A plurality of different operative candy dispensers which can be interconnected as one device through which candy pieces are dispensed from a first candy dispenser and which are dispensed in order through each of the interconnected candy dispensers. Each of the candy dispensers includes a main housing, a motor, gear train, power supply, control switch, candy reservoir, exit spout from said housing and a mechanism for moving and dispensing the candy from the exit spout of the housing. Each of the separate candy dispensers are equipped with an auxiliary electrical plug or connection by which each of the candy dispensers can be connected to a master switch which when closed will bypass the control switch of each separate candy dispenser to operate all of the interconnected dispensers together.

This invention relates to candy dispensing machines and more particularly to a plurality of interconnected candy machines which dispense pieces of candy from a first candy machine to successive candy machines.
Heretofore separate candy machines have been used to dispense pieces of candy from a container by some mechanism. This invention is directed to a plurality of candy dispensing machines by which a piece of candy can be dispensed from a container of a first machine, then into a second machine, and from the second machine into a third machine and so forth for as many machines as one desires to connect to each other for dispensing a piece of candy.
It is an object of the invention to provide a candy dispensing system which will amuse a person by feeding a piece of candy from a first machine into a second machine and from the second machine to a third machine and on into and from a number of interconnected dispensing machines connected together. The machines are each electrically operated and include a motor driven mechanism by which a piece of candy fed from one machine is fed through an adjacent interconnected machine until the piece of candy reaches the last machine from which it is finally dispensed to the user.
The candy dispensing machines can be interconnected electrically so that a single master switch will operate all machines or the machines can be electrically connected so that separate individual machines can be operated independent of each other. For dispensing candy from a first machine and then through each machine in succession, the master switch could be used. The candy machines can be easily disconnected from each other so that a single machine or a lesser number of machines can be used for dispensing candy from one or more of the machines.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art when considered in conjunction with the drawings and following description.

Plurality of interconnected candy machines


A slat replacement machine having an elongated rectangular frame supported at each end by a tracked drive unit which provides zero turn capability to the machine. A pair of outrigger assemblies is provided at the forward end of the frame and a pair of outrigger assemblies is provided at the rearward side of the frame. The outrigger assemblies may be pivotally moved from a stowed position adjacent the frame to an outwardly extending position. A telescopic boom is pivotally mounted on the upper end of a rotatable pedestal which extends upwardly from the center of the frame. Various components of the machine such as hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors are radio controlled.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a slat replacement machine and more particularly to a self-propelled machine which has zero turn capability and which may be used to replace concrete slats in a livestock building such as a hog confinement building or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Livestock buildings such as hog confinement buildings normally include a slatted floor suspended above a waste pit. The slatted floor is commonly comprised of a plurality of pre-cast concrete slats which are usually ten feet long and four feet wide and may weight as much as 2200 pounds. The slats have elongated spaced-apart openings or slits formed therein which permit animal waste and flush water to pass therethrough into the waste pit. The installation of the concrete slats in a new building is relatively uncomplicated due to the fact that the floor is normally installed prior to the completion of the side walls and roof of the building. Over a period of time, the concrete slats may deteriorate and may collapse causing injury or death to the animals within the building. Thus, it is frequently necessary to replace the worn slats but the replacement of the slats is complicated by the fact that the building may have narrow doors which makes it difficult to utilize large equipment to lift the worn slats from their supporting surface and remove the same from the building. Frequently, it is necessary to remove a portion of the roof of the building or a wall of the building to enable large equipment to replace the slats. The worn condition of the slats also makes it difficult to support heavy equipment thereon which is used to replace the slats.
At least one slat replacement machine has been provided for the slat replacement process but that machine is believed to be extremely expensive, inconvenient to use and requires that an operator physically be present on the machine to operate the same. It is also believed that the prior art machine does not have the necessary versatility and maneuverability that is required in the slat replacement process.


A remotely controlled robot comprises a unit storing the layout plan of a building, a unit receiving a position remotely designated in the layout plan from a remote location and a unit controlling the travel of the robot to the designated position. A self-position identification method is implemented by a robot with a camera whose shooting direction can be changed. The robot takes in advance a panoramic picture of a room where the robot may travel, generates a reference picture by extracting a plurality of block pictures from the panoramic picture and identifies a room where the robot is located, by applying correlation and DP matching, using both a picture taken in the room where the robot is located and the reference picture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for controlling and using a robot. In particular, it relates to a technology for controlling and using a robot, where a robot can be remotely controlled, for example, through the Internet when it is located in a building. It also relates to a robot self-position identification method for recognizing the exact current position and direction of a robot.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an Internet camera has been used to remotely monitor a person's home while he/she is away. However, this Internet camera is fixed in a specific location, and in order to monitor each room of a building, such a camera must be installed in each room. Furthermore, the connection between a plurality of cameras and a host computer becomes complex and the cost increases, which is a problem.
In order to remotely control electrical appliances in a person's home while he/she is away, digital home appliances that can be connected to LAN have been being developed. However, conventional electrical home appliances that cannot be connected to LAN cannot be remote-controlled, which is another problem.
Furthermore, for example, in order for an autonomous moving robot that can travel in a building to do work as instructed by a user, the own position of the robot must be recognized. Generally, in order for a robot to autonomously travel, a landmark, such as a white line, etc., which is easy for a robot to recognize, is needed.
However, it is impossible to attach a characteristic landmark to an average house. Even if an existing characteristic point can be registered as a landmark, the size of a target on a camera screen varies depending on the position of a robot so the picture cannot easily determine the landmark, which is another problem.
An object of the present invention is to realize a remotely controlled robot whose travel destination in a building can be easily designated from a remote place and through which the state of each room can be monitored from a remote place and through which electrical home appliances located in each room can be remotely operated, at relatively low cost and with a simple configuration, and to provide a robot self-position identification method for a robot exactly fixing its own position and direction, in order to solve the problems described above.

Remote-controlled robot and robot self-position identification method


A multilayer PCB including at least one carrier, wherein the at least one carrier comprises a pseudo three-layer core. Each three-layer core includes a first metal layer, a first dielectric layer, an internal bridge layer, a second dielectric layer, and a second metal layer. The bridge layer includes a plurality of bridge pads. Each carrier includes a plurality of interlayer interconnection units for interconnecting the first and second metal layers. Each interlayer interconnection unit comprises a pair of opposed blind vias and a bridge pad disposed between, and in electrical contact with, the pair of blind vias.

