An improved method of burning low sulfur coal in order to power gas turbines using unmixed combustion that ensures virtually complete oxidation of the coal, with the sulfur content of the coal being recovered as elemental sulfur for use as recycle in the unmixed combustion process. An unmixed combustion catalyst is circulated between two fluid bed reactors and becomes reduced by low sulfur coal in the first fluid bed reactor and oxidized by air in the second fluid bed reactor. The first reactor produces carbon-containing fly ash which is then separated and contacted with gases containing SO2 from the first fluid bed reactor to produce CO2, CO, H2S, COS, CS2, and elemental sulfur. The elemental sulfur is separated and a portion thereof recycled back to the first fluid bed reactor.

This invention relates to an improved method of burning coal in order to power gas turbines by providing virtually complete oxidation of the coal using unmixed combustion, but without the adverse environmental consequences associated with conventional coal-fired systems.
The types of air pollution produced by coal combustion are well known and include particulate emissions such as fine particles of ash from pulverized coal firing, the oxides of sulfur, SO2 and SO3, carbon monoxide emissions, and the emission of two of the oxides of nitrogen, NO and NO2. More recently, the problem of global warming due to Greenhouse gas emissions has been recognized, and the emissions of CO2 from power plants and other combustion systems have become a matter of serious environmental concern.
The problem of global warming due to CO2 emissions from coal and other fossil fuel combustion processes involves two basic issues. First, because of the significant amount of carbon dioxide released by conventional coal-fired systems, a need exists to modify the processes so that the CO2 leaves the process in a form that allows it to be readily disposed, i.e., producing xe2x80x9csequestration readyxe2x80x9d CO2 that can be isolated and disposed of without release into the atmosphere. Second, the need exists to find improved methods for disposing of CO2 and other waste gases that are technically feasible and economically viable. Since many proposed disposal options all involve liquid CO2 (such as pumping liquid CO2 into deep parts of the ocean), it is generally accepted that for the CO2 to be xe2x80x9csequestration ready,xe2x80x9d it need not be free of all impurities, but must not contain more than small amounts of other gas components that do not liquefy under pressure at ambient temperature.
In addition to known air pollution/CO2 emission problems, the combustion of coal has certain disadvantages relative to other fuels in powering gas turbine engines. Gas turbines are the lowest capital cost systems available for generating electrical power on a large scale. However, the thermodynamic efficiency of gas turbines normally is lower than other higher capital cost systems. As a general proposition, the thermodynamic efficiency improves by increasing the inlet temperature of the gas working fluid. Thus, recent efforts to maximize turbine efficiency have focussed on increasing the turbine inlet temperature. As a result, turbine blades and other key components of gas turbines exposed to the working fluid have been engineered to tolerate higher first stage inlet gas temperatures.
Despite the possibility for increased operating temperatures in gas turbines, a known disadvantage of coal-fired systems concerns the composition of hot gases produced by coal oxidation. The exhaust gases from coal contain fly ash that can be erosive to and corrosive to most metals used for conventional gas turbine blades. Consequently, the maximum turbine inlet temperature for coal firing typically is lower than that for a xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d fuel. Although improvements in gas turbine design and metallurgy have resulted in higher inlet gas temperatures for coal-fired systems, the maximum temperatures for clean fuels also increased. Thus, the efficiency disadvantage of coal relative to clean fuels remained. Over the years, this disadvantage has prevented the lower cost of coal from being considered as the principal gas turbine fuel in this country. Thus, if a process were developed whereby coal could be burned in a manner that produced hot gases that were not erosive or corrosive, particularly at higher inlet temperatures, coal could become a much more attractive gas turbine fuel.
With respect to global warming, coal has the further disadvantage that its CO2 emissions per BTU produced are significantly higher than those of xe2x80x9ccleanerxe2x80x9d fossil fuels. Again, if the means existed whereby coal could be burned in a manner that did not result in the emission of large amounts of CO2 and/or other pollutants, this disadvantage would disappear.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,339,754 and 5,509,362; and 5,827,496 (incorporated herein by reference) disclose a new method of burning solid fuels such as coal known as xe2x80x9cunmixed combustionxe2x80x9d which involves the use of a catalyst that is readily reduced when in an oxidized state and readily oxidized when in a reduced state. In essence, fuel and air are alternatively contacted with the catalyst. The fuel reduces the catalyst and is oxidized to CO2 and water vapor. The air in turn oxidizes the catalyst and becomes depleted of oxygen. Thus, combustion can be effected without the need of mixing the fuel and air prior to or during the combustion process. If means are provided whereby the CO2 and water vapor and the oxygen depleted air can be directed in different directions as they leave the combustion process, then mixing can be completely avoided.
The total volume of combustion gases produced by unmixed combustion is comparable to that produced in conventional combustion. However, the volume of the CO2+water vapor steam represents only small part of the total. Those skilled in the art recognize that the cost of removing acid gases such as SO2, HCl and HF from combustion effluents by scrubbing increases with the volume of gas being scrubbed. Thus, if unmixed combustion can be done in such a manner that the acid gases leave the combustion process in the CO2+water vapor steam, the volume of gas which must be scrubbed is greatly reduced. Likewise, the cost of scrubbing becomes significantly lower.
The ""362 patent notes that operating unmixed combustion in a manner such that the acid gases leave the combustor in the CO2+water vapor steam requires an appropriate choice of catalyst. The patent is discussed in greater detail in Paper 98F-36, presented at the October 1998 meeting of the Western States Section of the Combustion Institute. The authors of the paper (hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cCombustion Institute paperxe2x80x9d) include R. K. Lyon, a named inventor of the ""362 patent, and J. A. Cole. The present invention involves an improvement to the basic combustion process described in the patent and 1998 paper.
The Combustion Institute paper discloses a conceptual process for using coal to power a gas turbine and reports on a series of experiments illustrating certain specific aspects of the process. One such experiment uses a fluid bed of powdered chemically pure iron oxide (i.e., FeO/Fe2O3) operated at atmospheric pressure in which the gas used to fluidize the bed is switched from air to a mixture of 5% SO2+95% N2 and back again.
Various two-step experiments were done with this setup. In the first step, a bed fully oxidized to Fe2O3 was fluidized with the 5% SO2+95% N2 at a temperature of 857xc2x0 C. A small amount of Illinois coal was then injected into the bed while the gases coming out of the bed were continuously analyzed. In the second step, the fluidizing gas was switched to air while the gases coming out of the bed were continuously analyzed. Based on this data, the Combustion Institute paper concludes that in the presence of SO2 coal is readily oxidized and that the chief carbon-containing product of this oxidation is CO2 with little or no CO being produced.
The paper attributes the ability of the solid particles of Fe2O3 to rapidly oxidize the solid particles of coal to a catalytic action by the SO2 used in the fluidizing gas. In this catalytic process, the SO2 reacts with the coal, converting it into to CO2, CO, CS2, COS, and sulfur vapor. The CO, CS2, COS and sulfur vapor are oxidized by the Fe to CO2 and SO2. The gases exiting the bed when fluidized with air contained little or no SO2 and little or no CO and CO2. From this, the Combustion Institute paper concludes that the Fe2O3 oxidized the coal to completion during the first step, i.e., while the bed was fluidized with 5% SO2+95% N2. The oxidation converted all the sulfur in the coal to SO2 and other volatile species which exited the bed during the first step of the experiment.
Another series of two-step experiments involved fluidizing the bed with N2 and injecting thiophene (C4H4S). Like the experiments with coal, when the amount of thiophene injected was small, all of the sulfur exited the bed as SO2 and other volatile species during the first step. Increasing the amount of injected thiophene, however, changed this situation. That is, injecting thiophene in excess of a specific threshold amount caused some of the sulfur to be retained in the bed during the first step and to be released as SO2 during the second air fluidization step.
