An inductive magnet sensor has two identically wound magnetic antennae connected in series, out of phase, spaced axially from one another, and placed outside and parallel to the axis of a magnetic pipe so that induced noise voltages from the symmetrical noise magnetic flux of the pipe mostly cancel, leaving the responsiveness of the antennae undiminished to sense the non-symmetrical magnetic flux from a permanent magnet or a signal from a transmitter passing through the pipe. The enhanced signal of each of these antennae is then resistively attenuated, one fixed and the other adjustable, to further enhance the cancellation after placement of the sensor outside of the pipe. This balance adjustment improves the signal to noise ratio of the combined signal and the sensor is adjustably resistively attenuated to set the gain to enhance the dynamic range after mounting on the pipe. This balanced and attenuated signal is then assessed to determine whether sufficient induction by the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet or from the transmitter in either antenna or the region in between qualifies as a legitimate sensing event. If so, an appropriate indicator such as an LED is energized to indicate the passage of the magnet or transmitter.

This invention relates generally to pipeline monitoring systems and more particularly concerns a sensor for detecting passage of a xe2x80x9cpigxe2x80x9d through a pipeline.
Operators of pipelines use pigs in a variety of activities including the separation of different liquids or gasses as they are conveyed through the pipeline and cleaning the pipeline of foreign materials. Generally, the pipeline operator uses mechanical or xe2x80x9cdumbxe2x80x9d pigs for such applications. Sensing the passage of xe2x80x9cdumbxe2x80x9d pigs through pipelines is historically accomplished by mechanical means. Intrusive threaded adapters are welded in place with spring-loaded shafts extending into the pipe. The shafts are temporarily deflected by the pig as it moves through the pipe and a spring-loaded lever or flag is released to give a visual indication of the pig""s passage. By locating many of the intrusive pig xe2x80x9csignalersxe2x80x9d along the pipeline, the operator can monitor the progress of a pig through the line by the sequential release of the flags. Occasionally, operators need to ascertain the condition of their pipeline. xe2x80x9cDumbxe2x80x9d pigs are not useful in these applications so active xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pigs with sensors and recording means are used. xe2x80x9cSmartxe2x80x9d pigs have a circumferential array of sensors which spring radially to snug them against the inside of the pipe to measure the pipe wall thickness about every eighth of an inch as the pig moves through the pipe.
Intrusive adapters are fraught with problems. For one, an annular high-pressure rotary or sliding shaft seal is necessary to prevent product inside the pipe from escaping as the shaft moves in either direction. Moreover, while many products carried by the pipeline are not corrosive to steel, they do make the annular high-pressure rotary or sliding seal of an intrusive signaler very difficult to achieve. Another problem is that, in preparation for the next pig passage, the operator expends considerable field time manually compressing the flag springs and ensuring that their detents are properly positioned to hold the springs compressed. To reduce the field time required to monitor the system, a multi-contact electrical switch could be actuated by the flag to power a local elevated incandescent signal lamp and/or possibly a remote readout panel. Even so, before the next pig passage, the operator would still have to return to each site to compress the flag spring, check the signal lamp and record any failures or malfunctions in his log. A further problem with intrusive adapter systems is that pipeline terrain is often mountainous, arid or subsea with exposure to ice heaves, mud slides, earthquakes, hurricanes, lightening, forest fires and other hazards that could damage signalers previously logged as fully functional. Another serious problem is that gaseous products separated by xe2x80x9cdumbxe2x80x9d pigs are a hazard to the spring-loaded shaft because the pigs often become temporarily stuck on welds in the pipe or at low spots along the line. Pressure slowly builds behind the stuck pig and eventually when it becomes unstuck the pig is, for a distance of several hundred yards, accelerated to speeds much faster than the average speed of the product. The shafts of the signalers are, therefore, sometimes sheared off as the high speed pig encounters them. Whatever the cause, if any of the welded threaded adapters are defective, maintenance or replacement involves great expense. The pipe must be exposed so that the defect can be viewed. Chippers remove the protective corrosion coating, grinders gently remove some of the smaller defects, cutting torches remove some of the larger defects and welders reweld the original threaded adapter to the pipe. If the original threaded adapter is not reusable, it is removed from the pipe with a cutting torch and its replacement is welded to the pipe. After approval of the work by a quality control group, the pipe must be sandblasted and coated with anti-corrosive material.
The use of xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pigs introduces additional problems. For example, xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pigs are very rigid and can only tolerate roughly a 20% reduction in pipe diameter. Consequently, all of the intrusive components must often be removed from the pipeline to prevent damaging the xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pig and also to prevent the xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pig from damaging the intrusive signaler. In xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pigs which use magnetic sensors, the magnets are so strong that they saturate the magnetizable steel pipe wall so that, as the xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pig moves its magnets beyond the previously saturated steel pipe regions, the regions do not return to zero magnetization but retain roughly 20% of the magnetization. For magnetic sensor xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pig systems, the industry standard signal frequency of 22 Hz adopted about 20 years ago for transmitters is lower than power line frequencies of 50 Hz and 60 Hz and lower than the first subharmonic for line powered cathodic protection systems at 25 Hz and 30 Hz. However, some European electric railroads use 50 Hz/3, or 16.6 Hz with a first subharmonic at 8.3 Hz. Therefore, this frequency results in a significant noise problem which is barely addressed by improved active filters and algorithms. For systems with their antenna close to the pipe, the noise ratio at 22 Hz is well beyond the capabilities of the lower power, battery powered, active filters required by the industry. This signal to noise ratio gets worse as the system operating frequency is lowered towards static or DC because of the electrical railroad frequency at 16.6 Hz/8.3 Hz, the AC components of the cathodic protection systems at 50 Hz/25Hz, the DC components of the same systems and the static residual 20% magnetization after xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d pig runs.
The industry""s standard portable non-noise canceling single antenna for sensing industry standard 22 Hz transmitters and its associated waveforms are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Since the industry standard transmitters generate an AC magnetic flux signal they can be sensed by the industry standard antennas when they are motionless in a magnetic steel pipe. This function can be done with either a clockwise or counterclockwise winding equally well, and the operator is free to inadvertently reverse the phasing of the induced EMF e1 by rotating the entire antenna A1. Consequently, while known sensors are used to indicate the presence of a pig in a pipeline, the direction of motion of the pig in the pipeline is not indicated by the sensor. For clarity, all of the physical components in FIG. 1 are shown in cross sectional views along their centerlines except for the permanent magnet PM and the last half turn of the winding W. The last half turn completes the output circuit and contributes to the induced EMF e1. This permits the magnetic flux lines F1, F2 and F3 to be drawn on the surface of the cross section where they are inside the entity. In the production antenna winding, thousands of turns of fine copper magnet wire are used to provide the needed sensitivity. However, in FIG. 1, the winding W is shown as a uniformly spaced solenoid of magnet wire to permit the details of the core C, winding W, magnetic fluxes F1, F2 and F3 and induced EMF e1 to be graphically presented. To minimize perturbations in the flux paths F2 and F3 threading through the magnetic steel core C of the antenna A1, a winding W and a core C of equal length L1 are used. This fully distributed winding W further makes the axes of symmetry Z1 and zero crossing Z2 of the antenna A1 coincident and perpendicular to the axis of movement X of the permanent magnet PM. If there were no permanent magnet PM and no pipe P, the residual magnetic flux F3 from the magnetic core C of the antenna A1 would close upon itself in a static fashion, thus inducing no EMF. If there were no pipe P and a permanent magnet PM moved uniformly in relation to the antenna A1, when the centerline of the permanent magnet PM crossed the axis of symmetry Z1, for each positive induction in the winding W by each line of dynamic magnetic flux F2 there would exist by reason of symmetry an equal and opposite induction so that the net induction would be zero. Looking at FIG. 2, with no pipe P, the induced EMFs are at their maximum as shown in the no pipe plot PNO. All these EMFs must have symmetrical positive and negative areas separated by five zero crossings O1, O2, O3, O4, and O5 which is characteristic of this non-noise canceling antenna A1. The peak positive and negative inductions for any material in the core C would occur on either side of the axis of zero crossing Z2, even for magnetic material with zero magnetic resistance or an air core. With a pipe P and with a permanent magnet PM uniformly moving in a positive direction Mp and having north N and south S polarity as shown, it may not be apparent that the peak positive or negative inductions would still occur just before or after the centerline of the permanent magnet PM crosses the axis of zero crossing Z2, providing they share the same axis of symmetry Z1. The pipe material and its geometry would only slightly influence the location of the axis of zero crossing Z2 as long as there is a compensating variation on each side of the axis of symmetry Z1. However, the amplitudes of the peak inductions for both positive and negative movement directions would be strongly influenced by the pipe material and its geometry. The above analysis has been experimentally confirmed. The EMF plot PTK results for thick pipe and for a permanent magnet PM moving in the positive direction MP. The EMF plot PTNP results for a thin pipe with the permanent magnet PM moving in the positive direction MP. The dashed EMF plot PTNN results for thin pipe with the same permanent magnet PM moving in the negative direction MN. The axis of zero crossing Z2 for the permanent magnet PM would be the location of peak coupling for a transmitter. This is the industry standard arrangement for magnetic transmission through a magnetic pipe to a magnetic core antenna. This arrangement also introduces problems to the pig monitoring systems. Since there is no noise canceling in this antenna A1, the induced EMF e1 requires the use of active filters to improve the signal to noise ratio before it can be assessed to determine whether it qualifies as a legitimate transmitter event. As earlier discussed, the transmitter and the active filter operate at the industry standard 22 Hz. The typical design spacing S1 between the axis of the antenna X1 and the outer surface POD of the magnetic pipe wall used throughout the industry is about two feet minimum. However, in many applications, the pipe P is buried twenty or more feet below ground level. Making an antenna sensitive enough to operate at a spacing S1 of twenty feet requires thousands of turns of magnet wire. Consequently, when the spacing S1 is reduced to about two feet, the noise induced by the flux F3 in these thousands of turns begins to overload the active filters and the distinction between noise and signal cannot be reliably maintained. Noise is, therefore, often mistaken for a transmitter signal.
Even with proper phasing and no pipe, so that no medium magnetic flux F3 is present to generate any noise and no filter is needed, known sensors still have directionality problems. Assume that a constant medium strength 22 Hz transmitter is so remote that it does not induce any appreciable EMF in the winding W and that its steady movement is towards the axis of zero crossing Z2. The steady movement of the transmitter will steadily increase the magnitude of the induced EMF e1 until the transmitter location of peak coupling is reached at the axis of zero crossing Z2. As the transmitter continues to move away from the axis of zero crossing Z2, the magnitude of the induced EMF e1 now declines through the same magnitudes previously induced as it moved towards the axis of zero crossing. This symmetry in magnitudes of the induced EMF e1 is characteristic of any single antenna scheme. Consequently there is no distinguishing between the two directions for a transmitter.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which is non-intrusive to the monitored pipeline. Another object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which eliminates the need for seals between the sensor and the pipeline wall. A further object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which eliminates the shearing of indicator components of the sensor. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which reduces the likelihood of physical damage to the sensor or the pig. It is also an object of this invention to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which reduces the maintenance requirements for the sensor. Still another object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which eliminates the need for manual resetting of in-field indicators between pig runs. An additional object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which reduces the need for in-field inspection of signaler conditions. Another object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which minimizes the size of the sensed magnet so as to operate in small magnetic pipe. A further object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which effectively cancels noise imposed on the sensor, including railroad frequency and cathodic protection system frequency noise and is non-responsive to cathodic protection system DC component noise and static residual pipeline magnetization noise. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which eliminates the need for active filters to improve noise ratios in the detected signals. It is also an object of this invention to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which reduces the impact of spacing variations between the sensor and the pipeline. Still another object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which is adjustable in the field to account for the specific noise characteristics of the sensor location. A further object of this invention is to provide a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor which can distinguish direction of movement by transmitters and permanent magnets in magnetic steel pipe.
Noise canceling can be achieved by connecting, in series and out of phase, a pair of inductive sensors, identically constructed and symmetrically situated, so that the symmetrical noise magnetic flux from the pipe threading through a portion of the winding of the first sensor will identically thread through a portion of the winding of the second sensor as it returns to the pipe. An inductive magnetic sensor is not responsive to DC noise and, by adding turns to the winding, the system detects small permanent magnets moving slowly through large diameter magnetic pipe with thick walls. Any change in the symmetrical noise magnetic flux from the pipe induces equal and opposite EMFs in the identical portions of the two identical windings. This passive cancellation of these two EMFs creates a virtual noise ground node somewhat like the active virtual ground created at the inverting input terminal of an operational amplifier configured as an inverter. This noise cancellation is not derived from the properties of the materials along the path of the threading magnetic flux but only from the symmetrical disposition of the materials about the axis of symmetry. This noise cancellation is not related to frequency and is fully operative from near static to near RF frequency range. Preferably, magnetic steel cores are used to enhance the EMF induced in the antennae. The magnetic core material minimizes the end effects that occur in any solenoid winding by providing an alternate route of lower magnetic resistance for any magnetic flux passing through it than would air.
Accordingly, a noise canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor is provided for detecting the passage along the centerline of a magnetic steel pipeline of a pig containing a permanent magnet or transmitter. The sensor has a noise-canceling inductive array for sensing the dynamic non-symmetrical signal magnetic flux resulting from passage of the permanent magnet or transmitter. The array has first and second substantially identical magnetic steel cores in end-to-end spaced-apart alignment on a common longitudinal axis and first and second substantially identical inductive coils uniformly wound about the first and second cores, respectively. The coils are wound for symmetry of the sensor about an array axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cores and bisects the space between the cores. The coils may be wound in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions with their lead wires interconnected to establish the out-of-phase noise canceling of the symmetrical noise magnetic flux from the pipe. The cores and coils are secured externally of the pipe with the longitudinal core axis parallel to the pipe centerline. The sensor has a first circuit electrically connected to the coils for detecting at least non-symmetrical portions of a Faraday induced electromotive force across the coils and a second circuit responsive to the detecting circuit to generate electrical signals indicative of the passage and direction of a permanent magnet or transmitter across the array axis.

