An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting elements, a detector, a controller, and an image forming unit. The light emitting elements are arranged in at least one row. The detector is configured to detect a number of light emitting elements that emit light according to image data. The controller is configured to control a driving voltage for driving the light emitting elements based on the number of light emitting elements detected. The image forming unit is configured to form an image based on light emission of the light emitting elements according to the image data.

Electrophotographic printers (hereinafter, printers) including a print head are widespread. The print head includes a plurality of light emitting elements such as light emitting diode (LED) or organic light emitting diode (OLED). For example, the print head is provided with light emitting elements corresponding to 15400 pixels, a direction in which light emitting elements are arranged corresponds to a main scanning direction, and a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction corresponds to a sub-scanning direction. The printer exposes a photoreceptor drum with light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements, and prints an image corresponding to a latent image formed in the photoreceptor drum on a sheet which is a recording paper sheet.


A wireless device supporting concurrent communication with multiple wireless systems of different radio access technologies (RATs) are disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes first and second receivers supporting concurrent signal reception from wireless systems of different RATs. The first receiver receives a first downlink signal from a first wireless system of a first RAT. The second receiver receives a second downlink signal from a second wireless system of a second RAT, which is different from the first RAT. The first and second receivers may operate concurrently. The second receiver may be broadband and/or may support carrier aggregation. The apparatus may further include first and second local oscillator (LO) generators to generate LO signals for the first and second receivers, respectively, based on different divider ratios in order to mitigate voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) pulling.

I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electronics, and more specifically to techniques for supporting wireless communication.
II. Background
A wireless device (e.g., a cellular phone or a smartphone) may transmit and receive data for two-way communication with a wireless communication system. The wireless device may include a transmitter for data transmission and a receiver for data reception. For data transmission, the transmitter may modulate a transmit local oscillator (LO) signal with data to obtain a modulated radio frequency (RF) signal, amplify the modulated RF signal to obtain an output RF signal having the proper transmit power level, and transmit the output RF signal via an antenna to a base station. For data reception, the receiver may obtain a received RF signal via the antenna, amplify and downconvert the received RF signal with a receive LO signal, and process the downconverted signal to recover data sent by the base station.
A wireless device may support communication with multiple wireless systems of different radio access technologies (RATs). Each wireless system may have certain characteristics and requirements. It is desirable to efficiently support concurrent communication with wireless systems of different RATs.

Method and apparatus for concurrent communication with multiple wireless communication systems of different radio access technologies


A controller and a method of controlling a process tool is provided, in which machine constants used for calibrating manipulated variables of the control algorithm are explicitly introduced into the process model, thereby providing an enhanced controller behavior immediately after the introduction of new measurement values of the machine constants.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of fabricating semiconductor devices, and, in particular, to advanced process control (APC) techniques for manufacturing processes, wherein an improved process control quality is achieved by adjusting process parameters in a predictive manner on the basis of a process model and measurement data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's global market forces manufacturers of mass products to offer high quality products at a low price. It is thus important to improve yield and process efficiency to minimize production costs. This holds especially true in the field of semiconductor fabrication, since here it is essential to combine cutting edge technology with mass production techniques. It is, therefore, the goal of semiconductor manufacturers to reduce the consumption of raw materials and consumables while at the same time improve product quality and process tool utilization. The latter aspect is especially important, since in modern semiconductor facilities, equipment is required which is extremely cost-intensive and represents the dominant part of the total product costs. For example, in manufacturing modern integrated circuits, 500 or more individual processes may be necessary to complete the integrated circuit, wherein failure in a single process step may result in a loss of the complete integrated circuit. This problem is even exacerbated in that the size of substrates, on which a plurality of such integrated circuits are processed, steadily increases, so that failure in a single process step may entail the loss of a large number of products.
Therefore, the various manufacturing stages have to be thoroughly monitored to avoid undue waste of man power, tool operation time and raw materials. Ideally, the effect of each individual process step on each substrate would be detected by measurement and the substrate under consideration would be released for further processing only if the required specifications were met. A corresponding process control, however, is not practical, since measuring the effects of certain processes may require relatively long measurement times, frequently ex situ, or may even necessitate the destruction of the sample. Moreover, immense effort, in terms of time and equipment, would have to be made on the metrology side to provide the required measurement results. Additionally, utilization of the process tool would be minimized since the tool would be released only after the provision of the measurement result and its assessment.
The introduction of statistical methods, also referred to as statistical process control (SPC), for adjusting process parameters significantly relaxes the above problem and allows a moderate utilization of the process tools while attaining a relatively high product yield. Statistical process control is based on the monitoring of the process output to thereby identify an out-of-control situation, wherein a causality relationship is established to an external disturbance. After occurrence of an out-of-control situation, usually operator interaction is required to manipulate a process parameter to return to an in-control situation, wherein the causality relationship may be helpful in selecting an appropriate control action. Nevertheless, in total, a large number of dummy substrates or pilot substrates may be necessary to adjust process parameters of respective process tools, wherein tolerable parameter drifts during the process have to be taken into consideration when designing a process sequence, since such parameter drifts may remain undetected over a long time period or may not efficiently be compensated for by SPC techniques.
Recently, a process control strategy has been introduced and is continuously improved allowing a high degree of process control, desirably on a run-to-run basis, with a moderate amount of measurement data. In this control strategy, the so-called advanced process control (APC), a model of a process or of a group of interrelated processes, is established and implemented in an appropriately configured process controller. The process controller also receives information including pre-process measurement data and/or post-process measurement data, as well as information related to, for instance, the substrate history, such as type of process or processes, the product type, the process tool or process tools, in which the products are to be processed or have been processed in previous steps, the process recipe to be used, i.e., a set of required sub-steps for the process or processes under consideration, wherein possibly fixed process parameters and variable process parameters may be contained, and the like. From this information and the process model, the process controller determines a controller state or process state that describes the effect of the process or processes under consideration on the specific product, thereby permitting the establishment of an appropriate parameter setting of the variable parameters of the specified process recipe to be performed with the substrate under consideration.
Thus, the APC controller may have a predictive behavior, which is typically referred to as model predictive control (MPC). Model predictive control schemes, although originally used for real-time control of continuous processes, may also be used for run-to-run control situations in that the continuous time parameter is replaced by a discrete process run index, wherein the controller is now configured to respond to substantially continuous disturbances, also referred to process drifts, and to substantially step-wise disturbances, which may be considered as process shifts. Thus, run-to-run control may provide the potential of compensating for predictable, that is, deterministic, disturbances, such as process shifts and drifts.
One important application of run-to-run control is the monitoring of lithography processes, as the lithography process is one of the most critical processes during the fabrication of semiconductor devices. Moreover, the lithography process may typically provide enhanced control capabilities as the process is typically performed step-wise for each individual substrate, that is, a plurality of individual imaging steps are usually performed for each substrate, thereby enabling individual control of each single step. Consequently, across-wafer uniformity may be controlled by appropriately adapting process parameters of the individual imaging steps. In addition, the lithography has a somewhat unique position in that the process output of the lithography process may be assessed and the lithography process may be repeated when specific process margins are not achieved. On the other hand, lithography is a highly cost-intensive process and undue reprocessing of out-of-control substrates may substantially contribute to overall production costs. One problem, in addition to the appropriate imaging of a mask pattern into a photoresist layer, is the overlay accuracy of lithography processes performed in different device layers. The formation of semiconductor devices and other microstructural features is frequently based on the formation of three-dimensional features by successively forming substantially two-dimensional layers, which have to be precisely aligned to each other so as to provide the final three-dimensional feature having the required characteristics. Consequently, in a lithography process, the image of the reticle used for the current device layer has to be precisely aligned with the previously formed layers. Thus, a plurality of overlay error parameters have been established to allow assessment of the overlay performance including any pre-alignment activities of the lithography tools.
FIGS. 1a and 1b schematically illustrate eight overlay error parameters that may typically be used as control variables in a run-to-run controller for substantially maintaining the overlay parameters on target. FIG. 1a schematically shows a substrate 150 having formed thereon a first pattern of features 151 and a second pattern of features 152 that has been formed by lithography, wherein inspection of the patterns 151 and 152 may allow establishment of numerical values of overlay error parameters, such as magnification, x-scale, y-scale, substrate rotation and orthogonality. Moreover, FIG. 1b schematically shows overlay error parameters related to a reticle rotation and translations in the x- and y-directions. Consequently, a corresponding exposure tool recipe may contain eight manipulated variables that correspond to the eight overlay error parameters specified above. Hereby, the manipulated variables may represent so-called controller inputs, that is, any process parameters of the lithography tool which may be adjusted by the controller so as to obtain specified values for the above-specified overlay error parameters or control variables, such as magnification, x-translation, orthogonality and the like. Frequently, the lithography tools are designed such that a linear model may be used to correlate the detected overlay error parameters or control variables to the respective manipulated variables.
Equation 1 illustrates a corresponding linear model, in which the process gain, i.e., the slope of the straight line represented by the linear model, is selected to 1, wherein Ek represents one of the overlay error parameters, Ck represents the associated manipulated variable and Ik represents the intercept.Ek=Ck+Ik  (1)
In order to calculate the optimal process input, i.e., the respective values for the manipulated variables Ck, it is typically assumed that the corresponding intercept Ik is only constant in a local sense, since process drifts and shifts may occur over time due to tool aging and/or process disturbances. Thus, based on the above model and the non-constancy of the various intercepts Ik, appropriate values of the manipulated variables may be calculated on the basis of well-established controller schemes, thereby significantly reducing the effect of drifts and disturbances on the overlay error parameters Ek. In order to keep the alignment characteristics at substrate level substantially constant, any tool drifts are usually compensated for by calibration of set points of the manipulated variables by means of machine constants, which are verified during preventive maintenance on a regular basis. In this connection, it should be appreciated that the term "machine constants" does not necessarily mean that the "constants" are stable over time. Rather, the machine constants are affected by the tool drifts and the corresponding value drift is "monitored" by the preventive maintenance operations. For example, any reference positions for the x- and y-translations may represent machine constants based on which corresponding manipulated variables, such as a control signal for a corresponding x- and y-drive motor, may be adjusted. Consequently, any changes in the machine constants will directly result in a change of the tool state and thus will lead to an offset of the respective alignment parameter intercepts Ik. Depending on the variation of the corresponding machine constants revealed by a corresponding preventive maintenance activity, conventionally different control strategies may be performed. When a variation of the machine constant occurs in moderately little steps, it is assumed that the controller may react to these small "step disturbances" in an appropriate manner and no further activity is required. In addition or alternatively, the controller data produced so far may be discarded, i.e., the controller, at least for the specified process tool and the respective process recipe, may be reset, thereby requiring a new initialization at least for all controller data referring to the specified process tool and the corresponding process recipe, thereby necessitating the processing of pilot substrates. Thus, irrespective of the control scheme used, a reduced controller performance may be obtained owing to the changes of machine constants, since the occurrence of step disturbances, introduced by the updated machine constants which directly affect the set point calibration and thus the controller performance, may result in declined controller performance immediately after the disturbance, while resetting of the controller may result in reduced throughput and compromised controller performance at an initial phase.
In view of the situation described above, there exists a need for an enhanced technique that enables an enhanced control strategy, wherein one or more of the problems identified above may be avoided or the effects thereof at least be significantly reduced.

