According to one embodiment, an over-voltage prevention device includes a first short-circuit device provided between a secondary side of a wound-rotor induction machine and a frequency converter configured to excite the secondary side by a three-phase AC current and having a function of short-circuiting between phases of the three-phase AC current, resistors each connected between the first short-circuit device and the frequency converter for each phase, and second short-circuit devices connected respectively to the resistors in parallel and having a function of short-circuiting between the frequency converter and the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine.

In the configuration where the primary side of a wound-rotor induction machine is connected to the electric power system, and the secondary side is excited by an AC current with a slip frequency, such as a static Scherbius system or a super-synchronous Scherbius system, if the primary side of the wound-rotor induction machine becomes unbalanced, an inverse-phase current flows in, and a current with a frequency of 2f1±sf1 (where f1 is a frequency of the electric power system, and s is a slip) flows into the secondary side. If a DC current component flows into the primary side, a current of fr (rotation frequency of a rotor) flows into the secondary side.
However, it is difficult for a frequency converter which excites the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine by an AC current with the slip frequency to cause a current with a frequency of 2f1±sf1 or fr to flow into the secondary side. In this case, a power semiconductor element (e.g., GTO or IGBT) within the frequency converter cannot be turned on, and the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine is opened, thereby producing an abnormally high voltage. If a high voltage occurs in the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine, the dielectric breakdown may occur in the secondary winding and the frequency converter.
To solve the above problem, there is a method for protecting a secondary winding or a frequency converter from an over-voltage by directly short-circuiting the secondary winding or short-circuiting the secondary winding through a resistance to suppress the voltage to be nearly zero when an over-voltage occurs at the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a circuit structure including a secondary over-voltage prevention device of the conventional wound-rotor induction machines.
As shown in FIG. 4, a primary winding terminal of a wound-rotor induction machine 1 is connected to an electric power system 3 through a main transformer 2 and a power transmission line 4. A voltage of the primary winding terminal of a wound-rotor induction machine 1 is converted to a voltage equivalent to that of the electric power system 3 at the main transformer 2, and then supplied to the electric power system 3 through the power transmission line 4.
The secondary winding terminal of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 is connected, through a first short-circuit device 12, to a frequency converter 7 comprising, for example, a self-excited converter 5/inverter 6 connected to the main transformer 2.
At the frequency converter 7, a three-phase AC voltage is converted to a DC voltage by the converter 5, and the DC voltage is stored at the DC link capacitor 8. In addition, the DC voltage is then converted to a three-phase AC voltage corresponding to a slip frequency of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 by the inverter 6. The frequency converter 7 excites the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 by the three-phase AC voltage. The frequency converter 7 comprises a chopper 11 including a resistor 9 and a power semiconductor element 10 (e.g., GTO or IGBT) to protect an element forming the converter 5 or the inverter 6 from an over-voltage due to an increase of DC link voltage.
A first short-circuit device 12 is provided between the frequency converter 7 and the secondary winding terminal of the wound-rotor induction machine 1. The first short-circuit device 12 has a function of short-circuiting between phases of three-phase AC currents when an over-voltage is produced at the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine 1.
Next, the operation of the secondary over-voltage prevention device of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 having the aforementioned configuration will be explained with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 5.
It is assumed that a failure occurs in the electric power system 3 or the power transmission line 4 at the time t1, and the primary side of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 becomes unbalanced, and an AC current of 2f1±sf1 is produced at the secondary side due to the inverse phase component. In this case, the frequency converter 7 cannot tolerate the AC current, and the secondary winding of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 becomes momentarily opened, thereby producing an over-voltage. The over-voltage is rectified by a diode of the inverter 6 of the frequency converter 7, and the DC link capacitor 8 is recharged. Accordingly, the capacitor voltage increases.
If an over-voltage above a threshold is produced at the secondary winding of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 or the DC link capacitor 8, the chopper 11 and the short-circuit device 12 are activated at the time t2. In an actual case, the chopper 11 is activated first, and if the over-voltage is not eliminated after a predetermined time has elapsed, the first short-circuit device 12 is activated; however, the illustration is simplified so that the overall operation may be easily understood.
By the above operation, the first short-circuit device 12 performs three-phase short-circuiting to the secondary winding of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 and the output-side of the frequency converter 7.
Then, a short-circuit current flows between phases in the secondary side of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 through the first short-circuit device 12, and the short-circuit current decays in accordance with the time constant of the secondary winding of the wound-rotor induction machine 1.
Next, the short-circuiting of the first short-circuit device 12 is terminated at the time t3 in consideration of the time when the failure in the electric power system 3 or the power transmission line 4 is eliminated. Since the first short-circuit device 12 is formed of a thyristor with high current tolerance, the first short-circuit device 12 cannot be turned off unless the short-circuit current becomes zero. The frequency converter 7 is restarted to apply a voltage in the direction opposite to the short-circuit current flowing through the first short-circuit device 12 so that the current flowing through the first short-circuit device 12 becomes zero.
However, with the conventional systems, when an inverse voltage is applied to cause the current flowing through the first short-circuit device 12 to be zero, there may be a case where the short-circuit current that was flowing through the first short-circuit device 12 flows into the frequency converter 7 at the time t4, the DC link voltage increases again, and the chopper 11 and the first short-circuit device 12 are reactivated. As a result, the temperature in the resistor 9 of the chopper 11, the element 10 and the thyristor of the first short-circuit device 12 may increase, and they may be broken.
There is a possible way to avoid this by increasing the rated values of the chopper 11 or the first short-circuit device 12. However, this increases the cost or requires oversizing of the chopper 11 or the first short-circuit device 12.
In addition, since the current flowing through the first short-circuit device 12 decays in accordance with the time constant of the secondary winding of the wound-rotor induction machine 1, the time required for the current to become zero will increase by the order of a few seconds as the reactance of the wound-rotor induction machine 1 will increase. Accordingly, the time required for restarting will increase.
Under the above circumstances, it is desired to provide an over-voltage prevention device and a current-rectifying circuit, which are capable of recovering from a failure in the electric power system within a short time and ensuring continuous operation with a simple structure.

Over-voltage prevention device and current rectifying circuit


In one embodiment, a method performs, by at least a processor, a computer networking function as controlled, at least in part, by a configuration for a networking device. Source commands are received to establish the configuration, wherein the source commands are written in a source command language. The source commands are translated from the source command language to target commands written in a target command language, wherein the translation is based, at least in part, on a function to function translation model. The configuration is then established by executing at least the target commands.

A network switch is a computer networking device that connects network segments. When operating at the data link layer (L2) of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model, the switch may be referred to as a bridge. When operating at the network layer (L3), the switch may be referred to as an L3 switch. When operating at multiple layers, the switch may be referred to as a multi-layer switch.
Conventional multi-layer switches typically are configured in response to commands provided using a command line interface (CLI). The commands are typically written in a command language. Different switch manufacturers may have different command languages. The different command languages may have their own syntax and semantics. Additionally, different switch users may have different command languages with different syntax and semantics. The different languages, syntaxes, and semantics may not be instantly, automatically, and correctly interchangeable.
Providing per user syntax and semantics is difficult, complex, and costly. Therefore attempts have been made to automate translating commands between command languages used by different command line interfaces. When two command languages are functionally equivalent but only differ syntactically, then automated processes may provide adequate translation results. However, when two command languages are not functionally equivalent, then conventional automated source to source translators may not provide adequate translation results. By way of illustration, a source language may include commands that when executed place a network switch in a state that cannot be produced by commands in a target language. Conventionally, either an incorrect translation or an error message would be generated, both of which may leave a user unsatisfied and/or wondering what to do next.
The foregoing statements are not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is prior art with respect to this disclosure. Rather, these statements serve to present a general discussion of technology and associated issues in the technology.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Model driven command language translator


A connecting structure, as well as a loudspeaker and an electronic apparatus having the connecting structure are disclosed. The connecting structure includes a snap ring and a connecting post. The snap ring is provided with a notch having a width greater than an inner diameter of the snap ring and an inner wall of the snap ring is provided with a supporting arm. The connecting post includes a post body and a post head located at one end of the post body, an outer diameter of the post head is greater than an outer diameter of the post body, and the post body is provided with a snap-fitting slot. The post body can pass through the notch of the snap ring to be snap-fitted in the snap ring, and the supporting arm can be snap-fitted in the snap-fitting slot of the connecting post.

