An acoustic receiver for sensing acoustic waves and generating orthogonal triaxial acoustic response data representative of said acoustic waves is disclosed. The receiver has at least four acoustic sensors oriented in at least four different directions. Each of the acoustic sensors is adapted to produce an electrical signal in response to an acoustic wave impinging thereon. The inventive acoustic receiver also includes means for combining the electrical signals to yield orthogonal triaxial acoustic response data. In one embodiment the means for combining the electrical signals comprises wiring the acoustic sensors in two series pairs to produce a combined output along two of the three orthogonal axes and orienting at least one acoustic sensor substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the acoustic receiver.

This invention relates generally to the field of acoustic monitoring for seismic or microseismic purposes. More specifically, the present invention is an acoustic receiver for sensing acoustic waves propagating through subterranean formations and generating triaxial acoustic response data representative of the waves.
In the production of hydrocarbons or the like from subterranean formations, it is common to hydraulically fracture a producing formation to increase the productivity from the formation. In a typical hydraulic fracturing operation, fluid is injected through the wellbore and into the formation at a high flow rate and at a pressure greater than the earth stress in the formation. This causes fractures to form in the formation, which fractures generally begin at the wellbore and radiate laterally away from the wellbore. It is desirable to know the length and direction (azimuth angle) of the fracture extending away from the well in order to predict with greater accuracy the influences of the fracture on the flow of fluids in the zone of interest. It is also important to determine the vertical extent of the hydraulic fracturing to determine if the fracture has grown to intersect other permeable zones above or below the zone of interest. As described further below, it is well known that an indication of hydraulic fracture direction, or azimuth angle, can be derived from microseismic events-also known as low energy acoustic emissions or waves in the earth-occurring when the hydraulic fracture is formed. impermeable barrier which bounds the intended injection zone can indicate such movement.
Microseismic events may also be produced in the subsurface by processes other than induced hydraulic fracturing of wells or pressure changes in a reservoir. For example, subsidence accompanying reservoir pressure reduction may lead to movement of piles or other equipment at the surface or seabed above a reservoir, producing additional microseismic events. Also, increase in pressure inside the casing of a well may cause mechanical failure of the cement sheath around the casing, and an acoustic wave may originate from very near the casing. If there is communication of fluid pressure along the wellbore outside the casing because of lack of a hydraulic seal by the cement, the pressure changes may cause microseismic events originating very near the casing. There may be a need to determine the location of these microseismic events or the magnitude of these events.
Furthermore, sources of acoustic waves in the subsurface are not limited to microseismic events. For example, a well flowing uncontrolled to the surface of the earth, called a xe2x80x9cblowoutxe2x80x9d, may flow at such high rates that significant acoustic noise is created at the bottom or at other segments of the well. There is often a need to locate the source of this noise in order to assist in attempts to stop the uncontrolled flow. Measurements of the source of the noise may be made from offset wells.
Wellbore acoustic receivers for detecting microseismic events or acoustic waves in a well have become widely available in recent years. An acoustic wave will travel away from the source with approximately spherical wave fronts consisting of a compressional xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d-wave phase and a shear xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d-wave phase, which can be used to determine the source location. Conventional acoustic receivers typically have three mutually orthogonal seismic sensors (geophones or accelerometers) for collecting three-component (i.e., x,y,z) data and include means for coupling the receivers to the casing of a well. The seismic signals received are transmitted to the surface of the earth by various means (e.g., conventional wireline) and are then processed to determine the seismic source location. Signals from acoustic receivers can be transmitted to the surface over wireline using frequency modulated telemetry signals. The multiple individual signals are recovered at the surface by bandpass filtering and converted to amplitude modulated signals. Alternatively, signals from the receivers may be digitized downhole and transmitted to the surface in real-time over a fiber optic cable or copper wire.
However, it may be difficult to obtain useable data from conventional acoustic receivers because microseismic events generated by induced hydraulic fractures or arising from other sources vary widely in amplitude. The amplitudes of events in the range of interest for microseismic monitoring may vary by four or more orders of magnitude as a result of source variability and attenuation due to source receiver separation. The dynamic range of the signals may exceed the dynamic range of the acoustic receiver. In addition to this signal amplitude problem, there are geometric considerations related to sensor placement which cause additional variability in the apparent signal strength of an acoustic emission detected by conventional acoustic receivers. The inventive device is designed to mitigate these geometry effects on signal reception.
Most acoustic receivers used for vertical seismic profiling tools consist of an orthogonal triaxial set of sensors, often geophones, with one sensor oriented along the wellbore axis and two orthogonal sensors in the orthogonal plane to record the full three-component (x-y-z) response vector. The strength of the acoustic sensor impulse reading will depend on the amplitude of the seismic event as well as the position of the seismic event relative to the acoustic receiver. If the angle between the axis of an acoustic sensor and the impinging acoustic energy is small, then the full event amplitude is applied to that acoustic sensor. However, if the angle is large, perhaps nearly 90xc2x0, then the applied signal strength along the axis of this sensor is significantly reduced. This amplitude level may be below the linear acoustic response threshold of the sensor. This geometric factor further adds to the difficult dynamic range problem that exists as a result of the source magnitude variability.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved acoustic receiver design that has a more balanced response, without full dependence for waveform recording on a sensor that may be nearly orthogonal to the impinging acoustic wave motion. This would allow the response of the acoustic receiver to be subject to only the dynamic range variability of the seismic source without dependence on the geometric factors associated with position of the seismic event relative to the acoustic sensor.
The present invention is an acoustic receiver for sensing acoustic waves and generating orthogonal triaxial acoustic response data representative of the acoustic waves. The acoustic receiver of the present invention comprises at least four acoustic sensors oriented in at least four different directions. Each of the acoustic sensors is adapted to produce an electrical signal in response to an acoustic wave impinging on the sensors. The acoustic receiver further comprises a means for combining the electrical signals to yield orthogonal triaxial acoustic response data. In one embodiment, the acoustic receiver comprises at least five acoustic sensors oriented in at least five different directions: The acoustic sensors are wired in series pairs to produce a combined output along two of the three orthogonal axes, and one acoustic sensor is oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the acoustic receiver. In another embodiment, at least one of the acoustic sensors is oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the acoustic receiver and four of the acoustic sensors are angularly oriented at approximately 0xc2x0, 45xc2x0, 90xc2x0, and 135xc2x0, respectively, from a designated reference position. A method for sensing acoustic waves and generating orthogonal triaxial acoustic response data representative of the acoustic waves is also disclosed. The method comprises providing at least four acoustic sensors oriented in at least four different directions, with each of the acoustic sensors adapted to produce an electrical signal in response to an acoustic wave impinging thereon and combining said electrical signals to yield orthogonal triaxial acoustic response data.


A refractometer provides a reference path coaxial with a measurement path and thereby simplifies construction by reducing the number of parts and simplifies maintenance by halving the number of optical axes to be aligned. The refractometer includes a reference projector for projecting a reference pattern on a reference pattern position on a detector during a reference interval, a site-selector for selecting a measurement site on an optical system, and a measurement projector for projecting a measurement pattern through this selected measurement site and onto a measurement pattern position on the detector during a measurement interval. The reference projector, the site selector, and the measurement projector are all aligned along the same optical axis. In the case in which the optical system is a human eye, the designated site in typically a site on the cornea and the detector is the retina of the eye. The refractometer provides an aligner for alignining the reference pattern position with a measurement pattern position. The amount by which these two positions are moved in order to achive alignment provides a measure of the optimal wavefront corresponding to the measurement site.