Method and system for advanced process control including tool dependent machine constants


The described embodiments relate to testing streaming media capture devices and/or computer systems. One exemplary method enumerates and tests multiple streaming media capture device which are operably associated with a computer. The method simultaneously exercises said computer's display and power states.

A multitude of various streaming media devices, such as webcams, microphones, broadcast receivers and camcorders are available to the consumer. Streaming media devices are hardware, software, firmware and/or a combination thereof configured to send external multimedia data into a computing device such as a PC. These streaming media devices are referred to herein as "capture" devices. Multimedia includes audio, video, audio/video, and related control service streams, such as broadcast television Vertical Blanking Interval VBI services. Examples of external multimedia can include both "live" (captured by microphone and camera) and "recorded" (previously recorded multimedia data). Sending the external multimedia into the computing device can increase the functionality available to the consumer. For example coupling a capture device to a PC may allow a consumer to display images, edit, store media, and copy media from the capture device, among others.
When consumers couple a capture device or devices with a computer they expect the system to perform as expected. Some standards exist for establishing protocols for specific classes of capture devices. However these protocols fall short of addressing the combined system of a computer and one or more capture devices and interoperability of devices within the system where the computer is simultaneously running multiple applications. Testing the capture devices both for compliance with existing standards and for testing various user scenarios can detect erroneous device behavior, which can then be corrected, such as with an improved device/driver. This testing and feedback for multiple scenarios allows device developers the means to build a device which meets both industry standards (where they exist) and consumer expectations.

Methods to test multimedia devices on computer systems


Document texts are produced by recognizing characters in document images by an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process. When such a document text matches one or more search terms of a query, the corresponding document image is displayed. Regions of the document image, corresponding to words of the document text that match the search terms, are displayed in a visually distinctive manner. The display of the document image may be augmented by displaying a region corresponding to a reference text within the document text in another visually distinctive manner.

The volume of documents in computer databases is rapidly expanding. In spite of this expansion, paper documents are still in wide use. As a result, it is generally useful to be able to convert the paper documents into a form that a computer may use to store or otherwise process the documents. A typical technique for this conversion process is to create a "document image," which is typically a bitmap representation of the paper document. This bitmap representation is in digital form. In particular, a bitmap representation is a matrix of digital values wherein each value represents black-and-white, grey scale, or color pixels arranged to form an image of the document. A computer converts the digital values into pixels that are displayed for a user on a display unit, such as a computer monitor. The combined effect of the pixels is to create a document image which is read by the user from the computer monitor.
Although a document image is an appropriate form for representing most, if not all, of the information on a paper document, e.g., words and pictures, this form is not generally appropriate for a computer to perform textual operations. An example of a textual operation is searching for documents that match certain terms or keywords of a query input by a user. A representation for a document which is more conducive for computer-implemented textual operations is a text code. In a text code, each letter of the document is encoded as an entity in a standard encoding format, e.g. ASCII. Since each letter is separately encoded, a search engine, for example, can efficiently examine the textual content of a document and determine whether the document matches a query.
The problem with a text code is that it does not represent non-alphabetic and non-numeric images, such as pictures, in the document. Generally, when a document is converted into a form for use with a computer, it is desirable that both text operations and image display can be performed on the document. Accordingly, some computer systems maintain both a document image and document text for each document stored in the system. The document text is used for textual operations, such as searching a database of document texts for search terms, but the corresponding document image of a matching document is displayed to the user, so that graphical information contained in the matching document is presented to the user as well as the textual information.
One disadvantage of conventional computer systems, however, is that it is difficult for the user to determine from the document image which parts of the document matched the search terms and whether the matching document is relevant to the user.

Methodology for displaying search results using character recognition


A system comprises a processing system, a laser system, a telescope system, a detector system and optical systems operatively arranged such that the laser system may be capable of outputting multiple wavelengths to a common telescope system, and the detector system is capable of receiving signatures from the same telescope system, under the control of a control system. The processor system processes signals received from the detector system to determine substances identified by known signatures. For example, a plurality of detectors in the detector system each receive a range of wavelengths of the signatures received by the telescope system. For example, a variable beam diverger and variable beam expander operatively control expansion and divergence of the output the laser system. For example, a beam reducer and lenslet array may operatively transmit signatures via optical fiber bundle to one or more of the detectors.

