A pressure sensor including a deformable sensor body formed of a compressible material. A deformation sensor is embedded in the deformable sensor body and has an electrical property which changes in response to deformation of the deformable sensor body. Electrical connections which extend from outside the deformable sensor body to the embedded deformation sensor to provide an indication of an applied line pressure or differential pressure.

The present invention relates to pressure transmitters of the type used in industrial process control systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pressure sensor for use in a pressure transmitter.
Pressure transmitters are used in industrial process control systems to monitor pressures of process fluids. A pressure transmitter includes a pressure sensor which is coupled to a process fluid and provides an output in response to pressure applied by the process fluid. Two well known types of pressure transmitters is the Model 3051 and 3095 transmitters available from Rosemount Inc. of Chanhassen, Minn. Pressure transmitters are also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,109, for example.
In many installations where differential pressure is measured, it is frequently also desirable obtain a line pressure measurements (i.e., the pressure of the process fluid in the pipe or conduit) For example, the line pressure can be used for determining mass flow of process fluid, or for other control applications. However, when a line pressure measurement is required in addition to the differential pressure measurement, an additional pressure sensor is typically required. This additional pressure sensor requires additional components and coupling to the process fluid. This leads to increased complexity and expense, as well as increasing the likelihood of failure.
Further, many pressure sensing technologies are coupled to process fluid through an isolation arrangement which uses an isolation diaphragm exposed to process fluid and an isolation fill fluid which couples the pressure sensor to the isolation diaphragm. This isolation arrangement is also a source of errors, complexity, and potential failure in process devices.

Pressure sensor using compressible sensor body


Systems and methods for configuration management in an article of manufacture disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for documenting a configuration of an article of manufacture includes an identifier positioned on the article of manufacture. A local positioning system is used to determine a positional location of the identifier on the article of manufacture. A multifunction apparatus configured to interactively communicate with the identifier and the local positioning system is present that is operable to communicate configuration information to the identifier.

Complex articles of manufacture frequently include a plurality of component parts that cooperatively form the desired article. In general, the number of component parts in the product may range from a few hundred parts to many thousands of parts. Various fixtures, tooling, test equipment, templates and other similar devices may also be used during assembly of the various component parts into the desired article. Accordingly, the production of complex articles of manufacture constitutes a highly disciplined process requiring extensive coordination and documentation to ensure that the component parts, tooling and manufacturing processes conform to accepted standards to yield a product that is structured and performs as designed.
For example, and referring in particular to commercial aircraft production, a configuration control system is typically used to verify that the aircraft conforms to a common product design in accordance with a production type certificate. In particular, it is necessary to verify and document the presence and status of selected critical components on the airplane. Currently, verification that the selected components are properly installed on the airplane is accomplished by a visual inspection, and the results of the visual inspection are documented in a paper-based documentation system maintained by a manufacturer. Following delivery of the airplane, verification that the airplane conforms to a predetermined configuration is also necessary, since the airplane is subject to various repairs, maintenance procedures and inspections while in service. Since the aircraft may also incorporate various approved modifications as described in service bulletins, or other similar documents, the configuration may change in various respects, while the aircraft is in service. Accordingly, the aircraft may obtain an "as flying" configuration that differs from an "as delivered" configuration. Airlines must document the "as flying" configuration of the aircraft during its operational lifetime, and generally rely on a paper-based documentation system to record the "as flying" configuration.
Current configuration control systems for aircraft have various shortcomings. For example, current configuration control systems generally entail visual inspections of various components of the aircraft, which may include a labor-intensive disassembly of the article. Furthermore, paper-based documentation systems may include inaccuracies and are also generally labor-intensive to maintain. Therefore, novel systems and methods to manage the configuration of a manufactured article that reduce the labor required to manage the configuration, and that reduce or eliminate paper-based documentation, would have utility.


A method for calibrating a radiation detection medium by exposing arbitrary locations of a radiation detection medium to a plurality of known radiation dose levels is described. One particular aspect of the method includes the steps of automatically determining the location of each arbitrary exposed location, measuring the density of each of the arbitrary exposed locations, matching each measurement for the arbitrary exposed locations with the corresponding radiation dose level thereby generating an array of paired data values for radiation dose level and measured density and calculating a calibration based on the array of paired data values.

The present invention relates to calibration of a radiation detection medium in a radiotherapy treatment system, and in particular, to methods for calibrating a radiation detection medium in a radiotherapy treatment system wherein the calibration is determined by exposing arbitrary areas of the medium to a plurality of dose levels.
Radiotherapy has been used for years as a method for irradiating and selectively killing cancer cells while minimizing radiation exposure to adjacent tissue. The effectiveness of radiotherapy can depend upon the absorbed dose or the amount of energy deposited within a tissue mass. Absorbed dose is typically measured in centigray or cGy units.
A radiation detection medium may be used to determine the amount of radiation to which a patient is subjected during radiation treatment. Particularly useful is a two-dimensional or three-dimensional radiation detection medium that can determine radiation dose over an area or within a volume. Examples of the former are radiographic film, radiochromic film, phosphor plates, two-dimensional arrays of diodes or ion chambers, electronic portal imaging devices (EPID) and the like. An example of a volume detector is a 3-dimensional radiation sensitive gel such as "BANG" gel and the like. The radiation detection medium typically has a response that varies systematically in accordance with the degree of radiation exposure. Radiation detection media such as radiographic and radiochromic films and 3-dimensional gels typically have a light transmission or optical density that varies systematically in proportion to the radiation dose. Calibration of the radiation sensitive film or gel detection medium allows one to measure the absorbed dose indirectly by measuring the light transmission or optical density of the exposed radiation detection medium.
Calibration curves for a radiation detection medium are often prepared by exposing one or more areas of the detection medium to different and known amounts of radiation using a linear accelerator or a similar device capable of generating a range of known dose levels. Another method frequently used is to expose the detection means to a continuously varying level of doses. This can be done by interposing a wedge of material with continuously varying thickness between the radiation source and the detection medium. Alternatively, the radiation sensitive medium may be sandwiched between two blocks and positioned so that the medium is in a plane parallel to the beam when it is exposed. In this configuration the dose applied to the radiation sensitive medium decreases continuously with depth below the top surface of the blocks. This type of exposure is often referred to as a depth-dose exposure. Typically, calibration curves are generated by measuring the response of the radiation sensitive medium for numerous different dose levels. In the instance of radiation films or gels, it is common to measure the light transmission or optical density of the medium for numerous different radiation dosage levels.
In accordance with one method for calibrating a radiation detection medium described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,934,653 and 6,675,116 to Ritt, a radiation detection medium is divided into a number of predefined regions, each predefined region is exposed to a different selected dose and the plurality of responses in the detection medium are measured to generate a calibration. In accordance with one aspect of the described process, measurement of the plurality of responses is effected through the use of computer software to automatically obtain measurements in the predefined areas. However, there are certain drawbacks to a calibration based on exposing predefined regions of the radiation detection medium. Since the radiation detection medium is exposed in predefined regions, it is essential to accurately align and position the radiation detection medium with respect to the radiotherapy treatment system. As the radiation detection medium is placed in position by a combination of manual and visual means, it can be difficult to maintain precise registration of the film to the radiotherapy treatment system. Another source of possible error in the use of predefined areas for generating a calibration curve is related to reading and measuring of the radiation detection medium using a film scanner. In order for this to be effective and produce reliable results, the radiation detection medium must be registered in a known and reproducible location with respect to the film scanner. Accordingly, any mis-registration of the radiation detection medium with respect to either the radiotherapy treatment system or the film scanning system will typically lead to an error in measurement of the exposed areas in a system that automatically takes measurements in the predefined areas.
Yet another source of possible error in the use of pre-defined areas of exposure can result from mis-orientation of a radiation detection medium on a scanner. In particular, if the pre-defined areas do not form a symmetric pattern on the detection medium then the pattern of predefined areas can only be reproduced if the film is placed on the scanner in the correct orientation. This is explained with reference to FIG. 1 which depicts a radiation sensitive medium with four areas shown at 1, 2, 3 and 4 exposed to different doses of radiation. Two axes of the radiation sensitive medium are shown at X and Y. A third axis, the Z axis, not shown in FIG. 1, runs perpendicular to the X and Y axes, directly into the plane of the figure. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 depict how the pattern of exposures appears after the radiation sensitive medium has been rotated by 180° about the X, Y and Z axes respectively. Inspection of these patterns indicates that each is unique and demonstrates that the radiation sensitive medium must be correctly oriented with respect to rotation about these axes for the pattern of exposures to appear in pre-determined locations when the radiation sensitive medium is positioned for scanning.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of calibrating a radiation detection medium to address the foregoing issues with the prior art. More specifically, there is a need for a method capable of generating a calibration for a radiation detection medium that is not limited to making measurements in predefined areas.