In an electronic apparatus, it usually needs to connect two devices with each other. By taking a connection between a loudspeaker and a sound box as an example, currently, the loudspeaker is commonly fixed at the sound box by using a threaded element such as a screw and a bolt.

Connecting structure, loudspeaker and electronic apparatus having the connecting structure


An image distribution apparatus which is connected to multiple display apparatuses and which includes a distribution unit which distributes an image displayed in the display apparatuses is disclosed. The image distribution apparatus includes a specifying unit which designates an area of the image, wherein the distribution unit distributes information indicating an area designated by the specifying unit.

In recent years, there has been known a technique which makes it possible to mutually share not only a video of a counterparty, but also a desktop screen of a terminal or a screen of an application in a remote communications system such as a teleconferencing system, a web conferencing system, etc., which use a network.
Moreover, when a part of an image is specified in a server which shares a screen, an image whose position/size is the same as that of the specified part is displayed on a screen of a client terminal (Patent document 1).
On the other hand, with respect to a terminal which uses the remote communications system, diversification is in progress, such as a PC which is reduced in size and weight (for example, a Netbook), a tablet terminal, a smartphone, etc.
In the web conferencing system, which is one of the remote communications systems, it is a common usage form that, while sharing a screen of presentation material, a presenter makes an explanation along the material to conference participants.
In the web conferencing, from a display capability of a screen sharing server which shares a screen with other client terminals, that of a client terminal in which a shared screen is displayed may differ. Therefore, when an image size of original image data which is shared from the server side exceeds the number of pixels displayable on the client terminal side, for example, in a screen of the client terminal, a part of an image is chipped off, so that it cannot be displayed. Moreover, when the screen of the client terminal is small, for example, a letter displayed on the screen becomes too small, so that it is difficult to see contents of shared material.
In Patent document 1, with an operation of a user of a server (a presenter), a screen whose position and size is the same as a screen on which the part of the image specified on the server side is displayed on the client side.
However, it is common for the web conferencing to be conducted remotely, so that it is not realistic for the presenter to check display capabilities of screens of multiple client terminals and perform screen displaying for each terminal in accordance with a display capability of a screen on the counterparty side, causing material to be shared difficult to see depending on the display capability of the screen on the counterparty side.
Patent document 1: JP2006-172193A

Image distribution apparatus, display apparatus, and image distribution system


Flux density in the air gap of an electrical machine is increased by varying the cross sectional area of conductors wound on the stator. Conductors of smaller cross sectional area are located within the air gap and conductors of larger cross sectional area are located outside the air gap. Because the smaller conductor allows the air gap to be reduced, air gap flux density is increased.

This invention relates in general to electrical machines and in particular to a ring wound stator of a permanent magnet machine.
The most important dimension for a permanent magnet electrical machine is the magnetic air gap between the surface of the rotor's magnet and the inner diameter of the stator's flux collector ring. An increase of flux density in the magnetic air gap will improve the operating performance of the machine, and it can result in a smaller, lighter machine. The higher flux density causes a greater torque reaction when the machine is operated as a motor, and it results in higher output rating when the machine is operated as a generator.
Air gap flux density can be increased by utilizing permanent magnets with higher energy product in the rotor.

Ring wound stator having variable cross section conductors


A method is provided in one particular example and may include obtaining routing information for a natively supported Internet protocol of a first network that uses a first routing policy; identifying a route with a tunnel endpoint using the routing information, where the tunnel endpoint supports transitioning between a plurality of Internet protocols; generating tunnel information for the route; and sending the route and the tunnel information to a network element in a second network that uses a second routing policy.

The communications industry is rapidly changing to adjust to emerging technologies and ever increasing customer demand. This customer demand for new applications and increased performance of existing applications is driving communication networks and system providers to employ networks and systems having greater speed and capacity (e.g., greater bandwidth). In trying to achieve these goals, a common approach taken by many communications providers is to use packet switching technology. Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is widely deployed and used in local and wide area networks, including the Internet, to communicate information. Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is a version of the Internet Protocol that is designed to succeed IPv4. However, the headers of IPv4 and IPv6 are significantly different and, therefore, these protocols do not interoperate directly.

Transitioning between communication protocols between networks


A post anchor for anchoring a member to a post is disclosed. The post anchor comprises two segments: a drill end and a second end. The drill end is adapted to drill a hole in a post. A member is anchored to the post by attaching the member to the second end of the post anchor. The drill end is adapted to drill a hole in a post so that the post anchor is arranged in the hole without any axial play. An adhesive may be added to the hole to fill the spaces between the post and the drill end.

Post anchors are known in the prior art, for example from German Patent DE 36 34 266. In that document, a screw-in threaded rod is adhesively bonded in a corresponding drillhole in a post, a longitudinal groove being provided on the threaded rod so that the glue can accordingly be allowed to enter the drillhole between the threaded rod and the wall of the drillhole.
Another post anchor is shown in German Patent DE 199 12 815, in which a threaded spike is provided on a plate which can be placed against the underside of a post, this threaded spike penetrating the post during positioning of the post anchor. Provided on the opposite side of the post anchor is a sleeve with an internal thread so that an anchor bar can be subsequently screwed in outside of the post.
In all the posts disclosed in the prior art, even when the threaded rods are glued in, there is a problem in terms of the parallelism of the post anchor and post. This means that the post anchor does not usually have its center axis lying exactly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the post. This is an unwanted property of such a system and a disadvantage when assembling such post anchor systems on building sites.
In practice, the threaded rod and post of the present invention is therefore not, as in DE 199 12 815, put together on the building site. Instead, this takes place beforehand so that said parallelism can be achieved to the greatest possible degree under industrial production conditions.
Moreover, the connection of metal anchors in wooden posts usually leaves something to be desired in terms of the force required to extract the anchors, for example.


A carabiner holder comprises a carabiner retaining portion and an extension member attachment portion. The retaining portion is configured to releasably retain a carabiner and comprises a first member positioned to engage a first side of the carabiner adjacent a carabiner gate and a second member positioned to engage a second side of the carabiner opposite the first side. The first member and the second member are positioned opposite each other and separated by a first distance at rest. At least one of the first and second members is resiliently movable to allow the first and second members to be separate relative to each other by a second distance greater than the first distance when engaged with a carabiner. The extension member attachment portion is connected to the retaining portion and allows the holder to be attached to an extension member to extend the holder's reach.

This application relates to climbing, rescue and construction equipment, and in particular to an approach for releasably holding a carabiner or similar device, e.g., to extend a user's reach and allow the carabiner it to be secured to or removed from an object.
Carabiners, which are also referred to as snap links, are used in rock and alpine climbing, construction and industrial settings and rescue work as part of a safety system. In general, a carabiner resembles a link of a chain with a spring-biased movable portion or gate that, when opened, allows the carabiner to be passed though an opening in or around another object. Typically, the object is fixed, and the user's connection to that object is by way of a rope, sling or tether attached at one end to the user (usually by a harness) and at its other end to the carabiner (either as a fixed connection or running through the carabiner).
Such objects are selected based on the expectation that they will sustain or reduce the forces exerted on the user if he falls, thus limiting the user's injuries. In some cases, a suitable object is not within easy reach. For example, on many sport climbing routes, the first object is a bolt with a hanger secured to the rock face, but it is located out of arm's reach of most users. Conventional devices for holding a carabiner in an opened position and having an elongated handle for extending the user's reach are known, but these devices tend to be overly complicated in operation and not sufficiently rugged for use in typical conditions experienced in climbing, industrial and rescue situations.


