for Forming Hermetically Sealed Electrical Feedthroughs 4,678,868 Hermetic Electrical Feedthrough 4,730,389 Method for Fabrication of an Implantable Hermetic Transparent Container 4,816,621 Ceramic-Metal Feedthrough Lead Assembly and Method for Making Same 4,874,910 High Lead Density Vacuum Feedthrough 4,940,858 Implantable Pulse Generator Feedthrough 4,951,011 Impedance Matched Plug-In Package for High Speed Microwave Integrated Circuits 4,991,582 Hermetically Sealed Ceramic and Metal Package for Electronic Devices Implantable in Living Bodies 5,012,807 Multi-Part Molded Pacemaker Connector and Method of Making Same 5,076,270 Apparatus and Method for Making Electrical Connections in an Implantable Pacemaker 5,103,818 System and Method for Completing Electrical Connections in an Implantable Medical Device 5,104,755 Glass-Metal Seals 5,294,241 Method for Making Glass to Metal Seals 5,306,581 Battery with Weldable Feedthrough 5,406,444 Coated tantalum Feedthrough Pin 5,434,017 Isolated Connection for an Electrochemical Cell Re. 33,170 Surgically Implantable Disconnect Device ______________________________________
As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate readily upon reading the Summary of the Invention, Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and claims set forth below, many of the devices and methods disclosed in the patents of Table 1 may be modified advantageously by using the teachings of the present invention.

Centerless ground feedthrough pin for an electrical power source in an implantable medical device


The present invention relates to the a method usable in the field of printing, and in particular to a method of characterizing a drum-based digital print engine so that each of a plurality of ink droplets propelled toward a common picture element location, or pixel, of a print media coupled to an exterior surface of a rotating drum member precisely reaches the same pixel location irregardless of slight variations in portions of the surface of the drum. In a preferred embodiment, a drum based printing system contains eight print heads mounted on an axially driven carriage assembly and arranged in two rows of four such that no two print heads prints upon a common print swath at any given time, and each row of print heads is further oriented rotationally around a portion of the circumference of the drum member. All print heads operate relatively independently of fixed firing locations, and instead operate based on a first firing printing head so that each subsequent print heads fire only after a predetermined delay due simply to its rotational and axial displacement from the first print head. Slight variations in the surface of the drum and non concentric alignment of a rotation sensor coupled to the axis of rotation of the drum are compensated during initial assembly of the print engine. In one embodiment, this technique allows implementation of effective and simple calibration process for a four hundred nozzle wide format ink jet digital print engine during printing by an end user.