The Combustion Institute paper speculates that the observed threshold is a result of FeS being formed, i.e., after thiophene reduces some of the Fe2O3 to FeO, the injection of additional thiophene causes the formation of FeS. Once formed, the FeS remains during the first step and then oxidizes to Fe2O3 and SO2 during the air fluidization step.
Given these observations, the Combustion Institute paper proposes a conceptual design for a process to use coal to power a gas turbine. As shown in the reference""s Figure 4, the Fe2O3 catalyst is used as a fluidized powder, circulating between a first fluid bed which is fluidized with steam and a second fluid bed which is fluidized with air. Figure 4 shows the transfer lines between these fluid bed as being purged with steam. The second fluid bed is fluidized with compressed air from the compressor section of a gas turbine. Within this second bed, FeO is oxidized to Fe2O3, a strongly exothermic reaction that depletes the compressed air of oxygen and heats the air. This heated compressed air is then used to drive the expander section of the gas turbine.
The Combustion Institute paper also contemplates feeding pulverized coal to the first steam fluidized bed where it reduces the Fe2O3 to FeO while being oxidized to CO2, water vapor, and fly ash. All the volatile products of combustion are swept from the fluidized bed, with the fluidization conditions being adjusted such that the fly ash can be rapidly removed by elutriation. Figure 4 calls for the fly ash to be removed from the other combustion products with a cyclone separator after which the ash goes to disposal. After heat is recovered from the remaining combustion products, water vapor is removed by condensation and the resultant CO2 and SO2 mixture are disposed of.
The Combustion Institute paper notes that the conditions under which the coal is oxidized are such that all or virtually all of the sulfur in the coal is converted to SO2 and other volatile species rather than reacting with the FeO/Fe2O3 to form FeS or other nonvolatile sulfur containing species. The formation of FeS and similar species is undesirable since, instead of being swept out of the steam fluidized bed, they would circulate to the air fluidized bed where they oxidize to SO2.
Although instructive, the process described in the Combustion Institute paper has at least three limitations. The first relates to SO2 emissions; a second concerns the efficiency with which the coal is burned; and a third involves the efficiency with which the gas turbine produces power from the heat liberated by burning the coal.
As discussed above, the paper discloses the significance of a specific threshold amount of thiophene. If the conversion of the Fe2O3 to FeO is kept below this threshold, FeS is not formed and SO2 emissions are avoided. Although the paper discloses an amount of thiophene which is one experiment exceeded this threshold, it is silent as to how one skilled in the art would use Fe2O3 was used in this experiment. Thus, while the paper reports the existence of a threshold amount of thiophene, it is silent with respect to the extent of Fe2O3 conversion at which the threshold occurs. In addition, the paper does not discuss how changing the temperature might affect the threshold amount. Nor does it teach how the threshold is affected by changes in form of the Fe2O3, for example in xe2x80x9cred mud,xe2x80x9d the byproduct of aluminum production having a high iron content. The lack of discussion on these subjects reflects an unsolved problem in using unmixed combustion.
The Combustion Institute paper notes that the 5% SO2 corresponds to the amount of SO2 produced by oxidation of high sulfur Illinois coal with Fe2O3 at elevated pressure. For lower sulfur coals, the concentration of SO2 is lower, making the coal""s oxidation rate unacceptably low. The only solution suggested to solve this problem is very expensive. The paper recommends raising the SO2 concentration by recycling SO2, i.e., by recovering SO2 from the recovered SO2+CO2 mixture and returning it to the first fluid bed.
However, if coal is to be used to power a gas turbine in an efficient manner, obviously it is essential that the coal be burned efficiently, i.e., virtually complete combustion is necessary. This requires that the rate of coal oxidation in the first fluid bed be high. Other than this expensive solution, the Combustion Institute paper is silent with respect to means for maintaining a high oxidation rate in the first fluid bed.
Efficient coal combustion also requires that the carbon content of the fly ash be low. The experiments described in the Combustion Institute paper show that coal can be rapidly oxidized to CO2, water vapor and fly ash. However, a coal particle becomes xe2x80x9cfly ashxe2x80x9d when oxidation shrinks the particle to the point that it flies out of the fluid bed. While this implies that the fly ash would have a substantial carbon content, the paper does not identify any specific carbon content. Figure 4 shows removing fly ash from the gases leaving the first fluid bed using a cyclone separator and sending the fly ash to disposal. This, however, would mean discarding a significant fraction of the coal""s valuable heat of combustion.
It is well known that the theoretical maximum efficiency of a gas turbine increases with increasing turbine inlet temperature. Thus, if a gas turbine is to operate with an acceptably high efficiency, the inlet temperature must be correspondingly high, i.e., at temperatures approaching 1500xc2x0 C. For the process shown in Figure 4, the turbine inlet temperature would be the same or slightly less than the temperature at which the second fluid bed operates. On page 10, the Combustion Institute paper teaches that the first fluid bed should be operated at a temperature of 700-900xc2x0 C. and that the second fluid bed should be operated at xe2x80x9cnearly 1500xc2x0 C. In order to provide this temperature, the ratio of coal feed to the first bed must be sufficient so that 60% of the Fe is reduced to FeO.
These teachings represent a compromise between the conflicting need to maximize turbine efficiency and avoid SO2 emissions. The paper teaches that to improve turbine efficiency, an inlet temperature greater than 1500xc2x0 C. will be necessary and that whenever the threshold for FeS formation is less than 60% conversion of the Fe2O3, some of the sulfur in the fuel will be emitted to the atmosphere as a pollutant. The sulfur in the coal is then recovered as SO2. However, as noted above, there is virtually no market for sulfur in the form of SO2 and its storage and disposal can be expensive and difficult. Elemental sulfur, on the other hand, can be readily shipped and has a substantial market. If the sulfur cannot be sold, its storage and/or disposal are relatively easy and inexpensive.
Thus, a need still exists in the art for a new method of burning coal to power gas turbines using unmixed combustion that avoids the limitations of the prior art processes discussed above.
The present invention provides an improved method of burning coal to power gas turbines using unmixed combustion but with virtually complete oxidation of the coal. The invention also permits the use of low sulfur coals, with the sulfur content of the coal being recovered as elemental sulfur, a portion of which can be recycled to the process and the remainder recovered for commercial use or disposal.
In one exemplary embodiment, the carbon-containing fly leaving the first fluidized bed reactor is sent to a second fluidized bed reactor where the ash contacts SO2 and reacts to form gaseous products, thus producing an ash of low carbon content suitable for disposal. In another embodiment, carbon-containing fly ash from the first fluid bed is not sent to a cyclone separator (as taught by the Combustion Institute paper) but rather to a high temperature filter. While the gases leaving the first fluid bed pass through the filter, the solid particles of carbon-containing ash remain in the bed for an extended time before being removed. The gases coming out of the first fluid bed contain SO2 which react with the carbon in the fly ash. The carbon in the fly ash consists of a char and thus contains at least some hydrogen. By means specified herein, the amount of SO2 present in these gases is adjusted to provide one mole of SO2 for every mole of carbon in the fly ash and one mole of SO2 for every four moles of hydrogen. Significantly, the products of the reaction are a mixture of CO2, CO, H2S, COS, CS2, and elemental sulfur. For this particular product mixture, the amount of SO2 is a stoichiometric excess. This excess of SO2 allows the carbon in the fly ash to be almost completely gasified. The gaseous reaction mixture leaving the filter thus contains elemental sulfur in addition to CO2.
Catalysts for carrying out the preferred reaction are known in the art. The gaseous reaction mixture is passed through the catalysts and the elemental sulfur is recovered. An amount of elemental sulfur sufficient to provide one mole of SO2 for every mole of carbon in the fly ash and one mole of SO2 for every four moles of hydrogen is then recycled back to the first fluid bed. The balance of elemental sulfur is recovered for sale or disposal.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the complete removal of the carbon from the fly ash is not required when forms other than elemental sulfur are acceptable. The amount of elemental sulfur recycled to the fluid bed can be adjusted accordingly.