The Applicant has already filed provisional application number 60/914,658 on Apr. 27, 2007 to a laser plasma spectroscopy system, which is now incorporated by reference in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/597,761. The examples disclosed in these applications stimulate plasma to enhance a detected signal at a stand-off distance from which chemicals at or near a surface may be sampled. The disclosures of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
A key design parameter of a RAMAN spectroscope is the wavelength'of the laser, which is typically optimized for specific conditions and for a particular application. In U.S. Pat. Publ. No. 2011/0013267, published Jan. 20, 2011, and filed Jul. 17, 2009, a RAMAN pump light source is activated at a plurality of pump wavelengths and power levels such that only one pump wavelength is active at any given pump power level, achieving amplification gain in an optical fiber probe by backward propagation amplification. This technique is useful for configuring a RAMAN distributed amplifier for optical network equipment. However, RAMAN interaction may cause deleterious effects, including RAMAN scattering, crosstalk, non linear distortions, increased noise levels, distortion, unacceptable carrier to noise ratios and attenuation. See U.S. Pat. Publ. No. 2010/0316382, which published Dec. 16, 2010 and was filed Jul. 11, 2009, which discloses a method of back-pumped distributed RAMAN amplification using an unmodulated laser of an appropriate wavelength at the distal end of a fiber far from the opposite end where co-propagating signals are launched.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,996,135 discloses a cascaded RAMAN laser with wavelength selectors and an intercavity section that is made of a non-linear optical medium, resulting in multi-wave mixing amplification, transferring energy from radiation with shorter wavelengths to radiation with longer wavelengths more efficiently.
U.S. Publ. No. 2009/0137544, published May 28, 2009 and Dec. 10, 2007, claimed priority to several provisional applications and disclosed a multimodal multiplex multi-wavelength RAMAN spectroscopy system for high through-put fluorescence for detecting alcohol in tissue and cholesterol testing in Zebra fish embryos. The sensor included a combination of spatially coded detecting optics and spectrally coded excitation sources to get a RAMAN spectrum of alcohol in tissue, from 1600 to 1000 cm−1.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,745 issued Jul. 14, 1987 and disclosed an optical system using variable beam expanders and other optical elements for recording pits and grooves on a surface of a recording medium. Light having different wavelengths for the pits and grooves was disclosed.
A five-wavelength LiDAR system was used by the Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Manchester, which was designed by Flight lasers of Germany using a Continuum PL8020 Nd:YAG laser in conjunction with a multiplexer to pump Raman shifting cells to produce wavelengths of 266, 289, 299, 316 or 315 nanometers. Wavelengths of 289, 299 and 316 nanometers are generated by stimulated Raman scattering in three respective Raman cells. The system uses the five wavelength beams to measure attenuation and to calculate the vertical distribution of ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,275 issued Sep. 26, 1989 and disclosed remote detection of gases in the atmosphere using a Raman-shifted excimer/dye laser beam through a circulating-medium Raman-shifting cell, allowing an infinite number of different wavelengths of emitted radiation for measurement. Wavelengths are emitted in absorbed and non-absorbed ranges to calculate the presence and quantity of gases in the atmosphere. U.S. Pat. No. 7,583,264 issued Sep. 1, 2009 and disclosed an eye-safe atmospheric aerosol LIDAR using a stimulated Raman scattering gas cell and non-focused laser beam geometry. U.S. Pat. No. 7,869,469 issued Jan. 11, 2011 and discloses a Raman shifter with improved optical efficiency and robustness including a source system having a source pump laser and a seed laser, which are combined for transmission into a Raman cell having a multi-pass pathway through the cell using a medium that is circulated in a direction transverse to the beam pathways. U.S. Pat. No. 8,009,288 issued Aug. 30, 2011 and disclosed a system containing a stimulated Raman or coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy system using a resonant cavity containing a sample of a nucleic acid derivative in solution for analysis and sequencing of the nucleic acid.
U.S. Publ. No. 2006/0092995 published May 4, 2006 and discloses a multi-wavelength, commonly mode-locked external cavity laser system. A wavelength-selective device controllably transmits or reflects diffracted optical beams depending on the wavelength. U.S. Publ. No. 2007/0146506 published on Jun. 28, 2007 and disclosed a system for determining the vignetting function of an image and using the function to correct for vignetting if present.
U.S. Publ. No. 2009/0237648 published Sep. 24, 2009 and discloses a system for performing Raman spectrometry mounted on a vehicle using dual pulsed beams at a first wavelength and a second wavelength to identify a target by matching a Raman signature with a given collected Raman spectra. The system is used for detecting chemical or biological agents under a vehicle or at a short distance (e.g. up to 1.5 meters). According to the reference, 1.5 meters is considered a "standoff range." To be considered a "stand off distance" in this application, a system must be able to identify a target at a distance up to and including forty (40) meters. A system having a range for identifying a target less than 40 meters is not considered as operating at a stand off distance, notwithstanding the suggestion in U.S. Publ. No. 2009/0237648, which teaches that there is still a need for improvements in stand-off on-the-move detection systems. Applicant agrees that there is still a need for improvement but disagrees that a range up to 1.5 meters provides for stand off detection as that term is defined herein.
U.S. Publ. No. 2012/0099102 published Apr. 26, 2012 and discloses probes for focusing outputs from a plurality of light sources or lasers onto a sample and collecting backscattered radiation from the sample, separating Raman spectra from backscattered light and providing at least on output containing the Raman spectra. This publication teaches that fiber optic Raman probes offer favorable configurations, but teaches that there is a need for increased efficiency, accuracy and accessibility in Raman measurements, such as to avoid interference from luminescence or fluorescence bands, to provide spectra in regions where detectors having their maximum response and to provide probes that are compact or handheld. The disclosed device enables a Raman spectra of two or more excitation wavelengths to be obtained simultaneously. As an example, the publication discloses two excitation laser sources and one or more spectrographs receiving Raman signals via one or more fiber optic channels.
None of the sensors, amplifiers or detectors of the known references disclose, teach or suggest a multi-wavelength laser capable of use in RAMAN spectroscopy suitable for use at stand off distances and/or using a laser capable for use as a component of a system capable of being used for neutralization of a threat.

Laser detection system having an output beam directed through a telescope


Problems with the short lifetime of MEMS devices, low actuation forces, contaminant build-up on contacts, etc. are minimized by a MEMS device with an improved cantilever design that enables high force while maintaining large gaps. The improved cantilever design both allows for high force and fast switching while minimizing damage to contacts. The improved design can be fabricated on one or two substrates, which are bonded together with a seal ring to provide a packaged MEMS device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains in general to MEMS device, and more specifically to an improved cantilever design for usage in a MEMS device
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, many MEMS devices are actuated by simple, single-stage cantilevers, which are composed of a cantilever plate, a moveable contact and a stationary contact. When a typical metal-metal contact MEMS switch is turned on, the cantilever plate is actuated until the moveable contact and the stationary contact achieve closure, and this closure is typically achieved in a single stage of movement of the cantilever plate (e.g., a hinge on the device allows the plate to be lowered in one movement). When the device is turned off, the moveable and stationary contact interface is broken as these two contacts are separated, and the device reassumes the open state. MEMS switch devices are important for use in various types of applications. For example, they can be used in mobile phones for switching RF signals between transmit and receive modes and other related functions, micro-relays that can be used in automated test equipment (ATE), phased radar array, and other applications. MEMS switch configurations include but are not limited to SPST, SPDT, SP4T, DPDT, SP7T and SP8T. MEMS switches can be used for DC and RF applications.
For long-term reliability of switches such as contact switches and other MEMS cantilever devices, this "simple" cantilever structure does not adequately provide the actuation forces necessary to overcome stiction/adhesion forces, such as those caused by welding, electrical charging and device contamination. For many MEMS applications, especially those requiring a high quality interface between the contact surfaces, such as MEMS switches, this may be detrimental to reliability and device lifetime. Without a sufficiently strong force, the two contacts may never achieve full closure. Further, the single-stage cantilever design commonly only allows for a small gap between contacts before closure, thus resulting in inferior isolation.
In addition, the lifetime of a MEMS switch device can be greatly decreased due to the manner in which the two contacts are brought together and then pulled apart. If the first contact is brought down too rapidly and if it does not contact the other contact in a sufficiently gentle manner, this can result in damage to the device that over a period of time can reduce the overall life of the device. Similarly, if the contacts are pulled straight apart from each other and in a manner that is not sufficiently gentle, this can again cause unwanted damage to the contacts, decreasing the life of the device.
Another issue in single-stage cantilevers is the increase in resistance due to contaminant build-up and other particulates interfering with contact closure. Many single-stage cantilevers do not have any mechanism for removing this type of build-up on the contact surface. Single-stage cantilevers commonly also have low actuating forces, and so they may not have the adequate measures for removing the contamination or otherwise providing a mechanism for removal. Thus, again, these types of single-stage cantilever devices may suffer from shortened lifetimes.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to for a MEMS device with cantilever actuator that provides more long-term reliability, provides the higher actuation forces necessary to overcome stiction or adhesion forces, provides a sufficiently large gap for improved isolation, provides better interface quality that includes fewer contaminants, and provides a mechanism for more gentle, easier contact closure and separation.


A drain flusher device for dislodging an obstruction in a pipe. The drain flushing device has an elastomeric cylindrical body with an open neck end and nose portion having a thickened end wall. An elongated slit with a predetermined configuration and predetermined dimensions extends through the thickened forward end wall. A connector is fixed at the body neck end and is adapted for attachment to a pressurized fluid source, such as a garden hose.