Ink jet printers that utilize replaceable print heads, for example ink jet cartridges, often have problems precisely aligning a plurality of ink emitting nozzles, or jets, associated with each discrete ink jet cartridge which cannot easily be corrected through mechanical manipulation of a respective print head or a carriage to which the print head releaseably engages. These alignment problems become aggravated as the number of cartridges, and therefore the number of ink jet nozzles increase, as the spacing between the (furthest) jet nozzles increases, and resultant differing mounting locations among print heads following replacement of print heads. In prior art calibration techniques used to determine what adjustment is necessary typically require a printed test pattern, manual observation, entry of corrective values into print control circuitry, and retesting to confirm proper orientation among the several print heads.
In a wide format ink jet printer employing a subtractive color ink set, such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) inks, typically a corresponding number of print heads are mechanically and electronically coupled to precisely locate, and therefore combine colored ink droplets to obtain a desired broad visual impression of color and tone, or color gamut, to a human viewer. The mechanical alignment among the print heads is referred to as "register" and "perfect registration" is a objective of the present invention herein, so that when desired colored ink droplets propelled from any of a plurality of ink emitting nozzles of each print head arrives at precisely the same location to thereby create a desired impression of a color to a human viewer. Because differences in primary ink colors are generally easily detectable by the viewer and provide ready demarcation points relative to the print head, it is common to provide a relatively simple calibration routine so that an end user may calibrate each of the print heads and their respective nozzles with respect to each other to obtain a defined acceptable range of dot placement. In addition, typically during manufacture of a wide format print engine a select number of quality assurance and other engineering verification tests help assure each print engine built meets or exceeds its specification so that an end user may later perform such relatively simple end user calibration routines and thus successfully calibrate and compensate for different positional location and alignment among several replaceable print heads. To efficiently and successfully implement such a manufacturing process requires an amount of flexibility in successfully adapting to unique build characteristics of each print engine. Thus a need exists in the art for adapting to build characteristics of cooperating subassemblies so that an end user may successfully utilize the aforesaid relatively simple calibration techniques without difficulty.
For example, the relatively simple calibration routine typically involves visual inspection of printed output from a print head that may have a cyan set of ink jet nozzles which are nominally a number of pixels horizontally offset from the black set of jets. A test pattern may be laid down by the cyan jets followed by test pattern laid down by the black jets. The test patterns may be compared to determine that, in actual operation, the black set of jets horizontally follows the cyan set of jets by a visually ascertainable number of pixels. In such a case, the timing of the firing of the black set of jets may be adjusted by the ascertained number of pixel locations, so that patterns laid down by the cyan and black jets will better horizontally match each other. Vertical calibration can be carried out in a similar way. Because calibration is an important part of properly aligned printing, the ink jet printing industry continually seeks new and better ways to readily determine what calibration adjustments are needed. In prior art bi-directional print engines having the ink jet nozzles of each print head aligned with the horizontal direction of carriage movement, the y-component can be ignored. In a drum based print engine, however, the y-component of motion contributed by the rotation of the drum member and thus that of a sheet of print media residing thereon must be considered. Furthermore, because the print heads in prior art bi-directional print engines travel over a common printing path relative to an elongate platen only a single narrow path upon the typically elongate platen must be compensated for surface vagaries and imperfections. In a drum-based color print engine, however, the entire surface of the drum can contribute error with simple surface imperfections as each of the print heads must traverse every point of an imageable area on the printing medium. Thus, a need exists for a relatively simple and efficient method of compensating for slight misalignment of cooperating subassemblies of drum based print engines and imperfections in the imageable surface of a print bearing surface portion of the drum member of such print engines.
Additional problems with prior ink jet head configurations involve the mounting of the print head for accurate placement and movement across the printed image. The rail structure for the print head must adequately support the print head not only over the entire printed image, but also for any cleaning, maintenance and other auxiliary functions of the print head. It is common for such a rail to experience what can be described as a sagging phenomena due primarily to the force of gravity, which adds positional error to a final desired printing location.