Unmixed combustion of coal with sulfur recycle


A method of diffusion coating a surface of an alloy product containing at least 5 wt. % iron with a chromium-silicon coating uses a dual activator containing a fluoride salt and a chloride salt, at least one of those salts particularly being ammonium chloride or another ammonium halide salt. The pack mix contain at least 20% chromium and a chromium to silicon ratio of at least 10 to 1. The workpiece is heated to at least 2050.degree. F. to obtain a coating of at least 10 mils which contains at least 30% chromium. Upon heating the ammonium salt will form a reducing environment containing molecular hydrogen. The presence of molecular hydrogen speeds up the chemical reactions by an additional reduction reaction to create the surface coating which enables the coating reactions to occur shorter hold times.

Pack cementation is a well known chemical vapor diffusion technique for applying diffusion coatings to metal surfaces. This process involves placing a pack mixture into close contact with the surface being coated and subsequently heating the entire assembly to an elevated temperature for a specified period of time. During heating the coating material diffuses from the pack onto the surface of the metal by a combination of chemical reactions and gas phase mass transport. A common pack mixture used to create a chromium coating contains chromium, an inert filler such as alumina, and a halide activator. Davis in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,501 teaches that ammonium chloride, sodium chloride and ammonium bromide can be used as activators. Clark et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,729 disclose a diffusion coating for jet engine components applied using a pack mix. Depending upon the desired coating the pack may contain aluminum, chromium, silicon or combinations of these elements. The reference further teaches that a trace amount of activator ranging from 0.1 to 3 percent by weight be used. According to the patent this activator is generally a halogen or halogen precursor compound. Fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine per se and in salt form, particularly alkali and alkaline earth metal and ammonium salt forms are said to be examples of acceptable activators. However this patent does not teach or suggest that any one activator would perform differently from another and does not even identify the halogen activator used in the examples. The most common practice followed by Davis, Clark et al. and others is to use a single activator.
Some dual chloride and fluoride activator systems have also been proposed to enhance the ability to co-deposit both chromium and silicon. Rapp et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,727 disclose that in dual activator Cr-Si cementation packs containing a chloride and a fluoride dual activator the chlorine primarily increases the vapor pressure of chromium gaseous species, and the fluorine primarily increases the vapor pressure of silicon gaseous species. Therefore, by adjusting the ratio between chloride and fluoride in a dual activator approach, one can achieve different proportions of chromium-silicon in the coating. Yet, the data they present does not show how this might be accomplished. Rapp et al. use only one dual activator: 90MgCl.sub.2 -10 NaF. Their data shows that the amount of chromium-silicon in the coating varies among different substrates when that one dual activator is used. Rapp et al. also teach that a desired Cr-Si diffusion coating will contain 25-30 wt. % Cr and 3-4 wt. % Si. They say that to achieve that desired result requires an exact control of the fluxes of Cr and Si from the pack to the steel during the coating process. Yet, they do not teach how to perform that control. All of the pack mixes in their example contain the same ratio and amount of these elements, namely 20% Cr and 2% Si. Finally, Rapp et al. teach that a two step heating process, first at 925.degree. C. and then at 1150.degree. C. should be used. However, it is preferable to have a single heating step.
Two significant users of chromium-silicon coated metal products are the power generation industry and the petrochemical processing industry. Those users often demand chromium-silicon coated parts having a coating thickness of at least 10 mils and at least 30% chromium in the coating. As can be seen from tests reported herein, the process described in the Rapp '727 patent will not produce a coating that meets this specification.
Rapp and Harper in U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,659 disclose a pack cementation process for co-depositing chromium and silicon on an iron base workpiece using a chromium-silicon masteralloy and a dual halide activator of sodium fluoride and sodium chloride. In this process the workpiece is heated to between 800.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. (1472.degree. F., to 2192.degree. F.) for a sufficient time to deposit a coating of chromium and silicon on the workpiece. The examples discussed in the patent were heated for 16 or 20 hours. This method is not commercially acceptable for several reasons. Use of a chromium-silicon masteralloy as a chromium and silicon source is more expensive than using pure chromium/silicon or ferrochromium/ferrosilicon. Second, our test results reported herein show that a coating thickness of 10 mils cannot be achieved and the silicon content of the resultant coating is very low. Consequently, there is a need for an effective chromium-silicon diffusion coating process which operates at a single process temperature and creates a coating of at least 10 mils thickness and containing at least 30% chromium.


A harness device which includes an elongated arm and affixed in spaced locations. G or C-shaped guides for receiving cables loosely and/or in a bound fashion within the guide. The arm has a spring mounted hinge whereby the arm is essentially two components, the spring mounted hinge urges the two components towards a folded closure position. In this manner, cables for electronic components such as elements of a computer can be neatly and conveniently housed in a cabinet.

Having a convenient way for storing cables neatly and accessibly in an electronic cabinet, such as a computer cabinet is valuable.
This invention relates to a cable management system, particularly a cable harnessing system for managing multiple cables in electronic cabinets. In particular, it relates to a system whereby the cables can be conveniently accessed, separated or stored as required.
In electronic cabinets such as computer cabinets, there are usually multiple cables which lead power and signals between components in the cabinet. It is usually necessary to access the cabinet through different doors so that components can be serviced, removed, replaced and added multiple times during the operation of the electronics in the cabinet. There is a need to provide a simple, convenient and easy manner for managing these cables in a neat fashion and for separating and isolating and removing selected cables. One conventional way for handling these cables is to have a permanent strap for tying cables to different portions of the cabinet. A problem with this approach is that every time a particular cable needs to be selected or removed, the permanent tie has to be undone.
There is a need to provide a system for enhanced cabling handling.


A rear sight for a handheld weapon. The rear sight includes a tubular device that includes a tubular member comprising a material capable of transmitting visible light so that a target may be viewed through the tubular member, the tubular device, when mounted on a weapon, having at least two circle-like images at different locations along the length thereof that are visible when aiming the weapon on which the sight is mounted at a target by viewing the target through the tubular member. When aiming the weapon, a user will look through the tubular member towards the target and for proper alignment with respect to the target, will maneuver the weapon until the circle-like images are concentrically disposed. This constitutes a simple operation that can be quickly performed, particularly also in low light conditions.

This invention relates to a sight for a handheld weapon, and more particularly to a rear sight for a handheld weapon.
In practice, a rear sight is used in combination with a front sight that is located near the front end of the barrel of a weapon and that includes a reticule (e.g., cross hairs), the rear sight being operatively located on the weapon between the front sight and the position of a person's eye when aiming the weapon at a target. Insofar as it is contemplated that the rear sight can also be independently used as a sight on certain specific weapons, any reference hereinafter to a rear sight must be interpreted accordingly.


The invention is directed to a magnet valve having a magnet coil and a magnet armature, which are coaxially surrounded by a secondary coil that measures the inductions arriving in the magnet coil. According to the invention, those inductions that arise in the magnet coil not only from a current flowing there but also by the motion of the magnet armature in the magnet coil are measured while the current is turned off. As a result, the instant at which the magnet armature begins its return stroke is detected exactly.

The invention is based on a method for measuring or monitoring a mechanical motion of a magnet valve armature of electrically controlled injection systems, as defined hereinafter.
In one such known method of this kind (German Offenlegungsschrift 37 30 523), to monitor the mechanical motion of a magnet valve armature, the change in induction in the secondary coil, particularly that resulting from turning off the electric current in the magnet coil, is measured and further processed in a monitoring unit. Until the actual onset of motion of the armature in the direction resulting from the restoring force, there is a delay in the microsecond range, which can be extrapolated to determine the actual value of the adjustment, because it repeats with adequate precision in the various switching events.
Especially in fuel injection systems in which the valve closing member and the magnet armature are connected to one another and in which the injection process occurs while the magnet valve is closed, for instance so that, the closure or opening of the magnet valve determines the onset or end of injection, it is important that this opening or closing time be adhered to very precisely. The known method can ascertain only the instant of closing with high accuracy, because as a result of the applied voltage and its current imposition, accurate induction values of the magnet coil through the secondary coil can be ascertained for the closing process. When the current is turned off, the corresponding inductance signal does not immediately match the return stroke motion of the armature or in other words the onset of opening of the valve, even though the armature and the movable valve member are joined together in a manner fixed against relative motion, because a number of influences, especially hydraulic ones, are present that cannot be extrapolated computationally via the control unit and become an error in determining the quality of the injection.

Apparatus for measuring the mechanical motion of a magnet valve armature for controlling fuel injection in a fuel injection system


A system and method for an improved mailbox mechanism to contain coordinating information for computers in a cluster environment is provided. The system and method creates two copies of a master mailbox record stored in a set and predetermined location on disks associated with the cluster. A subset of the disks is designated as lock disks, which must contain the most up-to-date coordinating information.