The present invention generally relates to printed circuit boards, and more particularly to multilayer printed circuit boards comprising a three-layer core having a dual blind via interlayer interconnection unit. The present invention also relates to methods for forming a three-layer core of a multilayer printed circuit board.
The present trend in the design and manufacture of printed circuit boards (PCBs) is towards decreased size, smaller hole or via diameter, and higher interconnection density. High interconnection densities require multilayer PCBs having more than one signal layer with numerous interconnections therebetween.
Each signal layer of prior art multilayer PCBs typically consists of a patterned conductive metal layer. Adjacent conductive layers are separated by an insulating material or dielectric layer comprising, for example, a polyimide or a resin which may be reinforced with glass fiber. Interconnections between the various conductive layers are provided by holes or vias that extend through the intervening dielectric layer, wherein the vias or holes are plated, filled, and/or plated over with conductive material. Such vias or holes may be through holes, blind vias, or buried vias. Through holes extend to all conductive layers of a multilayer assembly. In contrast, blind vias and buried vias pass through only part of a PCB—blind vias having one end of the via exposed, and buried vias having neither end of the via exposed. Thus, a blind via connects two or more layers of a PCB and starts on an outer layer, but does not pass completely through the PCB. A buried via connects two or more inner layers of a PCB but no outer layer.
Two-layer cores, which consist of a thin dielectric layer covered with copper foil, form the basic building block of prior art PCBs. Typically, the dielectric layer of a two-layer core is covered with copper foil on both sides. Multilayer PCBs of the prior art may be formed by laminating two or more two-layer cores. After patterning the copper foil of the signal layers, the layers are laminated using heat and pressure. Plated via holes for interlayer connection may be formed by drilling in the z-axis between layers, e.g., by laser drilling, followed by plating the hole. A blind via may be formed by drilling partly through one or more dielectric layers, followed by plating the hole, or by forming a plated through hole and then laminating an additional layer on one side thereof. A buried via may be formed by forming a blind via and laminating an additional layer on the exposed end of the blind via, or by providing a plated through hole and laminating an additional layer on each side of the plated through hole. Such procedures or processes are well known in the art.
As noted above, the standard building block of prior art PCBs is a core consisting of a two-layer dielectric carrier. Stacking a μvia on either side of such a carrier requires a solid target pad for laser ablating down to (or building up from with additive technology) the top of the carrier's buried via. This requires creating either a solid copper through via, or a via that is filled and plated over in the carrier. Creation of such vias becomes problematic as via size and dielectric thickness decrease. In order to form a large enough via in the carrier to drill and fill effectively, the minimum producible drill-to-adjacent-feature spacing cannot be maintained. Likewise, filling a through via on a thin carrier has limited producibility due to limitations of via fill and plating processes related to decreased carrier thickness. Also, restrictions on high aspect ratio of the filled hole effectively limit the thickness of the carrier's dielectric layer. However, in certain situations a thicker dielectric layer might be required, e.g., for impedance purposes, or for overall finished dimensions of the PCB. Furthermore, thin dielectric layers, which may be required to maintain a minimum aspect ratio for μvias formed therein, may lack the necessary dimensional stability for processing, e.g., filling a plated hole, which may result in destruction of the carrier.
In addition, filling a via of the prior art usually requires multiple plating cycles, and consequently may result in unacceptably thick total surface copper for etching fine features on a signal layer. Consequently, a significant portion of the total surface copper may have to be removed by mechanical means during processing according to the prior art.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a copper clad dielectric layer 10 for processing into a conventional two-layer carrier for a PCB, according to the prior art. Copper clad dielectric layer 10 includes a first copper layer 20, a second copper layer 22, and a dielectric layer 24 disposed between first and second copper layers 20, 22. Dielectric layer 24 may comprise a dielectric material, such as a glass fiber reinforced resin, or a polyimide, and the like.
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a conventional carrier 10′ for a PCB in the form of a two-layer core, according to the prior art. Carrier 10′ has two metal layers, namely a first copper layer 20 and a second copper layer 22, as well as a dielectric layer 24 disposed between first and second copper layers 20, 22. Carrier 10′ includes a plated through hole 40 which has been filled and plated over. Plated through hole 40 extends from a first pad 30 within first copper layer 20 to a second pad 32 within second copper layer 22. Plated through hole 40 serves as a conducting interconnection-between first and second copper layers 20, 22. Such plated through holes are well known in the art. Regions of the prior art two-layer core that lack first and second copper layers 20, 22, e.g., due to etching thereof, are represented by reference numeral 26.
FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of a conventional carrier 10″ for a PCB in the form of a two-layer core, also according to the prior art. Carrier 10″ includes a dielectric layer 24 disposed between first and second copper layers 20, 22, essentially as described for FIG. 1B. FIG. 1C shows a blind via 40′ which has been filled and plated over. Blind via 40′ extends from a first pad 30 within first copper layer 20 to a second pad 32 within second copper layer 22. Blind via 40′ serves as a conducting interconnection between different layers of a multilayer PCB, e.g., between first and second copper layers 20, 22. Such blind vias are well known in the art. Regions of prior art carrier 10″ that lack first and second copper layers 20, 22, e.g., due to etching thereof, are represented by reference numeral 26.
As noted hereinabove, conventional two-layer cores of the prior art have a number of drawbacks and disadvantages. As an example, as hole size (e.g., via diameter) diminishes to accommodate higher interconnect densities, dielectric thickness must also decrease in order to maintain a certain minimum aspect ratio for the hole, since holes having aspect ratios below the producible minimum cannot be filled efficiently or reliably. Restrictions on dielectric thickness, in turn, are associated with a number of other disadvantages. However, dielectrics below a certain thickness cannot be processed reliably, leading to destruction of many incipient cores and poor processing efficiency. For example, increased dielectric thickness may be required for impedance purposes. Furthermore, a PCB having a relatively large overall dielectric thickness may offer advantages for providing connections thereto. In addition, increased overall dielectric thickness may allow for production of a PCB having a greater overall finished thickness, for example, to fit within a particular housing of an instrument, device, or appliance.
As can be seen, there is a need for a multilayer PCB having an interlayer interconnection unit, the formation of which requires only a single plating cycle. The use of only a single plating cycle can result in decreased thickness of total surface copper, thereby facilitating formation of fine features without the need for mechanical reduction of the surface copper layer. There is also a need for a dual via interlayer interconnection unit for a multilayer PCB, wherein the interconnection unit allows an overall increased aspect ratio, as compared with prior art plated through holes and vias. There is a further need for a PCB core or subassembly wherein the total thickness of the dielectric, at minimum hole and pad diameter, can be increased when greater dielectric thickness is required, for example, for impedance purposes or for overall finished thickness.

Telescoping blind via in three-layer core


The present invention provides a final drive for a vehicle including a compound gear set comprising an input, an output and first and second epicyclic gear sets, each epicyclic gear set comprising a sun gear, at least one planet gear, a planet carrier and a ring gear. The sun gear of the first epicyclic gear set in the final drive is rotatably coupled with the ring gear of the second epicyclic gear set.

In vehicle applications it is often necessary to provide further gearing between the engine and a vehicle's wheels in addition to the vehicle's main gearbox.
One example of such further gearing can be found on permanent four wheel drive vehicles. Permanent four wheel drive vehicles conventionally have an additional gear selector for selection between high range for normal driving and low range. In low range the vehicle speed is reduced while the engine speed remains much the same and consequently the torque at the wheels is increased for off road driving.
Tracked vehicles may also utilise two ratios, a high ratio for travelling speeds and a low ratio for working speeds. However, conventional primary four speed transmissions do not allow a vehicle to both travel at high speeds (over 70 kph) and to operate at high torque at low speeds (4 kph or less), during applications such as earth moving. To modify such a primary four speed transmission would be expensive.
This invention provides a transmission arrangement that permits both high speed travel and high torque, low speed operation.

Abstract: The final drive finds particular application in tracked vehicles which must be able to operate at both low torque, high speed and high torque, low speed conditions, for example in earth moving applications. Use of one or more final drives in a tracked vehicle gives the ability to operate in these two conditions without the need for potentially complicated and expensive modification of the tracked vehicle's present transmission.


A plasma jet spark plug provides improved ignitability and durability by forming a part of a spark discharge gap outside the electric discharge space which generates plasma. An ignition system for the plasma jet spark plug is also disclosed. The plasma jet spark plug includes a center electrode, an insulator defining an axial bore which partially surrounds the center electrode, a cavity surrounded by an inner circumferential face of the axial bore which extends from an opening portion of a front end of the axial bore of the insulator and wherein a front end face of the center electrode is formed. A ground electrode is bent towards a front end portion of the insulator.

The present invention relates to a plasma jet spark plug for an internal combustion engine which generates plasma to ignite an air-fuel mixture and to an ignition system for the plasma jet spark plug.
Conventionally, when an internal combustion engine such as automobile engine runs at low load (hereinafter referred to as "low load operation"), such as while starting or during idling, accidental firing due to unstable combustion tends to occur. In response, lowering the mixture ratio of air and fuel (hereinafter referred to as "the A/F ratio") is performed to facilitate smooth ignition and prevent stalling. However, such an adjustment causes excessive fuel consumption. Therefore, improvement in the ignition characteristics of a spark plug, which achieves secure ignition and a stable combustion of the air-fuel mixture despite a high A/F ratio has been demanded.
A plasma jet spark plug is known as a spark plug with high ignitability as disclosed in Laid Open Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S56-98570. As used herein, "ignitability" refers to the ability of a spark plug or plasma jet spark plug to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Such a plasma jet spark plug (igniter plug) includes a small electric discharge space and a circumferential face of a spark discharge gap between a center electrode and a ground electrode which is surrounded by an insulating material such as ceramic. High voltage is applied between the center electrode and the ground electrode in order to generate a spark discharge. The dielectric breakdown caused by the spark discharge causes a current flow at relatively low voltage. Further, the spark discharge transits and generates plasma in the spark discharge space to ignite the air-fuel mixture by supplying energy.
Plasma has a high ignitability and provides stable combustion at low load operation. However, plasma tends to cause an increase in temperature of a spark plug due to its high energy, thereby resulting in a significant wearing of the electrode of the spark plug. Japanese Patent Publication No. S56-98570 also discloses that plasma is generated to ignite the air-fuel mixture at low load operation. On the contrary, only the spark discharge is performed at the time of high load operation (hereinafter referred to as "high load operation"), such as at high speed running of an internal combustion engine, to prevent wearing out of the electrode as well as to improve the ignitability.
However, since a plasma jet spark plug according to the above-noted Japanese patent application has a construction in which a spark discharge gap is surrounded by a face made of an insulating material, a spark discharge ignites an air-fuel mixture, which is included in the spark discharge gap, at high load operation where only an ignition by the spark discharge is performed. Thus, poor ignitability and slow combustion may occur because a flame core cannot be formed in a flow of the air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber.
The present invention is accomplished in view of the foregoing problems of the prior art and an object of the present invention is to provide a plasma jet spark plug which can improve the ignitability and durability thereof by forming a part of a spark discharge gap in the outside of the electric discharge space which generates plasma. An ignition system for the plasma jet spark plug is also provided.