Passive external noise-canceling dynamic magnetic flux sensor for detecting the presence and direction of movement of a pig in a pipe


A Disaster Recovery (DR) verification process or system verifies readiness to execute a Disaster Recovery (DR) test. Such DR verification is automatically provided on a regular basis, with minimum impact on both a production and recovery environment. However, DR verification is only enabled at a time when no disaster recovery or DR testing of other sites is already under way. Configuration data needed for DR verification is constantly replicated from production to recovery, by dedicated data movers. DR verification allocates and configures recovery resources in an encapsulated environment, confirms successful their instantiation (such as boot up and network connections), and reports the outcome.

This patent application relates to information technology, and in particular to replication and recovery techniques.
Recovering a set of Information Technology (IT) systems can become a relatively complex task. This is due at least in part to the fact that the underlying infrastructure it not always implemented with disaster recovery in mind. Disaster recovery solutions may not even be implemented at all, even where business criticality would otherwise dictate the necessity of such solutions.
One common disaster recovery approach protects the individual data processing systems. These operate by capturing state information from a protected production system, and then re-creating the system state on a recovery system. In the case of a disaster event, this approach can bring up that recovery system in the desired state.
Disaster recovery operations are, in many installations, a primarily manual operation. For highly virtualized environments and cloud-based applications, some vendors provide available tools that leverage automation procedures. However, those solutions are often tied to particular vendors. In addition, a large portion of enterprise IT is still not virtualized. For such environments, the only option is to manually code recovery procedures for each and every application in each and every data center scenario. This becomes a very labor-intensive, time-consuming and error-prone process.
In other instances, different vendor solutions are chosen depending upon specific implementation needs for certain critical subsystems, such as storage. However, this approach can also require much manual intervention to choose the right replication solution and to ensure it remains operational when configurations change.
As Information Technology (IT) systems have become increasingly critical to the smooth operation of an organization, and arguably the economy as a whole, the importance of ensuring continued operation and rapid recovery of those systems has increased. Preparation for recovery of systems involves a significant investment of time and money, with the aim of ensuring minimal loss in the event of a disruptive event.
Prior to selecting a disaster recovery (DR) strategy, a disaster recovery administrator first refers to their organization's business continuity plan which may indicate expected metrics such as a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) or Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for various IT functions (such as payroll, order processing, accounting, manufacturing, etc.). These metrics are then mapped to the underlying systems and infrastructure that support those functions. The DR planner can determine the most suitable recovery strategy for each system.
In many cases, an organization may elect to use an outsourced disaster recovery service provider to provide a stand-by site and systems, rather than using their own facilities, increasingly via cloud computing.
It is often the case that planning for disaster recovery is thus coordinated between an organization's responsible administrator(s) and the outside service provider. These disaster recovery plans are often expensive to devise. It can become difficult for the personnel on both sides, the customer and the service provider, to keep up with rapidly changing computing environments.
In one approach, a database can store information on available resources such as replication technologies for implementing disaster recovery plans. The database can include information concerning infrastructure and best practices that should be observed when implementing the disaster recovery plan.