This invention relates generally to a drain flusher device and particularly to a drain flusher device which expands upon the introduction of fluid pressure to seat the device in a pipeline or similar conduit. The drain flusher device of this invention has an improved flexible body structure with a forward end integrating an improved discharge outlet configuration to direct a concentrated fluid spray to dislodge pipeline obstructions or debris to improve fluid flow.
Various drain flushing devices have been proposed in the past. Typically, these prior art devices have utilized various valve structures to initially develop an internal pressure in the flushing device body to seat the device in the pipeline. Upon further introduction of fluid pressure the valve structure is opened to provide a fluid spray to dislodge the obstruction. Other devices have been proposed which utilize a resilient body structure with a restricted opening at the body forward end. Upon the introduction of fluid pressure into such devices the body is also expanded initially for seating in the pipeline, although some fluid escapes through the restricted opening. Upon further fluid introduction, the fluid escapes through the restricted opening in a concentrated spray. These latter devices use restricted openings of a circular configuration.
The prior art drain flushing devices have specific functional drawbacks in operation and, particularly, those that utilize valves are difficult and expensive to manufacture. Specifically, the valved drain flusher devices are advantageous for purposes of initial seating of the respective devices in the pipeline. Subsequently, the valves open and provide the concentrated fluid stream to dislodge the drain obstruction. The drain flusher devices that have been proposed having the restricted openings, expel considerable volumes of fluids upon initial fluid introduction, thereby, making the initial seating of the device more difficult. Subsequent the pressure build-up in the device body, fluid is expelled through the restricted opening for obstruction dislodgement, however, the configuration of the circular restricted opening limits the concentrated fluid flow that is able to be passed therethrough. Thus, in these proposed prior art devices, the initial diameter of the circular opening is limited by the proper seating requirement of the device body. Consequently, the resultant concentrated fluid flow that is able to be passed through the circular opening after the device body has been seated is, thereby, limited.
The drain flusher device of this invention provides a structure that overcomes the difficulties and limitations of these prior art devices. The drain flusher devices of this invention provide the benefits of the valved drain flushers in that the device body is initially able to be fully seated in the pipeline during the seating process and before excessive expulsion of a concentrated fluid spray. The drain flushers of this invention also provide the benefits of those proposed devices that utilize the circular restricted openings in that they are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. And despite the need for an economical and functional device which overcome the limitations of the art and which provide the benefits of this invention, none as far as is known has been developed or proposed.


The present invention is directed to a composition capable of inhibiting moisture vapor emission from concrete structures and enhancing adhesion of a finish material to the concrete structure comprising an aqueous mixture of a first copolymer of mer units formed from vinylidene halide and a C1-C2 alkyl acrylate with a second copolymer of mer units formed from vinylidene halide and a C4-CS alkyl acrylate and to the method of forming a moisture barrier/adhesion promoter coating on concrete comprising applying from 2.8 to 5.6 liters (0.75 to 1.5 gallons) of an aqueous carrier having from 10 to 50 weight percent of the mixture of copolymers stated above per 14 m2 (150 square feet) of the free surface of a concrete structure.

The present invention relates to polymeric compositions formed from a mixture of prescribed copolymers in certain defined ratios and the use of said composition to provide enhanced cement based building structures. The subject composition provides a water vapor barrier coating for cement based structures and an enhanced adhesion agent for materials applied thereto. Further, the composition, when applied to green (uncured) cement based structures, causes resultant cured structures to have enhanced strength and integrity.
Cement compositions and materials, such as concrete, cement block and the like, are common materials used in the construction industry. The term "concrete" and "cement" are each used herein and in the appended claims to refer to materials and structures formed of cement based compositions. The present invention is described by use of concrete building structures, such as slabs and the like, used as building flooring and wall structures although it is intended that other forms of cement based compositions be included in the present invention.
When concrete is poured, there is a period of time required to attain initial solidification of the concrete mixture. After initial setting, the concrete cures over an extended period of time during which hydration of the silicate and aluminate components develop and the excess water of the initial mix is lost. It is only after this extended period that the concrete has developed its full strength. In order for the concrete to properly cure and achieve its designed strength, the rate of water loss must be kept low. Such concrete is termed "green" structures while they are in their initial formation and in the partially cured state. Thus, it is well known that concrete structures contain and expel water for extended periods of time after initial formation.
When a concrete structure is formed directly adjacent to the ground or when grading of the surrounding terrain is complete, the structure in contact with ground material is continuously feed water from the ground by hydrostatic pressure. This is especially true when the concrete forms a grade-level or below grade-level flooring of a building or a below grade-level wall. In the case of a wall structure, the outside of the wall that is adjacent to the terrain is normally coated with a composition or structural forming membrane which inhibits the penetration of water into the wall material. Similarly, flooring slabs are normally poured over a bed of gravel and a plastic membrane to inhibit penetration of water into the slab formation. In both instances, the membranes are known to be less than completely effective due, in part, to imperfections in the membrane, imperfections generated during formation and pouring of the concrete, during backfill of the terrain against the wall structure, and from deterioration of the membrane over time. Thus, concrete structures have a tendency to take up water and expel the water through its free surface over extended periods of time.
When the concrete structure remains as formed and has an uncovered free surface, the water that escapes from the structure may be of a sufficiently small rate and in a form (e.g. water vapor) to be unnoticeable and inconsequential. However, when the concrete structure is intended to act as a substructure to be covered by additional material to form a finished structure, the additional material tends to trap the moisture. It has been previously suggested to coat concrete surfaces with various paints, including those based on an acrylate polymer in attempts to form water barrier coating. Such coatings generally exhibit poor adhesion and tend to spall from the concrete structure. These adverse effects cause deterioration of the applied finishing material as well as the bonding agent used to adhere finishing materials to the concrete substructure. Further, the trapped moisture may cause mold and other undesired formations to occur.
It is highly desired to be able to apply a sealer/coating composition capable of inhibiting moisture vapor emission from concrete structures, to have high adhesion to concrete structures and to enhance the adhesion of a concrete substructure to finishing materials commonly used in building industry. It is also highly desired to have a composition having the above properties that can be applied to green concrete substructures as well as fully cured concrete substructures to, thereby, enhance job scheduling and completion. It is further desirable to inhibit evaporation of water during initial curing of freshly formed concrete structures to allow hydration to occur slowly during curing and thereby produce a resultant structure having high strength and integrity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polymeric composition for cement based substructures


A fuel pump monitoring system (10) for monitoring fuel pumps (16) and a method for using the system are provided. The fuel pump monitoring system includes a display device (22), an information network (20), a data communication network (18), a monitoring device (12), and an information server (14). The monitoring device collects environmental parameters and operates independent from the vehicle. In one embodiment, the monitoring device uses GPS technology. The fuel pump information server provides fuel pump information and related information to a subscriber. In one embodiment, the monitoring device is in communication with an Iridium satellite constellation (28) and the information is displayed to the subscriber when the fuel pump is substantially anywhere in the world. In another embodiment, the display device is in communication with the Iridium satellite constellation and the information is displayed to the subscriber when the subscriber is substantially anywhere in the world, preferably via the Internet (36).