Furthermore, ink jet printers also need a consistent, accurate method to determine when the ink jets should be fired based on the location of each print head with respect to an image to be printed. Accurate positioning of ink dots on the printed image is necessary for accurate reproduction of the desired image. Prior art bi-directional printers have optically sensed markings from an encoder disk disposed along a linear path of carriage travel to determine print head position. The encoder disk markings are typically more or less evenly spaced apart from each adjacent marking other across the path of travel of the print head. Such an encoder disk reader produces an electrical signal as the print head changes location across the encoder disk, and the prior art ink jets are fired based directly on the timing of the encoder disk signal or are fired based on derivative of the timing signal. Further compensation for time of flight (TOF), and droplet velocity, etc. have been attempted to better describe the behavior of each ink droplet between the nozzle and the printing medium. Prior art encoder disks thus provide one way to determine when the ink jets should be fired in bi-directional prior art print engines. However, various errors prevent the encoder marking from corresponding exactly with the position of an ink dot on the image. These errors tend to be exacerbated as the speed of printing and size of output are increased. High-speed, large format printing requires a high degree of accuracy to generate quality graphics, and improved photorealistic output, so that a need exists for more accurate method of determining when to fire the ink emitting nozzles of a print head based on its location with respect to the image. In drum-based imaging systems, typically a rotary encoder coupled to an axis of rotation of a drum member provides a similar electrical signal which relates to an axial segment of the drum member. A phenomena known as "run out" relates to non-concentric alignment of center points of rotation only, and not to rotation induced error in themselves. This error is compounded where the circumference of the drum member is not perfectly aligned with an axis of rotation of a rotary motion encoder. In addition, the much greater circumference of the drum member compared to the rotary encoder, thus creating a mechanical disadvantage which inherently limits the absolute positional resolution of a control signal directed to the surface of the drum member and based on an output signal from the encoder, which defines a native positional accuracy of a print head control circuit using such an encoder.
Furthermore, in a drum-based print engine as taught herein where every subassembly must be field-replaceable to reduce cost and complexity of on-site diagnosis and repair, this rotary encoder might be separately replaceable from the drum member. Thus, positional error related to non-concentric alignment of the rotary encoder sensor and the axis of rotation of the drum member add complexity and positional error in addition to other sources of error which must be eliminated or compensated by suitable print head control circuitry and carriage drive software. Thus a means to increase the accuracy of such a prior art rotary position sensor in a multi-print head drum-based print engine exists in the prior art.
In the relevant drum-based imaging system prior art, a printing medium attaches to an exterior or interior surface of a rotating drum which rotates to pass the printing medium under one or more print heads, actuators, or sensors mounted on an carriage articulated in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum. The carriage then controllably traverses the width of the drum as the print media dispenses ink upon the print media. The combination of the spinning drum and traversing carriage assures that all print heads can access the full surface of the drum with a plurality of adjacent spiral-shaped print swaths. Thus a need exists in the prior art to correct these inherently skewed boundaries of printed output so that printed output will closely align with a sheet of printing medium appropriately applied to a drum member for receiving a printed image.
Also, prior art drums were typically manufactured to tightly controlled specifications and little if any compensation for dimensional variance in the imaging surface of the drum. Thus, inherent in the prior art is the expense involved in exploiting highly precise manufacturing processes that contribute cost and complexity to the fundamental component of drum-based imaging systems--the drum. Therefore, a need exists in the prior art to exploit low cost manufacturing materials and processes and compensate for surface deviations and inaccuracies and misalignment of subassemblies in relatively complex multi-print head wide format print engines. Furthermore, in this segment of the relevant prior art, which includes drum-based document scanner equipment, a known skewing effect inhibits the creation of truly square comers of the scanned image since absent modification prior art drum-based printing system imaging components inherently print continuous spiral swaths over the print media. In the prior art related to document scanners an image sensitive sensor receives the image in a similar manner, and thus encounter a similar difficulty. One prior art approach for this problem suggests use of a cam member coupled to a carriage drive mechanism so that at the end of a print sized to fill the surface of the drum the carriage is stepped sideways one swath thereby capturing the image with a series of adjacent, non-spiraling, swaths. Besides the obvious limitation inherent in such a design wherein only images sized to fill the printing area of the drum, this approach may not be dynamically modified to suit any particular image. Thus, a need exists in the art to solve this known limitation in the field of drum-based imaging devices, so that truly square comers of documents and images related thereto may be printed without further compensation.
Finally, while other known techniques for tracking and controlling the motion of the drum member, print heads, and carriage assembly might also include optical rotary encoders coupled to the axial shaft of a drum member, and in some circumstances on the carriage motor, the present invention addresses and overcomes the above-noted problems and difficulties in the prior art and offers a much higher level of compensation for variations in the drum surface, non-concentric alignment of a rotation sensor coupled to an axis of rotation of the drum, and changing cartridge placement thereby allowing more precise placement of multiple inks of differing color to form photorealistic full color digital images upon a single segment of media attached to the drum with ability to correct for a lower cost manufacturing process for the drum member and ultimately the entire drum based print imaging engine. The present invention further addresses the need to accurately propel ink from a plurality of nozzles resident on a multi-print head carriage assembly so that ink droplets accurately reach preselected locations on the print medium thereby generating photorealistic output from a relatively low cost computer controlled full color, wide format, ink jet digital drum-based print engine.