A method for making a groove of a precise width in a substrate material. The groove may have any cross-sectional shape. The groove is formed by initially etching the substrate material. The groove width is then measured. The measured groove width is compared to the desired groove width. Oxide is grown on the substrate in the region of the groove to adjust the width of the groove. The oxide may or may not be grown with the original etchant mask left on the substrate. Depending on whether it is desired to increase or decrease the groove width, the oxide is or is not removed. The process for increasing or decreasing groove width may be repeated any number of times as necessary to achieve a proper groove width. A number of grooves may be formed using these processes. For many applications, the groove will be covered with a plate or other type of cap to define a channel as used in flow restrictors. Where groove width is difficult or impossible to measure, the cross-sectional area of the channel formed by capping a groove formed in a substrate may be varied by growing, then removing or leaving as appropriate, an oxide layer on the interior channel surfaces. The process is particularly useful for making reproducible flow restrictors in a silicon substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of flow channels and to the field of forming microminiature structures in an etchable substrate material. In particular, it relates to the formation of grooves in an etchable substrate material, the grooves being capped to form a flow channel.
2. Prior art
As shown in cross-section in FIG. 1A, a flow channel can be made by etching a groove 103 (often V-shaped) in a substrate material 101 (typically silicon) and covering that groove with a flat plate 102 (typically glass or silicon). Often, a plurality of such grooves 103 are constructed in parallel to form a flow restrictor. A cross-sectional view of such a flow restrictor is shown in FIG. 1B and a top view is shown in FIG. 1C. The top view shows clearly the restriction of flow from the chamber 104 through the grooves 103.
A covered V-shaped groove forms a flow channel with a triangular cross-sectional shape. Flow through such a triangular channel is a function of the fourth power of the effective diameter of the groove. The effective diameter is approximately equal to the diameter of the largest circle that can be inscribed within the triangular cross-section of the channel. Since the flow is so sensitive to the magnitude of the effective diameter, small changes in the width 105 of the groove result in large differences in flow rate through the groove for a given pressure drop. Thus, it is important to be able to manufacture grooves so that the width of the groove has a small tolerance.
The shape of a V-groove etched in silicon is determined by the orientation of the crystal planes in the silicon. It might seem, then, that the magnitude of the width of the groove is set by the crystal planes, thus enabling easy repeatability in the manufacture of grooves of a given width and tolerance. In practice, however, the width of a V-groove is dependent on many parameters such as lithography and mask tolerances, orientation of the silicon material, undercutting of the etch mask, and anisotropy of the silicon etchants. The combination of these variables can account for errors of up to approximately 5% (between 1 and 5 micrometers depending on the size of the V-groove) in the width of a groove.
Medical infusion devices are a typical application for the flow restrictor channels described above. A commercially useful flow rate for such devices is about 0.5 ml/hr. This flow rate is produced by, for example, a flow restrictor channel with a width of 23 micrometers, a length of 200 micrometers, and a differential pressure of 7.5 psi. A change of 1 micrometer (4.3%) in groove width, as may easily result due to the factors discussed above, results in a flow change of about 17%, greater than can be tolerated in a commercial device. A variation of .+-.5% in flow rate is desirable for these devices. In order to stay within this flow rate tolerance, the width of the groove needs to be controlled to within .+-.1.2% (approximately .+-.0.28 micrometers for a groove width of 23 micrometers).
The ability to control the width of a groove to a maximum error of 0.28 micrometers is very difficult using current methods. In particular, it is difficult to purchase silicon wafers with a flat which is aligned with sufficient accuracy to the 110 crystal direction along which the V-grooves will be aligned. For a given etch time, wafers having flats which are misaligned by more than 0.2.degree. will yield significant increases in groove width during the anisotropic silicon etch as compared to wafers with perfectly aligned flats.
Thus, there is a need for the ability to form grooves in a substrate material with greater accuracy than is currently possible. In particular, it is desirable to be able to adjust the width of the groove after it has initially been formed by etching.


A portable video game table comprising: a table surface with an underside; at least one spring-loaded floor leg rotatably attached to the underside; at least one spring-loaded sofa leg rotatably attached to the underside; a floor leg locking mechanism located on the at least one spring-loaded floor leg; a sofa leg locking mechanism located on the at least one spring-loaded sofa leg; where the table is configured such that the portable video game table can change to and from a folded configuration and a ready-for-use extended configuration.

Today video and computer games are commonly played by many children and adults. In many game systems a conventional television receiver displays an image generated by the computerized game system. Various types of manual controllers including joy sticks, arcade sticks, and steering wheels may be connected to the game system and used to control the video game. Many households do not have a permanent game table or other suitable table in the room with their television receiver or video monitor, therefore the option of placing the game controller on a table is not available. For aesthetic reasons many households do not want to have a permanent game table in the room with their television receiver or video monitor.
Without a table on which to rest the controller, players frequently position the controller on the floor or in the player's lap, which can make it difficult to play the video game. The problem is exaggerated when the controller is a steering wheel type such as those typically used in race car type video games. Holding the steering wheel controller in the lap may be uncomfortable and may be unstable. Positioning the steering wheel on the floor may also be uncomfortable because it requires the player to bend over the wheel in an uncomfortable position while playing the video game.
Thus there is a need for a portable table capable of being used with an existing seating device and/or on the floor.


A warhead including a hit-to-kill vehicle and a hub about the hit-to-kill vehicle including, packaged therein, a net and a plurality of rods held in a spaced relationship by the net for destroying a target when the net is deployed in the vicinity of the target in case the hit-to-kill vehicle misses the target.

Destroying missiles, aircraft, re-entry vehicles and other targets falls into three primary classifications: "hit-to-kill" vehicles, blast fragmentation warheads, and kinetic energy rod warheads. Blast fragmentation and kinetic energy rod warheads are kill enhancement devices that are carried along on the "hit-to-kill" vehicle.
"Hit-to-kill" vehicles are typically launched into a position proximate a re-entry vehicle or other target via a missile such as the NMD System, THAAD, SM3, Trident or MX missile. The kill vehicle is navigable and designed to directly strike the re-entry vehicle to render it inoperable. Countermeasures, however, can be used to avoid the "hit-to-kill" vehicle. Moreover, nuclear or biological warfare bomblets and chemical warfare submunition payloads are carried by some targets threats. If the nuclear payload or more then one of these bomblets or chemical submunition payloads can survive, they would cause heavy casualties even if the "hit-to-kill" vehicle accurately strikes the target.
Blast fragmentation type warheads are designed to be carried by existing missiles. Blast fragmentation type warheads, unlike "hit-to-kill" vehicles, are not navigable. Instead, when the missile carrier reaches a position close to an enemy missile or other target, a pre-made band of metal on the warhead is detonated and the pieces of metal are accelerated with high velocity and strike the target. The fragments, however, are not always effective at destroying the nuclear target and, again, fall out, radiation, biological bomblets and/or chemical submunition payloads survive and cause heavy casualties. Also, a blast fragmentation warhead requires a fuse detection device that must be very accurate. Those types of accuracies in outer space are very difficult to achieve. Other warheads concepts need to be developed.
The textbooks by the inventor hereof, R. Lloyd, "Conventional Warhead Systems Physics and Engineering Design," Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA) Book Series, Vol. 179, ISBN 1-56347-255-4, 1998, and "Physics of Direct Hit and Near Miss Warhead Technology", Volume 194, ISBN 1-56347-473-5, incorporated herein by this reference, provide additional details concerning "hit-to-kill" vehicles and blast fragmentation type warheads. Chapter 5 and Chapter 3 of these textbooks propose a kinetic energy rod warhead.
The primary components associated with theoretical kinetic energy rod warhead include a hull, a projectile core or bay in the hull including a number of individual lengthy cylindrical rods or projectiles, and an explosive charge in the hull about the projectile bay. When the explosive charge is detonated, the projectiles are deployed.
Two primary advantages of a kinetic energy rod warhead is that 1) it does not rely on precise navigation as is the case with "hit-to-kill" vehicles and 2) it provides better penetration than blast fragmentation type warheads. To date, however, kinetic energy rod warheads have not been widely accepted nor have they yet been fully deployed. Also, this concept requires a fuse to determine when to deploy the rods. Even though it does not need to be as accurate as the blast fragmentation warhead, it still must be incorporated into the vehicle.
Thus, those skilled in the art have endeavored to modify warheads such as the hit-to-kill vehicle to increase its lethality. Lockheed, for example, proposed a deployable fabric which surrounds the hit-to-kill vehicle and designed to impact a target in the case where the hit-to-kill vehicle does not directly strike and destroy the target. These concepts were only designed for a very small miss distance. Advanced countermeasure threats would defeat such a concept. And, with this design, it is possible for submunitions to escape destruction and thus the deployable fabric design did not gain wide acceptance. Also, the fabric does not penetrate thick payloads when compared to high density rods. The fabric concept is only required to slap the target with an impulse cause a delayed kill. Those types of kills are not accepted today and more lethal concepts are required.