Method for calibrating a radiation detection medium


The floating drive-on docking system for a watercraft uses a main floatation portion where the watercraft rests when loaded and a pivoting entry portion for creating a low loading angle between the watercraft and the floating drive-on docking system, resulting in only a small amount of propulsion from the watercraft being required to load onto the docking system. The pivoting entry portion has entry features, either rollers or raised bumps, that remain above the waterline when not engaged by the watercraft to keep the loading surfaces free from marine growth that can harm the hull of a watercraft. Wide side guides on the pivoting entry portion assist in positioning the craft for loading onto the docking system.

This invention generally relates to a floating drive on docking system for a watercraft and more particularly to a drive-on docking system for a personal watercraft (PWC) with a pivoting entry to allow for easy loading and unloading.
The use of floating drive-on watercraft lifting devices is well known. A number of floating lift designs are currently known that provide this basic function. Most floating drive-on watercraft lifts are made from rotationally molded plastic and are either filled with air or foam for floatation. These lifting devices commonly have a ramped portion for loading and unloading the watercraft, a cradled docked portion for storing the watercraft and some sort of roller system or raised plastic ridges to help in transporting the watercraft from the ramped portion to the cradled portion and visa versa. A common trait among the current floating drive on watercraft lifting devices is a high loading angle between the watercraft and the lifting device. The abrupt ramped portion of the docking device forces the bow of the entering watercraft up creating the large loading angle between the watercraft and the floating lift requiring a large amount of propulsion from the watercraft to load. For an unskilled watercraft user loading can be very difficult and possibly dangerous. With too much propulsion the watercraft can easily slide over the lift and crash into any items in front of the drive-on lift. Examples of this type of floating drive-on watercraft lifting device are the Hydrohoist Hydroport (U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,522 to Elson), U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,106 to Eva, III et al., and the Jet T by Carolina Water Works, Inc.
Several devices use keel entry rollers to ease in loading the watercraft onto the dock including U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,687 to Hillman, U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,872 to Ostreng et al., and the EZPort from EZ Dock. The keel rollers help with reducing the propulsion required for loading, but marine growth can be a problem with keel rollers. If the keel roller sits in the water, marine growth, such as barnacles, muscles, oysters, etc., builds up on the roller and can damage the hull of a watercraft. Some companies choose to position the keel roller above the waterline to prevent marine growth, but this causes more problematic loading issues. With the keel roller above the waterline, the bow eye of a watercraft can catch on the keel roller while loading causing a significant jolt to the driver of the watercraft, and the loading angle is increased requiring more propulsion to load the watercraft leading to the same loading issues as the Hydrohoist Hydroport and like lifting devices.
The Tilting Dry Dock of U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,180 to Masters tries to address the loading issues of the above devices with a floating dock that seesaws to change the loading angle and reduce the propulsion required to load a watercraft. While the seesaw concept allows for reduced propulsion to load the watercraft, it does not address the growth issues that can damage the hull of a watercraft. Without a watercraft on the seesaw dry dock, the entry of the dry dock sits in the water where growth can build up. Furthermore, with the seesaw design a watercraft can be errantly launched if a person or animal walked to the back of the seesaw.
Another common problem among the current state of the art floating drive-on watercraft lifts is that most of them have a square or flat entry which requires the watercraft to be aligned properly with the entry for the watercraft to be properly loaded. If the watercraft is loaded at an angle the watercraft will slide off the side of the lift and back into the water, again, causing loading problems for the unskilled watercraft user as most PWCs do not steer very well at low speed.
Accordingly, the present invention is designed to allow for safe and effortless loading and launching of the watercraft on a floating drive-on watercraft lift.

Floating drive-on watercraft docking system


A computer system comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by point-to-point links and forms a serial bus. At least one of the plurality of nodes includes an associated configuration memory storing configuration information. The configuration memory is arranged into a plurality of directories according to an hierarchical structure. At least one of directories has a key value which indicates a unique directory entry within the configuration memory, the unique directory entry comprising an extended key value. In one embodiment, the extended key value indicates a driver directory. In a second embodiment, the extended key indicates a protocol directory.

Computer systems are comprised of a variety of different components or "devices" that operate together to form the resultant system. Typically, some of the devices are supplied with the computer system initially, such as the central processing unit, and some devices can be installed into the computer system after the initial configuration of the system. The devices of the computer system are generally coupled together via interconnects (or busses) which may be of several types. Common interconnects include SCSI, ADB and serial connections such as that described by IEEE Standards Document 1394, entitled Standard For A High Performance Serial Bus (hereinafter the "IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard").
In general, a computer interconnect is comprised of a multiplicity of nodes that are interconnected via point-to-point links, such as cables. The nodes themselves are uniquely addressable entities which can be independently reset and identified. Nodes are associated with respective components of the computer system and serve as interfaces between the components and the communications links.
The variety of computer interconnects has led to the development of a common scalable bus-technology-independent Control and Status Register (CSR) Architecture which attempts to minimize the software and firmware changes necessary when migrating a processor from one system bus to another or when bridging from one bus to another. This common CSR Architecture is described in IEEE Standards Document 1212, 1994 edition, entitled Information Technology--Microprocessor Systems--Control and Status Registers (CSR) Architecture for Microcomputer Buses (hereinafter the "CSR Architecture").
The CSR Architecture describes a hierarchical configuration ROM directory structure. FIG. 1 illustrates the general ROM format for a configuration ROM 10 according to the CSR Architecture. In general, node configuration ROMs 10 reside within the address space of the computer interconnect. As shown, the configuration ROM 10 is divided into a root directory 12, various root dependent directories 14, root leafs 16, unit directories 18, unit dependent directories 20, and unit leafs 22. Thus, the directories are arranged in a hierarchical fashion. Within this structure, directories may have "children", "parents" and "siblings".
Entries within the root directory 12 may provide information or may provide a pointer to another directory (e.g., a root dependent directory 14) which has the same structure as the root directory, or to a root leaf 16 which contains information. The unit directories 18 contain information about each unit, such as its software version number and its location within the node's address space.
All directories in the node configuration ROMs 10 have the format shown in FIG. 2. The directory length parameter specifies the number of following quadlet entries in the directory. Each directory entry then has the format shown in FIG. 3. Each directory entry is broken down into a key field and an entry value field. The key field itself has two fields: the key type, indicating the type of directory entry, and the key value, specifying the particular directory entry, e.g., spec.sub.-- ID, unit software version, etc. The key type definitions for an embodiment according to the IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard are shown in Table 1, below.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Reference Name Key Type Meaning of Least Significant 24-bits ______________________________________ Immediate 0 Immediate Value Offset 1 Initial Register Space Offset for an Immediate Value Leaf 2 Indirect Space Offset for a Leaf Directory 3 Indirect Space Offset for a Directory ______________________________________
For an immediate entry, the entry value is the 24-bit value for that directory entry. Its meaning is dependent on the type of entry. For an offset entry, the entry value contains a 24-bit offset field. The offset value specifies a CSR address as a quadlet offset from the base address of the initial register space. For the leaf and directory entries, the entry value provides a 24-bit indirect offset value which specifies the address of the leaf or directory of the indirect space. The indirect offset value indirectly specifies the ROM offset address of the leaf or the directory. Thus, using the key type and key value, a specific entry in the configuration ROM 10 of a node on the serial bus can be identified.
The CSR Architecture provides for only 64 key values in directory and leaf entries within a ROM 10. Many of these 64 values have already been defined by various industry-wide specifications, such as the IEEE 1394 Serial Bus Standard, for particular computer interconnects. As a result, the available key space has been virtually exhausted.

Method and apparatus for extending key space in a plug and play ROM


An indirect control of aphids is disclosed, comprising the use of relatively minute concentrations of the pheromone E-.beta.-farnesene, which prevents aphid-caused crop damage by warding off aphids and by attracting natural aphid predators and parasites.

Volatile chemicals used by insects for communication, known as semiochemicals, have been used for a number of years in the control of insect pests in agriculture. The use of semiochemicals for insect control offers a number of significant advantages over the use of chemical insecticides. Semiochemicals generally exhibit little toxicity toward humans and other nontarget organisms. Due to their volatility and instability caused by oxidation and photochemical degradation, they do not persist in the environment or leave detectable residues on treated crops.
It is known that many species of aphid communicate distress of various kinds by releasing a particular semiochemical known as an alarm pheromone. The principal constituent of the alarm pheromone for many of these aphids is the compound E-.beta.-farnesene (EBF). Other lesser constituents of the alarm pheromone include the related farnesene isomers Z-.beta.-, E-E-, E-Z-, Z-Z , and Z-E-.alpha.-farnesenes. Studies of the behavior of aphids in the presence of vapors of EBF have shown that the typical aphid alarm symptoms include cessation of sucking and 25 dispersal away from the source of the pheromone. Wientjens et al., 29 Experientia 658 (1973). U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,934 discloses that 10 wt % solutions of EBF exhibit contact insecticidal action when applied topically to aphids. European patent application No. 0 266 822 discloses the use of EBF as an aphid control at concentrations exceeding that which causes the alarm reaction (1 to 10 ng/ml), teaching that concentrations exceeding 10 ng/ml cause a hormonal reaction that results in delayed or interrupted development of aphids and other insects. The principal drawback of both of these prior art uses of EBF is that both require relatively large amounts of the pheromone, which is very expensive.
What is needed, therefore, is an effective way to utilize EBF as an aphid control at relatively low concentrations. This need and others are met by the present invention, which is summarized and described in detail below.

