A method and apparatus for use in a computer system comprising at least two software applications sharing context in accordance with a Clinical Context Object Workgroup (CCOW) standard, wherein a context change may be requested by a user of at least one of the at least two software applications. In response to the user requesting a change from a first context to a second context, at least one business rule is applied to at least a portion of the first context and/or to at least a portion of the second context to obtain at least one result from the application of the business rule. In response to the at least one result, at least one act is performed selected from the group consisting of: denying the request to change from the first context to the second context; requesting the user to provide information relating to the requested change; and requesting the user to affirm information relating to the requested change.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects the privacy rights of medical patients by providing guidelines and requirements for access to patient information. For example, HIPAA provides that only specific individuals may access certain information related to particular patients. Caregivers, such as primary care physicians, nurses and others, may be required by HIPAA to have a clinical affiliation with a patient in order to view the patient's information. Some clinical organizations may impose additional constraints on access to patient information.
In some clinical settings, computer systems provide users with access to information related to patients. For example, patient information such as billing, insurance and/or diagnostic information may reside in electronic file storage (e.g., one or more databases) and be accessed using one or more software applications. Some conventional software applications provide functionality which facilitates compliance with HIPAA and/or organizational policies. For example, some software applications request that a user affirm that a clinical affiliation exists between the user and the patient or specify the nature of the affiliation, before allowing the user to view the patient's information. Thus, the user is forced to make an affirmative representation that the access to patient information is in compliance with HIPAA regulations, and a record may be retained for future audits.
Some computer systems which include clinical software applications provide context management capability. As described in co-pending commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/545,396, Pat. No. 6,993,556, which is incorporated herein by reference, context management capability may be provided via a context manager which can communicate with a plurality of software applications. The context manager may facilitate a sharing of context between applications, wherein the context may include information associated with a user, patient, clinical encounter or other information relevant to the application. As an example, in a system having context management capability, when a user employing a first software application to view information on a patient switches to a second software application to continue work related to that patient, the system may retain a context which automatically identifies the patient and the user to the second application, so that, for example, the user need not provide a user or patient identifier to the second application to begin work. As a result, the user need not perform the time-consuming processes of logging into the second application and providing a patient identifier to access the patient's information. As mentioned above, a context may include any information suitable for sharing between applications.
A standard known as Health Level Seven Context Management Specification was established by the Health Level Seven Clinical Context Object Workgroup (CCOW) to define a standard for an interface and components of a context management system architecture. The standard is referred to hereinafter as "the CCOW standard." In accordance with the CCOW standard, a context manager facilitates a sharing of context data between applications, wherein context data provides information on various subjects, such as a user, patient, encounter, and others. When a change from one context to another is desired (e.g., when a user wishes to view information on a different patient), a context change transaction is executed, and context data related to one or more subjects may be updated to implement the context change. For example, if a user desires to change the patient for which information is viewed, then a context change transaction may update the patient subject data within a context, but leave other context data (i.e., data on other subjects) intact. For example, the user subject data may be left intact by this context change transaction, so that the user need not log into other applications again to view information on the new patient.
Some context management systems allow user access to patient information (and other information) to be audited, so that compliance with HIPAA, organizational policies and/or other standards may be monitored. For example, a context management system having audit capability is described in co-pending commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/014,341, Pat. No. 6,941,313 ,which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system including a context manager with audit capability, wherein context manager 130 communicates with context-enabled applications 110 and 120 to facilitate context sharing there between. In the system of FIG. 1, applications 110 and 120 both reside on workstation 100, and both may be capable of accessing patient information. Context manager 130 communicates with a storage facility 150 that stores information provided by context manager 130, such as information related to context changes initiated by users of applications 110 and 120. Such information may include an indication of the user who initiated the context change, the patient whose information the user attempted to access, and/or the application employed by the user to initiate the change.
Auditor 140 may extract information from storage facility 150 to determine compliance with HIPAA, organizational policies, and/or other standards. For example, auditor 140 may produce reports which show the patient records that have been accessed by certain users. Auditor 140 may also be configured to produce and send an alert to an administrator if a user who is not authorized to view a particular patient's records attempts to access those records. Other monitoring and/or auditing functions may also be performed.
In certain cases, a user may not be required to have an existing clinical affiliation with a patient to be authorized to view the patient's information. For example, a clinician may need to view a patient's records in an emergency, particularly if the patient's primary caregiver is not available and the patient is in danger. This is commonly referred to in the health care industry as "break the glass" access. In general, a user may break the glass to view patient information if the user is aware that they are not otherwise authorized to access the patient's information, but must to do so to provide proper care for the patient. For example, a clinician may break the glass to determine whether an unconscious patient has any known allergies before administering medication to the patient.

Method and apparatus for processing a context change request in a CCOW environment


The appropriate positioning of a patient in an X-Ray imaging system can present difficulties for medical professional owing, on one hand to the small size of important anatomical aspects which need to be captured in X-Ray images, and on the other hand to the significant movements in a field of view presented by a typical patient. The present application proposes to obtain an image of the position of a patient in the field of view at approximately the same time that an initial X-Ray image is obtained. If it proves necessary to obtain a subsequent X-Ray image with updated field of view settings (for example, collimation parameters), the movement of the patient at the point of taking the second image is factored into the provision of updated field of view settings.

A frequent occurrence in the field of radiology is a need to re-take an X-Ray image, when a preliminary X-Ray image has been obtained with important anatomical features missing. This case typically occurs as a result of an X-Ray apparatus being set to provide undesirable field of view settings (for example, an incorrectly set collimator), in relation to the physical position of a patient, where defects with these settings were not identified prior to the acquisition of the preliminary X-Ray image. Patient motion out of the field of view also leads to field of view setting errors.
US 2015/0228071 A1 discusses an X-Ray imaging approach which uses a spatial depth information to update an image collimation window. Such approaches may, however, be further improved.


A electric rotating machine includes a rotor winding constituting a part of a rotor, a conductor provided in a center portion in a radial direction of a rotor body for supplying electricity to the rotor winding from the outside, a leader drawn from the conductor to an outside diameter side, and a connecting line constructed by stacking a plurality of conductor plates to electrically connect the rotor winding and the leader. The connecting line consists of a radial direction linear portion which is straight in the radial direction on the leader side, and a bending portion which branches into two routes toward opposite directions to each other in a rotor shaft direction from the radial direction linear portion and has a linear portion formed at a part of the bending portion. The linear portion of the bending portion is joined to a bottom surface of the rotor winding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric rotating machine and a manufacturing method thereof, and relates to an electric rotating machine such as a turbine generator and the like for example, which is preferable for those provide with a connecting line which connects a conductor for supplying electricity from the outside and an end portion of a rotor winding, and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A generator used in power generating equipment including a gas turbine or a steam turbine as a driving source generates electric power by mutual electromagnetic induction between a rotor and a stator. In general, a rotor winding is formed by a plurality of conductors wound thereon for producing an induction field, and a magnetic flux is generated by electrifying the winding. Accordingly, the rotor winding requires a conductor for supplying electricity from the outside of the generator, and this conductor is generally provided in a center portion of a rotor body, and the conductor and an end portion of the rotor winding are connected by a connecting line. The connecting line is generally designed to have a bending portion for the purpose of relieving deformation caused by the difference in thermal extension due to the difference in material between the conductor and the rotor body, and by a centrifugal force (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,696, for example).
For the meantime, by technological advance in recent years, the size of an electric rotating machine having the same output becomes more compact than before, the output per unit volume increases, and correspondingly, the rise in temperature of a current-carrying part tends to be large. Therefore, it is the mainstream to apply an iron material to the rotor and apply a copper material to the rotor winding, however, the thermal extension difference caused by current applied during operation occurs due to the difference in physical properties between those.
Thus, in order to prevent each component member from breaking due to fatigue in strength, a mechanism for absorbing the thermal extension is required for applying it to an actual machine. Particularly, since a generator of which the drive source is a gas turbine or a steam turbine is operated generally at 1500 to 3600 rpm in a steady state, a rotor having a rotary shaft of which the length is larger than its diameter is adopted in view of a limitation of strength due to a centrifugal force. Further, a rotor wining of the generator is often equipped with a conductor wound in a number of layers in a rectangular shape and has its longitudinal direction in a rotor axial direction, and therefore, the thermal extension direction conspicuously appears in the axial direction.
Further, for preventing the rotor winding from protruding in a radial direction by its rotation, it is general to provide a rotor body part with a wedge, and provide a rotor end portion with a retaining ring. However, since the retaining ring bellies out in the radial direction during rotation due to a hoop force, the end portion of the rotor winding located directly under there also bellies out toward an outside diameter side in the same manner.
On the other hand, a conductor is provided in an axial center portion of the rotor and is connected with the external power supply for electrifying the rotor winding, and a conductor support pillar attached to this conductor and the end portion of the rotor winding are electrically connected by a connecting line (lead). This connecting line is repeatedly affected by the above described thermal extension in the axial direction and by the displacement in the outside diameter direction by a centrifugal force, at each actuation and stoppage.
As the structure which absorbs an operating force by this displacement, U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,696 proposes a connecting line which provides a space by connecting two conductors having the structure of a T shape having a bent portion. Since a coil surface on which the connecting line is mounted differs in radial direction position from another coil surface, the structure of a main body of the connecting line forms the T shape in order to absorb the displacement in the outside diameter direction by a centrifugal force. The conductor at the bent portion space of the T-shaped structure is constructed by a thin single conductor, and has a second T-shaped conductor inside the above described T-shaped conductor in combination, for the purpose of reinforcement.

