PICA probe system apparatus is described, including apparatus for calibrating an event timer having a coarse measurement capability in which time intervals defined by clock boundaries are counted and a fine measurement capability in which time between boundaries is interpolated using a voltage ramp.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to timing measurement of signals in PICA (picosecond imaging circuit analysis) systems, and particularly to methods and apparatus for timing measurement and calibration of timing measurement.
2. Prior Art
New package types, shrinking process geometries and new material pose challenges for gathering vital timing measurement during the integrated circuit (IC) design debug and validation process. Increasingly sensitive devices are easily perturbed during probing, which skews results and slows the design process.
Fault localization methods using beam probe systems are time-consuming even with access to IC layout knowledge since each node must be probed serially to trace the location of a faulty circuit element. Tester and other equipment time is often limited, forcing design debug experts to extract timing measurements from the device one probing session at a time, often adding weeks to the debug and verification cycle.
Timing data acquisition and analysis can be a development bottleneck. With conventional serial probe systems, skilled IC diagnostic experts are required to analyze the critical device data to know which node to probe next. Though companies often develop multiple products simultaneously, data acquisition, review and analysis capabilities are available only at the probe system's site. If a single node is missed, a new probe session must be set up, effectively limiting progress to one device at a time.
Silicon on insulator (SOI) technology offers increased power capabilities and device performance, but its sensitive structure requires non-invasive probing. Devices manufactured with 0.13-micron geometry have critical signal nodes so small and numerous that the acquisition process is too time-consuming for efficient probe by serial, beam-based instruments.
Picosecond Imaging Circuit Analysis (PICA) technology developed by IBM uses naturally occurring light emission from stimulated CMOS transistors to extract timing measurements and localize faults. Detecting the emitted light with high-speed optical detectors allows circuit switching to be monitored. By imaging and time-resolving light emission from many devices on an operating chip, the flow of information through the chip can be displayed as a movie.
More details of PICA methods and systems are found in the following documents which are incorporated herein by this reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,545 dated Aug. 17, 1999, Kash et al., Noninvasive Optical Method for Measuring Internal Switching and Other Dynamic Parameters of CMOS Circuits; U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,952 dated Feb. 22, 2000, Kash et al., System and Method for Compressing and Analyzing Time-Resolved Optical Data Obtained from Operating Integrated Circuits; U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,512 dated Jan. 9, 2001, Evans et al., Image Processing Methods for the Optical Detection of Dynamic Errors in Integrated Circuits; U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,668 (withdrawn) dated Oct. 16, 2001, Evans et al., Using Time Resolved Light Emission from VLSI Circuit Devices for Navigation on Complex Systems; European patent publication EP 0 937 989 published 25 Aug. 1999, Evans et al., IBM, Using Time Resolved Light Emission from VLSI Circuit Devices for Navigation on Complex Systems; J. BUDE, Hot-carrier luminescence in Si, PHYS. REV. B, 45(11), 15 Mar. 1992, pages 5848–5856; S. VILLA et al., Photon emission from hot electrons in silicon, PHYS. REV. B, 52(15), 15 Oct. 1995-I, pages 10993–10999; J. KASH et al., Full Chip Optical Imaging of Logic State Evolution in CMOS Circuits, IEDM 96 Late News Paper (1996) 1, pages 934–936; D. KNEBEL et al., Diagnosis and Characterization of Timing-Related Defects by Time-Dependent Light Emission, ITC PROCEEDINGS 1998; M. BRUCE et al., Waveform Acquisition from the Backside of Silicon Using Electro-Optic Probing, PROCEEDINGS FROM THE 25th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR TESTING AND FAILURE ANALYSIS, 14–18 Nov. 1999, pages 19–25; T. EILES et al., Optical Probing of VLSI IC's from the Silicon Backside, Proceedings from the 25th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis, 14–18 Nov. 1999, pages 27–33, and M. MCMANUS, Picosecond Imaging Circuit Analysis of the IBM G6 Microprocessor Cache, PROCEEDINGS FROM THE 25th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR TESTING AND FAILURE ANALYSIS, 14–18 Nov. 1999, pages 35–38.
Precise time resolution of the detected photons is important in electro-optic probing. Suitable high-resolution timing measurement methods and apparatus are desired, along with methods for their calibration.

PICA system timing measurement and calibration


A sanding machine, with a machine bed, two vertical supports arranged laterally at the machine bed, with a bridge displaceable on the vertical supports in a horizontal, linear Y-axis, with an X-sled displaceable at the bridge in a horizontal, linear X-axis, with a Z-sled displaceable at the X-sled in a vertical, linear Z-axis, with an operating spindle supported at the Z-sled, particularly a sanding spindle, with a machine table and a magazine wheel comprising tool holders for sanding disks, and which is rotational about an axis parallel in reference to the Z-axis, with the operating spindle being able to remove a tool from a tool holder and place it there when this tool holder is rotated into an exchange position, with the tool magazine being arranged underneath the machine table and in the area of the exchange position.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sanding machine.
Background of the Invention
A processing machine, particularly a sander in the Gantry design, shows two vertical supports, arranged laterally at the machine bed, on which a bridge can be displaced in a first horizontal, linear axis, numerically controlled. A sled, numerically controlled, is displaceable at this bridge in a second horizontal axis, orthogonal in reference to the first axis. Another sled is supported in a vertical third linear axis, orthogonal in reference to the other two axes. For a simpler reference, in the description and in the claims the first horizontal linear axis is called the Y-Axis, the second horizontal linear axis is called the X-Axis, and the vertical linear axis is called the Z-axis. The sled displaceable in the second horizontal linear axis is called the X-sled and the sled displaceable in the vertical linear axis is called the Z-sled. An operating spindle is supported at the Z-sled. A machine table is arranged on the machine bed, which carries a tool clamping device for clamping the work piece to be processed.
In the description and the drawings the processing machine is shown and identified as a sander and accordingly the operating spindle is a sanding spindle. The invention is how-ever also suitable for other processing machines, for example for milling machines, processing centers, and the like.
It is known from EP 1 886 762 B1 to equip a grinder with a tool magazine, which is embodied as a wheel and shows tool holders at its circumference for an exchangeable accepting of tools. This tool magazine is arranged next to the operating area of the sander, rotational about a vertical axis, parallel in reference to a Z-axis. By the numerically con-trolled rotation of the tool magazine, a selected tool holder can be respectively rotated into an exchange position, in which the tool holder is located in the operating area of the sander such that the sanding spindle can be moved to the tool holder located in the exchange position, in order to remove a tool from this tool holder or to place a tool into said tool holder.
The arrangement of the tool magazine embodied as a wheel next to the operating area of the sander increases the floor space necessary for the sander. In order to prevent the tool magazine from hindering the processing in the operating area, the wheel of the tool magazine shows a clear sector, which is made to coincide with the space of the operating area, when the processing of the work piece occurs. This clear sector limits the number of tool holders and thus the intake capacity of the tool magazine.
A sander in the Gantry design is known from EP 0 611 630 B1, in which at a horizontal bridge a first sled can be dis-placed horizontally in a linear axis. A Z-sled is displaceable at this sled in a vertical Z-axis, which carries a sanding spindle. A machine table rests on the machine bed, which carries a tool clamping device. The machine table is displaceable in a second horizontal, linear axis and rotational about a C-axis parallel in reference to the Z-axis. Additionally, the tool clamping device is rotational about a horizontal axis. A tool magazine is not provided.
The invention is based on the objective to provide a processing machine, particularly a sander, with a tool magazine being designed such that a floor space as small as possible is required.
This objective is attained according to the invention in a processing machine, particularly a sander, as described herein.


A medical imaging system is described that comprises an heating element configured to apply at least one heating pattern element to a material to locally heat the material; a sensor configured to capture the position of the heated material a predetermined time after the application of the heating pattern element; and circuitry configured to determine the change of the heating pattern applied to the material based upon the captured position of the heated material after the predetermined time.

The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in the background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A problem when performing endoscopy (such as medical endoscopy or industrial endoscopy) is to identify the source of fluid leakage. In the field of medical endoscopy, for example, there may be a wound which is the source of internal bleeding, or in industrial endoscopy, there may be a fracture in the pipe causing a fluid to leak.
Depending on the severity of the wound or fracture, finding the source of the leak may be time critical. Therefore, it is an aim of the present disclosure to assist in finding the source of a leak in endoscopy.
Additionally, where many different materials exist in the endoscopy environment, it is desirable to determine the presence and identity of the different materials. It is another aim of the present disclosure to assist in determining the presence and identity of different materials in endoscopy.

Medical imaging system, method, and computer program


The present invention relates to a composition of topical preparation containing alprostadil, which has excellent skin permeation rate with little skin irritation, which is prepared by dissolving alprostadil or a solid dispersion thereof prepared using poloxamer, into a mixture of an oily vehicle, a pyrrolidone and an anti-irritant agent.