The action of an optical system can be considered as a transformation that operates on an incident wavefront to generate a transmitted wavefront. In many optical systems, different points on the wavefront experience different transformations depending on what portions of the optical system they traverse. For example, when a wave is incident on a lens, those portions of the wavefront that traverse the periphery of the lens will experience phase delays which differ from those experienced by those portions of the wavefront that illuminate the center of the lens. Since a wavefront is a locus of points having constant phase, this results in a transmitted wavefront having a shape that differs from that of the incident wavefront. By appropriately shaping and positioning lenses, one can conform the shape of the output wavefront of an optical system to a desired shape.
In some cases, an optical system is known to produce an incorrect transformation and the optical designer's role is to design a second optical system to correct that deficiency. For example, in the case of a human eye requiring a corrective lens, the optical components of the human eye perform an optical transformation that is imperfect. In another example, one might inadvertently install a flawed objective lens in a large telescope. Rather than attempting to replace the objective lens, it may be preferable to install a corrective lens. In both of these cases, it is useful for the designer of corrective lenses to know the nature of the flawed optical transformation.
An optical transformation can be pictured as a change in the shape of the wavefront. For example, FIG. 12A shows an optical system in which an incident plane wave is transformed into a spherical wave. The system in FIG. 12A is therefore representative of a human eye which does not require corrective lenses.
FIG. 12B shows an optical system representative of a human eye in need of correction. In contrast to the system of FIG. 12A, this system shows a planar wavefront transformed into an irregular wavefront. The eye's inability to bring this irregular wavefront into focus on the retina causes the perceived image to appear distorted or blurred.
FIG. 12C shows the optical system of FIG. 12B but with an "optimal wavefront" incident on the system. The shape of this optimal wavefront is chosen such that the transformation provided by the optical system in FIG. 12B results in a spherical wavefront instead of the irregularly shaped wavefront shown in FIG. 12B. It is apparent from comparison of FIGS. 12A and 12C that a corrective optical system which transforms an incident wavefront into this optimal wavefront before the wave undergoes the flawed optical transformation has the effect of correcting for the flawed optical transformation.
By fitting the wavefront normal vector at selected points on the wavefront, one can determine the shape of the wavefront. Using this wavefront, one can then design an optical system that corrects for the flawed optical transformation.
A common method for measuring the optical characteristics of a human eye is a simple substitution technique of placing lenses having different correction factors in front of the eye and asking the patient whether or not the overall image has improved. Using this method, a clinician can determine an overall correction for the optical characteristics of the eye. The instrument that is typically used to approximate an optical system that corrects for the flawed optical transformation of an eye is referred to as a "refractometer." In the case of a general lens system, corrections are determined by a variety of tests, each referred to by its own name, such as the "Foucault test." Throughout this specification, the term "refractometer" will be used to refer to all of the instruments that make such tests.
The simple substitution technique determines the overall correction for the eye, but it is limited to prismatic, cylindrical, and spherical corrections. These corrections provide only the lower-order terms of the Siedel or polynomial model of the eye's optical system. The foregoing method does not correct for the errors that are specified by higher-order terms of the Siedel or polynomial model. Additionally, it is not possible, using this method, to obtain point-by-point measurements of the optimal wavefront's normal vector at designated sites on an optical system having spatial extent. For example, where the optical system is a cornea, it is not possible, using this method, to determine the optimal wavefront's normal vector at each point on the cornea
A number of refractometers have been developed that are designed to determine the optimal wavefront at designated sites on an optical system. For example, Penney U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,791, incorporated herein by this reference, describes an optical system including a reference optical subsystem for projecting a reference pattern on the patient's retina through a reference area on the cornea and a separate measurement optical subsystem for projecting a measurement pattern on the patient's retina through a measurement area on the cornea.
To determine the shape of the optimal wavefront at a designated site on the cornea using the refractometer disclosed in Penney, the measurement pattern is moved across the retina until its location coincides with the location of the reference pattern. Based on the difference between the initial and final positions of the measurement pattern, the refractometer disclosed in Penney can infer the direction of the vector normal to the optimal wavefront at the selected corneal site.
A disadvantage of the device disclosed in Penney is, simply put, that it has far too many parts. As a result, it is costly to acquire, complex to assemble, and requires frequent alignment during operation. What is therefore desirable in the art is a refractometer that provides the functionality of the Penney refractometer at reduced cost and complexity and without the need for frequent alignment.

Coaxial spatially resolved refractometer


The present invention provides a plug-in lower tool for a deep rolling apparatus. The tool includes a housing having a recessed region that defines a seat for removable mounting of the tool and a passage in communication with the seat. The tool includes a reciprocable member engageable with the tool to removably support the same in the seat.

Deep rolling apparatuses and deep rolling systems have been known in the art for many years. Prior art deep rolling systems generally use a lower tool in conjunction with an upper tool to deep roll compressive stresses into a crankshaft, for use in vehicles and other applications, increasing the strength around lobes or cams on the crankshaft. The need for deep rolling is becoming ever more important because automotive vehicles and components are being downsized to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency; accordingly, smaller engines and crankshafts are increasingly needed. With smaller engines and crankshafts, made with less material than older, more robust designs, there is a need to improve the crankshaft's fatigue strength and durability. This improved fatigue strength and durability is accomplished through deep rolling of the fillets or lobes and other circular joint areas along the crankshaft. The strength and durability of crank pins of the main bearing journals can be significantly increased by forming compressive stresses into the annular fillets between the pin journals and the adjacent counter weights, or balancing webs on the crankshaft.
Some prior art lower tools use a system of rollers to support and roll the crankshaft while the upper tool employs work rolls that actually do the strengthening and finishing of the work piece. Other types of lower work tools also include work rolls which assist in forming the compressive stresses, along with the upper tool. In such a design, back up rollers operate to rotatably support the work rolls, which are held in place by a cage retainer and cage.
Relatively high mechanical forces are necessary to sufficiently compress/stress the work piece. As is well know in the mechanical arts, applications using higher forces tend to cause moving parts to wear out relatively more quickly than in designs using more modest forces. In a typical deep rolling operation, the work rolls and support rollers are encased in a modular tool that is supported in a housing. When servicing of any of the tool components is necessary, processing is stopped and the tools are disassembled from their respective housings for servicing and/or replacement. Accordingly, this halt in production has associated expenses relating to process down time, and is relatively labor intensive.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a faster and easier way to replace or repair deep rolling tools.


A method is disclosed, comprising: receiving a first and a second Internet Protocol (IP) packet at a mesh network node; tagging the first and the second IP packet at the mesh network node based on a type of traffic by adding an IP options header to each of the first and the second IP packet; forwarding the first and the second IP packet toward a mesh gateway node; filtering the first and the second IP packet at the mesh gateway node based on the added IP options header by assigning each of the first and the second IP packet to one of a plurality of message queues, each of the plurality of message queues having a limited forwarding throughput; and forwarding the first and the second IP packet from the mesh gateway node toward a mobile operator core network, thereby providing packet flow filtering based on IP header and traffic type.

It is possible to create a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network where certain base stations are backhauled using a mesh network, such as a wireless, Wi-Fi or LTE-based backhaul connection. Depending on usage by mobile subscribers, the number of base stations being backhauled, available bandwidth, applications running, traffic activity on various user equipment devices, severe traffic or bad radio connections, congestion may occur at one or more mesh network links or backhaul links. Congestion may of course adversely impact network operations and providing reasonable service.
The radio access network generally has traffic of different kinds, such as wired or wireless internet traffic, 3G/4G Voice/Data, signaling traffic such as S1, X2, Iu, radio access bearer assignment, operations administrations and management, etc.; and each type of traffic has its own mechanism to indicate priority of the message. The traffic is generally transported over private virtual private network tunnels, e.g. using IPSec, and are therefore encrypted and encapsulated. This may make it more difficult to prioritize packet flows during routing, as the nodes along the route are not able to determine the category of the particular message and route based on the priority assigned by the source node in the event of congestion.
A solution is therefore needed for prioritizing messages of different categories based on a single identification mechanism. The solution is needed to maintain the original priority information assigned by one or more source nodes where the messages first originated, and to enable various nodes to route the message according to the original priority without de-encapsulation or de-encryption.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Traffic shaping and end-to-end prioritization


A vehicle diagnostic display unit including a case, a display screen disposed within a front portion of the case, and a main support coupled to a side of the case for allowing a user to lift the vehicle diagnostic display unit with one hand. A navigation pad is disposed on a front surface of the main support, and the main support is configured to allow the user to simultaneously lift the diagnostic display unit and access the navigation pad with a thumb. The display unit also includes a user-replaceable, transparent protective cover that attaches to the front portion of the case over the display screen. The display unit and the protective cover include novel features that allow the protective cover to be replaced by a user without having to return the display unit to the manufacturer.

Modern vehicles include various electronic control units, such as microprocessors and controllers, that are programmed to control vehicle operations. Such control units include, for example, an Electronic Control Module (ECM) or on-board computer. The control units are designed to monitor the operation of vehicle electronics so as to optimize vehicle performance. For example, control units such as an ECM can monitor the amount of carbon monoxide in the engine exhaust and adjust the fuel/air ratio entering the cylinders in order to optimize combustion efficiency.
When multiple control units are available, they are typically interconnected so that certain key data is globally available. The data can be accessed by a user through an information port. Diagnostic systems are commonly used to obtain (and sometimes transmit) data through the information port. Accordingly, the diagnostic system can be used to monitor and adjust the operation of various systems of the vehicle, and also detect malfunctions.
Traditional diagnostic systems are provided in the form of units that are coupled to the information port by means of a data cable. The large diagnostic systems typically include a computer, a monitor, and a keyboard. Smaller, portable diagnostic systems are also now available. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,367, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, shows a portable, hand-held vehicle diagnostic display unit that is configured such that a user can simultaneously lift and operate the diagnostic display unit with a single hand.
The portable, hand-held vehicle diagnostic display unit disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,367 includes a display screen contained within a housing of the unit. The display screen is viewable through a window of a front panel of the housing and is protected by a layer of transparent plastic, such as a 0.1 inch layer of Lexan® resin polycarbonate. When the layer of transparent plastic becomes scratched or damaged such that the display screen is not viewable as desired, then the display unit is returned to the manufacturer for replacement of the layer of transparent plastic. During replacement, the manufacturer disassemblies the front panel of the housing, removes the used layer of transparent plastic, inserts a new layer of transparent plastic over the display screen, and reassemblies the front panel to the unit. Alternatively, the layer of transparent plastic may be provided as a part of the front panel, such that the entire front panel is replaced.
What is still desired is a new and improved automotive diagnostic display unit. Preferably, the automotive diagnostic display unit will be portable and configured such that a user can simultaneously lift and operate the diagnostic display unit with a single hand. The new and improved automotive diagnostic display unit will also preferably be provided with a user-replaceable, transparent protective cover for the display screen.