Electric rotating machine and manufacturing method of the same

Hitachi Engineering & Services Co., Ltd.


An ink jet head with a plurality of ink jetting units enabling the easy filling of ink and an operation for recovering from defective jetting, a method of manufacturing the ink jet head, and an ink jet recording device. The ink jet head comprises a nozzle plate in which a nozzle jetting the ink is formed, a pressure application means applying a pressure to the ink, a wall member holding the nozzle plate, a head plate holding the plurality of ink jetting units, sealing members sealing clearances between the ink jetting units and the head plate so that air is not passed there through and movably supporting the ink jetting units on the head plate by deforming by itself, and fixing members fixing the ink jetting units to the head plate.

In recent years, various technologies have been actively studied whereby luminous elements or filters used in displays or the like, and also microlenses or the like, are formed directly by discharging various liquids using ink-jet technology.
With such a technology whereby a device is created using ink-jet technology, performance requirements with respect to the ink-jet head are more stringent than hitherto.
One aspect of performance required of the ink jet head is impact positioning of ink drops discharged from a nozzle.
Various proposals have hitherto been made as methods of improving the impact positioning capability of the ink-jet head (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, for example).
An ink-jet head described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a nozzle pipe provided with a nozzle that discharges ink at its tip, a piezoelectric element attached to the nozzle pipe, a head unit that holds the nozzle pipe and piezoelectric element, and a head case in which a plurality of head units are provided.
A head unit is configured so as to be freely attachable to and removable from the head case. A head unit and head case are aligned while observing the nozzle position of the tip of the nozzle pipe by means of a magnifying glass, and after alignment, are fixed by means of a screw, adhesive, or the like.
By means of this method, an ink-jet head can be provided that offers good alignment precision of a plurality of nozzles.
Meanwhile, an ink-jet recording apparatus described in Patent Document 2 improves ink drop rectilinearity and reduces satellite occurrence through a contrivance of the waveform that passes through the ink-jet head, and thereby improves impact positioning capability.
In addition to these systems, ink-jet heads have been proposed that achieve good impact positioning capability through improvement of nozzle processing precision, such as the nozzle shape and the spacing of nozzles (hereinafter referred to as "nozzle pitch"), improvement of the precision of alignment of a nozzle and pressure chamber, water-repellent film formation on the nozzle plate, and so forth.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. SHO 63-74645
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 9-226106

Ink jet head for providing stable ink discharge, method of manufacturing the ink jet head, and ink jet recording device


It is an object of the present invention to control the plane orientation of crystal grains obtained by using a laser beam, into a direction that can be substantially regarded as one direction in an irradiation region of the laser beam. After forming a cap film over a semiconductor film, the semiconductor film is crystallized by using a CW laser or a pulse laser having a repetition rate of greater than or equal to 10 MHz. The obtained semiconductor film has a plurality of crystal grains having a width of greater than or equal to 0.01 μm and a length of greater than or equal to 1 μm. In a surface of the obtained semiconductor film, a ratio of an orientation {211} is greater than or equal to 0.4 within the range of an angle fluctuation of ±10°.

In recent years, a laser crystallization technique for forming a semiconductor film having a crystalline structure (hereinafter, a crystalline semiconductor film) by irradiating an amorphous semiconductor film which is formed over a glass substrate with a laser beam has been researched well. A crystalline semiconductor film is used because of high mobility as compared with an amorphous semiconductor film. Therefore, a TFT is formed using this crystalline semiconductor film, and such a TFT has been used for an active matrix liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, or the like where a TFT for a pixel portion or TFTs for a pixel portion and a driver circuit is/are formed over a sheet of a glass substrate.
As a crystallization method, a thermal annealing method using an annealing furnace, a rapid thermal annealing method (RTA method), a laser annealing method (a crystallization method by laser irradiation), or the like can be given. In a case of using a solid phase growth method like a thermal annealing method, high-temperature processing at greater than or equal to 600° C. is performed; therefore, an expensive quartz substrate that can withstand the high temperature is needed, which increases a manufacturing cost. On the other hand, when a laser is used for crystallization, crystallization can be performed by making only a semiconductor film absorb heat without increasing a temperature of a substrate too much. Therefore, a substance having a low melting point such as glass or plastic can be used for a substrate. Accordingly, a glass substrate which is inexpensive and easily processed in a large-sized area can be used; thus, production efficiency has been significantly improved.
There is a crystallization method by an excimer laser, which is a pulse laser, as one of the laser crystallization methods. A wavelength of an excimer laser belongs to an ultraviolet region, and absorptance with respect to silicon is high. Therefore, silicon is selectively heated when an excimer laser is used. For example, in a case of using an excimer laser, a laser beam having a rectangular shape of approximately 10×30 mm that is emitted from a laser oscillator is shaped by an optical system into a linear beam spot of several hundreds of μm in width and greater than or equal to 300 mm in length and silicon over a substrate is irradiated with the laser beam. Here, a rectangular shape with a high aspect ratio, or an elliptical shape is referred to as a linear shape. By irradiating silicon over a substrate with a linearly processed beam spot while relatively scanning the beam spot, annealing is performed and a crystalline silicon film is obtained. High productivity can be obtained by scanning the beam spot in an orthogonal direction to a direction of a length (a major axis) of the beam spot.
As another laser crystallization method, there are crystallization methods by a continuous-wave laser (hereinafter, referred to as a CW laser) and a pulse laser having a repetition rate as high as greater than or equal to 10 MHz. These lasers are formed into linear beam spots; thus, a crystalline silicon film is obtained by irradiating a semiconductor film with this beam spot while scanning the beam spot. By using this method, as compared with a crystal that is obtained by irradiation of an excimer laser beam, a crystalline silicon film having a region of an extremely large grain size (hereinafter, referred to as a large grain crystal) can be formed (for example, see Reference 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-191546). When this large grain crystal is used for a channel region of a TFT, few crystal grain boundaries are included in a channel direction; therefore, an electric barrier against a carrier such as an electron or a hole gets lower. Consequently, it is possible to manufacture a TFT having mobility of approximately 100 cm2/Vs.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Additional information on the phase of an external clock signal is obtained by using clock signals to determine if a phase difference between an external clock signal and a first internal sampling clock signal is less than a pre-selected value. If the system determines that the phase difference is less than a pre-selected value, one embodiment samples the incoming data with a second internal sampling clock signal, having a selected phase relationship to the first internal sampling clock signal, such as ½ a clock period out of phase. By maintaining sufficient phase difference between the active edge of the external clock and the active edge of the internal sampling clock, the embodiment provides a sufficient setup/hold margin to avoid a metastability or other problem in a subsystem receiving data across an asynchronous boundary.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for transferring synchronous digital signals across an asynchronous boundary.
2. Description of the Background
In systems using digital circuitry, two functional blocks or subsystems operating in two different timing domains often communicate with one another. When these two blocks operate in synchrony with a single digital clock signal, transfer of digital data between the two blocks does not present a problem. However, when two digital subsystems operate in synchrony with different clock signals, any digital data signals traveling between the subsystems should be synchronized in some manner to avoid data errors.
If, for example, two digital subsystems operate in synchrony with different clocks, the system should resynchronize the digital data signals traveling from one subsystem to the other subsystem. In other words, if data signals travel from a first subsystem in an external clock domain to a second subsystem in an internal clock domain, the digital system should resynchronize the data signals with an internal clock signal at the asynchronous boundary. Similarly, if data signals travel an internal clock domain to an external clock domain, the digital system should resynchronize the data signals with an external clock signal at the asynchronous boundary. Without such resynchronization, a hardware "metastability" problem can result in clocked devices of the receiving subsystem, thereby producing invalid logic results. Metastability generally refers to a circuit or system that has an unstable and transient, but relatively long-lived state. The problem of metastability is well known in the art, and can be illustrated, for example, by operation of a bistable latch.
A bistable latch requires the coincident occurrence of two pulses, e.g., a data pulse and a clock pulse, to change the state of the latch. In a bistable latch, a "metastable" state can occur when the two actuating pulses do not overlap sufficiently in time to permit the bistable latch to completely switch from one stable state to the other. With insufficient overlap, such as setup time violation or hold time violation can occur when a clock pulse is poorly synchronized with a data pulse, the bistable latch output can move from one stable level to the other and then back again. In the context of two distinct clock domains, the metastable latch problem occurs when a clock pulse from one domain overlaps insufficiently with a data pulse synchronized to a clock pulse from another domain.
Stated another way, a clocked bistable latch can malfunction if the data input changes during the setup-time interval preceding a clock pulse. As long as the clocked bistable latch makes some decision upon receipt of the active edge of the clock pulse, the circuit incorporating the latch will operate properly. An incoming transition edge of a data signal should occur before a transition edge of a clock signal to the latch. However, if the input changes at a particularly bad time within the setup-time, the clocked bistable latch can hover at the logic threshold or the clocked bistable latch can go into one state and then switch back to the other state. Stated yet another way, a clocked bistable latch can malfunction if the data input changes during the hold-time interval following a clock pulse.
One method of determining whether a problem in data synchronization across asynchronous boundaries will occur is to employ a higher frequency clock. The higher frequency clock may then determine the relationship between clocks in each of two asynchronous domains. However, a higher frequency clock requires circuitry to have less margin of error, thereby making associated circuitry more difficult to design.
Thus, a need exists for systems and methods of transferring synchronous digital signals across an asynchronous boundary separating a transmitting subsystem and a receiving subsystem. A need exists for a system that avoids data transitions during the setup times for clocked devices within the receiving subsystem. Moreover, there is a need for systems and methods to compensate for clock/data synchronization errors in general.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.