This invention relates to a composition of topical preparation containing alprostadil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which has excellent skin permeation rate with little skin irritation. Particularly, the present invention relates to a composition of topical preparation containing alprostadil, which is prepared by dissolving alprostadil itself or a solid dispersion thereof prepared using poloxamer, into a mixture of an oily vehicle, a pyrrolidone and an anti-irritant agent.
Erectile dysfunction refers to a condition of the inability to achieve and maintain penile erection sufficient to complete satisfactory sexual intercourse. There are two major causes for the erectile dysfunction: psychogenic and organic causes. Previously, erectile dysfunction was thought to be of psychogenic origin. In these days, however, it is believed that most of erectile dysfunction comes from organic causes resulting from damage in nerve, blood vessel or hormone system, surgery, or drug administration.
Erectile dysfunction can be cured with surgical or pharmacological means. For the pharmacological treatment, some effective drugs are available, orally or locally. As oral drugs, yohimbine and trazodone have been used, but their clinical effect is not pronounced. Recently, sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, has been introduced into the market as an oral drug. This new oral drug showed positive result in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, the oral administration of a drug accompanies systemic side effects inevitably, since the drug reaches the site of action after it is distributed throughout the whole body by the systemic circulation. Sildenafil also has some systemic side effects such as headache, flushing, indigestion and changes in vision, etc. Particularly, it may cause a serious side effect, if taken by patient medicated with organic nitrates, due to the possibility of dramatic drop in blood pressure. Therefore, a local treatment is the method of choice for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, since it is a local disorder. For this purpose, alprostadil (prostaglandin E1), papaverine, or phentolamine has been used. Among them, alprostadil is demonstrated to be the most effective drug for the local treatment of erectile dysfunction. Until now, intracavernous injection and transurethral pellet of alprostadil are commercially available in the market. However, the injection formulation needs a direct injection to the penis. Thus, patients may feel uncomfortable, and a pain or bleeding, or even infection on the injected site may occur. The transurethral pellet also has inconvenience in inserting into urethra, and burning sense on urethra or pain on penis may occur.
As mentioned above, alprostadil shows excellent pharmacological effect in the treatment of erectile dysfunction when applied locally. However, these two invasive methods, intracavernous injection and transurethral delivery, are only available as currently available dosage forms even though a topical preparation is more convenient to apply than those methods. This is due to two problems in the formulation of alprostadil as a topical preparation. One is the instability of the drug in the conventional topical preparation which usually contains water in it. Like other prostaglandins, alprostadil is degraded easily to prostaglandin A1 or prostaglandin B1 in the presence of water. The other one is that the skin permeation rate of alprostadil itself is too low to achieve therapeutic drug concentration locally when applied topically.
The dosage forms for the topical application of alprostadil disclosed in patents include gels, ointments, creams without any detailed formula. Beside those dosage forms, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,046,240 and 6,013,277 disclosed liposome for the formulation of topical preparations of alprostadil. However, all these dosage forms include water in them, which induces the degradation of alprostadil. As a dosage form which does not contain water, WO No. 99/66870, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,760 and 5,741,511 disclosed transdermal patch for the topical delivery of alprostadil. However, transdermal patch has a critical drawback that it needs long time to delivery the drug underneath the skin enough to reach the therapeutic drug concentration locally. In addition, all of these patents do not mention any special enhancers for the skin permeation of alprostadil. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,046,244 and 5,942,545 disclosed topical preparations of alprostadil which contain skin permeation enhancers. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,244, alkyl-2-(N,N-disubstituted amino)-alkanoate or (N,N-disubstituted amino)-alkanol alkanoate has been used as the skin permeation enhancer, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,545, dioxolane, dioxane, or acetal. However, these enhancers are not commercially available and there are not sufficient information on the effects of these enhancers other than that as a skin permeation enhancer so far, since these are new materials. The present inventors had found that some pyrrolidones of pharmaceutical or cosmetic grade enhance the skin permeation of alprostadil, and filed a patent application for this invention (Korean Patent Application No. 99-31090). The excellent skin permeation of alprostadil was obtained with the preparation of this patent. Also, the stability of alprostadil in the preparation was highly improved, since the topical formulation in this patent is based on non-aqueous vehicles. However, the preparation in this patent has also a shortcoming of severe topical irritation on the applied area, which may be due to the drug itself or the excipients used or the combination of the two.
Through intensive research for a long time on the combination of oily vehicles, skin permeation enhancers and anti-irritant agents for the alprostadil, the present inventors discovered a composition of topical preparation containing alprostadil which has excellent skin permeation rate with little skin irritation to complete the present invention.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a composition of topical preparation containing alprostadil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which has excellent skin permeation rate with little skin irritation.

Topical preparation of alprostadil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction


There is provided a low-cost wide band antenna having an ultra-wide band and high performance. The wide band antenna includes an antenna element to form a shape of a ridge waveguide open cross-section structure together with GND (10) when it is spread. The antenna element has a ridge element portion (13) corresponding to the ridge portion of the ridge waveguide and a radiation element portion (14) corresponding to the wall of the ridge waveguide and extending from the ridge element portion (13) for electromagnetic wave radiation. Moreover, the antenna element has an opposing auxiliary element (12) having the same shape and structure as the ridge element portion (13). The radiation element portion (14) has an end arranged on the GND (10). The ridge element portion (13) has a tip end connected to a power supply terminal (100).

As antennas used in a wide band communication system, a multiple element antenna, a spiral antenna, a log periodic antenna, and the like are known.
The multiple element antenna is an antenna configured to obtain wide-band antenna characteristics by combining many antenna elements each having slightly different frequency bands. This multiple element antenna has a superior characteristic as to wide-band property, but there is a need to combine multiple antenna elements, which leads to a difficulty to adjust a feeding impedance of each antenna element and adjust a resonance frequency thereof. The spiral antenna and the log periodic antenna are simple in structure but their overall volumes are large and, in addition, their directional characteristics are limited only to a ground plane and a vertical direction when attached with the ground.
Also, in general, widening of practicable frequency bands of the multiple element antenna, the spiral antenna, and the log periodic antenna makes designing and adjustment thereof very difficult. Therefore, it has conventionally been difficult to realize a wide band antenna whose mass production is easy.
In recent years, a wide band communication system, such as a UWB system, has been applied in various fields. Also in an automobile, a mobile terminal, such as an on-vehicle wireless device, a portable telephone, or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) , a radio wave sensor, or the like is used. For instance, it is becoming not rare that an AM/FM radio receiver, an on-vehicle TV set, a GPS receiver, a satellite digital broadcasting receiver, a cellular phone, an ETC unit, a Bluetooth device, and a W-LAN are used in one automobile.
When terminals or systems that use frequencies in various bands are used like in this case, there arises a necessity to, for instance, attach many antennas to one automobile, which leads to a problem that an antenna installation space is increased as well as a problem that a cost is unusually increased.
One object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost wide band antenna having an ultra-wide band and high performance, with which it becomes possible to solve all of the problems described above.


A system and method for providing early detection of encrypted signals within a secure connection for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). The system and method includes a non-complex, in-band, and early encryption detector within the voice path. A transmitter sends out a known pattern. Based upon the received pattern, the receiver decides whether its encryption capabilities match up with those of the transmitter. If the capabilities do not match, then the receiver waits for the signalling message for the correct mode of operation. No packets are utilized until the receiver and transmitter encryption capabilities are matched.

Advances within Internet technologies have spawned new mechanisms of data, voice, and video communication including Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, which is a quickly developing field of telecommunications. However, the Internet is faced with two significant obstacles to fast, yet secure, communications. The first obstacle is usable bandwidth. Bandwidth affects the rate at which data can be transferred. The second obstacle pertains to security. The Internet is not a direct point-to-point connection between computers. Rather, it is a network to which computers (or other devices) can connect for the purpose of communicating with one another. As such, there is increased opportunity for eavesdropping on data, voice, or video transmissions over the Internet. One method of enhancing the security of Internet based communications is to encrypt the data being transmitted before sending it out over the network and de-encrypting the data once it is received by the far end device. Voice security is desirable for VoIP connections over an IP network.
The present invention addresses security issues with respect to VoIP telephone calls. Currently, a call signalling channel is secured by using either a Transport Layer Security (TLS), a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), or an IP Security Protocol (IPSec) on a secure well-known port. These approaches, however, suffer from delays in call setup time, complex handshaking procedures, and significant protocol overhead. Moreover, some VoIP implementations do not prevent signalling information from being viewed by unscrupulous computer hackers on the IP network used for VoIP calls. In some instances, when a SETUP message is sent over the IP network, the calling name and calling number is visible to sniffers or other such tools used on the Internet. To overcome this, voice packets are encrypted at a source and decrypted at the destination in order that a third party cannot eavesdrop on the conversation.
In order to properly advise both endpoints as to how to encrypt the voice packet, media signalling must carry the appropriate security information for negotiation requirements. This signalling must also be passed over a secure channel in order that third parties are not aware of what encryption procedures are being negotiated. Unfortunately, the delay of the signalling path relative to established voice path can result in some undesirable side effects. In FIG. 1, a typical VoIP system including an Internet Protocol Network 100 is shown with a signalling path 15 shown relative to an established voice path 14 between two IP telephony devices 10, 13. A switch 11 is represented in the signalling path 15. Clearly, the shorter path exists in-band. The main concerns in such a VoIP system include noise and voice clipping. Noise occurs when the receiver expects to decipher a real time transport protocol (RTP) packet based on a "best guess", but receives the packets based on a different cipher, or no cipher before the signalling is sent to the receiver. Voice clipping occurs because the receiver may not play any RTP packets until final negotiation, in which case initial packets would be missed. Typically, the receiver must wait for the final confirmation of the negotiated capabilities of the endpoints before accepting the voice stream packets. On the other hand, if the receiver does not wait for the confirmation, loud "noise" may be played out when the capabilities of the transmitter and receiver do not match.
What is needed is a method that increases security, simplifies VoIP handshaking procedures, and reduces call setup time without adding significant protocol overhead. Further, what is needed is a method that addresses both noise and voice clipping concerns.