Fixed deployed net for hit-to-kill vehicle


A spacing-sensing apparatus for use in a printing module of printer is disclosed. The spacing-sensing apparatus includes an oscillating device pivotally disposed on the frame of printing module, wherein the oscillating device has a swing body designed to be rotatably disposed on the lateral plate of the frame, and one end of the swing body is capable of making contact with the surface of a print media when the printing module descends to a predetermined distance from the printing module to the print media, allowing rotation of the other end thereof to trigger switch means for stopping the descending of printing module.

Large inkjet printers are well developed and known that the ejected inks under an appropriate curing process would appear highly desirable and afford a tough, durable image upon print media to which they are applied. This makes the large inkjet printers especially applicable to printing on various print media with different properties or thickness such as plastics packaging, conventional cellulosic substrates and synthetic polymeric substrates. Thus, large inkjet printers can make images more easily, more quickly and more inexpensively than the gravure printing system with a pre-processing taking much cost and times.
In the conventional large inkjet printer, print media receiving the printed image rests on a horizontally extending sliding table, which is situated below a movable carriage carrying a printing module. The printing module includes a plurality of ink containers and a plurality of ink cartridges in fluid communication with the containers, with each cartridge provided with a bottom nozzle to emit droplets of differently colored ink onto the print media. Thus, the inkjet printing module is controlled by a computer which is programmed to moved along a carriage track across the sliding table and energize nozzles of print heads as the printing module traverses across the print media. The ink droplets on the print media is then cured by curing devices, such as an ultraviolet irradiator device, to provide the desired final image.
Various print media of different characteristics (e.g., thickness and hardness) can be applied and printed by the large inkjet printer, and the altitude of printing module above the print media needs to be readjusted in accordance with characteristics of the print media, such that the distance between nozzles of print heads and the print media can remain in an optimum degree for printing. In the beginning of the printing reproduction operation, operators need to prepare proof printing which comprises adjusting the distance of the printing module to the print media and emitting ink droplets to a print media, before the actual reproduction operation, to adjust the printing module to a proper height and verify if the layout is as desired. However, the preparation of this proof will increase the production time and printing cost, and this may be economically disadvantageous when the printing media is an expensive material. On the other hand, this proof process may damage the nozzles when the printing module is over-lowered causing the nozzles to knock against the print media.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved large inkjet printer to preset the altitude of printing module above the print media to reduce cost and make a high throughput to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

Spacing-sensing apparatus for use in a printing module of printer


An optical tomographic imaging method according to one aspect of the present invention is a method of: splitting light emitted from a wavelength sweep light source into measuring light and reference light; radiating the measuring light onto a measuring subject; combining reflection light from the measuring subject with the reference light; detecting interfered light obtained by combining the reflection light with the reference light as an interference signal; and Fourier-transforming the interference signal to acquire a tomographic image of the measuring subject, and includes steps of: generating tomographic data of the measuring subject based on the interference signal; generating surface data of the measuring subject based on the interference signal; constructing a tomographic image that is based on the generated tomographic data; constructing a surface image that is based on the outputted surface data; and generating a display image from the tomographic image and the surface image.

Currently, there is a need to acquire a detailed tomogram of a living body for the purpose of making a diagnosis of cancer or the like. As a method for acquiring a detailed tomogram of a living body, "Time domain OCT" has been proposed from the past, in which a tomographic image of a subject is obtained by scanning with light outputted from a low coherence light source.
Further, in recent years, Frequency domain OCT has been used, which is improved OCT that has solved such problems that an optimal signal/noise ratio (S/N ratio) cannot be obtained, an image capturing frame rate is low, and a penetration depth (an observation depth) is small, which are disadvantages of "Time domain OCT."
As representative apparatus configurations to carry out Frequency domain OCT measurement, an SD-OCT (Spectral Domain OCT) apparatus and SS-OCT (Swept Source OCT) of two types can be cited.
The SD-OCT apparatus uses broad bandwidth low coherence light such as an SLD (Super Luminescence Diode), an ASE (Amplified Spontaneous Emission) light source, and white light as a light source and splits the broad bandwidth low coherence light into measuring light and reference light using a Michelson type interferometer or the like. Thereafter, the SD-OCT apparatus radiates the measuring light onto a measuring subject, causes reflection light that has been reflected by the measuring subject and has returned and the reference light to interfere with each other, and splits this interfered light into respective frequency components using a spectrometer. Then, the SD-OCT apparatus measures an interfered light intensity for each frequency component using a detector array in which elements such as photodiodes are arranged in an array. The SD-OCT apparatus Fourier-transforms a spectral interference intensity signal that has been obtained by measuring the interfered light intensity with a computer, to thereby compose a tomographic image.
On the other hand, the SS-OCT apparatus uses as a light source a laser that temporally sweeps an optical frequency and causes the reflection light and the reference light to interfere with each other at respective wavelengths. The SS-OCT apparatus measures a temporal waveform of a signal that corresponds to a temporal change in the optical frequency. Then, the SS-OCT apparatus Fourier-transforms a spectral interference intensity signal that has been obtained through the measurement of the temporal waveform with a computer, to thereby compose a tomographic image.
Now, in a diagnosis of cancer through an endoscope, it is typical in recent years that an extent of progression of cancer is determined from a surface condition of a lesion observed through the endoscope.
Thus, in an OCT apparatus (an optical tomographic imaging system) as well, it is extremely effective if not only a conventional tomographic image but also a surface condition of a lesion can be observed at the same time. With such a demand, a technique is disclosed in which a tomogram in a direction parallel to a surface is generated from three dimensional volume data after all tomographic images are acquired and is used in a diagnosis of cancer (see PTL 1).

Optical tomographic imaging system and optical tomographic imaging method to generate tomographic image and surface image of a subject


An imager having a photodiode with a shallow doping profile with respect to the top surface of a substrate is disclosed. An imager with a graded pinned surface layer, self-aligned to a gate stack is provided. A photodiode with a shallow doping profile with respect to the top surface of a substrate and a graded pinned surface layer, self-aligned to a gate stack is provided. These photodiodes exhibit reduced image lag, transfer gate leakage, and photodiode dark current generation.