Data synchronization across an asynchronous boundary using, for example, multi-phase clocks


Computer instructions that operate to determine if one or more geometry pieces of a mechanical design are within a view boundary and automatically generate and order one or more identifiers corresponding to the geometry pieces within the view boundary, when executed, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer instructions are part of a mechanical design software application. In one embodiment, the mechanical design software application including the computer instructions are embodied in a distribution storage medium.

The present invention relates to the field of computer aided design (CAD). More specifically, the present invention relates to computer assistance to a designer working with identifiers of a drawing of a mechanical design.
Most mechanical designs require a designer to create a drawing to identify geometry pieces that make up components of a mechanical design. An example of components of a mechanical design is a nut and bolt assembly where the nut and bolt make up the components of the assembly. Once a designer has completed the geometry pieces of an assembly, the designer creates a display, usually in the form of a drawing, identifying the individual components that make up the assembly. For the purposes of this application, the geometry pieces that make up the components of a mechanical design are solid CAD geometry pieces and shall be generically referred to as geometry pieces.
Generally, identifying individual geometry pieces of an assembly is labor intensive requiring creation of an identifier, usually in the form of an identity symbol and a leader from the geometry piece to the identity symbol, for each geometry piece in separate sequence of commands, multiple executions of the same commands, and a large number of key strokes. Thus, as the number of geometry pieces of an assembly increases, the time required to identify the geometry pieces increases. Moreover, once the identifiers have been created, a users has difficulty changing the position of the identifier because the ordering of the geometry pieces would have to be manually changed to remain consistent with the identifier position.
Thus, a more user friendly approach for creating identifiers and manipulating identifiers of geometry pieces of an assembly is desired. As will be described in more detail below, the present invention achieves these and other desirable objectives, which will be apparent from the disclosure to follow.
Computer instructions that operate to determine if one or more geometry pieces of a mechanical design are within a view boundary and automatically generate and order one or more identifiers corresponding to the geometry pieces within the view boundary, when executed, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer instructions are part of a mechanical design software application. In one embodiment, the mechanical design software application including the computer instructions are embodied in a distribution storage medium.

Method and apparatus for automatically displaying and manipulating identifiers of a mechanical design


A system and method for sampling a data stream generates a number of clock signals having equally spaced phases and then samples a data stream using the clock signals. The clock phases are preferably based on a predetermined fraction of a data rate frequency of the data stream, and sampling is performed based on predetermined combinations of the clock signals. While the system and method is suitable for sampling data transmitted for a wide variety of data rates, the system and method is especially well-suited to sampling at data transmitted at high rates, for example, equal to or greater than 20 Gb/s.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for sampling data in applications including but not limited to high-speed data communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital communication systems operate by sampling an analog signal carried over any one of a variety of transmission media. The transmission medium may be a wire line, an optical fiber, or the air in the case of wireless communication systems. As technology advances, faster data rates will be required in order to satisfy new applications. To be compatible with these applications, digital systems must be able to accurately sample analog signals transmitted at the increased data rates.
SONET networks are a preferred type of high-speed optical communication system in use today. In order to sample signals from these networks, an optical interconnect system is usually employed. In such a system, an optical data stream is converted into an electrical signal and then amplified and sampled.
This sampling operation can be easily performed at low speeds (typically less than 10 Gb/s per channel) by conventional systems using, for example, a flip-flop controlled by a recovered clock at the data rate frequency. Sampling, however, becomes increasingly problematic when the setup time of the flip-flop becomes a significant portion of the duration of a transmitted symbol.
For example, at 20 Gb/s, the symbol duration is 50 ps which means the sampling window itself is about 20 ps, taking a 15 ps slope into consideration. Because flip-flops typically exhibit setup and hold times of 10 ps or above, they cannot be used to reliably sample data streams at faster data rates, e.g., 20 Gb/s or above. Moreover, the converted signal output from the front-stage amplifier of these conventional systems is an analog signal that does not necessarily reach determined logical levels with any degree of consistency. This may be attributable to optical power variations which make it difficult to reliably sample data using a flip-flop.
Optical systems are by no means the only ones that suffer from these drawbacks. Other types of communication systems also experience unacceptable performance when attempting to sample high-speed data streams.

High-speed data sampler for optical interconnect


A semiconductor pressure sensor according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a recess formed in the first surface, the recess defining an interior surface including a bottom surface; and a diffusion region extending from the adjacency of the bottom surface to the second surface. A pressure-sensitive resistance of the semiconductor pressure sensor is formed in the vicinity of the bottom surface of a diaphragm. Therefore, the pressure-sensitive resistance can be formed so as to be brought into alignment with the position of the diaphragm after the formation of the diaphragm. Accordingly, a semiconductor pressure sensor, which does not cause a displacement in position between the diaphragm and the pressure-sensitive resistance and is excellent in accuracy, can be easily fabricated. Further, since the pressure-sensitive resistance can be formed according to the shape of the diaphragm, the diaphragm can be reduced in size and fabricated in the form of a thin film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor pressure sensor, and specifically to a semiconductor pressure sensor having a small diaphragm. This invention is also concerned with a fabrication process thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor pressure sensors are used in various apparatuses such as automobiles and measuring instruments since their performance including sensitivity is excellent despite of their reduced size and weight.
A conventional pressure sensor is disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-178172 published on Aug. 2nd, 1991.