Plasma jet spark plug and ignition system for the same


A shed housing is disclosed. The shed housing covers an insulator including at least one shed. The shed housing includes a receiving cavity allowing an upper surface and a lower surface of the shed to be received in the receiving cavity. The shed housing is provided with a mounting hole through which the insulator passes, and an opening corresponding to the mounting hole. The opening communicates the mounting hole with an outer edge of the shed housing. The mounting hole communicates with the receiving cavity. A first connecting portion and a second connecting portion cooperating with the first connecting portion are arranged respectively on both ends of the opening. When the first connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion, the shed housing is closed along a circumferential direction. The shed housing is able to receive the entire piece of shed, and can be assembled on the shed without any additional connecting components, which is convenient and high-efficient and has good effect on preventing pollution flashover and rain flashover.

At present, insulators have been widely used in the electric power industry. Early insulators are usually porcelain insulators. However, with the deterioration of the atmospheric environment, air pollution levels are getting higher and higher. Because of the pollution accumulation, porcelain insulators may have pollution flashover accidents continuously, causing tremendous losses to the power grid and affecting the smooth operation of the power grid seriously. Moreover, due to heavy rain, icing and other issues, the porcelain insulators may also have rain flashover, ice flashover and other accidents continually.
To address the above problem, a conventional solution generally includes a method of spraying RTV/PRTV coating on the surface of the porcelain insulator. However such method is not only costly, but also has a limited service life, so it cannot guarantee a long-term operation fundamentally. In the prior art, a single piece of shed housing made of a composite material is used to cover the upper surface of the porcelain insulator to address the above problem. However, the connection between the single piece of shed housing and the porcelain insulator is poor, an edge of the shed is prone to collapse, and there is little effect on preventing pollution flashover and rain flashover.


The invention provides engineered Vibrio sp. organisms that comprise a genetic modification to either or both of the lpxL and/or lpxM genes. The organisms score substantially lower in an in vitro endotoxin assay versus the unmodified or wild type organism. The organisms preserve substantially the growth rate of the corresponding unmodified organisms. The organisms can also have an exogenous nucleic acid cloned in the organism, or an exogenous nucleic acid encoding a protein, polypeptide, or peptide expressed by the organism, and optionally secreted from the organism.

The gram-negative bacterium E. coli serves as an industrial host for the production of many therapeutic recombinant proteins of pharmaceutical interest (e.g., recombinant human insulin). While E. coli has been used in pharmaceutical production processes since the dawn of biotech in the 1970s, one key disadvantage of this host is its production of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Like most gram-negative bacteria E. coli have an outer membrane containing the potent immunostimulatory molecule lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These LPS molecules (also known as endotoxin) make up a significant portion of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. These molecules are composed of three main parts: a Lipid A moiety (highly conserved among gram-negative species), a core oligosaccharide (mostly conserved), and an O-antigen polysaccharide (variable between organisms).
The immune system of vertebrates (including humans) has evolved to detect these LPS molecules and trigger an immunogenic reaction in response to their presence. Humans are very sensitive to endotoxin, which can trigger a systemic inflammatory response (or immune reaction) that can lead to organ failure, shock, and even death. As a result, biologics produced in E. coli are required to undergo intensive purification and quality control analyses to ensure the removal of these molecules from any injectable biologics. There are various manners of removing endotoxins that contaminate biologics and other products of interest produced in gram-negative organisms such as E. coli. These methods generally involve removing the endotoxin from the product by ultrafiltration, passing it through activated carbon, washing with surfactants, or anion-exchange chromatography. These methods are expensive and time consuming, and add additional time/cost to downstream processing and diminish product yield.
It would therefore be highly desirable to have an organism for the production of biologics and other molecules of interest having a lipopolysaccharide that causes a substantially reduced or eliminated immunological response in mammals, thereby eliminating much of the need for these expensive and time consuming processes to remove lipopolysaccharides and also making products made by the organisms safer for human and animal use.

Recombinant Vibrio natriegens organisms having a modified outer membrane


There is disclosed a laminated organic photosensitive material which provides a copy image having substantially no interference fringe-like unevenness in darkness thereon. The laminated organic photosensitive material comprises an electroconductive support, an undercoat, a charge producing layer and a charge transporting layer in sequence wherein each of the undercoat and the charge producing layer has a thickness of d (nm) which fulfills the relation EQU (2/5).lambda.<d<(3/5).lambda.. wherein .lambda. (nm) is the wavelength of rays of light incident on the laminated organic photosensitive material.

A composite or laminated type organic photosensitive material has been developed and put to practical use in recent years. This type of organic photosensitive material is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 42380/1980 and 34099/1985. It comprises an electroconductive support, a charge producing layer and a charge transporting layer formed on the support. For instance, such a composite photosensitive material has an electroconductive support of aluminum layer deposited on a polyester film, a charge producing layer formed on the aluminum layer, and a charge transporting layer formed on the charge producing layer.
The charge producing layer is formed by, for example, preparing a dispersion of a charge producing substance together with an organic solvent, a binder resin, and if necessary a plasticizer, applying the dispersion onto the support, and drying to a thin film. The charge transporting layer is formed by, for example, dissolving a charge transporting substance in an organic solvent together with a binder resin, and if required a plasticizer, applying the solution onto the charge producing layer, and drying to a thin film.
It is generally accepted that copy images produced with such a laminated photosensitive material as above mentioned by a discharged area developing electrophotographic process often contain image defects such as dark spots or lines thereon. Thus, it is already known that the provision of an undercoat composed of a resin between the electro-conductive support and the charge producing layer to obviate the problem of such image defects.
Accordingly, it is necessary that the undercoat prevents the injection of electric charges into the photosensitive material from the electroconductive support so that the photosensitive material is stably electrified thereby to eliminate the defects on the copy images. It is also necessary that residual potential is not accumulated on the material so that the photosensitive material provides clear images after a long term use. The use of an alcohol soluble polyamide resin has been proposed to form an undercoat to meet those requisites, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-45707 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-168157.
As above set forth, there have been proposed a variety of improvements in the laminated photosensitive material, however, not a few important problems remain unsolved. One of such problems is that a copy image produced by such a laminated photosensitive material contains interference fringe-like unevenness in darkness thereon.

Laminated organic photosensitive material with no interference fringes


Disclosed are three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The method comprises sequentially forming a sacrificial pattern and a source conductive layer on a substrate, forming a mold structure including a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of sacrificial layers on the source conductive layer; forming a plurality of vertical structures penetrating the mold structure, forming a trench penetrating the mold structure, forming a sacrificial spacer on a sidewall of the trench, removing the sacrificial pattern to form a horizontal recess region; removing the sacrificial spacer, and forming a source conductive pattern filling the horizontal recess region.

Inventive concepts relate to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a three-dimensional semiconductor memory device with three-dimensionally arranged memory cells and a method of fabricating the same.
Semiconductor devices have been highly integrated for satisfying high performance and low manufacture costs which are required by customers. Since integration of the semiconductor devices is an important factor in determining product price, high integration is increasingly requested in particular. Integration of typical two-dimensional or planar semiconductor memory devices is primarily determined by the area occupied by a unit memory cell, such that it is greatly influenced by the level of technology for forming fine patterns. However, the extremely expensive processing equipment needed to increase pattern fineness may set a practical limitation on increasing the integration of the two-dimensional or planar semiconductor memory devices. To overcome such limitations, it has been proposed three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices with three-dimensionally arranged memory cells.

Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same


A method of conversing data to a format viewable to a viewer is disclosed. The unformatted data comprising a plurality of unformatted data trunks is outputted without formatting. The formatting of the data portions is carried out at the viewing entity side by means of a plurality of the formatters, each of which is specialized in formatting one of more of the data trunks. The formatters are located by the viewer with the help of the tags identifying each of the data portions and are plug-able in the viewer. No formatting to the data is required for outputting or storing the data.

In voice processing and similar systems, often system data must be formatted and viewed by operators.
When an application presents data to a viewing entity (e.g., a printer), the data typically is outputted in a format that can be understood by the viewing entity. The application may output the formatted data directly to the viewing entity, or store the formatted data in an external storage for later inspection or presentation by the viewing entity. It is expected that, with the help of a viewer (e.g., a printer software), this viewing entity is capable of deciphering the data format as outputted for processing or display. In addition, data conversion is also required for the sharing of data stored among different writing entities.
Data conversion or data formatting, which is typically carried out by the writing entity since it is in possession of the client code of the application, is an expensive operation. In addition, the formatted data also requires more storage than the unformatted data. These costs are further increased in a situation where the same data or portions thereof need to be converted into various formats required by different viewers. For example, when a running program outputs data at various terminals, the same data or some of the data portions are required to be printed or presented at different printers or screens, which may be using different viewers.
Furthermore, when a running program is outputting formatted data, the system performance may be adversely affected by the data formatting process. For example, when a program is running for debugging purpose, events are outputted at various portions of the application by printing out or presenting the formatted data portions at different printers or screens for further analysis. However, the formatting affects the "real time" operation of the system. Hence, a software bug may change behavior due to the printing of the data needed to diagnose the problem.
It has been proposed that the data be formatted by the viewer at the viewing entity, so as to overcome the discussed above problems because the data would be outputted in its unformatted state. However, the viewer cannot by itself understand the objects (data) in the log output by a typical voice processing application. It must use the help of reader servants customized for each type of objects. The disadvantages are in that the viewer would be complex.