A file server is a computer that provides file service relating to the organization of information on writeable persistent storage devices, such as memories, tapes or hard disks. The file server or filer may be embodied as a storage system including an operating system that implements a file system to logically organize the information as a hierarchical structure of directories and files on, e.g., the disks. Each "on-disk" file may be implemented as a set of data structures, e.g., disk blocks, configured to store information, such as the actual data for the file. A directory, on the other hand, may be implemented as a specially formatted file in which information about other files and directories are stored. An example of a file system that is configured to operate on a filer is the Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL™) file system available from Network Appliance, Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif.
As used herein, the term "storage operating system" generally refers to the computer-executable code operable on a storage system that manages data access and may, in the case of a filer, implement a file system semantics, such as the data ONTAP™ storage operating system, implemented as a micro kernel, and available from Network Appliance, Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., which implements a Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL™) file system.
The storage operating system can also be implemented as an application program operating over a general-purpose operating system, such as UNIX® or Windows NT®, or as a general-purpose operating system with configurable functionality, which is configured for storage applications as described herein.
A file server is organized to include one or more storage "volumes" that comprise a group of physical storage disks, defining an overall logical arrangement of storage space. Currently available filer implementations can serve a large number of discrete volumes. Each volume is generally associated with its own file system (WAFL for example). The disks within a volume/file system are typically organized as one or more groups of Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks (RAID).
It is advantageous for the services and data provided by a storage system to be available for access to the greatest degree possible. Accordingly, some computer storage systems provide a plurality of filers in a cluster, with the property that when a first filer fails, a second filer is available to take over and provide the services and the data otherwise provided by the first filer. The second filer provides these services and data by a "takeover" of resources otherwise managed by the failed first filer.
In one example of file servers, nonvolatile memory is utilized to improve overall system performance. Data written by a client is initially stored in the nonvolatile memory before the file server acknowledges the completion of the data write request of the client. Subsequently, the data is transferred to another storage device such as a disk. In a cluster configuration, each file server in a cluster maintains a copy of the data stored in its partner's nonvolatile memory. Such nonvolatile memory shadowing is described in further detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/011,844 entitled EFFICIENT USE OF NVRAM DURING TAKEOVER IN A NODE CLUSTER by Abhijeet Gole, et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Nonvolatile memory shadowing ensures that each file server in a file server cluster can takeover the operations and workload of its partner file server with no loss of data. After a takeover by a partner filer from a failed filer, the partner filer handles file service requests that normally were routed to it from clients, in addition to file service requests that previously had been handled by the failed filer.
When a filer in a file server cluster detects a loss of activity by its partner filer, and therefore decides to take over the workload of the other filer, it must record this decision. When the other filer eventually recovers it will, thus, wait for an orderly and cooperative transfer of the workload back from the backup filer. By "workload" is meant the file services typically handled or performed by a particular file server. This orderly transfer of the workload is called a "give back." The backup filer, while serving the workload of the failed filer, does not conduct nonvolatile memory shadowing of the workload back to the failed filer. Nonvolatile memory shadowing is not performed at this time because, in general, the failed filer is unable to receive the memory shadowing while it is awaiting repair or reboot. Additionally, there may be a failure of a component, for example the cluster interconnect that links file servers in a cluster, which thereby prevents the nonvolatile memory shadowing process from operating correctly. However, component failure would not prevent either filer from serving its normal workload. In such a case, the filer serving a workload may decide to continue with the nonvolatile memory shadowing process deactivated. However, this decision must be recorded so that the other filer is aware that it no longer has a valid copy of the nonvolatile memory data of its partner, and therefore, should not initiate a takeover of the partner's workload until the nonvolatile memory shadowing process has been restored. It follows that this coordination information must be stored in a place accessible to both filers and that his coordination information must be persistent, e.g., survive a power failure of the filers or whatever mechanism is used to store the coordination information.
Using synchronous mirroring, user data is stored on two distinct sets of physical storage devices (RAID disk arrays, for example). The goal of synchronous mirroring is to be able to continue operating with either set of data and devices after some equipment failure precludes the use of or access to the other set of data or devices. A mirrored volume may have one or both data sets containing up-to-date data. There must be coordination to allow the system to determine which (if any) of the accessible data sets is current. It follows that this coordination information must be stored in a place accessible to both filers, and that this coordination information must be persistent (e.g., survive a power failure of the filers or of whatever mechanism is used to store the coordination information). As the coordination information is critical to the correct system operation it must also be stored on a plurality of devices in order not to limit availability, which would hamper the goal of mirroring.
A common problem is presented in each of these situations namely, that there are certain useful recovery actions that each filer may perform, but it is critical that if one action should take place an otherwise proper action by the other filer must be prevented from occurring. This is referred to as "mutual exclusion."
The required mutual exclusion for the two previously described scenarios are that first, Filer A may fail, then reboot, and then resume its workload. Alternatively, Filer A may fail, and then Filer B may takeover the workload of Filer A. However, if Filer B takes over the workload of Filer A, then Filer A must not reboot and resume its workload until the orderly transfer of workload back from Filer B is completed. Second, the failure of the cluster interconnect may cause the "non-volatile memory shadowing" process to be stopped. The same or similar failure may be perceived as a loss of one filer by the other, leading to the initiation of a takeover process. But if Filer A decides to continue service with the "non-volatile memory shadowing" disabled, then Filer B must not do a takeover of the workload of Filer A because it no longer processes a valid copy of all the necessary information.
Achieving the necessary mutual exclusion requires the storage of a small quantity of coordinating information. Information recorded by one file server must be available to the other file server at some later time, perhaps after the first file server has suffered an additional failure. Hence the information must be recorded on direct access storage, because this is the only medium in the configuration that has the necessary attributes of persistence and shared access by both file servers.
Because the coordinating information is critical to providing service to the clients it must be highly available and be protected against loss due to various causes. Three causes are of particular interest, namely, the loss of information due to concurrent access by two filer servers, the loss of information due to device failure, such as disk failure, and the loss of information due to loss of some connectivity from one or more filer servers to one or more devices.
A known solution of ensuring that the coordinating information required by the filers of a cluster is accessible by both file servers is the use of a single disk mailbox system. A disk mailbox is a small (e.g., 4 kilobyte (KB)) file or disk block stored on a disk, which is accessible to both filers of a file server cluster. A noted disadvantage of the mailbox system is apparent when the file servers of the cluster are utilizing synchronous mirroring (e.g., when a set of data is stored on two distinct sets of physical storage devices) or when the file servers of a cluster are geographically separated. These designs allow for more complex failure scenarios than could occur using traditional file server topologies. In known disk mailbox implementations, the information most recently stored by one file server is not guaranteed to be retrieved by the other file server in all possible cases of failure.
Two problems encountered in clustering configurations are commonly referred to as "partition in space" and "partition in time" problems. As used herein, the partition in time and partition in space problems may be collectively referred to as partitioning problems. Alternately, they may be referred to as a loss of data consistency. The partition in space problem occurs when there are failures of the connectivity between file servers and storage devices that allow different file servers to have access to different sets of storage devices at the same time. The partition in space problem is likely to occur in a geographically separated environment, due to the complexities of communication over long distances and the greater likelihood of communication equipment failure.
The partition in time problem occurs when connectivity is lost to one set of devices as a result of a power failure or other failures to the storage fabric. The system may continue to operate with the remaining set of devices, however, during that time, any newly written data will be stored only on that one set of devices. If connectivity is then lost to that set of devices and if connectivity is then restored only to the other set of devices, it is possible that the system may restart with only the data present before the first connectivity failure.
Thus, by using known mailbox systems, it is possible for data integrity to be lost due to either a partition in time or partition in space problem as described above.

System and method for coordinating cluster state information


A method of wirelessly transmitting power includes: causing a power transmission circuit to transmit, to a master power reception circuit, a portion of power it is capable of transmitting; adjusting operation of a slave power reception unit until a first rectified voltage produced by the master power reception circuit and a second rectified voltage produced by the slave power reception unit are equal; causing the power transmission circuit to transmit additional power to the slave power reception unit, resulting in the first and second rectified voltages being unequal; and adjusting operation of the slave power reception unit until the first and second rectified voltages are again equal. A dummy load is connected to the slave power reception unit prior to causing the power transmission circuit to transmit the additional power, and is disconnected once the first and second rectified voltages are equal.