Semiconductor pressure sensor for sensing pressure applied thereto


A measuring unit measures a time difference between detections of the optical beams by an optical beam detector arranged on either side of an image carrier with respect to a horizontal scanning direction. A magnification correcting unit determines whether a beam spot position adjustment amount corresponding to each of a plurality of developing colors preset by the sub position correcting unit exceeds a threshold preset for each of the plurality of developing colors, and depending on the result of the determination, performs magnification correction of the image by changing a beam spot position interval on a scanning line in units of a line or lines, or by changing a beam spot position interval on a scanning line in units of pixel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In laser printers, which are image forming apparatuses, a photoconductor, which is an image carrier, is scanned in a horizontal scanning direction (i.e., main scanning direction) by optical beams (laser beams) deflected by a deflector to write an image on the surface of the photoconductor. The deflector can be, for example, a rotating polygon mirror.
Optical beams are deflected at an isometric velocity in the horizontal scanning direction by the deflector, and the optical beams are corrected from deflection at the isometric velocity to deflection at a uniform velocity by a fθ lens.
The fθ lenses can be made from different material including plastic. However, if an fθ lens made of plastic is used, its shape and/or refractive index can change with the surrounding temperature. If the shape or the refractive index changes, a scanning position on the photoconductor deviates, which results in a magnification error in the horizontal scanning direction. The magnification error leads to a degraded image. The refractive index also changes with the wavelength of the laser beam.
Various technologies have been proposed to correct the magnification error. In one approach, laser beams scanned in the horizontal scanning direction are respectively detected by laser beam detectors provided at two positions in the horizontal scanning direction, the time difference between detections of the laser beams in the two detectors is measured, and the magnification in the horizontal scanning direction is corrected based on this time difference.
Laser printers are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-279873. In one of these laser printers, a scanning target surface is scanned in the horizontal scanning direction by beams of light deflected by a deflector, the beams of light are respectively detected on a write start position side and a write end position side, to correct the phase data based on the fluctuation amount of time required for scanning between the two positions, and the phase of respective signals of an image clock that performs image formation based on the phase data is shifted (phase modulation), thereby correcting the magnification of the image in the horizontal scanning direction on the image carrier.
In other laser printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-279873, the whole misregistration of dots in the horizontal scanning direction is shifted by changing the frequency of the image clock (frequency modulation), to correct the magnification of the image in the horizontal scanning direction on the image carrier.
The laser printer that corrects the magnification of the image by phase modulation in which the phase of the image clock signal is shifted can change the correction amount in a short period of time, and hence, correction can be performed in between sheets of paper (at the timing when image formation is not performed), when images are continuously formed. However, since image degradation occurs more or less as compared with the magnification correction of the image by frequency modulation, there is a problem in that when the phase shift amount of the image clock signal increases, degradation in the formed image increases.
On the other hand, when magnification correction of the image is performed by frequency modulation in which the whole misregistration amount of dots is shifted, a better image can be obtained as compared to the one obtained by phase modulation. In the case of frequency modulation, however, a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit is normally used for generating a pixel clock for modulating the laser beams corresponding to an image signal. The PLL circuit includes a voltage-controlled oscillator that changes the frequency according to the applied voltage, and it is necessary to stop the printing operation until the PLL oscillating frequency is stabilized after having started a change in the oscillating frequency of the PLL.
That is, in the case of a method of correcting the frequency of the image signal, for example, number of prints and time are counted, and magnification correction of the image by frequency modulation is performed at an interval of certain time that is considered not to cause a side effect such as image degradation. In this case, however, image forming operation is suspended in order to correct the frequency of the image signal. As a result, the number of suspensions increases, and the overall print speed (number of image formations per unit time) as an image forming apparatus decreases drastically.
Further, when magnification correction of an image is performed by frequency modulation, if the timing for performing the frequency correction is previously set, then even when the magnification error in the horizontal scanning direction increases in the period after frequency correction of the image signal until the next frequency correction is performed, frequency correction is not performed until the timing for the next frequency correction, and hence, a degraded image is formed during this time.

Image forming apparatus for correcting magnification of image


An onboard wireless communication system for a vehicle, such as a tire pressure monitoring system (“TPMS”) is disclosed. The TPMS includes wheel-mounted radio frequency (“RF”) sensor/transmitters that transmit RF signals conveying tire pressure information, at least one RF relay element, and an RF receiver coupled to a TPMS processor. The RF relay element(s) relay the RF signals from the sensor/transmitters to the RF receiver to reduce the negative effect of electromagnetic field scattering caused by conductive parts of the vehicle.

Tire pressure monitoring systems ("TPMS") for vehicles are known in the prior art. A TPMS provides constant monitoring of tire inflation levels in all four tires of a vehicle, and a typical TPMS makes the tire inflation data available to the driver. A sensor/transmitter unit mounted on each wheel rim periodically transmits a signal conveying tire pressure information at a specified frequency to a receiver mounted elsewhere onboard the vehicle. The sensor/transmitter unit is a combination of an air pressure sensor and a radio frequency ("RF") transmitter that encodes data in a manner suitable for RF broadcasting. The receiver, which is usually located in the passenger compartment, can be integrated with (or connected to) an in-dash TPMS processor that alerts the driver if tire pressure is too low. Conventional TPMS systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,507,276, 6,535,116, 6,581,449, and 6,400,263.
In automobile deployments, there are little if any direct RF signal paths between the sensor/transmitters and the TPMS receiver due to the metal composition of the chassis. Furthermore, the sensor/transmitters and the receiver are typically mounted in close proximity to conductive metal portions of the automobile. Consequently, the body of the vehicle causes electromagnetic field scattering that can adversely impact the operating signal strength range of the TPMS, resulting in undesired deep fading in the communication link between the sensor/transmitters and the receiver. Unfortunately, increasing the RF transmit power of the TPMS signals is not a practical solution because the maximum transmit power is limited by strict government regulations. Relocating the TPMS receiver to increase received signal strength is also not a practical solution due to the existence of complex wiring harnesses in modern automobiles.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a TPMS having improved dynamic range compared to conventional TMPSs. In addition, it is desirable to have an onboard wireless communication system for vehicle applications, where wireless signal losses between the RF transmitter and the RF receiver are reduced. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

System and method for improving received signal strength for an in-vehicle wireless communication system


An on-image navigation guide can be generated utilizing coordinates of table data of a table in a document image. The on-image navigation guide enables a user to populate a data entry form with the table data by interacting directly with the document image. The data entry form is configured with the same number of columns as the table and the document image and the data entry form share the same data structure. The on-image navigation guide is presented on top of the document image. As a user navigates the document image, a focus point of the on-image navigation guide moves from table cell to table cell, providing an immediate visual feedback on what is captured in a corresponding data entry field. The on-image navigation guide includes an on-image context menu and a pin through which the user can make adjustments and/or corrections without leaving the document image.

Image analysis and feature extraction technologies have come a long way. U.S. Pat. No. 8,270,721 describes a variety of methods and systems for acquiring data from machine-readable documents and provides a new solution for acquiring table data from machine-readable documents. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,270,721, individual data are extracted from a document, as automatically as possible, and are entered into corresponding database fields. When data cannot be extracted from the document with a desired degree of reliability for particular database fields, the document is displayed with the database fields for which the data cannot be extracted. A proposal routine is executed so that string sections, in a vicinity of a pointer movable by a user on the display screen, are selected, marked, and proposed for extraction. In this way, the user is informed of the database field for which the data must still be extracted from the document shown on the display screen and can then transfer or incorporate the proposed string section into the database field by actuating a particular key.
This approach requires that the user interacts with the document as well as the data fields shown on the display screen. Since the user has to move a cursor or pointing device back and forth between the document and the data fields on the display screen and manually actuate keys, the loss of efficiency and time can be significant. This is particularly a concern when the document containing table data to be extracted might be huge. For instance, an entity's invoice to another entity can be several pages long, with hundreds of line items (e.g., 400 plus line items on 20 plus pages). It can be extremely difficult to synch table data from such a document to the data fields of a data storage file without any error. Accordingly, a user likely will need to scroll back and forth on the document and the data entry form and perform numerous keystrokes to enter and/or correct the values in the data fields.

Systems and methods for on-image navigation and direct image-to-data storage table data capture


Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods and apparatus for forming a tubular-lined wellbore which does not decrease in diameter with increasing depth or length. Methods and apparatus for forming a substantially monobore well while drilling with casing are provided. In one aspect, a portion of a second casing is expanded into a portion of a first casing having a larger inner diameter than the remaining portion of the first casing string. In another aspect, the portion of the second casing is expanded into a portion of the first casing having a compressible member therearound. In another aspect, a lined lateral wellbore may be constructed by forming a lateral wellbore extending from a main wellbore lined with casing. A diameter of at least a portion of the lateral wellbore may be expanded. An expandable tubular element may be run into lateral wellbore and expanded to have an inner diameter equal to or larger than an inner diameter of the main wellbore casing. Embodiments provide a fluid path around casing before sealing the casing within a wellbore or within a well casing, even after the casing has been hung within the wellbore or from the well casing.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to drilling and completion of oil and gas wells. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatus for forming a wellbore by drilling with casing. Embodiments of the present invention generally relate, more particularly, to the construction of lateral wellbores.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the drilling of oil and gas wells, a wellbore is formed in a formation using a drill bit that is urged downwardly at a lower end of a drill string. After drilling a predetermined depth, the drill string and the drill bit are removed, and the wellbore is typically lined with a string of pipe called casing. The casing forms a major structural component of the wellbore and serves several important functions, such as preventing the formation wall from caving into the wellbore, isolating different zones in the formation, preventing the flow of fluids into the wellbore, and providing a means of maintaining control of fluids and pressure while drilling. Casing is available in a range of sizes and material grades, the choice of which is typically determined by a particular application.
The casing typically extends down the wellbore from the surface to a designated depth. Various downhole tools are often run through the casing to perform various operations downhole in the wellbore. Accordingly, the drift diameter of the casing dictates the types of downhole tools that may be run through the casing. Drift diameter generally refers to the inside diameter that the casing manufacturer guarantees per specifications. In other words, the drift diameter may be used (e.g., by a well planner) to determine what size tools may later be run through the casing.
For various production oriented reasons, it may be desirable to form a lateral (e.g., deviating from vertical) wellbore extending from a main (or "parent") wellbore. For example, because a lateral wellbore typically penetrates a greater length of the reservoir, it may offer significant production improvement over a purely vertical main wellbore. Lateral wellbores extending from a cased main wellbore may be formed by removing a portion of the main wellbore casing to expose a portion of the formation. The lateral wellbore may then be formed by drilling out from the main wellbore through the exposed portion of the formation. Various well-known techniques are available to achieve the desired deviation from the main wellbore when drilling the lateral wellbore.
For the previously described reasons (e.g., support, isolation, etc.), it is also desirable to line a lateral wellbore with casing. However, in order to reach the lateral wellbore, casing used to line the lateral wellbore must pass through the main wellbore casing. Therefore, to run the casing into the lateral wellbore, the outer diameter of the casing used to line the lateral wellbore must be smaller than the inner diameter of the main wellbore casing. Accordingly, casing used to line conventional lateral wellbores has been limited to casing having inner diameters significantly smaller than the main wellbore casing. As a result of this smaller inner diameter, the types of downhole tools that may be run in the lateral wellbore are typically restricted, thereby limiting the types of operations that may be performed therein. Accordingly, what is needed is an improved method for forming a lateral wellbore lined with casing having an enlarged inner diameter relative to casing lining conventional lateral wellbores.
To drill within the wellbore to a predetermined depth in conventional well completion operations, the drill string is often rotated by a top drive or rotary table on a surface platform or rig, or by a downhole motor mounted towards the lower end of the drill string. After drilling to a predetermined depth, the drill string and drill bit are removed and a section of casing is lowered into the wellbore. An annular area is thus formed between the string of casing and the formation. The casing string is temporarily hung from the surface of the well. A cementing operation is then conducted in order to fill the annular area with cement. Using apparatus known in the art, the casing string is cemented into the wellbore by circulating cement into the annular area defined between the outer wall of the casing and the borehole. The combination of cement and casing strengthens the wellbore and facilitates the isolation of certain areas of the formation behind the casing for the production of hydrocarbons.
It is common to employ more than one string of casing in a wellbore. In this respect, the well is drilled to a first designated depth with a drill bit on a drill string. The drill string is removed. A first string of casing or conductor pipe is then run into the wellbore and set in the drilled out portion of the wellbore, and cement is circulated into the annulus behind the casing string. Next, the well is drilled to a second designated depth, and a second string of casing, or liner, is run into the drilled out portion of the wellbore. The second string is set at a depth such that the upper portion of the second string of casing overlaps the lower portion of the first string of casing. The second liner string is then fixed, or "hung" off of the existing casing by the use of slips which utilize slip members and cones to wedgingly fix the new string of liner in the wellbore. The second casing string is then cemented. This process is typically repeated with additional casing strings until the well has been drilled to total depth. In this manner, wells are typically formed with two or more strings of casing of an ever-decreasing diameter.
As an alternative to the conventional method, drilling with casing is a method sometimes used to place casing strings within the wellbore. This method involves attaching a cutting structure in the form of a drill bit to the same string of casing which will line the wellbore. Rather than running a drill bit on a smaller diameter drill string, the drill bit or drill shoe is run in at the end of the larger diameter of casing that will remain in the wellbore and be cemented therein. Drilling with casing is a desirable method of well completion because only one run-in of the working string into the wellbore is necessary to form and line the wellbore for each casing string.
Specifically, drilling with casing is typically accomplished by lowering and rotating a first casing string with a cutting structure attached thereto into a formation to form a portion of the wellbore at a first depth. During the lowering of the casing string, it is often necessary to circulate drilling fluid while drilling into the formation to form a path within the formation through which the casing string may travel. The first casing string is cemented into the formation. Next, a second casing string with a drill bit attached thereto is lowered and rotated into the formation while circulating fluid to form a portion of the wellbore at a second depth. The second casing string is hung off of the first casing string and cemented into the formation. This process can be repeated with additional casing strings until the wellbore extends to the desired depth.
Because the second casing string must travel through the first string of casing to reach the formation below the first casing string, the second casing string must have a smaller inner diameter than the second casing string. Historically, therefore, as more casing strings were set in the wellbore, the casing strings became progressively smaller in diameter in order to fit within the previous casing string. The drill bit for drilling to the next predetermined depth must thus become progressively smaller as the diameter of each casing string decreases in order to fit within the previous casing string. Therefore, multiple drill bits of different sizes are ordinarily necessary for drilling in well completion operations. Progressively decreasing the diameter of the casing strings with increasing depth within the wellbore limits the size of wellbore tools which are capable of being run into the wellbore. Furthermore, restricting the inner diameter of the casing strings limits the volume of hydrocarbon production which may flow to the surface from the formation.
Recently, methods and apparatus for expanding the diameter of casing strings within a wellbore have become feasible. When using expandable casing strings to line a wellbore, the well is drilled to a first designated depth with a drill bit on a drill string, then the drill string is removed. A first string of casing is set in the drilled out portion of the wellbore, and cement is circulated into the annulus behind the casing string. Next, the well is drilled to a second designated depth, and a second string of casing is run into the drilled out portion of the wellbore at a depth such that the upper portion of the second string of casing overlaps the lower portion of the first string of casing. Cement can be placed behind the second casing string and then the second casing string is expanded into contact with the existing first string of casing with an expander tool. This process is typically repeated with additional casing strings until the well has been drilled to total depth.
An advantage gained with using expander tools to expand expandable casing strings is the decreased annular space between the overlapping casing strings. Because the subsequent casing string is expanded into contact with the previous string of casing, the decrease in diameter of the wellbore is essentially the thickness of the subsequent casing string. However, even when using expandable technology, casing strings must still become progressively smaller in diameter in order to fit within the previous casing string.
Currently, monobore wells are being investigated to further limit the decrease in the inner diameter of the wellbore with increasing depth. Monobore wells would theoretically result when the wellbore is approximately the same diameter along its length or depth through the expansion of casing strings, causing the path for fluid between the surface and the wellbore to remain consistent along the length of the wellbore and regardless of the depth of the well. In a monobore well, tools could be more easily run into the wellbore because the size of the tools which may travel through the wellbore would not be limited to the constricted inner diameter of casing strings of decreasing inner diameters.
Theoretically, in the formation of a monobore well, a first casing string could be inserted into the wellbore and cemented therein. Thereafter, a second casing string of a smaller diameter than the first casing string could be inserted into the wellbore and expanded to approximately the same inner diameter as the first casing string. The casing strings may be connected together through a conventional hanger, or by expanding the inner diameter of the larger diameter first casing string, which is located above the second casing string, where the first and second casing strings overlap. Additional casing strings would be inserted into the wellbore and expanded, as described in relation to the first and second casing strings, until the wellbore extends to the desired depth.
With monobore well investigation, certain problems present. One problem relates to the expansion of the smaller casing string into the larger casing string to form the connection therebetween. Current methods of expanding casing strings in a wellbore to create a connection between casing strings requires the application of a radial force to the interior of the smaller casing string and expanding its diameter out until the larger casing string is itself pushed past its elastic limits. The result is a connection having an outer diameter greater than the original outer diameter of the larger casing string. While the increase in the outer diameter is small in comparison to the overall diameter, there are instances where expanding the diameter of the larger casing string is difficult or impossible. For example, in the completion of a monobore well, the upper casing string may be cemented into place before the next casing string is lowered into the well and its diameter expanded. Because the annular area between the outside of the larger casing string and the borehole therearound is filled with cured cement, the diameter of the larger casing string cannot expand past its original shape. Expansion of the required magnitude may also rupture the casing.
When hanging a casing string from another casing string, whether during a drilling operation or a drilling with casing operation, the casing string being hung may be set mechanically or hydraulically. A typical apparatus for setting a casing string in a well casing includes a liner hanger and a running tool. The running tool is provided with a valve seat obstruction which will allow fluid pressure to be developed to actuate the slips in order to set the liner hanger in the well casing. Once the liner hanger has been set, the running tool is rotated counterclockwise to unscrew the running tool from the liner hanger and the running tool is then removed.
One advantageous use for expandable tubulars is to hang one tubular within another. For example, the upper portion of a casing string can be expanded into contact with the inner wall of a casing in a wellbore. In this manner, the bulky and space-demanding slip assemblies and associated running tools can be eliminated. One problem with using expandable tubular technology used casing strings relates to cementing the casing strings within the wellbore. Cementing is performed by circulating uncured cement down the wellbore and back up an annulus between the exterior of the casing string being set and the wellbore therearound. In order for the cement to be circulated, a fluid path is necessary between the annulus and the wellbore. Hanging a casing string in a wellbore by circumferentially expanding its walls into the well casing obstructs the juncture and prevents circulation of fluids. To avoid this circulation problem, casing strings must usually be temporarily hung in a wellbore prior to cementing.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for forming a substantially monobore well when drilling with casing. There is a further need for an apparatus and method for use when drilling with casing for forming a cased wellbore with an inner diameter which does not decrease with increasing depth within the wellbore. There is a yet further need for an apparatus and method for use in drilling with casing which involves running a casing string of smaller inner diameter into a formation and subsequently expanding a casing string of larger inner diameter to form a wellbore with substantially the same inner diameter along its length.
Moreover, there is a need for apparatus and methods that permit casing to be hung in a well and also leave a fluid path around the casing, at least temporarily. Additionally, there is a need for casing having a means for circulating fluids therearound even after the casing has been hung within the wellbore or previously installed casing.