Conversion of unformatted data to a viewable format using a plurality of plug-able formatters


Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media configured to determine times embedded in a plurality of signals. A time deviation is detected based on the times embedded in the plurality of signals. In response, signal strengths associated with the plurality of signals are determined. Data is timestamped based on time embedded a signal that has a highest signal strength.

Various data such as sensor data, navigation data, and communication data of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles can have disparate timestamps. For example, point cloud data from a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor associated with a vehicle may be synchronized to a local time source to timestamp the point cloud data and location data received by the vehicle may be timestamped based on time sources associated with navigation satellites from which the location data is generated. In this example, the point cloud data and the location data may have been received by the autonomous vehicle at the same time, however, the respective timestamps embedded in the point cloud data and the location data may indicate that times at which the vehicle received the point cloud and the location data are different. Disparate timestamps may cause data access issues or problems.

Systems and methods for timestamp synchronization

Beijing (ZX) Pony. AI Technology Co., Ltd.


As file systems reach the petabytes scale, users and administrators are increasingly interested in acquiring high-level analytical information for file management and analysis. Two particularly important tasks are the processing of aggregate and top-k queries which, unfortunately, cannot be quickly answered by hierarchical file systems such as ext3 and NTFS. Existing pre-processing based solutions, e.g., file system crawling and index building, consume a significant amount of time and space (for generating and maintaining the indexes) which in many cases cannot be justified by the infrequent usage of such solutions. User interests can often be sufficiently satisfied by approximate (i.e., statistically accurate) answers. A just-in-time sampling-based system can, after consuming a small number of disk accesses, produce extremely accurate answers for a broad class of aggregate and top-k queries over a file system without the requirement of any prior knowledge. The system is efficient, accurate and scalable.

Today a file system with billions of files, millions of directories and petabytes of storage is no longer an exception [32]. As file systems grow, users and administrators are increasingly keen to perform complex queries [40], [50], such as "How many files have been updated since ten days ago?", and "Which are the top five largest files that belong to John?". The first is an example of aggregate queries which provide a high-level summary of all or part of the file system, while the second is top-k queries which locate the k files and/or directories that have the highest score according to a scoring function. Fast processing of aggregate and top-k queries are often needed by applications that require just-in-time analytics over large file systems, such as data management, archiving, etc. The just-in-time requirement is defined by two properties: (1) file-system analytics must be completed with a small access cost—i.e., after accessing only a small percentage of directories/files in the system (in order to ensure efficiency), and (2) the analyzer holds no prior knowledge (e.g., pre-processing results) of the file system being analyzed. For example, in order for a librarian to determine how to build an image archive from an external storage media (e.g., a Blue-ray disc), he/she may have to first estimate the total size of picture files stored on the external media—the librarian needs to complete data analytics quickly, over an alien file system that has never been seen before.
Unfortunately, hierarchical file systems (e.g., ext3 and NTFS) are not well equipped for the task of just-in-time analytics [46]. The deficiency is in general due to the lack of a global view (i.e., high-level statistics) of metadata information (e.g., size, creation, access and modification time). For efficiency concerns, a hierarchical file system is usually designed to limit the update of metadata information to individual files and/or the immediately preceding directories, leading to localized views. For example, while the last modification time of an individual file is easily retrievable, the last modification time of files that belong to user John is difficult to obtain because such metadata information is not available at the global level.
Currently, there are two approaches for generating high-level statistics from a hierarchical file system, and thereby answering aggregate and top-k queries: (1) The first approach is to scan the file system upon the arrival of each query, e.g., the find command in Linux, which is inefficient for large file systems. While storage capacity increases at approximately 60% per year, storage throughput and latency have much slower improvements. Thus the amount of time required to scan an off-the-shelf hard drive or external storage media has increased significantly over time to become infeasible for just-in-time analytics. The above-mentioned image-archiving application is a typical example, as it is usually impossible to completely scan an alien Blue-ray disc efficiently. (2) The second approach is to utilize prebuilt indexes which are regularly updated [3], [7], [27], [35], [39], [43]. Many desktop search products belong to this category, e.g., Google Desktop [24] and Beagle [5].
While this approach is capable of fast query processing once the (slow) index building process is complete, it may not be suitable or applicable to many just-in-time applications. For instance, index building can be unrealistic for many applications that require just-in-time analytics over an alien file system. Even if index can be built up-front, its significant cost may not be justifiable if the index is not frequently used afterwards. Unfortunately, this is common for some large file systems, e.g., storage archives or scratch data for scientific applications scarcely require the global search function offered by the index, and may only need analytical queries to be answered infrequently (e.g., once every few days). In this case, building and updating an index is often an overkill given the high amortized cost.
There are also other limitations of maintaining an index. For example, prior work [49] has shown that even after a file has been completely removed (from both the file system and the index), the (former) existence of this file can still be inferred from the index structure. Thus, a file system owner may choose to avoid building an index for privacy concerns.

Just-in-time analytics on large file systems

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


The present invention relates to a new ectohydroxynucleotidase, namely the NTPDasse8, which allows to regulate platelet aggregation or activation involved in the formation of thrombosis and related diseases. The nucleic acid sequence and the corresponding amino acid sequence and uses thereof are described.