The invention relates to a system for monitoring a fuel pump and a method for using the system. It finds particular application in conjunction with monitoring one or more parameters associated with a fuel pump used in an aircraft and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is also amenable to other applications. For example, monitoring fuel pumps used in ground vehicles and/or watercraft. Likewise, monitoring other types of components used in aircraft, ground vehicles, and/or watercraft.
In existing systems, maintenance of a fuel pump for an aircraft commonly occurs when the aircraft is at rest and at predetermined inspection intervals. A mechanic may visually inspect and take readings of the fuel pump while the aircraft is not flying and record these in either a paper entry journal or electronically. Similar practices are commonly used for monitoring fuel pumps in ground vehicles and watercraft. Likewise, similar practices are used for monitoring other types of components used in aircraft, ground vehicles, and watercraft. Drawbacks with such systems include inconsistent inspection analysis, since such inspections provide only a snapshot of the fuel pump during the inspection time. Some U.S. patents related to monitoring components used in aircraft, ground vehicles, and/or watercraft are identified below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,071 to McBrien et al. discloses a vibration monitoring system employing a capacitive accelerometer that determines the energy associated with one or more frequency components within the frequency spectrum of the vibration signal. The capacitive accelerometer operates as a mixer due to its time varying capacitance which provides a measure of the vibration. When the accelerometer is excited by an AC signal the output from the accelerometer comprises beat frequencies due to the mixing of the time varying capacitance and the AC signal. By changing the frequency of the AC signal the location of the beat frequencies in the frequency domain of the accelerometer output can be shifted. Subsequent bandpass filtering to attenuate frequencies except those associated with the frequency component and demodulation to bandshift the energy of the filtered signal energy to DC, creates a DC value which provides a measure of the energy present at the frequency component.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,491 to Salnick et al. discloses an online system for diagnosing operability of a rotating electrical apparatus. The system includes sensors producing electrical variables corresponding to operating conditions of the apparatus, data converters for converting the electrical variables to digital values, a comparator for comparing the values to corresponding predetermined baseline values of the apparatus and producing a corresponding comparison value, and a signaling mechanism for outputting signals related to a period of predicted operability of the apparatus whenever the comparison value exceeds a corresponding predetermined deadband value. The operating conditions may be non-electrical operating conditions, such as a condition of a lubrication system or a bearing of the apparatus. Alternatively, the sensors may sense electrical insulation non-thermal parameters during operation of the apparatus, in order to produce signals related to the operability of an insulator of the apparatus. The system may have a local processor for performing the comparisons and signaling. Alternatively, the system may include an intermediate data storage and communication mechanism for storing and communicating the sensed values to a remote processor. The processor may also trend the values with respect to time and determine a derivative of a sensed value. The apparatus may be a motor operating in a hazardous environment, such as a reactor coolant pump (RCP) motor operating in a nuclear containment vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,987 to Barger et al. discloses a maintenance interval indication system. An apparatus and method are provided that are cost-effective for general aviation aircraft and that may be retrofitted to existing airplanes. The system includes an onboard aircraft cycle counter and engine run-time and flight time logging instrument that requires no external transducers, no electrical signal inputs and only a single electrical power input from an airframe's electrical system. A microprocessor in the engine cycle logger accepts data input from an acoustic transducer and from a pressure transducer (i.e., altimeter), and correctly logs engine cycles in spite of factors such as: a) touch-and-go landings; b) in-flight engine shutdowns; c) noise from another engine on the same aircraft: d) wide variations in acoustic input levels from one engine to the next; e) changes in acoustic level following an overhaul of the monitored engine; f) transient noise artifacts; and g) transient altitude artifacts. Data from the cycle logging unit are communicated to a portable data collection device for subsequent off-board processing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,890,079 and 5,974,349 to Levine disclose a remote aircraft flight recorder and advisory system that monitors many performance parameters and many aircraft operational parameters and broadcasts this information along with aircraft identification, audio, video, global positioning, and altitude data, to a world wide two-way radio frequency (RF) network. This information is monitored and recorded at a remote, centralized location. At this location, this information is combined with archived data, ATC data, weather data, topological data, map data, and manufacturers' data. Analysis of this combined data allows identification of problems and generation of advisories. Six types of advisories are generated: maintenance, safety of flight, flight efficiency, flight separation, safe to fly and safe to take off. In the event of a crash the remotely recorded data provides an instant indication of the cause of the crash as well as where the crashed plane can be found. Use of the Levine device allows replacement of the current, onboard flight data recorders thus saving costs and weight. Having the recorded data at a remote site eliminates the need to search for flight data recorders. Other advantages are back-up for ATC radar position data, better control of aircraft separation, improved flight efficiency, and allowing use of simpler and lower power radar.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,356 to Monroe discloses awireless safety and surveillance recorder system for aircraft incorporates a plurality of strategically spaced wireless sensors for monitoring critical components and operational characteristics of the aircraft. The captured data and a wireless image are transmitted to a monitor in the cockpit and recorded on a "black box" flight recorder, and may be transmitted to ground control stations for real-time or near real-time surveillance. The system may include a second recorder for providing redundancy and may include redundant sensors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,179 to Wright et al. discloses a wireless spread spectrum ground link-based aircraft data communication system for engine event reporting and an associated method. The system and method provide a record of the flight performance of an aircraft and the performance of the engine. A plurality of sensors sense engine conditions and generate engine data. A ground data link unit is positioned within the aircraft and receives the engine data. At initial take-off, a spread spectrum transmitter downloads the engine data to an airport based spread spectrum receiver that receives the spread spectrum communication signal from the aircraft upon initial take-off and demodulates the spread spectrum communication signal to obtain the engine data after initial take-off. The ground data link unit can also include a data store that is operative to accumulate and store flight performance data during flight of the aircraft. The spread spectrum transceiver is coupled to the data store and can download the flight performance data after the aircraft has landed at its destination airport.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,928 to Johnson discloses a prognostics monitor for systems that are subject to failure and an associated method. The monitor and method are for detecting and predicting parameter deviations and isolating failure modes in systems that are subject to failure. In a preferred embodiment, the method provides for use of the monitor with engines, including aircraft, automobile, and industrial combustion engines. However, numerous other applications are contemplated. Such engines may be described as having monitor points having current parameter values, where the monitor points may correspond to single physical sensors or to virtual or inferred monitor points having parameter values derived from multiple sensors. Acceptable ranges, limits, and values for each of the monitor point parameters may be provided for use with the Johnson device. Parameters lying outside of the acceptable ranges may be said to be in deviation. Ambiguity groups, including one or more failure modes or physical causes of the parameter deviations may also be provided. Parameter deviations, after optional filtering, may generate deviation signals which may be followed by analysis of the ambiguity groups to isolate the failure mode or modes causing the deviation. Courses of engine operation ameliorating the failure mode may be suggested. The methods also provides for projecting current trends into the future to predict deviations and isolate failure modes early, prior to actual occurrence. One preferred use for the method is early detection and isolation of faults in aircraft engines, leading to corrective action including early preventative maintenance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,077 to Joao discloses a monitoring apparatus for a vehicle or a premises, including a monitoring device for monitoring operation, system status, equipment system status, or activity, or a device for detecting a state of disrepair of a system or equipment system. The monitoring device or device is located at the vehicle or premises. The monitoring device or device transmits data to a first processing device located remote from the vehicle or premises. The data is received by the first processing device. The first processing device is capable of transmitting the data to a second processing device located remote from the vehicle or premises and remote from the first processing device. The second processing device is capable of receiving the data. The data can include operational data and video information, or information regarding a state of disrepair of the system or equipment system.
U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0143447 discloses a diagnostic system for use onboard a vehicle. The diagnostic system comprises a data recorder for collecting data from various sensors throughout the vehicle. An interface module is provided at the output of the data recorder and is capable of transmitting data over transmission medium to an output device for use in diagnosing vehicle performance and/or component failure.
PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 96/02903 discloses a smart bolt device having a communications system in a separate housing from a bolt. The device provides a hot bearing detection system that spatially separates the thermal sensor that is disposed within a bearing-securing bolt from the communication means for communicating high temperature conditions occurring at a railroad car bearing or the like. The housing for the communication means is disposed adjacent the bearing and is connected electrically with the thermal sensor such that when high temperature conditions occur the conditions will be RF-communicated to the wayside or to a locomotive.
The inventors have determined that it would be beneficial to provide a system that monitors a fuel pump or another type of equipment/component used in conjunction with an aircraft, ground vehicle, watercraft, or other type of vehicle in order to provide predictive and anticipatory actions to increase the reliability of the fuel pump and/or the vehicle. An added benefit is that the system also provides an independent source for verifying component, equipment, and/or vehicle operating hours and/or operation under stressed conditions.

Fuel pump monitoring system and associated method


A technique of preparing oil from waste plastics, especially the one to which a mechanism of an extrusion molding machine is applied, is provided wherein an effective control of a decomposition process is conducted in order to effectively prevent the generation of carbon and to efficiently obtain recovered products having a desired composition. For this purpose, reactors 1a, 1b, and 1c having built in carrying means 3a, 3b, and 3c, respectively are used as connected in stages, in which reactors waste plastics are heated and decomposed into oil as carried. One or a series of reactors are used as a unit to form a melting zone and a decomposing zone in the carrying direction. In the melting zone the waste plastics in the solid form is melted and liquefied, and in the decomposing zone, the liquefied components supplied from the melting zone is allowed to form a shallow liquid phase section at the bottom of the reactors, and at the same time the gasified components evolved from the liquid phase section is allowed to form a gas phase section having a sufficiently large volume as compared with that of the liquid phase on top of the liquid phase section, the gasified components filling the gas phase section is guided to the outside and cooled, and then recovered as an oil.