Described are vapor deposition methods for depositing molybdenum materials onto a substrate by the use of bis(alkyl-arene) molybdenum, also referred to herein as (alkyl-arene)2Mo, for example bis(ethyl-benzene) molybdenum ((EtBz)2Mo), as a precursor for such deposition, as well as structures that contain the deposited material.

Semiconductor and microelectronic devices, and methods of preparing these devices, involve metals and metal-containing materials used in device structures such as electrodes, vias, barrier layers, interconnects, seed layers, and various other structures. During fabrication, the metal or metal-containing material is placed onto the device by deposition, meaning for example by atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or a modification or derivative thereof. The deposited material is provided to the deposition process in the form of a "precursor," which may be an inorganic or organometallic reagent that when vaporized and exposed to a substrate under the correct conditions will become deposited, alone or in combination with another material, onto the substrate.
One metal that is commonly used for conductive structures is tungsten. According to common methods of depositing tungsten, tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) is used as a precursor from which the deposited tungsten is derived. A disadvantage of tungsten deposited by use of tungsten hexafluoride is that fluorine reacts with hydrogen (H2) to form hydrogen fluoride (HF), which can be detrimental to a substrate, e.g., by causing etching of a silicon wafer.
Molybdenum is a low-resistivity refractory metal that has been used in microelectronic devices, e.g., as an alternative to tungsten. Molybdenum has a high melting point, high thermal conductivity, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and low electrical resistivity. Molybdenum has been used or proposed for use as a diffusion barrier, electrode, photomask, interconnect, or as a low-resistivity gate structure. Molybdenum is a candidate for replacing tungsten used in memory chips, logic chips, and other devices that include polysilicon-metal gate electrode structures. A thin film that contains molybdenum can also be used in some organic light emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, and also in thin film solar cells and photovoltaics.
Various precursor materials and vapor deposition techniques have been used for depositing metal materials onto microelectronic device substrates. Deposition techniques can include chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) as well as a number of modifications of these processes such as UV laser photo-dissociation CVD, plasma-assisted CVD, and plasma-assisted ALD. CVD and ALD processes are being increasingly used in the microelectronics industry because these methods may allow excellent conformal step coverage on highly non-planar microelectronic device geometries.
Researchers in the semiconductor and microelectronics industries are in continuous search for improved materials and methods for depositing metals onto substrates to provide useful metal or metal-containing layers and structures. Currently, researchers are interested in methods and materials that avoid tungsten hexafluoride, including the use of metals other than tungsten, for example molybdenum. Some materials and techniques useful for chemical vapor deposition of molybdenum have been described. See, for example, International patent publication WO2017/143246 (PCT/US2017/018455). Research efforts continue toward identifying still other useful materials and techniques for use in vapor deposition methods for depositing molybdenum onto microelectronic device substrates.

Vapor deposition of molybdenum using a bis(alkyl-arene) molybdenum precursor


A method and a Financial Product providing for Banks and other large Finance Companies (Intermediaries) to market and fund the Financial Product to its Customers (Customers) and potential Customers, whereby the entire Financial Product processes are administered by a contracted Finance Company (Contractor) that possess loan, leasing and/or factoring specialty expertise that the Intermediary does not have or cannot duplicate cost effectively. The Contractor will indemnify and/or insure the Intermediary from loss of principle and interest, thereby eliminating all risk to the Intermediary, or alternatively the Contractor will indemnify the Intermediary, and further guarantee the indemnification through an insurance company in the form of a performance bond, or another third party in the form of a put option. In a further alternative the indemnification may be entirely in the form of a performance bond or put option. Since the Intermediary provides money for the Financial Product, the cost will be in most cases lower than the cost of money the Contractor can provide directly. The Contractor is able to drastically reduce its marketing costs as volume gets funneled in from its customer Intermediaries. The Customer benefits from having easier access to the various Financial Products and a lower price due to this process. The Intermediary can now serve its customers better, employ funds more efficiently, earn fees for providing marketing services benefitting the Contractor, all while completely eliminating the risk of loss on the contracted Financial Products.

Presently, Banks and large Finance Companies (herein "Intermediaries") and Niche Finance Companies (herein "Contractors,"—in some instances, large Finance Companies may also act as a Contractor) all provide financial products, for example loans, leases and/or factoring programs (herein "Financial Products") directly to Customers. Typically, Intermediaries have a money cost advantage over Contractors by virtue of their size and financial strength. In this regard, Banks have the further advantage of being Depository Institutions. Additionally, Intermediaries also have a marketing cost advantage over Contractors brought about by their "brick-and-mortar" branch networks and the positive perception Customers have of a Bank or large Finance Company.
Because of the particular advantages Intermediaries possess over Contractors, Intermediaries tend to specialize in low cost (which assumes low risk) Financial Products. Due to the typically high quality of the Customer or its collateral, such low cost Financial Products require no monitoring whatsoever, or only passive monitoring in some cases. Intermediaries will also compete for higher risk Financial Products (i.e., those requiring more active monitoring), especially when the economy is doing well.
Contractors typically enjoy advantages over Intermediaries in terms of products offered, geography (i.e., ability to service Customers without regard to physical location) and expertise in handling certain types of Financial Products. As such, Contractors tend to specialize in higher margin (which assumes higher risk) Financial Products. Part of the "higher" margin goes to programs such as loan loss reserves, and part to more sophisticated Financial Product monitoring and structuring mechanisms required by the risky nature of the Customer or its collateral. The remainder is higher profit for the higher risk (if all goes well). Contractors will also compete for lower risk Financial Products (those requiring passive monitoring), especially when Intermediaries invade the Contractor's territory during good economic times.
The fact that Intermediaries and Contractors offer different advantages to the market is helpful to address most every Customer's needs. However, it becomes problematic when money is easily available (supply of money is high) and Customers' need to borrow lessens (demand for money is low), such as occurs during a good economy. During these healthy economic times, an Intermediary's desire to employ its abundance of funds causes it to take more risk, even without the expertise to do so profitably.
As Intermediaries pull Customers from a higher risk market with already decreased demand, Contractors lower their rates in an effort to keep business flowing. This reaction either lowers profits or forces under-funded loan loss reserves for the Contractors. As good economic times continue, the competition escalates to the point where margins are so low and risk so high that "bad" Loans are literally booked. The longer these conditions exist, the more "bad" Loans build up on the books of the participants.
Some may argue that all of this competition is good for the Customers. However, history has proven that this is not the case.
While Customers may enjoy higher debt levels and lower prices as a result of the competition, as the economy slows, so do revenues. Thus, under normal debt levels, Customers' profits would suffer, but little else. However, under the higher debt levels offered by the "uneven" competitors, Customers have a difficult time meeting debt service payments. Intermediaries and Contractors with higher risk, lower returns, and under-funded loss reserves, declare Customer defaults at a record pace. In other words, everyone loses.
One financial product popular in the late 1980's and early 1990's, called "Securitization," was an attempt to solve funding issues for both Contractors and Intermediaries. Entities could fund Financial Products and then subsequently securitize them (i.e., sell the Financial Products to a shell corporation owned in whole or in part by the entities initially providing the Financial Products); thereby removing the asset and corresponding liability from their books. This allowed participants to fund more Financial Products without having to raise equity levels. As Securitization grew in popularity and competition increased, it was subsequently marketed as a "risk management" tool as well as a finance tool. However, "Securitization" actually increased risk because the same participant structured and monitored the Financial Product, and was ultimately on the hook for any losses. Only now, the participant was able to grow beyond the prudent level of its equity base. As such, in the late 1990's, the Securitization market collapsed as participants went bankrupt and their investors lost a lot of money.
Even with the Securitization failure fresh in their minds, the Intermediary community continues to dedicate resources in the search to leverage their distribution capabilities (i.e., marketing), and their main resource, low cost of funds, throughout the lending market. However, to do so successfully the Intermediaries need to find a way to manage (i.e., lower or eliminate) their risk.
During the same time that Loan Securitization became popular, several niche finance companies introduced "partnering programs" allowing Intermediaries to utilize their marketing and low cost funds in tandem with the Financial Product structuring and monitoring expertise of the niche finance company. These "partnering" products seemed to be an improvement over Securitization in that risk is shared between the participants. However, Intermediaries were earning less than half the revenue associated with the Financial Product while remaining exposed to at least half of the risk (and in some cases more than half of the risk). The niche finance companies that push these programs are, on the other hand, quite comfortable earning premium risk adjusted returns at the Intermediaries' expense.
Intermediaries are continuously looking for products that reduce or eliminate risk. Intermediaries are also interested in being able to provide a full range of Financial Products for its customers, even in areas the Intermediary normally would avoid if acting solely on its own. For example, a particular Intermediary may on its own, avoid providing Financial Products for a specific industry or market (e.g., construction loans).
According to the present invention, Intermediaries and Contractors can effectively collaborate to their mutual benefit, taking advantage of each other's strengths to provide a full range of Financial Product for the Intermediaries customers. This invention opens the door for increased access for the Contractors to the Customers (and vice versa), while eliminating risk for the Intermediaries. The lower cost of funds provided by the Intermediary makes the collaborative product more competitive while saving money for the Customer.