Nucleosides play significant roles in different body systems, including the nervous and the vascular systems. Their specific functions in these systems is determined by the presence of purine and pyrimidine receptors which react with triphosphate nucleosides and their derivatives at the surface of numerous cell types. The presence in the vascular system of both ectoATPase and ectoADPase activities, that cleave tri- and diphosphate nucleosides respectively, has been known for many years. By their location and kinetic properties, these different catalytic activities could influence these systems. Both activities were previously attributed to two distinct enzymes. These activities were characterized and showed that, in bovine aorta, a single enzyme was responsible for the sequential hydrolysis of ATP and ADP.
The enzyme responsible for that sequential cleavage of the γ and β phosphate residues of polyphosphorylated nucleosides are commonly called nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDase) or apyrases (EC 18.104.22.168). These enzymes are generally activated in the presence of divalent cations Ca+2 or Mg+2, while sodium azide inhibits their activity azide is an inhibitor of NTPDase1 and a few other NTPDase but not all of them. The catalytic site of these enzymes is generally exposed to extracytoplasmic spaces (ectoenzymes).
In plants, NTPDase enzymes are found in the cytoplasm, in soluble or membrane-associated forms, and are generally more active in acidic conditions. Although their precise function remains unknown, some evidences suggest their implication in the biosynthesis of carbohydrates. At the opposite, the activity of NTPDases is higher at neutral or alkaline pH in invertebrates species, where they principally shown to act as antihemostatic agents in saliva and in salivary glands of hematophagous insects.
In vertebrates, a limited number of studies have already defined a diversity of NTPDases. The first mammalian NTPDase has been isolated from pancreas and was further identified in other tissues, including bovine aorta. It is recognized in the art that NTPDase may be the object of other nomenclature. For exaple, NTPDase1 may refers to vascular ATPDase or CD39.
Nucleosides and thus, NTPDases, contribute to the vascular system homeostasis. Extracellular nucleosides present in the blood due to, e.g., arterial vascular injury can influence cardiac function, vasomotor responses, inflammatory processes, thrombosis, and platelet activation. To maintain blood fluidity and flow, the normal vascular endothelium inhibits coagulation and platelet activation and promotes fibrinolysis. Quiescent endothelial cells are considered to directly express natural anticoagulants and thromboregulatory factors, therefore preventing thrombosis, which usually develops as a consequence of overwhelming these antithrombotic mechanisms. This may occur following the heightened production of locally produced mediators, including cytokines, activated complement components and particularly extracellular nucleotides. In the bovine aorta, NTPDase1 was found to be associated with smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells and could inhibit ADP-induced platelet aggregation. It was further showed that concurrent addition of a semi purified fractin of NTPDase and ATP to platelet-rich plasma resulted in an immediate dose-dependent platelet aggregation caused by the accumulation of ADP, followed by a slow desaggregation attributable to its hydrolysis into AMP. In the absence of NTPDase, ATP does not induce any aggregation while ADP initiates an aggregation which extent is limited by the ADPase activity of the enzyme.
Mechanism of nucleosides actions in blood vessels implicates, between others, the binding to and stimulation of purinergic/pyrimidinergic type-2 (P2) receptors. This stimulation P2Y receptors initiates G protein-coupled signaling pathways and results in activation of platelets, endothelial cells (ECs), monocytes/macrophages, and leukocytes and could culminate in vascular thrombosis and inflammation in vivo. ATP and ADP regulation of platelet aggregation appear to occur through the concomitant activation of platelet P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors. Indeed ADP is a major platelet recruiting and activating factor, whereas ATP acts as a weak competitive antagonist of ADP for platelet P2 receptors. This latter protective action of ATP may limit the formation of intravascular platelet aggregation and help localize thrombus formation to areas of vascular damage. NTPDases also attenuate the aggregation elicited collagen and low level of by thrombin but not by the platelet activating factor (PAF), the first two agonist effects being caused by a release of platelet ADP. It has therefore been suggested that NTPDase had a dual role in regulating platelet activation. By converting ATP released from damaged vessel cells into ADP, the enzyme induced platelet aggregation at the sites of vascular injury. By converting ADP released from aggregated platelets and/or from hemolyzed red blood cells to AMP, the NTPDase could inhibit or reverse platelet activation, and consequently limit the growth of platelet thrombus at the site of injury.
Platelets are particles found in whole blood that initiate and provide the structural basis for the haemostatic plug necessary to stop bleeding. Platelets depend on adhesive interactions with extracellular proteins and other cells for proper function. The external platelet plasma membrane surface is covered with a variety of membrane bound glycoproteins, many of which have adhesive functions. Perhaps the most abundant platelet membrane adhesive proteins belong to the integrin superfamily which include the glycoproteins; GP Ib IIIa, GP Ia IIa, GP Ic IIa, GP Ib IX, and the fibronectin and vitronectin receptors. Each integrin receptor is an heterodimer displaying characteristic affinity and specificity toward various extracellular matrix proteins such as; von Willebrand factor (vWF), collagen, entactin, tenascin, fibronectin (Fn), vitronectin (Vn), and laminin, as well as fibrinogen (Fg) and thrombospondin. The most abundant integrin found on normal platelet surfaces is GP IIb et GPIIIa comprising about 50,000 molecules per platelet, representing about 2% of the total platelet protein. GP IIb IIIa is a non-covalent, calcium ion dependent heterodimer complex and restricted in distribution to platelets and other cells of the megakaryocytic lineage. On activated platelets, GP IIb IIIa binds a number of adhesive proteins with varying affinities; fibrinogen, fibronectin, von Willebrand factor, vitronectin and thrombospondin. It is believed the most important interactions mediating platelet aggregation involve GP IIb IIIa binding with the trinodular fibrinogen and, to a lesser extent, with the filamentous von Willebrand factor.
Platelets are key components of all blood clots propagating within the arterial circulation and thus are an obvious therapeutic target in attempts to inhibit coronary artery thrombosis. Despite currently available therapies, a significant number of ischemic events, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, occur each year. These events are generally the result of blood clots blocking the arteries supplying oxygen to heart or brain tissue. Therefore, there exists a need for therapeutics that effectively regulate platelet activation for the purpose of controlling platelet aggregation.
Angiogenesis is also a highly complex multistep phenomenon that incorporates both formation of new capillaries and expansion or extension of existing blood vessels. An associated increased permeability to plasma solutes results in the deposition of a provisional matrix in which fibrin is a major component. New vessel growth may be modulated by monocyte/macrophages that secrete angiogenic factors and metalloproteases that facilitate endothelial cell migration. Supporting cells are also essential for new vessel growth and angiogenesis, for example, smooth muscle cells in vascular maturation and arteriogenesis and pericytes in the protection of newly developing endothelial cell-lined tubes from rupture and regression.
In this context, UTP has been shown to be mitogenic and chemotactic for endothelial cells in vitro. Interestingly, binding of angiostatin, a proteolytic fragment of plasminogen and potent antagonist of angiogenesis, to ATP synthase expressed on endothelial cells, has been shown to mediate antiangiogenic effects.
To decipher the mechanisms of such interactions, the role of nucleotides in angiogenesis cd39-null (or Entpd1)mouse model, in which aberrant regulation of nucleotide P2 receptors has been observed, was investigated. CD39 (also referred to as nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (NTPDase1) was shown to be the major vascular endothelial membrane ectonucleotidases and to hydrolyse nucleoside triphosphates and diphosphates, ultimately to the nucleoside analogues; these products having mitogenic effects on endothelial cells in vitro. Because angiogenesis is critical to the progression of various diseases, for example, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetic retinopathy, there exists a need for compounds capable of preventing or reducing angiogenesis in patients suffering from an angiogenesis-associated condition. NTPDase1/CD39 could now be used to reduce platelet aggregation, thrombogenicity as well as angiogenesis. However, the solubilization of the protein actually lead to a decrease in nucleoside phospohydrolase activity. It would thus be highly desirable to be provided with a stable NTPDase for the treatment of prevention of diseases related to blood clotting or angiogenesis.
While some products related to ectohydroxynucleotides as described before exist in the art, there is still place for new molecules allowing platelet aggregation modulation and/or control in different physiological normal or pathological conditions.

Nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase 8) and uses thereof


A device and a method are disclosed for direct current voltage power supply to a traction system by means of converters from different alternating current or direct current voltages available on a power supply line. The power supply device is supplied with power by means of a first power supply element and a second power supply element connected to the power supply line. In this supply device the first power supply element is connected to the primary winding of the power supply transformer by a first connection element. The second power supply element is connected either to the power supply terminal of the traction system or to the mid-point of the series converters by a second connection element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns traction systems, especially in the railroad art, in general, and applies, more particularly, to a device and a method for direct current power supply to a traction system by means of converters from different alternating current or direct current voltages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,591 concerns a high-availability multicurrent power supply system for railroad locomotives.
The above patent shows that traction systems using asynchronous motors, for example, require a direct current power supply.
The above patent also indicates that railroad vehicles are increasingly designed to travel on networks with different power supply voltages in different areas.
Voltages of 25 kV, 50 Hz, 15 kV, 16 2/3 Hz, 3 kV DC or 1.5 kV DC are found, for example.
Prior art devices for direct current power supply to a traction system by means of converters from different alternating current or direct current voltages use a dedicated converter for each power supply voltage.
In other words, prior art devices for direct current power supply to a traction system by means of converters from different alternating current or direct current voltages use, for example:
a Graetz bridge or a single-phase bridge with forced switching for alternating current power supplies, PA1 a reducer device, for example a chopper, if the DC power supply voltage is higher than the power supply voltage of the traction system, PA1 a booster device if the DC power supply voltage is less than the power supply voltage of the traction system.
One aim of the invention is a device and a method for direct current power supply to a traction system by means of converters from different alternating current or direct current voltages enabling the same converters to be used.

Device and method for direct current power supply to a traction system by means of converters from different alternating current or direct current voltages