Indirect aphid control with low concentration of EBF


Disclosed herein are methods and systems for processing signals from multiple users at an antenna array, and to provide beamforming for transmitting to those multiple users, and more particularly for channel estimation and wireless signal recovery in wireless networks carrying transmissions in the millimeter wave frequency bands to enable such beamforming. Such methods and systems enable MIMO communications at millimeter wave frequencies for multiple users communicating with a MIMO antenna system, such as a massive MIMO multi-antenna system (multi-antenna arrays that consist of hundreds of antenna elements). Such methods and systems may characterize the communications link (i.e., channel) at that frequency band, and directly provide a precoding matrix for beam steering towards a particular user that is in communication with the antenna system.

With the volume of global mobile data traffic growing exponentially from year to year due to an increase in use of mobile devices across different wireless platforms, there has been a continually increasing demand for better wireless network coverage and throughput to accommodate multiple end-user connectivity and faster data transfer requests. Indoor mobile data traffic has been a large contributor to this surge in the demand for higher data rates on wireless networks. Thus, a wireless strategy that ensures robust indoor wireless coverage and increased throughput capacity is essential for addressing these challenges. Support for wireless services inside buildings (where concrete walls and glass can potentially block radio signals) is not just about providing reliable coverage, but it also involves expanding capacity to user equipment in terms of the bandwidth and providing direct access to higher data rates by the end users. With the advent of the internet-of-things (IoT), technology which is capable of adding billions of wirelessly connected devices within the walls of our homes and offices to existing communication networks, as well as high end smartphones and other mobile devices that provide the ease of access to data-hungry applications such as social media apps, virtual reality and artificial intelligence apps, video streaming, video conferencing and voice over IP (VOIP) services, it is imperative to ensure that users have enough capacity to ensure a seamless user experience while utilizing these services. Even further, even the once primarily wired desktop computer devices, both at home and for business use, now come equipped with wireless interface cards to wirelessly connect to local area networks.
A promising solution for future network expansion lies in developing communication systems that can operate within the millimeter wave (mm-wave) frequency spectrum, which lies between 30 and 300 GHz. This can provide orders of magnitude greater bandwidths than current technology, as well as further gains via beamforming and spatial multiplexing from multi-element antenna arrays. Because millimeter wave transmission can achieve much greater directionality than the microwave frequencies, there is much greater opportunity for indoor wireless devices to simultaneously communicate with an access point using spatial division multiple access techniques. In addition, the access point or base station can use spatial filtering and phased array beam-steering to receive and transmit data respectively for multiple devices.
The millimeter wave spectrum has wavelengths of 1-10 millimeters, and these bands are especially useful for high-speed, short range, line-of-sight communications applications. The use of this band in massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication enables the possibility of deploying a large number of miniaturized antennas which can be packed into a small space, due to the characteristic short wavelength in this spectrum range. This can in turn open up ways to achieve the requirements and expectations of future wireless communication systems, which is required to massively increase data rates and to be able to handle a greater number of connected devices with very low round-trip latency and optimal energy efficiency.
As these radio signals propagate through the atmosphere, absorption or scattering causes attenuation of the signals, and this is a function of the length of the radio link. At mm-wave, the channel models are different because the propagation environment has a different effect on signals with a much smaller wavelength, and there are strong differences between line-of-sight (LOS) and non-LOS propagation conditions. The scattering is higher due to the increased effective roughness of materials, and penetration losses can be much larger. The channel models use some of the same properties as lower (microwave) frequency systems, such as multi-path delay spread, angle spread, and Doppler shift, but with different parameters. In addition, mm-wave frequencies are very vulnerable to blockage caused by some building materials and the human body, and such blockage can severely attenuate or reflect these radio waves. Attenuation dictates how much of the transmitted signal is actually received through the channel.
For outdoor communication, atmospheric absorption restricts the range of these millimeter waves, since rain, fog, and any moisture in the air can make the signal attenuation very high. Thus, millimeter wave transmission is much more suitable for the indoor environment and its short range and directionality can, in fact, be a benefit as this can cut down on interference from other wireless devices within the indoor space.
While the benefits offered by transmitting wireless communications in the millimeter band frequencies are significant, challenges remain in providing wireless base stations with the processing capabilities necessary to effectively manage transmissions, as indoor wireless networks continue to expand in size and complexity. Moreover, the ability to capture and determine channel state information in real time for such millimeter frequency transmissions, a process that as yet has not been successfully implemented, is key to being able to provide improved wireless communications architectures in this frequency band.

Method and system for multiple input, multiple output communications in millimeter wave networks


A method for measuring the clearance of a slider over a rotating disk by inducing a collision between the slider and the disk is described. After the normal flying height of the slider is established, the slider is driven into a collision with the rotating disk surface by applying a DC or AC voltage between the slider and the disk. The clearance data can be extracted from the induced collision by measuring a parameter, such as the change in the amplitude of the readback signal from the magnetic sensor, which is related to fly-height at the normal fly-height and at the disk surface. The two data points can then be used to derive the clearance. One embodiment uses a single beam interferometer to derive the vibrational displacement of the collision event.

In a typical prior art magnetic disk recording system 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 a slider 13 containing magnetic transducers for reading 14 and writing (not shown) magnetic transitions is urged toward the rotating disk 16 by a suspension (not shown). The magnetic sensor 14 is flanked by shields S1 and S2. As the disk rotates an air-bearing develops under the slider and causes it to fly. The distance between the slider and the disk surface is the clearance. The disk 16 typically includes a thin film overcoat 17 and a set of thin films 18 which include one or more ferromagnetic layers in which information is recorded. A disk drive can contain multiple disks and multiple sliders.
A lower slider fly-height is required for higher areal densities. Fly-heights of less than 7 nm are needed. Accordingly, it is becoming increasingly difficult to measure the actual fly-height of sliders. The most common technique using white light interferometry works adequately for a fly-height above 10 nm, but it looses accuracy below 10 nm. In addition, it is very sensitive to the optical constants of the slider overcoat. Another technique uses small solid bumps of known height on the disk and measures the acoustic emissions as the slider passes over or hits the bumps. Since it has proved impractical to make bumps below 5 nm in height, this particular technique looses accuracy for very small fly-heights.
In published U.S. patent application 20030067698 (Apr. 10, 2003) by Dakroub, et al. a method is described for measuring the fly-height of a slider using a fixed source write signal applied to an inductive element of the write head, generating a magnetic field with a stray magnetic field portion. A magnetoresistive element of the read head coupled with the magnetic field produces an initial field strength signal. As the disk rotates, the slider flies above the disk decreasing the density of the stray magnetic field portion, thereby, decreasing the amplitude of the field strength signal. The decreasing amplitude of the field strength signal is calibrated to a predetermined operating fly-height profile to correlate fly-height of the slider to the decreasing amplitude of the field strength field.
A method for measuring the fly-height of a slider using a thermal source and a thermal detector is described in published U.S. patent application 20030058559 (Mar. 27, 2003) by Brand, et al.
A laser diode generates light which is reflected off of the disk to a semiconductor laser light detector in the system described in published U.S. patent application 20030007279 (Jan. 9, 2003) by Johnson, et al.
In published U.S. patent application 20020176185 (Nov. 28, 2002) Fayeulle, et al., a method for measuring the fly-height of a slider using a disk with radial grooves in the surface is described. As the disk rotates, the radial grooves pass under the slider and induce a perturbation in the signal. By measuring the perturbations in the signal caused by the grooves in the disk surface, and by processing the measurement signal, a vertical spacing signal proportional to the vertical spacing between the disk and the head can be obtained.
In published U.S. patent application 20020071196 (Jun. 13, 2002) by Chapin, et al., a fly-height measurement is made measuring the frequency of the read/write head in response to perturbation of the gap between the read/write head and the data storage surface to invoke a dynamic response in the read/write head. A numerical model describing a functional interrelationship between the fly-height and the read/write head frequency is used. The method is described in a bench-top embodiment which uses a laser doppler vibrometer for measuring the dynamic response. The laser doppler vibrometer can be equipped with a quad-cell supplement on the laser apparatus in order to determine the pitch and roll of the slider as well. A disk drive embodiment is also described wherein the drive is able to make a self-measurement of the fly-height and take failure prevention actions is the results indicate an imminent failure. The perturbations described include a film of varying thickness on the disk, such as a Langmuir-Blodgett fluid film. It is suggested that the speed of the rotating disk can be modulated to effect a desired perturbation. Also, the inherent microwaviness of a disc can be used if sufficient to invoke resonance in the slider. In one embodiment an acoustic emissions sensor is used to determine the dynamic response of the slider to a known perturbation.
In published U.S. patent application 20020097517 (Jul. 25, 2002) by Bonin, et al., a slider is described with a field emission sensor that senses fly-height. The sensor has an electrode tip disposed on the slider. The electrode tip faces a media surface across a gap. The sensor conducts a tunneling current through the gap and provides an output representing the length of the gap.
Published U.S. patent application 20020001151 Jan. 3, 2002 by, J. H. Lake describes a system for measuring fly-height of a slider over a rotatable magnetic disk. The system determines the fly-height of the slider based on the measured pulse width and amplitude of the read back signal.
In published U.S. patent application 20010035960 (Nov. 1, 2001) by M. M. Johnston a method is presented of fly-height testing using a light emitting diode which generates a light that is reflected off the medium and the slider. The reflected light is directed to detectors capable of generating an electrical signal based on the amplitude of at least one wavelength of light in the reflected light. A distance calculator then determines the distance from the slider to the medium based on the electrical signal.
Interferometers including single beam interferometers which measure phase change of the returning light are commercially available. One such device is manufactured under the brand name Polytec and is called a "Digital LDV." In the following the term interferometer is used in the description of some embodiments and refers to a single beam interferometer. Other suitable types of interferometers can be used and preferably should have the capability of measuring low frequency changes.