Portable electronic devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, audio output devices (earbuds, headphones), and wearables operate on battery power, and not from wired power transmitted thereto over wired transmission lines and distribution systems. The batteries used for such devices are typically rechargeable and, therefore, a way to recharge the power of such batteries is necessary.
Most portable electronic devices include a charging port, typically conforming to the Micro USB or USB-C standards, into which a power cord connected to a power source can be inserted to provide for recharging of their batteries. However, such charging ports may make it difficult to enhance the water resistance of the electronic device and are subject to damage from repeated use. In addition, some smaller portable electronic devices (for example, earbuds and smartwatches) lack the available space to provide for a charging port. Still further, some users may find it cumbersome to plug a power cord into the charging port of an electronic device to charge the battery of that device.
Therefore, to address these issues, wireless power transmission has been developed.
Wireless power transmission systems utilize a coil transmitter (a primary), driven by electric power from a power source (typically a wired connection, but in some cases a battery), that generates a time-varying electric field, and a coil receiver (a secondary) in which the time-varying electric field induces a current. Receiver hardware extracts the power transmitted to the coil receiver, and provides it to a load, such as the battery of the electronic device into which the coil receiver and receiver hardware are incorporated.
Standards governing the hardware and how the transmitter and receiver communicate have been developed, allowing for easy implementation of wireless charging into electronic devices. However, existing wireless transmission standards can only transfer a limited amount of power, which may be insufficient or undesirable in some situations where it is desired to transmit an increased amount of power per unit of time. As such, despite the existence of well-established and well-functioning wireless transmission standards, further development into this area is still needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hardware and method for enhanced wireless receiver output power


A super wide-angle zoom lens includes at least a negative first lens group and a positive second lens group, in this order from an object side. A zooming operation is carried out by relatively moving the lens groups. When a photographing area is defined by a rectangular area, a boundary of a circular image forming area formed by the zoom lens is at least partially disposed in the rectangular photographing area at the shortest focal length of the zoom lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens which an be used with a CCTV camera (monitoring camera) or with a photographing camera. More particularly, the present invention relates to a super wide-angle zoom lens in which the angle of view at the wide-angle extremity is approximately identical to that of a fish-eye lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present no wide-angle zoom lens is available for a CCTV camera which is capable of monitoring at an extremely wide-angle. In a known photographing lens, the maximum angle of view is provided by a "diagonal fish-eye lens" and is defined as a radius of circular image formed by the lens being approximately identical to a diagonal of a rectangular aperture to restrict an image area (rectangular picture area).


A computer-executable method, system, and computer program product for managing a data storage system, wherein the data storage system includes a host-cache and a data storage array, the computer-executable method, system, and computer program product comprising receiving an I/O request, processing the I/O request by locating data related to the I/O request and aligning the I/O request with the data to create an aligned portion of data, and updating the data storage array with the aligned portion of data.

Computer systems are constantly improving in terms of speed, reliability, and processing capability. As is known in the art, computer systems which process and store large amounts of data typically include a one or more processors in communication with a shared data storage system in which the data is stored. The data storage system may include one or more storage devices, usually of a fairly robust nature and useful for storage spanning various temporal requirements, e.g., disk drives. The one or more processors perform their respective operations using the storage system. Mass storage systems (MSS) typically include an array of a plurality of disks with on-board intelligent and communications electronics and software for making the data on the disks available.
Companies that sell data storage systems and the like are very concerned with providing customers with an efficient data storage solution that minimizes cost while meeting customer data storage needs. It would be beneficial for such companies to have a way for reducing the complexity of implementing data storage.

System, apparatus, and method of automatic data padding


An impact of a delay time on a conversation is reduced. A voice packet is transmitted to a distribution server. A user is notified of being in a wait time from when transmission of the voice packet stops until when voice packet transmission becomes available next. The wait time is calculated on the basis of a first delay time that is a delay time between a local terminal and the distribution server and a second delay time that is the maximum delay time among delay times between a plurality of terminals including the local terminal and the distribution server. The user can easily know the speaking timing from the local terminal, and speech from the local terminal and speech from another terminal can be made not to mix.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing real-time voice communication among a plurality of terminals using a distribution server and the Internet. The real-time voice communication using the Internet has an indefinite delay time, and due to the nature of the network that a delay time changes depending on a distance while it can be used from anywhere in the world, a delay time for each terminal is indefinite and a variation range thereof is significantly large in the voice communication.

Voice communication terminal, information processing method for voice communication terminal, distribution server, and information processing method for distribution server


The present invention provides a resonance ultrasonic transducer. The resonance ultrasonic transducer comprises an ultrasound source for transmitting ultrasound, and a reflecting unit disposed opposite to the ultrasound source. The ultrasound source and the reflecting unit constitute a resonance cavity. The reflecting unit can also act as an ultrasound source. A specific distribution of the acoustic field may be formed in the resonance cavity by matching the transmitting acoustic field of one ultrasonic transducer with the reflecting acoustic field of the other ultrasonic transducer. This resonance ultrasonic transducer can be widely used in ultrasonic diagnosis device, ultrasonic therapy device and ultrasonic detection device, and carries out effective focusing and controlling of an ultrasonic field.

The ultrasonic emission efficiency of ultrasonic transducer can be improved by superposition of the ultrasonic waves emitted from an ultrasonic transducer and the reflected ultrasonic waves. In its designs of reflecting ultrasonic confocal microscope, Japanese patent No. JP6102260 adopts this method to increase acoustic fields at the sample to be observed so as to improve the imaging quality of ultrasonic microscope.
German patent No.: DE3131796 (Title of the invention: Scanning ultrasonic microscope) adopts two confocal spherical shell ultrasonic transducers, which have a common focal point. One transducer acts as ultrasound source for transmitting ultrasonic waves and the other acts as a receiver for receiving ultrasonic waves which obtains the image of the substance from the received signals.
However, the two patents as mentioned above only disclosed that using two ultrasonic transducers or one of them replaced by a reflector so as to increase the acoustic field at the focal point of microscope, but the ultrasonic emission efficiency of ultrasonic transducer hasn't been improved in a vast scale.

Chongqing Ronghai Medical Ultrasound Industry Ltd.


The invention relates to luminescent proteins, nucleic acids encoding same, compositions and combinations comprising the proteins, and methods using the proteins, nucleic acids, compositions and combinations. In particular, a luminescent protein is provided comprising oncomodulin in which a salt bridge has been introduced to provide greater stability. The protein may be used as a luminescent marker in, for example, luminescent items, immunoassays, and fluorescent energy transfer assays.

Luminescent (including fluorescent and phosphorescent) markers have a wide variety of applications in science, medicine and engineering. In many cases, these markers provide competitive replacements for radiolabels, chromogens, radiation-dense dyes, etc. However, a significant limitation to the use of luminescent markers is generating an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio. Marker-dependent properties such as absorption and emission maxima, Stoke's shift, quantum yield, etc. affect the ability to distinguish signal from auto- or background fluorescence. Therefore, there is a continuous need to provide improved luminescent markers; especially luminescent markers with long-lived luminescence, and/or a large Stoke's shift with long wavelength emissions. Other useful and desirable properties include: easy and cost-effective synthesis; chemical and thermal stability; convenient attachment to a wide variety of macromolecules including proteins and nucleic acids; efficient excitability; capable of intense luminescence; and the capacity to perform as good luminescent resonance-energy transfer donors.


An apparatus and method are provided for analyzing the release of active agent(s) from pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like products. The apparatus and method provide for more accurate simulation of the conditions in the GI tract including forces that are applied to the dosage form.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the analysis of pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like products. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and process for analyzing and/or predicting the release of active agents in pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like products.
2. Description of Related Art
Contemporary dissolution devices include a basket-type, a paddle-type and a reciprocating cylinder-type. For example, the contemporary paddle type dissolution apparatus has a glass, round-bottomed vessel with an impeller mixing the contents of the vessel. The apparatus can also have an auto-sampler shaft inserted into the vessel to collect samples at selected intervals of time from an aqueous solution in the vessel. A tablet to be analyzed is dropped into the vessel and falls to the bottom of the vessel, where it sits during the dissolution run. The basket and reciprocating cylinder-type dissolution devices similarly provide for mixing of the solution in the device while the tablet rests in the vessel.
These contemporary dissolution devices were designed for quality control of drug release rates. The contemporary dissolution devices suffer from the drawback of failing to adequately replicate the conditions that a dosage form encounters in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, e.g., the stomach and/or intestine. None of these contemporary devices simulate or account for the forces applied to the dosage form due to the digestive conditions and peristaltic actions along the GI tract.
As shown in FIG. 1, food and liquids are present in the GI tract, in addition to digestive muscular contractions, mass movement, compression, peristalsis, and other forces. All of these conditions can play a key role in the rate of drug release, especially for controlled or extended release products. These mechanically destructive forces are clearly present and are imparted on a dosage form as it travels along the GI tract.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and process for analyzing and predicting the release of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) or active agents from pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like products. There is a further need for such an apparatus and process that more adequately replicates or simulates the conditions in the GI tract.

