A flame-retarder agent for a polyester-based fiber comprising, as flame-retarder components:                triphenylphosphine oxide (A) represented by the following formula (1):

Conventionally, as methods for providing a polyester-based fiber with flame retardancy, a method has been known which employs a halogenated cycloalkane compound, such as hexabromocyclododecane, as a flame-retarder component, and which uses a flame-retarder agent obtained by dispersing the flame-retarder component in water by a dispersant.
However, recent increasing concerns over global and living environment protection have led to development of methods for providing a polyester-based fiber with flame retardancy by using as a flame-retarder component a phosphorus-containing compound, which contains no halogen atom, instead of a halogen-containing compound. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-328445 (Document 1) discloses a flame-retardant processing method in which a flame-retarder agent containing resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) emulsified and dispersed in the presence of a surfactant is added to a dyeing liquid and is adsorbed to a polyester-based fiber at the same time of dyeing. Meanwhile, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-193368 (Document 2) discloses a flame-retardant processing method in which: a flame-retarder agent containing an aryl diamino phosphate, such as 1,4-piperazinediyl bis(diaryl phosphate), dispersed in a solvent in the presence of a surfactant is added to a dyeing liquid; the flame-retarder agent is adsorbed to a polyester-based fiber at the same time of dyeing; and the polyester-based fiber is dried and then heat-treated at 170° C. to 220° C. Document 2 also discloses a flame-retardant processing method in which: a polyester-based fiber is dyed; the flame-retarder agent is adhered to polyester-based fiber; and then the polyester-based fiber is dried and heat-treated at 170° C. to 220° C.
However, the flame-retardant processing methods described in Document 1 and Document 2 have difficulty in making the phosphorus flame-retarder component sufficiently absorbed to the polyester-based fiber, which leads to a problem that sufficient flame retardancy cannot be provided to the polyester-based fiber. These methods also have a problem that, owing to ultraviolet light or the like, the phosphamide in the polyester-based fiber causes degradation of the dye in the polyester-based fiber and in turn discoloration thereof.
In addition, phosphate ester-based flame-retarder agents generally have problems such as impacts on fogging properties (haze properties), hydrolytic properties, thermal stability, and dye-affinity; and decrease in light fastness and rubbing fastness. These problems are crucial especially when such flame-retarder agents are used for interior materials for vehicle. For this reason, as a phosphorus flame-retarder agent which can alleviate these problems to a relatively large extent, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-092263 (Document 3) discloses a flame-retarder agent in which triphenylphosphine oxide is used as a flame-retarder component. However, even with the flame-retarder agent disclosed in Document 3, the amount of the triphenylphosphine oxide absorbed into a polyester-based fiber is small, resulting in a problem that sufficient flame retardancy cannot be provided to the polyester-based fiber.

Flame-retarder agent for polyester-based fiber, flame retardant polyester-based fiber using the same and method for producing the same

Abstract: and                at least one compound (B) selected from the group consisting of an organophosphate ester-based compound (B1) and a bismaleimide-based compound (B2), the organophosphate ester-based compound (B1) being represented by the following general formula (2):

Abstract: [in formula (2), R1 to R6 each represent one selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms], andthe bismaleimide-based compound (B2) being represented by the following general formula (3):

Abstract: [in formula (3), R7 represents an arylene group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms].


A system and method for improving the accuracy of audio searching using multiple models to process an audio file or stream to obtain search tracks. The search tracks are processed to locate at least one search term and generate multiple search results. The number of search results is equivalent to the number of models used to process the audio stream. The search results are combined to generate a unified search result. The multiple models may represent different languages, dialects and accents.

This invention relates generally to a system and method for improving the accuracy of audio searches. More specifically the present invention relates to employing a plurality of acoustic and language models to improve the accuracy of audio searches.
Call recording or telephone recording systems have existed for many years storing audio recordings in a digital file or format. Typically, these recording systems rely upon individuals, typically using telephone networks, to record or leave messages with a computerized recording device, such as a residential voice mail system. However, as the technology of conference calls, customer service, and other telephone systems has advanced, call recording systems are now employed on a variety of systems ranging from residential and commercial voice mail to custom service to emergency (911). These recording systems are often implemented in environments where the recorded calls include speakers of many languages, dialects and accents.
As the use of call recording systems has expanded, the database of recorded calls has also expanded. For many call recording systems, such as emergency (911) calls, a database of emergency calls must be maintained for activities such as retrieving evidence or training purposes. Over time, these databases can become quite large, storing enormous amounts of data and audio files from typically numerous and unknown callers. Although calls may be identified by recorder ID, channel number, duration, time, and date in the database, the content of the audio file may be unknown without listening to the call records individually. However, the content of audio files in a call recording database is often of particular interest for research, training, or evidence gathering. Unfortunately, searching audio files for keywords or content subjects is difficult and extremely time consuming unless the searching is performed using automatic speech recognition technology. Traditional systems for searching audio files convert audio files in a database into a searchable format using an automatic speech recognition system. The speech recognition system employs a single model, representing a language such as English, to perform the conversion. Once a searchable format of the database is created, the database is searched for keywords or subject matter and the searching system returns a set search results called hits. The search results indicate the location, along with other possible information, of each hit in the database such that each hit may be located and heard. The search results may also indicate or flag each audio file in the database containing at least one hit.
Unfortunately, typical systems manage to identify only a small portion of this audio information. This is because of the formidable task of using speech recognition technology to recognize the wide variety of pronunciations, accents, and speech characteristics of native and non-native speakers of a particular language or multiple languages. Keywords are often missed in searching because audio files are not accurately converted by the automatic speech recognition system or indexing engine. Therefore, due to the large number of unknown voices on a call recording system and the different pronunciations, accents, speech characteristics, and languages possible in any given audio file in a call recording database, traditional searching techniques have failed to provide less than optimal search results.

System and method for improving the accuracy of audio searching


The present invention provides polishing control components for anti-fouling paints for vessels which comprise rosin or other water-degradable polymers entrapped in gel particles, such as aerogel or aeromosil particles.

Ship surfaces exposed to seawater are inclined to settlement by animal and plant organisms. The biological process, which is termed fouling, can result in the formation of a thick and hard crust that poses several problems in relation to maintenance, fuel consumption, and operational availability of ocean-going ships. Various ways of avoiding the fouling have been tried, but presently fouling is fought by the use of so-called antifouling paints, which slowly release biocides into the seawater.
In modern paints used for fouling control on commercial ships/vessels polishing is an essential feature ensuring that the biocide concentration at the surface is sufficient over time, and that the biofilm/macrofouling is minimized. In most paints the binder system polish slower than required for an effective diminishing of the fouling. The desired polishing rate is achieved by introduction of pigments and extenders/fillers in the paint. In commercial anti-fouling paints Cu2O, Cuprous oxide, and/or ZnO, Zinc oxide is used to enhance polishing control. The restrictions on use of biocides in paints have placed the use of Cu and Zn under pressure, since Cu constitutes a permanent biocide load on the environment and Zn is bioaccumulating. It is therefore of interest to find suitable replacements for Cu and Zn compounds that might provide the same favorable polishing rates.

Loaded gel particles for anti-fouling compositions


An apparatus includes a pallet dispensing system, including a movable frame being configured to movably hold, at least in part, a pallet stack between a pallet-storage position and a pallet-dispensation position. The movable frame is also configured to hold the pallet stack relative to a pallet transporter in such a way that the pallet transporter is permitted to vertically lift, at least in part, the pallet stack as the movable frame is provided, at least in part, with vertical-lift assistance through stored potential energy.

A pallet dispenser dispenses one or more pallets from a pallet stack onto a work surface. In an automated environment, this work surface may be a chain conveyor. In other environments, the one or more pallets may be dispensed onto the floor. In these environments, a pallet transporter such as a pallet truck, pallet jack, or forklift can be used to collect and move the one or more dispensed pallets.
Pallet dispensers are generally powered and require a connection to a power source. For instance, pallet dispensers may require motors or pumps that must be powered by an external power source. Examples of external power sources (for powering or energizing the pallet dispenser) might include electrical utility grids, generators, steam, hydraulic pressure or compressed air, etc.
In some environments, however, providing power to the pallet dispenser may be difficult or expensive. For example, deploying a pallet dispenser may require modifications to the power layout of the facility. In other scenarios it may be prohibitively expensive to deliver power to the optimal installation location of the pallet dispenser. In yet another scenario, the reliability of power delivery may prevent the use of a powered pallet dispenser.