Diagnostic display unit including replaceable display protector


Rotation detecting apparatus for detecting rotation of a magnetic rotor includes: a sensor chip having a magnetoresistive device; and a bias magnet. The magnetoresistive device is capable of detecting change of a magnetic vector near the sensor chip so that the rotation detecting apparatus detects the rotation of the magnetic rotor. The change of the magnetic vector is generated by the bias magnetic field and the rotation of the magnetic rotor. The bias magnet is disposed around the sensor chip so that a deflection angle of the magnetic vector is controllable.

A rotation detecting apparatus detects, for instance, revolutions of an engine mounted on a vehicle, and rotations of a rotator provided in a general-purpose machine. More specifically, the rotation detecting apparatus is capable of detecting rotation modes of the rotor by utilizing changes contained in resistance values of magnetic resistance elements.
Conventionally, as the above-described rotation detecting apparatus capable of detecting the rotations by utilizing the resistance value changes in the magnetic resistance elements, for example, a rotation detecting apparatus described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. H07-333236 is known.
This rotation detecting apparatus includes a magnetic resistance element and a biasing magnet. The magnetic resistance element and the biasing magnet are stored into a case member. In this rotation detecting apparatus, a tip portion of the biasing magnet abuts against an inside bottom plane of the case member, and further, a tip portion of a molding member containing a magnetic sensor chip abuts against a projection portion formed on this inside bottom plane, so that such an "M-to-M distance" is determined, and this "M-to-M distance" corresponds to a distance between the magnetic resistance element and the biasing magnet. In other words, in this rotation angle detecting apparatus, deflection angles of the above-explained magnetic vectors which also contain a relationship with a rotor via a projected length of the projection portion formed on the inside bottom plane of the case member are optimized, namely, a sensing sensitivity as to the rotation angle detecting apparatus is optimized.
On the other hand, although the deflection angles of the magnetic vectors corresponding to the sensing sensitivity for the rotation detecting apparatus can be adjusted based upon the above-described M-to-M distance, the projected length of the projection portion formed on the case member must be changed in order to adjust this sensing sensitivity of the rotation detecting apparatus. As a result, in such a case that the above-explained M-to-M distance must be changed in view of unavoidable reasons and this distance change is caused by, for example, the shape of the rotor for the rotation detection mode, the case member itself must also be changed in view of the unavoidable reason. That is, for instance, parts numbers as to these changed case members must be increased, and also, a total number of metal molds must be unavoidably increased which are required to mold these changed case members. In an actual case, such an adjustment itself that the deflection angles of the magnetic vectors are adjusted only by changing the above-described M-to-M distance may cause some limitations. That is, a freedom of designing as to the rotation detecting apparatus is low, and the range for adjusting the deflection angles of the magnetic vectors is restricted in the practical field.


A printed circuit spark gap for an overcoated printed circuit board. A metal-clad substrate is etched to form first and second printed circuit traces on the substrate. The first and second printed circuit traces define a channel having first and second ends. A layer of soldermask is deposited onto the substrate to cover a portion of the first and second printed circuit traces and to cover the channel except at an aperture. The aperture includes the spark gap. The first and second printed circuit traces and the channel are covered with a capping device. An overcoating material is applied to the printed circuit board. During the applying step, the overcoating material is allowed to infiltrate into the channel under the capping device at the first and second ends, but is not allowed to reach the aperture. Counter pressure buildup inside the channel, caused by the infiltration itself, stops the overcoating material before it reaches the intended clean area. The capping device may be removed, or may remain in the assembly. Also disclosed is an application of the inventive method for forming spark gaps having various topologies, all including the just-described channel.

Various apparatus have been devised to protect sensitive semiconductor components on printed circuit boards from damage caused by electrostatic energy. For applications requiring precise spark break-in voltages, discrete spark gap components resembling vacuum tubes are sometimes used. For other applications requiring less precision, it is less expensive to form a spark gap directly on the printed circuit board by providing a ground trace in close proximity with a signal trace, separated by an air space. The latter type of spark gap will be referred to herein as a "printed circuit spark gap."
One problem that has been encountered with printed circuit spark gaps is that, in order for them to work properly, the printed circuit traces opposing the gap must be relatively clean (i.e., free from contamination). In manufacturing, this requirement of printed circuit spark gaps must be reconciled with the requirement of applying a protective external coating to printed circuit boards that are intended for use in field environments, Throughout this disclosure, the application of such protective external coatings to printed circuit boards will be referred to as "overcoating."
One such protective overcoating technique is to cover the finished board with a conformal coating. Another technique is to overmold the finished board with a rubber-like elastomeric material. The latter technique is used not only to provide protection against moisture and other environmental conditions to which the board may be exposed during use, but is also sometimes used to create elastomeric structures that are helpful in securing the finished board to a frame or enclosure. Unfortunately, the materials used to create such protective external coatings can interfere with the operation of the printed circuit spark gap.
One prior technique that attempted to produce an elastomer-overmolded printed circuit board having a contaminant-free spark gap is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. Two copper printed circuit traces 112, 114 were formed on an epoxy-fiberglass composite substrate 100 separated by a narrow space 118. A layer of soldermask 116 was applied to the printed circuit board, but was left open in aperture 117 containing spark gap area 118. A 0.050 inch diameter pin (hereinafter "shutoff pin") 120 was pressed down onto the assembly as shown at arrow 126. A support pin 124 was pressed against the assembly from the opposite side, as shown at arrow 128, to counteract the force of shutoff pin 120. Once shutoff pin 120 and support pin 124 were in place, elastomer was applied to the entire assembly. Typically, the elastomer was applied under high pressure, between 100 and 300 p.s.i. The intention was that the presence of shutoff pin 120 would prevent intrusion of elastomer into aperture 117 and spark gap area 118 during molding. Unfortunately, the profile of soldermask layer 116 over printed circuit traces 112, 114 caused a thin (approximately 0.001 inch) wide gap 130, 132 around the perimeter 122 of shutoff pin 120. The high-pressure elastomer easily infiltrated under shutoff pin 120 into gap 130, 132, causing contamination of aperture 117 and spark gap area 118.
Although theoretically it might be possible to reduce the elastomer intrusion problem by more perfectly aligning the perimeter of shutoff pin 120 with aperture 117, such a solution would require unfeasibly tight mechanical tolerances. Current manufacturing technology is only capable of aligning printed circuit features to within +/-0.005 to 0.015 inches of other mechanical features such as edges and alignment holes. This level of precision would be inadequate to align shutoff pin 120 closely enough with aperture 117 to prevent infiltration of overcoating material into the area of interest.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printed circuit spark gap that has superior resistance to contamination caused during manufacture of the printed circuit board, and that may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

Spark gap for overcoated printed circuit boards


Method and apparatus for producing RFID transponders (400) arranged on a carrying substrate, comprising:providing a first substrate (100), the first substrate having at least one antenna element (101) arranged thereon, and preferably several antenna elements arranged sequentially thereon along a longitudinal extension of the first substrate, each antenna element being formed by an electrically conductive pattern; providing a second substrate (200), the second substrate (200) having at least one RFID strap, each RFID strap comprising an IC (202) and at least one contact pad (201) coupled to the IC, and preferably several RFID straps being arranged sequentially along a longitudinal extension of the second substrate; and electrically connecting an antenna element (101) on the first substrate to the at least one contact pad on the second substrate by bringing said first and second substrates together, thereby bringing said antenna element in mechanical contact with said at least one contact pad, and heating the contact pad(s) to a temperature at least equal to a characteristic melting point of said at least contact pads, thereby electrically connecting the antenna element to said at least one contact pad.

In recent years, new methods of producing printed electronics have been developed, allowing forming of conductive electrical patterns on substrates such as paper and plastics, avoiding the problems of etching and the like used in silk screen printing of printed circuit boards (PCB). Such new methods are e.g. discussed in WO 2013/113995, WO 2016/189446, WO 2009/135985 and WO 2008/006941.
One common use of printed electronics is as integrated inserts in labels, e.g. in so-called smart labels or tags. A smart label/tag is a flat configured transponder, e.g. arranged under a conventional print-coded label, and includes a chip and an antenna. The labels/tags are often made of paper, fabric or plastics, and are normally prepared as a paper roll with the RFID inlays laminated between a rolled carrier and a label media for use in specially designed printer units. Smart labels offer advantages over conventional barcode labels, such as higher data capacity, possibility to read and/or write outside a direct line of sight, and the ability to read multiple labels or tags at one time.
It is also known to incorporate RFID labels directly in a packaging material, to form so-called intelligent packaging products.
However, despite the progress made in production of printed electronics, production of smart labels/tags/packages is still cumbersome and costly.
Conventional RFID/smart label production processes use separate equipment to produce RFID antennas, to assemble microchips onto the antennas and to convert the RFID inlays into an RFID label/tag format. In addition, depending on the configuration of the tag/label, some steps may be complicated and time-consuming, such as the connecting of the IC to an antenna, which generally requires very high precision. Similar problems are experienced in manufacturing of intelligent packaging products.
Thus, the overall process to form RFID transponders arranged on a carrying substrate, such as RFID labels/tags and intelligent packaging products, is today very costly, and requires a large number of separate equipment to produce antennas, inlays and the final label/package, resulting in large capital expenditure and floor space requirements. The many different steps used also makes the production difficult to control efficiently, and also leads to complicated production setups and handling. Further, large work-in-progress storages are needed, and the overall lead-time is long.
There is therefore a need for a method and apparatus for more efficient production of RFID transponders on carrying substrates. In particular, there is a need to simplify and/or speed up the connecting of the IC to the antenna.