The invention concerns user entry of information into a system with an input device. A scheme is provided in which an entire word that a user wants to enter is predicted after the user enters a specific symbol, such as a space character. If the user presses an ambiguous key thereafter, rather than accept the prediction, the selection list is reordered. For example, a user enters the phrase “Lets run to school. Better yet, lets drive to “.””” After the user presses the space, after first entering the second occurrence of the word “to,” the system predicts that the user is going to enter the word “school” based on the context in which the user has entered that word in the past. Should the user enter an ambiguous key after the space, then a word list which contains the word “school” is reordered and other options are made available to the user. The invention can also make predictions on context, such as the person to whom the message is sent, the person writing the message, the day of the week, the time of the week, etc. Other embodiments of the invention contemplate anticipation of user actions, as well as words, such as a user action in connection with menu items, or a user action in connection with form filling.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to user entry of information into a system with an input device.
More particularly, the invention relates to contextual prediction of intended user inputs and actions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years, portable computers have been getting smaller and smaller. The principal size-limiting component in the effort to produce a smaller portable computer has been the keyboard. If standard typewriter-size keys are used, the portable computer must be at least as large as the keyboard. Miniature keyboards have been used on portable computers, but the miniature keyboard keys have been found to be too small to be easily or quickly manipulated by a user. Incorporating a full-size keyboard in a portable computer also hinders true portable use of the computer. Most portable computers cannot be operated without placing the computer on a flat work surface to allow the user to type with both hands. A user cannot easily use a portable computer while standing or moving.
In the latest generation of small portable computers, called Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), companies have attempted to address this problem by incorporating handwriting recognition software in the PDA. A user may directly enter text by writing on a touch-sensitive panel or screen. This handwritten text is then converted by the recognition software into digital data. Unfortunately, in addition to the fact that printing or writing with a pen is in general slower than typing, the accuracy and speed of the handwriting recognition software has to date been less than satisfactory. Also, there are memory constraints. Recognition software often needs more memory than is available on the device. This is especially true with such devices as mobile telephones.
Presently, a tremendous growth in the wireless industry has spawned reliable, convenient, and very popular mobile communications devices available to the average consumer, such as cell phones, two-way pagers, PDAs, etc. These handheld wireless communications and computing devices requiring text input are becoming smaller still. Recent advances in two-way paging, cellular telephones, and other portable wireless technologies have led to a demand for small and portable two-way messaging systems, and especially for systems which can both send and receive electronic mail ("e-mail"). Some wireless communications device manufacturers also desire to provide to consumers devices with which the consumer can operate with the same hand that is holding the device.
Disambiguation Background
Prior development work has considered use of a keyboard that has a reduced number of keys. As suggested by the keypad layout of a touch-tone telephone, many of the reduced keyboards have used a 3-by-4 array of keys. Each key in the array of keys contains multiple characters. There is therefore ambiguity as a user enters a sequence of keys, since each keystroke may indicate one of several letters. Several approaches have been suggested for resolving the ambiguity of the keystroke sequence, referred to as disambiguation.
One suggested approach for unambiguously specifying characters entered on a reduced keyboard requires the user to enter, on average, two or more keystrokes to specify each letter. The keystrokes may be entered either simultaneously (chording) or in sequence (multiple-stroke specification). Neither chording nor multiple-stroke specification has produced a keyboard having adequate simplicity and efficiency of use. Multiple-stroke specification is inefficient, and chording is complicated to learn and use.
Other suggested approaches for determining the correct character sequence that corresponds to an ambiguous keystroke sequence are summarized in the artide "Probabilistic Character Disambiguation for Reduced Keyboards Using Small Text Samples," published in the Journal of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication by John L. Arnott and Muhammad Y. Javad (hereinafter the "Arnott article"). The Arnott article notes that the majority of disambiguation approaches employ known statistics of character sequences in the relevant language to resolve character ambiguity in a given context.
Another suggested approach based on word-level disambiguation is disclosed in a textbook entitled Principles of Computer Speech, authored by I. H. Witten, and published by Academic Press in 1982 (hereinafter the "Witten approach"). Witten discusses a system for reducing ambiguity from text entered using a telephone touch pad. Witten recognizes that for approximately 92% of the words in a 24,500 word dictionary, no ambiguity will arise when comparing the keystroke sequence with the dictionary. When ambiguities do arise, however, Witten notes that they must be resolved interactively by the system presenting the ambiguity to the user and asking the user to make a selection between the number of ambiguous entries. A user must therefore respond to the system's prediction at the end of each word. Such a response slows the efficiency of the system and increases the number of keystrokes required to enter a given segment of text.
H. A. Gutowitz, Touch-Typable Devices Based on Ambiguous Codes and Methods to Design Such Devices, WO 00/35091 (Jun. 15, 2000) discloses that the design of typable devices, and, in particular, touch-type devices embodying ambiguous codes presents numerous ergonomical problems and proposes some solutions for such problems. Gutowitz teaches methods for the selection of ambiguous codes from the classes of strongly-touch-typable ambiguous codes and substantially optimal ambiguous codes for touch-typable devices such as computers, PDA's, and the like, and other information appliances, given design constraints, such as the size, shape and computational capacity of the device, the typical uses of the device, and conventional constraints such as alphabetic ordering or Qwerty ordering.
Eatoni Ergonomics Inc. provides a system called WordWise, (Copyright 2001 Eatoni Ergonomics Inc.), adapted from a regular keyboard, and where a capital letter is typed on a regular keyboard, and an auxiliary key, such as the shift key, is held down while the key with the intended letter is pressed. The key idea behind WordWise is to choose one letter from each of the groups of letters on each of the keys on the telephone keypad. Such chosen letters are typed by holding down an auxiliary key while pressing the key with the intended letter. WordWise does not use a vocabulary database/dictionary to search for words to resolve ambiguous, unambiguous, or a combination thereof entries.
Zi Corporation advertises a next word prediction, eZiText(R) (2002 Zi Corporation), but to our knowledge does not anywhere suggest the presentation of multiple predictions, or the reorder of selection lists to give precedence to words matching context.
Other next word production systems that are known include iTAP, which is offered by Motorola's Lexicus division (http://www.motorola.com/lexicus/), and the adaptive recognition technology offered by AIRTX (http://www.airtx.com/).
Disambiguating an ambiguous keystroke sequence continues to be a challenging problem. For example, known approaches to disambiguation focus primarily upon completion of a partially entered sequence, and not upon predicting an as yet unentered sequence. Further, the user context is not typically taken into account when disambiguating an entered sequence, nor does the disambiguation of an entered sequence result in the taking of an action on behalf of a user, but rather merely focuses on the completion and display to a user of an intended sequence.
It would be advantageous to provide an approach to processing user inputs that results in predicting an as yet unentered sequence. Further, it would be advantageous to provide an approach in which the user context is taken into account when disambiguating an entered sequence. Additionally, it would be advantageous to provide an approach in which the disambiguation of an entered sequence results in the taking of an action on behalf of a user.

Contextual prediction of user words and user actions


Semiconductor substrates suitable for making thin vertical current conducting devices are made by providing a relatively thick semiconducting substrate with at least one conductivity type having a thickness of from about 100 μm to 700 μm. At least one active device region is optionally first formed on a first side. Then the semiconducting substrate is thinned in at least one selected region on the other side below at least partially where the active device will be on the first side so as to have the selected region thinned to a thickness ranging from about 10 μm to 400 μm to form at least one deep trench. The depth of the thinning of the semiconducting substrate is controlled when the substrate has more than one conductivity type layers or more than one conductivity type layer concentrations so that either (a) some of the first thinned conductivity type layer or some of the first thinned conductivity type layer concentration remains or (b) the thinning proceeds all the way through the first conductivity type layer or all the way through the first conductivity type layer concentration. A conductivity type dopant can be optionally formed in the semiconductor substrate in the thinned selected region on the second side. Finally, a current electrode is formed on the second side in contact with said thinned selected region or said conductivity type dopant in said thinned selected region. In the event the at least one active device region was not initially formed in the first step, then it can be formed at the end.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of thinned semiconductor wafers which are made from thick (100 μm to 700 μm) wafers that are thinned from the backside (or potentially front side) only in selected regions.
2. Description of the Previously Published Art
There are several companies that are attempting to make Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) that have a semiconductor wafer thickness between 100 μm and 200 μm. The main problems in making these devices in a manufacturing environment are wafer warpage, wafer breakage, and difficulty of using automated equipment.
There are devices where it would be desirable to have power devices with a total thickness of 25 μm. These power devices include fast recovery 200V PN junction rectifiers and MOSFETs. However, semiconductor wafers that are thinned to 25 μm would be extremely difficult to manufacture.
A new technology of Deep Reactive Ion Etch has been recently developed. Semiconductor processing tools utilizing this technology can achieve etching rates of 10 μm per minute with trench aspect ratio approaching 100:1. Thus, deep, relatively narrow (5 μm–20 μm wide) trenches can be etched entirely through the thickness of a semiconductor wager. This technology has been used for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) such as microsensors and microactuators microactuators. However, for the application to power devices as described in this disclosure, only a partial etch through the thickness of the wafer is used.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is an object of this invention to provide a process for producing vertical conducting power devices where the semiconductor wafers have been thinned to semiconductor thickness ranging from 10 μm thick to 200 μm.
It is a further object of this invention to provide vertical conducting power devices having significantly reduced substrate resistance which provides improved forward voltage.
It is a further object of this invention to provide vertical conducting power devices having significantly reduced thermal impedance of the substrate so as to obtain acceptable operating temperatures for high power devices.
It is a further object of this invention to provide vertical conducting power devices having reduced fabrication cost through the use of low doping concentration float zone wafers in one embodiment rather using the expensive growth of thick epitaxial layers on heavily-doped substrates.
It is a further object of this invention to provide vertical conducting power devices having low doping concentration float zone wafers so that P and N doping regions can be defined at the backside of the wafer to implement specialized structures such as anode shorts, cathode shorts, and defined emitter area.
It is a further object of this invention to provide vertical conducting power devices having low doping concentration float zone wafers so that localized lifetime killing near the backside interface of the device can also be obtained using high energy proton and He implants in thinned semiconductor devices.
It is a further object of this invention to provide vertical conducting power devices having reduced wafer warpage and wafer breakage in the manufacturing environment and a compatibility with automated handling.
These and further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