An expandable and retrievable stent is disclosed herein. The stent includes an inner strut, a first traveling anchor movably attached to the inner strut and a second anchor secured to the inner strut. The stent further includes frame connected to the first traveling anchor and the second anchor wherein the frame has at least a radially compressed configuration and a radially expanded configuration. The stent may also include a generally cylindrical sleeve.

A variety of body lumens are subject to undesired strictures or narrowing. For example, blood vessels can be blocked or narrowed by atherosclerosis, while esophageal strictures can arise from individual anatomical differences, or from diseases such as connective tissue disorders. Procedures for dilating or enlarging such strictures or narrowed regions often entail the use of a stent. The stent may be positioned across a particular stricture or narrowed region, and may then be expanded in order to widen the lumen without causing trauma to the wall of the lumen.
Unfortunately, the current stent designs may have a number of drawbacks. For instance, many types of stents cannot be retrieved once they have been deployed. This can be problematic, especially when the stent is no longer needed or when it malfunctions. Another shortcoming associated with many stent designs is that they undergo endothelialization, wherein the tissue of the dilated body lumen grows into the stent. Thus, even when a retrievable stent has been employed, it may not be possible to remove the stent without damaging the body lumen. Finally, many of the current stent designs cannot be compressed sufficiently for endoscope delivery (since the diameter of an endoscope delivery channel is somewhere around 4 mm).
An ideal stent would be highly compressible and thus amenable to endoscope delivery techniques, would be retrievable and may also discourage endothialization.


A sub (half)-rate DDS channel transport network architecture is configured to drive each of a ISDN transceiver unit of an OCU DP at one end of a two-wire path and the ISDN transceiver unit of a DDS termination unit at an opposite end of the two-wire path at one-half the normal clock rate, which reduces the operating frequency for rates of 56 kbps and 64 kbps. This sub-rate operation decreases its vulnerability to interference sources such as bridge taps. It also offers a trade-off against loop loss, enabling the effective range of the two-wire DDS circuit to be geographically extended, while complying with applicable industry standards for loop deployment and testing.

The currently defined American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard T1. 601 governing 2B1Q modulation, two-wire, full-duplex data transfer with echo cancellation requires that ISDN basic rate digital subscriber lines (having a data rate of 144 kbps, with bidirectional data payload, plus overhead maintenance channels), must not exceed a two-wire loop loss of 42 dB at 40 KHz, for 1300 ohms, resistive. This requirement effectively limits the operational range of a conventional copper cable link (No. 26 (American Wire Gauge) AWG wire) driven by commercially available ISDN transceiver equipment to a distance on the order of 15 Kft.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,413, to M. Sansom et al, (hereinafter referred to as the '413 patent), issued Jan. 28, 1997, entitled: "Four Wire, Half-Rate Architecture with Embedded Differential Delay Compensation for Extending Range of Basic Rate ISDN Communications," assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated successfully addresses this limited range problem by a one-half rate, four-wire, ISDN demultiplexing - multiplexing architecture, that uses an out-of-band maintenance channel for the transport of differential delay compensation information. Advantageously, this scheme is able to extend the normal range of ISDN basic rate digital subscriber lines to a distance on the order of 25 Kft, which is well beyond those currently possible using a repeaterless two-wire transmission path.
My co-pending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 08/744,975, filed Nov. 7, 1996, entitled: "Quarter-Rate 2B1Q Architecture with Embedded Differential Delay Compensation for Extending Range of DDS Communications," assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated (hereinafter referred to as the '975 application) solves a similar range limitation problem for four-wire DDS communications, by using a standard ISDN transceiver chip to demultiplex quarter-rate (2B1Q) ISDN channels for the transport of DDS data over a four-wire transmission path between an office channel unit data port (OCU DP) and a customer premises site. As in the scheme described in the '413 patent, by operating at a frequency that is one-quarter of the frequency associated with the ISDN transceivers, the reduced data rate of the four-wire system provides a trade-off against loop loss, increasing the distance over which DDS may be provided, without further stipulation or constraint upon the requirement of loops considered as DDS candidates in terms of loop loss and bridge tap.
Fortunately, because well over 95% of two-wire copper cable links currently installed in the United States do not exceed this (15 Kft) distance, the above described range limitations for the transport of ISDN and DDS channels are not yet a significant problem in most installations. However, because the physical layout of a typical copper link contains one or more bridge taps that are distributed along its length, and many of which are unterminated, the typical copper link is vulnerable to interference.

Two wire, sub-rate 2B1Q ISDN architecture


The invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a cylindrical support, and a charge-generating layer and a charge-transporting layer on the cylindrical support, wherein a content per unit volume of a charge-generating material in the charge-generating layer increases from a center portion in an axial direction of the cylindrical support towards both end portions thereof, and a thickness of the charge-generating layer in an axial direction of the cylindrical support is 95% or more and 105% or less relative to an average thickness of the charge-generating layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoreceptor, a method of producing the same, a process cartridge provided with the electrophotographic photoreceptor, and an image-forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
Digitalization of copiers and printers using an electrophotographic system has been advancing in recent years, and among these, those using a laser as an optical recording system are prevailing. Usually, a latent image is written by spot-scanning laser light in the axial direction of a photoreceptor with a laser scanning writing apparatus. Owing to cost reduction and miniaturization of polygon scanners, laser beam printers using an electrophotographic system have come to be used for personal use, but further cost reduction and miniaturization are essential for competing with printers using an inkjet method with which laser beam printers compete in the field of small printers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electrophotographic photoreceptor, method of producing the same, process cartridge, and image-forming apparatus


A method of obtaining a relative amplitude preserved seismic volume acquired in a time-domain for a subterranean region of interest and transforming it into a low-frequency monospectral amplitude volume. The method further determines a seismic attenuation volume from the relative amplitude preserved seismic volume acquired in the time-domain. Furthermore, the method generates a low-frequency monospectral amplitude map for a surface of interest by averaging the low-frequency monospectral amplitude volume over a depth-window around the surface of interest, and generates a seismic attenuation map for a surface of interest by averaging the seismic attenuation volume over a depth-window around the surface of interest. The method further determines an attribute map based on the seismic attenuation map and the low-frequency monospectral amplitude map for the surface of interest, and determines a presence of gas in the subterranean region of interest based on the attribute map.

In some situations, a portion of the reservoir within the subterranean region of interest may contain a gas deposit. In some situations, it may be desirable to detect the gas deposit using a seismic survey. Portions of the reservoir containing a gas deposit may affect the characteristics of the reflected seismic waves and refracted seismic waves differently from portions of the reservoir contains fluids, whether oil or water. In some situations, it may be desirable to drill a wellbore into a gas deposit to produce the gas to the surface. Such a wellbore may be a vertical wellbore or may be a horizontal wellbore constructed using geosteering methods.