Method and an apparatus for producing a radio-frequency identification transponder


The present invention provides an apparatus for improving the fuel economy of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a transmission having a transmission sump that contains transmission fluid, and a heat exchanger disposed within said sump and at least partially submerged in the transmission fluid. The apparatus also includes an engine having a plurality of engine coolant channels. An engine pump is operatively connected to the engine. The engine pump is configured to transfer engine coolant through the plurality of engine coolant channels and then through the heat exchanger. Heat from the engine coolant is transferred to the transmission fluid when the engine coolant passes through the heat exchanger. The heat transferred to the transmission fluid decreases transmission fluid viscosity such that transmission spin losses are reduced and fuel economy is improved. A corresponding method for improving the fuel economy of a vehicle is also provided.

After a vehicle is started, it goes through a "warm-up" period during which component temperatures are increased from an ambient temperature to a steady state operating temperature. A vehicle's transmission fluid is one such component that is heated during the warm-up period. Until the transmission fluid is fully heated, its viscosity is increased and the spin losses of rotating components in contact with the transmission fluid are also increased. The increased spin losses during the warm-up period reduce efficiency and fuel economy of the vehicle.

Method and apparatus for improving vehicle fuel economy


A system for processing multi-subject volumes comprises a volume input (1) for receiving an input volume image dataset (13) comprising a plurality of subjects scanned simultaneously. A metadata input (2) receives metadata (15) relating to individual ones of the subjects. A subject finder (3) identifies a plurality of portions of the input volume image dataset (13), each portion comprising one of the subjects. A volume image dataset generator (4) generates a plurality of separate volume image datasets (16), each separate volume image dataset (7) comprising one of the portions of the input volume image dataset. A metadata handler (5) associates the metadata (15) relating to a subject with the separate volume image dataset (7) comprising the portion comprising the subject.

Preclinical research is characterized by hypothesis driven programs to either discover or explore new insights into biological processes. A goal of these programs is systematic discovery and development of biomarkers, drugs, and therapies that will ultimately be translated from animal models to humans should they prove promising during preclinical studies. Small animal models of human diseases, particularly genetically engineered mice, are widely used in preclinical studies. Studies on distributed population groups (example group of animals which received a drug vs. control group of animals) are done to substantiate the hypothesis.
In vivo imaging permits both the temporal and the spatial bio-distribution of a molecular probe and related biological processes to be determined in a more meaningful manner throughout an intact living subject. It is possible to image multiple subjects simultaneously in a scanner in order to achieve higher throughput. Processing, evaluation and visualization of resulting image data may be performed using a pre-clinical workstation, such as the IMALYTICS Workspace from Philips Healthcare.

Data processing of group imaging studies


There are provided a method of providing a SIM profile to an eUICC device online and a device using the same. The method of providing the SIM profile includes purchasing the SIM profile provided in an app store using a user device capable of accessing the app store, downloading the purchased SIM profile in the eUICC device using the eUICC device capable of accessing the app store, and installing the SIM profile, that is downloaded in the eUICC device, in the eUICC device therein. Therefore, it is possible to purchase the SIM profile using the online app store that is operated in a variety of forms and easily install the purchased SIM profile in the eUICC device.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an environment that uses an eUICC, and more specifically, to a method and device for providing a SIM profile to an eUICC online
2. Related Art
A universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card that is inserted into a terminal and used as a module for user authentication. The UICC may store a user's personal information and carrier information about a mobile carrier to which the user subscribes. For example, the UICC may include an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) to identify the user.
The UICC is called as a subscriber identity module (SIM) card in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) method, and a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) method.
When the user installs the UICC in the user's terminal, user authentication is automatically performed using information stored in the UICC so that the user may conveniently use the terminal. When the user replaces the terminal, the user may detach the UICC from the old terminal and reinstall it in a new terminal, to easily replace the terminal.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to downsize a terminal which requires a compact size, for example, a terminal for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, when the terminal is manufactured to have a detachable UICC. Therefore, an embedded UICC (eUICC) structure that is a non-detachable UICC has been proposed.
Since an existing UICC is detachable from the terminal, the user may activate the terminal regardless of a type of the terminal or a mobile carrier. However, a UICC that is embedded when a terminal is manufactured may include an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) in the eUICC when it is assumed that the UICC is used for only a specific mobile carrier. In order to, for example, order, activate, and terminate the terminal, the eUICC needs to get information (for example, an IMSI) on a user of the corresponding UICC through, for example, downloading.
In the eUICC that is integrally installed in the terminal, the UICC is installed in the terminal when the terminal is manufactured and released, unlike the existing detachable UICC. Due to its non-detachable physical structure, it is necessary to remotely download from an external location and install in the eUICC a network operator authentication key (K), a UICC data file (a network access file, an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a home public land mobile network (HPLMN), etc.), a user information file (for example, a short message service (SMS) file, a phonebook, etc.), and an applet, etc.
That is, the eUICC device having the UICC embedded in the terminal when the terminal is released needs to remotely manage SIM profile information due to its non-separable physical characteristics of the UICC from the terminal.

Method and apparatus of providing SIM profile for embedded universal integrated circuit card


Systems and methods for partially reconfiguring a programmable IC device are presented. Processing circuitry on the programmable IC device may identify a first region of the IC device to be reconfigured from a received bitstream. The processing circuitry may read a configuration bit associated with the identified first region, and determine, based on the configuration bit, whether to permit the received bitstream to reconfigure the identified first region. The received bitstream may be authenticated using an authentication key from a first set of authentication keys. The processing circuitry may determine whether to permit the received bitstream to reconfigure the identified first region based on the authentication key and the configuration bit.

Programmable IC devices, such as FPGAs, may include programmable logic blocks and programmable routing. The programmable logic and routing may be configured with a configuration bitstream that may be loaded into the programmable IC device from an external source. Partial reconfiguration (PR) may be performed on some programmable IC devices by using a follow-on bitstream (e.g., a bitstream loaded after the bitstream that initially configures an FPGA) to partially reconfigure a portion of the programmable logic and routing previously configured by an earlier bitstream.
Some bitstreams implement high-security or high-reliability designs that require tamper protection, as PR may be used by an attacker to modify (e.g., tamper with) a secure bitstream. Bistreams may be encrypted and authenticated, and non-volatile elements in a programmable IC device may be programmed such that only encrypted and authenticated bitstreams are accepted and permitted to reconfigure the programmable IC device. Further features of an illustrative PR device with a look up table (LUT) that clears some bits and rewrites other bits is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/443,971, filed Nov. 19, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. However, if a third party, such as a vendor's customer, has the ability to create an encrypted and authenticated bitstream, the third party has the ability to overwrite, whether deliberately or accidentally, any portion of the programmable IC device, including the vendor's base design.
There may be times that it may be desirable to modify a secure design. For example, a vendor may wish to sell a computing platform that contains an FPGA that includes a base region configured by the vendor, and a secondary region that may be partially configured by the vendor's customers. The vendor may want to protect the base configuration while allowing a third party to partially reconfigure other portions of the FPGA.