Although various ideas and modes of apparatus have been proposed to prepare oil from waste plastics, it is a matter of fact that none of them have been operationally practicable.
By way of example, there is a technique of applying the mechanism of an extrusion molding machine, the technique comprising continuously conducting thermal decomposition of waste plastics into oil under heat while continuously carrying them by a continuous carrying means like a screw conveyer which Is characteristic of the extrusion molding machine. In applying the mechanism of the extrusion molding machine, the extrusion molding machine, being a highly established technology, has been highly expected that a resultant machine in a compact form will have a relatively large throughput, and will permit continuous automatic processing. Therefore, many researches and developments have been conducted all over the world, but no machine has been yet put into practice as mentioned before.
One of the major reasons why the conventional technology of preparing oil including the method of extrusion molding is the evolution of a large quantity of carbon in the decomposition process. Carbon generated in large quantity will attach to the inner wall of a decomposition reactor and thereby inhibits heat transfer and renders a stable control of the decomposition reaction difficult. As a result, recovered products having a desired composition cannot be efficiently obtained. Furthermore, since a great deal of efforts and time are required and the reaction processes become increasingly dangerous, many supervisory personnel are required. As a result, the machine will be economically poor and, therefore, cannot be operated as a practical machine.
In addition, insufficient controllability of the recovered products is also an obstacle to practical use. Although the recovered products preferably has a constituent composition suitable as a fuel oil for industrial burners etc., the recovered products by conventional techniques have a reduced quality due to contamination of carbon, or not suitable as a fuel oil due to contamination of too much gasoline derived from over-decomposition. It is, therefore, impossible to enhance the added value for practical operation of a system, and thus the recovered products cannot be applied for the operation of a practical system.
In order to prevent evolution of carbon and to control the composition of the recovered products which are required for realizing practical operation of preparing oil, exact knowledge on the mechanism of polymer decomposition and carbon evolution and proper countermeasures based on the information should be required. In this regard, however, the conventional technologies have been insufficient, and they can neither effectively prevent the evolution of carbon nor effectively control the composition of the recovered products.
From the above standpoint, the inventor conducted a thorough research and analysis on the mechanism of polymer decomposition and carbon evolution, and obtained the following findings. First, the decomposition of a polymer into oil was found to take place in the following processes: the solid material is melt and liquefied, which is then heated in the liquefied state to decompose the higher structure of the polymer to a lower structure, and then at this state decomposition starts for the first time, which causes the evolution of gasified components having different molecular weights depending on different decomposition temperatures, and the gasified components is cooled to yield a recovered product having a fixed composition. The composition of the recovered product is most significantly affected by the control of the heating temperature and the decomposition reaction in the liquid state. Therefore, the control of the heating temperature and the decomposition reaction for the liquid state Is most important for the resultant composition of the recovered product.
Carbon is mostly generated when the gasified components evolved in decomposition, especially those in which low molecular weight components are more predominant, are excessively heated. All the conventional processes are conducted under the conditions in which the gasified components cannot be free from the excessive heating because they are contained or trapped in the solid materials and the liquefied components, which is the biggest reason for the generation of a large quantity of carbon. It is therefore most important that the gasified components evolved from the liquefied components be immediately separated from the latter so that the former may not be exposed to excessive heating.
Especially, in the conventional techniques employing a mechanism of the extrusion molding machine, the liquid components after liquefaction are conveyed in the compressed highly densed form due to the extrapolation of the idea in the molding field that the compressing power and the shear stress derived from the strong conveying by the screw should also be used as a heat source. As a result, the liquid components tend to be contained and cause the generation of a large quantity of carbon. Furthermore, since a thick layer is formed by a polymer having low thermal conductivity, the effective control of the temperature of its center becomes difficult, thus disenabling the effective control of the composition of the recovered product.

Process for continuously preparing oil from waste plastics and apparatus therefor


Methods and apparatus are provided for efficiently implementing a customizable processor core on a programmable chip. Source code provided in a high level language is compiled into intermediate code. The optimizer uses the intermediate code and user parameters to define aspects of the processor architecture. The output is used to generate a model that provides profiling information for additional optimization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to implementing processor cores on programmable chips. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for enabling the efficient and optimized implementation of processor cores generated from source code.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of benefits have spurred efforts towards developing programmable chips having both logic elements and a processor core. In one example, integrating processor cores with logic elements on a single programmable chip allows efficient and effective processing using a variety of different logic mechanisms and functions. In one example, programmable chips are provided with not only logic elements and memory, but with processor cores and other components as well. Integrating processor cores and other components onto a programmable chip allow designers to more efficiently implement descriptions on programmable devices by allowing some functions to be performed by a processor core and other functions to be performed using logic elements.
Some mechanisms for implementing a processor core entail using a general purpose programming language or high level language. In one example, code written in a general purpose programming language such as C or C++ is converted into a hardware descriptor language (HDL) file using a tool such as the DK1 Design Suite available from Celoxica Corporation of Abingdon, United Kingdom. The HDL file can then be synthesized and implemented on a programmable chip such as a programmable logic device (PLD) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). Some available synthesis tools are Leonardo Spectrum, available from Mentor Graphics Corporation of Wilsonville, Oreg. and Synplify available from Synplicity Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif.
However, mechanisms for efficiently optimizing processor cores from a high level language on programmable devices are limited. It is therefore desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for optimizing implementation of processor cores on programmable chips.

Methods and apparatus for optimizing a processor core on a programmable chip


Collapsible radiant barrier void filler, comprising: first and second scored sheets having interior and exterior surfaces and fold lines to attain collapsed and expanded configurations; a cell core being collapsible to a closed cell configuration and expandable to an open cell configuration, the cell core having end portions secured to oppositely disposed portions of the interior surfaces of the scored sheets, and the cell core having oppositely disposed cell side portions; and a radiant barrier having a reflective first side and an opposing second side wherein the second side is disposed upon at least one of the interior surfaces of one of the scored sheets and wherein the first reflective side is juxtaposed adjacent at least one of the oppositely disposed cell side portions in the expanded open cell configuration so as to maintain an air space adjacent the first reflective side that extends into the cell core.

Currently, void fillers, typically made from corrugated paperboard or cardboard are used as lightweight spacers and stabilizers for filing voids between cargo loads of product being transported in, for example, rail cars, trucks, and shipping containers.
For example, cargo loads comprised of beverages or perishable food in containers such as boxes or crates are typically transported on pallets which are generally lined up in rows that are spaced from one another and stacked one on top of another in, for example, a rail car, truck, or shipping container. During the loading of the pallets or thereafter, void fillers are located to fill voids between the pallets of containers or between such pallets of containers and one or more walls of the rail car, truck, or shipping container to stabilize the cargo loads.


A fluid purifying apparatus that purifies fluid containing organic matter has a reactor including a first transfer part that receives the fluid from outside and transfers the fluid in a vertical direction from an upper side to a lower side while heating and pressurizing the fluid and mixing the fluid with an oxidant, a second transfer part that receives the fluid that has passed through the first transfer part and transfers the fluid in the vertical direction from the lower side to the upper side, and a partition member that partitions an upper part of the reactor into the first transfer part and the second transfer part, and a solid storage part that communicates with the first transfer part and the second transfer part below the partition member and receives solid matter contained in the fluid that settles while the fluid is transferred.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid purifying apparatus that includes a reactor that purifies a purifying target fluid such as waste liquid by applying pressure and heat to the purifying target liquid while mixing an oxidant such as air with the purifying target fluid and decomposing organic matter contained in the purifying target fluid through an oxidation reaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method of conducting biological treatment using an activated sludge has been generally used as a method for purifying liquid wastes such as human waste, sewage, domestic wastewater from residential areas, livestock excreta, and effluents from food processing factories. However, the method is not conducive to treating liquid wastes containing a high-concentration organic solvent, which impede activities of microorganisms in the activated sludge, without reducing the concentration, or treating liquid wastes containing fine particles of non-biodegradable plastics. Also, the method is not conducive to treating waste liquids containing a high content of persistent organic matter such as oil that cannot be easily decomposed by microorganisms.
Meanwhile, technological developments are recently being made with respect to a fluid purifying apparatus that purifies waste liquid by applying heat and pressure to a mixed fluid of the liquid waste and an oxidant such as air, and decomposing organic matter contained in the mixed fluid through oxidative decomposition. An example of such a fluid purifying apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-9482 (referred to as "Patent Document 1" hereinafter). The fluid purifying apparatus applies heat and pressure to the mixed fluid of waste liquid and air inside a reactor and causes water contained in the mixed fluid to be in a supercritical state. Supercritical water has properties between those of liquid and gas. Supercritical water is created under a condition where the temperature is raised above the critical temperature of water and the pressure is raised above the critical pressure of water. In the reactor, organic matter may be hydrolyzed in a mixture of supercritical water and air, or organic matter may undergo oxidative decomposition in the presence of oxygen.
By implementing such a technique that involves oxidative decomposition of organic matter contained in a mixed fluid by applying a high temperature and a high pressure to water contained in the mixed fluid and converting the water into supercritical water, purification may be performed on waste liquids that could not be purified through biological treatment such as waste liquids containing a high concentration of organic solvent, waste liquids containing plastic particles, and waste liquids containing persistent organic matter, for example.
The inventors of the present invention are developing a new fluid purifying apparatus that is capable of inducing oxidative decomposition of organic matter in a reactor by applying a pressure that is lower than the critical pressure of water to a mixed fluid while heating the mixed fluid to a high temperature so that the water contained in the mixed fluid is turned into a high-temperature and high-pressure vapor state. The inventors have found through their research and development efforts that such a fluid purifying apparatus is also capable of purifying waste liquids containing a high concentration of organic solvent, waste liquids containing plastic particles, and waste liquids containing persistent organic matter, for example.
However, in the case of purifying a waste liquid containing a high content of inorganic suspended solids as the purifying target fluid using the above-described fluid purifying apparatus or the fluid purifying apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, cleaning operations that involve halting operations of the fluid purifying apparatus to clean the interior of the reactor have to be frequently conducted.
Specifically, conventional reactors include a vertical type reactor such as that illustrated in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, and a horizontal type reactor such as that illustrate in FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1. The vertical type reactor is arranged to have its longitudinal side extend in a substantially vertical direction. The vertical type reactor is configured to receive waste liquid from its upper side, decompose organic matter contained in the waste liquid while mixing an oxidant with the waste liquid and transporting the waste liquid from the upper side towards the lower side, and discharge the purified fluid to a drain pipe that is connected to the lower end of the tank. The horizontal type reactor is arranged to have its longitudinal side extend in a substantially horizontal direction. The horizontal type reactor is configured to receive waste liquid from one of its horizontal ends, decompose organic matter contained in the waste liquid while the mixing an oxidant with the waste liquid and transporting the waste liquid from the one horizontal end to the other horizontal end, and discharge the purified fluid to a transfer pipe that is connected to the other horizontal end.
In either of the above types of reactors, water contained in the waste liquid is converted into supercritical water or high-temperature and high-pressure vapor immediately after the waste liquid is introduced into the reactor. In this case, a large amount of inorganic suspended solids contained in the waste liquid are precipitated, and the inorganic solids settle and accumulate at the bottom of reactor. In the vertical type reactor, the inorganic solids accumulated at the bottom of the reactor may clog the drain pipe connected to the lower end of the reactor to thereby hinder effective transfer of the supercritical water or high-temperature and high-pressure vapor within the reactor. In the horizontal type reactor, precipitation of the inorganic solids occurs largely near the one horizontal end from which the waste liquid is introduced. Thus, eventually, the inorganic solids may pile up from the bottom to the ceiling of the tank at the one horizontal end to thereby clog the tank itself. In such case, it may be difficult to effectively transfer the supercritical water or the high-temperature and high-pressure vapor within the reactor from the one horizontal end to the other horizontal end. Thus, operations of the fluid purifying apparatus have to be halted on a frequent basis to conduct cleaning operations on the reactor.
In view of the above, suspended solids may be removed in advance through coagulation, sedimentation, or sieving, for example, to reduce the concentration of inorganic suspended solids contained in the waste liquid. In this way, the amount of precipitation of inorganic solids within the reactor may be reduced and the frequency rate at which cleaning operations have to be conducted may be reduced. However, removing suspended solids in advance may preclude efficient use of the decomposition energy of organic matter contained in the waste liquid and costs may be raised as a result.
Specifically, suspended solids contained in waste liquid may generally be divided into inorganic suspended solids and organic suspended solids. When removal processes such as coagulation, sedimentation, or sieving is performed, the inorganic suspended solids as well as the organic solids are removed. Organic suspended solids may be dissolved into supercritical water or high-temperature and high-pressure vapor under a high temperature and a high pressure and may be oxidized and decomposed thereafter, or even if the organic suspended solids are separated from water and precipitated as organic solids, they may be burned in the presence of oxygen. Thus, organic suspended solids are not likely to be accumulated within the reactor. Accordingly, even if a large amount of organic suspended solids exist within the reactor, the organic suspended solids are not likely to contribute to clogging of the reactor. Moreover, because organic suspended solids generate heat upon undergoing oxidative decomposition within the reactor, they may contribute to maintaining the temperature within the reactor at a high temperature so that heating energy for heating the reactor by heating means such as a heater may be conserved. Thus, removing the organic suspended solids before introducing the waste liquid into the reactor may have a detrimental effect of increasing the heating energy required within the reactor which may in turn lead to a cost increase.