Measurement of slider clearance by inducing collision of the slider with disk surface

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


The subject invention is a device for opening coconuts that includes a handle and a cutting cylinder attached to the handle, including a cutting edge at one end, and a cap that provides a striking surface. The cutting cylinder may have teeth and may have a gap. The cutting cylinder or the teeth may be beveled.

The term Thai coconut, or young Thai coconut refers to a young coconut that is harvested for consumption before it is fully mature. Thai coconuts are cut into a specific shape prior to shipment in which the top, or crown, is pointed and the bottom is flat. Thai coconuts are an increasingly popular grocery item, and yet the process of opening them is both dangerous and difficult.
There are two popular techniques for opening young Thai coconuts. Both have significant drawbacks. The first method is to hold a coconut in place on a table or in the open air with one hand. With the other hand, a machete or knife edge is repeatedly struck against the pointy crown of the coconut, as the coconut is rotated, to create a roughly circular opening. The husk is quite hard, so the blows must be quite forceful and must often be repeated, increasing the risk of injury to the hand that is holding the coconut in place. The hole created can be quite uneven and unattractive, with sharp edges created from the uneven blows. The whole process can take from 15-60 seconds or more depending on the coconut.
The second technique is safer but takes significantly more time than the first technique. The coconut is laid on its side and the fibrous, white exterior is sliced off using a sharp knife. This requires dozens of thin slices, typically creates a mess on the counter, and typically takes well over a minute to complete. Then either a small wedge or a sharp blow is cut into the exposed husk, and a hole is created. This technique may result in leakage and is typically messy and time consuming. In addition, the person doing the cutting incurs a risk of cutting his/her hand.
Therefore, a safe, easy, and effective device for opening young Thai coconuts as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts, or other food items is desirable.


In one embodiment of the invention, a reverse phase control power switching circuit for controlling the flow of current through a load from an AC source comprises a sensing bridge in series with the load and the AC source. The conductive state of the sensing bridge is responsive to a pulse generator and a zero crossing detection and overload protection means. Phase control means coupled to the pulse generator determines turn off of the sensing bridge is reset by the zero crossing detection and overload protection means. Responsive to a load current condition exceeding a maximum current caused by an overload or a short, the zero crossing detection and overloading protection network terminates conduction of current through the sensing bridge. The sensing bridge starts conducting current to the load at the beginning of the AC cycle and continues to conduct to a desired AC voltage phase angle or earlier if an excessive current condition caused by an overload condition or a short occurs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power switching circuits and, more particularly, to a new improved reverse phase control power switching circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to control the phase of the voltage and/or current applied to a load from an Alternating Current source by means of an electronic switch that is switched to its conductive state at a time subsequent the zero crossing of the AC periodic waveform, and to then assume an off or blocking state at the next occurring zero crossing of the waveform when the current through the load decays to zero. A disadvantage with this type of phase control circuit is that the load is subjected to a sudden and abrupt increase in voltage/current when the switching device is turned on. This sudden and abrupt increase in voltage/current to the load can be objectionable. For example, where the load is an incandescent lamp, this surge in current through the lamp filament can create a large magnetic field which can cause the filament and its support to change their lengths to cause what is known as incandescent hum. Clearly, when the incandescent lamp is located in a very low ambient sound environment, the audible sound that is produced can be objectionable.
As noted in the prior art, circuits have been developed which use a current choke such as a large inductor to limit the current rise to an acceptable level to minimize the effects of the abrupt increase in current and voltage over a short period of time. The inductor is normally placed in series with the load to limit the rate of change of current passing through the load to reduce the lamp hum. A disadvantage with this method is that the inductor carries the full load current which causes a reduction in power applied to the load. The voltage drop across the inductor can be as large as several volts. In addition, the inductors can be relatively expensive, undesirably large and may produce objectionable audible hum from their cores.
Power control systems are subject to a variety of conditions since a variety of power sources and loads can be coupled through the switches. Power control switching circuits are subject to damage or performance impairment by a variety of device threatening conditions. These include excessive currents, voltages and temperatures. Accordingly, power control systems using voltage controlled switches include protective circuits that handle these conditions. In some cases these circuits shut down operation until the condition is removed. An example of a device threatening condition is an excessive current, an over current that is caused, for example, by a short circuit or a large load. Such an excessive current can destroy the power switching circuit. Therefore, some over current protection, generally a current limiter, is provided in a power control system. Various circuits and method directed toward addressing these problems have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,528,494 ('494); 5,004,969 ('969); and, 5,239,255 ('255). U.S. Pat. Nos. '494 and '255 are directed toward protecting reverse phase control power switching circuits from an over current which occurs when an incandescent lamp goes from a non-incandescent state to an incandescent state. Typically, surge currents through a cold filament are over 10 times the steady state requirements when a non-incandescing incandescent lamp is energized. In '494 and '255, the duration of current flow through the load, and the amount of power dissipated therein is gradually increased an the resistance of the cold tungsten filament increases. U.S. Pat. No. '969 discloses a reverse phase control system that can pass current through a load from an AC source without the need for zero-crossing detection of the voltage waveform.
Thus the prior art provides a variety of schemes for addressing device and performance threatening conditions. However, these schemes generally involve undesirable tradeoffs. What is needed is a power control system that provides the necessary protective measures without minimizing performance.

Reverse phase control power switching circuit with overload protection


Apparatus and methods for providing access to a service cloud are disclosed. Login information for a user may be received from a mobile device via a network. A unique identifier may be extracted from a digital image of the unique identifier captured by the mobile device. A user interface may be provided based on the unique identifier and user permissions associated with the user.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to performing document processing operations using public and private data sources and output locations.
2. Description of the Related Art
A document processing device (DPD) is a device providing at least one document processing function, such as print, copy, scan and fax. A multifunction peripheral (MFP) is a type of document processing device which is an integrated device providing at least two document processing functions. Each document processing function automatically converts an input document (electronic or physical) into a new output document (electronic or physical).
Documents may be physically or logically divided into pages. A physical document is paper or other physical media bearing information which is readable unaided by the typical human eye. An electronic document is any electronic media content (other than a computer program or a system file) that is intended to be used in either an electronic form or as printed output. Electronic documents may consist of a single data file, or an associated collection of data files which together are a unitary whole. Electronic documents will be referred to further herein as documents, unless the context requires some discussion of physical documents which will be referred to by that name specifically.
In printing, a DPD automatically produces a physical document from an electronic document. In copying, a DPD automatically produces a physical document from a physical document. In scanning, a DPD automatically produces an electronic document from a physical document. In faxing, a DPD automatically transmits via fax an electronic document from an input physical document which a DPD has also scanned or from an input electronic document which a DPD has converted to a fax format.
DPDs are often incorporated into corporate or other organization's networks which also include various other workstations, servers and peripherals. A DPD may provide remote document processing services to external or network devices.
A DPD may also receive services from a "cloud", which is to say from one or more remote computing devices accessed via a network. Services received from the cloud may include, for example, maintenance services such as monitoring of a DPD operational status, monitoring the amount of consumables (e.g. paper and toner) available at a DPD, and providing configuration and software/firmware updates. Services received from the cloud may also include management services such as aggregating useage and billing information across multiple DPDs, and security services such as distribution and validation of user credentials (e.g. user identities and passwords). In some cases, such as reporting maintenance and billing information, the "service" provided by the cloud may be simply to accept, store, and aggregate information pushed up to the cloud by one or more document processing devices. Services received from the cloud may further include document services such as character recognition processing of scanned documents and remote document storage. The cloud may store information about a plurality of DPDs, such as device configuration, policies, error status, maintenance history, and other information.
Throughout this description, elements appearing in figures are assigned three-digit reference designators, where the most significant digit is the figure number where the element is introduced, and the two least significant digits are specific to the element. An element that is not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have the same characteristics and function as a previously-described element having the same reference designator.