Pharmaceutical analysis apparatus and method


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, a p-side electrode, an n-side electrode, a fluorescent material layer and a scattering layer. The semiconductor layer has a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface and includes a light emitting layer. The p-side electrode and the n-side electrode are provided on the semiconductor layer on a side of the second surface. The fluorescent material layer is provided on a side of the first surface and includes a plurality of fluorescent materials and a first bonding material. The first bonding material integrates the fluorescent materials. The scattering layer is provided on the fluorescent material layer and includes scattering materials and a second bonding material. The scattering materials are configured to scatter radiated light of the light emitting layer. The second bonding material integrates the scattering materials.

A semiconductor light emitting device that emits visible light such as white light or light in other wavelength ranges by combining a semiconductor light emitting element and a fluorescent material is expanding the use as a small, easy-to-handle light source. However, in such a semiconductor light emitting device, a variation in chromaticity may occur and the improvement thereof is required.

Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same


A boundary acoustic wave device includes an IDT electrode between a piezoelectric layer and a dielectric layer. A low thermal expansion medium layer having a linear thermal expansion coefficient less than that of the piezoelectric layer is laminated on the piezoelectric layer opposite to the boundary. Acoustic velocities of transversal waves at the piezoelectric layer, the dielectric layer, and the low thermal expansion medium layer satisfy Expression (1), and (an acoustic velocity of a transverse wave at the dielectric layer)/λ satisfies Expression (2) as follows:(acoustic velocity of transverse wave at dielectric layer)<(acoustic velocity of SH wave at piezoelectric layer)<(acoustic velocity of transverse wave at low thermal expansion medium layer)  Expression (1), and(response frequency of boundary acoustic wave)<(acoustic velocity of transverse wave at dielectric layer)/λ<(response frequency of high order mode)  Expression (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a boundary acoustic wave device used for a resonator or a band-pass filter, for example. More particularly, the present invention relates to a boundary acoustic wave device using a boundary acoustic wave that propagates at the boundary between a piezoelectric layer and a dielectric layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a surface acoustic wave device has been widely used for a band-pass filter of a mobile phone or the like. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868 discloses a surface acoustic wave filter. FIG. 14 illustrates the structure of the filter.
A surface acoustic wave filter 501 shown in FIG. 14 includes a piezoelectric layer 502 made of LiTaO3, and an IDT electrode 503 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 502. Sapphire 504 is attached to the back surface of the piezoelectric layer 502 opposite to a surface on which the IDT electrode 503 is disposed. Assuming that T is a thickness of the piezoelectric layer 502 and λ is a wavelength of a surface acoustic wave to be used, a ratio T/λ of the thickness of the piezoelectric layer 502 to the wavelength λ of the surface acoustic wave is at least 10. Accordingly, a spurious response is decreased, which is generated by the reflection of a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) at the boundary surface between the piezoelectric layer 502 and the sapphire 504.
Recently, a boundary acoustic wave device has been used instead of the surface acoustic wave device. The boundary acoustic wave device uses a boundary acoustic wave that propagates at the boundary between a piezoelectric layer and a dielectric layer. In the surface acoustic wave device, to excite the IDT electrode provided on the surface of the piezoelectric layer, a gap must be provided so as not to interrupt the vibration. Thus, the surface acoustic wave device has a relatively complicated and large package structure. In contrast, the boundary acoustic wave device uses the boundary acoustic wave that propagates at the boundary between the piezoelectric layer and the dielectric layer. Thus, a gap is not required, and the boundary acoustic wave device may have a relatively simple and small package.
Also, WO 2005/069486 discloses a boundary acoustic wave device having a layer structure including a sound absorbing medium, SiO2, an IDT electrode, and LiNbO3. Here, an acoustic velocity of a transverse wave at the sound absorbing medium is lower than an acoustic velocity of a transverse wave at SiO2. The sound absorbing medium is made of epoxy resin or porous SiO2. A high order mode spurious response is suppressed by providing the sound absorbing medium.
In addition, WO 98/52279 discloses a boundary acoustic wave device having a layer structure including a polycrystalline silicon film, a polycrystalline silicon oxide film, an IDT, and a single crystal piezoelectric substrate. Here, since the polycrystalline silicon film is provided, a boundary acoustic wave excited at the IDT electrode is enclosed in a portion before the polycrystalline silicon oxide film. The IDT electrode is reliably protected by the polycrystalline silicon film and the polycrystalline silicon oxide film.
Further, WO 2004/070946 discloses a boundary acoustic wave device in which an IDT electrode is arranged at the boundary between a piezoelectric layer and a dielectric layer and which uses a SH boundary acoustic wave. Here, the thickness of the IDT electrode is determined such that an acoustic velocity of the SH boundary wave is lower than acoustic velocities of transverse waves propagating at the dielectric layer and the piezoelectric layer. With this structure, an electromechanical coupling coefficient may be relatively large, a propagation loss and a power flow angle may be relatively small, and a temperature coefficient of frequency TCF may be set within a proper range.
In the boundary acoustic wave device, a higher order mode spurious response must be suppressed.
As described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868, the surface acoustic wave device can decrease the higher order mode spurious response as long as a solid, such as sapphire, is attached to the surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite to the surface on which the IDT electrode is disposed, and the ratio of the thickness of the piezoelectric layer to the wavelength of the surface wave is within a specific range.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868 discloses an example in paragraphs [0036] to [0042] in which an IDT electrode is provided on the front surface of 42° Y-cut X-propagation LiTaO3, and an R-plane cut sapphire substrate is laminated on the back surface of the LiTaO3. In this configuration, a first leaky surface wave primarily having an SH component propagates on the front surface of the LiTaO3 substrate. Paragraph (0034) of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868 describes that, with the above-described structure, a spurious response may be generated by reflection of BAW at the boundary surface between the LiTaO3 and the sapphire substrate.
In contrast, based on the knowledge of the inventor of the present application, a generated spurious response is a high order propagation mode in which a P wave, a SH wave, and a SV wave propagate in a coupled manner. An acoustic velocity of the SV wave propagating in a propagation direction at the LiTaO3 with this cut direction is 3351 m/s, and an acoustic velocity of the SH wave is 4277 m/s. An acoustic velocity of a transverse wave at the sapphire is 6463 m/s. Since the acoustic velocity of the transverse wave at the sapphire is higher than the acoustic velocity of the SH wave at the LiTaO3, a high order mode spurious response primarily having a SH component and a high order mode spurious response primarily having a P+SV component are generated at the boundary between the sapphire and the LiTaO3. The 42° Y-cut X-propagation LiTaO3 substrate causes the SH wave to be strongly excited. Thus, a high order mode spurious response primarily having a SH component is strongly generated.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868 decreases the high order mode spurious response by increasing the thickness of the LiTaO3 substrate.
However, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868, when a frequency characteristic of FIG. 6 when the LiTaO3 substrate has a small thickness is compared with a frequency characteristic of FIG. 10 when the LiTaO3 substrate has a large thickness, a spurious response is suppressed to a greater extent in FIG. 10 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868 than in FIG. 6 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-186868. However, the number of appearances of spurious responses is increased. Namely, excitation intensity in a high order mode which may cause the spurious response is decreased by increasing the thickness of the LiTaO3 substrate. However, high order modes of many orders are included. Thus, a filter characteristic of the surface wave device is not sufficiently improved.
In WO 2005/069486, the sound absorbing medium with an acoustic velocity of a transverse wave lower than the acoustic velocity of the transverse wave at the SiO2 is provided on the SiO2. Accordingly, the high order mode can be decreased. However, a resin material, such as epoxy resin, polyimide, or liquid crystal polymer, which is used as the sound absorbing medium has a high linear thermal expansion coefficient. If the intensity of the structure including the SiO2, the IDT, and the LiNbO3 for propagation of the boundary acoustic wave is not sufficient, the structure may likely be expanded or contracted in accordance with the temperature of the boundary acoustic wave device on account of the effect applied by the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the sound absorbing medium. Thus, the absolute value of the temperature coefficient of frequency TCF of the boundary acoustic wave device may be increased.
With the boundary acoustic wave device disclosed in WO 98/52279, the piezoelectric single crystal substrate made of, for example, LiNbO3, is attached to Si with a small thermal expansion coefficient. Accordingly, the absolute value of the temperature coefficient of frequency TCF can be decreased. In this case, by providing SiO2, which is a low acoustic velocity material, is arranged between the Si and the LiNbO3 which are high acoustic velocity materials, a main propagation mode of the boundary acoustic wave is enclosed within the SiO2 region.
With the boundary acoustic wave device disclosed in WO 2004/070946, where metal, such as Au, that is heavier than Al is used instead of Al which is as light as SiO2, vibration energy in a main mode of the boundary acoustic wave does not spread over the entire SiO2, but is concentrated at the piezoelectric substrate. Thus, an electromechanical coupling coefficient K2 of the boundary acoustic wave can be increased.
However, with the structure in which the low acoustic velocity medium is arranged between the high acoustic velocity media such as the boundary acoustic wave device disclosed in WO 98/52279, the acoustic velocity may vary depending on the thickness and the film quality of the low acoustic velocity medium. As a result, a frequency variation may appear in the boundary acoustic wave device. Thus, precise quality control of the thickness and the film quality of the low acoustic velocity medium is required.
By increasing the thickness of the low acoustic velocity medium, the effect of variations in energy distribution in the main mode of the boundary acoustic wave due to variations in the thickness of the low acoustic velocity medium can be decreased. However, if the thickness of the low acoustic velocity medium is increased, a high order mode spurious response may be generated.
As described in WO 2005/069486, WO 98/52279, and WO 2004/070946, in the conventional boundary acoustic wave devices, various arrangements have been used to attempt to suppress the high order mode spurious response, to increase the electromechanical coupling coefficient, and to decrease the absolute value of the temperature coefficient of frequency TCF. However, unlike surface acoustic wave devices, with boundary acoustic wave devices, the high order mode spurious response is not sufficiently decreased.