Early detection system and method for encrypted signals within packet networks


A method for separating a blood component, e.g., fibrin monomer, from blood or plasma. The method utilizes a container with a reaction chamber for receiving the plasma. The reaction chamber is defined by a wall and an agent is supplied to the reaction chamber for converting the fibrinogen content of the plasma into a non-cross-linked fibrin polymer. The method also utilizes a device for centrifuging the reaction chamber with the plasma and the agent to a degree sufficient for separating the non-cross-linked fibrin polymer from the plasma, for depositing the polymer on the outer wall of the reaction chamber, and for expelling the remaining plasma from the reaction chamber. A solvent is supplied to the reaction chamber for dissolving the non-cross-linked fibrin polymer. The solvent is supplied to the reaction chamber in a first amount for dissolving the non-cross-linked fibrin polymer which is less than the total amount of solvent for dissolving the polymer. The remaining solvent is supplied to the reaction chamber in one or more portions to flush the reaction chamber and other portions of the device and recover additional non-cross-linked fibrin polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods for separating components from blood or plasma and, more specifically, the invention relates to methods with improved recovery of the blood or plasma component.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
WO 96/16714 discloses a container for separating a blood or plasma components, e.g., fibrin monomer, from blood or plasma by a centrifugation about a vertical axis. This container comprises a first annular chamber defined by an outer cylindrical wall and an inner cylindrical wall, both walls extending coaxially about a common axis, as well as by a top wall and a bottom wall, where the bottom wall is formed by a piston displaceable within the first chamber. The container further comprises a second chamber accommodated below the first chamber and communicating with the first chamber through a first conduit. The second chamber is defined by the outer cylindrical wall, the bottom wall of the first chamber, and by a second bottom wall. This second chamber serves as reaction chamber for receiving plasma and treating the plasma to obtain the desired component. For example, treatment of plasma fibrinogen with thrombin or a thrombin-like enzyme converts the fibrinogen to fibrin monomer which spontaneously polymerizes to a non-crosslinked fibrin polymer.
Placing this container in a centrifuge for the above-described reaction provides that the non-crosslinked fibrin polymer is separated from the plasma and deposited on an outer wall of the reaction chamber during centrifugation. When the piston is subsequently actuated, the remaining plasma is removed from the reaction chamber. Thereafter, a solvent is added for dissolving the so-deposited non-crosslinked fibrin polymer and forming the desired fibrin monomer solution.
As described in detail in EP 592242, this fibrin monomer solution is extremely useful, for example, in fibrin sealant methods. It is desirable to use devices like those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,845, WO 96/16713, U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,432, WO 96/16714, U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,230, WO 96/16715 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,446, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference, to prepare blood products such as fibrin sealant components immediately at the time of surgery so that autologous blood can be utilized. It may also be desirable from a surgeon""s perspective to use sealant products which are relatively uniform from one procedure to another. This is nearly impossible for freshly prepared products, however, since fibrinogen concentration in human blood can vary by xc2x1300% in human patient populations and freshly prepared sealant components from individual sources will also vary. Most humans have fibrinogen levels between 2 and 6 mg/ml of plasma and some humans may have as little as 1 mg/ml and some as much as 10 mg/ml (fibrinogen plasma).
As described in WO 98/30887 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,026, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, a method and apparatus are known which involve introducing blood or plasma into a container having a light transmissive wall and providing a reaction which results in a polymerized form of the component being deposited into the wall. An optical reading of the difference in light transmission through the wall alone and the wall with polymer thereon can be related to the total amount of the component from the blood or plasma sample.
Used in this manner the apparatus and methods disclosed in WO/30887 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,026 are useful to determine the concentration of the component in the blood or plasma. Further, by knowing the amount of solvent or buffer to be used to solubilize the polymerized component to yield the desired component solution, the concentration of the resulting solution is readily available. Still further, when the optical determination of the concentration of the component in blood or plasma (or the determination of the amount of polymerized component) is made, this data can be used to control the amount of buffer or solvent used to solubilize the polymer to prepare solutions of desired concentrations. Still further, when the buffer or solvent is also used so that the resulting solutions are of a specific value or range of values of pH, limits on the minimum and maximum amount of buffer or solvent used can be employed. For example, when a plasma fraction is reacted to form a fibrin polymer and a pH-4 acetate buffer is used to solubilize the polymer to form a desired fibrin monomer solution, minimum and maximum amounts of buffer can be programmed into the process and apparatus to keep the resulting pH within a desired range, e.g., 4.0-4.5. The methods described in WO 98/30887 can provide fibrin monomer solutions of about 20 mg/ml xc2x125% while simultaneously maintaining pH value between 4.0-4.5. This represents a remarkable 10-fold increase in reproducibility of freshly prepared or autologous fibrin monomer solution. It is also important to note that the optical sensing apparatus and methods described in WO 98/30887 determine amounts/concentrations of components in a container rotating at high speeds, e.g., up to 9000-10,000 RPM rather than taking an optical measurement in a fixed position.
Apparatuses and methods such as those discussed above, while advantageous, may still not recover all of the fibrin polymer deposited on the container walls. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to ensure removal of all or substantially all of the polymerized form of the component deposited on the wall of the container in order to maximize the amount of recovery of the component.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a method whereby supply of solvent is controlled and, in particular, solvent is applied in multiple steps to maximize recovery of the polymerized form of the desired component.
In order to achieve the foregoing object and other objects, there is provided a method for preparing a solution of a blood or plasma component with improved recovery of the blood or plasma component. The method in accordance with the present invention includes the step of subjecting blood or plasma to conditions for catalyzing formation of a polymerized form of said component of said blood or plasma. The polymerized form of the component is then recovered, and an initial amount of a solvent solution is added to the recovered polymerized form of the component to dissolve it. The initial amount of solvent is an amount less than a predetermined total amount of buffer solution for dissolving all of the recovered polymerized form of the component. Additional solvent is added to the recovered polymerized form of the component. The additional solvent is added to the recovered polymerized form of the component in an amount equivalent to a difference between the predetermined total amount of solvent and the initial amount of solvent added to dissolve the polymerized form of the component.

Methods for preparing blood or plasma component solutions with improved concentrations


Communication connection control systems and methods are disclosed. If a control failure recovery function is to be enabled for a data communication connection established by a communication connection controller by communicating control information with a remote controller, an indication that the control failure recovery function is supported at the controller is included in the control information communicated with the remote controller. Each of the controller and the remote controller may support, for example, either or both of a local control information recovery function or a resynchronization function to reduce the amount of time that the data connection is interrupted during a temporary failure of one of the controllers.

Communication protocols that use control plane signalling between network nodes to establish data plane connections, such as X.25, X.76, and Private Network-to-Network Interface (PNNI), generally provide procedures for releasing connections on detection of a protocol failure. If a particular node has a restart of its control plane, for example, then its neighbor node control plane will detect the restart by detecting a period of receiving no messages from the restarting control plane on a signalling link.
Existing protocols indicate that the procedures for such a NO_RESPONSE event are to release calls and thus disconnect the data plane connections associated with a restarting control plane. However, in many implementations, there is separation between the control and data planes. A failure of the control plane thus does not always imply that the data plane has also failed. Disconnecting a data plane connection in this case causes an unnecessary interruption in end user data flow. If a call that originates or terminates in a node affected by a control plane restart is torn down by a neighbor node, then the data path cannot re-establish until the control plane has fully restarted and the signalling links have returned to an 'up' state.
Some Internet Protocol (IP) switches support a procedure whereby "Hello" packets are continuously broadcast between neighbor switches. Each switch restarts a hold timer when it receives a "Hello" packet. Normally, if the hold timer expires, a switch assumes that its neighbor switch's control plane has failed and will remove the neighbor from its routing tables and stop forwarding packets to that neighbor. According to a modified restart procedure, a switch that detects a control plane restart at a neighbor switch will continue to route packets to the neighbor switch throughout the control plane outage. When the restarting neighbor switch's control plane resets and broadcasts another "Hello" packet, the switch will re-send routing information to the neighbor switch.
However, this IP restart procedure relies entirely on a restarting switch's neighbor switches to provide all required routing information to the restarting switch. This may be undesirable in that in some cases not all required information may be available at the neighbor switches, for instance.
In addition, existing techniques are generally provided on a per-interface basis, for all or no connections that use the same interface. These techniques therefore do not provide for connection-level selectivity for enabling such procedures.
Thus, there remains a need for improved techniques for handling controller failures such as control plane restarts.