A dynamic spray system for effectively thermally managing electronic components. The dynamic spray system includes a thermal management system including a spray unit, and a control unit in communication with the thermal management system. The spray unit includes a spray head and an atomizer within the spray head for dispensing a continuous coolant spray having a spray characteristic. The control unit delivers an electrical signal to the spray unit dependent upon feedback data received from the thermal management system, wherein the electrical signal controls the spray unit to adjust the spray characteristic of the continuous coolant spray.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to thermal management systems and more specifically it relates to a dynamic spray system for applying a dynamic fluid spray to a surface and for thermally managing electronic components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermal management systems for electronic devices have been in use for years in applications such as but not limited to semiconductor burn-in and electronic component cooling. It is an objective of silicon device manufacturers to minimize burn-in time and simultaneously maintain the junction temperatures of the batch of devices under burn-in to be within a narrow range. Conventional thermal management systems utilized today are comprised of, for example, either air-cooled enclosures, or fluid-cooled cold plates. Upcoming technologies include refrigeration systems or other phase change based technologies.
When producing semiconductors, manufacturers typically perform three different tests on the semiconductors prior to shipping: (1) sort, (2) burn-in, and (3) class testing. Sort test requires maintaining the wafers at a modest temperature, e.g. 35° Celsius, while the wafers are probed for defects. Conventional fluid-cooled cold plates are employed at this stage. Projected heat fluxes, even at the wafer sort, are pointing to the fact that a more effective thermal management technology is needed at this stage.
Burn-in of the semiconductors is typically accomplished utilizing elevated voltages and temperatures in a process that raises the junction temperatures of a batch of semiconductors. The lifespan of a semiconductor is closely related to its operating temperature wherein operating under increased temperatures reduces the effective lifespan of the semiconductor. By applying increased voltages and temperatures to a semiconductor, the weaker semiconductors will fail during testing. The length of the burn-in of semiconductors is directly tied to the median junction temperature of the batch of semiconductors. It is therefore important to maintain a relatively narrow junction temperature spread that provides a higher median temperature. For example, a poor thermal management system can produce a junction temperature spread from 75° to 125° resulting in a low median junction temperature, longer burn-in time and higher associated burn-in costs. Modern fluid-based thermal management systems are currently able to lower the junction temperature spread to approximately 95° to 110° Celsius thereby reducing burn-in time and burn-in costs.
Class test is the final step in the testing process and is comprised of a final series of tests to validate functionality and quantify speeds. During class test, non-uniform heating of the semiconductors typically occurs. A semiconductor's speed is typically derated by 0.15% for every degree Celsius rise above the target temperature (junction temperature, Tj). It is therefore important to maintain the temperature of the semiconductors relatively close to the target temperature (Tj).
Due to increasing chip heat fluxes (projected to exceed 125 W/cm2 by the year 2004), conventional thermal management systems for semiconductor burn-in are reaching their cooling limits. A further problem with conventional thermal management systems is that they are inefficient, complex, costly to implement and costly to operate. A further problem with conventional thermal management systems is that the resulting junction temperature spreads result in relatively long burn-in times of the semiconductor devices. Another problem with conventional thermal management systems is that they require significant amounts of power to operate.
Examples of patented devices which may be related to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,826 to Hamilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,235 to Hamilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,910 to Hamilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,285 to Hashinaga et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,225 to Malinoski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,868 to Nevill; U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,328 to Devereaux et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,143 to Ghoshal; U.S. Pat. No. 6,288,371 to Hamilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,610 to Tsujide et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,388 to Friedrich et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,498 to Conroy et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,456 to Hembree et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,524 to Tuckerman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,804 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,969 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,201 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,610 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,931 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,700 to Tilton; U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,327 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,602 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,529 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,799 to Patel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,554 to Patel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,956 to Loo et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,251 to Patel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,240 to Patel; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,326 to Vogel et al. Examples of patent applications filed for devices that may be related to the present invention include U.S. Patent Application 2001/0002541 filed by Patel et al.; U.S. Patent Application 2002/0050144 filed by Patel et al.; and U.S. Patent Application 2001/0050164 filed by Wagner et al.
Hence, the dynamic spray system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of effectively thermally managing electronic components.


A liquid-crystal display apparatus comprising, a liquid-crystal display device driven by an AC voltage, an image divider configured to temporally divide input image data into N (N≧2) for each frame, a correction unit configured to correct a driving voltage for driving the liquid-crystal display device based on a difference between adjacent divided image data obtained by the N division, a polarity inverter configured to invert a polarity to make drive polarities of adjacent divided image data different, out of the divided image data obtained by the N division including the divided image data for which driving voltage is corrected by the correction unit, a driver configured to drive the liquid-crystal display device using the polarity-inverted divided image data, and an inversion order alteration unit which alters an inversion order for the drive polarities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid-crystal display apparatus, control method thereof, and computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, liquid-crystal display apparatuses have been used as a TV receiver and the display device of a PC. Liquid-crystal display apparatuses can have flat panels, achieve space saving and power reduction, and thus are widely used. However, liquid-crystal display apparatuses suffer a long response time until image data is actually displayed. As a liquid-crystal display apparatus driving method for increasing the response speed, there is proposed a method of comparing image data to be displayed next with previous image data, and performing overdrive in accordance with the comparison result (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-126050).
When overdrive is performed on only one side (positive or negative side) of AC driving, a DC component remains, as shown in FIG. 13. The reliability may degrade depending on the structure and arrangement of the liquid-crystal display apparatus. To prevent this, there is also proposed the following method for a liquid-crystal display apparatus in which a pixel electrode and opposite electrode are formed on the same substrate and a voltage is generated parallel to the substrate. More specifically, at least either the pixel electrode or opposite electrode is formed from an ITO film to suppress degradation of the reliability caused by the DC component (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-34238).
This liquid-crystal display apparatus adopts the structure in which at least either the pixel electrode or opposite electrode is formed from an ITO film. This structure can suppress degradation of the reliability caused by a DC component left after overdrive. However, this structure cannot be widely applied to a variety of liquid-crystal display apparatuses because the panel structure of the liquid-crystal display apparatus must be changed.
As described above, a conventional display apparatus cannot increase the response speed and reliability by removing an unbalanced DC component generated by overdrive without changing the panel structure.

Liquid-crystal display apparatus, control method thereof, and computer program


A golf club having a head made of metallic material such as aluminum, stainless steel, titanium or the like is provided with a shaft sleeve made of non-metallic material such as fiber reinforced plastic, wood or the like is mounted on a tip end portion of a shaft or a shaft insertion portion of a head with which player's wrists, elbows, shoulders or the like would hardly be damaged, it is easy to enjoy an inherent performance of the shaft, to enhance a repulsive force by a kick back phenomenon to increase a hit distance of the ball.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club.
2. Prior Art
In a conventional process for producing a golf club provided with a head made of metal material such as aluminum, stainless steel or titanium, a tip end portion of a shaft is directly inserted into a shaft insertion portion of a head and securely fixed thereto with adhesives.
In the prior art, a shock generated in ball impact is not moderated and is transmitted to the player almost without reducing the magnitude of the shock. Thus, in many cases, the wrists, elbows or shoulders of the player might be damaged. Since the tip end portion of the shaft that has been inserted into the head is bound thereby so that it hardly flexes, it is difficult to exhibit the inherent performance of the shaft. In the golf play, the hit distance of the ball depends mainly on an initial velocity of the ball, an angle of the hit ball and a spinning amount of the ball. Also, it is effective to increase the head speed of the club by generating a flexible motion of the tip end portion of the shaft which transmits the energy to the ball to increase the repulsive force. However, such effect could not be expected in the club according to the prior art.


A device for moving solid particles, especially one designed as cooling mixer, has a substantially horizontal jacketed tank (11), in which a shaft (14) is seated for rotation. The shaft (14) is equipped with mixing tools. Bulk material can be introduced into the tank (11) through a charging opening (23), and the processed material can be extracted from the tank (11) through a discharge opening (26). The product space of the tank (11) is equipped with partition walls which subdivide the product space into processing zones. The solid-particle mixer (10) is particularly well suited for quasi-continuous operation. Processing of the bulk material is carried out in the pile and product feeding toward the discharge opening (26) is effected in the state of a mechanically generated fluidized bed, or a product toroid.