Calibration and registration method for manufacturing a drum-based printing system


A bulk material container and method for its use is provided. In one or more embodiments, the bulk material container includes: a lid with a lid reinforcement frame positioned substantially at least around the perimeter of said lid, a vertical stop on the exterior of the walls of said container that contacts a projection from an interior wall of said container when one of said bulk material containers is stacked in another, a modular design in which the walls and base of the bulk material container are detachable and replaceable, a stiffening ring positioned around the perimeter of the container walls near their vertical top, and a lid having a lateral motion restraining a system to restrain the lateral motion of one container stacked on another.

The present invention generally relates to bulk material containers.
Prior art bulk material containers have included one or more of the following drawbacks. First, flimsy lids that prevent containers from being stacked on each other. Second, for those containers that are stackable, when empty containers are stacked, the empty containers may damage each other.
Third, different structural forces may act with greater or lesser force at different points in the container. This may lead to an increased risk of failure at certain points of the container's design. Finally, for those containers that are stackable, the stacked container may occasionally undesirably move relative to the container that it had been stacked on.


Systems and methods for predicting and controlling pattern quality data (e.g., critical dimension and/or pattern defectivity) in patterned wafers using patterned wafer geometry (PWG) measurements are disclosed. Correlations between PWG measurements and pattern quality data measurements may be established, and the established correlations may be utilized to provide pattern quality data predictions for a given wafer based on geometry measurements obtained for the give wafer. The predictions produced may be provided to a lithography tool, which may utilize the predictions to correct focus and/or title errors that may occur during the lithography process.

Thin polished plates such as silicon wafers and the like are a very important part of modern technology. A wafer, for instance, may refer to a thin slice of semiconductor material used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other devices. Other examples of thin polished plates may include magnetic disc substrates, gauge blocks and the like. While the technique described here refers mainly to wafers, it is to be understood that the technique also is applicable to other types of polished plates as well. The term wafer and the term thin polished plate may be used interchangeably in the present disclosure.
Wafers are typically patterned during the fabrication process. Lithography, for example, is a semiconductor fabrication process that involves transferring a pattern from a reticle to a resist arranged on a semiconductor wafer. The performance of a lithography process may be evaluated at least partially based on the minimum feature size (i.e., critical dimension, or CD) and/or the presence of any defective patterns (i.e., pattern defectivity).
It is noted that critical dimension and pattern defectivity observed in silicon wafers are typically affected by focus errors (i.e., defocus) that may occur during patterning in a lithography process. It is also noted that the geometry of a wafer (i.e., wafer geometry) is a factor that may lead to focus errors during lithography. Therein lies a need for systems and methods to help improve critical dimension and pattern defectivity during semiconductor fabrication by taking wafer geometry into consideration.

Predicting and controlling critical dimension issues and pattern defectivity in wafers using interferometry


Embodiments of the present invention disclose an apparatus and method to determine the intra-chip variation of an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises a test macro that includes two or more test structures; wherein each test structure includes identical copies of the same performance monitor; wherein each performance monitor has a unique bounding circuitry that encompasses the performance monitor; and wherein the two or more test structures are positioned close enough to each other as to reduce systematic across chip variation between the two or more test structures.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of integrated circuit designs and performance, and more particularly to determining intra-die variation of an integrated circuit. Across chip variation (hereinafter "ACV") describes how two or more transistors or identical circuits behave on a given die or microchip (hereinafter "chip"). A die is a small block of semiconducting material on which a circuit is fabricated. ACV in a chip may present in one of two forms, systematic or random. Systematic ACV refers to the portion of ACV that is correlated to variations in specific electrical and/or physical parameters such as transistor threshold voltage or gate oxide thickness and is typically spatially correlated across the chip. Random ACV refers to the portion of ACV that is statistically independent of any known electrical of physical parameter and is typically not spatially correlated across the chip.
Chip manufacturing typically requires the use of semiconductor materials, dopants, metals, and insulators. Chips are fabricated in a layer process which includes imaging, deposition, and etching, all of which are typically supplemented by doping and cleaning. Mono-crystal silicon wafers are commonly used as the substrate. A wafer typically undergoes testing before being sent to die preparation, wherein all individual ICs present on the wafer are tested for functional defects and power-performance. One of the phenomena analyzed during testing is ACV, wherein an IC fails testing if its electrical characteristics are below or above a certain threshold. In addition to systematic ACV, an IC's electrical characteristics are also affected by a local region of influence effect, which describes the influence of the surrounding electrical structures on a particular circuit within the IC.