A method for manufacturing an SOI substrate in which crystal defects of a single crystal semiconductor layer are reduced is provided. An oxide film containing halogen is formed on each of surfaces of a single crystal semiconductor substrate and of a semiconductor substrate provided with a single crystal semiconductor layer separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrate, whereby impurities that exist on the surfaces of and inside the substrates are decreased. In addition, the single crystal semiconductor layer provided over the semiconductor substrate is irradiated with a laser beam, whereby crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layer is improved and planarity is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an SOI substrate having a semiconductor layer formed over an insulating film and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Background Art
In recent years, instead of a bulk silicon wafer, integrated circuits using an SOI (silicon on insulator) substrate have been developed. By utilizing the characteristics of a thin silicon wafer formed over an insulating film, semiconductor layers of transistors formed in the integrated circuit can be separated from each other completely. Further, since the fully depleted transistors can be formed, a semiconductor integrated circuit with high added value such as high integration, high speed driving, and low power consumption can be realized.
Known examples of SOI substrates are SIMOX substrates and bonded substrates. For example, an SOI structure of a SIMOX substrate is obtained by implantation of oxygen ions into a silicon wafer and by heat treatment performed at equal to or higher than 1300° C. to form a buried oxide (BOX) film, whereby a silicon wafer is formed on a substrate surface.
As an SOI structure of a bonded substrate, two silicon wafers (a base substrate and a bond substrate) are bonded to each other with an oxide film interposed therebetween, and one of the two silicon wafers (the bond substrate) is thinned on its rear side (which is a surface facing a bonded surface), so that a silicon wafer is formed. There is proposed a technique which employs hydrogen ion implantation that is called a hydrogen ion implantation separation method (e.g., Reference 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. H5-211128), because it is difficult to form a uniform silicon wafer by grinding or polishing. The hydrogen ion implantation separation method is also called a Smart Cut (registered trademark) method.
A summary of a method for manufacturing this SOI substrate is described. By implantation of hydrogen ions into a silicon wafer by an ion implantation method, an embrittlement region is formed at a predetermined depth from the surface of the silicon wafer. Next, a silicon oxide film is formed by oxidizing another silicon wafer which serves as a base substrate. Then, the silicon wafer into which the hydrogen ions are implanted is bonded to the silicon oxide film of the other silicon wafer which serves as a base substrate, so that the two silicon wafers are bonded. Then, through heat treatment, the silicon wafer is cleaved using the ion implanted layer as a cleavage plane, thereby forming a substrate in which a thin single crystal silicon layer is bonded to the silicon wafer which serves as a base substrate.
An ion implantation method is a method in which particles to be implanted into a sample in vacuum are ionized and accelerated by an electric field. An ion implanter used in an ion implantation method includes an ion source, a mass separation unit, an acceleration unit, a beam operation portion (electrostatic scan) unit, an implantation chamber (end-station), and an evacuation unit. Further, since a cross section of an ion beam is not uniform, scanning with an ion beam is performed electrically in order to obtain uniformity of a surface of the sample. The implanted particles have a Gaussian distribution in the depth direction.
In addition, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the Smart Cut method, in which a highly heat-resistant substrate is used as a supporting substrate, is disclosed as an example of a semiconductor device using an SOI substrate (see Reference 2: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2000-012864).

Method for manufacturing SOI substrate and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


The fatigue resistance of lead-tin eutectic solder is increased by doping the solder with about 0.1 to 0.8 weight % of a dopant selected from cadmium, indium antimony and mixtures thereof. The doped eutectic solder exhibits increased resistance to thermally or mechanically induced cyclic stress and strain. As a result, the fatigue resistance of the solder joint is increased. Combination of dopants, such as indium and cadmium, in combined amounts of less than 0.5 weight % are especially effective in increasing the fatigue resistance of the lead-tin eutectic solder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lead-tin eutectic solder. More particularly, the present invention relates to improving the fatigue resistance of lead-tin eutectic solder.
2. Description of Related Art
Eutectic and near-eutectic lead-tin solder alloys are used to provide solder joints in a wide variety of electronic devices. In addition to providing electrical connections, the solder joint provides a vital mechanical link between electronic devices and connectors.
During operation, many electrical devices are subjected to vibration and continual changes in temperature. Many times, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the various materials at and around the solder joint are different. As a result, the continual changes in temperature cause the solder joint to be continually subjected to varying degrees of stress and strain. The solder joint may also undergo continual stress due to vibrations and other forces exerted against the joint.
It would be desirable to provide solder joints which are structurally strong and resist fatigue due to mechanical or thermal stress and strain. Such fatigue resistant solder would be especially well-suited for use in electronic equipment which is subjected to extreme thermal fluctuations and mechanical duress. Further, fatigue resistant solder would be desirable for use in electronic devices where a long service life is required.

Fatigue resistant lead-tin eutectic solder


A method for reactivation of software products includes activating a first software product associated with a reactivation policy group. A hardware identifier derived from the computer hardware configuration is bound with the first software product activation. A second software product is activated having an associated reactivation binding list. Reactivation is requested for the first software product and an updated hardware identifier is associated with a reactivation policy group of the first software product. The second software product may be spared the request for reactivation if the second product can be associated with the reactivation of the first software product given the binding list is compatible with the reactivation policy group.