Automated disaster recovery test verification


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element, a transparent member separated from the semiconductor element by a designated length and facing the semiconductor element, a sealing member sealing an edge surface of the transparent member and an edge part of the semiconductor element, and a shock-absorbing member provided between the edge surface of the transparent member and the sealing member and easing a stress which the transparent member receives from the sealing member or the semiconductor element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices and manufacturing methods of the same, and more specifically, to a semiconductor device packaged or forming a module by sealing a semiconductor element and a manufacturing method of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A solid-state image sensing device, formed by packaging and modularizing a solid-state image sensor with a transparent member such as glass, a wiring board, a wiring connecting the solid-state image sensor and the wiring board, sealing resin, and others, is well-known. Here, the solid-state image sensing device is, for example, an image sensor such as a Charge Couple Device (CCD), or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS).
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a related art solid-state image sensing device.
Referring to FIG. 1, a solid-state image sensing device 10 has a structure where a solid-state image sensor 8 is mounted on a wiring board 4 having a lower surface where plural bumps 2 are formed, via a die bonding member 6. A large number of micro lenses 9 are provided on an upper surface of the solid-state image sensor 8. The solid-state image sensor 8 is electrically connected to the wiring board 4 by a bonding wire 7.
In addition, a transparent member 1 such as glass is mounted above the solid-state image sensor 8 via a space 3. Parts of the solid-state image sensor 8 and the wiring board 4 where the bonding wires 7 are provided, external circumferential parts of the transparent member 1, and side parts of the spacers 3 are sealed by sealing resin 5.
Thus, the solid-state image sensor 8 is sealed by the transparent member 1 and the sealing resin 5. See Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publications No. 62-67863, No 2000-323692, and No. 2002-16194.
However, coefficients of thermal expansion of members forming the solid-state image sensing device 10 shown in FIG. 1 are different from each other. For example, the coefficient of thermal expansion of silicon (Si) used as the solid-state image sensor 8 is 3×10−6/° C., the coefficient of thermal expansion of glass used as the transparent member 1 is 7×10−6/° C., the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sealing resin 5 is 8×10−6/° C., and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the wiring board 4 is 16×10−6/° C.
In addition, for example, the temperature inside of a reflow hearth in a reflow process for mounting a package such as a camera module on the wiring board 4 reaches around 260° C. Heat is applied as a reliability test of the solid-state image sensing device 10. Furthermore, in normal use of the solid-state image sensing device 10, the solid-state image sensing device 10 may be put under atmospheric conditions wherein the temperature in summer may be higher than 80° C.
Accordingly, under the atmospheric conditions wherein such a temperature change is made, the members may expand or contract by heat due to the difference of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the members, so that the transparent member 1 may receive stress from the sealing resin 5 and/or the wiring board 4. As a result of this, an interface of the transparent member 1 and the sealing resin 5, shown by a dotted line in FIG. 1, may peel off, or the transparent member 1 or the solid-state image sensing device 10 may be damaged.
Glass and others used as the transparent member 1 are strong against compression but weak (may be broken) against tension. Therefore, if the transparent member receives tension stress due to the difference of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the sealing resin 5 or the wiring board 4 and the transparent member 1, the transparent member 1 may be broken.
As discussed above, since the coefficient of thermal expansion of the wiring board 4 is greater than the coefficients of thermal expansion of the transparent member 1 and the sealing resin 5, the transparent member 1 and the sealing resin 5 may be pulled (tensioned) due to the thermal expansion of the wiring board 4. As a result of this, the transparent member 4 may be broken.
Because of this, a ceramic board having a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion may be used as the wiring board 4. However, the ceramic board is expensive and use of the ceramic board causes a high price of the solid-state image sensing device 10.
Similarly, in order to prevent the generation of the above-mentioned stress, the wiring board 4 may be formed by the same material as the transparent member 1 such as glass, and the solid-state image sensor 8 may be put between the transparent member 1 such as glass or the wiring board 4 made of glass, so that the members having the same coefficients of thermal expansion may be provided at upper and lower part of the solid-state image sensor 8. However, this structure is not preferable because the wiring board made of glass is also relatively expensive.
In addition, an air part is formed between the transparent member 1 and the solid-state image sensor 8 by the spacers 3 in the solid-state image sensing device 10 shown in FIG. 1. The air part contributes to a light condensing effect by the micro lens 9.
Japan Laid-Open Patent Application Publications No. 2003-197656 and No. 2003-163342 disclose a manufacturing method of the solid-state image sensing device having such an air part. However, in the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, it is necessary to prepare the spacer which fits to the size of the solid-state image sensor, namely a light receiving area. In addition, in the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, in a case where an anti-reflection film (AR coating film) for improving an optical property is provided on the transparent member, it is extremely difficult to form the spacer and a foreign article may become adhered to the transparent member.

Semiconductor device having transparent member


Disclosed is a method, means for and computer program for enhancing range and azimuth resolution in a two-dimensional (2D) image generated by a frequency modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar for providing enhanced situational awareness in autonomous approach and landing guidance (AALG) system by forming and displaying a two-dimensional (2D) model of landing conditions from received range and azimuth real beam radar (RBR) signals by rendering one or more target locations and amplitudes in both range and azimuth, selecting a region of interest from the displayed 2D model to enhance the one or more target locations in the selected region of interest, selectively applying range and azimuth resolution enhancement using a first and second beamforming approach or applying azimuth only resolution enhancement by using just the second beamforming approach to obtain an one or more accurate target location estimations and combining the enhanced one or more target locations to render an enhanced 2D image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to radar systems and, more particularly, to a novel technique for enhancing two-dimensional (2D) resolution for real-beam radar (RBR) employed by autonomous approach and landing guidance (AALG) systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, flight operations for commercial, military, and private pilots in adverse weather, at night or in low visibility conditions at airport facilities with minimal or no ground aids is either not permissible or hampered. Flight operations are not permissible due to lack of a ground-based instrument landing system (ILS). On the other hand, flight operations are hampered by conventional range and azimuth resolution generated by radar sensors and employed in existing autonomous approach and landing guidance (AALG) systems. AALG systems are a combination of raster imaging sensors, head-up displays, flight guidance and procedures embodied in a virtual reality heads up display (HUD) mounted in the aircraft cockpit which provide pilots with enhanced situational awareness in the above described zero ceiling/zero visibility conditions. Accordingly, AALG allows a pilot to maneuver an aircraft related to take off landing, rollout, taxiing and terminal parking in so-called global operations (e.g. all weather and obscured visibility conditions) providing a clear real-time view of the runway and ground.
Existing AALG systems employ millimeter wave radar that offers better range resolution than lower frequency microwave radars, which allows penetration of fog, smoke and other obscurants/obstructions far superior to for example infrared sensors. Millimeter wave (MMW) radars are classified in two broad categories of pulsed and continuous wave (CW) radar as well as more narrowly classified according to the specific variations or modes of operation associated with each type or use. One type of MMW radar is real-beam radar (RBR) (or real aperture radar (RAR)), which generates two-dimensional (2D) images in range and azimuth. However, conventional range and azimuth resolution generated by RBR and employed by AALG systems have several limitations as discussed below.
In conventional RBR, range resolution is achieved by transmitting a wideband radio frequency (RF) signal towards a target area. Then, as known to those skilled in the art, a linear frequency modulation (FM) technique widely used in frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radar is employed. The linear FM technique is employed by FMCW radar where a stable frequency continuous wave radio energy signal is produced and modulated by a modulation signal. Modulation signals such, as triangular signals are predominately used for determining range and velocity. However sine, sawtooth and the like are also possibly used as modulation signals. After the modulation signal gradually varies the energy signal, it then mixes with a signal reflected from potential target(s) in the target area to produce a beat signal. Digital signal processing (DSP) is thereafter utilized for detection operations after the beat signals are passed through an Analog to Digital converter. However, the above-described conventional RBR range resolution techniques have drawbacks. For example, conventional range resolution is limited by the bandwidth of the swept frequency of the FMCW radar as well as the actual processed bandwidth.
On the other hand, conventional RBR achieves azimuth resolution by deploying a narrow beamwidth antenna, which is mechanically scanned within a controlled sector in the azimuth dimension. The advantage of this type-scanning antenna for radar imaging in azimuth is that it does not need complicated azimuth processing as required by synthetic aperture radar (SAR). However, the drawback of RBR is that its azimuth resolution is typically low and limited by the azimuth beamwidth, which is physically determined by the antenna aperture in the azimuth dimension. Hence, in order to improve azimuth resolution in the prior art one skilled in the art must make modifications in the radar front-end hardware to improve the image quality.
Conventional RBR also have several other drawbacks such as lacking clutter suppression and poor temporal processing. In conventional RBR, a windowed Fourier transform (FT) is utilized for range profile generator, which in turn renders a RBR image. Although the windowed FT purports to be a clutter suppression technique it actually lacks clutter suppression ability and thus gives low image quality. Conventional temporal processing also fails to improve the RBR image resolution. Temporal processing averages multiple image frames to reduce some clutter at a level determined by the number of image frames.
Hence, there is a need for a signal processing technique which can enhance both range and azimuth resolution for RBR employed by AALG systems without requiring modification of the radar front-end hardware to improve the image quality. That is it is highly desirable to enhance conventional range and azimuth resolution of RBR while suppressing clutter background so that both visual and automatic feature extraction (e.g., runway edge, road, shadow, etc) and target detection (e.g., vehicle, building, etc) capabilities can be improved for situational awareness (SA) applications such as AALG systems.