Accessing a service cloud from a mobile device


A method of determining a friction coefficient μ in a contact area of a tire on a road. Fixed points are selected that lie at different azimuths along a circumference of at least one bead of the tire. A shear stress value is measured at each of the fixed points while the tire is rolling on the road. The measured shear stress values are processed to determine the friction coefficient μ.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the evaluation of the grip of a vehicle on a road. It relates more particularly to the determination of friction characteristics between the road and a vehicle wheel fitted with an elastic tire, such as an inflated pneumatic tire or a non-pneumatic elastic tire, which rolls on the road.
The present invention also relates to the various electronic assistance devices used, for example, for antilock control of the brakes of a vehicle or antiskid control of the drive wheels, control of the trajectory of a vehicle or other forms of control or monitoring, such as the tire pressures. It is known that such devices reconstruct the friction coefficient (μ) of the tires on the road by calculation, without having carried out any measurement either of the friction coefficient or of the forces developed in the contact of the tires with the ground. Even though these devices provide significant assistance and extra safety, their operation would benefit greatly from the use of a measured value, or a value estimated from real measurements carried out on the tire during operation.
For this reason, it is an object of the present invention to provide a way of evaluating the grip of a vehicle on a road, and more precisely of its wheels or tires or elastic tires, these terms being regarded as equivalent in the context of the present invention. It relates more particularly to the determination of friction characteristics between the road and a vehicle wheel fitted with an elastic tire, such as an inflated tire or a non-pneumatic elastic tire, which rolls on the road.
2. Related Art
The various electronic assistance devices mentioned above would therefore usefully benefit from "real-time" indications of the grip conditions liable to affect the handling of a vehicle, especially when it undergoes an acceleration due to a driving force or a braking force, or due to a change of direction of movement. The invention aims to provide a method of achieving this efficiently.
In what follows, "maximum friction potential" refers to the ratio between the maximum tangential force (transverse or longitudinal, or both combined) and the normal force which the wheel can experience. In the text, this is also denoted by the term "maximum friction coefficient", or the letter μ.
"Overall forces" refers to the three components of forces Fx, Fy and Fz applied to the center of the wheel, and the self-alignment torque N about the axis Z.
With a view to estimating the maximum friction potential, it is proposed that the tread of a tire, or certain specially adapted elements of the tread, be fitted with sensors intended to measure or estimate the forces generated locally, in particular under slip conditions. Although highly promising, these approaches nevertheless involve certain intrinsic difficulties. Indeed, it is difficult to ensure correct operation of a sensor in this region of a tire, in particular when there is a wear of the tread, throughout the life of the tire. Furthermore, the estimates provided by these sensors are highly local and sensitive to the surface condition of the road.
Moreover, since the intention is actually to estimate the maximum friction potential of the wheel, this still remains to be determined from the measured local potential.

Measurement of the maximum adhesion coefficient by measuring stress in a bead of a tire


A toner-concentration controller includes a controller configured to control a toner supply amount in accordance with a detection result of a toner-concentration of two-component toner, and a sensor unit configured to detect the toner-concentration of two-component toner. The sensor unit includes a correction mechanism to correct an output signal of the sensor unit by changing an external-input voltage, based on relationship data between an output voltage change of the sensor unit and a toner-concentration of unused developer, to control the toner supply amount when the toner-concentration of the two-component toner deviates a predetermined amount from the toner-concentration of the unused developer. The sensor unit is configured to detect the toner-concentration of the unused developer from unused two-component toner based on a change in the external-input voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for image forming, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for image forming capable of controlling toner-concentration accurately.
2. Discussion of the Background
An image forming apparatus that employs an electrophotographic method has been developed rapidly. Such an apparatus includes a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and a multi-function system, for example.
Recently, there is increasing demand that such an image forming apparatus have high stability and durability in addition to a high performance to obtain high quality images. Namely, it is requested that the image forming apparatus can maintain a constant quality of image forming that is less affected by environmental variation.
A background image forming apparatus commonly employs a two-component developer method using a two-component developer to visualize an image in an image forming operation because the two-component developer easily handles color images. The two-component developer (developer) includes non-magnetic toner and magnetic carrier.
In the two-component developer method, the background image forming apparatus holds the two-component developer on a developing sleeve which is a developer carrier. The background image forming apparatus forms a magnetic brush generated by magnetic poles provided in the developing sleeve. The two-component developer is conveyed to a developing region between the developing sleeve and a photoreceptor in accordance with a rotation of the developing sleeve. While the developer is conveyed to the developing region, a plurality of magnetic carriers in the developer are gathering together along a magnetic field generated by the magnetic poles to form the magnetic brush.
It is important to control a weight ratio of the toner and the carrier accurately to improve stability of the two-component developer. If toner-concentration is too high, scumming of the image may occur. As a result, resolution of a fine image may be decreased. Meanwhile, if toner-concentration is too low, another problems may occur. For example, low concentration may occur in a plain image area, or carrier adhesion may be generated.
To solve these problems, the toner-concentration of the developer needs to be adjusted to a necessary range by controlling the toner supply amount to the developer being used. Therefore, a sensor may be employed to detect the toner-concentration and to compare an output voltage of the sensor with a reference value of the toner-concentration. The toner supply amount is then determined based on the comparison result.
There are a variety of methods to detect toner-concentration. One method is to use a permeability sensor. A permeability of the developer changes when the toner-concentration of the developer is changed. The permeability sensor detects and compares a detected value with a reference value to determine if the toner supply amount needs to be adjusted.
Another method is to use a light sensor. In this method, a reference image pattern is formed on a photoreceptor, or an intermediate transfer belt initially. The light sensor detects light reflections from an image area having an actual image and a background area having no image. The toner-concentration of the developer is detected based on the detection result.
Further, the reference image pattern is transferred to paper from the photoreceptor or intermediate transfer belt during image forming process. The light sensor detects the light reflections from the image area and the background area on the paper. Then, a reference value Vref is controlled. However, in this method, toner is wasted because of the actual image forming on the photoreceptor, or the intermediate transfer belt, or during the transfer process to the paper.
In another background image forming apparatus, a controller detects toner-concentration of the developing unit and compares a detected value with a threshold value. The controller controls the toner-concentration of the developing unit by changing the threshold value by a predetermined value in accordance with a change of a linear velocity of a photoreceptor.
However, when the linear velocity of a photoreceptor is large, an output signal of the permeability sensor may be saturated. As a result, the toner-concentration can not be detected in the saturated region.

Method and apparatus for image forming capable of controlling toner concentration accurately


A radar unit includes a printed circuit board (PCB) supporting an integrated circuit (IC) chip. A radome is arranged over the IC chip. A spring engages the IC chip and the radome. The spring is configured to transfer thermal energy between the IC chip and the radome.

Radar units are increasing used in vehicle and other applications to determine the location and proximity of objects to the vehicle. One typical radar unit includes one or more circuit boards arranged in a housing that has a radome. One or more IC chips are provided on the circuit board that is adjacent to the radome. The chips send waves through the radome and receive the waves reflected off of objects to determine the location and proximity of the objects to the chip, and thus, the vehicle.
The development of one type of radar unit, such as an automotive long-range radar product, has resulted in the placement of radar monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) on a side the circuit board facing the radome. MMICs may generate a significant amount of heat, which must be transferred to the surrounding environment to ensure desired operation of the radar unit's electronics.

Radar unit with thermal transfer via radome


There are provided a communicating apparatus capable of connecting a message recording device and performing facsimile communication, and a control method for the communicating apparatus. In a mode in which the message recording device responds to an incoming call, if it is detected that an incoming call has disappeared, counting by a repeat incoming call timer starts. If a next incoming call is detected before a time-out of the repeat incoming call timer occurs, counting by a message recording monitoring timer for counting a message recording response time starts. If the message recording device does not capture a line before a time-out of the message recording monitoring timer occurs, and the incoming call has not disappeared, facsimile signal reception processing starts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communicating apparatus, a control method therefor, and a storage medium storing a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A communicating apparatus capable of performing facsimile communication conventionally has a plurality of reception modes, and the user can set an arbitrary reception mode. When an incoming call is received from a public line network, the apparatus changes the operation according to the set reception mode. If, for example, the reception mode has been set to an "automatic reception mode", when an incoming call is received, the apparatus starts facsimile reception. If the reception mode has been set to a "FAX/TEL mode", the apparatus connects the line for the incoming call, automatically determines whether the calling side is a facsimile or telephone, and then responds to the incoming call. Whether the incoming call is received from a facsimile or telephone is determined depending on whether a CNG signal indicating facsimile transmission from the calling side has been sent to the line. The CNG signal is a signal sent at a single frequency of 1100 Hz which has a cycle of 500-ms ON and 3000-ms OFF.
The reception modes include a "message recording mode" which assumes that the apparatus is connected to a message recording device. In the "message recording mode", the line output of the communicating apparatus is connected to the message recording device so as to directly supply an incoming call to the message recording device. The message recording device generally captures the line after ringing a predetermined number of times. On the other hand, the communicating apparatus monitors a signal on the line. When a CNG signal is detected on the line, the communicating apparatus switches the line from the message recording device side to the communicating terminal side to start receiving a facsimile signal. As described above, in the "message recording mode", the message recording device responds to an incoming call from a telephone, and the communicating apparatus responds to an incoming call of a facsimile signal as a facsimile (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-307549).
However, the communicating apparatus which operates in the "message recording mode" assumes that the message recording device captures the line, and then monitors the line to determine whether facsimile communication is performed. In this mechanism, if the message recording device does not respond to an incoming call for some reason (for example, the user forgot to set the message recording device in the message recording mode), the following problems arise.
The line is not captured unless the message recording device responds to an incoming call, and thus the communicating apparatus does not monitor a CNG signal on the line. Even if, therefore, an incoming call of a facsimile signal is received, reception of the facsimile signal is not recognized, thereby disabling a facsimile reception operation.