Handles attachable to a snowmobile and stowable/extendable and angularly adjustable. In a preferred embodiment the handles, when extended, extend rearwardly from the snowmobile and are positioned so that grips on the extended ends of the handles are generally at hand height of a standing person. The handles make it possible to lift and maneuver the rear end of the snowmobile with significantly less force than needed for handling the snowmobile directly. When stowed, the handles are locked in the stowed state. The attachment of the handles to the snowmobile allows angular adjustment of the positions of the handles relative to the snowmobile to make the handles more useful and accessible when the snowmobile is in an awkward position. The handles may be dismounted and used in attachment apparatus at the forward end of the snowmobile, the apparatus being built in or added on.

1. Field
The subject invention is in the field of handles provided to reduce the forces required to move or manipulate an object, an apparatus or the like. Such handles are levers of the various classes. Specifically, the subject invention is in the field of handles for use in easing the management of vehicles, more specifically snowmobiles.
2. Prior Art
There is much prior art in the field of handles used on vehicles, the patents listed below showing a few examples.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,416,016 4,353,563 4,641,874,436,778 5,257,892785,541 ______________________________________
It has been well known for many years that snowmobiles occasionally and, under some use circumstances, frequently become stuck or stalled such as in irregularities in terrain and that it is difficult to move them back onto smoother terrain. It is also well known that the positional attitude of a snowmobile stuck or stalled in irregular terrain is unpredictable and therefore that any grips or handles installed on the snowmobile to facilitate reorienting the snowmobile to a useful attitude may not be accessible or are in awkward locations, rendering them of limited or no use. In spite of these long-standing problems, there is no apparatus known to the inventor of the subject invention provided for easing the management of snowmobiles, particularly when the snowmobile is in an unusual attitude. Accordingly, the primary objective of the subject invention is to provide for snowmobiles handles which facilitate moving snowmobiles out of undesirable situations even though the snowmobile is in an unusual attitude. Another objective is that the handles not innterfere with use of the snowmobile. Other objectives will be apparent from the following descriptions of the invention.

Adjustable position handle assemblies for snowmobile


A packaged wet pet food product comprises a flexible container body and an integrated dispenser head for the storing and dispensing of wet pet food, specifically wet cat food or wet dog food. The flexible container body can be manually grasped and squeezed in order to deform the container body and force wet pet food stored therein to be forced through a series of exit ports formed in the dispenser head. The exit ports combine to essentially define a sieve, with the wet pet food automatically breaking into randomly sized pieces or extruded sections during dispensing, thereby advantageously avoiding the need to separately chop the pet food apart prior to consumption. The package is preferably sized to store enough pet food for multiple feedings, with the dispenser head including a cap or cover for sealing the container between uses.

The present invention pertains to the field of food for pets and, more particularly, to the packaging and dispensing of wet pet food products.
Pet food products are known to be packaged in a variety of ways, mainly based on the type of food being packaged. In the case of wet pet food, specifically wet cat food or wet dog food, steel and aluminum cans are a common choice of packaging. When the wet pet food is served, consumers typically scoop the food from the can and place it into or onto a bowl, dish or plate, for example, where the food is then manually broken up. This requires a spoon or fork, both for the serving and the chopping. However, many consumers would prefer not to use a utensil for this task, particularly a utensil that they themselves also use. Because of this issue, many pet owners will purchase a few separate utensils to be dedicated as pet food utensils. At the very least, this process results in additional dirty utensils that must be cleaned. Even with the use of separate utensils, a significant percentage of pet owners simply do not like dealing with serving meals to a pet in this manner. This issue can be magnified as one pet food can may actually contain multiple servings so that the pet owner may only wish to serve part of the can's contents, thereby creating other issues associated with re-packaging and storing of the remaining contents. Based on the above, it would be desirable to provide a way for consumers to serve wet pet food with a less hands-on approach.

Packaged pet food product and method of dispensing


The present invention provides an apparatus to repair gouged out and damaged leading and trailing edges of gas turbine engine blades, particularly fan blades, by cutting away a curved section including the damaged area and forming a blend radius along the repaired edge. The apparatus includes a unique machine tool guide having an adjustable cutting depth guide and mountable to a hand held machine tool driver, such as a 90 degree angle head air motor, that drives a rotary cutter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the repair of gas turbine engine airfoils without removing the airfoil from the engine, and more particularly to the repair of BLISK fan blades.
2. Description of Related Art
Leading and trailing edges of aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade airfoils are subject to wear and damage that forms gouges and requires repair with a minimum of cost and difficulty. Repair of the airfoils conventionally requires their removal. However in combat as well as under other extenuating circumstances there is a need to field repair damaged airfoils without removing the blade or the engine from the aircraft. With the advent of blade integral disks or BLISKs there is an even greater need to repair the leading and trailing edges of the blade airfoils in the field while the engine is installed on the aircraft, either on the wing or in the fuselage, because blisk blades cannot easily be disassembled.


The present invention discloses a method including providing a substrate; forming a lower conductor over the substrate; forming a conducting nanostructure over the lower conductor; forming a thin dielectric over the conducting nanostructure; and forming an upper conductor over the thin dielectric.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, and more specifically, to a device with ultra-high capacitance and a method of forming such a device on a substrate.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A capacitor is a passive device that includes a dielectric layer sandwiched between two conducting layers which serve as the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The dielectric layer may be formed from Silicon Oxide (SiO2) with a dielectric constant, k, value of about 4.5. When a capacitor is formed on a substrate that includes other devices fabricated with silicon processing, both the bottom electrode and the top electrode may be formed from polysilicon. The resulting structure on the substrate is called a silicon-insulator-silicon (SIS) capacitor.
In some cases, the top electrode of the capacitor may be formed from metal while the bottom electrode of the capacitor may be formed from polysilicon. The resulting structure on the substrate is called a metal-insulator-silicon (MIS) capacitor.
In other cases, both electrodes of the capacitor may be formed from metal. The resulting structure on the substrate is called a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor.
The space occupied on the substrate by the capacitor may have to be reduced when other devices that are fabricated with advanced design rules are also located on the same substrate. Then, the capacitance density must be increased in order to maintain the same capacitance. Capacitance density may be increased by reducing the thickness of the dielectric layer. However, tunneling current may become excessive if the dielectric layer is too thin.
Capacitance density may also be increased by selecting a material with a higher k value for the dielectric layer. However, when the capacitor is fabricated on the substrate with other devices, the high-k material used for the dielectric layer may not be compatible with the processing of the other devices. For example, when the processing temperature is elevated, diffusion and reaction may affect the stoichiometry or phase of the high-k material.
Capacitance density may also be increased by increasing the surface area at an interface between the dielectric layer and the electrode. The surface area at the interface may be increased by roughening the surface of the electrode. When an electrode is formed from polysilicon, the surface of the electrode may be increased by forming larger grains in the polysilicon. Such films are called hemispherical silicon grain (HSG) or rough surface polysilicon (RSP). However, the grains may continue to grow during thermal processing of the substrate after formation of the dielectric layer, thus changing the resistivity of the electrode.
Thus, what is needed is a device with ultra-high capacitance and a method of forming such a device on a substrate.

Ultra-high capacitance device based on nanostructures

Abstract: The present invention further discloses a device including a substrate; a lower conductor located over the substrate; a conducting nanostructure located over the lower conductor; a thin dielectric located over the conducting nanostructure; and an upper conductor located over the thin dielectric.


Painting robots processing a part moving on a conveyor are synchronized by creating for each of the robots a master sequence of computer program instructions for a collision-free movement of robots along associated master sequence paths relative to the moving part, each of the master sequence paths including positions of the associated robot and the conveyor at pre-defined synchronization points, and running each of the master sequences on a controller connected to the associated robot to move the associated robot and comparing a current path of the associated robot and the conveyor against the master sequence path. The method further includes operating the controllers to adjust the current paths based on the comparison between the master sequence path and the current path, and operating the controllers to request a conveyor motion hold as necessary to facilitate synchronization between movement of the robots and the conveyor.

Typical existing painting systems utilize Wait/Release commands with explicitly specified conveyor position or location statements. This may be adaptable to helping robots get back in synchronization, but not in all cases. The burden is on the end user to determine how to place and manage the instructions, making it a fairly complex operation requiring expert knowledge. Other examples of prior art include systems using interference zones, or systems using a master/slave relationship between robots (for example, coordinated motion) to keep the arms from moving near to each other. As another example, a "Conveyor Sync" algorithm is used that explicitly stops and restarts the robot coincidentally with the conveyor stop and start events, and/or varies robot speed directly proportional to conveyor speed changes.
The prior art systems have the following shortcomings:                (a) Explicit Conveyor Location Statements or Wait/Release statements do not address cases where robots stop in between the explicitly defined conveyor locations. They also place a high burden of expertise on the end user to make the systems work.        (b) Coordination Motion and other master/slave type algorithms involve more programming complexity, and may not be feasible in cases where the conveyor is controlled by an external entity.        (c) Conveyor Sync can impede paint quality in that TCP speed may not be always properly maintained relative to the object, and trigger points (i.e. where the paint gun is turned on or off relative to the object) cannot be as easily defined.