Range and azimuth resolution enhancement for real-beam radar


The invention relates to methods for determining sequence information in polynucleotides by combining the recent disparate technologies of mass spectrometry and polynucleotide hybridization, amplification, extension and/or ligation techniques. Broadly, in a first step, the method for determining sequence information in a sample polynucleotide includes hybridizing with a sample nucleotide one or a mixture of oligonucleotide probes having a nucleotide sequence complementary to a portion of the sample polynucleotide, thereby forming a complex. Then, in a second step, the complex is contacted with at least a member selected from the group consisting of nucleosides, dideoxynucleosides, polymerases, nucleases, transcriptases, ligases and restriction enzymes to alter at least a subset of said oligonucleotide probes. In a third step, the method provides for determining the molecular weight of at least the subset of altered probes by mass spectrometry and infering the sequence information of the sample polynucleotide therefrom.

Gene probe assays which depend upon the binding of DNA probes with their complementary base pairs on a target molecule are among the most common assays used by molecular biologists. Such assays require a great deal of time to bind the probe to a target DNA, to remove any excess unhybridized probe and to analyze the hybridized probe.
The time required to perform these assays and the difficulties associated in performing these assays make such assays inefficient in searching for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). An SNP is a change (deletion, insertion or substitution) in any single nucleotide base in the region of the genome of interest. Because SNPs occur so frequently in the human genome (about once in every 500 bases), SNPs are useful markers in studying the human genome.
The detection of SNPs is typically performed using automated DNA sequencers. However such sequencers are generally not well utilized in determining a single base change within a 500 base sequence. As a result an SNP search using a sequencer is slow and expensive.
The recent development of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has permitted small amounts (about 5 femtomoles) of DNA to be analyzed to extreme resolution (one dalton accuracy). The sensitivity and mass resolution of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry fall off with increasing mass, so that the current upper practical limit for analysis of DNA is between about 50 to 100 nucleotide bases. Samples of 500 nucleotide bases have been analyzed with MALDI-TOF but with poor resolution and sensitivity.
The present invention relates to a method for quickly determining polynucleotide sequences, with low labor intensity and a low cost per SNP assay.

Methods for determining sequences information in polynucleotides using mass spectrometry


To generate an improved image signal when estimating motion, a motion vector is first determined with pel accuracy, and a two-step interpolation filtering is subsequently carried out with sub-pel accuracy. The interpolation coefficients are selected with a view to reducing aliasing. More neighboring pixels are used for the interpolation than in usual interpolation methods. One is able to improve the quality of the prediction signal for video images and, consequently, enhance coding efficiency.

European Patent No. 0 558 922 describes a method for improving motion estimation in image sequences, in half-pel accuracy, according to the full-search method. There, in a first process step, the search area, and in a second process step, the match block are filtered with the aid of an additional digital filter which enables a raster shift of the pixel raster by ¼ pel. Using this measure, a distortion of the motion vector field can be ruled out.
In "MPEG-4 Video Verification Model Version 7.0", Bristol, April 1997, MPEG 97/N1642 in ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 29/WG11, an encoder and decoder for object-based coding of video image sequences are specified. In this context, one no longer encodes and transmits rectangular pictures of a fixed size to the receiver, but instead, so-called "VIDEO OBJECTS" (VO) of any shape and size. The image formation of such a VO in the camera image plane at a specific instant is referred to as a VIDEO OBJECTS PLANE (VOP). Consequently, the relation between VO and VOP is equivalent to the relation between image sequence and image in the case of the transmission of rectangular pictures of fixed size.
The motion-compensating prediction in the verification model is carried out with the assistance of so-called "blockwise motion vectors" which, for each block of the size 8×8 or 16×16 pixels of the current image, specifies the position of the block used for the prediction in an already transmitted reference image. In this context, the resolution of the motion vectors is limited to half of a pixel, pixels between the scanning raster (half-pixel position) being generated by a bilinear interpolation filtering from the pixels on the scanning raster (integer pixel position) (FIG. 1). In this case, + indicates the integer-pixel position, and O the half-pixel position. Interpolated values a, b, c, and d in half-pixel position are derived from the following relations:a=A, b=(A+B)//2, c=(A+C)//2,d=(A+B+C+D)//4, // indicating a rounded integer division.

Interpolation filtering method for accurate sub-pixel motion assessment


A denture retaining unit comprises a ball and socket structure, the socket being adapted for incorporation into a denture. The ball is a truncated sphere providing a flat face for magnetic engagement with a flat face of a magnetizable keeper, which keeper is adapted to be secured to a support member extending from the jaw. The unit permits lateral and/or angular movement between the denture in which the socket is embedded and the keeper, while the flat faces of the keeper and the sphere remain fully magnetically engaged. The sphere and the keeper have interengaging portions for limiting lateral movement therebetween and for preventing disengagement of the flat faces of the keeper and the sphere.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,213, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a magnetic denture retaining unit comprising a ball and socket structure and a magnetizable keeper. The socket is adapted for incorporation into a denture. The ball is a permanently magnetized truncated sphere providing a flat base adapted for magnetic engagement with a flat face on the keeper. The keeper is adapted to be secured to a support member extending from the jaw of the wearer, such as a tooth or tooth piece or root, or an implant or shank replacing the tooth. The ball is mounted for oscillatory or swiveling movement within the socket so as to maintain the flat base of the magnetic sphere in full face-to-face contact with the flat face of the magnetizable keeper whenever an unsupported portion of the denture is stressed, either angularly or with a lateral displacing force, without substantial simultaneous stress being applied to the tooth piece or implant.
However, in some cases, the act of mastication or articulation of the jaw is of such magnitude that the denture is displaced laterally from the keeper to such extent that the magnetic grip of the magnet on the keeper is lost and the denture becomes disassociated from the keeper and free to move about in the mouth of the wearer. For use in such cases, it would be desirable to provide some means for preventing excessive lateral displacement of the magnet relative to the keeper so as to maintain the magnet in denture retaining relationship to the keeper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,950 discloses, in FIG. 11, a magnet with a skirt that surrounds the upper portion of the keeper to prevent or limit lateral movement of the denture on the keeper. However, this arrangement requires the keeper to protrude from the keeper support and the patient's gum line, which is a source of irritation when the denture is not in place.

Magnetic device preventing detachment of a dental prosthesis from a support member implanted in the jaw


A glass composition well suited for use in optical amplification consists of an erbium-doped borate glass composition comprising at least 30 mole percent of B2O3, not over 30 mole percent of SiO2, preferably not over 5 mole percent of La2O3, a ratio of B2O3 to (xcexa3X2O+xcexa3YO) that is at least 3.5, preferably 4.5, where X2O represents monovalent metal oxides(s) and YO represents divalent metal oxides, the glass providing a wide useful bandwidth (50 nm and greater) for optical amplification around the 1545 nm region.