The present invention relates to a device for moving solid particles, especially one designed as cooling mixer, having a substantially horizontal jacketed tank, which is passed along its longitudinal axis by a shaft connected to a drive motor and carrying radially extending tools, which when rotating act to mix solid particles contained in the bulk material by setting them into forced movement, and having further charging and discharge openings arranged on the tank and at least two partition walls, provided each with at least one passage opening and arranged in the tank between the charging and the discharge openings, transversely to the longitudinal axis.
A device of this kind has been known from DE-AS 11 12 968.
Devices for mixing solid particles using rotating tools, comprising a horizontal cylindrical tank and a shaft with mixing tools arranged coaxially in the tank, have been known before in the form of batch-type and continuous-type mixers.
In batch-type operation, the machine, which is used as mixer, drier, reactor, or cooler, is at first charged with the bulk material or materials and/or additives to be processed. The charging process, once completed, is followed by a processing operation by which the bulk materials are mixed, cooled, dried, heated, disintegrated or agglomerated. This process may be accompanied also by reactions which may give rise to new products, or may release gases which are then evacuated through suitable vapor pipes. Upon completion of the treating process, the products are discharged from the machine by a separate discharging operation.
For the purpose of determining the time required for preparing solid-particle mixtures by means of batch-type mixers, it is necessary to sum up the charging time required for the bulk materials to be mixed, the discharging time for the finished mixture, and the mixing time as such is required by the batch-type mixer to mix the bulk materials with themselves and with each other by means of the rotating mixing tools. This results in longer mixing times for the batch-type mixer, as compared with continuous-type mixers. In continuous operation, the waiting times required for charging and discharging the mixer do not occur. In continuous operation, the bulk materials to be processed are supplied to the mixer continuously, and at the same time the finished mixture is discharged continuously. This is possible also in the case of bulk materials which are to be subjected to thermal treatment or to be cooled in continuous operation. If a cooling process is to be carried out in continuous operation, the hot solid-particle material is introduced into the cooling mixer, while at the same time the cooled bulk material is extracted from the other end of the cooling mixer.
In continuous operation, however, certain difficulties are encountered with respect to controlling the transport behavior of the bulk materials to be cooled in such a way as to prevent, for example, cooled bulk material to get mixed up with bulk material of higher temperature or even hot bulk material. If reverse mixing occurs, then the mixing temperature of the bulk material in the product space will always be higher than the desired end temperature. And in addition, reverse mixing causes cooled particle populations to stay in the product space longer than the permissible time. Such particle populations may be destroyed by the mixing tools, being subjected to prolonged mechanical treatment. This makes it necessary, when cooling a flow of bulk materials in continuous operation, to keep the rate of reverse mixing between treated and untreated materials as low as possible. However, it is often not possible with the known devices to control the cooling process in this way since rigidly predetermined process parameters often prevent corresponding operating modes and since, on the other hand, the time required for reducing the temperature in bulk materials by heat transfer to a cooling agent cannot be reduced at desire.
Known mixers normally operate at a rigidly preset rotational speed, specific to the particular device and adapted to the particular process. In order to maintain the cinematic similarity, the dimensionless value Fr (Froude number) is introduced, instead of the rotating speed n. Fr is a dimension independent of the drum diameter, describing the ratio of centrifugal acceleration to gravitational acceleration. The Froude number can be described by the following formula: ##EQU1## wherein m is the mass of particles, r is the radius of the drum, g is the gravitational acceleration, defined by the formula g=r.multidot.n.sub.c.sup.2 .multidot.4.pi..sup.2, .omega. is the angular velocity of the mixing tool, and n.sub.c is the critical speed.
In the case of the continuous-type solid particle mixer known from the doctoral thesis of 1984 entitled "Untersuchungen zur Schuttgutbewegung beim kontinuierlichen Feststoffmischen" (Studies on the movement of bulk material during continuous mixing of solid matter) (Process Engineering Faculty of the Stuttgart University), the mean dwelling time of the bulk material in the solid particle mixer can be controlled via the bulk mass stored in the product space and via the bulk mass flow. The product space of this solid-particle mixer extends from the delimiting surface at the mixer end to a weir provided in the cylindrical drum, directly in front of the product discharge pipe. The bulk mass stored between the weir and the product charging pipe is subjected to heavy reverse mixing at rotational speeds of Fr.gtoreq.4, as illustrated for example by the diagrams on page 108 of this paper, where the axial dispersion coefficient D is plotted as a function of the Froude number Fr. However, as has been stated before, this is a disadvantage when a bulk material flow is to be cooled continuously.
As can be seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the mixer known from DE-AS 11 112 968 comprises a jacket, which is not explained in detail in the specification. However, if effective thermal treatment is to be ensured, it is not sufficient merely to provide a tank jacket; the latter then necessarily has to be designed in such a way as to permit effective cooling or heating of the product flowing through the tank. In addition, an uncontrolled flow of product is permitted through the openings at the bottom of the partition walls.


A process for biochemical conversion of heavy crude oils is provided. The process includes contacting heavy crude oils with adapted biocatalysts. The resulting upgraded oil shows, a relative increase in saturated hydrocarbons, emulsions and oxygenates and a decrease in compounds containing in organic sulfur, organic nitrogen and trace metals. Adapted microorganisms which have been modified under challenged growth processes are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a process of biochemically converting heavy crude oils to upgraded light crude oils containing lighter hydrocarbon material, less organic sulfur and nitrogen and a reduced amount of trace metals. More specifically, the present invention provides a process of treating low grade heavy crude oils at atmospheric pressures and low to moderate temperatures with aerobic or anaerobic extremophilic microorganisms, which have been selected through nutritional stress by adapting them to elevated temperatures, pressures, salinity, elevated toxic metal concentrations and pH extremes.
Crude oil is removed from the earth as a comparatively volatile liquid composed primarily of hydrocarbons, with traces of sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen compounds, as well as trace amounts of metals. The elemental composition of petroleum varies greatly from one deposit to another. Carbon and hydrogen are the primary components, but other elements present include sulfur ranging from trace to 8.0% by weight, nitrogen from trace to 6% by weight, oxygen from trace to 1.8% by weight and trace amounts of other metals such as nickel and vanadium.
Heavy oils, residuum, and oil wastes represent a substantial resource if a low-cost technology for their processing could be developed. In terms of reserves, 50-70% of original oil is still in place and is available. However, it is heavy and requires extensive secondary and tertiary recovery technology. Similarly, wastes from oil processing amount to 400 million gallons annually within the U.S. alone.
Crude oils are the basic raw material for refineries. Hydrocarbons, organic sulfur, organic nitrogen and trace metals content of crude oils is used to classify them as heavy and light crude oils. For example, heavy crude oil has a high proportion of viscous, high-molecular weight hydrocarbons and often a high content of compounds containing organic sulfur, organic nitrogen, organic oxygen and trace metals. In contrast, light crude oil has a high proportion of low viscosity, low molecular weight hydrocarbons and a low content of compounds containing organic sulfur, organic nitrogen and trace metals. Consequently, when used as refinery feedstock, heavy crude oil requires more processing than the light crude in order to obtain the more salable, low molecular weight products. Moreover, high sulfur content crude oil is undesirable because it forms sulfur containing products such as sulfur containing gasoline, diesel and petroleum products which when used pollute the environment. As a result, additional processing is required to sweeten or desulfurize the finished gasoline or other stocks. Similarly, a high organic nitrogen and trace metal content is undesirable in crude oils because both organic nitrogen compounds and trace metals cause severe poisoning of catalysts required in the downstream processing of crude oil.
In the past, attempts have been made to reduce the content of sulfur, nitrogen and trace metals by numerous processes, either upstream or downstream of a given oil product, depending on the specifications of the finished product or other stocks. For example, mercaptans and hydrogen sulfide are removed by using regenerative solution processes. Hydrotreating of petroleum products is widely used to achieve desulfurization and eliminate other undesirable impurities such as nitrogen and oxygen. Problems associated with these processes include cost effectiveness and refinery wastes.
The use of thermophilic microorganisms to break down complex hydrocarbons in the laboratory environment, has been disclosed in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,413,278 to Zobell, discloses the use of bacteria from the genus Desulfovibrio. Some species of this bacteria are disclosed as being active in a temperature range from 70.degree. F. and 180.degree. F. (21.1.degree. C. to 82.4.degree. C.). These bacteria are strict anaerobes, and are inhibited by H.sup.+ ion concentrations lower than pH 6.0. Additionally, there is no disclosure that these microorganisms are functional at anything but ambient pressures. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,550 to Updegraff et al., the same thermophilic bacteria described in the Zobell patent are used and molasses is introduced to the well water as a source of nutrients and minerals. As in Zobell, the bacteria, although described as highly thermophilic, were not tested for growth under high pressures, salinities and aerobic conditions.
Bacterium useful for cleaving C--S bonds for sulfur removal from dibenzothiophene to provide predominately inorganic sulfates and 2-hydroxybiphenyl is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,888 to Kilbane, II. The preferred microorganism is identified as Bacillus sphaericus ATCC 53969. The '888 disclosure describes this bacteria as being able to metabolize the C--S bonds at temperatures from about 20.degree. C. to 34.degree. C. There is no teaching or suggestion that this microorganism and method can be used at high pressures and temperatures. Further, dibenzothiophene is one of the many sulfur containing compounds (<1% of total organo sulfur content) present in crude oils whose chemical and biochemical reading varies with the chemical structure of a particular compound.
Generally, the art is substantially bereft of methods for upgrading heavy crude petroleum over a relatively short periods of time (from 24 hours to 50 hours) by contact with microorganism(s) which have been conditioned and adapted to survive and grow at elevated temperature, pressure, salinity, elevated toxic metal concentrations and pH extremes also known as extremophiles.
It would be desirable to provide such a process which overcomes this deficiency associated with the prior art. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a general process for upgrading a low grade heavy crude oil feedstock by lowering a high content of organic sulfur, organic nitrogen, oxygen and trace metal through the use of a biocatalyst(s).
It is another object of the present invention to upgrade heavy crude oil by using modified extremophilic bacteria to achieve the biochemical conversion of low grade heavy crude oils to upgraded higher quality feedstock.


A semiconductor memory device has a plurality of gates vertically stacked on a top surface of a substrate, a vertical channel filling a vertical hole that extends vertically through the plurality of gates, and a memory layer in the vertical hole and surrounding the vertical channel. The vertical channel includes a bracket-shaped lower portion filling part of a recess in the top of the substrate and an upper portion extending vertically along the vertical hole and connected to the lower channel. At least one end of an interface between the lower and upper portions of the vertical channel is disposed at a level not than that of the top surface of the substrate.