Multi-arm robotic painting process synchronization


A power shovel vehicle including a hydraulic pump that outputs hydraulic oil for operating a hydraulic actuator, an electric motor for driving the hydraulic pump, a main battery for supplying direct current electric power, an inverter for converting the direct current electric power into alternating current electric power and operating the electric motor, a second relay for making and breaking the connection between the main battery and the inverter, an operating device for operating the hydraulic actuator, a controller for controlling operation of the hydraulic actuator and inverter, and turning on and off the second relay, a first relay for making and breaking the connection between the main battery and the controller, a power source monitoring controller for monitoring conditions of the main battery and turning on and off the first relay, a hydraulic sensor for detecting the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump, and an electric current sensor for measuring a load current flowing into the inverter.

In conventional working vehicles the drive power source is normally an engine. However, in circumstances in which an engine cannot be used, such as in an underground construction site, construction machinery with an electric motor as the power source is used (see for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-225355). The power source for the electric motor is a commercial power supply, or a battery on the construction machinery that is charged from a commercial power supply.


An image generation unit with an illumination unit for generating a plurality of coherent sub-beams and for illuminating an image modulator, including a light source, and a projection lens for superimposing each of the coherent sub-beams onto a projection screen plane. An optical set-up introduces angles between each two of the sub-beams, which are chosen to produce uncorrelated speckle patterns in the projection screen plane, resulting in an interference speckle pattern. A phase modulator including a liquid crystal cell changes its directory profile in a lateral manner, thereby being able to change the phase of light of each sub-beam individually.

Display devices become more and more important in electronic equipment and customer devices. Therefore, the technical development also focuses on processes and devices of illumination, image generation, and projection. It is a well-known problem that illumination devices and respective light sources do not only generate light in the respective channels with respective profiles and distributions but also tend to inherently produce some parasitic noise. These noise are called speckles in the field of laser light sources.
Lens arrays—often in the form fly-eye lenses or integrator plates—are commonly used in projection systems in order to uniformly illuminate an image modulator.
Laser projectors today are commonly realised by using one single laser beam for each colour or colour channel R, G, B which scans line by line over the screen (2D scanning projector). The image is generated on the screen by modulating the beam intensity synchronously with the line frequency. For the horizontal and vertical movement of the beam two scanning mirrors are used. Such kind of laser projectors with a single scanning beam are a potential safety risk for viewers, because in case of a malfunction of the scanning mirrors a static laser beam of high intensity is projected to the screen.
Another approach to use laser light in projectors is realized by the GLV (Grating Light Valve) technology. In such devices the laser beam is expanded to form a vertical line, which is projected to a one-dimensional image modulator (GLV chip). This GLV chip modulates the intensity of the reflected light to generate an vertical image line. The reflected light is projected to the screen and—by use of one horizontal scanning mirror—it is scanned over the screen. A full image is generated by changing the image content of the GLV chip synchronously with the horizontal scanning mirror.
Laser speckle is commonly reduced by the presence of a moving random diffuser or random phase retarder in the optical path, at a point where the laser is focused before the image formation device or at a plane where the image is formed in the optical systems: (see: Trisnadi in Proc SPIE 4657, 2002).
Today's projectors (data- and video-projectors) commonly use arc-lamps as light source. These lamps have several drawbacks: As these lamps emit white light, the light must be split into the primary colours (R, G, B) by the use of filters, which add size, weight and cost to the projection system. Moreover, light, which is not within the spectral range of the primary colours, is lost, thereby reducing the efficiency of the system.
Another drawback is the emission of IR- and UV-radiation. The IR-radiation produces heat and the UV-radiation causes degradation of organic components during aging.
The glass bulb containing the electrodes of the arc lamp has an operating temperature close to 1000° C. and consequently has to be controlled and cooled by a forced airflow, which causes annoying noise.
Light emitted by high-pressure arc lamps is unpolarized, which is a drawback when used in combination with polarizing image modulators like LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon).
An important quantity in the design of projectors is the étendue (optical extent). In a simplified description the étendue is defined by the product of the cross-sectional area of a light beam with the beam divergence angle of that beam at a certain position. If a light beam is modified by an optical element, the étendue is preserved if the optical element was well corrected or the étendue is increased if the optical element was not well corrected. It is impossible to decrease the étendue of a beam by any kind of optical transformation, except the case where part of the beam is simply cut and light is lost. In other words, the image luminance can never exceed the source luminance. This has consequences for the design of projectors, as the optical elements in a projector have a limited size (this limits the beam cross section) and/or a limited acceptance angle (this limits the beam divergence angle). For example the projection lens has a certain f/# which limits the beam divergence angle. Moreover, the image modulators are limited by size (cost) and beam divergence angle: The bigger the beam divergence angle of a light beam the lower is the contrast of the modulated image. As a result, the étendue of the light source must be smaller than the étendue of the most limiting optical element in a projector. The étendue of a light source should be as small as possible in order to achieve compact projectors with good image quality (contrast, brightness).
An ideal projection lamp with zero étendue would be on one hand a point source (zero cross section, but high beam divergence) or on the other hand a collimated beam without divergence (any cross section but zero beam divergence). In reality the étendue of arc lamps is determined by the size of the arc. The minimal possible arc length is restricted due to the thermal stress of the electrodes, which strongly influences the lifetime of the lamp. As a compromise, commonly used arc lamps today have arc lengths slightly below 1 mm and lifetimes between 2000 and 6000 hours (dependent on power).
LEDs or light emitting diodes as light source in a projector can overcome many of the above-mentioned drawbacks of arc lamps.
LEDs
                emit inherently light in the wavelength range of primary colours (R, G or B).        do not emit UV- or IR radiation.        can be cooled passively or at least with a low air flow without generating fan noise.        have potentially a long lifetime.        can be driven in a pulsed mode for sequential color generation.
But there a still some drawbacks.                LEDs emit unpolarized light, which is a drawback if used in combination with polarizing image modulators (LCD, LCoS).        LEDs have a significant étendue (emitting light with a high divergence angle, usually like a Lambertian emitter).
Laser light sources are very close to an ideal projection light source, as they can solve all of the above mentioned drawbacks of arc lamps and LED.
Laser Light Sources
                emit inherently monochromatic light (R, G or B).        do not emit UV- or IR radiation.        can be cooled passively or at least with a slow air flow without generating fan noise.        have potentially a long lifetime.        can be driven in a pulsed mode for sequential color generation.        emit inherently polarized light        have extremely low étendue (close to zero).
Laser projectors today are commonly realised by using one single laser beam for each color (R, G, B) which scans line by line over the screen (2D scanning projector). The image is generated on the screen by modulating the beam intensity synchronously with the line frequency. For the horizontal and vertical movement of the beam two scanning mirrors are used. Such kind of laser projectors with a single scanning beam are a potential safety risk for viewers, because in case of a malfunction of the scanning mirrors a static laser beam of high intensity is projected to the screen.
Another approach to use laser light in projectors is realized by the GLV (Grating Light Valve) technology. In such devices the laser beam is expanded to form a vertical line which is projected to a 1-dimensional image modulator (GLV chip). This GLV chip modulates the intensity of the reflected light to generate an vertical image line. The reflected light is projected to the screen and—by use of one horizontal scanning mirror—it is scanned over the screen. A full image is generated by changing the image content of the GLV chip synchronously with the horizontal scanning mirror.
A third method to use lasers in projectors is to illuminate image modulating panels like LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) or MEMS (Micro-electromechanical Systems). In this case the image is completely generated by the image modulating panel and the laser light just illuminates the (rectangular) aperture of the panel. This is very similar to any standard projector which uses arc lamps for illumination. Several groups have proposed such kind of laser projectors but today no such product is on the market. DOEs (Diffractive Optical Elements) or refractive optical elements like microlens arrays are used for beam shaping to illuminate the rectangular aperture of the panel.
But due to the coherence and low étendue of laser beams another phenomenon is observed when projecting laser light to a screen: Laser light is scattered on the diffusing screen and a parasitic noise called speckle is observed. Laser speckle is commonly reduced by the presence of a moving random diffuser in the optical path, at a point where the laser is focused before the image formation device or at a plane where the image is formed in the optical systems. (see Trisnadi in Proc SPIE 4657, 2002). Another proposed method to reduce speckles is the use of acousto-optic diffuser plates (G. Bastian, GMM Workshop Mikrooptik in Karlsruhe, 3/4 Feb. 2005).
The quantity to describe speckle is the speckle contrast c, which is defined by c=σ/I. (see J. W. Goodman in J. Opt. Soc. Am, Vol. 66, No. 11, November 1976). Here σ is the standard deviation of the intensity distribution of the pattern and I is the mean intensity of the pattern. In the worst case c equals 1, which means maximum noise of the image. In the best case c equals 0, which means a perfectly smooth (σ=0) image.
The general idea to reduce speckle with moving or time-varying diffusers is to generate as many as possible different speckle patterns within the integration time of the detector (human eye). The superposition of N uncorrelated speckle patterns within the integration time gives a smoother image with a speckle contrast reduced by factor √N (see J. W. Goodman in J. Opt. Soc. Am. Vol. 66, No. 11, November 1976). Example: 625 uncorrelated speckle pattern during one image frame (assuming 50 Hz) are required in order to reduce the speckle contrast by a factor 25=√625. This means 625 different and uncorrelated patterns must be generated within 20 ms.    i) Now assuming a 2D scanning laser projector with 50 Hz image frame rate and HDTV resolution (1920×1080 Pixel), the laser beam needs 9.6 ns to scan over one pixel. As this occurs only once during the frame period of 20 ms, the 625 different pattern must be generated within 9.6 ns when the beam is passing the pixel. This translates to a pattern frequency of 64.8 GHz.    ii) In the case of a 1D scanning laser (GLV), the laser beam needs approx. 10 μs to scan over one pixel-line. With 625 different pattern during this period this translates to a pattern frequency of 60 MHz.    iii) When illuminating an image modulator (LCD, LCoS, MEMS), then the laser light is continuously illuminating each pixel (except in the case where the laser is pulsed). In that case 625 different patterns must be generated during the period of 20 ms which translates into a pattern frequency of 31.25 kHz.
The conclusion from i) to iii) is, that speckle reduction by moving or changing diffusers is easiest in case iii).
Another method to reduce the speckle contrast is to use several laser light sources in parallel, e.g. laser array, where the lasers are incoherent to each other. If using N uncorrelated lasers then the speckle contrast again is reduced by factor √N (see: J. W. Goodman in J. Opt. Soc. Am, Vol. 66, No. 11, November 1976).
In EP 1328128 a laser projection display system is disclosed, which includes a laser light source for emitting a light beam having a coherence length; a beam expander for expanding the light beam; a spatial light modulator; beam shaping optics for shaping the expanded laser beam to provide uniform illumination of the spatial light modulator, the beam shaping optics including a fly's eye integrator having an array of lenslets; a diffuser located in the light beam between the laser light source and the beam shaping optics; an electrically controllable de-speckling modulator for modifying the temporal and spatial phase of the light beam; and a projection lens for producing an image of the spatial light modulator on a distant screen. The electrically controllable de-speckling modulator comprises a bulk electro-optic substrate with a series of individual modulator sites that receive control signals to provide localized random phase changes to the incident light. By independently electrically addressing the modulator sites, each site in the electrically controllable de-speckling modulator can introduce phase delays in the light beam with respect to the neighbouring sites. A different voltage or voltage duration is applied to each site, thus producing a phase delay corresponding to as much as several waves of propagation in the light. Each modulator site has a delay region through which a beam of light encounters a time or phase delay in relation to the electric field applied between a top electrode and a bottom electrode, when a beam of light enters bulk electro-optic substrate through an input facet, after which it traverses the modulator, and exits through an output facet. The use of bottom and top electrodes on the bulk electro-optic crystal results in a rather elaborated and difficult production scheme in order to obtain a de-speckling modulator in two dimensions.