The present invention relates to a new family of glasses, which is well suited to use in WDM telecommunication systems employing optical amplification at wavelengths particularly in the third telecom window, i.e. near 1.5 xcexcm. More particularly, the present invention relates to a family of erbium-doped borate glasses.
In optical fibre communications systems there is an increasing need for amplifier materials which provide a flat gain characteristic over wider and wider bandwidths, especially in the third (1525-1560 nm) and fourth (1565-1615) telecom windows. At present, unmodified erbium-doped fibre amplifiers (EDFA) are often used for optical amplification, the base material consisting of a silica glass composition. However, the gain characteristic of EDFA in the 1530 to 1560 nm range is not flat, leading to a need to use equalisation and/or filtering techniques.
In wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems, the requirement for gain flatness over a large bandwidth increases as the number of communications channels to be transported increases. For example, in systems designed for carrying 32 communications channels a current proposal is to use erbium-doped ZBLAN glass (ZrF4xe2x80x94BaF2xe2x80x94LaF3xe2x80x94AlF3xe2x80x94NaF), which has a gain ripple of less than 7% over a region approaching 30 nm in width. Although this performance is good, similar performance can be obtained using conventional silica-based fibres in association with known filtering and/or equalisation techniques (although an increase in pump power is required, which increases costs), or using other hybrid silica-fibre design.
The present invention seeks to provide a glass composition having a particularly flat gain characteristic in the 1.5 xcexcm wavelength region.
The present invention seeks further to provide a glass composition having a flat gain characteristic, in the 1.5 xcexcm wavelength region, over a bandwidth wider than that typically obtainable using silica-based fibres and with filtering techniques, or silica/hybrid active fibres.
Now, the emission spectrum of the erbium ions present in erbium-doped ZBLAN glass compositions is around 20 nm wider than that in silica-based glass compositions. The present inventors have found that erbium emission over an even wider bandwidth occurs in erbium-doped borate glasses, and that these glasses are well suited for applications in optical amplification.
More particularly, the present invention provides a glass composition comprising an erbium-doped borate, wherein at least 30 mole percent of the glass composition is made up of B2O3.
Advantageously, the glass compositions according to the invention comprise 0.01 to 10, or yet more advantageously 0.01 to 2.5, parts by weight of Er2O3 and 0 to 6 parts by weight of Yb2O3 for 100 parts by weight made up, as follows:
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the glass composition includes equal to or less than 30 mole percent of SiO2.
It has been found that glass compositions according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention have a flat gain characteristic over a bandwidth of almost 50 nm. This approaches the performance required for a practical WDM system transporting 64 channels.
The quantum efficiency of the glass compositions according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention can be improved by preparing the composition in a process including the step of full dehydration (in which the glass is melted under dry conditions), or in a glass purification process consisting in the use of ultrapure raw materials.
In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the glass composition includes less than or equal to 5 mol. % of La2O3 and the ratio of B2O3 to (xcexa3X2O+xcexa3YO) is equal to or greater than 3.5 or, more advantageously, equal to or greater than 4.5, where X2O represents any monovalent metal oxides present and YO represents any divalent metal oxides present.
It has been found that glass compositions according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention have a flat gain characteristic over a particularly wide bandwidth, typically around 80 nm.
In the glass compositions according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention, it has been found advantageous for X2O to comprise Li2O, and YO to comprise PbO.
The fluorescence lifetime of glass compositions according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention is improved when the preparation of the glass composition includes the step of dehydration. The improvement of lifetime is particularly noticeable in the case of compositions including heavier cations, such as Pb, Te, Sb, and Bi.
Structural and other properties of the glass compositions can be tailored by selective addition of up to 5 mol. % of a component such as ZrO2, TiO2, Y2O3, Ta2O5, Gd2O3 or La2O3. It is to be noted that this list of components is not exhaustive.
The glass compositions according to the present invention can be used in association with known filtering techniques in order to obtain an even wider useful bandwidth. In the case of glass compositions according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the useful bandwidth can be extended by this means to almost 100 nm, which is a great improvement over the bandwidth of around 32 nm obtainable for silica-based EDFAs.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example. The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:


Coffee of a generic flavor coming from the natural coffee bean is brewed and custom flavored in a method having the steps of (1) brewing the coffee in a brew chamber and passing the coffee through a filter to produce filtered filtrate of the brewed coffee at the downstream side of the filter, and (2) exposing a flavoring agent to the filtered filtrate at said downstream side of the filter to thereby add flavor associated with the flavoring agent to the filtered filtrate. The steps of producing filtered filtrate and adding flavor thereto are substantially separate and sequential as to each increment of filtered filtrate so produced and to which the flavoring agent is so exposed.

"The background of the invention" as set out in Pergola et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,743 is also applicable to the present invention and is incorporated by reference as if fully repeated herein, with the following exception: Such background discussion in Pergola et al. concludes with the statement that there is a need to provide the consumer with coffee of a variety of flavors through the use of a predetermined flavored filter. In light of the present invention, such need is better expressed as a need for a predetermined filtering package wherein both filtering and flavoring functions are performed, rather than expressing it as a need for a predetermined flavored filter as such.
As disclosed in Pergola, a flavoring agent is used to change the flavor which would otherwise be imparted by what may be inexpensive coffee. The flavoring agent thereby provides one of an assortment of flavors such as those listed in Pergola at column 7, such listing being incorporated by reference as if fully repeated herein. The coffee's flavor in the absence of the flavoring agent may be referred to as the generic flavor. This is the flavor of the natural brewed coffee. A changed coffee flavor resulting from the presence of a flavoring agent may be referred to as a custom flavor, and the flavoring agent as a custom flavoring; custom flavor or custom flavoring connotes the addition of one or more natural or manufactured flavoring agents. The concept of custom flavoring of a coffee of generic flavor is also disclosed in Loizzi U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,172.
Additional background context is helpful to a ready understanding of the significance of the present invention: The consensus among coffee testers, evolved over many years, is that the best tasting coffee requires not only properly roasted and ground beans, but also entails proper use of water and other proper procedures. Good water, i.e., not chlorinated and not mineral laden, is of particular importance.
Among the proper procedures are proper brewing temperature (typically 195 to 205 degrees F.) to which the coffee beans are exposed for optimum extraction. Too high a temperature leads to extraction of some of the astringent components of the bean, and too low a temperature leads to under extraction resulting in a bland coffee.
Another procedure affecting coffee quality is the filter, which performs three functions. The first is to act as a container to hold the coffee grounds. The second is to act as a "throttle" to control the flow rate. If the flow rate is too high, the coffee is given too short an exposure or steeping time resulting in bland coffee. If, on the other hand, the porosity is too low so that the flow rate is too low, the steeping time becomes too long, producing over-extraction resulting in a harsh, bitter coffee. The third function of the filter is to produce a filtrate by removing or filtering out particulates and other ingredients from the coffee brew.