Software piracy is a large financial concern for software manufacturers. Although the current trend from software manufacturers is to grant a license to a user to personally use one or two copies of the application, users may sometimes violate the terms of the license and attempt to use the application on more than the number of licensed computers. Alternately, the software may fall into the hands of a non-licensed user who may attempt to use the software.
One method of thwarting such non-licensed activities is to require the licensed user to participate in an activation of the software application shortly after initial installation. During this process, the user provides such information as the product and serial numbers of the software back to the software manufacturer. This may be performed either on-line or over the phone by keying in digits representing the requested information. Often, the product and serial numbers are several dozen digits long. The software manufacturer can then verify that the software license for the specific product is valid. As part of the process, a hardware identifier (HWID) is typically generated which identifies not the specific user machine, but the configuration of hardware that the software is being installed onto. This HWID is logged as the initial hardware configuration that the user has upon software activation.
Generally, the manufacturer responds to the user supplied product, serial number, and HWID information with a confirmation that the information is valid. An activation code may be issued to the user computer to enable the software application to function for the user. In operation, the installed application can then verify, upon subsequent application accesses, that the hardware configuration, via the HWID, has not changed significantly. If the HWID is changed upon an application access, it may be an indication that the application has been moved to a different machine in violation of the software agreement. Under these circumstances, the user would then be prevented from accessing the application. In this way, the activation process becomes a guardian of the software license agreement by preventing use of the software application in a piracy condition.
However, the reason for the HWID change in the user computer may not have been a violation of the agreement. The change in HWID could be the result of a major hardware upgrade that the legitimate license holder is using to run her licensed software. Under those conditions, the application requires that a reactivation activity be successfully completed before the software may be accessed by the user. Reactivation requires that the user re-enter some or all of the information concerning the product and serial number information. Once again, this may be performed either on-line or via a telephone interaction which may involve dozens of digits to enter by hand. Since every application which has activation protection would require reactivation after a major hardware change, each application has the ability to stop the legitimate user from accessing his licensed software until a reactivation is performed on every application. This can be a long and arduous task, especially if performed manually via a telephone communications link.
FIG. 1A depicts a typical prior art scenario where multiple reactivations may occur. In this scenario, a user activates application 1 at time T=0 on a single computer. As discussed above, the activation causes a specific HWID to be constructed to indicate the hardware configuration of the computer at the time of application 1 activation. Assume no significant hardware changes are made and the user activates application 2 and application 3 at times T=1 and T=2 respectively. At time T=3, the legitimate user's computer undergoes a hardware change that jumps the threshold of tolerance set up by the anti-piracy activation software in the various applications. With the hardware change threshold exceeded, any new access of the piracy-protected applications will cause a reactivation request to occur.
At time T=4, the user accesses application 1. The application anti-piracy software detects that a significant hardware change has taken place. The application then requires the user to perform a reactivation process. The reactivation process occurs at time T=5 and the user is granted continued access to his software. The user then accesses a next application, random in order, application 3 at T=6. The piracy protected software once again detects the significant hardware change and requests reactivation. The user complies at time T=7 and reactivates application 3. At time T=8, the user access her next application, here application 2. Once again, the piracy detection software detects that significant hardware change and requests that application 2 be reactivated. The user must comply if she wishes to access application 3, so reactivation occurs at time T=9. This process may continue for each and every application that the user has installed that is associated with the original HWID.
A better scenario would be that shown in FIG. 1B. Here, the same timeline is depicted for T=0 through T=5. The user activates software at T=0 thru T=2, encounters a significant hardware change at T=3, and accesses and reactivates activates application 1 at times T=4 and T=5 respectively. However, upon access to application 3 and application 2 at times T=6 and t=8 respectively, it would be more convenient to the user if a reactivation is not required. However, this scenario is not currently available to the user under present anti-piracy activation schemes; especially those using telephone link reactivation techniques.
Thus, there is a need for a method that allows a more convenient method of reactivation of legitimate software in order to save the licensed user the trouble of having to reactivate software that have compatible HWIDs. The present invention addresses the aforementioned needs and solves them with additional advantages as expressed herein.

Method and system for single reactivation of software product licenses


A method and apparatus for determining the orientation of a gas analyzer. Because condensation can build-up in a filter of the gas analyzer, it needs to be purged from the analyzer so that accurate readings can be made. By having a orientation device built-in, the analyzer can be purged at the desired orientation so that, as much water, can be purged, as possible, to the designated outlet.

Gas powered vehicles produce emissions of various gases leading to pollution of the air. Most states require yearly vehicle inspection as part of the privilege of driving in their states. However, some states, such as California, have required stricter emission standards for the vehicles of their citizens. Thus, testing facilities and repair garages are performing more tests as the regulations become tighter.
In the past, only hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) had to be measured during inspection, but stricter regulations require the measurement of oxygen (O2), carbon dioxides (CO2) and nitrous oxides (NOx), as well. The vehicle must pass inspection, including emissions testing, in order to obtain a valid inspection sticker. If the vehicle fails the inspection, then it must be repaired before it will pass inspection. In the repair process, a mechanic must be able to determine if the repair of the gas emission system was successful.
Gas analyzers have been developed in order to help the mechanic diagnose the emission problems. Large platform analyzers were originally developed to measure the emission gases and were moved around on carts. However, large platform analyzers are too large for small garages to operate and store. Additionally, the large platform analyzers are typically very expensive for a small repair garage to own.
"Portable" gas analyzers were subsequently developed for use to analyze emissions. While the portable gas analyzers were smaller, they still weighed between twenty-thirty pounds and are too large to be held in the operator's hands. Because the portable analyzers were still big, they required a big pump to circulate the emission gases throughout the analyzer for measuring. Additionally, a large and heavy filtering device to filter the particulate and moisture from the emission gases. The big pump also required a large power source, thus increasing the weight of the portable gas analyzer. The portable gas analyzer has a large chassis to hold the various components together. The large size of the chassis increased the weight of the analyzer.
As the analyzer operates, emission gases including condensation from the line (due to a hot emission source traveling in hoses that are at ambient temperature) are filtered through the filter. However, the analyzer can have many filters that each requires individual hoses so that additional contamination (contamination from the inside of the hose) and condensation (more hoses leads to more condensation) can occur leading to false readings.
In order to circulate the emission gases, a pump is utilized. However, the pump can be big because of the size of the analyzer. The pump is solidly mounted onto a chassis located near the bottom of the analyzer. Additionally, the pump vibrates during operation, thereby, transmitting the vibration to the operator, and making it uncomfortable for the operator to use the analyzer.
Therefore, there is a need for an analyzer that can be lightweight, compact, and portable. There is also a need for an integrated multistage filter system to reduce contamination and condensation. Another need includes an analyzer that can notify the operator that it is in the wrong orientation for a purging operation so that more liquids can be purged. A further need includes an analyzer with reduce vibration from the pump so that the analyzer is more comfortable to use. There is still a further need for an analyzer that can purge and recalibrate ("zero out") as needed.


First and second displacement variable regenerating hydraulic motors are provided in third and fourth flow rate control lines which function as discharge flow paths for oil discharged, respectively, from first and second oil supply and discharge ports of a hydraulic motor, where controlling the displacement of the regenerating hydraulic motors allows the flow rate of discharge oil as well as the pressure of the third and fourth flow rate control lines to be controlled. First and second generators which generate electric power due to the rotation of the first and second regenerating hydraulic motors are further provided.

In general, work machines such as a hydraulic excavator are provided with various kinds of fluid pressure actuators which are operated by pressurized fluid from pumps, and there has conventionally been known a technique for regenerating the energy of fluid discharged from the fluid pressure actuators such as a technique in which the pressure of fluid discharged from each fluid pressure actuator is recovered to be accumulated in an accumulator. However, accumulators result in problems in that they require a large capacity relative to the energy storage amount in comparison with other energy storage means such as batteries, and further that they have shorter storage times.
There is thus a need for improved techniques for regenerating and storing the energy of fluid discharged from a fluid pressure actuator as electrical energy.
Work machines such as a hydraulic excavator are generally arranged in such a manner that the flow rate of fluid discharged from a fluid pressure actuator is controlled by a control valve which performs meter-out control based on the amount of throttle. In one known example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-195218 provides a turbine, which is driven rotationally by the inflow of discharge fluid, on the downstream side of such a control valve. Therefore, before the turbine is rotated to regenerate energy, the control valve removes the discharge fluid from the fluid pressure actuator, resulting in a temperature increase which thereby consumes energy, resulting in a problem of lower energy regeneration efficiency.
Further, although there is no consideration in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-195218 for the case that the fluid pressure actuator is a fluid pressure motor, various kinds of fluid pressure motors such as a hydraulic rotating motor for rotating an upper rotating body and/or a hydraulic traveling motor can be included in work machines such as a hydraulic excavator. Such fluid pressure motors generally include a control valve for flow rate control and a relief valve for preventing a pressure increase of a fluid supply flow path and/or a discharge flow path when starting or stopping the motor. The temperature of fluid passing through the relief valve can be increased to consume energy where there are demands that the energy of fluid passing through the relief valve could also be regenerated.
The present disclosure is aimed at solving this and other problems known to those skilled in the art.