A photographic element is described comprising a support bearing at least one blue light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and an ultraviolet filter layer above the light sensitive layer, wherein the ultraviolet filter layer comprises an ultraviolet absorbing dibenzoylmethane compound of formula (I)

In color photographic materials, silver halide emulsions are employed which are sensitized to specific regions of the visible spectrum commonly referred to as: the blue region (400–500 nm), green region (500–600 nm), and red region (600–700 nm), using different chemical sensitizing dyes that are adsorbed to the surface of the silver halide emulsion grains. Color negative photographic films are usually designed to record complementary color images using separate emulsion layers that have distinct sensitivities to various regions of the visible spectrum. For example, color photographic elements are conventionally formed with superimposed blue, green, and red recording layer units coated on a support. The blue, green, and red recording layer units contain radiation-sensitive silver halide emulsions that form a latent image in response to blue, green, and red light, respectively. Additionally, the blue recording layer unit typically contains a yellow dye-forming coupler, the green recording layer unit typically contains a magenta dye-forming coupler, and the red recording layer unit typically contains a cyan dye-forming coupler. However, in addition to their desired light sensitivity, these emulsions also have an inherent sensitivity to UV radiation. In order to achieve accurate color reproduction, it is generally desired that only visible light be incident on the photosensitive emulsion layers during camera exposure.
The blue sensitivity of a multilayer film element is determined by the light absorption profile of the silver halide emulsions in the blue sensitive layer unit attenuated by any ultraviolet light absorbing materials that lie above it in the top layers of the film, such as ultraviolet filter dyes, Lippmann emulsions, and polymeric beads used to reduce friction in the top layers of the film. The light absorption of the emulsions used in the blue sensitive layer unit is in turn determined by the composite absorption of the specific combination of spectral sensitizing dyes adsorbed to the surface of the silver halide grains and the intrinsic blue light absorption of silver bromide and silver iodide.
Conventional non-tabular silver (iodo)bromide emulsions having grains which are primarily cubic, octahedral, cubo-octahedral or polymorphic in shape typically have an inherent sensitivity to visible light in the region of about 400–430 nm, and accordingly may be used in a blue recording layer unit with or without spectral sensitizing dyes. Tabular grain emulsions are also known for use in the blue sensitive layer of color negative film elements. Tabular grains, when present in the blue sensitive layer, result in improved transmission of incident light to underlying green and red sensitive layers. In order to provide practical photographic efficiency, however, such grains typically need to be sensitized in the blue region by a spectral dyeing technique to yield blue sensitive emulsions, as high tabularity, low bulk iodide tabular grains have relatively little inherent sensitivity in the 400–500 nm range. By spectrally sensitizing these emulsions where there exists a higher number of photons per unit energy (that is, between 450–480 nm of the blue region), the sensitivity and hence the efficiency of the blue sensitive record containing these elements is maximized. Optionally, a blue sensitizing dye, or combination of dyes, can also be used with conventional nontabular grains to provide sensitivity to the 430–500 nm region of the visible spectrum. Silver halide grains employed in green and red light recording layers, whether tabular or non-tabular, require sensitizing dyes on the emulsion grains to sensitize them to the required red and green region of the spectrum.
Following imagewise exposure, a negative working photographic element is processed in a color developer that contains a color developing agent that is oxidized while selectively reducing to silver the latent image bearing silver halide grains. The oxidized color developing agent then reacts with the dyeforming coupler in the vicinity of the developed grains to produce an image dye. Yellow (blue-absorbing), magenta (green-absorbing) and cyan (red-absorbing) image dyes are formed in the blue, green, and red recording layer units, respectively. Subsequently the element is bleached (i.e., developed silver is converted back to silver halide) to eliminate neutral density attributable to developed silver and then fixed (i.e., silver halide is removed) to provide stability during subsequent room light handling.
When processing is conducted as noted above, negative dye images are produced. To produce corresponding positive dye images, and hence, to produce a visual approximation of the hues of the subject photographed, white light is typically passed through the color negative image to expose a second color photographic material having blue, green, and red recording layer units as described above, usually coated on a white reflective support. The second element is commonly referred to as a color print element. Processing of the color print element as described above produces a viewable positive image that approximates that of the subject originally photographed.
UV absorbing materials are commonly used in color photographic film products. The preparation and use of UV absorbers has been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,255, 4,611,061, and 5,385,815 and European Published Applications 0,057,160 and 0,190,003. They are usually located in layers above and below the light-sensitive emulsion layers. UV absorbers are used below the emulsion layers to prevent static marking from the base side due to exposure from electrical discharge that may be generated during the winding and unwinding of rolled film during manufacturing (both sensitizing and finishing) operations or during mechanical winding and unwinding inside a film camera or during film processing.
The UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum is approximately 200 to 400 nanometers. Since any electrical discharge would take place in air, which is mostly nitrogen, the spectral emission of a "spark" is characteristic of nitrogen, and has strong bands in the 300–400 nm region of the spectrum. UV absorbers are also coated above the emulsion layers for spark protection from the front side as previously described and to prevent UV radiation from striking the emulsion layers during camera lens exposure, as UV radiation reflected from a photographic subject or scene may interfere with the accurate reproduction of color in the finished print.
In choosing materials to be used as UV absorbers above the emulsion layers, it is generally desired that they have a strong absorption throughout the longer UV region (300–400 nm) with little or no absorption in the visible region (400–700 nm). If the absorption of the material does not extend throughout the UV region, then exposure of the emulsions to UV light may adversely impact color reproduction. If the absorption of the material extends too far into the visible region (e.g., >400 nm), on the other hand, then light sensitivity (photographic speed) of the photographic element in the blue region of the spectrum will be reduced. Hence, the ideal UV absorber would absorb sufficient UV radiation to prevent color reproduction error, while minimizing absorption of visible light. It is also desirable to use materials that are inexpensive and have a high extinction coefficient (UV absorbing power) so that low amounts of material may be employed.
There are many organic compounds available that absorb UV radiation at shorter wavelengths (<about 370 nm), but many of these have low extinction coefficients, requiring them to be used at high levels in the coated layers to provide adequate protection. The use of these materials alone with insufficient absorption at longer wavelengths results in two problems. First of all, the spark sensitivity may be too high. Secondly, too much UV radiation would be incident on the emulsion layers, resulting in inaccurate color reproduction.
There are also many organic materials that absorb UV at longer wavelengths, but most of these materials have absorptions that extend significantly into the visible region of the spectrum. These materials generally provide adequate UV protection, but they reduce the light sensitivity of the photographic element in the blue region. This results in lower effective photographic speed, requiring coating higher levels of blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion, which results in undesirably higher material costs.
Dibenzoylmethane ultraviolet absorbing compounds are known in the art for their use as UV light blockers in cosmetic sunscreens as described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,387,089; 5,783,178; 5,849,273; 5,788,954; 5,993,789; and 6,129,909. Additionally, Wu et. al "A Study of the Photo-stabilizing Behaviors of β-Diketones," Polymer Degradation Stability, (16) 1986, 169–186 discloses the use of dibenzoylmethane derivatives as UV exposure stabilizers for viscosity retention of polybutadiene solutions. Further, Japanese Kokai JP 04213348 A2 discloses the use of a dibenzoylmethane derivative to improve the weatherability of an acrylic resin film by incorporating the UV absorber inside of cross-linked polymer particles that are dispersed in the resin film to reduce migration out of the film. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,872,766 and 6,767,937 teach the use of mixtures of dibenzoylmethane and other ultraviolet ray absorbing compounds molecularly dispersed within a polymeric film such as those fabricated into polarizers for use in displays. Dibenzoylmethane derivatives are also contemplated as antihalation agents in photothermographic imaging elements as disclosed in copending, commonly assigned U.S. Ser. No. 10/896,108 filed Jul. 21, 2004. Such compounds have not been previously suggested, however, for use in an ultraviolet filter layer coated above a silver halide emulsion layer in a photographic element.

Color photographic element with UV absorber

Abstract: where R1 through R5 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, nitro, or hydroyxl, or further substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, acyloxy, ester, carboxyl, alkyl thio, aryl thio, alkyl amine, aryl amine, alkyl nitrile, aryl nitrile, arylsulfonyl, or 5–6 member heterocycle ring groups. The present invention describes photographic elements that include materials that deliver a preferred UV absorption spectrum that provides adequate spark protection, and minimizes UV radiation incident on the element during camera exposure so that accurate color rendition can be achieved, while maximizing photographic speed in the blue record.