Vertical conducting power semiconductor devices implemented by deep etch

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


Aqueous compositions as well as processes and devices are disclosed for spray application on an air scenting device to provide long lasting freshening or scenting of air flowing through the device with minimal blockage of air flow through the device. The compositions contain a polymeric emulsion, a surfactant and a fragrance material and also may optionally include a rheological agent and/or an anti-microbial agent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to scenting compositions formulated for spray application on air scenting devices and to the devices having such scented compositions applied thereon as well as to processes for application of the scenting compositions to air scenting devices. More particularly, it relates to scented or fragranced compositions for spray application on devices such as air filters, for example, in mechanical forced air heating, ventilating and air conditioning ("HVAC") systems to provide long lasting freshening or scenting of air flowing through the devices with minimal blockage of air permeating therethrough.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of air scenting or freshening devices has long been known for use in releasing fragrances of various types in ambient air. Such devices have been used successfully for purposes of scenting and/or freshening air in confined spaces, particularly to mask odors such as may occur in the form of cooking odors, pet odors, tobacco smoke and the like. Furthermore, such devices have been adapted for use in mechanical HVAC systems wherein air is circulated within an interior space.
The general concept of providing a sustained release mechanism for air freshening the home is the subject of numerous patents and consumer products. Leading commercially available products in this category have common design elements which include 1) a sponge like/cardboard substrate which is mounted to the filter, 2) a fragranced gel/wax mixture which is coated/beaded onto the sponge or cardboard, 3) a plastic/metal mount which fixes the sponge or cardboard to the filter, 4) a foil wrap/packette outer package for insuring that the product will not loose fragrance after manufacturing and prior to purchase by the ultimate consumer.
These prior art air scenting/freshening devices, systems and compositions are described in the following exemplary U.S. Patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,526 describes an air odor control system including an odor control composition positioned in a porous container for dispensing vapors to control odors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,262 describes an air freshening apparatus utilizing an air filter element having a plurality of containers positioned in the air filter for holding an air freshening composition. U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,656 describes an odor conditioning apparatus including a filter element positioned to be dipped into a reservoir containing a liquid which will wick into the filter to be vaporized into the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,226 describes an air freshening device wherein a solid aromatic medium is positioned in a perforated case which, in turn, is placed in a ventilating system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,114 similarly describes placing large solid rods of fragrant scented material in an air circulation system. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,333 describes a deodorizing fitting for an air filter in which a rectangular envelope of perforated cardboard with a deodorizing insert therein is adhered to a corner of the filter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,870 describes an aroma dispensing cartridge placed in front of an air vent and U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,358 describes a system wherein fragrant material is placed on a tape from which the material vaporizes when the tape is run across a tape head by drive means.
It should be noted that many of the above described prior art devices disadvantageously interfere with the normal flow of air through the HVAC system and cause blockage of air flow through air filters to which they are attached of about 10% or more of the total air engaging or impinging on the filter. Further, none of the aforesaid devices can be readily employed in a pre-existing filter systems. Rather, specifically designed frames or casings must be used to hold the fragrant structures.
In recent times a scented air freshening device has been developed which offers improved convenience and reduced air flow restriction when used with a standard air filter of a type found in conventional force air ventilation systems. This device is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,547,636 and 5,698,166. As shown therein, a conventional air filter of the type including a porous mesh supported in a paperboard frame is fitted on its front or outwardly facing surface (i.e., the upstream surface of the filter which, when installed, faces the fan or other source of air flow in an HVAC system) with a portion of a flat porous substrate, such as an air permeable sponge material. The substrate is provided with a solution of fragrant material which may include a polymer and volatile solvent. When installed in an HVAC system, the solvent is allowed to evaporate leaving a dried fragrant polymeric residue on the substrate from which a fragrant scent is slowly released. Conveniently, the substrate may be attached to the front or outward facing surface of the air filter by the use of a simple barbed connector which pierces both the substrate and filter medium and holds the substrate in place. This device has proved to be most advantageous to homeowners who wish to use their HVAC systems to introduce and circulate a desirable fragrance throughout their homes. The device is essentially usable with any conventional furnace air filter and is highly cost effective in manufacture and sale.
Other generally similar air scenting/freshening devices adapted for installation on the front or outward facing surface of a conventional air filter in an HVAC system are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,273 wherein the device comprises an air permeable envelope containing aromatic beads which is positioned on the upstream or air flow facing side of the filter to provide a fragrant scent to the air circulated through the system and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,218 wherein the device comprises a scenting device for attachment to the upstream face of an air filter comprising a sheet formed from a material which is substantially impervious to air having a viscous liquid, such as a gel, containing a fragrance applied thereto and including openings therein through which scented air flows into and through the filter. However, each of these devices suffers from the same problems as noted above relative to the devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,547,636 and 5,698,166.
Although the above-described substrate devices have provided certain improvements over the prior art, they are not without disadvantages. Primarily, in order to use the devices effectively, the substrates must be attached to the upstream front or outward facing surface of a ventilating system air filter. Attachment of these prior art substrates to the upstream surface of the filter has been necessary in order to eliminate the risk that would be presented if the substrate were to be affixed to the downstream surface of the filter. That is, if these substrates were positioned on the downstream surface, the substrate itself or disintegrated portions of the substrate could become dislodged from the downstream surface and could cause damage to the mechanical components of the HVAC system during operation. Also, the dislodged material can be directly disseminated into the environment with the HVAC air flow exiting from the filter on the downstream side thereof over extended periods of time of use.
However, when the substrates of the prior art are attached to the outward facing surface of the air filter to avoid this possible contamination problem, the substrates are naturally exposed to unfiltered particulate matter entrained in the ambient air entering the filter which has a tendency to cause premature blockage or clogging of the substrate and to, thereby, diminish its effectiveness of the device from releasing scented fragrance through the filter over time.
In our co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/994,231, a further improved air freshening system is disclosed employing an air freshening composition comprising a thermoplastic, semi-permeable polymeric gel having a fragrance material incorporated therein. The composition is formulated for application to an air filter such as employed in an HVAC system to provide an air freshening scent to air passing through the filter by dispersing scented, volatile components into the air over a predetermined period of time. These gel composition have been found to be advantageous in overcoming many of the problems encountered with the prior art the substrates which must be attached to the upstream front or outward facing surface of a ventilating system filter. However, it has been recognized that the provision of a suitable spray on scenting composition that would provide long lasting air freshening or scenting to air passing through the filter without causing significant blockage of the filter surface would be extremely beneficial and could provide an even better and more cost efficient solution to the problems presented by the prior art.
In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,672 describes apparatus for automatically introducing a scent into a forced air temperature changing system by pumping a scent containing fluid through tubes positioned adjacent to an air filter and spraying the pumped fluid onto the filter so that air flowing through the filter picks up the scent and brings the scent to the desired area. However, this patent provides no description of the formulation of the scent containing fluid nor does it provide any solution to the air flow blockage problem that would be presented by spraying such compositions onto a filter from the tubes. Still further, this patent does not suggest or teach the formulation of the scent containing fluid so as to provide long lasting freshening or scenting of air flowing through the filter.
Providing long lasting freshening or scenting or air in an HVAC system has been a continuing problem with prior art air freshening or scenting devices arising from the volatile nature of liquid fragrances. Fragrances for scenting air typically are liquid oils. Such fragrant oils are mixtures of many different chemicals. Most of the chemicals mixed into a fragrance oil are liquids, but some components are solid. A solvent is used to dissolve the components together to form a homogenous fragrant liquid oil. The components have relatively high vapor pressures. Thus, the fragrant liquids evaporate readily giving rise to fragrance "flash-off" problems during the manufacture of the devices. Fragrant liquid oils, therefore, are not satisfactory for use in forced air ventilation systems carrying air at significant velocities. The present invention accordingly, addresses the conflicting problems associated with the deodorizing and scenting of air in forced air ventilation systems of entraining an effective amount of scent into the air while achieving sufficient longevity of scenting activity.
Accordingly, there exists a continuing need for a scented air freshening composition which may be used in a HVAC heating, ventilating, and cooling system for deodorizing and freshening air distributed in the system and will cause minimal interference with the circulation of air through the system while providing sufficient scenting of the circulating air for a relatively extended predetermined period of time.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to further improve over the prior art by providing a scented or fragranced composition for spray application on air filters used in air scenting devices and to devices and processes for scenting air circulated in an HVAC system or the like utilizing such spray applied scented or fragranced compositions.
Another object is to provide compositions for spray application on air filters used in a device and process for freshening or scenting air in an HVAC system or the like wherein the sprayed composition provides an air permeable coating layer on the surface of the air filter with the sprayed coating layer containing a volatile component which will evaporate over a relatively extended predetermined period of time to impart a desired fragrance to the surrounding environment.
A further object is to provide a device for freshening or scenting air in an HVAC system wherein a fragrant coating layer is sprayed onto a filter surface to freshen or scent the air and wherein the coating layer will not cause the filter to become blocked by particulate matter contained within ambient circulated air over a relatively extended period of time.
A still further object is to provide a composition for freshening or scenting air which is usable in a standard or conventional ventilating system air filter device and can conveniently be applied by spraying either on the front or outward facing surface of the air filter or, more preferably, on the reverse or inward facing surface of the filter so that only filtered air will impinge thereon.
Yet another object is to provide a device for scenting or freshening air which is convenient for application and which is highly cost-effective and efficient in use.
These and other objects will become apparent hereinafter to those skilled in the art.

Air scenting compositions for spray application on air scenting devices


An implantable incontinence device and method provides for occluding the urethra in preventing urine leakage. The device includes an occluding member connected to a control mechanism. The occluding member is movable from a contracted (occlusive) condition to an expansive (non-occlusive) condition by activating and deactivating the control mechanism. A drug coating is disposed on a portion of the implantable incontinence device. The drug coating elutes a bioaffecting or pharmaceutical composition to minimize capsular tissue formation, so that prevention of urine leakage can be facilitated.