The present inventive concept relates to a semiconductor device. More particularly, the inventive concept relates to a three-dimensional semiconductor memory device and to a method of fabricating the same.
Semiconductor devices are considered an important part of the electronics industry because of their small size, multi-functionality, and/or low fabrication cost. High-performance and low-cost semiconductor devices have been increasingly in demand to meet the needs of today's electronics industry. To satisfy the above requirements, semiconductor devices are becoming increasingly integrated.
The integration of a typical two-dimensional semiconductor memory device is primarily determined by an area occupied by a unit memory cell of the device. In addition, the memory cells of a semiconductor device include patterns constituting, for example, a circuit pattern. Therefore, the degree of integration of the typical semiconductor memory device can be greatly affected by technology for forming fine patterns. However, the equipment used to fabricate semiconductor memory devices is expensive to procure, operate and maintain. Equipment cost, therefore, imposes limitations in increasing the integration of semiconductor memory devices. Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices having three-dimensionally arranged memory cells have been proposed to overcome the limitations in the degree of integration that can be attained by two-dimensional semiconductor memory devices.

Three dimensional semiconductor memory with residual memory layer


Improved kugelrohr or apparatus for distilling or separating liquids. It includes a rugged, reliable air oven and drive unit with numerous safety features. One or more external guards eliminate burn hazard and risk of accidental contact. A thermal isolation support isolates the oven from its rest surface. A grounded heating element eliminates shock hazards. The oven is fitted with a grommet or bushing to support a flask connected to one or more additional flasks in a series. The outlet of the last flask in the series is connected to a drive tube via a flexible coupling. The drive tube is connected to a rotary bearing assembly mounted on a drive unit. The oven and the flasks may include impellers for circulating air to enhance heating efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of laboratory equipment and, more specifically, to apparatus for distilling or separating liquids.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A device known in the art as a "kugelrohr apparatus" is used to distill or separate a liquid sample in preparation for analytical testing. One such apparatus, which has been commercially available from Aldrich Chemical Company, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wis. for many years, consists of several major components: an air oven; a number of round bottom flasks which are connected together in a series; a drive unit; a vacuum source; and an ice bath. A liquid sample is placed in one of the flasks which, in turn, is placed inside the air oven with the neck (outlet) of the flask extending through the sidewall of the oven and connecting with the next flask in the series. The outlet of the last flask of the series is coupled to the drive unit and the vacuum source. The ice bath is placed beneath the flasks between the oven and drive unit. As the oven heats the sample, the drive unit rotates the flasks back and forth in an oscillating motion to prevent violent boiling and uneven heating. The sample (or components thereof) evaporates and is drawn from one flask to the next in succession while being cooled by the ice bath. The vapor condenses, becoming a distillate which may then be collected for analysis.
Conventional kugelrohr apparati suffer from numerous safety and performance deficiencies. For example, in the Aldrich Chemical device referenced above, the air oven is constructed from an aluminum coffee pot having a removable glass top. The bottom of the coffee pot is fitted with a threaded, ungrounded (lamp type) electrical receptacle. Thus, when the receptacle is empty while the power is on, line voltage is present in the receptacle and represents a shock hazard.
An ungrounded heating element is usually screwed into the receptacle. Because the heating element is exposed within the interior of the coffee pot and operates at a high temperature (i.e., the element is red hot), there is a substantial burn hazard to personnel who must reach into the pot to insert or remove flasks. The aluminum sidewalls of the coffee pot, as well as its glass cover, also represent burn hazards.
Another disadvantage of the modified coffee pot oven arises from the fact that the heating element and electrical receptacle are unsealed. Thus, in the event that a flask should break and release liquid into the interior of the oven, the heating element will likely be ruined, liquid may be ignited or enter the receptacle and cause a short, and the entire oven will probably be damaged beyond repair.
Also, the drive unit of a conventional kugelrohr apparatus suffers from several disadvantages. Typically, such drive units use 1940's-vintage windshield wiper motors to provide back and forth rotation of the connected flasks. Such motors are disadvantageous because they are no longer in wide use and cannot easily be replaced or repaired. Further, such motors require compressed air or vacuum as a power source, neither of which may be readily available in many instances. Lastly, the conventional drive unit was not free-standing, but instead required an external support such as ring stand and clamp.


A small, four wheeled, stable utility vehicle (S4WSUV) for hauling and dumping material, articles or containers and especially adapted to operate in tight areas is disclosed. The S4WSUV has two widely spaced free turning swivel wheels and two widely spaced, independently driven rear wheels, a pivoting platform connected to a lifting mechanism for pivoting the platform to dump the material, etc. to a side of the S4WSUV. An engine drives a power source that can be a hydrostatic system, an electrical system or a mechanical system for motors driving the rear wheels. Optional features include a cantilever mounted seat assembly, foot and/or hand controls for steering, container mounts on the platform or a platform frame for securing one or more containers of various types and sizes and attachments for attaching one or more pieces of equipment for functions other than hauling and dumping.

Small utility vehicles exist for various uses. For example, riding grass mowers having what is called zero turn radius have existed for some time, but these mowers are not designed for carrying and dumping loads of material like mulch, rock, dirt, hay bales, tools and other similar materials and articles.
Other small utility vehicles, some powered, are know for specific purposes. For example single wheeled wheelbarrows are known, but still require manual lifting for movement and dumping. U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,043 discloses a powered wheelbarrow having a single wheel up front being powered by an internal combustion engine drive and two handles for steering and dumping. An attached two wheeled seat and foot rest is connected to the rear of the wheelbarrow and has 2 un-driven wheels for the operator to ride on. The wheelbarrow is dumped with manual labor of the operator, thus undesirably limiting the hauling capacity to that which the operator can manually using the handles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,264 discloses a powered front dumping vehicle or buggy that can be operated by the operator walking behind, standing on a rear platform or sitting on a seat mounted on the rear platform. This powered dumpster has spaced apart dual wheels at the front with a single swivel wheel at the rear. It is powered with an internal combustion engine driving a hydraulic pump, and using a hoisting cylinder and control valve the hopper is dumped. The drive comprises control valves and a hydraulic motor on each wheel driving the front dual wheels. The powered dumpster is steered with a handle or a steering wheel that moves the swivel wheel in the rear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,218 discloses a motorized wheelbarrow having a front mounted internal combustion engine driving two spaced apart front wheels via belts and a manual operated belt tightener. The rear of the wheelbarrow is supported by two spaced apart swivel castor wheels in the rear. A handle like a lawn mower handle is mounted at the rear with the belt tightener or gear changing lever and a throttle. The wheelbarrow is steered by an operator using the handle and rear castor wheels, and the operator must manually dump the loaded wheelbarrow.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,648 discloses a motorized dumpster supported on spaced apart pairs of dual wheels at the front of the frame and a pair of closely spaced steerable wheels near the rear center of the frame. The motorized dumpster can be operated by walking behind or by folding down a platform at the rear and riding standing up. The motorized dumpster has a handlebar control at the rear of the vehicle. The handlebar has twist grips and one of the twist grips causes the motorized dumpster to move forward when twisted in one direction and backward in when twisted from neutral in the opposite direction. While individual hydraulic motors drive the front two wheel sets in forward, neutral and reverse, both wheel sets are driven at the same speed—steering is accomplished by turning the rear wheels with the handle bar. The motor also generates electricity that is stored in an AC charge coil and run through an AC/DC converter to two solenoids that activate and deactivate a hydraulic cylinder for dumping the bucket.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,293,627 and 6,578,924 disclose a front dumping motorized dumpster having a dump container and two spaced apart driven front wheels and at least one optionally driven, pivoting and centrally located rear wheel steered using a handle bar. The dump container is pivotally mounted on the front of the frame of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,667 discloses a typical Bobcat® equipped to accept numerous implements on the front end. It is steered by skidding, i.e. locking both wheels on one side while allowing the two wheels on the opposite side to drive, by steering all four wheels or by driving one wheel in an opposite direction as the opposing wheel. The drive system is not disclosed in detail. None of the wheels are swivel castor wheels.
Published Patent Application 20050196261 discloses a powered utility vehicle small enough to operate in confined spaces and that minimizes damage to landscape while providing such tasks as hauling and dumping. The vehicle comprises a frame, a motor, a drive train, a bed or box for supporting or containing a load, and a box dumping mechanism. It is stated that the track type drive system can be replaced with wheels and that known drive trains and drive systems can be used, but none are described in detail.