The semiconductor industry currently uses different types of semiconductor-based imagers, including charge coupled devices (CCD) and CMOS imager devices. Because of the inherent limitations in CCD technology, CMOS imagers have been increasingly used as low-cost imaging devices.
A CMOS image sensor circuit includes a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photoconversion device, for example, a photogate, photoconductor, or a photodiode for accumulating photogenerated charge in a doped portion of the substrate. A readout circuit is connected to each pixel cell and includes at least an output transistor, which receives photogenerated charges, typically from a floating diffusion region, and produces an output signal which is periodically read-out through a row select access transistor. The imager may optionally include a transistor for transferring charge from the photoconversion device to the floating diffusion region or the floating diffusion region may be directly connected to or part of the photoconversion device. A transistor is also typically provided for resetting the floating diffusion region to a predetermined charge level before it receives the photoconverted charges.
In a conventional CMOS imager, the active elements of a pixel cell perform the necessary functions of: (1) photon to charge conversion; (2) accumulation of image charge; (3) transfer of charge to the floating diffusion node; (4) resetting the floating diffusion node to a known state before the transfer of charge to it; (5) selection of a pixel for readout; and (6) output and amplification of signals representing the reset state and a pixel charge signal. Photo-charge may be amplified when it moves from the initial charge accumulation region to the floating diffusion node through a transfer transistor. The charge at the floating diffusion node is converted to a pixel output voltage by the source follower output transistor.
A known three-transistor (3T) CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) design used in many applications contains a photodiode for producing charges which are stored at a diffusion region, a reset transistor for resetting the diffusion region charge, a source follower transistor having a gate connected to the diffusion region for producing an output signal, and a row select transistor for selectively connecting the source follower transistor to a column line of a pixel array. In a four-transistor (4T) CMOS configuration, a transfer transistor is employed to transfer charges from the photodiode to the diffusion region.
A schematic top view of a semiconductor wafer fragment of an exemplary CMOS sensor pixel four-transistor (4T) cell 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The CMOS sensor pixel cell 10 includes a photogenerated charge collection region 21, in a doped portion of the wafer substrate, for collecting charges generated by light incident on the pixel cell 10. This region 21 is formed as a pinned photodiode 11 (FIG. 2). The photodiode 11 is "pinned" because the potential in the photodiode 11 is pinned to a constant value when the photodiode 11 is fully depleted. It should be understood, however, that the CMOS sensor pixel cell 10 may include a photogate, a photoconductor, or other photon-to-charge converting device, in lieu of a pinned photodiode 11 as the initial charge collection region 21.
The pixel cell 10 of FIG. 1 has a transfer transistor with gate 30 for transferring photoelectric charges from the charge collection region 21 to a sensing node 25, typically known as a floating diffusion region. The sensing node 25 is electrically connected to the gate 50 of an output source follower transistor. The source follower transistor provides an output signal to a row select access transistor having gate 60 for selectively gating the output signal to terminal 32′. A reset transistor having gate 40 resets the sensing node 25 to a predetermined voltage before charge is transferred thereto from the charge collection region 21.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a conventionally formed pinned photodiode 11 taken along line 2-2′ of the exemplary CMOS pixel cell 10 of FIG. 1.
The exemplary pixel 10 of FIG. 2 includes pinned photodiode 11 having charge collection region 21 formed within a semiconductor substrate 2. The pinned photodiode 11 has a photosensitive p-n junction region comprising a doped p+ region 4 and a n-type photodiode region 35 within a p-type region 6. The p-type region 6 is formed within semiconductor substrate 2. The two p-type regions 4, 6 cause the n-type photodiode region 35 to be fully depleted at a pinning voltage. Impurity doped source/drain regions 5, 25 having n-type conductivity are provided about the transistor gates 30 and 40. The floating diffusion region 25 adjacent to transfer gates 30, 40 is a common source/drain region for the transfer transistor having gate 30 and the reset transistor having gate 40. FIG. 2 also illustrates optional p-well implant regions 6A and a TEOS oxide spacer layer 95 that is etched to form sidewall spacers 95A.
In a typical CMOS image sensor, trench isolation regions 8 formed in a p-type region 6 and adjacent to the charge collection region 21, are used to isolate adjacent pixels. The order of process steps in forming the various structures of pixel cell 10 may be varied as is required or convenient for a particular process flow.
A transparent insulating layer 99 is typically formed over the pixel cell 10. Conventional processing steps are then carried out to form, for example, metal conductor 15 in the insulating layer to provide an electrical connection/contact to the floating diffusion region 25, and other wiring to connect gate lines and other connections in pixel 10. For example, the entire substrate surface may be covered with a passivation layer of e.g., silicon dioxide, BSG, PSG, or BPSG, as a transparent insulating layer 99, which is planarized and etched to provide contact holes, which are then metallized to provide contacts to diffusion node 25.
In conventional CMOS image sensors, electrons are generated from incident light and are accumulated in the n-type photodiode region 35. These charges are transferred to the floating diffusion region 25 by the gate 30 of the transfer transistor. The source follower transistor 50 produces an output signal from the transferred charges.
A maximum output signal is proportional to the number of electrons extracted from the n-type photodiode region 35. The maximum output signal increases with increased electron capacitance of the pinned photodiode 11. The electron capacity of the pinned photodiode 11 typically depends on the doping levels and the dopants implanted to form regions 4, 6, 35. In particular, regions 4 and 35 dominate the pinned photodiode's 11 capacitance. Accordingly, increasing the pinned photodiode's 11 capacitance is useful to allow capture of greater levels of photoconverted charges.
One major concern with conventional CMOS image pixels is reducing the generation of dark current. Dark current is generally attributed to leakage in the n-type photodiode region 35, which is strongly dependent on the doping implantation conditions of the photodiode 11. In particular, high dopant concentrations in p-type electrical connection region 23 typically increases dark current.
Other sources of dark current include unwanted electrons from peripheral circuits and electron generation from infrared photons. Dark current is also caused by current generated from trap sites inside or near the photodiode depletion region; band-to-band tunneling induced carrier generation as a result of high fields in the depletion region; junction leakage coming from the lateral sidewall of the photodiode; and leakage from isolation corners, for example, stress induced and trap assisted tunneling.
In CMOS imagers, the design of the photodiode is of particular concern in suppressing dark current. Currently, there are a number of common problems associated with conventionally formed photodiodes, such as the pinned photodiode 11 of FIG. 2. For instance, FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional structure and method of forming the pinned photodiode 11 of FIG. 2, and problems associated with such structure and method.
Conventionally, pinned photodiode 11 is formed after deposition of a spacer insulator oxide layer 95 such as TEOS. For instance, FIG. 3 illustrates deposition of a TEOS oxide spacer layer 95 and resist 96 over the transfer transistor gate 30 and reset transistor gate 40. Next, the pinned photodiode 11 would be formed with a doped p+ region 4 and an n-type region 35. The doped p+ region 4 and the n-type region 35 would be formed by implanting through the TEOS oxide layer 95.
Typically, the doped p+ region 4 was formed by a high energy vertical dose implant which places the doped p+ region 4 near the edge of the transfer gate's spacer 95. This is a fairly high-energy implant requiring an implant energy greater than 20 keV and results in implant straggle i.e., wide distribution in the p-type region profile as a result of oxidation diffusion from subsequent processes.
The n-type region 35 was typically formed with three vertical implants employing phosphorus as the n-type dopant ion. Similar to the formation of the doped p+ region 4, the n-type region 35 would also exhibit implant straggle as a result of oxidation diffusion. The doped p+ region 4 and the n-type region 35 form an area called the critical overlap region 22. This critical overlap region 22, in effect, acts as a barrier at the edge of the transfer gate 30 since the doped p+ region and n-type region 35 are not sharply defined due to diffusion. The critical overlap region 22 reduces the ability of the n-type region 35 to effectively transfer charge to the transfer gate 30.
It is well-known that the transfer gate 30 of a CMOS imager is a critical device for optimization. The transfer gate 30 is influenced by the charge transfer efficiency (CTE) and image lag due to barrier formation. As a result, barriers and wells formed in the photodiode region 11 and transfer gate overlap region 22 affect the CTE which results in image lag. Accordingly, the critical overlap region 22 is important for optimization in four transistor pixel cell designs.
One prior solution for improving the critical overlap region 22 was to vertically implant the doped p+ region 4 implant spaced away from the edge of the transfer gate 30, using the insulator 95 sidewall, thereby reducing the critical overlap region's 22 influence. However, the barrier at the transfer gate's edge 30 still blocked complete charge transfer and photographic images still suffered from low-light image lag. Moreover, diffusion of both doped p+ region 4 and n-type region 35 remained, which is undesirable. Still further, the thickness of insulator 95 also set the transistor gate's 30 spacer thickness. It would be desirable to independently set the transistor spacer width and the spacing of the p+ implant from the transfer gate's edge 30.
Another problem associated with the pinned photodiode 11 of FIG. 3 is that the n-type collection region 35 is typically formed by three deep n-type implants into p-type region 6. These deep implants are conducted with an implant energy of 45 keV, 110 keV and 210 keV, respectively. As a result, the n-type collection region 35 is formed with a long neck 24 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Since the n-type region 35 is formed deep within p-type region 6, transfer gate 30 leakage occurs due to punch-through currents. In essence, the captured electron energy from the n-type collection region 35 moves across the p-type region 6A underneath the transfer gate 30. As a result, the current flow is not completely controlled by the transfer gate 30.
Another problem associated with the conventional pinned photodiode 11 of FIG. 3 is charge capacity loss and variation from sensor to sensor. Charge capacity is the measure of the electrons storage capacity of the photodiode sensor. For instance, the doped p+ region 4 and n-type region 35 interact with each other through diffusion and implant straggle resulting from the high energy implants used to form the regions 4 and 35. This mutual compensation results in photosensor performance variation. In other words, charge capacity loss may occur when a higher concentration of p-type dopants are used in the surface of the pinned photodiode 11 and diffuse into the n-type dopant 35 region, thereby compensating it and causing a reduction in charge capacity. The mutual diffusion and implant straggle result in an uncontrolled implant region at the transfer gate's edge 30 that gives rise to barrier and lag issues.
A final problem associated with the conventional pinned photodiode 11 of FIG. 3 is that the doped p+ region 4 and the n-type region 35 set the pinning voltage (Vpin) of pixel cell 10. The sharpness of the transition from the doped p+ region 4 to the n-type region 35 ultimately sets the capacitance of the photodiode 11. The pinned photodiode 11 has two p-type regions 4, 6 having the same potential so that the n-type collection region 35 is fully depleted at a given Vpin. When the transfer gate 30 is operated, photo-generated charge is transferred from the n-type collection region 35 to the floating diffusion region 25. A complete transfer of charge is possible when a voltage on the floating diffusion region 25 remains above Vpin while the pinned photodiode 11 functions at a voltage below Vpin. An incomplete transfer of charge results in image lag. As a result, due to diffusion, high implant energies, and implant straggle, the n-type region 35 does not have a sharp profile in the substrate but rather a broad one.
There is needed, therefore, an improved active pixel photosensor for use in a CMOS imager that is resistant to dark current, has improved photodiode capacitance, eliminates or reduces barriers at an adjacent gate's edge (such as a transfer gate), eliminates or reduces image lag, and separates the optimization of the photodiode implant locations from the transistor spacer defined locations. Thus, a pinned photodiode structure and its method of formation is needed to reduce or eliminate the problems associated with the pinned photodiodes currently in the semiconductor industry.