Image generation unit and method to use an image generation unit


A method for connecting precast concrete girders by tensioning temporary tendons lower than the neutral axes of girders, supporting the girders at the both ends, placing concrete into the gap, tensioning the tendons which connect adjacent girders while releasing the temporary tendons in order to reduce the bending moment at the midspan of girders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for connecting precast concrete girders in construction work, for example, bridge superstructure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,243 entitled "Method for connecting precasting concrete beams, this inventor suggested a method for connecting precast concrete beams, in which precast concrete beams are supported at both ends, uplifting forces are applied to the central points of the beams, concrete is placed into the gaps between the ends of the adjacent beams, tendons which connect the adjacent beams are positioned and then tensioned and anchored with reducing the uplifting forces, so that the bending moment caused by the self-weight of the beams is reduced and as a result the size of beam section is reduced.
In order to apply the uplifting forces to the central points of beams, temporary piers or lifting equipments should be used, and when the clearance under the beam is large, it is difficult to apply the uplifting forces. In this respect, there is a need of an improved method for connecting precast concrete beams or girders in which temporary pier or lifting equipment is not needed.

Method for connecting precast concrete girders

10-31, Byuksan village, #1, Chungun-dong


The present invention relates a method for manufacturing high-temperature thermistor materials having stable thermistor properties and to a high-temperature thermistor. According to this method the thermistor material is obtained by mixing powders of (Mn.Cr) O.sub.4 spinel powder and Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 powder and firing the mixed powder at a temperature in a range of 1400.degree. to 1700.degree. C., so as to cause the components of the mixture to react with each other, thereby generating (Mn.sub.x.Cr.sub.y) O.sub.4 spinel and Y(Cr.Mn) O.sub.3 perovskite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing high-temperature thermistor materials having widely selectable values of resistivity and temperature coefficients of resistance, and also relates to high-temperature thermistors using the materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
High temperature thermistors are temperature sensors that are employed to measure the flame temperature in a hot water supply, the temperature of a heating furnace or the exhaust gas temperature of a motor vehicle at temperature from about 100.degree. C. to about 1300.degree. C.
In the prior art (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 5-62805), it is shown that thermistor materials for constituting high-temperature thermistor elements are made from a sintered body that is mixed and fired (Mn.Cr) O.sub.4 and YCrO.sub.3, so that the values of resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistance are selectable over a wide range.
(Mn.Cr) O.sub.4 is a high-temperature thermistor material and has a high resistivity and a high temperature coefficient of resistance. On the other hand, YCrO.sub.3 is a similar thermistor material and has a low resistivity and a low temperature coefficient of resistance. Therefore, the high-temperature thermistor can be given a desirable resistivity and a suitable temperature coefficient of resistance by suitably varying the mixing ratio of the (Mn.Cr) O.sub.4 and YCrO.sub.3. The high-temperature thermistor material has a wide range of stable thermistor properties.
However, there are some problems, as follows, in the prior art thermistor materials. Advantageous properties of a thermistor material become possible by uniformly dispersing (Mn.Cr) O.sub.4 particles and YCrO.sub.3 particles in the material. As mentioned above, because both (Mn.Cr) O.sub.4 having better resistivity and better temperature coefficient of resistance and YCrO.sub.3 having worse resistivity and worse temperature coefficient of resistance are uniformly mixed and dispersed together throughout the thermistor material, the resistivity and the temperature coefficient of resistance of the thermistor material are homogenized throughout the thermistor material.
Thus, since the bonding force between the particles is not too large, the particles in the above material are liable to gradually separate over time. Because this separated thermistor material may bring about changes in the thermistor properties, the thermistor can not detect an exact temperature.
Therefore, it is not easy to obtain stable thermistor properties from the high-temperature thermistors made of the above prior art material.

Method for manufacturing thermistor materials and thermistors


A gripping element may be commanded to move to pre-determined robot-frame locations, and markings may be punched into a calibration sample capture substrate at each location. A calibration image may be obtained, and fiducial markings on the gripping element may be detected. A set of calibration regions of interest may be predicted, and the previously punched markings may be detected. A sampling system may then create a mapping transfer function between detected image locations and real-world locations resulting from the commanded locations of the gripping element when the markings were punched. An indication may subsequently be received that a biological sample capture substrate is ready to be processed. An image of the sample capture substrate may be obtained, and the fiducial markings may be detected. Based on those image locations and the mapping transfer function, biological sample portions may be automatically taken from the sample capture substrate.

Porous substrates may be used to facilitate the capture, stabilization, and storage of biological fluid samples. Pharmaceutical research involving blood testing, and forensic analysis of biological fluids collected using buccal swabs, are two examples in which substrates may be employed as a vehicle for the stabilization and storage of DNA. Such substrates may improve the long term stability of the DNA at room temperature and facilitate integration with an automated workflow. To process a sample deposited on a substrate, a portion of the substrate containing the sample is separated from the substrate (e.g., punched out). The punched out portion may be added to reagents and analyzed. It may be important to accurately locate the punch on the substrate (e.g., in case another punch needs to be taken from the same sample in the future). Moreover, the number of samples, such as DNA samples, that are being sent to forensic DNA data banking labs is increasing, and it would therefore be desirable to provide systems and methods to facilitate an automated processing of biological samples in an accurate and consistent manner.

Mapping transfer function for automated biological sample processing system


A press switch comprises an insulating substrate with two conductive zones suitable for triggering first and second functions, respectively. The first zone has at least two portions that are electrically insulated from each other. A spring has two contact zones, one of which includes at least two regions that are electrically interconnected and suitable for making contact with respective portions. In a rest position, the spring makes contact with at least part of the first conductive zone, and no function is performed. In a first actuated position, a first amount of pressure applied to the spring causes it to make full contact with the first conductive zone, thereby causing the first function to be performed. In a second actuated position, a second amount of pressure causes contact to be made by each contact zone with the respective conductive zone, and the said function is performed.