A process of weaaving metal conductor wires to form a metal woven shielding conductor layer over the outer surface of an insulated cable. The insulated cable is accompanied with at least one solder or tin wire. When the at least one solder or tin wire is immersed in a molten metal plating solution, it melts down hence generating a spatial margin between the insulated cable and the metal woven shielding conductor layer. This prevents the insulated cable from biting with its outer surface into the metal woven shielding conductor layer when it is thermally expanded in the molten metal plating solution. As the metal woven shielding conductor layer is impregnated deeply with the molten metal, there are hardly any generated gaps and undulation on the surface of the metal plating layer. Accordingly the suppression of reflection and attenuation of a transmission signal will be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coaxial cable producing method and a coaxial cable and particularly, to a method of producing a coaxial cable of which the metal plating layer formed by impregnating a metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal is improved at its inner surface in the smoothness and thus its adhesivity to an insulated cable is increased and to such a coaxial cable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As high frequency coaxial cables enhanced in the electric characteristics including the suppression of reflection and attenuation in a high frequency range, semi-rigid type coaxial cables are known in which an insulated cable produced by coating a center conductor with an insulator layer is coaxially covered at its outer surface with a metal pipe made of, for example, copper or aluminum.
The semi-rigid type coaxial cables using the metal pipe are however high in the production cost and poor in the flexibility, hence making the wiring operation difficult.
Alternatively, modified coaxial cables which are decreased in the production cost and improved in the flexibility although their electric characteristics including the suppression of reflection and attenuation are lower than those of the semi-rigid type coaxial cables using the metal pipe have been proposed comprising an insulated cable produced by coating the outer surface of a center conductor with an insulator layer and covered with a metal woven shielding conductor layer and a metal plating layer produced by passing the insulated cable through a molten metal plating solution to impregnate the metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a process of forming the metal woven shielding layer in a modified coaxial cable producing method using the molten metal plating.
An insulated cable W formed by coating the outer surface of a center conductor (102 in FIG. 11) with an insulator layer (103 in FIG. 11) with the use of a common means at the previous step is released from a supply reel 20, passed on a guide roll 21, and directed into a dice 24.
Also, a group of metal conductor wires 14 are woven with reels 25, on which the metal conductor wires 14 are wound, spinning about the insulated cable W at the entrance of the dice 24 to form a metal woven shielding conductor layer (104 in FIG. 11) over the outer surface of the insulated cable W.
A resultant intermediate cable 111 having the metal woven shielding conductor layer (104 in FIG. 11) covered over the outer surface of the insulated cable W is drawn by the action of a drawing capstan 22 and taken up on a take-up reel 23.
FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the intermediate cable 111.
The metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 of the intermediate cable 111 is closely bonded to the outer surface of the insulated cable W.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a process of forming a metal plating layer in the method of producing a coaxial cable using the molten metal plating.
The intermediate cable 111 is released from a supply reel 51, coated with a flux by a flux coating apparatus 52, guided by a guide roller 53A, and directed into a molten metal plating solution 55 in a molten metal plating tub 54. Then, the cable is guided by a guide roller 53B in the molten metal plating tub 54, moved out from the molten metal plating solution 55, passed through a plating solution squeezing dice 56 disposed above the molten metal plating solution 55 for adjusting to a desired thickness of the plating, cooled down by a cooling apparatus 57 to complete a coaxial cable 101, guided by a guide roller 53C, and taken up on a take-up reel 58.
FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the coaxial cable 101 produced by the coaxial cable producing method using the molten metal plating.
The coaxial cable 101 comprises the insulated cable W formed by coating the center conductor 102 with the insulator layer 103 and the metal plating layer 105 formed on the insulated cable W by impregnating the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 with the molten metal.
FIG. 14 is an exemplary diagram of the attenuation and reflection characteristics of a transmission signal on the coaxial cable 101.
A one-meter length of the coaxial cable 101 was prepared and its reflection and attenuation characteristics at a high frequency range from 0.045 GHz to 18 GHz were measured with a network analyzer.
Peaks of the reflection and the attenuation which may result from the effect of a winding pitch of the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 are shown at about 10 GHz of a transmission frequency.
Also, the standing wave ratio of a reflected voltage at a high frequency range from 0.045 GHz to 18 GHz is 1.4.
In the conventional method of producing a coaxial cable using the molten metal plating, the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 is adhered closely to the outer surface of the insulated cable W during the step of forming the intermediate cable 111 as shown in FIG. 11. When the intermediate cable 111 is immersed in the molten metal plating solution 55, for example, at 260xc2x0 C., the insulator layer 103 made of a resin material is thermally expanded hence biting into the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104. This causes the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 to be hardly impregnated with the molten metal. Accordingly, when the insulator layer 103 is cooled down and returns to its original size, portions of the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 are exposed from the inner surface of the metal plating layer 105 thus generating gaps and undulations of the surface.
If there are generated gaps and undulations of the inner surface of the metal plating layer in which a high frequency current runs, the high frequency characteristic may be declined. More particularly, peaks of the reflection and attenuation which may result from the effect of a winding pitch of the metal woven shielding conductor layer 104 appear about at 10 GHz of the transmission frequency, hardly ensuring the effectiveness within a frequency range including 10 GHz.
In addition, the adhesivity between the insulated cable W and the metal plating layer 105 is poor, causing the metal plating layer 105 to be easily slipped out.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coaxial cable producing method and a coaxial cable of which the metal plating layer formed by impregnating a metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal is improved at its inner surface in the smoothness and its adhesivity to the insulated cable is increased.
As a first aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a coaxial cable is provided comprising the steps of covering with a metal woven shielding conductor layer an insulated cable formed by coating the outer surface of a center conductor with an insulator layer, and passing the cable through a molten metal plating solution to impregnate the metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal to have a metal plating layer, said step of covering with the metal woven shielding conductor layer being arranged in which the insulated cable is accompanied with one or more solder or tin wires while the metal woven shielding conductor layer is being woven.
In the method of producing a coaxial cable as the first aspect, when the intermediate cable having the insulated cable associated with one or more solder or tin wires is immersed in the molten metal plating solution, the solder or tin wires are dissolved into the molten metal plating solution thus generating a spatial margin between the insulated cable and the metal woven shielding conductor layer. This prevents the insulator layer from biting into the metal woven shielding conductor layer when it is thermally expanded. Accordingly, as the metal woven shielding conductor layer is impregnated deeply with the molten metal, there are generated no gaps or undulations on the inner surface of the metal plating layer. Hence, the coaxial cable will be improved in the suppression of reflection and attenuation of a transmission signal. Also, the metal plating layer will hardly be slipped out.
As a second aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a coaxial cable is provided comprising the steps of covering with a metal woven shielding conductor layer an insulated cable formed by coating the outer surface of a center conductor with an insulator layer, and passing the cable through a molten metal plating solution to impregnate the metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal to have a metal plating layer, said step of covering with the metal woven shielding conductor layer being arranged in which one or more spacer wires are provided between the insulated cable and the metal woven shielding conductor layer during the weaving action and removed out when the weaving action is completed.
In the method of producing a coaxial cable as the second aspect, one or more of the spacer wires are removed from the insulated cable when the weaving action has been finished, thus generating a spatial margin between the insulated cable and the metal woven shielding conductor layer in the intermediate cable. This prevents the insulator layer from biting into the metal woven shielding conductor layer when it is thermally expanded as the intermediate cable is immersed in the molten metal plating solution. Accordingly, since the metal woven shielding conductor layer is impregnated deeply with the molten metal, there are generated no gaps or undulations on the inner surface of the metal plating layer. Hence, the coaxial cable will be improved in the suppression of reflection and attenuation of a transmission signal. Also, the metal plating layer will hardly be slipped out.
As a third aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a coaxial cable is provided comprising the steps of covering with a metal woven shielding conductor layer an insulated cable formed by coating the outer surface of a center conductor with an insulator layer, and passing the cable through a molten metal plating solution to impregnate the metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal to have a metal plating layer, said step of covering with the metal woven shielding conductor layer being arranged in which the metal woven shielding conductor layer is woven while the insulated cable is being heated to thermally expand the insulator layer.
In the method of producing a coaxial cable as the third aspect, the metal woven shielding conductor layer is woven while the insulator layer is being thermally expanded. The resultant intermediate cable is thus obtained with the metal woven shielding conductor layer fitted closely to the insulator layer thermally expanded. This prevents the insulator layer from biting into the metal woven shielding conductor layer when it is thermally expanded as the intermediate cable is immersed in the molten metal plating solution. Accordingly, since the metal woven shielding conductor layer is impregnated deeply with the molten metal, there are generated no gaps or undulations on the inner surface of the metal plating layer. Hence, the coaxial cable will be improved in the suppression of reflection and attenuation of a transmission signal. Also, the metal plating layer will hardly be slipped out.
As a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a coaxial cable is provided in that the coaxial cable produced according to the method of producing a coaxial cable as any of the first to third aspects is reduced in the diameter with the use of a dice or a swaging machine to eliminate the space and thus increase the adhesivity between the insulator layer and the metal plating layer.
In the method of producing a coaxial cable as the fourth aspect, the coaxial cable is reduced in the diameter using a dice or a swaging machine, thus eliminating the space and improving the adhesivity between the insulator layer and the metal plating layer. Accordingly, the coaxial cable will be improved in the suppression of reflection and attenuation of a transmission signal. Also, the metal plating layer will hardly be slipped out.
As a fifth aspect of the present invention, a coaxial cable is provided having an insulated cable produced by coating the outer surface of a center conductor with an insulator layer and covered with a metal plating layer formed by impregnating a metal woven shielding conductor layer with a molten metal and particularly characterized in that the metal plating layer is arranged smooth at its inner surface and adhered closely to the outer surface of the insulated cable.
The coaxial cable as the fifth aspect allows the metal plating layer to be smooth at its inner surface and adhered closely to the outer surface of the insulated cable. Accordingly, the coaxial cable will be improved in the suppression of reflection and attenuation of a transmission signal. Also, the metal plating layer will hardly be slipped out.