Communicating apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium storing program


A method of generating a germanium structure includes performing an epitaxial depositing process on an assembly of a silicon substrate and an oxide layer, wherein one or more trenches in the oxide layer expose surface portions of the silicon substrate. The epitaxial depositing process includes depositing germanium onto the assembly during a first phase, performing an etch process during a second phase following the first phase in order to remove germanium from the oxide layer, and repeating the first and second phases. A germanium crystal is grown in the trench or trenches. An optical device includes a light-incidence surface formed by a raw textured surface of a germanium structure obtained by an epitaxial depositing process without processing the surface of the germanium structure after the epitaxial process.

Optical devices, such as optical sensors or photovoltaic cells, are widely used. For example, optical sensors, such as miniaturized spectrometer or thermal imaging cameras, are increasingly applied in a plurality of fields, such as in consumer goods or in automotive applications. Generally, such optical devices may convert the electromagnetic energy of light, such as visible or infrared light, into electricity, either to produce energy or to generate a sensor signal.
Silicon is often used as semiconductor material for optical devices, such as optical detectors. Silicon is optically sensitive for light having a wavelength up to 1100 nm. There may be applications for optical devices which permit detection in a larger wavelength range exceeding the wavelength range detectable using silicon as the active material. In particular, in the field of food analytics, of medical technology and of material analytics interesting absorption bands of materials are in a wavelength range up to 1.8 μm.
A material which is suitable for optical detectors due to its properties is germanium. The absorption of germanium is high in the infrared range (NIR=near infrared) up to 1.8 μm. In order to benefit from the lower cost in the silicon semiconductor technology there are approaches to integrate germanium layers with silicon substrates. One of the challenges is to generate a germanium layer on a silicon layer with sufficient quality and within an acceptable time frame. Simply depositing a germanium layer onto a silicon layer may result in dislocations in the germanium layer due to different lattice constants of silicon and germanium, which may affect the electrical performance of the device. Since the costs of germanium exceed the costs of silicon many times using germanium as substrate material is generally not an option.
In order to reduce dislocations in the germanium layer, in a method called Aspect Ratio Trapping (ART) trenches are etched in a layer, such as a silicon oxide layer, which is formed on a silicon layer. The trenches have a high aspect ratio, i.e. the height of the trenches is larger than the width of the trenches. Typically, the height may be three times the width. Germanium is grown in the trench and beyond so that a germanium layer is formed on the silicon oxide layer. It is the object of the Aspect Ratio Trapping that dislocations in the germanium layer "outgrow" in the grown-up germanium layer at the side walls of the trench. Thereby, dislocations in the germanium trench decrease with increasing height. This technique is the basis for depositing pure thick layers of germanium, which are usable for optical applications.
In other approaches, intermediate layers are used when depositing a germanium layer onto a silicon layer in order to reduce dislocations in the germanium layer. Such intermediate layers may be formed of SixGey with different percentages of germanium from 1% to 100%. The percentage of silicon may be high in the first SixGey layer deposited onto the silicon substrate and may decrease with increasing distance from the silicon substrate in order to realize a homogeneous transition. Thus, strain in the crystal structure at the transition between silicon and germanium may be reduced and less dislocations are generated which extend into the region of the germanium layer, which is to be functionalized. Such intermediate layers result in longer process times and more complex processes.
In other approaches, cyclic temperature processes are used to reduce dislocations in a transition between silicon and germanium. The temperature processes are performed at temperatures up to 900° C. with up to 10 repetitions. These process steps, which are in addition to the actual deposition of the germanium layer, are cost intensive and increase the complexity of the process. In addition, from a perspective point view, such high temperatures may not be compatible with a monolithic integration of the functional layers with standard CMOS processes.

Method of generating a germanium structure and optical device comprising a germanium structure


A drawer SIM card connector includes a housing base and a carrier. The housing base includes a bottom wall, a pair of side walls which form a receiving cavity, a pedestal formed on the bottom wall and extending upward into the receiving cavity, and a pair of guiding slots defined between the pedestal and the side walls. The carrier includes a pair of spaced apart sliding boards, a back board and a front board which form an opening in a central portion of the carrier. The carrier is slidably assembled within the receiving cavity of the housing base with the pedestal extending above the carrier through the opening and the sliding board being guided by the guiding slots. When the back board of the carrier is stopped by the pedestal, a further outward moving of the carrier is stopped, thereby preventing the carrier from falling off the connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a subscriber identity module (SIM) card connector, and more particularly to a drawer-type SIM card connector including a carrier carrying a SIM card sliding in the connector for insertion/extraction the SIM card into/from the connector.
2. The Related Art
A subscriber identity module (SIM) card connector is commonly used in electric devices such as a mobile phone. A SIM card usually includes a terminal module to communicate with the identifying devices. Accordingly, the SIM card connector includes a receiving cavity to receive the SIM card and a plurality of terminals to couple with the terminal module of the SIM card. While the SIM card is inserted into the receiving cavity of the SIM card connector, the terminals of the SIM card connector communicate with the terminal module of the SIM card to achieve the communication between the SIM card connector and the SIM card.
As is well known, a user of the mobile phone often changes his SIM card. The SIM card needs frequently to be extracted/inserted from/into the card connector. So a drawer-type SIM card connector that has a carrier carrying the SIM card slide into or out of the connector has been presented to the public for facilitating changing the SIM card. One such drawer SIM card connector is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,096, issued Aug. 5, 2003. The SIM card connector includes a housing base and a carrier. The housing base defines a pair of sliding channels and a receiving cavity to receive the carrier. The carrier defines a card-cavity to receive the SIM card and a pair of sliding boards respectively slidably engaging with the sliding channels of the housing base. While taking the SIM card out, the carrier is inevitably fully slid out of the housing base as there is no structure between the carrier and the housing base to stop the carrier out in the final slide stage.
However, once come off the connector, the carrier is easy to be lost or damaged, and the insertion of the carrier into the receiving cavity of the housing base again is usually difficult to handle. It causes much inconvenience to the users of the electric devices with such SIM card connector.


An electric double layer capacitor comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolytic solution in contact with said pair of electrodes, wherein: the electrolytic solution contains a compound having the formula (1) and an organic solvent. Here, R1 is a group selected from among dimethylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene and pentamethylene, and R2 is tetramethylene or pentamethylene.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric double layer capacitor.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, much attention has been paid to electric double layer capacitors (EDLC). This type of electric double layer capacitor has a pair of electrodes, and an electrolytic solution in contact with the pair of electrodes.
As an electrolytic solution, a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, wherein an electrolyte is dissolved in the organic solvent, is used.
A typical electrolytic solution is a solution of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEA+BF4−) as electrolyte, dissolved in propylene carbonate (PC) as organic solvent, or a solution of triethylmonomethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEMA+BF4−) dissolved in propylene carbonate.
Electrolytic solutions containing quartenary ammonium cations are also known (e.g., JP No. 2003-243260 and JP No. 2004-87956).


A method for synchronizing, in a browser state of a web browser application, both automatically-generated content and user-generated content includes retrieving, by a controller application executing on a first computing device, from a profile database, profile content. The method includes receiving, by a first browser application, from the controller application, a first request including automatically-generated content based on the retrieved profile content. The method includes transmitting, by the first browser application, a first network request, the network request including the automatically-generated content. The method includes synchronizing, by a second browser application, a browser state of the second browser application with a browser state of the first browser application. The method includes receiving, by the second browser application, a second request including user-generated content. The method includes transmitting, by the second browser application, a second network request including the user-generated content and data from the synchronized browser state.