Disclosed are a programmable, random logic device array, and a method of forming such a device. The device comprises a substrate, and a semiconductor layer above the substrate. That semiconductor layer, in turn, includes a first region of a first semiconductor type, an array of spaced apart second regions of a second semiconductor type, and a plurality of space-charge regions. Each of the space charge regions extends around a respective one of the second regions and separates that one of the second regions from the first region of the semiconductor layer. The programmable, random, logic device array further comprises first and second sets of contacts. The first set of contacts are in electrical contact with areas of said first region of the semiconductor layer, and the second set of contacts are in electrical contact with the second regions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to integrated circuits. More specifically, the invention relates to random logic integrated circuit devices, and to methods for making such circuits.
2. Background Art
Integrated circuits are an essential part of digital systems, such as computers. One challenge to the manufacturers of such circuits is to provide each customer with a circuit that is or can be tailored to the specific needs of that customer.
There are several ways to address this challenge. One way is to provide circuits that are programmable or have random logic. Logic can be designed and fixed, as in a gate array (GA) device, so that earlier, or "front end" (FE), process steps used in the manufacture of the circuits are quite generic, in particular, with respect to implantation and contact. Personalization of the devices can be entirely or substantially accomplished in the later, or "back end" (BE), metalization steps used in the manufacture of the circuit.
Further, logic can be re-programmed, as in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Alternatively, the logic can be defined real-time, yielding a dynamically reconfigurable/random logic device.
While various ways are known to provide random logic, they tend to require relatively complex designs and manufacturing processes.

Programmable random logic arrays using PN isolation

International Business Machines Corporation


A distributed computer system that enables end users to evaluate a broker's trade settlement performance by market and across multiple markets in terms of how many of the broker's trades failed. Trades are defined as having failed when the actual settle date exceeds the date on which the trade should have settled. The system analyzes trade settlement statistics about each broker within the context of a selected broker peer group, and ranks and compares a broker's settlement performance relative to the peer group. The system also ranks the brokers based on a set of metrics relative to the selected peer group. A broker's peer group is defined in terms of the broker's relative size within the trade universe as determined by trade count.

Financial trading transactions typically involve two or more parties exchanging a financial instrument, such as a security, in exchange for value. After the parties agree to enter into the transaction, they make arrangements to settle the transaction, i.e., to actually effectuate the transfer of the securities to the buyer. The post-trade settlement process may also include independent third parties such as escrow agents and custodians, who hold the property or payment of one party in anticipation of the future transfer of securities. However, there is always a risk to the parties that the transaction may never actually settle.
In the global securities market, the risk of settlement failure is increased by the complexity of the transactions. For example, an orderer, who is either a buyer or a seller, will issue a trade instruction to his broker/dealer who executes the trade and sends a notice of execution back to the orderer. The orderer then transmits the trade details and allocations to his broker/dealer who either accepts or rejects the trade details and allocations and transmits an acceptance or rejection back to the orderer. If the trade details and allocations are accepted, the broker/dealer provides additional information related to the trade and transmits a trade confirmation to the orderer. The orderer must then validate the information included in the trade confirmation and respond with an affirmation—representing the formation of a legally binding contract for the transaction. Both the orderer and the broker/dealer then transmit the trade to their respective settling agents who must arrange for the instructed exchange of funds and securities on the settlement date.
The number of parties and exchanges involved complicates the post-trade process, lengthening settlement times and consequently increasing the risk to parties of settlement failure. To minimize this risk, markets worldwide have attempted to standardize a deadline for completion of the settlement procedures to within a set number of days of the trade date. In the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission, which regulates transactions involving the transfer of securities and the exchanges that operate the markets where securities are traded, has mandated that U.S. securities must be settled within three days of the trade date. Transactions that are not settled within this time frame result in settlement failure and represent a significant risk to both brokers and traders.
There are known systems in the art that enable parties to evaluate the performance of their brokers in the post-trade settlement process. For example, WO 01/75730 A2 to Skuriat describes a system in which the performance of brokers in the post-trade settlement process is evaluated based on how much time it takes the broker to complete each step in the post-trade process. The longer the amount of time taken by the broker, the lower his ranking in the Skuriat system.
There is, however, no system currently available that tracks the settlement fail rate of brokers or that evaluates brokers in terms of their ability to settle trades within the time frame required by the market.

System and method for trade settlement tracking and relative ranking


In one embodiment, a method for making a pillow comprises cutting at least one piece of fabric to form a pair of skins that each comprise a midsection and two arm sections. The two skins are sewn together near their outer edges except for a portion of the mid section to form a shell defining and interior and having a middle region with an opening into the interior and two opposing arms extending from the middle region to form a well region. A fill material is blown into the interior of the shell until the pillow has a firmness defined by an IFD of at least about 20 Newtons with 25% deflection, and the opening in the middle region is closed.

This invention relates generally to the field of pillows. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for making pillows.
Pillows have a wide variety of uses. For example, pillows are used almost universally when sleeping to support the head. However, pillows may have a variety of other uses. For example, pillows may be used to support a baby, to provide back support or to hold an object in front of a person. For instance, nursing pillows may be used to support a nursing baby. One example of a pillow that may be used for such applications is the Boppy® support pillow, commercially available from The Boppy Company. Examples of such pillows are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,134 and 5,661,861, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Pillows may be manufactured in a variety of ways and using a variety of materials. For instance, some manufacturers use small poly beads as a fill material. However, consumer safety groups discourage such materials for use with infants because the resulting pillow can easily conform to the baby's face. A safer approach is to use densely packed fibers to provide a firm pillow. One technique for filling pillows with fibers is by hand. However, this process can be expensive and can create bumps in the pillow.

Method for manufacturing support pillows


Presented is a method of displaying a web page advertisement on a computing device. A web page advertisement is segregated from content on the web page during a web browsing session. The web page advertisement is then cached on the computing device for display at a time later to the web browsing session.

Enterprises are always competing with each other to sell their products and services. Advertisements play a key role in a company's efforts to reach out to its present or potential customers. With growing popularity of the internet among the people and especially the younger generation, marketers have been quick to realize the potential of the Web to advertise the offerings of their firms or clients. As a result, it has become quite common for a web page to carry an advertisement these days, and web sites monetize this opportunity by charging their advertisers.
The idea of a web site having an advertisement although beneficial for a company may not always be favorable from the perspective of a user, who might be more interested in the information on a web page. Large advertisement file sizes, such as those employing animation and other graphic programs, along with low bandwidth speed may impact a user's experience with the Web. The problem could be further compounded in a mobile environment. Thus, apart from having an unpleasant web experience, it may also lead to a user having a negative impression related to the company or product in the advertisement.

Method and system for displaying a cached web page advertisement after the completion of a browsing session