Determining intra-die variation of an integrated circuit


Techniques for self assembly of macro-scale objects, optionally defining electrical circuitry, are described, as well as articles formed by self assembly. Components can be joined, during self-assembly by minimization of free energy, capillary attraction, or a combination.

Self-assembly is a term used to define the spontaneous association of entities into structural aggregates. The best-known and most well-researched area of self-assembly involves molecular self-assembly, that is, the spontaneous association of molecules, a successful strategy for the generation of large, structured molecular aggregates. Self-assembly of molecules in solution is described by Whitesides, et al., in "Noncovalent Synthesis: Using Physical-Organic Chemistry to Make Aggregates", Accts. Chem. Res., 28, 37-44 (1995). See also Philp, et al., Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. Engl., 35, 1155-1196 (1996) for molecular self-assembly. Nature includes examples of molecular self-assembly where, in the field of biology, many processes involve interfacial interactions and shape selectivity to form complex, three-dimensional structures.
Self-assembly of molecules can be made to occur spontaneously at a liquid/solid interface to form a self-assembled monolayer of the molecules when the molecules have a shape that facilitates ordered stacking in the plane of the interface and each includes a chemical functionality that adheres to the surface or in another way promotes arrangement of the molecules with the functionality positioned adjacent the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,131 and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/659,537, 08/616,929, 08/676,951, and 08/677,309, and International Patent Publication No. WO 96/29629, all commonly-owned, describe a variety of techniques for arranging patterns of self-assembled monolayers at surfaces for a variety of purposes. See also Whitesides, G. M., "Self-Assembling Materials", Scientific American, 273, 146-149 (1995) for a discussion of self-assembly.
Self-assembly of components larger than molecules is known, for example, self-assembly of bubbles at an air-liquid interface, small spheres self-assembled on surfaces, self-assembly of microspheres via biochemical attraction between the microspheres, and the like. Yamaki, et al., in "Size Dependent Separation of Colloidal Particles in Two-Dimensional Convective Self-Assembly" Langmuir, 11, 2975-2978 (1995), report "convective self-assembly" of colloidal particles ranging in size from 12 nm to 144 nm in diameter in a wetting liquid film on a mercury surface. Size-dependent two-dimensional convective assembly occurred, with larger particles being positioned in the center of the aggregate and smaller particles at the periphery. Cralchevski, et al., in "Capillary Forces Between Colloidal Particles" Langmuir, 10, 23-36 (1994), describe capillary interactions occurring between particles protruding from a liquid film due to the capillary rise of liquid along the surface of each particle. A theoretical treatment of capillary forces active spheres is presented. Simpson, et al., in "Bubble Raft Model for an Amorphous Alloy", Nature, 237-322 (Jun. 9, 1972), describe preparation of a two-dimensional amorphous array of bubbles of two different sizes as a model of an amorphous metal alloy. The bubbles were held together by a general capillary attraction representative of the binding force of free electrons in the metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,291 (Smith) describes assembly of solid microstructures in an ordered manner onto a substrate through fluid transfer. The microstructures are shaped blocks that, when transferred in a fluid slurry poured onto the top surface of a substrate having recessed regions that match the shapes of the blocks, insert into the recessed regions via gravity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,577 (Cohn) describes a method of assembling discrete microelectronic or micro-mechanical devices by positioning the devices on a template, vibrating the template, and causing the devices to move into apertures. The shape of each aperture determines the number, orientation, and type of device that it traps.
While self-assembly at the molecular level is relatively well-developed, self-assembly at larger scales is not so well-developed. Many systems in science and technology require the assembly of components that are larger than molecules into assemblies, for example, microelectronic and microelectrochemical systems, sensors, and microanalytical and microsynthetic devices. Photolithography has been the principal technique used to make microstructures. Although enormously powerful, photolithography cannot easily be used to form non-planar and three-dimensional structures, it generates structures that are metastable, and it can be used only with a limited set of materials.
The fabrication of electronic devices is well established. Microelectronic devices are typically fabricated via photolithography, which is inherently a two-dimensional process. The three-dimensional interconnections required in state of the art microelectronics devices typically are fabricated by the superposition of stacked, parallel planes, and by their connection using perpendicular vias. While these arrangements have been very successful, they require numerous design considerations ranging from minimization of RC delays due to long interconnects, to dissipation of heat using cooling channels designed into three-dimensional structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,253 (Sliwa) suggests integration of segmented circuitry devices into two-dimensional arrangements using capillary forces at the surface of a floatation liquid.
Commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/816,662, filed Mar. 13, 1997 by Bowden, et al., entitled "Self-Assembly of Macro Scale Articles", as well as the following literature references: Bowden, et al. "Self-assembly of mesoscale objects into ordered two-dimensional arrays", Science (Washington, D.C.) (1997), 276(5310), 233-235; Terfort, et al., "Three-dimensional self-assembly of millimeter-scale components", Nature (London) (1997), 386(6621), 162-164; Bowden, et al., "Mesoscale Self-Assembly: Capillary Bonds and Negative Menisci", J. Phys. Chem. B (2000), 104(12), 2714-2724; Bowden, et al., "Molecule-Mimetic Chemistry and Mesoscale Self-Assembly", Acc. Chem. Res. (2001), 34(3), 231-238; Bowden, et al., "Self-Assembly of Microscale Objects at a Liquid/Liquid Interface through Lateral Capillary Forces", Langmuir (2001), 17(5), 1757-1765, describe self-assembly of some electrical components, and self-assembly of some three-dimensional objects.
While the above and other arrangements are, in some cases, very promising, it would be desirable to introduce flexibility and variety into the possible techniques for fabricating three-dimensional circuitry.