The invention relates to a press switch for controlling at least two functions in response to respective pressures exerted on the switch.
Such a switch is used for various types of electrical equipment, such as cameras, video cameras, or telephones, for example. The purpose of such a switch is specifically to minimize the number of keys in such equipment, or to make it more ergonomic.
With this type of switch, a first press at lower pressure actuates a first function, for example a preparatory mode such as preselection. Thereafter, a second press at higher pressure serves to actuate a second function, for example an operating mode such as validating the preselection.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,027 discloses a switch of the above type comprising an insulating substrate having an outer annular contact zone and an inner annular contact zone. A deformable conductive cup disposed in register with said zones is adapted to be in contact firstly with the outer zone on being subjected to a first pressure and secondly with both zones on being subjected to a greater pressure. The cup is covered in an insulating membrane which is fixed to the substrate by means of spacers so as to hold the cup away from the zones in a rest position.
That switch suffers from various drawbacks. Not only are additional pieces necessary for keeping the cup out of contact with the substrate, but it is also difficult to master the amount of space that is required between the cup and the substrate in such a situation. The edges of the cup must lie in a plane that is parallel to the substrate so that the contact due to the first pressure is complete contact.
Furthermore, the fixing of the cup to the membrane is complex and must be perfectly done for proper operation.
There also exist switches comprising a pair of cups disposed one above the other so that on a first pressure, the outer cup urges the inner cup into contact with the outer zone of the substrate, and a second pressure causes the inner cup also to come into contact with the inside zone.
Such a solution is difficult to implement and does not make for a switch that is compact, in particular because of the presence of the two cups.
An object of the invention is thus to mitigate the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a switch that provides high performance, that is simple to implement, and that is compact, the switch being capable of being used in ergonomic manner to give access to different functions.
To this end, the invention proposes a press switch of the above-specified type, comprising an insulating substrate with at least first and second conductive zones suitable for triggering first and second functions, respectively. At least the first conductive zone has at least two portions that are electrically insulated from each other, a first portion being connected to an inlet track and a second portion to an outlet track. The second conductive zone is also connected to at least one additional outlet track.
The switch also comprises a spring having at least first and second contact zones suitable for coming into contact respectively with the first and second conductive zones as a function of the amount of pressure exerted on the spring. The first contact zone has at least two regions that are electrically interconnected and suitable respectively for coming into contact with the portions so as to interconnect the inlet and outlet tracks.
The spring can take up at least three positions:
a rest position in which it is in contact with part of at least the first conductive zone, the inlet track being connected to none of the outlet tracks and no function being performed;
a first actuated position in which a first amount of pressure causes a connection to be established between the inlet track and the outlet tracks of the first conductive zone, said first actuated position being for triggering performance of the first function; and
a second actuated position in which a second amount of pressure, greater than the first, causes contact to be established between each contact zone with the corresponding conductive zone, said second actuated position being for triggering performance of the second function.
The invention also provides electrical equipment including an above-mentioned press switch, and means for performing at least a first function and a second function, with performance of the functions being triggered in response to respective pressures exerted on the switch.
The function triggered in the first actuated position is, for example, a preselection function, while the function triggered in the second actuated position is, for example a selection function.
In a particular embodiment, the insulating substrate has two conductive zones each occupying a substantially circular ring, the first conductive zone lying outside the second conductive zone.
In a first embodiment, the first conductive zone has at least three portions including a first portion connected to an inlet track and second and third portions connected via outlet tracks to circuits that are programmed so that the first function can be triggered as soon as all three portions have come into contact with the corresponding regions.
In a second embodiment, the first conductive zone has at least three portions, of which a first portion is connected to an inlet track and the second and third portions are connected via outlet tracks to circuits programmed so that a first action can be triggered when the first and second portions are brought into contact, while a second action can be triggered when the first and third portions are brought into contact.
In this situation, the electrical equipment can have means for preforming at least two actions enabling a cursor to be moved in two different directions, in response to actuation of the switch.
The switch can then form part of a navigation button.
At least a portion of the outside face of the spring adheres to a flexible holding membrane adjacent to the insulating substrate outside the conductive zones. This membrane holds the spring in the rest position while enabling it to move to occupy the first and second actuated positions.
The switch of the invention also comprises a key suitable for acting on the outside face of the spring so as to exert the pressures thereon.


UV-Photoprotective oil-in-water emulsions well suited for photoprotecting the skin, lips and/or hair against the damaging effects of UV-radiation, the oil globules of which having an average size of at most 500 nm and containing particles of at least one ionic polymer and at least one UV-radiation-screening system, such screening system comprising at least one 4,4-diarylbutadiene UV-A-screening agent.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oil-in-water photoprotective emulsions in which the oil globules of the emulsion have an average diameter of at most 500 nm, containing at least particles of ionic polymer and at least one UV radiation-screening system, which screening system comprises at least one UV-A-screening agent of the 4,4-diarylbutadiene type.
2. Description of Background and/or Related and/or Prior Art
It is well known that light radiation having wavelengths of between 280 nm and 400 nm allows tanning of the human epidermis, and that rays having wavelengths of between 280 nm and 320 nm, known by the name UV-B, cause erythemas and skin burns which can hamper the development of the natural tan; this UV-B radiation must therefore be screened out.
It is also known that UV-A rays having wavelengths of between 320 nm and 400 nm, which cause tanning of the skin, are capable of inducing its impairment, in particular in the case of a sensitive skin or a skin continually exposed to solar radiation. UV-A rays cause in particular a loss of elasticity of the skin and the appearance of wrinkles which lead to premature aging. They promote the onset of the erythematous reaction or amplify this reaction in some subjects and may even be responsible for phototoxic or photoallergic reactions. It is therefore desirable to also screen out UV-A radiation.
UV-A and UV-B rays must therefore be screened out and protective cosmetic compositions for the human epidermis containing UV-A- and UV-B-screening agents currently exist.
For various reasons linked in particular to their great comfort in use and to their refreshing property, cosmetic compositions, and in particular those intended for photoprotecting the skin against UV-A and UV-B rays, called antisun/sunscreen compositions, are most often provided in the form of an emulsion of the oil-in-water type, containing an oily phase homogeneously dispersed in an aqueous phase. In these conventional emulsions, which contain emulsifying agents (or surfactants) and optional cosmetic additives, the size of the globules constituting the fatty phase is generally greater than several microns. Such emulsions may have inadequate cosmetic properties (oily feel) and physical properties (stability).
One of the major objectives of the antisun/sunscreen compositions of the O/W type known to date is to have perfect emulsion stability combined with photoprotection which is as broad as possible and improved safety. The expression stability of the emulsion is understood to mean that the dispersion remains macroscopically and microscopically (particle size) stable over a period of time of at least 30 days.
Moreover, it is observed that despite the presence of emulsifying agents (or surfactants), some of these emulsions exhibit a lack of stability over time, a lack of stability resulting in the appearance of a phenomenon of separation (phase separation) between the aqueous and oily phases of the emulsion. This instability hampers the preservation of the emulsions.
Accordingly, to avoid this undesirable phenomenon, it is often necessary to resort to so-called thickening agents, which are then introduced into the emulsion and whose primary function is to create, in the aqueous phase, a gelled matrix which serves to immobilize the globules of the fatty phase within its three-dimensional network, thus ensuring mechanical preservation of the whole emulsion. However, this addition of thickening agent limits the galenic forms which are possible, by excluding in particular very fluid compositions.
To date, it is increasingly sought to prepare fluid, in particular antisun, compositions, more especially with the aim of having easily vaporizable products which are often considered by the user as being easier to apply than creams.
Finally, to limit as much as possible the risks of intolerance, in particular of so-called "sensitive" skins, it is increasingly sought to limit as much as possible, in the manufacture of oil/water emulsions, the use of emulsifying surfactants which, through their action, can make fragile the barrier function of the epidermis.
To remedy these problems and to respond to these needs, particularly stable fine and fluid emulsions containing and stabilized by particles of ionic polymer have been developed in EP-0-864,320, the oil globules of these emulsions having an average diameter of less than 500 nanometres. These emulsions have particularly satisfactory sensory qualities (feel). These emulsions may be used for photoprotecting the skin and the hair against the effects of UV rays since they can contain UV-A screening agents and/or UV-B-screening agents.
Among the available organic UV-A-screening agents, a family of compounds which are particularly effective in the UV-A region is 1,4-benzene[di(3-methylidene-10-camphorsulfonic)] acid and its different salts, which is described in particular in FR-A-2,528,420 and FR-A-2,639,347; they are indeed capable of absorbing ultraviolet rays having wavelengths of between 280 nm and 400 nm, with absorption maxima of between 320 nm and 400 nm, in particular in the region of 345 nm.
However, the introduction of this type of UV-A-screening agent, even sometimes in low doses, into fine oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with particles of ionic polymer rapidly leads to their destabilization. This forces the formulator to use them in very low concentrations and to limit the photoprotective efficacy in particular in the UV-A domain.
It thus appears necessary to provide fine antisun/sunscreen oil-in-water emulsions based on particles of ionic polymer which are stable and which may contain organic screening agents active in UV-A of comparable efficacy to that of 1,4-benzene[di(3-methylidene-10-camphorsulfonic)] acid and its different salts without the disadvantages listed above.

Finely divided photoprotective oil-in-water emulsions comprising 4,4-diarylbutadiene UV-A sunscreens


In one embodiment, a beverage container comprises a vessel having an interior that is adapted to hold a beverage. The vessel has a closed bottom end and an open top end. The bottom defines a cavity that is fluidly filled from the interior of the vessel. A cooling element is configured to fit within the cavity. A base comprises a bottom member and a stem extending vertically upward from the bottom member. The base includes a connector that is configured to be coupled to the bottom end of the vessel and to enclose the cooling element within the cavity.