Incontinence devices are known and have included such implanted devices that contract the urethra to prevent urinary leakage or that contract the bowel to prevent fecal leakage. Similarly, the esophagus may be contracted to prevent gastro-esophageal reflux (GER). These devices are commonly referred to as "artificial sphincters" and are installed within the body to aid or replace the body's natural sphincter.
One such type of artificial urinary sphincter is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,704,893 & 6,074,341 both entitled "Vessel Occlusive Apparatus and Method." A device of this type was entered into human clinical trials by Timm Medical Technologies, Inc. However, its proper function was impeded by growth of a constricting tissue capsule around its mechanisms, due to the natural defenses of the human body. The human body ordinarily exhibits a defense mechanism by causing a tissue capsule to form around the synthetic structures of man-made implantable devices in an attempt to wall it off from the rest of the body.
Attempts have been made to minimize tissue capsule growth around medical devices by impregnating them with various drugs intended to interrupt cellular processes causing capsular formation. Several examples have included using the drug Sirolimus (Rapamycin) are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,693 "Surgically Implanted Devices Having Reduced Scar Tissue Formation." Sirolimus is also currently being used in intravascular coronary stents to prevent restenosis of coronary arteries, which typically accompanies coronary angioplasty and coronary artery stenting.
Further, the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone has a long history in the reduction of inflammatory response and subsequent capsular formation around implanted devices. For example, it is used in Medtronic, Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.) Intra Coronary Defibrillation (ICD) leads and Endotak Reliance® Tined Endocardial Defibrillation ICD leads produced by Guidant Corporation (St. Paul, Minn.). The drug is intended to prevent formation of tissue capsules with high electrical impedance around the electrode. Abbott Laboratories, Inc. (Redwood City, Calif.) has entered its BiodivYsio dexamethasone-eluting intracoronary stent into clinical trials and demonstrated its ability to minimize coronary restenosis.
While it appears that such drugs have largely been employed in stenting and coronary implant procedures, advancements may yet be made to employing these principles in other applications, such as in implantable incontinence devices.

Drug elution for implantable incontinence devices


A composition comprising an acid resistant substrate in the form of fibers or particles coated with electrically conductive, doped tin oxide.

The present invention relates to a coated substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to a substrate coated with a tin oxide-containing material, preferably an electrically conductive tin oxide-containing material.
Even though there has been considerable study of alternative electrochemical systems, the lead-acid battery is still the battery of choice for general purposes, such as starting an automotive vehicle, boat or airplane engine, emergency lighting, electric vehicle motive power, energy buffer storage for solar-electric energy, and field hardware, both industrial and military. These batteries may be periodically charged from a generator.
The conventional lead-acid battery is a multi-cell structure. Each cell comprises a set of vertical positive and negative plates formed of lead-acid alloy grids containing layers of electrochemically active pastes. The paste on the positive plate when charged comprises lead dioxide, which is the positive active material, and the negative plate contains a negative active material such as sponge lead. An acid electrolyte, based on sulfuric acid, is interposed between the positive and negative plates.
Lead-acid batteries are inherently heavy due to use of the heavy metal lead in constructing the plates. Modern attempts to produce light-weight lead-acid batteries, especially in the aircraft, electric car and automotive vehicle fields, have placed their emphasis on producing thinner plates from lighter weight materials used in place of and in combination with lead. The thinner plates allow the use of more plates for a given volume, thus increasing the power density.
Higher voltages are provided in a bipolar battery including bipolar plates capable of through-plate conduction to serially connected electrodes or cells. The bipolar plates must be impervious to electrolyte and be electrically conductive to provide a serial connection between electrodes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,275,130; 4,353,969; 4,405,697; 4,539,268; 4,507,372; 4,542,082; and 4,510,219; relate to various aspects of lead-acid batteries. Certain of these patents discuss various aspects of bipolar plates.
Attempts have been made to improve the conductivity and strength of bipolar plates. Such attempts include the use of conductive carbon particles or filaments such as carbon, graphite or metal in a resin binder. However, such carbon-containing materials are oxidized in the aggressive electrochemical environment of the positive plates in the lead-acid cell to acetic acid, which in turn reacts with the lead ion to form lead acetate, which is soluble in sulfuric acid. Thus, the active material is gradually depleted from the paste and ties up the lead as a salt which does not contribute to the production or storage of electricity.
The metals fare no better; most metals are not capable of withstanding the high potential and strong acid environment present at the positive plates of a lead-acid battery. While some metals, such as platinum, are electrochemically stable, their prohibitive cost prevents their use in high volume commercial applications of the lead-acid battery.
In "Preparation of Thick Crystalline Films of Tin Oxide and Porous Glass Partially Filled with Tin Oxide", by R. G. Bartholomew et al, J. Electrochem, Soc. Vol 116, No. 9, p 1205(1969), a method is desribed for producing films of SnO.sub.2 on a 96% silica glass substrate by oxidation of stannous chloride. The plates of glass are pretreated to remove moisture, and the entire coating process appears to have been done under anhydrous conditions. Specific electrical resistivity values for SnO.sub.2 -porous glass were surprisingly high. In addition, doping with SbCl.sub.3 was attempted, but substantially no improvement, i.e., reduction, in electrical resistivity was observed. Apparently, no effective amount of antimony was incorporated. No other dopant materials were disclosed.
In "Physical Properties of Tin Oxide Films Deposited by Oxidation of SnCl.sub.2 ", by N. Srinvasa Murty et al, Thin Solid Filmas, 92(1982) 347-354, a method for depositing SnO.sub.2 films was disclosed which involved contacting a substrate with a combined vapor of SnCl2 and oxygen. Although no dopants were used, dopant elements such as antimony and fluorine were postulated as being useful to reduce the electrical resistivity of the SnO.sub.2 films.


An aluminum alloy member is heated to 470.degree.-550.degree. C., and is quenched to room temperature for hardening. Then the aluminum alloy member is heated to 160.degree.-220.degree. C., and is cooled, which is carried out in a cooling process of a tempering treatment. As the aluminum alloy member is in a softening state in the cooling process, plastic working such as shot peening treatment is performed on the surface of the aluminum alloy member. Thereafter, the temperature of the aluminum alloy member falls to room temperature. In this way, it is possible to generate a great amount of compression residual stress in the aluminum alloy member, without performing a severe plastic working treatment on the surface thereof. Since the present invention requires no severe plastic working treatments on the surface of the aluminum alloy member, this causes no severe surface roughness thereon.

This invention relates to a surface reforming method for reforming the surface of an aluminum alloy member to improve its fatigue strength without causing damage to surface roughness.
In recent years, there is a demand for lightweight automobiles, which requires many aluminum alloy members to be used as the reinforcement member in a lightweight vehicle. Various attempts to improve the fatigue strength (durability) of aluminum alloy members have been made, accordingly. For example, this problem is approached by the improvements of alloy ingredients or heat treatments of the aluminum alloy member.
There is meanwhile a technique known as plastic working wherein compression residual stress is generated on the surface of an aluminum alloy member to improve its fatigue strength. Among a variety of plastic working, shot peening treatment is regarded as one of the effective methods for generating compression residual stress available for the improvements of fatigue strength.
The conventional shot peening treatments of generating compression residual stress on the surface of an aluminum alloy member have been carried out at room temperature. To improve the fatigue strength of the aluminum alloy member by compression residual stress, various studies have been made not only on the quality and particle size of shot members, but also on the conditions of the shot peening treatment such as shot peening pressure.
A hard shot peening treatment may not be applicable to members such as aluminum alloy members having a low strength along with a high brittleness because of the occurrence of rough surface and surface peeling. Due to these disadvantageous effects, it has been difficult to generate a high compression residual stress on the surface of the aluminum alloy member.
An aluminum alloy member, namely JIS-AC4C (Al-Si-Mg) is treated through a shot peening treatment at room temperature in the arc height range of 0.05 mm to 0.4 mm. FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the compression residual stress caused by the shot peening treatment and the resulting surface roughness of the aluminum alloy member (i.e., JIS-AC4C (Al-Si-Mg)).
As shown in FIG. 6, for the shot peening treatment carried out at room temperature, the surface of the aluminum alloy member tends to become rougher with the increase of the compression residual stress, or the arc height. In other words, the generation of high compression residual stresses to obtain a superior fatigue strength inevitably leads to the occurrence of a severe rough surface.
Japanese published Patent Application 1-208415 discloses a technique relating to plastic working such as shot peening treatment. In accordance with this prior technique, the surface of a casting is rapidly molten and then is rapidly resolidified, thereafter the resolidified surface being treated by a shot peening treatment. This prior art, however, has a drawback in the application to aluminum alloy members. Since aluminum alloy members have a good thermal conductivity, it is difficult to equalize the thickness of resolidified layers which are formed in the processes of rapid melting and re-solidification. Additionally, the occurrence of rough surface described above cannot be avoided because the shot peeing treatment of the resolidified layer is carried out after a cooling process.

Surface reforming method of aluminum alloy members