A pattern generating system for generating two-dimensional images on a surface includes a light source and one or more Zone Plate Modulator (ZPM) arrays. The ZPM arrays comprise diffractive zone plate modulating elements that are capable of either diffracting or reflecting an incident light according to the image data. In a high-resolution pattern generating system, ZPM arrays are used as spot array generators. A complete high-resolution image is formed by scanning individual light spots in the spot array using a subfield scanning means.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for generating high-resolution optical patterns. In particular, the present invention relates to systems that incorporate Zone Plate Modulators or array of Zone Plate Modulators for generating high-resolution patterns.
(2) Brief Description of Prior Art
Optical pattern or image generating systems are widely used in many industries. For example, in the semiconductor industry high-resolution lithographic systems are used for fabricating photomasks and for direct exposing photoresist coated wafers (maskless lithography). In commercial printing press, high-resolution printing systems are used for generating offset plates. In the rapid prototyping industry, high-resolution stereo lithography or three-dimensional (3-D) lithography is employed for making various 3-D objects. High-resolution, large area projection displays are also becoming the choice for technical presentations and for home entertainment. In recent years, various techniques have been developed to meet the growing demands for both achieving higher image resolutions and increasing the throughput of image generations. For example, multiple scanning laser beams are used by both Applied Materials Inc., CA, USA, and Micronic Laser Systems AB, Sweden, to improve the throughput of their photomask fabrication systems. The most recent advancement in this field is the proposed high-speed high-resolution pattern generating systems employing spot array generators.
In general, a spot array generator is capable of generating an image or a pattern having a large field of view and maintaining a high-resolution at the same time by using a massive amount (for example, one million) of light spots and by modulating the intensities of these light spots simultaneously. As the design data are fed to the spot array generator, the intensities of individual light spots are modulated accordingly. In combination with a scanning stage, a complete large-field high-resolution optical pattern can be generated very quickly.
Shown in FIG. 1 is an illustrative schematic of a conventional high-resolution pattern generating system 100 incorporating a spot array generator 128. A collimated light beam 102 is generated by a light source 104 and a collimating lens 106. The collimated light beam 102 is transformed into an array of beamlets 108 by a spatial light modulator (SLM) 110. The beamlets 108 in turn are focused down to an array of light spots 112 (often referred to as a spot array) on the focal plane 116 of a microlens array 114. Finally, the light spots 112 are projected on to an imaging surface 118 by a first imaging lens 120. The imaging surface 118 may include a layer of photoresist such as would be required in maskless photolithography, or a layer of photoconductive material such as would be required in optical printing. The imaging surface 118 can also be a projection screen as would be required for a projection display application.
Usually, the light spots 112 in a spot array are separated by spaces. To form a complete pattern or image, the spaces between the light spots 112 in the spot array are filled in with pattern data by scanning the imaging surface 118. The scanning motion is synchronized with the pattern data fed to the spatial light modulator 110 by a computer system 122. Additional components such as a second imaging lens 124 or an aperture/aperture array 126 may be needed in certain configurations in order to properly align the SLM 110 with the microlens array 114, and to reduce cross talks between light spots. A spot array generator 128 in conventional art usually includes the spatial light modulator 110, the second imaging lens 124, the aperture array 126, and the microlens array 114.
Conventional spot array generators rely on a complicated arrangement of a number of discrete components including a microlens array, a spatial light modulator, imaging lens systems and possibly apertures or aperture arrays, where the microlens array can be either diffractive or refractive. Precision alignment between these components is critical in order for the system to function properly. Due to the discrete nature of the critical components used in the conventional art, these high-resolution pattern generating systems all suffer from the problems of being bulky, being susceptible to environmental influences such as temperature change and mechanical vibrations, and having higher system costs.
There are many other problems that relate to the specific system designs. Kenneth C. Johnson (U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,986, filed on Feb. 20, 1997, issued on Oct. 17, 2000) proposed a maskless microlens lithography system, a version of high-resolution pattern generating system that incorporates a refractive microlens array. However, refractive microlens arrays are the miniature version of 3-D lenses. Larger arrays of microlenses including, for example, one million of lenslets, and having uniform lens properties are very difficult and expensive to fabricate, and are not suited for large-scale manufacturing.
Henry Smith (U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,637, filed on May 30, 1997, issued on May 4, 1999) proposed a maskless lithographic system that used an array of static Fresnel zone plates as the microlens array. However, the operating speed of this type of high-resolution pattern generating system is limited by the SLM. A demonstration system (Ihsan Djomehri, et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B(16), p 3426(1998)) used a combination of an array of zone plates and a Digital Light Processor (DLP)™, a version of digital micromirror SLM array made by Texas Instrument, Texas. The performance was limited by the relative slow response time of the DLP.
Later, another demonstration system (Dario Gil, et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B(20), p 2597(2002)) showed an improved response time by replacing the DLP with a Grating Light Valve (GLV) array (Silicon Light Machines, CA) as the SLM to modulate the beamlets at each zone plate lens. However, this type of spot array generators is not suited for directly generating two-dimensional (2-D) images due to the fact that the GLV is essentially an one-dimensional (1-D) linear SLM and can not be configured into a high-density 2-D array. To form a 2-D pattern, precision mechanical scanning in the direction normal to the linear array across the whole field of the image has to be used, as the system proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,553, filed on Mar. 20, 1997, issued on Nov. 9, 1999.
The MAPPER design by Mapper Lithography B. V., Netherlands (PCT Pub. No. W003/079116, filed on Mar. 19, 2003, published on Sep. 25, 2003) used a combination of a refractive microlens array and a switched optical fiber bundle. This type of system is extremely complex and bulky when the number of lens elements becomes large.
It is desirable to have a pattern generating system that is very compact in size, easy to make, and capable of delivering reliable performance under normal environmental conditions. It is also desirable to have a pattern generating system that can generate a 2-D pattern directly and can operate at high speed with high bandwidth.
(3) Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide advanced pattern generating systems that have a greatly simplified system design resulting in reduced system size, improved system performance and reliability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide pattern generating systems that can generate large-field high-resolution patterns with increased speed and throughput for patterning 2-D or 3-D objects.
Yet, another object of the present invention is to provide pattern generating systems compatible with a wide range of illumination sources.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating, by way of examples, the principles of the invention.


A process for forming a trench Schottky barrier device includes the forming of an oxide layer within the trenches in the surface of a silicon wafer, and then depositing a full continuous metal barrier layer over the full upper surface of the wafer including the trench interiors and the mesas between trenches with a barrier contact made to the mesas only. Palladium, titanium or any conventional barrier metal can be used.

Trench Schottky devices are well known and are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,855,593 entitled Trench Schottky Barrier Diode in the names of Andoh and Chiola (IR-1663). Planar Schottky devices are also well known and are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,344 in the name of Gould (IR-659).
The manufacture of the trench Schottky is complicated by the need for extra process steps required to ensure that the barrier metal on the tops of the mesas formed by the trenches is removed from the trench walls.
It would be desirable to provide such a process but having fewer process steps without affecting the final device characteristics.

Trench Schottky device with single barrier


An information processing apparatus includes an arithmetic processing unit. The arithmetic processing unit generates a first haptic-feedback presentation signal, which is to be supplied to a first haptic-feedback presentation device of a plurality of haptic-feedback presentation devices, based on the first characteristic information extracted from a first sound signal corresponding to a first channel among sounds of a plurality of channels output from a sound output device capable of outputting the sounds of the plurality of channels, and generates a second haptic-feedback presentation signal, which is to be supplied to a second haptic-feedback presentation device of the plurality of haptic-feedback presentation devices, based on the second characteristic information extracted from a second sound signal corresponding to a second channel among the sounds of the plurality of channels.

In general, it is said that the human audible range is approximately 20 Hz to 20000 Hz, and the frequency characteristic of a digital audio signal is also set according to this. However, low bands, in particular, low frequencies of 100 Hz or lower, are said to be difficult to perceive as sound through human eardrum vibration. Further, also in speakers, there is a limit to the reproducibility of low frequency sound of 100 Hz or lower. As a measure against this, there is known a technology for replacing the woofer (bass) component of 5.1 ch audio with the vibration of a vibration device (refer to Patent Literature 1).

Information processing apparatus and information processing method for presentation of multiple haptic feedback channels based on sound characteristics extracted from multiple sound channels


Provided is a hologram retrieval method and a holographic recording and reproducing apparatus for preventing an increase in SNR, a decrease in retrieval accuracy, or the retrieval itself from being made impossible, which would otherwise occur because of a small size of data used for retrieval. Digital information is recorded on a holographic recording medium as data pages DP formed of a two-dimensional bit map image with each page being multiplexed. The data page DP is divided into a plurality of equal data blocks DB11 to 13, DB21 to DB23, and DB31 to DB33, and each data block DB is provided with a data image that is encoded by an encoding method for providing a certain number of ON pixels within each data block DB. A spatial light modulator allows the to-be-retrieved data image to be encoded by the encoding method and displayed as block information on a retrieval data block associated with the data block, and a signal beam to be thereby modulated. Of resulting diffracted beams, the diffracted beam of the maximum intensity is used to detect the target data image and the address of the reference beam.

There is a holographic recording and reproducing method and apparatus available as one of high-speed mass storage technologies that allow for storing massive amounts of digital information.
This holographic recording and reproducing method and apparatus stores digital information as data pages formed of a two-dimensional bit map image with each page being multiplexed.
Such a holographic recording and reproducing method and apparatus provides not only a high-speed massive storage capability but also a retrieval and reproduction capability referred to as the "associative reproduction" or a very-high-speed retrieval capability of instantaneously finding out specific data using the volumetric nature of holograms.
An example of this is described in APPLIED OPTICS, Vol. 38, No. 32, p 6779 to 6784, 10 Nov. 1999. In this example, a holographic recording medium having data pages recorded thereon with each page being multiplexed is irradiated with a signal beam that has been modulated by a spatial light modulator using a data image being retrieved, thereby allowing diffracted beams to be transmitted. Of the resulting diffracted beams, the diffracted beam of the maximum intensity is used to detect the data page of the data image provided to the signal beam and the address of a reference beam associated therewith.
Here, the hologram retrieval method according to the aforementioned holographic recording and reproducing method and apparatus allows for detecting a diffracted beam on one data page basis. Thus, the method has a problem that retrieval of small size data causes the amount of diffracted light to be decreased, resulting in the accuracy of retrieval (SNR) being degraded.
In contrast to this, an increase in the exposure time of a signal beam for retrieval causes an increase in noise light, and thus the SNR cannot be prevented from being reduced.
There is also another problem that the retrieval accuracy is reduced or the retrieval itself is made impossible as the size of data used for retrieval is reduced.
This is caused by increases in crosstalk between pages at the time of retrieval depending on the similarity of data images associated with respective data pages (or depending on the number of common ON pixels).
That is, a decrease in size of an image zone used for retrieval makes it difficult to ignore the similarity in the other zones (or accidental matching). Thus, this raises a problem of increasing the probability of "retrieval error," in the case of which with no correlation being found in searched pixel zones, a strongly correlated data page is extracted in other zones as a result of a search.