Pinned photodiode structure and method of formation


Disclosed is an optically corrected lens for nonprescription, dual lens eyeglasses. In a preferred embodiment, the anterior surface of the lens lies on a portion of a first sphere having a first center. The posterior surface of the lens lies on the surface of a second sphere having a second center. The first and second centers are offset from one another to provide a tapered lens. The lens is oriented on the head of the wearer by a frame that maintains the lens in a position such that a line drawn through the first and second centers is maintained substantially in parallel to the normal sight line of the wearer. Methods of making the lenses, and eyewear incorporating the lenses, are also disclosed.

A wide variety of improvements have been made in recent years in the eyewear field, particularly with respect to eyewear intended for use in active sports or as fashion sunglasses. These improvements have been incorporated into eyewear having a unitary lens, such as the "Blades.RTM." design (Oakley, Inc.) the "M Frame.RTM." line (Oakley, Inc.), and the "Zero.RTM." line also produced by Oakley, Inc. These eyewear designs accomplish a variety of functional advantages, such as maximizing interception of peripheral light, reducing optical distortion and increasing the wearer's comfort level, compared to previous active sport eyewear.
The unitary lens of the "Blades.RTM." eyewear incorporates the cylindrical geometry disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,048, issued to Jannard. This geometry allows the lens to closely conform to the wearer's face and intercept light, wind, dust, etc. from directly in front of the wearer (anterior direction) and peripherally (lateral direction). See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,550 to Jannard (toroidal lens geometry).
Although the early unitary lens systems provided a full side-to-side range of vision and good lateral eye protection, the potential for optical distortion still exists. In a unitary lens system, for example, the angle of incidence from the wearer's eye to the posterior lens surface changes as the wearer's sight line turns in the lateral direction. This results in disparate refraction between light entering closer to the front of the lens and peripheral light entering at the lateral ends. To address this source of prismatic distortion, U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,048 discloses tapering the thickness of the lens from the medial portion toward the lateral edge.
Prior art eyewear has also employed dual lens systems in which two separate lenses are mounted along a front frame. In the early dual lens eyeglass systems, each of the right and left lenses were roughly co-planar in the as-worn configuration. Thus, the sight line of the wearer, when looking straight ahead, generally crossed the posterior surface of the lens at a normal to the lens surface in the optical zone. One of the disadvantages of this lens configuration was that the eyeglasses provided essentially no lateral eye protection without the use of special modifications, such as vertically elongated earstems or side attachments.
Dual lens systems were thereafter developed in which the lateral edge of each lens curved rearwardly from the frontal plane, and around the side of the wearer's head to provide a lateral wrap similar to that achieved by the high wrap unitary lens systems. Although the dual lens eyeglasses with significant wrap provided lateral eye protection, the lens curvature generally introduced measurable prismatic distortion through the wearer's angular range of vision. This was particularly pronounced in lenses comprising low index of refraction materials. In addition, although high base curvatures (e.g. base 6 or higher) are sometimes desirable to optimize wrap while maintaining a low profile, such lenses have not been practical in the past due to the relatively high level of prismatic distortion.
Thus, there remains a need for a high base nonprescription lens for use in dual lens eyewear which can intercept light over essentially the full angular range of vision while at the same time minimize optical distortion throughout that range.