Financial product and collaborative system and method for providing and monitoring a financial product


Devices for adjustably controlling a flow of fluid through a common passage and through first and second auxiliary passages are disclosed. The flow control devices may be used for controlling the steering of a vehicle having independently controlled driven structures, such as wheels. Various other applications of these devices and related methods are also disclosed.

Vehicles, such as a riding lawn mowers, with "zero turning radius" (ZTR) capability are well-known in the art. Many existing ZTR riding lawn mower designs use two individually controlled pumps, each for independently controlling a drive wheel motor to achieve extreme ZTR maneuverability characteristics. This is referred to as "drive-wheel-steering" because the steering is controlled by the rotational ratio of the left and right drive tires, with the tires at the other end of the chassis being mounted for free rotation, such as on casters. Navigating this type of vehicle generally requires a skilled operator, since the controls are usually in the form of a non-intuitive joystick or twin steering levers associated with the separate pumps. The same problem exists in bulldozers and many other types of vehicles where crawler tracks provide not only the motive force for the vehicle, but also control the direction in which the vehicle travels.
Another ZTR control arrangement requires two different pumps mounted in the same transmission, as recently introduced by John Deere in the form of a SPIN-STEER mower and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,357B1. In this arrangement, one pump is dedicated to chassis propulsion while the other is dedicated to steering the chassis. Although this design is capable of utilizing a more convenient steering wheel instead of steering levers, it deleteriously requires complicated linkages. Additionally, the vehicle using this control arrangement has a noticeably variable turn rate that depends upon chassis speed. It also has drive line packaging limitations due to the provision of the dual pumps in an all-in-one integral transmission. Since many commercial mowers utilize drive trains with individually mounted components such as wheel motors, pumps, etc., use of this control arrangement is generally unsuitable, absent substantial design modifications.
Accordingly, a need exists for eliminating the complexity associated with this and similar prior art proposals, while at the same time improving the overall operation of the vehicle having ZTR capability.

Variable flow control devices, related applications, and related methods


Systems and methods are disclosed herein for the non-intrusive inspection and/or verification of cargo. In an exemplary embodiment, an elemental signature is determined at a first point in a supply chain and transmitted to a second point in the supply chain. When the goods arrive at the second point, the elemental signature of the goods may be measured and verified against the original elemental signature. In another embodiment, an elemental signature may be measured to verify the origin or identity of the goods. In some embodiments such elemental signatures are inherent to the shipped goods and/or their packaging. In other embodiments, elemental signatures are applied to the shipment as tag materials.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for the use of active non-intrusive inspection technology for the verification of cargo and/or goods.
2. Background Information
Manufactured goods, raw materials, equipment, provisions, supplies, and a variety of other items are routinely shipped throughout the world by land, air, sea, and even space. Often such items are shipped in sealed containers, such as cargo containers. The need for effective means of identifying and/or verifying the contents of such containers is of importance to any concern, whether government or private commerce, that transports or handles them. For example:                Customs and law enforcement may wish to detect and interdict contraband, drugs, and terror threats such as explosives or nuclear material.        Recipients of merchandise may wish to verify that the correct goods are being delivered.        Shippers may wish to ensure goods are transported and stored safely and correctly.        Producers and buyers may wish to make certain that received goods are what they are supposed to be and not counterfeit.
Other instances in which identification and verification of goods may be paramount will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art. Yet such identification and verification may present difficulties that are cost-prohibitive or impractical due to various factors, such as:                Verification of contents by manual inspection may be cost-prohibitive and introduce impracticable delays in the shipment of goods.        Verification by destructive techniques that require unpacking or destruction of the container may not be practicable.        Containers may be tamper-proof or otherwise difficult or cumbersome to open.        The goods for which verification is desired may be buried deep within a container or are otherwise difficult to reach.        The environment may be dangerous or otherwise unsuitable for human inspection.
In the above scenarios, as well as others that will be recognized by those skilled in the art, non-destructive and non-intrusive means of identification and/or verification of the contents of a container may be desirable.
In any flow of goods, there is generally a supply chain that may include an origin (e.g., a producer, manufacturer, shipper, or the like); a transit route (which may include packing, shipping, forwarding, temporary storage, receiving, etc.); and an end point marked by the acceptance of delivery by a recipient, such as a customs inspection site, a purchaser, or an end-user. Non-intrusive means for identification of goods may be useful at multiple points along this supply chain. Currently, for reasons such as those listed above, there may be no practicable way to ascertain the origin, quality, and other characteristics of goods at multiple points in a supply chain. Further, in many cases visual inspections or other current methods of analysis may not be able to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit goods.

Methods and systems for active non-intrusive inspection and verification of cargo and goods


An automatic pill dispensing system and apparatus are disclosed that include a plurality of pill storage cartridges, a control system configured to dispense pills at predetermined times and intervals. The dispensed medications, dosage times, patient compliance information, other prescription information are programmed or available to a caregiver, physician, other medical personnel or pharmacist either directly or remotely by a caregiver through an interface that is not accessible to the patient. The apparatus signals the patient at appropriate times and pills are dispensed when the patient depresses a single dispense button to discharge the prescribed medications into a tray.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pill dispensing system and apparatus, and more particularly to an automatic pill dispensing device for dispensing a plurality of pills at selected times over a predetermined period of time. The system can include remote notification and remote access capabilities.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of daily medication is increasingly common today, particularly among the elderly. While some elderly patients are in nursing homes or are being attended by health care professionals, many others care for themselves. Those individuals must be careful to take the proper dosage of the correct medication at the appropriate time each day. This can be a difficult task for patients suffering memory loss and for those taking several different medications at various times throughout the day. Some patents can have trouble remembering and dealing with several different medications requiring different doses at different times and frequencies, and mistakes can lead to potential life threatening circumstances such as overdosing, under dosing or improper dosage combinations. Furthermore, arthritis or other physical impairments can make it difficult for some elderly to open the various pharmaceutical pill containers with the child safety lock mechanisms. The resulting loss of peace of mind and anxiety to both the elderly and their families and friends is tremendous.
Numerous devices have been developed for automatically dispensing pills and medication at timed intervals. These devices range from simple machines, in which a timer controls rotation of a pill dispenser causing the dispensing of a pill at a pre-programmed time regardless of any action or confirmation of the patient, to complex machines that are controlled by a microprocessor and have the ability to remotely notify a physician or caregiver if the patient fails to take one of the dispensed medications.
The known prior art pill dispensing devices are not remotely accessible by physicians and caregivers, so that the physicians and caregivers can view a real time report on the dispenser's operability and prescription compliance by the patient, and assess how soon the dispenser will need to be refilled. Known prior art pill dispensing devices are not capable of remotely notifying the patient when it is time to take the next dosage. Several prior art dispensing devices have an audible alarm that sounds when the dispenser is ready to dispense, but this is not satisfactory for the many elderly who are hearing impaired. If the dispenser is in the kitchen and the patient is in the living room or bedroom, the patient may not hear the alarm on the dispenser, especially if there is other ambient noise, such as a television or radio. Some prior art devices require the patient to wear a vibrating device around the neck or wrist that vibrates when the dispenser is ready to dispense, but this separate device can be misplaced or the battery may go dead. Other prior art dispensing devices contact another machine, such as a computer, to remotely notify the patient. However, there is a risk that the separate machine may be turned off or be otherwise non-operational causing the patient to miss a critical dose.
The known prior art devices that disclose the dispensing of multiple medications through the use of multiple dispensing wheels or cassettes do not provide for linking the wheels or cassettes if the same medication is loaded into multiple wheels. For example, if the prior art device has six dispensing wheels but the patient is only taking five different medications, then the sixth wheel would be left empty in the prior art devices. However, if the most frequently taken medication was also loaded into what would be an otherwise empty wheel and the dispenser was programmable to link the two wheels with same medication, then the dispenser could first empty the original wheel containing the medication and then begin to empty the second wheel, effectively doubling the interval for refilling the machine.
It is therefore desirable to have a simple and reliable automatic pill dispensing system and apparatus capable not only of dispensing a plurality of pill prescriptions at timed intervals and in proper dosages from a plurality of pill compartments but also of notifying the patient, both proximally and remotely, when a pill is ready to be dispensed. It is also desirable for the dispenser to allow an outside caregiver or physician to access the machine remotely to ensure the patient is taking the pills in compliance with the prescription schedule, and for the dispenser to remotely contact the physician or caregiver if a critical dose is missed or if one of the pill compartments needs to be refilled. It is also desirable for an automatic pill dispensing system and apparatus to be easy to program and load, and to allow linking of more than one of the cartridges containing the same medication so that the time between refills is extended.