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Disclosed is a heat treating method for heating a target substrate by means of light irradiation, in which light irradiation treatment is applied to the target substrate such that the light irradiation regions of the target substrate do not overlap with each other, the light irradiation treatment being performed by using an irradiating light adjusted such that the distribution of the light intensity within the light irradiation region of the target substrate is rendered uniform.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 11-267654, filed Sep. 21, 1999; and No. 11-273213, filed Sep. 27, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a heat treating method and a heat treating apparatus.
In the manufacture of a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal device, the nonuniformity in the temperature of resist or a base substrate in heating or cooling a target substrate to be processed is reflected on the nonuniformity in the size of the pattern. Thus, with miniaturization of the pattern, the temperature control of a higher precision is required.
For example, in a post exposure baking (PEB), which is one of the manufacturing steps of a photomask, the uniformity of the temperature within a plane of a photo mask blank is very important. It was customary in the past to employ a heating method using a heater in the PEB.
However, the following problem is generated in the heater heating system. Specifically, in the normal state, a good temperature uniformity is exhibited within a plane of a photo mask blank. However, in the transition period during which the photo mask blank is being heated, a temperature distribution is derived within a plane of the photo mask blank from the low heat conductivity and the large heat capacity of the quartz substrate, giving rise to a problem that the uniformity in the pattern size within the plane of the photo mask blank is made poor.
In view of the problem noted above, a lamp heating system is being studied. However, the following problem is generated in the case of the conventional lamp heating system. Specifically, in the lamp heating system, the uniformity of illuminance is poor within a lamp irradiating region, giving rise to a temperature drop in the boundary region between adjacent lamp irradiating regions. As a result, a temperature distribution is generated in the photo resist.
Also, in the lamp heating system, it is possible to heat selectively a target thin film to be heated such as resist or a light shielding film by selecting appropriately the wavelength of the light emitted from the lamp. However, since the target thin film is heated selectively, a large temperature difference is generated between the target thin film and the quartz substrate, making it difficult to perform the temperature control with a high accuracy.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a heat treating method and a heat treating apparatus capable of making uniform the light intensity distribution caused by the light irradiation and also capable of making uniform the temperature distribution of a target substrate to be heated.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a heat treating method and a heat treating apparatus capable of performing the temperature control with a high accuracy.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treating method for heating a target substrate by means of light irradiation, wherein a light irradiation treatment is applied a plurality of times to the target substrate such that the adjacent light irradiating regions of the target substrate are allowed to partially overlap each other and that the light irradiating periods of the adjacent light irradiating regions do not overlap with each other.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is desirable for the light irradiation treatment that is applied a plurality of times to the target substrate to be performed by changing the light irradiating regions by a predetermined order such that the adjacent light irradiating regions are allowed to partially overlap with each other.
In the first aspect of the present invention, it is desirable for the light irradiation treatment that is applied a plurality of times to the target substrate to be performed by a plurality of irradiating light generating sections arranged to conform with the light irradiating regions and arranged such that the adjacent light irradiating regions are allowed to partially overlap with each other.
In general, the light intensity in the peripheral portion of the light irradiating region is lower than that in the central portion. According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to increase the light intensity in the peripheral portion (overlapping region) of the light irradiating regions so as to make the light intensity distribution uniform over the entire region of the substrate. Also, since the irradiating periods are not overlapped, the succeeding light irradiation can be performed after the temperature of the light irradiated region is lowered sufficiently. Where the light irradiating periods are allowed to overlap with each other, it is necessary to carry out a complex control in view of the effect of the heat from the adjacent light irradiating region. In the present invention, however, it is possible to suppress the effect of the heat from the adjacent light irradiating region, leading to a simple temperature control so as to make it possible to render easily the light intensity distribution uniform. It follows that, where the present invention is applied to the baking of, for example, a photo resist film, the distribution of energy imparted to the photo resist film can be made uniform, making it possible to pattern the photo resist film with a high accuracy.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treating method for heating a target substrate by irradiation with light, wherein a light irradiation treatment is applied to the target substrate such that the light irradiating regions of the target substrate do not overlap with each other, the light irradiation treatment being performed by using an irradiating light adjusted such that the distribution of the light intensity within the light irradiating region of the target substrate is rendered uniform.
In the second aspect of the present invention, it is desirable for the light irradiation treatment applied to the target substrate to be performed by changing the light irradiating regions by a predetermined order such that the light irradiating regions do not overlap with each other.
In the second aspect of the present invention, it is desirable for the light irradiation treatment applied to the target substrate to be performed by using a plurality of irradiating light generating sections arranged to conform with the light irradiating regions and arranged such that the light irradiating regions do not overlap with each other.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, used is an irradiating light adjusted to permit the light intensity distribution to be uniform and the light irradiating regions do not overlap with each other, making it possible to render the light intensity distribution uniform over the entire substrate. Also, the energy imparted to the substrate can be made uniform over the entire region of the substrate.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treating apparatus for heating a target substrate by means of light irradiation, comprising a substrate support section for supporting the target substrate, an irradiating light generating section for irradiating the light irradiating regions of the target substrate supported by the substrate support section, and a light irradiating region changing section for changing the light irradiating regions of the target substrate irradiated with the light generated from the irradiating light generating section.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treating apparatus for heating a target substrate by means of light irradiation, comprising a substrate support section for supporting the target substrate, a plurality of irradiating light generating sections arranged to conform with the light irradiating regions of the target substrate supported by the substrate support section and arranged such that the light irradiating regions do not overlap with each other, the irradiating light generating section generating an irradiating light adjusted to permit the light intensity distribution to be uniform within the light irradiating region of the target substrate.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treating method for heating a target substrate consisting of a base substrate and a thin film formed on the base substrate by a heating section, comprising the steps of detecting temperature information relating to temperature T1 of the thin film and temperature T2 of the base substrate, and controlling the heating section on the basis of temperature T1 of the thin film, temperature T2 of the base substrate, which are obtained from the temperature information, and a target temperature Ts at which the thin film is to arrive.
Where a thin film formed on a base substrate is selectively heated, a large temperature difference tends to be generated between the thin film and the base substrate. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the heating section is controlled in view of the temperature T2 of the base substrate in addition to the target temperature Ts and the temperature T1 of the thin film, with the result that the temperature control can be performed with a high accuracy even if there is a large temperature difference between the thin film and the base substrate.
In the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is desirable for a plurality of heating periods to be different from each other in the control characteristics of the heating section. Since the plural heating periods are made different from each other in the control characteristics, it is possible to perform the temperature control more accurately with the hunting suppressed.
Also, it is desirable for the control characteristics to be represented by a function including the temperature T1 of the thin film and the temperature T2 of the base substrate in at least one heating period.
Also, it is desirable for the control characteristics to be made different at time ta when, or before, the temperature T1 of the thin film arrives at the target temperature Ts.
Also, it is desirable to determine the time ta by estimating the time when the temperature T1 of the thin film will arrive at the target temperature TS of the thin film on the basis of the temperature T1 of the thin film and the elevation rate of the temperature T1 and by utilizing the result of the estimation.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat treating apparatus for heating a target substrate consisting of a base substrate and a thin film formed on the base substrate, comprising a heating section for heating the target substrate, a temperature detecting section for detecting temperature information relating to temperature T1 of the thin film and temperature T2 of the base substrate, and a control section for controlling the heating section on the basis of the temperature T1 of the thin film, the temperature T2 of the base substrate, which are obtained from the temperature information detected by the temperature detecting section, and a target temperature TS at which the thin film is to arrive.
In the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is desirable for the temperature detecting section to have construction (1) or (2) given below:
(1) It is desirable for the temperature detecting section to have a first detecting section and a second detecting section each arranged on the side of that surface of the base substrate on which the thin film is formed, the first detecting section serving to detect a light having a wavelength Al that permits the temperature information of the thin film to be selectively obtained, and the second detecting section serving to detect a light having a wavelength B1 that permits the temperature information of at least the base substrate to be obtained. To be more specific, it is desirable for the first temperature detecting section to detect a light having a wavelength that is not transmitted through the thin film and for the second temperature detecting section to detect a light having a wavelength that is transmitted to some extent through the thin film and that is also transmitted to some extent through the base substrate.
(2) It is desirable for the temperature detecting section to have a first detecting section arranged on the side of a first surface of the base substrate on which the thin film is formed and a second detecting section arranged on the side of a second surface of the base substrate which is opposite to the first surface, the first detecting section serving to detect a light having a wavelength A2 that permits the temperature information of the thin film to be selectively obtained, and the second detecting section serving to detect a light having a wavelength B2 that permits the temperature information of at least the base substrate to be obtained. To be more specific, it is desirable for the first detecting section to detect a light having a wavelength that is not transmitted through the thin film, and for the second detecting section to detect a light of a wavelength that is transmitted to some extent through the base substrate.
The target substrate used in the present invention consists of, for example, a quartz substrate used as the base substrate and a photosensitive film such as a resist film and a light shielding film such as a chromium film used as the thin film.
In each of constructions (1) and (2) given above, the first temperature detecting section is arranged on the side of that surface of the base substrate on which the thin film is formed. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the temperature information of the thin film alone by setting the wavelength A1 or A2 to fall within an appropriate range. Also, in construction (1), the second temperature detecting section is arranged on the side of that surface of the base substrate on which the thin film is formed. Thus, it is possible to obtain the temperature information of the base substrate by setting the wavelength B1 to fall within an appropriate range, though the thin film is interposed between the second temperature detecting section and the base substrate. Also, in construction (2), the second temperature detecting section is arranged on the side of the second surface of the base substrate which is opposite to the first surface. Thus, the thin film is not interposed between the second temperature detecting section and the base substrate, making it possible to obtain the temperature information of the base substrate alone by setting the wavelength B2 to fall within an appropriate range.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Heat treating method and heat treating apparatus


Determining whether a call forward busy service is enabled on a telephone line includes placing a first test call across a network to the telephone line. First signaling data is received through the network in response to the first test call. The first signaling data is evaluated to determine whether the first test call is inspiring a ringing condition. A second test call is placed across the network conditioned on whether the first signaling data indicates that the first test call is determined to be inspiring a ringing condition. The second test call is placed while the first test call remains inspiring ringing. Second signaling data is received through the network in response to the second test call. A call forward busy service is concluded to be enabled on the telephone line based on whether the second test call is determined to be inspiring a ringing condition.

Optional telephone services are features implemented by a switch in a telephone network such as, for example, a DMS-100 or a SONUS Soft Switch. Optional telephone services may include call forward busy, call forward no answer, and call waiting. Optional telephone services are distinguished from voice services, which are services related to the exchange of voice communications that are not implemented by a switch in the telephone network but rather are implemented by other systems within or communicatively coupled to the telephone network. Voice services may include voicemail and call alerts.
Voice services typically use optional telephone services such as call forward busy and call forward no answer to redirect calls across the telephone network to systems implementing the voice services.