Hologram retrieval method and holographic recording and reproducing apparatus


The present invention relates an improved feed additive or food supplement formulation obtained from more than one strain of Lactic acid bacteria. The feed additive or supplements is used to feed monogastric animals such as avian, fowl. Moreover, the feed provides better growth and feed utilization for monogastric animals. Further, the animal feed can be used for controlling food intake in the animals.

In recent years it has been proposed to use various feed additives to achieve a fast growth in livestock, and in this respect antibiotic additives have attracted the greatest attention. Growth promoting antibiotic is the most common one among feed additives, mainly due to their positive effects in growth or feed conversion efficiency and also reduction of incidence of certain diseases. However, extensive use of antibiotic may cause animals to develop resistance in a number of pathogenic bacteria species (Mikkelsen and Jensen, 2000). Relatively good results have been attained with these additives. More recent findings have shown that such additives give rise to resistant bacteria strains in the livestock and it has also been established that the antibiotic substances are transferred in small amounts to humans. It has also been found that a certain risk exists for hyper sensitiveness in persons who handle such feed. In modern animal farming, various methods have been explored to improve animal health and growth performance. These include better husbandry management, nutrition and utilisation of feed additive. The common feed additives used are antibiotic, probiotics, enzymes and organic acids (Bernardeau et al., 2002). Likewise, cross-resistance may occur to therapeutic antibiotic belongs to the same class of drug, particularly those with close relationships with human antimicrobial therapies. In recent years, it has been proposed to use various feed additives to achieve a fast growth in livestock, and in this respect, antibiotic additives have attracted the greatest attention. It has now been found that by using a feed additive according to the present invention could be an advantage to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages and still obtain result in livestock production which is at least as good as that previously attained by using antibiotic feed additives. Thus the desired result is obtained without the previous drawbacks.
Some countries already imposed restrictions or prohibitions on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and this have drawn attention to possible alternatives (Wierup, 2000). During the last few years, research has focused on some valuable strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their potential use as probiotic agents. Probiotics are considered viable microbial preparations that promote mammalian health by preserving the natural microflora in the intestine. Probiotics are thought to attach to the intestinal mucosa, colonize the intestinal tract and thereby prevent attachment of harmful micro-organisms thereon. A prerequisite for their action resides in that they have to reach the gut's mucosa in a proper and viable form and especially do not get destroyed by the influence of the low pH prevailing in the stomach. In particular, the physiology of the digestive tract of cats and dogs differs from humans. For example, the average pH in the stomach is about 3.4 for dogs and 4.2 for cats. LAB as probiotic are often suggested as alternative for replacing antibiotic. LAB are widely used as starter cultures in meat and meat-products, play a very important role in ensuring the safety of different foods through the production of metabolites such as bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are proteinaceous compounds, which have antimicrobial properties that able to inhibit many different bacterial species, especially pathogenic bacteria (De Vuyst and Vandamme, 1994). These compounds have received a great attention because they are produced by beneficial to human health bacteria and also often used as natural food preservatives. It has been shown that administration of bacteriocins influences the bacterial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and reduces the levels of pathogenic bacteria in different parts of gastrointestinal tract (van Winsen et al., 2001). Gaenzale et al. (1999) showed that bacteriocin curvacin produced by Lactobacillus curvatus inhibited Escherichia coli and Listeria inoculate in the stomach. It also has been shown that bacteriocins produced by Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis have antibacterial properties (Mishra and Lambert, 1996). U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,569 discloses the inclusion of a probiotic microorganism in a pet food cereal, neither it, nor the remaining available art provides information concerning strains specifically intended for pet health. Thus, there is a need to provide novel bacterial strains that are particularly adapted for pets and that have been selected for their high probiotic properties beneficial for pet health and to incorporate these strains into a pet food composition.
It has been previously known that with the aid of LAB, one can utilize skim milk, buttermilk, and whey as animal feed. The products thus contain, in addition to lactic acid, vitamines, sugar and other carbohydrates but no viable microorganisms. The present invention concerns a growth promoting feed additive containing naturally occurring source of metabolites produced by Lactobacillus sp. The invention also relates to the use of an effective amount of metabolites obtained from Lactobacillus sp., and providing an optimum dosage of the most effective of metabolites as feed additives for improving the growth performance and overall health of poultry. This animal feed additive shall combine with nutrients to form an animal feed. Scientifically controlled experiments with animals have shown that the economic gain from animals raised on food furnished with additives according to the present invention is increased because the quality and value of the animal products are increased.


A cooling mechanism for cooling an optical element disposed in a vacuum atmosphere includes a support part for supporting the optical element, which has a channel having an inlet, into which gas is supplied, and an outlet, from which the gas is exhausted, and a decompression mechanism, connected to the channel, for reducing pressure of the gas to be supplied.

The present invention relates generally to a cooling mechanism, and more particularly to a cooling mechanism used for an optical element in an exposure apparatus that manufactures devices, such as a single crystal substrate for a semiconductor wafer and a glass plate for a liquid crystal display ("LCD"). The present invention is suitable, for example, for a cooling mechanism for cooling an optical element in an exposure apparatus that uses as exposure light ultraviolet ("UV") light and extreme ultraviolet ("EUV") light.
There has conventionally been employed a reduction projection exposure apparatus that uses a projection optical system to project a circuit pattern on a mask or a reticle onto a wafer, etc. to transfer the circuit pattern, in manufacturing such fine semiconductor devices as a semiconductor memory and a logic circuit in the photolithography technology.
The minimum critical dimension to be transferred by the projection exposure apparatus or resolution is proportionate to a wavelength of light used for exposure, and inversely proportionate to the numerical aperture ("NA") of the projection optical system. The shorter the wavelength is, the better the resolution is. Recent demands for finer semiconductor devices have promoted a shorter wavelength of ultraviolet light from an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp (i-line with a wavelength of approximately 365 nm) to KrF excimer laser (with a wavelength of approximately 248 nm) and ArF excimer laser (with a wavelength of approximately 193 nm).
The lithography using the UV light has the limit to satisfy the imminent demands for finer semiconductor devices. Accordingly, a reduction projection exposure apparatus has been developed which uses EUV light with a wavelength of 10 to 15 nm shorter than that of the ultraviolet light (referred to as an "EUV exposure apparatus" hereinafter) to efficiently transfer a very fine circuit pattern of 0.1 μm or less.
As the exposure light has a shorter wavelength, its absorption remarkably increases in a material, and becomes incompatible with use a refraction element or lens for visible light and ultraviolet light. No glass material is compatible with a EUV light's wavelength, and a reflection-type or cataoptric optical system is used which utilizes only a reflective element or multilayer mirror. A reticule also uses a reflection mask that uses an absorber on a mirror to form a pattern to be transferred.
The mirror cannot reflect all of the exposure light, but absorbs 30% or greater of the exposure light. The energy of most of the absorbed exposure light turns to residual heat, and would possibly deform a mirror's surface, causing deteriorated optical performance (in particular, imaging performance). Accordingly, a mirror is made of ceramics, such as SiC, SiN, AlN and Al2O3, which has such a small coefficient of linear thermal expansion as about 1 ppm to about 10 ppm to reduce changes of a mirror shape.
The EUV exposure apparatus is used for exposure of a circuit pattern of 0.1 μm or smaller, and is required to have such strict critical dimension precision that a projection optical system's mirror permits a deformable surface shape of only about several nanometers. A shape error budget σ (rms value) permitted to a mirror is given in the Marechal's criterion as Equation 1 below, where λ is a wavelength of EUV light, and n is the number of mirrors in the projection optical system:
                    σ        =                  λ                      28            ×                          n                                                          (        1        )
For example, where the EVU light has a wavelength of 13 nm and the projection optical system uses four mirrors, the shape error budget σ becomes 0.23 nm. As the exposure heats a mirror that has such a small coefficient of linear thermal expansion as several ppm in the projection optical system, a deformed surface possibly exceeds the permissible shape error, and makes imaging performance insufficient, or the resolution and contract become too low to transfer fine patterns.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 13, there has been proposed a method for connecting a conduit 1200 to a channel 1110 formed in a mirror holder 1100 that holds a mirror 1000, and for cooling the mirror 1000 via the mirror holder 1100 by introducing coolant, such as water, into the channel 1110 (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-209036). FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional view of the mirror 1000 for explaining a conventional mirror cooling method.
A wafer and a reticle similarly absorb exposure light and deform due to residual heats. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 12, the wafer and reticle are cooled by connecting a conduit 1600 to a channel 1510 in the chuck 1500 that holds the reticle and the wafer, and by introducing coolant, such as water, into the channel 1510. FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of the chuck 1500 for explaining a conventional method for cooling the reticle and the wafer.
The cooling method shown in FIG. 13 can cool the mirror holder 1100, but cannot cools the mirror 1000 sufficiently, because the mirror holder 1100 cannot be adhered onto the mirror 1000 for control over the mirror 1000's orientations. It is conceivable to form a channel in the mirror 1000 and cool it directly, the method for cooling the reticle and the wafer shown in FIG. 12 supports a fine movement stage 1520 mounted with the chuck 1500, using only a spring 1530 with weak rigidity. Therefore, vibrations resulting from vortexes, pulsations, etc. in the channel 1510 and conduit 1600 deteriorates chuck 1500's positional stability. In addition, the heavy channel 1510 and conduit 1600 that flow water restrain movements of the fine movement stage 1520. In other words, although it is expected that, as shown in FIG. 14, a laser interferometer 1700 detects a mirror 1000 attached to the fine movement stage 1520 to precisely control a position of the fine movement stage 1520 (or positions of the reticle and the wafer), the fine movement stage 1520 has such a bad positional control response that the fine movement stage 1520 cannot move its position quickly or restrain high-frequency vibrations. Here, FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view of the chuck 1500 for explaining positioning of the reticle and the wafer.
It is conceivable to use heat conductive gas, such as helium, for coolant instead of water to prevent generations of vortexes, pulsations, etc. The efficient cooling of the mirror and wafer requires the flow of low-temperature gas. Nevertheless, the temperature of the gas with small heat capacity easily rises before the gas reaches the mirror holder and the fine movement stage, and the gas cannot cool them sufficiently.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-209036 also proposes a method for cooling a wafer using adiabatic expansion of the gas in an aperture between the wafer and the chuck. However, the gas between the wafer and the chuck reduces the chuck's absorptive force to the wafer. For example, when the chuck has an absorptive force of about P1 kgf/cm2 without gas, the chuck's absorptive force is reduced to (P1−P2) kgf/cm2 if the gas exists between the wafer and the chuck with gas pressure of P2 kgf/cm2. An electrostatic chuck that has a pin-shaped surface to reduce a probability of adhesions of particles usually has an absorptive force of about 100 gf/cm2, and cannot use the gas having pressure above this value.
The heat quantity removable by the gas is determined by specific heat times density times flow of the gas. The low gas pressure means the low density, and the small removable heat quantity requires a long cooling time or results in insufficient cooling ability. When the pressure decreases as the exposure starts, the wafer's temperature can decrease due to adiabatic expansion. However, this configuration cannot increase the pressure so that the gas pressure becomes zero or nearly zero and the cooling ability cannot be maintained.