To provide a technique with which dose indices can be managed for body parts in a range to be imaged on a body part-by-body part basis, an X-ray CT apparatus comprises: image producing unit (51) for producing a scout image (10) of a patient; defining unit (52) for defining a range (11) to be imaged in the scout image (10); segmenting unit (53) for segmenting the range (11) to be imaged into two body parts; identifying unit (54) for identifying which one of body parts (12) included in a human body each of the two body parts corresponds to; and calculating unit (55) for calculating a dose index for each of the two body parts.

X-ray CT apparatuses have been known as apparatuses for non-invasively imaging a patient. The X-ray CT apparatuses are installed in various medical institutions because of its ability to acquire images of a patient in a short period of time.
Once a scan has been performed on a patient by the X-ray CT apparatus and the imaging of the patient has been completed, a dose report including information on the patient's exposure (dose index) is created. The X-ray CT apparatus sends the dose report to a server. The server receives the dose report, and manages it.
A radiologic technologist can download the dose report from the server to an operation console of the X-ray CT apparatus, as needed, even after imaging of the patient. The radiologic technologist can thus confirm the patient's exposure in the past imaging from the dose report. Moreover, in the case that a patient underwent X-ray CT imaging more than once in the past, the radiologic technologist can also confirm the patient's exposure in X-ray CT imaging performed in the past on a session-by-session basis from the dose report, and thus, a temporal tracking of the patient's exposure can be recognized. Furthermore, by confirming the patient's exposure, a rough estimate of the exposure allowed for the patient in current imaging can be known.
Therefore, management of a dose report created in imaging of a patient on a session-by-session basis is important in performing imaging on the patient with appropriate imaging conditions.
Patent Document 1: Gazette of Japanese Patent Application KOKAI No. 2015-43972
In performing imaging on a patient, a radiologic technologist specifies a range to be imaged in the patient prior to performing a scan. The range to be imaged generally and frequently includes more than one body part. For example, the radiologic technologist may sometimes specify a range to be imaged including a head and a neck, and at other times that including a chest and an abdomen. In such cases, in the dose report is recorded a dose index regarding a plurality of body parts included in the range to be imaged as if they were one body part. However, the effect of exposure on the range to be imaged is actually not the same among body parts included in the range to be imaged, and tends to be different from body part to body part included in the range to be imaged. Therefore, it is desirable to manage a dose index for the whole range to be imaged, and in addition, dose indices for body parts included in the range to be imaged on a body part-by-body part basis. However, in the case that a plurality of body parts are included in a range to be imaged, there is a problem that although a conventional dose report enables one to know a dose index for the whole range to be imaged, it does not allow one to know dose indices for body parts included in the range to be imaged on a body part-by-body part basis.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a technique with which dose indices can be managed for body parts in a range to be imaged on a body part-by-body part basis.


A method for assembling a flip-chip package having a low stress chip comprises providing a laminate chip carrier having a chip electrically connected thereon, applying the underfill material between the chip and the laminate chip carrier, providing a cover plate and applying an adhesive to the cover plate or chip or both, placing the cover plate adjacent to the chip such that the adhesive contacts the chip and the cover plate, and curing the underfill material together with the adhesive. The resultant flip-chip package has low internal. stress and experiences enhanced fatigue life during thermal cycling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method of producing a flip chip package and resulting structure, and more specifically, to a method that produces a low stress flip chip package that is resistant to thermal fatigue and the resulting structure.
2. Description of Related Art
One type of flip chip package includes one or more chips mounted on a substrate, one type of which is conventionally termed a laminate chip carrier. The laminate chip carrier is usually mounted on a printed circuit card or circuit board. In the xe2x80x9cflip-chipxe2x80x9d configuration, the chip is mounted with electrical contacts thereon, mounted onto solderable metal pads of the laminate chip carrier, using solder balls, sometimes referred to as solder joints.
A flip-chip package typically requires an underfill material to reinforce the solder joints that are prone to fatigue failure due to thermal cycling. The underfill material encompasses the solder interconnections between the chip and the laminate chip carrier.
In an effort to increase thermal dissipation and flatness of the flip-chip package, the packages frequently include a conductive stiffener mounted on the laminate chip carrier and a cover plate mounted on the chip. The stiffener, usually comprised of metal, is preferably mounted onto the laminate chip carrier such that the stiffener surrounds the perimeter of the chip and is preferably about the same height as the chip. The cover plate typically has a surface area greater than the chip, and the cover plate is generally centered on the chip with the overhang of the cover plate resting on the stiffener. In conventional processes, the cover plate is added after the soldered connections have been made, and after the underfill material has been applied and cured. The cover plate is mounted onto the chip and stiffener typically with the application of an adhesives. The adhesive, in addition to adhering the cover plate to the chip and stiffener, is typically a conductive adhesive that improves the transfer of heat from the chip to the cover plate.
A well-known problem with the flip-chip packages, in general, is thermal fatigue failure. The differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the flip-chip package materials, that is, the chip, laminate substrate, stiffener, cover plate, underfill and adhesive, causes is increased stress within the package. During the operation of the flip-chip package, thermally induced stress causes the package to bend and warp, and may cause the underfill or adhesive to delaminate, the soldered joints to fracture, or the chip to crack. Soldered connections that connect the flip-chip package to the circuit card or circuit board are also susceptible to thermal fatigue.
It is desirable to produce a flip-chip package that has reduced stress throughout the temperature range encountered in manufacture and in use to enhance fatigue life It is also desirable to produce a flip chip package that can withstand wider temperature ranges. It is also desirable, to produce flip-chip package that exhibits minimal warpage.
The invention herein provides for a flip-chip package and a method of producing a flip-chip package that has enhanced product life through stress balancing. The method of producing a flip-chip package of the invention herein comprises the steps of: providing a laminate dielectric chip carrier having electrical circuitry disposed within and preferably a stiffener mounted onto a portion of the laminate chip carrier mounting a chip onto the laminate chip carrier and electrically connecting the electrical contacts on a first or active surface of the chip to the circuitry of the laminate chip carrier; preferably cleaning the first surface of the chip and the portion of the laminate chip carrier directly opposite the first surface of the chip; applying an underfill material between the chip and the laminate chip carrier preferably gelling the underfill material from running along the laminate substrate; providing a cover plate and applying an adhesive to the cover plate adjacent to a second surface of chip such that the adhesive contacts the cover plate and the chip to form an assembly; simultaneously curing the underfill material and adhesive until the underfill material and the adhesive are fully cured.
The underfill material is preferably applied as a liquid material, and when cured, it become sufficiently rigid to withstand forces applied by thermal stress. As soon as the underfill material is applied, the underfill material can be gelled by applying heat. The underfill material is gelled when it forms an outer xe2x80x9cskinxe2x80x9d and thus prevents the underfill material from running along the surface of the laminate chip carrier. It is important, however, that the underfill material and the adhesive are cured to a final cure when exposed to the same temperature and pressure profile. The result is a flip-chip package having reduced stress among the flip-chip package components. The internal stresses between the laminate chip carrier, chip, cover plate, adhesive, and underfill are balanced, that is, brought to a near zero stress state, by fully curing the underfill material and the adhesive together under the same temperature and pressure profile. When the adhesive and underfill materials are substantially cured the result is a flip-chip assembly having reduced internal stress and improved flatness. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the underfill material should be higher than the operating temperature of the flip-chip package to ensure package flatness and long-term reliability.