This invention relates generally to the filed of cooling beverages, and in particular to the use of removable cooling elements that may be integrated into various beverage containers. Such cooling elements are removable to permit them to be placed into a refrigerator freezer and reused.
Perhaps the most common method to cool beverages is with ice cubes. Another way to frost a glass in a freezer. However, there are many problems associated with these methods. For example, ice cubes dilute the beverage and can alter the taste of the beverage. Ice cubes may also be contaminated when touched, such as when placing them into the beverage. As another example, when frosting a glass in the freezer, the frost can be contaminated by other products in the freezer, causing an odor. As a further example, the beverage may be contaminated by the water used to make the ice.
Hence, this invention is related to devices and techniques for cooling beverages which greatly reduces or eliminates such drawbacks.

Removable cooling device and integrated vessels


Disclosed is a laminated floor using a poly lactic acid (PLA) resin, of which a surface layer is formed of the PLA resin, thereby being environment-friendly and providing soft feeling and excellent workability. The laminated floor using a PLA resin, which is constructed on floor, includes a bottom layer formed of a HDF or MDF; and a surface layer comprising a reinforcement layer, a printed layer, a transparent layer and a surface treatment layer which are stacked on the bottom layer, wherein one or more of the reinforcement layer, the printed layer, the transparent layer and the surface treatment layer are formed of the PLA resin.

Generally, the laminate floor is a product in which desired patterns or designs such as wood pattern, marble pattern and other shapes are precisely printed on a laminated floor (HDF) and then an anti-wear film is attached and pressed thereon.
The laminate floor uses as a base material the plate type HDF which is manufactured by collecting fibers from wood, adding a water-proof resin therein and then pressing the mixture with high pressure. A surface of the HDF is reinforced with HPL (high-pressure laminate) or LPL (low-pressure laminate). Due to the laminating, the laminate floor has high wear resistance, durability and anti-contamination property.
However, such conventional laminate floor has some advantages in the bottom layer but also has disadvantages in the surface layer. In other words, as shown in FIG. 1, a printed layer 14 and a melamine-faced overlay sheet layer are stacked on a HDF layer as the bottom layer 12, and a balance layer 18 is pressed on a lower surface of the bottom layer 12. Therefore, the laminate floor has the stronger surface than the hypocaust floor formed of water-proof plywood, but it is sensitive to moisture due to the use of the thermosetting melamine resin as the surface material.
Further, since its surface has brittle property, a user may have a freezing feeling. And if a sharp object or a heavy object is fallen thereon, the collided spot may be broken or damaged. Further, natural texture of the printed patterns or designs is very poor, compared to the hypocaust floor formed of water-proof plywood.

Laminated floor using poly lactic acid resin


Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system authenticates a communication device roaming from a home network that does not support Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) roaming, and in which the processing system communicates with a packet gateway (PGW) of an evolved packet core (EPC) separate from the processing system, to facilitate communication between the communication device and a subsystem of the EPC; the subsystem emulates the home network to provide a VoLTE roaming service to the communication device. The communication device also engages in a session initiation protocol (SIP) with the subsystem to initiate a communication session with the subsystem; in accordance with the communication session, the subsystem provides the VoLTE roaming service to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Users of wireless communication devices frequently roam from their home network to another network. In a situation where a user's home network does not support VoLTE roaming, the user may obtain voice service over a 3rd Generation (3G) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network when roaming. However, 3G network service is expected to be discontinued by some Mobile Network Operators in the near future.

Method for providing voice service to roaming wireless users


A monolithic optoelectronic device has a spot-size converter optically connected to a waveguide. The overclad extending over the core of the waveguide is thinner and more highly doped that the overclad of the spot-size converter. This structure can be made by applying a process of selective etching and enhanced regrowth to create selective regions of the overclad of different thickness or doping.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to the field of photonic devices. More specifically, the present invention discloses a monolithic optoelectronic TWE-component structure providing low insertion loss for high-speed optical signal transmission.
2. Statement of the Problem.
Low cost, small size, and high-performance indium phosphide (InP) based Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) are widely known in the fiber optics photonic component industry. Two challenges exist that limit MZM performance: optical insertion loss and baud rate.
Optical insertion loss is defined as the power of the light coming out of the device divided by the power of the light injected into the device, usually expressed as the negative of the value in decibels (dB). The coupling of light onto and off of the chip usually involves bulk optical components and/or optical fiber waveguides, which have limitations on how small the light beam can be focused. On the chip, the light is guided by semiconductor epitaxial layers and photo-lithographically defined waveguides. For practical and cost reasons, the light beam on the chip has limitations on how large its diameter can be. This mismatch between the large off-chip beam and small on-chip beam gives rise to a coupling loss and is the major contributor to high loss in InP-based MZMs specifically and photonic devices in general. Coupling losses can be up to 4 dB or more for each of the input and output.
The baud rate of an MZM is limited by its radio frequency (RF) bandwidth. In an InP MZM, an electrical signal is applied to an electrode, which consequently switches the modulator between optical states. The bandwidth of the MZM is limited by the capacitance or impedance of the electrode, and the matching between the velocity of the optical wave and the electrical wave. A typical baud rate for an MZM with industrially acceptable performance is 10 GBd.
Both optical insertion loss problem and the baud rate problem have been solved separately. For insertion loss, a spot-size converter (SSC) has been developed which allows the size of the light beam on the semiconductor chip to expand to a size which is matched to off-chip bulk optics, improving the coupling loss to 0.8 dB. FIG. 1 shows a prior-art SSC 10 having a large mode 11 at the chip facet for coupling to bulk optics, and a small mode 12 at the end suitable for use on the chip. Note that the facet mode is present all the way to the top of the semiconductor. Note also that the prior art SSC 10 shown in FIG. 1 uses a selective etching and enhanced regrowth procedure to produce a core which varies in thickness in order to reduce the size of the mode as it propagates in the z direction. However in the prior art, the overclad above the core is of substantially uniform thickness. The SSC has been monolithically integrated with a MZM chip.
For the baud rate problem, a travelling wave electrode design has been developed which eliminates the capacitance and velocity matching limitation of the electrode. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematic of prior art travelling wave electrodes on a MZM 20. The black lines indicate, from left to right, an input waveguide 21, a splitting device 22, two MZ waveguides 23 and 24 in parallel, a combining device 25, and an output waveguide 26. The large grey areas indicate the travelling wave electrode 27 which periodically makes contact to the waveguides using t-shaped branches. Baud rates of 40 GBd have been demonstrated and a capability of extending the baud rate to 80 GBd has also been shown.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the x-y plane in the MZ waveguide electrode region of the prior art SSC MZM 10 (left), and the prior art travelling wave MZM 20 (right). The layer with the horizontal lines indicates the semiconductor waveguide core 31. The dark grey layer on top indicates the metal of the electrode 32. In between the waveguide core 31 and the electrode 32 is a semiconductor layer 33. In the SSC MZM 10, this layer 33 must be thick to accommodate the large facet mode (as in FIG. 1), and lightly doped to minimize optical loss. In the travelling wave MZM 20, the layer 33 must be thin and highly doped to minimize RF loss.
Despite these separate advances in InP MZM technology, however, it has not been possible to integrate both improvements to simultaneously achieve both low insertion loss and high baud rate. There are two fundamental incompatibilities that are responsible. First, the travelling wave electrode requires that the layer of semiconductor material (referred to as the "overclad") between the metal of the electrode on top and the guiding core underneath to be as thin as possible, in order to minimize RF loss. Contrarily, the SSC requires the overclad to be thick in order to allow the on-chip optical beam to expand sufficiently to match the bulk off-chip optics.
Second, the travelling wave electrode requires that the overclad be doped sufficiently to provide a highly conducting material to minimize the resistance. Contrarily, the SSC requires a low-doped or undoped overclad, since doped material (especially p-type doping) induces significant optical losses. These are hereafter referred to as the first and second incompatibilities, respectively.
3. Solution To The Problem.
The present invention addresses the two fundamental incompatibilities discussed above that have heretofore prevented the monolithic integration of an SSC and conventional travelling wave photonic devices, without sacrificing the benefits of each. In particular, the present invention employs a process of selective etching and enhanced regrowth (SEER) to create an overclad layer that is both: (1) thicker in the SSC region; and (2) highly doped in the travelling wave region of the device and undoped in the SSC region.

Monolithic optoelectronic TWE-component structure for high frequencies and low optical insertion loss

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.


An electronic equipment assembly has an interconnect including columns of signal conductors, connectors mounted to the columns of signal conductors, and a chassis coupled with the interconnect. The chassis provides slots that guide resource devices into engagement with the connectors mounted to the columns of signal conductors to enable the interconnect to electronically access the resource devices. At least one column of the columns of signal conductors of the interconnect is a multi-function column. Each multi-function column is constructed and arranged to electronically access different types of resource devices through a respective connector mounted to that multi-function column.

A conventional data storage system performs data storage operations on behalf of one or more host computers. Such a data storage system may include an enclosure that holds a midplane, network interface cards (NICs), storage processors (SPs), storage devices, and so on.
During operation, the midplane conveys signals among the NICs, the SPs, the storage devices, and so on. Along these lines, the NICs receive input/output (I/O) requests from the set of host computers. Additionally, the SPs process the I/O requests by storing data into and retrieving data from the storage devices.

Electronic equipment that provides multi-function slots