A method for improving the growth characteristics of plants of the C.sub.3 and CAM varieties comprises applying to the roots of the plants an aqueous solution containing methanol together with a high nitrogen fertilizer. The fertilizer comprises an N--P--K fertilizer having a high nitrogen content, preferably a 24-6-6 value, in which the nitrogen component is provided principally by ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and ammonium phosphate. Use of urea as a nitrogen source in the fertilizer formulation is essentially avoided. Greatly improved growth characteristics have been demonstrated in comparative experimental tests with a large variety of C.sub.3 and CAM family fruits, vegetables, flowering plants and trees.

My U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,586 describes a method of improving the growth characteristics of orchid plants which comprises applying to the roots of the plants an aqueous solution containing methanol and a fertilizer. The application of methanol to the orchid plant roots produces earlier flowering and more shoots and increases high temperature tolerance, root vigor, bright light tolerance, and foliage glossiness or shininess.
The present invention is based on the recognition that an aqueous solution containing methanol and a high nitrogen fertilizer applied to the plant roots of a large number of different plant varieties beyond the orchid family produces remarkable growth enhancement of the plants treated with the methanol/high nitrogen fertilizer solution.
The use of methanol for promoting plant growth has been reported throughout the scientific literature in recent years. Perhaps the leading article in the field is authored by Nonomura A. M. and A. A. Benson, 1992, "The Path of Carbon in Photosynthesis: Improved Crop Yields With Methanol," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 89:97 94-97 98, who reported remarkable growth enhancement of C.sub.3 plants treated with methanol. A methanol solution sprayed on the leaves of a variety of C.sub.3 plants such as tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, cotton, cabbage, wheat, rose, palm and watermelon produced enhanced growth characteristics. Other positive responses to plants treated with methanol also have been reported in the literature. However, more publications relating to this subject have reported no evidence of growth gain. These contradictory results have left the usefulness of methanol treatment unresolved.
A recent article by McGiffen, Jr., M. E. and J. A. Manthey, "The Role of Methanol and Promoting Plant Growth: A Current Evaluation," Hort. Science, Dec. 19, 1996, 31(7): 1092-1096, evaluated a large number of studies and concluded that the overwhelming evidence from the scientific literature is that methanol is not a reliable stimulant to crop productivity; and that although the methods have not been consistent across all of the studies, investigations that duplicated Nonomura and Benson's procedures failed to find consistent increases in crop yield. McGiffen et al. concluded that additional field experiments that simply repeat Nonomura and Benson's protocol are unlikely to provide new insights, and that the foliar application of methanol is unlikely to become a practical yield enhancer.
The present invention is based on the recognition that, contrary to the McGiffen et al. study, methanol can be used to promote plant growth. According to the present invention, a methanol-enhanced aqueous solution of a high nitrogen fertilizer applied to the plant roots produces remarkable improvements in many growth characteristics of C.sub.3 plants. Moreover, such plant growth improvement has been produced in a variety of C.sub.3 plant species including fruits, vegetables, trees and flowering plants. Improved growth in CAM variety plants also has been demonstrated.