External detection of optional telephone services on a telephone line

AOL LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company


An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part is provided. The additive manufacturing system can include a mobile housing defining a front housing section and rear housing section; a photoreceptor drum defining a drum outer surface; a charging electrode positioned to apply electrostatic charge to the photoreceptor drum outer surface; a laterally stationary platform disposed outside the mobile housing adjacent the workpart and having at least one charged transfer electrode; a controller circuit for traversing the mobile housing about the workpart while selectively applying at least one laser diode emission onto the photoreceptor drum to expose a layer definition on the photoreceptor drum outer surface; front and rear microwave emitters disposed inside the mobile housing for fusing the respective metal print layers; and front and rear induction coils disposed inside the mobile housing for heating the workpart.

Additive manufacturing systems are used to build 3D parts from digital representations of the 3D parts (e.g., AMF and STL format files) using one or more additive manufacturing techniques. Examples of commercially available additive manufacturing techniques include extrusion-based techniques, ink jetting, selective laser sintering, powder/binder jetting, electron-beam melting, direct metal laser melting (DMLM), and stereolithographic processes. For each of these techniques, the digital representation of the 3D part is initially sliced into multiple horizontal (X-Y) layers. For each sliced layer, a tool path is then generated, which provides instructions for the particular additive manufacturing system to form the given layer.
Current powder bed DMLM machines are fraught with limitations, especially those preventing large-size scalable systems, the limitations including but not limited to speed, powder volume, trapped powder, and thermal stresses. Speed limitations include recoating and laser scan times that are too slow. Current processes are essentially 1-D (point melting) repeated in X-Y space and then repeated in Z space. Typical layers require 300 seconds of laser time followed by 10 seconds of recoat time. Powder volume limitations exist because every nook and cranny of the build cube must be filled with powder requiring large volumes of powder charges which must be dealt with during and after build. For large area builds, this powder charge could be thousands of pounds. Also, trapped powder limitations occur because closed volumes are impossible to build as the powder cannot be evacuated. The current requirement to evacuate powder also limits design freedom. And, current DMLM machines impose large thermal stresses on parts resulting from rapid build material solidification thereby creating geometrical distortions and sometimes cracking in the parent material. In addition, the entire platform must be stress relieved prior to cut-off which is difficult for large parts due to the heavy loads and size limitations of commonly accessible furnaces.
In two-dimensional (2D) printing, electrophotography (i.e., xerography) is a popular technology for creating 2D images on planar substrates, such as printing paper. Electrophotography systems include a conductive support drum coated with a photoconductive material layer, where latent electrostatic images are formed by charging and then image-wise exposing the photoconductive layer by an optical source. The latent electrostatic images are then moved to a developing station where toner is applied to charged areas of the photoconductive insulator to form visible images. The formed toner images are then transferred to substrates (e.g., printing paper) and affixed to the substrates with heat or pressure.
However, a need exists for improved printing techniques for 3D printing, particularly with metal build materials.

Direct metal electrophotography additive manufacturing machine


The present invention relates to aqueous oilfield treatment fluids containing a gas component and fibers, wherein the fluids may further include a viscosifying agent and/or proppant. The fluids have good proppant suspension and transport properties as well as excellent gas phase stability. Use of fluids comprising an aqueous medium, a gas component, viscosifying agent, and fibers for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, cleanup operations, and gravel packing a wellbore, are also disclosed.

This invention relates to fluids used in treating a subterranean formation. In particular, the invention is oilfield treatment fluids containing a gas component and fibers, and uses thereof.
Various types of fluids are used in operations related to the development, completion, and production of natural hydrocarbon reservoirs. The operations include fracturing subterranean formations, modifying the permeability of subterranean formations, or sand control. The oilfield stimulation fluids employed in these operations are known as drilling fluids, completion fluids, work over fluids, packer fluids, fracturing fluids, drilling fluids, conformance or permeability control fluids, and the like.
Fluid technologies incorporating a gas component to form a foam or energized fluid are commonly used as oilfield treatment fluids. For example, some viscoelastic fluids used as fracturing fluids contain a gas such as air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide to provide an energized fluid or foam. Other common uses of foams or energized fluids include wellbore cleanout, gravel packing, acid diversion, fluid loss control, and the like.
Foam or energized fluids are stable mixtures of a gas phase and liquid phase. It is generally believed that a surfactant stabilizes the thin liquid films that form the surface of foam cells, thus reducing coalescence. The foam or energized fluids expand and flow back from the well and force the fluid out of the fracture, consequently ensuring an improved clean-up.
Foam and energized fracturing fluids are generally described by their foam quality, i.e. the ratio of gas volume to the foam volume. If the foam quality is between 52% and 95%, the fluid is conventionally called foam, and below 52%, an energized fluid. In the present patent application, the term "energized fluid" is used however to describe any stable mixture of gas and liquid, notwithstanding the foam quality value.
Hydraulic fracturing is a stimulation treatment routinely performed on oil, gas and other wells to increase fluid production from reservoirs. Specially engineered fluids, including energized fluids viscosified with viscoelastic surfactants or even polysaccharide derivatives (i.e. guar), are often pumped at high pressure and rate into the reservoir interval to be treated, causing a fracture to open. Proppant, such as ceramic beads or grains of sand of a particular size, is slurried with the treatment fluid (usually therefore called a carrier fluid) to keep the fracture open when the treatment is complete. Hydraulic fracturing creates high-conductivity communication with a large area of a formation and bypasses any damage that may exist in the near-wellbore area. It is therefore important for the treatment fluid to have viscosity properties sufficient to suspend and carry the proppant into the fracture zone. In some cases, however, depending upon specific subterranean formation conditions or job designs, energized fluids may not have high enough viscosity to achieve optimum proppant transportation and suspension, thereby resulting in poor proppant placement. Increased levels of viscosifying agent, or surfactants, or higher foam quality may be required to achieve adequate proppant placement, leading to increased resource and material requirements.
Foam or gas phase stability is important when using energized fluids for oilfield treatments. It is generally known that stability is improved by increasing the viscosity of the liquid phase, thus making the gas bubbles more difficult to move together and subsequently coalesce. Adding more viscosifying agent is a common method to help stabilize an energized fluid. Unfortunately, this approach also leads to the need for increased levels of viscosifying agent, and can cause increased polymer damage to the formation.
Therefore, the need exists for energized fluids for oilfield treatment with significant stability, excellent proppant transport and suspension capability, as well as providing improved cleanup properties. A fluid that can achieve the above would be highly desirable, and the need is met at least in part by the following invention.

Fiber laden energized fluids and methods of use thereof


A pumpable backfill grout which hardens into a controlled low strength material and an additive for making up such a backfill grout. The grout consists essentially of portland cement, a smooth surfaced vesicular expanded perlite, fly ash, fine aggregate, water, an air entraining agent, a quick dispersing thixiotropic suspending agent and a bentonite thickening agent.

This invention relates to low strength concrete compositions to be used as back fill grouts. These compositions are capable of solidifying into inexpensive, low strength materials for back filling excavations where it is desirable to avoid subsidence of the back filled materials subsequent to the back filling operation. They are pumpable with sufficient viscosity to remain free of settling out or separation of components during pumping, and are of low enough viscosity to take advantage of the void-filling capability of the grout.
As is known in the art, an admixture is a material other than hydraulic cement, water, fiber reinforcement or aggregates which is used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar and is added to the batch immediately before or during its mixing or use. Admixtures are used to modify the properties of concrete or grout in such a way as to make it more suitable for a particular purpose or for economy. Using an admixture should allow the employment of less expensive construction methods or designs or achieve new results and thereby offset the costs of the admixture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,790 discloses additional information regarding admixtures generally, and is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention concerns the use of an admixture for increasing the viscosity of a cementitious grout or blend containing a high proportion of aggregate and a very low proportion of cement which, without the admixture, would be of very limited use due to the settling of the aggregate from the mixture.
One material commonly used to fill cavities is referred to as CLSM, Controlled Low Strength Material. This material can be discharged from the chute of a ready mix truck directly into the cavity to be filled, whereupon the material will set into a low strength concrete useful for filling cavities resulting from excavation operations. When such a cavity is inaccessible by truck or where it is necessary for the material to flow or be pumped over some distance to its final destination, CLSM material presents difficulties and generally can not be used due to separation and settling out of the aggregate contained in such mixtures.