Decentered noncorrective lens for eyewear


A system and method for the treatment of insect pests and their eggs is disclosed. A collapsible enclosure is provided which operates under positive pressure to heat treat household or other items placed therein. A controller may be provided in certain embodiments to allow programming of a treatment cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems and methods for killing insect pests including all life stages. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for killing all life stages of bed bugs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of techniques and instruments have been developed for use in the killing insects, such as bed bugs, in buildings. By way of a non-limiting illustration, bed bug infestations were a common part of life in much of North America before the use of chlorinated hydrocarbons such as DDT and other synthetic insecticides became widespread in the 1940s and 1950s.
Though never completely eradicated, their presence has been minimal until their recent resurgence in many countries including, but not limited to, the United States, Canada, Australia and some European countries. Their resurgence has been a devastating and expensive event in the lives of many people today. In rental property and the hospitality industry among others, bed bug infestations have had legal ramifications. Throughout the world, large cities are being overwhelmed by bed bug proliferation. In apartment buildings and other attached dwellings, bed bug infestations can be particularly widespread from one dwelling to another. People face risks of possible exposure to pesticides, and are experiencing loss of belongings, and financial distress as they deal with an infestation. Although various infectious agents have been found in bed bugs, there has never been clear documentation of transmission of any disease. For example, studies show that hepatitis B can be carried by bed bugs, but transmission is thought to be unlikely. Similar difficulties and hazards accompany other insects.
The pesticide treatment approach often requires multiple visits and may not always be effective due to pesticide resistance and dispersal of the insects. For example, according to a 2005 survey, only 6.1% of companies claim to be able to eliminate bed bugs in a single visit, while 62.6% claim to be able to control a problem in 2-3 visits. Insecticide application may cause dispersal of bed bugs to neighboring areas of a structure, spreading the infestation. Furthermore, the problem of insecticide resistance in bed bug populations increases their opportunity to spread. Studies of bed bug populations across the United States indicate that resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, which are used in the majority of bed bugs treatments, is widespread. Treatment failures are prevalent and repeated services can be financially devastating and time consuming Exterminators may require individuals to dispose of furniture and other infested materials.
In many pest control situations, including but certainly not limited to bed bugs, chemicals are the primary method of gaining control over an infestation. In some situations, however, chemicals are not permitted to control insect infestations, either because of toxicity to humans or because the chemicals have a detrimental effect on the materials being treated, e.g., taxidermy mounts. Moreover, the FDA and other levels of governments in the United States and Canada have de-labeled the use of certain chemicals for use on furniture and other household articles that are in regular contact with humans.
Alternative methods of mattress treatment are highly desirable instead of contaminating mattresses and other household furnishings with insecticides. Spraying the furnishings with insecticides is undesirable (and illegal by label requirements) since, sufficient time must be given after application before the furnishings that come in contact with humans (not only mattresses, but also chairs and couches) can be used again and there is a risk of the user having an allergic reaction to the chemicals, not to mention other possible health risks including cancer and acute neurotoxicity. Concerns over the possible effects of pesticides on the health of people and pets, as well as the dispersal of bed bugs to neighboring dwellings due to repellent effects of insecticides, make the practice of chemically treating these items problematic.
Moreover, disposal of items such as mattresses, box springs, couches etc. is a costly process and rarely solves the problem. This also aids in the spread of bed bugs to other locations if another individual finds a disposed item and decides to use it in their home. Instead, new furniture is usually infested. The movement of infested furniture also facilitates the spread of insects such as bed bugs. Vacuuming helps reduce insect infestations, but does not eliminate insects hidden inside of items.
Freezing equipment is used to kill insect pests with cold temperatures. An example of this would be Cryonite, which uses the cooling properties of CO2, spraying a snow at a temperature of −78.5° C. Though insects and particularly bed bugs can tolerate a broad range of temperatures, −14 to 44° C., they cannot survive body freezing or extreme heat. As with approaches such as vacuuming and steaming, freezing sprays may not reach insects that are hidden inside walls, furniture or appliances.
A variety of heat treatment techniques are known, each suffering from disadvantages that may be improved by the present invention. For example, steam treatment can effectively kill all stages of insects, including bed bugs. Unfortunately, insects hide in a diversity of places, making steam treatment very tedious, labor intensive and time consuming. There is also the risk of the steam not penetrating materials enough to kill hidden insects. The steam may also damage materials such as varnished wood, or cause mold from the moisture left behind. In addition, steam treatment requires repeated and very thorough steaming of the mattress, box spring, bed frame, bed covers, pillows, not to mention other materials and objects within the infested room, such as carpets and curtains.
A clothes dryer can be used for killing all life stages of insects in clothing and blankets. Infested clothes and bedding are first washed in hot water with laundry detergent then placed in the drier for at least 20 minutes. However, this does not eliminate insects in the mattress, bed frame and surrounding environment. Sterilized fabrics from the dryer are thus easily re-infested. Continually treating materials in this fashion is labor intensive, and in itself does not eliminate the infestation.
Control of insects via heat techniques involves raising temperatures to or above the killing temperature for insects which, for most insects including bed bugs is around 45° C. or 113° F. for a sustained period. Heat treatments are generally carried out by professionals, and may be performed for a single dwelling or even to heat treat an entire building. Some of the drawbacks for heat treatments include the amount of time required to raise core temperatures (interior temperature of materials) high enough to effectively kill insects that may have taken refuge within materials. The setup in order to effectively heat treat materials in the room, as well as insertion of heating ducting into the building through windows can be intrusive and cause embarrassment to the person affected. Following a heat-treatment, a room may be easily re-infested, as insects are able to retreat into cracks and crevasses in walls, ceilings and floors, where they may escape treatment by finding cool spots.
Thus, the known treatment techniques have major disadvantages and, as a result, a viable treatment gap exists that allows the population of insects, including but not limited to bed bugs, to flourish and spread to the current epidemic proportions.
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies.

System and method for treating insect pests


An apparatus for collecting solar energy, including a first panel, wherein the first panel allows at least 50% of incident light having a wavelength in the range of 1 nm to 1,500 nm to pass through said panel and a second panel, wherein the second panel allows at least 50% of incident light having a wavelength in the range of 410 nm to 650 nm to pass through said panel. A photovoltaic cell is disposed between the first panel and second panel, which includes a first electrode disposed adjacent to the first panel, a second electrode disposed adjacent to the second panel, a photovoltaic component contacting the first and second electrodes. The photovoltaic component absorbs at least 50% of light having a wavelength in one of the following ranges: greater than 650 nm, less than 410 nm and combinations thereof.

Windows, and particularly glass windows, provide a degree of functionality as well as aesthetics. Windows may comprise a relatively large surface area in today's buildings and homes, particularly in modern high-rise buildings where entire exterior façades are covered with windows. Windows allow for passive use of solar energy by permitting light and heat from the sun pass into an interior space for illumination and warmth. However, there remains a desire to actively harness solar energy and, in particular, by using the relatively large surface area available in windows to capture this energy.


An isolation regulator including a regulator circuit couples a source of power to an electrically noisy dc load connected in parallel with a load capacitor. Peak noise across the load is used to control the regulator circuit to set the current level to the load and determine the operating set point of the regulator circuit which includes a FET operated close to saturation to minimize the voltage drop across the FET. The illustrated electrically noisy dc load is a dc motor and the peak noise is the peak ripple across the motor which is monitored and compared to the saturation voltage of the FET. Positive peaks of the ripple, which could cause the FET to saturate, control the regulator circuit to reduce current flow and prevent saturation. Current provided by the regulator circuit increases gradually over time and is reduced as necessary by positive peak ripple signals to provide stable current flow to the dc motor. As illustrated, the dc motor drives a fan which cools associated electrical equipment. The temperature of the electrical equipment is monitored and used to control the operating set point of the FET and to generate an alarm signal if the temperature of the electrical equipment exceeds a maximum temperature. Operation of the dc motor is also monitored as is the current flow to the dc motor. An alarm signal is generated if the dc motor stops or if the current flow exceeds a maximum allowable current level.

The present invention relates in general to isolation of a direct current (dc) power supply from noise generated by an electrically noisy dc load, such as a dc motor, receiving power from the power supply and, more particularly, to an isolation circuit which also regulates power provided to the load from a dc power supply. While the present invention may be used in a variety of applications including electrically noisy loads such as dc motors, pulsing circuits, switching power supplies, solenoid drivers and the like, it will be described herein with reference to an isolation regulator used to drive a dc fan motor used to cool electrical equipment in a cellular telephone amplifier cabinet for which it is particularly applicable and initially being used wherein it isolates the dc fan motor from a battery system and regulates power provided to the dc fan motor from the battery system.
In a cellular telephone amplifier cabinet, power is provided to circuitry which processes cellular telephone signals by at least amplifying and normally performing other processing of the signals. For reliability, the power is provided by a battery system which has sufficient capacity to maintain the operation of the cabinet equipment for satisfactory periods of time to accommodate most interruptions of alternating current (ac) battery charging power which may occur. For similar reliability considerations, the battery system also provides power to other essential equipment within the cabinet including, for example, one or more dc motors which drive one or more cooling fans within the cabinet. Unfortunately, operation of dc motors produces large ripple currents and resulting ripple voltages. Any dc motor must be isolated from the battery system to reduce the ripple noise as well as other noise which can be generated by the motor and coupled into the battery system. If the isolation is insufficient, the resulting noise on the battery system can interfere with proper processing of the cellular telephone signals.
In the past, a pi filter including a large inductor has been used to isolate a dc fan motor from the battery system. However, due to the large inductance required, the filter is large, heavy and costly to assemble since assembly is manually performed. The filter also limits the size of the motor and the fan since only a defined amount of space is allocated to the fan/filter combination, particularly in existing cabinet designs.
It is apparent that there is a need for an improved arrangement for isolating electrically noisy dc loads, such as dc motors, from dc power supplies, such as battery systems, which arrangement is substantially smaller than currently used filters, comparatively lighter in weight, lower in cost and which lends itself to automated production. Preferably, the improved arrangement would regulate power provided to the noisy loads and would perform additional functions currently performed by components provided in addition to currently used filters. For example in the case of a dc fan motor, alarms could be generated to warn of impending failure of the motor, the temperature of associated electrical equipment cooled by operation of the motor could be monitored and the speed of the motor could be controlled based on the temperature of the cooled equipment.