Use of methanol for improving plant growth


The present invention integrates an on-board navigation system to provide energy management for an electric vehicle (EV) and a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). The HEV control strategy of the present invention accommodates the goals of fuel economy while always meeting driver demand for power and maintaining the functionality of the traction motor battery system using battery parameter controllers. In the preferred embodiment of the present strategy, a vehicle system controller tightly integrates the navigation system information with energy management while en route to a known destination. Present vehicle location is continuously monitored, expectations of driver demand are determined, and vehicle accommodations are made. The system can be configured to includes as part of its present vehicle location data on road patterns, geography with date and time, altitude changes, speed limits, driving patterns of a vehicle driver, and weather. The vehicle accommodations can be configured to use discrete control laws, fuzzy logic, or neural networks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and specifically to using an on-board navigation system for energy management.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The need to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions in automobiles and other vehicles predominately powered by internal combustion engines (ICEs) is well known. Vehicles powered by electric motors attempt to address these needs. Another alternative solution is to combine a smaller ICE with electric motors into one vehicle. Such vehicles combine the advantages of an ICE vehicle and an electric vehicle and are typically called hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). See generally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,970 to Severinsky.
The HEV is described in a variety of configurations. Many HEV patents disclose systems where an operator is required to select between electric and internal combustion operation. In other configurations, the electric motor drives one set of wheels and the ICE drives a different set.
Other, more useful, configurations have developed. For example, a series hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV) configuration is a vehicle with an engine (most typically an ICE) connected to an electric motor called a generator. The generator, in turn, provides electricity to a battery and another motor, called a traction motor. In the SHEV, the traction motor is the sole source of wheel torque. There is no mechanical connection between the engine and the drive wheels. A parallel hybrid electrical vehicle (PHEV) configuration has an engine (most typically an ICE) and an electric motor that work together in varying degrees to provide the necessary wheel torque to drive the vehicle. Additionally, in the PHEV configuration, the motor can be used as a generator to charge the battery from the power produced by the ICE.
A parallel/series hybrid electric vehicle (PSHEV) has characteristics of both PHEV and SHEV configurations and is sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9cpowersplitxe2x80x9d configuration. In one of several types of PSHEV configurations, the ICE is mechanically coupled to two electric motors in a planetary gear-set transaxle. A first electric motor, the generator, is connected to a sun gear. The ICE is connected to a carrier. A second electric motor, a traction motor, is connected to a ring (output) gear via additional gearing in a transaxle. Engine torque can power the generator to charge the battery. The generator can also contribute to the necessary wheel (output shaft) torque if the system has a one-way clutch. The traction motor is used to contribute wheel torque and to recover braking energy to charge the battery. In this configuration, the generator can selectively provide a reaction torque that may be used to control engine speed. In fact, the engine, generator motor and traction motor can provide a continuous variable transmission (CVT) effect. Further, the PSHEV presents an opportunity to better control engine idle speed over conventional vehicles by using the generator to control engine speed.
The desirability of electric motor powered vehicles (EVs) and combining an ICE with electric motors (HEVs) is clear. Fuel consumption and emissions can be reduced with no appreciable loss of vehicle performance or drive-ability. The HEV allows the use of smaller engines, regenerative braking, electric boost, and even operating the vehicle with the engine shutdown. Nevertheless, new ways must be developed to optimize EVs and HEVs potential benefits.
One way to optimize electric powered vehicles is efficient energy management. A successful energy management strategy must balance fuel economy, maintain critical vehicle function capacity, (i.e., assuring sufficient stored electrical energy), while always meeting driver demand for power. For example, the control system needs to maintain the battery state-of-charge (SOC) at a level to meet performance requirements while allowing it to accept any upcoming regenerative braking energy. Without knowledge of the possible upcoming power requirements or regenerative braking events, the control system has to conservatively predict and compromise battery SOC.
A possible solution to assist a vehicle system controller (VSC) to predict and adapt to upcoming vehicle power requirements and regenerative braking is the use of a navigational system that uses a global positioning system (GPS) and a digital map database. While this idea is known in the prior art, such systems do not utilize the full potential of navigation system derived information for energy management and efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,346 to Moroto et al. generates an electric power schedule for an EV or an HEV based on a starting point and a destination. A navigation system acts as an arbitrator for feasible routes based on distance traveled en route to the destination compared to the distance capacity of the vehicle. This invention uses the navigation system as a pre-trip planning tool that would, for example, reject the longest proposed routes. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,832,396 and 5,778,326 to Moroto et al. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,415 to Ibaraki et al., allows the use of a navigation system in advance as a pre-trip planning tool for an HEV to assure power demands are met.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,024 to Yokoyama et al. discloses the use of a navigational system on a continuous basis to provide a xe2x80x9cbest drive route.xe2x80x9d The invention is not concerned with energy management, nor is it concerned with electric vehicles. For example, it can use a bi-directional navigation system to develop, among other things, a database of road conditions in any given area based on receipt of the same road condition data from a plurality of vehicles in the same area. If several vehicles are reporting use of anti-lock braking systems or air bag deployment, the xe2x80x9cbest drive routexe2x80x9d would be diverted from that area.
A vehicle control system for an EV or HEV that can tightly integrate a navigational system, such as a GPS with a map database, for continuous vehicle energy management is needed.
Accordingly, the present invention integrates an on-board navigation system to provide energy management for an electric vehicle (EV) and a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).
The present invention provides a system and method to manage energy in a vehicle with an electric traction motor comprising, a powertrain with at least one motor and an engine, a battery connected to the motor, a vehicle system controller (VSC) connected to the vehicle powertrain, a device connected to the VSC to continuously locate a present vehicle location and infer expectations of driver demand, and a strategy to continuously accommodate fuel economy, driver demand for power and function of the battery.
The system can be configured to include as part of its present vehicle location data on road patterns, geography with date and time, altitude changes, speed limits, identification of intersections with traffic control features such as stop signs and traffic lights, driving patterns of a vehicle driver, and weather.
The strategy can be configured to use discrete control laws, fuzzy logic, or neural networks.
Driver demand or expectation can be based on a driver communicating an intended drive route, or through the use of a search of maps for the locale of the vehicle.
Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Strategy to use an on-board navigation system for electric and hybrid electric vehicle energy management


Methods, systems, and tools for provide for delivering a particulate-laden slurry to a subterranean portion of a well for operations including gravel packing and/or frac packing.

The present disclosure relates to delivering a particulate-laden slurry to a subterranean portion of a well for operations including gravel packing and/or frac packing.
In gravel packing and frac packing, a particulate-laden slurry is pumped into the well bore through a tubing. The slurry is communicated from the interior of the tubing to an annulus between sand control screens of the production string and the wall of the well bore (open or cased) via a cross-over tool. The particulate in the slurry is deposited in the annulus about the sand screens to pack the annulus. In frac packing, the particulate is placed in connection with a fracing operation. In gravel packing, the zone about the well bore may or may not have been fraced, but the particulate is placed in a separate operation.


A system for varying the symbols used on a mechanical reel strip are disclosed. A reel strip comprises a plurality of symbols, each of the symbols associated with a symbol group. Each of the symbol groups is associated with a symbol group designation position on the reel strip. By varying the designation position on the reel strip, the symbols used with each reel strip can be modified. When multiple mechanical reels are used in a gaming machine, the symbol designating position for each reel strip can be the same as any other reel strip or can vary from any of the other reel strips. As such, an endless number of games and game variations may be created and deployed.

Traditionally, various types of gaming machines have been developed with different features to captivate and maintain player interest. For example, gaming machines may include flashing displays, lighted displays, or sound effects to capture a player's interest in a gaming device.
Additionally, over the years, gaming machines have grown in sophistication and features to maintain player interest. For example, the mechanical reels of traditional gaming machines have been replaced with video depictions of spinning reels. Some people believe video gaming machines provide a richer gaming experience for players by including graphics or animation as part of the game. Nevertheless, mechanical gaming machines continue to be successful even though there are physical limitations as to the features that may be provided on a mechanical gaming machine. For example, symbols on the mechanical reels are located at fixed positions on the reels so that the symbols cannot be readily moved or animated.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for slot machine variants that provide a player with enhanced excitement without departing from the original slot machine gaming concept.

System for providing multi-game reel strips


Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing audio to one or more individuals in an operating room. An ultrasonic signal generator may be provided that generates two or more ultrasonic signals that combine to produce an audible signal at a desired location. The audio signal may be perceived by individuals in the operating room to emanate from a surface or location within the operating room, or the audio signal may be generated to provide an audible signal to one or more persons within a particular location within the operating room. Multiple audio signals may be generated to emanate from multiple different locations. Likewise, multiple audio signals may be generated to provide different audible signals in different locations in the operating room.

The following relates generally to systems, devices and related methods of receipt of audible information in an operating room. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to providing audio to one or more individuals in an operating room in which the sound is perceived to emanate from a particular location within the operating room.
In operating room environments different individuals are tasked with different responsibilities. For example, a surgeon and one or more assistants, such as a resident and/or a scrub nurse, may be responsible for performing a surgical procedure on a patient. Similarly, an anesthesiologist may be responsible for maintaining the proper state of anesthetic for the patient and monitoring various vital statistics of the patient. A circulating nurse may provide support to different individuals in the operating room. In each case, the particular individuals may monitor one or more pieces of support equipment and/or surgical equipment, and in many cases the support and/or surgical equipment may provide one or more audible indicators according to the particular state of the equipment or monitoring that the equipment performs. In many situations, multiple different pieces of equipment may provide audible indications, and individuals in the operating room may hear indications from not only the equipment that they are responsible for monitoring, but also other pieces of equipment. In order to facilitate efficient operations in such environments, it may be beneficial to have audio from various pieces of equipment focused at particular individuals.

Devices and methods for audible indicators emanating from selected locations


A musical instrument similar to the traditional flute but easier to play and master has been designed as an introductory flute. The whistle flute can also be used by those who have had difficulty with traditional flute embouchure and/or for recreation, education, music therapy, and stage performance. With greater range, easier handling, and simpler fingering, the whistle flute will augment or replace the recorder style flutes now used in elementary schools. In addition, the whistle flute's inner whistle design could be utilized as a training or transitional mouthpiece for any type of transverse flute.

Transverse flutes and flute-type instruments, such as fifes and piccolos have been around for centuries. However, due to difficulties in sound production, these flutes present various problems for many people—including fingering and embouchure difficulties. The complex fingering on traditional flutes makes playing them problematic and even prohibitively so for the very young and other beginning players. A current alternative used in many elementary schools is the recorder (normally made of plastic with a built-in whistle mouthpiece), but recorders themselves present problems because they are blown vertically, presenting inferior handling to transverse instruments, and so do not afford a valuable introduction to traditional and orchestral flute-playing.
Various patented improvements have been made to recorder-type whistle flutes and other woodwind instruments in an effort to change the intonations and extend the ranges thereof. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,806 to Stavash, the device disclosed will change the intonation and pitch of a vertically-blown whistle flute by reducing the bore diameter. However, this device does not allow for any adjustment once inserted, and the instrument must still be blown vertically.
Likewise the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,060 to Ferron and U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,001 to Kergomard et al. reduce the bore sizes (at least in limited regions thereof) thereby changing the intonation of the instruments. However, these devices must be externally mounted on the instruments, and also the instruments must still be vertically blown.

Transverse whistle flute and method of playing