The disclosure relates to protecting computer network traffic data. More particularly, the methods and systems described herein relate to functionality for protecting user-generated data in computer network traffic from analysis.
Digital privacy is an issue for both individual consumers and enterprises. For individual consumers, companies often profile them based on their personal data for a variety of purposes. Additionally, some individuals believe strongly in a right to privacy and do not want companies tracking them. Enterprises often find it necessary to protect business strategy and intellectual property from competitors; privacy threats can severely undermine these efforts.
There are a number of privacy threats faced by an internet user, whether the user is acting as an individual or on behalf of or as part of an enterprise. Typically, in order to reach a site by its domain, a web client will transmit a Domain Name Server (DNS) to a public DNS server. This query is typically in plaintext. As such, the exact domains being visited, and the timing of the visits, by the web client, are known to the Internet Service Provider (ISP). Recent rollbacks in regulation allow ISPs to share this type of customer data. Furthermore, DNS Servers are often operated by ISPs or other entities that may have interest in collecting or selling data. Much like the ISP, these entities are able to collect what domains are being visited and at what times by a client. If no DNS lookup is necessary, or if it has already been completed, the client will access resources through the use of an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Such access typically features encryption. However, the IP address of the service being accessed must be in plaintext in order for it to be routed, which allows the ISP to determine what services are being access, and at what times; this information may be shared without consent of the user.
Conventional solutions include attempts to disguise a user location and device by, for example, routing all traffic through a VPN or proxy. While this is successful to some extent in protecting the user's Internet Protocol (IP) address (and hence, physical location), it typically has no effect on the browser state (cookies, web-storage, session-storage, etc.) so analytics scripts, tracking beacons, and other tracking measures still represent a threat to privacy despite the proxy or VPN. VPNs and proxies also fail if the ISP is collecting data as the ISP can see both the tunnel to the VPN/Proxy server and the outgoing traffic from the server and the IP address must be in plaintext in order for the traffic to be routed to the destination machine, revealing the existence of the VPN/Proxy server itself and the tunnels connecting to it to the ISP.
Thus, there is a need for improved protection against such privacy threats.

Methods and systems for protecting user-generated data in computer network traffic


The present invention relates to a method for preventing or ameliorating a sleep-related breathing disorder. The method involves the use of one or a combination of cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonists.

Much effort has been devoted to the study of a discrete group of breathing disorders that occur primarily during sleep with consequences that may persist throughout the waking hours in the form of daytime sleepiness, and result in substantial economic loss (e.g., thousands of lost man-hours) or cause employment safety issues (e.g., employee non-attentiveness during operation of heavy-machinery). Sleep-related breathing disorders are characterized by repetitive reduction in breathing (hypopnea), periodic cessation of breathing (apnea), or a continuous or sustained reduction in ventilation.
In general, sleep apnea is defined as an intermittent cessation of airflow at the nose and mouth during sleep. By convention, apneas of at least 10 seconds in duration have been considered important; however, in most individuals, apneas are 20-30 seconds in duration and may be as long as 2-3 minutes. While there is some uncertainty as to the minimum number of apneas that should be considered clinically important, by the time most individuals come to a doctor's attention they have at least 10 to 15 events per hour of sleep.
Sleep apneas have been classified into three types: central, obstructive (the most common type), and mixed. In central sleep apnea, the neural drive to all respiratory muscles is transiently abolished. In obstructive sleep apneas, airflow ceases despite continuing respiratory drive because of occlusion of the oropharyngeal airway. Mixed apneas, which consist of a central apnea followed by an obstructive component, are a variant of obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) has been identified in as many as 24% of working adult men and 9% of similar women, with peak prevalence in the sixth decade. Habitual heavy snoring, which is an almost invariant feature of OSAS, has been described in up to 24% of middle-aged men, and 14% of similarly aged women, with even greater prevalence in older subjects. A definitive event of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is the occlusion of the upper airway, frequently at the level of the oropharynx. The resultant apnea generally leads to a progressive-type asphyxia until the individual is briefly aroused from the sleeping state, thereby restoring airway patency and airflow.
The recurrent episodes of nocturnal asphyxia and of arousal from sleep that characterize OSAS lead to a series of secondary physiologic events, which in turn give rise to the clinical complications of the syndrome. The most common manifestations are neuropsychiatric and behavioral disturbances that are thought to arise from the fragmentation of sleep and loss of slow-wave sleep induced by the recurrent arousal responses. Nocturnal cerebral hypoxia also may play an important role. The most pervasive manifestation is excessive daytime sleepiness. OSAS is now recognized as a leading cause of daytime sleepiness and has been implicated as an important risk factor for such problems as motor vehicle accidents. Other related symptoms include, but are not limited to, intellectual impairment, memory loss, personality disturbances, and impotence.
The other major manifestations are cardiorespiratory in nature and are thought to arise from the recurrent episodes of nocturnal asphyxia. Most individuals demonstrate a cyclical slowing of the heart during the apneas to 30 to 50 beats per minute, followed by tachycardia of 90 to 120 beats per minute during the ventilatory phase. A small number of individuals develop severe bradycardia with asystoles of 8 to 12 seconds in duration or dangerous tachyarrhythmias, including unsustained ventricular tachycardia. OSAS also aggravates left ventricular failure in patients with underlying heart disease. This complication is most likely due to the combined effects of increased left ventricular afterload during each obstructive event, secondary to increased negative intrathoracic pressure, recurrent nocturnal hypoxemia, and chronically elevated sympathoadrenal activity.
Central sleep apnea is less prevalent as a syndrome than OSAS, but can be identified in a wide spectrum of patients with medical, neurological, and/or neuromuscular disorders associated with diurnal alveolar hypoventilation or periodic breathing. A definitive event in central sleep apnea is transient abolition of central drive to the ventilatory muscles. The resulting apnea leads to a primary sequence of events similar to those of OSAS. Several underlying mechanisms can result in cessation of respiratory drive during sleep. Defects in the metabolic respiratory control system and respiratory neuromuscular apparatus are apparent. Other central sleep apnea disorders arise from transient instabilities in an otherwise intact respiratory control system. In individuals with clinically significant central sleep apnea, the primary sequence of events that characterize the disorder leads to prominent physiological and clinical consequences. In those individuals with central sleep apnea alveolar hypoventilation syndrome, daytime hypercapnia and hypoxemia are usually evident and the clinical picture is dominated by a history of recurrent respiratory failure, polycythemia, pulmonary hypertension, and right-sided heart failure. Complaints of sleeping poorly, morning headache, and daytime fatigue and sleepiness are also prominent. In contrast, in individuals whose central sleep apnea results from an instability in respiratory drive, the clinical picture is dominated by features related to sleep disturbance, including recurrent nocturnal awakenings, morning fatigue, and daytime sleepiness.
Currently, the most common and most effective treatment for adults with sleep apnea and other sleep-related breathing disorders are mechanical forms of therapy that deliver positive airway pressure (PAP). Under PAP treatment, an individual wears a tight-fitting plastic mask over the nose when sleeping. The mask is attached to a compressor, which forces air into the nose creating a positive pressure within the patient's airways. The principle of the method is that pressurizing the airways provides a mechanical "splinting" action that prevents airway collapse and therefore, obstructive sleep apnea. Although an effective therapeutic response is observed in most patients who undergo PAP treatment, many patients cannot tolerate the apparatus or pressure and refuse treatment. Moreover, covert monitoring studies clearly demonstrate that long-term compliance with PAP treatment is very poor.
A variety of upper airway and craniofacial surgical procedures have been attempted for treatment of OSAS. While adenotonsillectomy appears to be an effective cure for OSAS in many children, upper airway surgery is rarely curative in adult OSAS patients. Surgical success is generally taken to be a 50% reduction in apnea incidence and there are no useful screening methods to identify the individuals that would benefit from the surgery versus those who would not derive a benefit.
Pharmacological treatments of several types have been attempted in patients with sleep apnea but, thus far, none have proven to be generally useful. (see Smith & Quinnell (2004) Drugs 64:138-1399). A number of compounds have been tested because of their expected respiratory stimulant properties. These include acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor that produced variable improvement in individuals with primarily central apneas, but caused an increase in obstructive apneas; medroxyprogesterone, a progestin that has demonstrated no consistent benefit in OSAS; and theophylline, a compound usually used for the treatment of asthma that may benefit patients with central apnea, but appears to be of no use in adult patients with obstructive apnea.
Other attempted pharmacological treatments include administration of adenosine, adenosine analogs and adenosine reuptake inhibitors (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,290). Specifically, adenosine, a ubiquitous compound within the body that is elevated in individuals with OSAS, has been shown to stimulate respiration and is somewhat effective in reducing apnea in an animal model of sleep apnea.
Other agents for treating OSAS include compounds that stimulate brain activity or are opioid antagonists. Specifically, since increased cerebral spinal fluid opioid activity has been identified in OSAS, central stimulants or opioid antagonists are thought to be a helpful treatment of OSAS. However, doxapram, a compound that stimulates the central nervous system and carotid body chemoreceptors, while decreasing the length of apneas, does not alter the average arterial oxygen saturation in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. Further, the opioid antagonist naloxone, which is known to stimulate ventilation, is only slightly helpful in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea.
Several agents that act on neurotransmitters and neurotransmitter systems involved in respiration have been tested in individuals with OSAS. Most of these compounds have been developed as anti-depressant medications that work by increasing the activity of monoamine neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. For example, protriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, has been tested in several small trials with variable results and frequent and significant side effects. As serotonin may promote sleep and stimulate respiration, tryptophan, a serotonin precursor, as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been tested in individuals with OSAS. Although the serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine has been suggested for treating sleep apnea (U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,934), initial evidence suggests that such compounds may yield measurable benefits in only approximately 50% of individuals with OSAS. The rationale for using SSRIs such as fluoxetine or paroxetine to treat sleep apnea syndrome rests in part on their ability to stimulate upper airway motor outputs. Applications of serotonin to the floor of the fourth ventricle (Rose, et al. (1995) Respir. Physiol. 101:59-69) or into the hypoglossal motor nucleus (Kubin, et al. (1992) Neurosci. Lett. 139:243-248) produced upper airway motor activation in cats; effects that appear to be mediated predominantly by serotonin subtype 2 receptors (Okabe, et al. (1997) Respir. Physiol. 110:151-160; Volgin, et al. (2003) Eur. J. Neurosci. 17:1179-1188). Conversely, systemic administration of 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 receptor antagonists to English bulldogs reduced electrical activation of upper airway muscles, diminishing upper airway cross-sectional area (Veasey, et al. (1996) Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 153:776-786). These observations provide a likely explanation for the improvements in sleep-disordered breathing observed in some patients following SSRI treatment, but illustrate that to be generally effective, SSRI treatment must be combined with another agent.
Buspirone, a specific serotonin subtype 1 receptor agonist that stimulates respiration (Mendelson, et al. (1990) Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 141:1527-1530), has been shown to reduce apnea index in 4 of 5 patients with sleep apnea syndrome (Mendelson, et al. (1991) J. Clin. Psychopharmacol. 11:71-72) and to eliminate post-surgical apneustic breathing in one child (Wilken, et al. (1997) J. Pediatr. 130:89-94). The use of serotonin agonists to treat apneas has been suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,552,062; 6,433,175; 6,432,956; 6,387,907; 6,356,598; 6,380,238; and 6,303,608.
Serotonin antagonists also have been examined as drug treatments for sleep apnea in humans and in animal models of sleep-related breathing disorders. In rats that express frequent central apneas during all sleep stages, the serotonin antagonists ondansetron, R-zacopride, and mirtazapine all have been shown to reduce apnea frequency. Mirtazapine was able to reduce apnea frequency by 50% in one study of OSAS patients, whereas ondansetron failed to demonstrate any effect in another study. Nevertheless, the use of serotonin antagonists to treat OSAS has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,835,740; 6,727,242; 6,649,183; 6,613,779; 6,576,670; 6,559,165; 6,552,062; 6,548,082; 6,465,490; 6,331,536; 6,303,595; 6,277,864; 6,143,792; 6,048,879; 5,995,470 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/285,277.
Several other treatments for sleep apnea have been disclosed, including the administration of the nucleoside uptake blocker dipyridamole (U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,067), pilocarpine compounds (U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,953), ubidecarenone (U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,374), somatostatin receptor agonists (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/280,517), and acetylcholine-esterase inhibitors (U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,117). Stimulation of various structures, such as the pontine intertrigeminal region (Radulovacki, et al. (2003) Brain Research 975:66-72; Radulovacki, et al. (2004) Sleep 27:383-387) and the pedunculopontine tegmentum (Saponjic, et al. (2003) Resp. Physiol. Neurobiol. 138:223-237) by the excitatory amino acid glutamate has been shown to evoke immediate apnea, and a glutamate release inhibitor was shown to reduce the frequency of central apneas in a rat model (Radulovacki, et al. (2001) J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 53:1555-9). The use of glutamate antagonists or release inhibitors to treat OSAS is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,564. In addition, the cannabinoid receptor agonist Δ9-tetrahydrocannibinol has been shown to reduce sleep apneas in an animal model (Carley, et al. (2002) Sleep 25:391-398; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/472,136).
In view of the fact that the only viable treatment for individuals suffering from sleep-related breathing disorders is a mechanical form of therapy for which patient compliance is low, and that hopes for pharmacological treatments have yet to come to fruition, there remains a need for pharmacologically-based treatments that would offer benefits to a broad base of individuals suffering from a range of sleep-related breathing disorders. There also remains a need for a viable treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders that would have a high rate of patient compliance. The present invention meets this need in the art.