A method for producing n-type SiC single crystal, including: adding gallium and nitrogen, which is a donor element, for obtaining an n-type semiconductor during crystal growth of SiC single crystal, such that the amount of nitrogen as represented in atm unit is greater than the amount of gallium as represented in atm unit; an n-type SiC single crystal obtained according to this production method; and, a semiconductor device that includes the n-type SiC single crystal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a production method of an n-type SiC single crystal, an n-type SiC single crystal obtained by that method, and application thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to a production method of an n-type SiC single crystal in which gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N), which is to be a donor element for obtaining an n-type semiconductor, are added during crystal growth, an n-type SiC single crystal obtained by that method, and application thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
SiC single crystal is extremely thermally and chemically stable, has superior mechanical strength and is resistant to radiation. In addition, SiC single crystal has superior properties as compared with silicon (Si) single crystal, including high dielectric breakdown voltage and high thermal conductivity. Moreover, SiC single crystal is able to easily control the type of electron conduction to either p-type or n-type conduction depending on the impurity added, and also has the characteristic of a wide band gap (about 3.3 eV for 4H—SiC single crystal and about 3.0 eV for 6H—SiC single crystal). Consequently, SiC single crystal is able to realize high temperatures, high frequencies, withstand voltage and environmental resistance unable to be realized with conventional semiconductor materials such as Si single crystal or gallium arsenide (GaAs) single crystal, thus making it the target of growing expectations for use as a next-generation semiconductor material.
Methods have been proposed for obtaining p-type and n-type conduction SiC, single crystal for semiconductor materials that includes introducing an impurity during crystal growth, and studies are being conducted on SiC single crystal and production methods thereof that contain various impurities. Lowering resistance when current is applied that causes power loss is an important factor in semiconductor devices such as switching devices, which are considered to be one of the main applications of SiC single crystal.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-219898 (JP-A-6-219898) describes a method for producing n-type 6H—SiC single crystal by a sublimation method in which 20 to 100 ppm of Al are added to SiC powder followed by sublimation in a nitrogen gas atmosphere. This publication also describes a specific example of an n-type 6H—SiC single crystal obtained according to the method described above that has resistivity of 0.1 Ωcm. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-57109 (JP-A-2002-57109) describes a method for producing SiC for use as a p-type semiconductor or n-type semiconductor that has a step for forming an Si layer on a substrate, a step for adding to the Si layer an impurity which is at least one of element selected from the group consisting of N, B, Al, Ga, In, P, As, Sb, Se, Zn, O, Au, V, Er, Ge and Fe, and a step for forming an SiC layer to which an impurity has been added by carbonizing the Si layer to which the impurity has been added. In addition, JP-A-2002-57109 also describes SiC in which the impurity concentration is within the range of 1×1013/cm3 to 1×1021/cm3, and that resistivity may be increased by simultaneously adding a donor and an acceptor.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-73194 (JP-A-2003-73194) describes a Method for producing SiC single crystal preferable for use as a p-type semiconductor. The production method includes sublimating an SIC powder, in which the nitrogen (N) content is 0.1 ppm or less and the total content of an element belonging to group 13 of the periodic table, such as B, Al, Ga, In or Tl, is equal to or greater than the nitrogen content, followed by growing SiC single crystal by recrystallization. In addition, JP-A-2003-73194 describes SiC single crystal in which volume resistivity is 1×101 Ωcm or less. This publication also describes a specific example of a p-type SiC single crystal obtained according to this method in which the content of Al, which is an element of group 13 of the periodic table, is 40 ppm and the N content is 0.05 ppm or less.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-109408 (JP-A-2005-109408) describes an SiC epitaxial growth method and an SiC epitaxially grown film for fabricating a device having low on resistance and high withstand voltage, by controlling so that the SiC epitaxially grown film is doped with at least one of N, B, Al and P within a range of 5×1023 cm−3 to 3×1019 cm−3. Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Publication No 2007-320790 (JP-A-2007-320790) describes a method for producing SiC single crystal by doping SIC single crystal with a donor and an acceptor, an SiC single crystal ingot fabricated according to this production method, and a substrate that uses the SIC single crystal ingot. The production method includes introducing a gas source, which includes an impurity containing an element such as N serving as the donor and an impurity containing one or both of elements such as B or Al serving as the acceptor, into a crystal growth atmosphere. This publication also describes a specific example of SiC single crystal obtained according to the above method that has a nitrogen (N) concentration of 7×1017 cm−3 or 9×1017 cm−3.
However, it is necessary to add a large amount of nitrogen (N) in order to obtain n-type SiC single crystal that has low specific resistance by these conventional SiC single crystal production methods. As a result, the concentration of nitrogen (N) in the n-type SiC single crystal becomes excessively high and ends up impairing the inherent characteristics of SiC single crystal. In SIC single crystal that contains nitrogen (N), which is a donor element, because a portion of the Si or C that composes the SIC single crystal undergoes a change in atomic radius as a result of being replaced by nitrogen (N), dislocation (crystal defects, crystal distortion) occurs in the portion of the SiC single crystal that has been replaced by the above elements. The dislocation has an effect on the inherent properties of the SiC single crystal (for example, by causing an increase in leakage current), thereby impairing the inherent characteristics of the SiC single crystal. Consequently, n-type SiC single crystal is produced by establishing an upper limit on the doped amount of nitrogen (N), and n-type SiC single crystal provided for industrial use has specific resistance of 0.015 Ωcm to 0.028 Ωcm.

Production method of n-type SiC single crystal, n-type SiC single crystal obtained thereby and application of same


A printing apparatus includes a storing unit, an obtaining unit, a detecting unit, a display unit, and a setting unit. The storing unit stores a print job. The obtaining unit obtains sheet attribute information designated by the print job stored in the storing unit. The detecting unit detects an openable sheet holding unit being in a shut state. The display unit displays the sheet attribute information obtained by the obtaining unit in a case where the sheet holding unit is detected in the shut state by the detecting unit. The setting unit sets the sheet attribute information displayed by the display unit for the shut state sheet holding unit in the case where the sheet holding unit is detected in the shut state by the detecting unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a method for controlling the printing apparatus, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
As a conventionally known technique, it is feasible for a printing apparatus to detect the size of a sheet stored in a paper feeding cassette with a sensor provided therein and automatically register the detected sheet size as a setting value of the paper feeding cassette. For example, providing a sensor capable of detecting the position of a sheet edge positioning guide is useful to detect the sheet size.
Further, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-15356, in a case where feeding a printing sheet from a manual bypass tray is designated when a printing apparatus performs a printing operation, it is conventionally feasible to overwrite or update the setting value of the manual bypass tray with a sheet type designated by a print job.
According to a conventional method, it is possible to register attribute information about a sheet designated by a job as a setting value of a sheet holding unit. However, a user may intend to execute a job using a plurality of types of sheets stored in different sheet holding units. In such a case, it is impossible to easily register attribute information about respective sheets stored in different sheet holding units as setting values.

Printing apparatus, printing apparatus control method, and storage medium to register attribute information about sheets for print jobs