Methods for cooling process chamber components are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of cooling a process chamber component may include reducing a power provided to a heater disposed proximate a surface of the process chamber component to reduce an amount of heat provided to the component by the heater; providing a coolant to coolant channels disposed within the process chamber component using a pulsed flow having a duty cycle until the process chamber component reaches a temperature that is less than or equal to a predetermined magnitude above a temperature of the coolant; and after the process chamber component reaches the temperature less than or equal to the predetermined magnitude above a temperature of the coolant, reducing the duty cycle of the pulsed flow of the coolant to zero.

Process chambers utilized in substrate processing typically comprise a number of internal components that are repeatedly heated and cooled during and after processes are performed. In some instances, for example, when routine service or maintenance is needed after a process has been performed in a process chamber, the components are cooled to about room temperature.
In temperature controlled components, for example, such as process chamber showerheads having coolants channels, to cool the component from a typical operating temperature (e.g. about 90 degrees Celsius), a heat source that heats the component may be shut off and a coolant is flowed through the coolant channels to extract heat from the component. However, the inventors have observed when the component is cooled too rapidly, the component may incur damage. For example, when cooling a two piece showerhead having multiple parts (e.g. a body and faceplate) with different coefficients of thermal expansion coupled together via a bonding material, rapid cooling of the showerhead may unduly strain or stress the bonding material, causing the parts of the showerhead to de-bond.
To prevent such damage due to the rapid cooling, the coolant flow may be stopped or the coolant temperature may be manually increased in sequential steps to allow the component to cool slowly. However, cooling in such a manner is labor intensive and/or slow, leading to increased downtime of processing equipment and decreased efficiency of processing systems.
Accordingly, the inventor has provided improved methods of cooling process chamber components.

Methods of cooling process chamber components


A solution dispensing bottle assembly adapted for snap-locking to a water extraction cleaning machine is shown. The bottle assembly includes a bottle having a tapered neck with an adapter telescopically mounted on the tapered neck. The adapter includes a pair of flexible flanges having apertures provided thereon. In mounting the bottle assembly to a known water extraction cleaning machine, the flexible flanges receive inwardly extending lugs provided on the machine in a snap-fit interlocking manner. The bottle is quickly removed from the machine by squeezing the flexible flanges inwardly a sufficient distance to remove the opposed lugs from the flange apertures and then sliding the bottle assembly away from the lugs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solution dispensing bottle assembly and, more particularly, to a bottle assembly adapted to be received in a deep cleaning or water extraction cleaning machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Water extraction cleaning machines, sometimes called deep cleaning machines, typically require the mixing of a concentrated cleaning detergent with water to create a desired cleaning solution for application to the surface to be cleaned. The solution can either be mixed manually by the user by pouring a premeasured amount of detergent into a clean water reservoir and adding water thereto, or a bottle of detergent can be fluidly connected to mixing means provided on the extraction cleaning machine. Examples of water extraction cleaning machines incorporating detergent bottles and means for mixing the liquid contained therein with water from a clean solution reservoir include U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,287 issued Jun. 30, 1987 to Fitzwater and U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,608 issued Apr. 5, 1994 to Bosyj. Both of these patents show means incorporated on both the water extraction cleaning machine and the bottle for securing the bottle to the machine while fluid is conveyed from the bottle to the mixing means in the machine.
The water extraction cleaning machine of U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,287 comprises a docking port provided on the machine wherein the port is adapted to receive the neck of a bottle assembly. A pair of inwardly extending studs or projections are provided on the interior side wall of the port. The projections cooperate with a pair of helically-shaped grooves formed on the exterior surface of a rotating collar of the bottle assembly. The collar is rotated relative to the bottle and projection for drawing the bottle into the operative position and securing the bottle to the machine.


A cable connector includes a housing which supports terminal contacts which have insulation piercing devices. An insulating part can be inserted coaxially into the housing and the housing includes recesses which receive the insulation piercing devices of the terminal contacts. A union nut which can be threaded onto the housing drives the insulating part and serves to fasten and seal the entire cable connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of connectors for electrical cables and more particularly to a cable connector which incorporates insulation displacement terminals.
2. Prior Art
The prior art includes cable connectors shown in German Patents DE 31 50 568 C1 and DE 32 20 006 C1. In these devices, the axially extending recesses are arranged on the insulating part in such a way that the insulation piercing connecting devices are inserted therein lying inward and, in turn, the individual wires of the conductor cable lie pointing outward approximately parallel in the joined position. Contact can therefore be made between the cutting edges of the insulation piercing connecting devices and the individual wires essentially only in the radial direction, and for this purpose the cutting edges on the insulation piercing connecting devices are angled off outward at right angles. Pressing the individual wires of the conductor cable into the respectively associated cutting edge of the relevant insulation piercing connecting device in the radial direction is performed by projecting threads of the union nut, which either project inward more strongly with increasing screwing-on depth (DE 31 50 568 C1) or act on a finger, which is elastically deformable in the radial direction and presses, in turn, on the wires of the conductor cable (DE 32 20 006 C1). Because of the friction which occurs when the union nut is screwed on between the internal thread of the latter and the insulation of the individual wires of the conductor cable, tangential forces are produced which can cause damage to the conductor insulation or deformation of the cutting edges of the insulation piercing connecting devices, as a result of which contact is impaired. In addition, the manipulation during mounting is awkward, because the relatively stiff individual wires of the conductor cable have a tendency to come out of the outwardly open, axially extending recesses of the insulating part. It is true that this applies less in the case of the embodiment with the elastic intermediate fingers between the union nut and the individual wires, but there is still a risk in this device that the elastic fingers will lift out of the recesses in the insulating part as a consequence of the tangential friction forces occurring when the union nut is being screwed on, as a result of which reliable contact is not ensured.
German Patent DE 42 03 455 C1 shows electric plug-in connectors for a multipole terminal, which have a carrier member and a conductor guide element. The carrier member has insulation piercing connecting devices which are inserted, in the joining direction of the two parts, into recesses in the conductor guide element and whose cutting edges are likewise aligned in the joining direction. In the conductor guide element, the individual wires are positioned in obliquely extending feed-through openings such that it is possible to make contact between the cutting edges of the insulation piercing connecting devices and the individual conductor wires in the joining direction. In accordance with the envisaged multiplicity of the individual wires with which contact is to be made, a correspondingly large number of conductor guide shoulders are provided on the conductor guide element, each of which engage per se in a chamber holding the respective insulating piercing connecting device, there likewise being a corresponding multiplicity of these chambers. On the side averted from the carrier member, the conductor guide element has a corresponding multiplicity of insertion openings, it being necessary for an individual wire to be threaded into each of these insertion openings. This results in awkward manipulation. Moreover, it remains an open question as to how the extraordinarily high joining forces can be applied effectively in the case of a multiplicity of given contact points.

Cable connector with stress relief assembly

Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG, (German Corporation)