Methods for treating sleep disorders by cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor B antagonists

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


A functional device in which the functional portion is not influenced by events in film forming, and thereby the reliability of the device can be improved is provided. The functional device includes a substrate, one or a plurality of functional portions formed on a surface of the substrate, a sealing layer that forms a space around the functional portion, and has one or a plurality of apertures sealed with a filling material, and one or a plurality of walls formed between the functional portion and the aperture without separating the space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functional device subject to hermetical sealing, a semiconductor device including the functional device, and an electronic device including the functional device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the integration technology has been improved in these years, a small and light-weight electronic device operating with a low voltage, a low electrical consumption, and a high frequency has been rapidly developed. Meanwhile, the electronic device needs the higher functions. As one of techniques to solve the foregoing tasks opposite to each other, MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System: micromachine) has attracted attentions. The MEMS is a system in which a micromechanical element and an electronic circuit element are fused by the silicon processing technique. The elemental technology of the MEMS has the superior characteristics such as the high precision processing. Therefore, the MEMS can realize a small and inexpensive SoC (System on a Chip) with the high functions.
Accordingly, the elemental technology of the MEMS is used in various application fields such as various sensors, fluid, optics, RF, storage, and biotechnology. As an MEMS device using such a technology, for example, a mixer for a communication circuit can be cited. The mixer has a movable portion using mechanical resonance on a substrate. Resonance is made in a frequency (intermediate frequency) as a difference between a frequency of an RF signal and a frequency of an LO signal. The signal of the intermediate frequency is outputted as an IF signal.
In a functional device including a functional portion such as the foregoing movable portion using the elemental technology of the MEMS described above, there is a possibility that the characteristics of the device are changed due to influence of an external environment such as temperature, pressure, moisture in the air, and dust, leading to lowering of the reliability of the device. In particular, in the step of mounting the MEMS device, the MEMS device is exposed to an environment severer than that in usage. Therefore, in some cases, the characteristics of the device are largely deteriorated, and the yield is lowered. In the case that mechanical resonance is used for operation of the functional portion, in some cases, the device is desirably operated under a reduced pressure in view of the characteristics. For the reasons mentioned above, in the MEMS device, to secure the mechanical operation space of the functional portion and maintain a stable environment, the functional portion needs to be hermetically sealed.
In the past, for hermetically sealing the functional portion, a method to directly cover the functional portion by bonding an airtight package has been employed. In this method, however, the manufacturing cost is high. Therefore, in recent years, many methods to hermetically seal the functional portion at the wafer level have been suggested. For example, the following method can be cited. A sealing layer is formed on the surface of a sacrifice layer covering the entire functional portion. After an aperture is formed in part of the sealing layer, the sacrifice layer is removed by selective etching through the aperture. Finally, the aperture is sealed by using a film forming method. Thereby, the functional portion is hermetically sealed. Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-94328, the following method is disclosed. The functional portion is arranged in a concave portion of a substrate, and an electrode spreading as an umbrella is formed in the upper part of the functional portion, a void (aperture) is provided between the substrate and the electrode, and the aperture is sealed by sputtering method. Thereby, the functional portion is hermetically sealed.

Functional device, semiconductor device, and electronic device


A method for detecting cardiac arrhythmia based on a photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal is provided. The method includes: receiving a PPG signal and a motion signal corresponding to a motion made by a user; extracting PPG signal segments and motion signal segments corresponding to a time period from the PPG signal and the motion signal, respectively, at every time period; filtering out motion artifact noise in the PPG signal segments according to the PPG signal segments and the motion signal segments, and converting the PPG signal segments and the motion signal segments into PPG spectrum diagrams and motion spectrum diagrams, respectively; obtaining an estimated heart rate according to the PPG spectrum diagrams and the motion spectrum diagrams; and determining whether cardiac arrhythmia is present based on the filtered PPG signal segments and the estimated heart rate.

Heart rate may be measured using any of a variety of different sensors, including, for example, electrode-based sensors, such as EKG sensors, and optical sensors, such as photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensors. PPG sensors typically include a light source and a photodetector that are placed adjacent to a person's skin. The light source and photodetector are typically arranged so that light from the light source cannot reach the photodetector directly. However, when the PPG sensor is placed adjacent to a person's skin, light from the light source may diffuse into the person's flesh and then be emitted back out of the person's flesh so that the photodetector can detect it. The amount of light emitted from the person's flesh may vary as a function of the heart rate, since the amount of blood present in the flesh varies as a function of heart rate and the amount of light that is emitted from the person's flesh, in turn, varies as a function of the amount of blood present.
However, since PPG sensors are also more sensitive to motion artifact noise than are many other types of sensors, PPG sensors are more prone to problems with inaccuracy. Thus, a method and a device for detecting cardiac arrhythmia based on a PPG signal are desired to solve the aforementioned problems.

Method and device for detecting cardiac arrhythmia based on photoplethysmographic signal