An air conditioning system and a defrosting control method and device thereof including: obtaining defrosting exit time determined in previous defrosting, and controlling the air conditioning system to perform this defrosting according to the defrosting exit time determined in the previous defrosting; in this defrosting process of the air conditioning system, obtaining the temperature of an outdoor environment, and obtaining the temperature of an outlet of an outdoor heat exchanger; determining the temperature of the outdoor environment and the temperature of the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger; and if the temperature of the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger is lower than a first preset temperature and lasts a preset time and the temperature of the outdoor environment is lower than a second preset temperature, obtaining forced defrosting time serving as the defrosting exit time of the next defrosting of the air conditioning system, and storing the time.

In an air conditioning system, when frost formation occurs in an air conditioner operating in a heating mode, it should be switched into a refrigeration mode, under which an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a condenser to melt a frost layer. In the related art, a forced exit time have to be set for a defrosting process to avoid defrosting for a long time that prevents the indoor unit from heating. Generally, as the exit time is fixed and unchanged, a time length set for the fixed exit time should meet requirements for all operation environments. When the exit time is set to be too short, it is impossible to achieve a desired defrosting effect, i.e., the heat exchanger cannot melt the frost layer completely on surface, if the air conditioning system is affected by rain and snow from outside. When the exit time is set to be too long, if the desired defrosting effect can be achieved in short time as the frosting layer is not thick under a low temperature and low moisture environment, it is difficult for the air conditioning system to meet exit requirement, accordingly it is impossible for an indoor unit to heat as the defrosting is performed too long and thus the indoor heating effect is affected.

Air conditioning system, and defrosting control method and device thereof

GD MIDEA HEATING & VENTILATING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.


A method for recording a complete stream of live data packets from a server in a media cache with reduced server-cache bandwidth includes utilizing a first amount of server-cache bandwidth to receive only a portion of the complete stream of live data packets from the server, determining when the stream of live data packets from the server finishes, thereafter utilizing a second amount of server-cache bandwidth to receive missing portions of the complete stream of live data packets, and combining the portion of the complete stream of live data packets and the missing portions of the complete stream of live data packets to form the complete stream of live data packets in the memory.

The present invention relates to data caching. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for caching and serving streaming media with reduced server-cache bandwidth consumption and increased performance.
A variety of approaches have previously been used to deliver live streaming media data to multiple client systems at the same time. One technique for broadcasting streaming media to multiple clients is known as a Unicast broadcast model. This technique can be used without requiring special hardware and software, but consumes costly server bandwidth. This is because the server has to deliver multiple copies of the same data stream for multiple clients. As example, if the server supports K client systems and if a stream of data to a client system consumes bandwidth B, the server would consume B*K bandwidth.
Another technique for broadcasting live streaming media data to multiple client systems was a "Multicast" model. This techniques requires the use of an intermediary router and software between the server and the client systems. In this case, when more than one client requests the same stream of data, the intermediary router receives a stream from the server, replicates the streaming media data for each client system, and outputs the stream to each client. In contrast to the above model, the server consumes bandwidth B for broadcasting the stream to the intermediary router.
Drawbacks to the above models include that any request for the streaming media data from clients at a later time would again require the server to provide the streaming media data bandwidth. For example, if a client system subsequently requested a copy of the streaming media data, such as a rebroadcast of a "live" press conference, the server would again have to use bandwidth B to provide the streaming media data to the client. The additional bandwidth B therefore would be used for the rebroadcast whether or not the Unicast or Multicast model were used.
A general method to reduce bandwidth consumed between servers and clients for repeated data requests used hardware known as file caches. These file caches typically included a hard disk for receiving files from file servers, and for storing entire files. When a client desired a file, instead of serving the file from the file server, the file is served from the file cache. Because the cache was typically a server that was closer to the client or has higher bandwidth than the file server, the file would be served to the client quickly from the cache.
It was discovered by the inventors, that attempting to apply typical file caching methods to files that include streaming media data, raised many significant problems. For instance, serving a streaming media data file from a cache required much more processing by the cache than with classical file transfers over the web. Further, another drawback was that because streaming media data files were very large, a huge penalty was incurred if the streaming media data file was deleted. Another drawback was that many different streaming media formats existed, each with its own specific streaming requirements. Accordingly, typical file caches were not suited to store streaming media data.
Pioneering systems and methods to attempt to reduce the amount of bandwidth used by a server to stream media data were developed by the assignee of the present invention. These systems included the use of novel caching techniques for storing streaming media data as described in the co-pending application cited.
Thus in light of the above, what is required are improved methods and apparatus for storing and serving streaming media data within a cache with reduced bandwidth requirements. Further, what is required are methods and apparatus for providing such solutions in economical ways.

Live stream archiving method and apparatus


A low emission diesel fuel suitable for use in underground diesel-engined mining equipment comprises a straight run distillate fuel having an end point not greater than 300.degree. C. (about 660.degree. F.), a cetane number in the range of 55 to 60 a specific gravity not greater than 0.83 a sulfur content not greater than 0.1 wt percent and an aromatics content of 18 to 30 wt. percent. The T.sub.90 of the fuels is typically in the range of 255.degree. to 270.degree. C. (about 490.degree. F. to 525.degree. F.), with an initial boiling points typically in the range of 170.degree. to 190.degree. C. (about 340.degree. to 374.degree. F). Ten percent points (T.sub.10) are typically in the range from about 200.degree. to 220.degree. C. (about 390.degree. to 430.degree. F.). The API gravity of the fuel is at least 38 and is typically in the range of 38 to 42 and the specific gravity is typically in the range of 0.82 to 0.83.

A number of performance specifications have been established for diesel fuels of different grades depending upon service application. A number of different properties are set out in these specifications including, for example, flash point, cloud point, pour point, viscosity, sulfur content, distillation range, gravity and ignition quality. Of these, the ignition quality is an important parameter and is usually expressed in cetane number (CN) determined by the standard ASTM test method D613. Diesel fuels of high cetane number differ from those of lower cetane numbers by having shorter ignition lags when the fuel is injected into the cylinders of the engine. Fuels of high-cetane number also ignite at lower compressed air temperatures than the lower-cetane fuels, permitting the engine to be started at lower temperatures and to be brought to a steady running condition more quickly with less combustion knock.
Viscosity is another important characteristic of diesel fuels, affecting leakage in the fuel pump and the power required to operate the pump as well as having an influence on the size of the fuel droplets sprayed into the cylinder through the injection nozzles. Viscosity is typically expressed as kinematic viscosity, determined by ASTM test D445.
Current environmental regulations are setting stricter specifications on diesel fuels, especially in terms of sulfur content and aromatics level. Sulfur is, of course, associated with the production of acidic oxides of sulfur, a troublesome atmospheric pollutant. Aromatics are considered undesirable not only for their adverse effect on ignition quality but also because they have been implicated with the production of significant amounts of particulates in the engine exhaust.
One type of service where increasing government regulation is being proposed is in underground mines where a concern for improved air quality standards has been expressed. Although improved engine design and maintenance, increased air circulation or a reduced level of engine operations in the mines could improve air quality, each of these presents its own problems. Another solution lies in the use of fuels which result in lower levels of harmful emissions.
The present invention provides a diesel fuel which produces low levels of engine emissions and which can be readily produced in existing refineries by proper observance of product specifications coupled with suitable additive use. The present diesel fuel compositions are especially suitable for use in underground diesel-engined mining equipment and are capable of reducing all of the currently regulated emissions subject to government regulation, namely, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, unburned hydrocarbons and particulates. The properties of the present low emission fuels are low sulfur content, low final boiling range and a high but controlled emission quality.