Assembly process for flip chip package having a low stress chip and resulting structure

International Business Machines Corporation


The purpose of the invention is to provide an activated protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in large quantities with high purity by a genetic engineering and to provide a method for producing a heterodimer derivative of PP2A which comprises infecting insect cultured cells with a baculovirus in which a cDNA encoding the catalytic subunit of PP2A carrying a first tag is integrated together with another baculovirus in which a cDNA encoding the A subunit of PP2A carrying a second tag is integrated, incubating the infected cells, disrupting the incubated cells to obtain a disrupted cell suspension, and then purifying the disrupted cell suspension with a solid phase carrying a substance capable of binding to the first tag and another solid phase carrying a substance capable of binding to the second tag, characterized in that the insect cells infected with the baculovirus are incubated at a temperature of from 18 to 22° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing heterodimer derivatives of protein phosphatase 2A (hereinafter abbreviated to as "PP2A"). More particularly, it relates to a method for production of a large quantity of heterodimer derivatives of PP2A consisting of the catalytic subunit and A subunit of PP2A, each carrying a tag, from which derivatives a highly pure PP2A can be prepared.
2. Description of the Related Art
PP2A is one of the most basic enzymes among hydrolases by which the phosphate groups attached to serine/threonine residues in a protein are hydrolyzed, and is formed as a complex of trimer in which a catalytic subunit termed PP2Ac is linked to an A subunit and a B subunit. Among these subunits, the catalytic subunit and the A subunit include two forms of α-isoform and β-isoform.
The PP2A which plays an important role in signal transduction in vivo is in big demand as a biochemical reagent and has come onto the market at a high price. In addition, in recent years, there is a need as a constitutive reagent for a convenient kit for measurement of toxic components, okadaic acids, accumulated in marine Bivalvia, or blue-green algal toxins (microcystins, nodularins), which are subjects to regulation as poisonous ingredients in lakes and marshes.
At present, as for PP2A used for the above-mentioned objects, no one but a heterodimer of the A subunit and the catalytic subunit has been known, which is referred to as PP2A and prepared from the human blood corpuscles.
The PP2A purified from the human blood corpuscles, however, is very expensive because of complicated purification process and difficulty of large-scale purification since it is separated from animal tissues. In addition, there was a problem in using the resulting PP2A as a biochemical reagent, since it is per se not likely to be sufficient in purity. Further, there was another problem that a large quantity of pure PP2A was unable to be produced at low cost or with easiness for the basic research, making it difficult to achieve research necessary for elucidation of a diversity of life process involving PP2A.
The present inventors previously studied a method for producing PP2A and found that in producing the intended catalytic subunit and A subunit of PP2A by a genetic engineering procedure using a baculovirus, attachment of a tag to the respective subunits allows easy separation from other proteins to obtain the subunits in a highly pure state. The inventors further found that production of the catalytic subunit and A subunit of PP2A carrying respectively different tags in the same cultured cells obtained a heterodimer of PP2A consisting of the catalytic subunit and A subunit respectively carrying different tags, and that use of these two tags possessed by these subunits allowed easy purification of the intended heterodimer only. A patent application was filed based on these findings.
When a baculoviral expression system was used, however, there was another problem that the rate of PP2A expressed as an insoluble protein was higher than that as a soluble protein, thereby decreasing the rate of PP2A to be purified, though the rate of expression was high.

Method of producing heterodimer derivative of protein phosphatase type 2A enzyme


Provided are a time synchronizing method and apparatus based on a time stamp. The time synchronizing method includes: transmitting a local time stamp based on a free-running local clock to a master node; receiving a response time stamp from the master node; calculating a delta time value based on the response time stamp; filtering the delta-time using a digital low pass filter running at the free-running local clock rate; and adjusting a local clock time based on the filtered delta time value.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to time synchronizing based on a time stamp in a packet switching network, and an aspect of the invention relates to a time synchronizing method and apparatus based on a time stamp by which a delta time value and an offset value are calculated and filtered through a loop filter based on the time stamp received from a master node to a slave node to adjust a local clock time based on the delta time value and the offset value so as to synchronize a local clock of the slave node with a local clock of the master node.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a master node transmits a time sync message through a forwarding link in a packet switching network to provide a standard time for which all slave nodes refer to the time sync message. The time sync message includes a time stamp through which the slave nodes accurately discern when the master node transmits the time sync message. There are first and second ways of transmitting timings using such time stamps.
In the first way, one node transmits a time stamp to all nodes including slave nodes connected thereto except a master node thereof. Here, the time stamp includes a local clock value read when the time stamp is transmitted. Also, downstream clocks may synchronize with a clock of the master node but may vary due to propagation delays of the downstream clocks.
In the second way, one slave node transmits a time stamp to a master node thereof. The master node recognizes a time when the master node receives the time stamp to transmit to the slave node a response time stamp including a time when the slave node transmits the time stamp, a time when the master node receives the time stamp, and a time when the master node transmits the response time stamp. The slave node may recognize from the response time stamp with the three times a time when the slave node receives the response time stamp and synchronize with the master node, and a propagation delay may be removed due to this synchronization.
The first and second ways do not specify how the time stamps have to be used. Typically, one slave node uses time stamp information to perform an immediate phase adjustment or adjust a local clock rate. In many cases, it is a digital control oscillator (DCO) that is adjusted, i.e., the local free-running clock is used to synthesize a clock whose frequency is adjusted based on the input time stamp value. Also, the first and second ways do not specify whether time stamps are based on the free-running local clock values or the corrected values based on corrections due to previous time stamps. If the time stamps are based on the free-running local clock values, it is required that additional information containing the accumulated time stamp values from all clocks between the slave node and the master node be transmitted. If the time stamps are based on corrected clock values due to previous time stamps, the time stamps are inherently based on accumulated information. However, in the latter the case must be considered where a mode adjusts its local clock value, based on time stamp exchange with its master node, between its receipt of a time stamp from a slave and the sending of a reception of the response to the slave node.
In cases where an immediate phase adjustment is made when a time stamp is received in a slave node, the resulting timing signal contains a phase step at each adjustment. A size of the phase step depends on the clock accuracy and the frequency at which the time stamp is transmitted.
If the clock frequency tolerance is ±y (where y is a pure fraction), and the time between successive time stamps is T, then the maximum phase step is of order 2yT. For example, if y is 100 ppm and T is 10 ms, the maximum phase is 2000 ns; this is excessively large for some applications, e.g., digital video and audio transport in Residential Ethernet (i.e., Audio/Video Bridging Network). This phase step occurs in the synchronization of one slave node to its master node; this phase error will accumulate over a chain of nodes as timing is transferred and the total phase error accumulation will be somewhat larger than 2yT.
In cases where time stamps are used to adjust DCOs that are part of digital phase-locked loops (DPLLs), phase errors can accumulate as timing is transferred over a chain of nodes. The phase accumulation can be controlled by limiting the bandwidths of the DPLLs, gain peaking, and the generation of noise.
For a DCO with given inherent noise level, a narrower bandwidth will result in larger DPLL noise generation. It is also known that after traversing a number of phase-locked loops (PLLs), a phase error increases dramatically; the number of PLLs after which this happens depends on the gain peaking and is smaller for larger gain peaking.
However, use of DPLL structures with smaller gain peaking results in a more sluggish DPLL and the need for a more stable, i.e., lower noise, oscillator. Accordingly, a conventional time synchronizing method is based on larger jitter and wander accumulation or acceptable jitter and wander accumulation but possibly at the cost of a lower noise and therefore more expensive oscillator.

Time synchronizing method and apparatus based on time stamp


A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for dynamically allocating memory for processes is presented. A first request to allocate memory for a first process is received, where the first process is associated with a first quality-of-service class in a plurality of quality-of-service classes. A first memory allocation for the first quality-of-service class is calculated as a function of a current amount of free memory on the server and a first minimum memory allocation for the first quality-of-service class. An amount of memory currently used by processes associated with the first quality-of-service class is determined. The first request is rejected when the amount of memory currently used by the processes associated with the first quality-of-service class is greater than or equal to the first memory allocation.

Memory on a server is a limited resource that is shared by all processes executing on the server. A memory management system of the server handles requests to allocate memory to processes based on an amount of free memory on the server. The memory management system also releases memory when processes no longer need the memory. Unfortunately, existing memory management systems do not account for quality-of-service requirements of the processes when allocating memory to the processes. For example, consider a first request to allocate memory to a first process and a second request to allocate memory to a second process. Assume that the first request is received before the second request. Also assume that the second request has a higher quality-of-service requirement than the first process. In other words, the resources of the server should be prioritized for use by the second process before the first process. However, since the first request is received before then second request, the memory management system allocates memory to the first process. If the amount of free memory on the server is low, there might not be enough memory to allocate to the second process when the second request is received. Thus, the quality-of-service requirement of the second process may not be achieved.

Dynamically allocating memory for processes