President and Fellows of Harvard College


In an aqueous reaction medium, phenol is brominated with bromine under conditions forming an aqueous hydrobromic acid phase and an organic phase consisting essentially of molten 2,4,6-tribromophenol. The aqueous hydrobromic acid phase and the molten 2,4,6-tribromophenol are separated from each other, and optionally the molten 2,4,6-tribromophenol is washed with an aqueous decolorizing solution. An alkali metal base and water are mixed with the 2,4,6-tribromophenol to form an alkali metal salt of tribromophenol. Then, in a mixture consisting essentially of water and at least one liquid ketone, cyanuric chloride is reacted with at least a portion of the alkali metal 2,4,6-tribromophenolate of such that tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-1,3,5-triazine is produced.

The compound, tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-1,3,5-triazine, was reported in French Patent 1,566,675, in 1969. The compound is useful as a flame retardant. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,843,650 and 3,950,306 a process for the production of tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-s-1,3,5-triazine is described. In addition, two recommended processes utilize the reaction of cyanuric chloride and 2,4,6-tribromophenol in the presence of either sodium carbonate and methyl ethyl ketone or aqueous sodium hydroxide and acetone. The product has poor solubility in ketone solvents and is readily removed by filtration. When sodium hydroxide is used as the base, water is formed as a by-product; sodium bicarbonate or carbon dioxide is formed when sodium carbonate is used. While workable, the foregoing processes are not as efficient as desired.