A center stack for an instrument panel of a motor vehicle. The center stack includes a front plate having an exposed surface with a first surface finish and a back plate having a visible portion uncovered by the front plate. The front plate has at least one opening extending through the exposed surface for accessing at least one operational feature of the motor vehicle. The visible portion of the back plate has a second surface finish that differs from the first surface finish of the front plate. The back plate may include a flex joint that permits the visible portion of the back plate to move relative to an adjacent non-visible portion covered by the front plate.

Instrument panels or dashboards for motor vehicles, such as automobiles, generally include modules integrated together and installed as a single unit into a forward portion of a vehicle passenger cabin. The "center stack" region of the instrument panel supports various controls and interior features. Conventional center stacks may include sound system controls, climate controls for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and vents or outlets that exhaust air supplied from the vehicle's HVAC system, among other controls and features. Components, such as the sound system, are mounted in the center stack proximate to the controls. The center stack is closed out with a front plate or trim bezel having a front side with Class A surfaces suitable for a vehicle interior that are visible to occupants of the passenger cabin.
Because stacking space is limited, integrated center stacks represent an evolution in center stack technology in which the actual components, like the sound system and the HVAC electronics, are not supported by the center stack. Instead, the components are mounted remote from the center stack at other locations inside the vehicle. The controls for the components remain associated with the center stack and are accessible to the occupants seated in the front of the passenger cabin. The controls are connected with the actual components by a flex cable, flat wire, or transmitted radio frequency signals to increase the stacking space. The individual controls may include circuit boards mounted to the center stack. Integrated center stacks, which are also conventional, are more compact than earlier generation conventional center stacks that provided support for the components themselves. Integrated center stacks are also closed out with a front plate or trim bezel having a Class A surface visible to occupants of the passenger cabin.
Front plates are typically single-piece constructions that may include outlets for the HVAC system defined in the front plate. Different or contrasting finishes may be applied to different visible surfaces or regions of the front plate. For example, one region on the front plate may be painted and an adjacent region on the front plate may have a wood grain finish from, for example, a laminate. If different or contrasting finishes are applied on different regions of the front plate, a transition zone or paint ditch is required along the boundary across which the finish changes. Alternatively, separate bezels may be positioned to cover the regions with contrasting finish to achieve a suitable finish transition.
It would be desirable to provide an improved center stack that permits the visible surface finish on the center stack to differ or contrast between different regions without the use of a paint ditch or another expensive feature.

Integrated center stack for a motor vehicle

International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.


Method and apparatus for preserving program context when causing execution of a probe routine from a target routine of an executable computer program code. Executable code for the probe routine is created such that the probe routine does not reference a first set of registers that are usable by the target routine. A modified version of the target routine is created to cause execution of the probe routine. The modified version of the target routine is performed instead of the original version when the target routine is called during program execution. A second set of registers on the processor register stack is allocated when the probe routine is invoked. The second set of registers is not manipulated by the probe routine so as to avoid changing contents of registers of the register stack that are used by the target routine.

Functions and procedures are well-known constructs that are used in creating modular programs. Nesting function and procedure calls further supports hierarchical program designs, thereby supporting multiple levels of design abstraction.
Functions and procedures often include parameters for passing data. A function typically has only input parameters, and a call to the function often returns a value. A procedure may have both input and output parameters. For ease of reference, functions and procedures are referenced herein as "routines."
Many processor architectures use a register stack and a register renaming mechanism to pass parameter values between routine calls. The processor associates selected registers with parameters of a routine when a routine is called. The register stack includes multiple registers and a stack pointer that references the set of registers at the top of the stack for the most recently called routine. With each nested routine call, additional registers from the register stack are associated with the parameters of the called routine. Other registers that a routine uses during execution for temporary storage of data are referred to as "scratch" registers.
Tools that support analysis of an executing program must account for behavior of the register stack and a routine's usage of scratch registers in order to avoid corrupting data referenced by the routines in the program. Analysis of binary executable programs is performed to analyze program performance, verify correctness, and test correct runtime operation, for example. Some analyses are performed prior to runtime (static analysis), while other analyses are performed during runtime (dynamic analysis). For both static and dynamic analysis, however, the analysis is often performed at the routine level.
One category of analysis performed on executable programs is "instrumentation". Instrumentation is generally used to gather runtime characteristics of a program. For example, the number of times that a routine is executed while the application is executing is determined through instrumentation. Such instrumentation is sometimes accomplished by inserting a call to a probe routine at a selected point in the program. The probe routine performs instrumentation-related operations.
When inserting a probe routine call, the instrumentation tool must preserve the contents of the register stack so that invocation of the probe routine does not corrupt the contents of the registers, which are associated with parameters of the routine from which the probe routine was called. One approach to preserving the register stack is to save the contents of registers on the memory stack of the calling routine. However, this is costly in terms of execution time, especially if the routine from which the probe routine was invoked is called many times during program execution.
A system and method that address the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, are therefore desirable.

Preserving program context when adding probe routine calls for program instrumentation

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A magnetron sputtering source includes a plurality of electrodes and a switching circuit. The switching circuit sequentially connects each of the plurality of electrodes to a ground reference, making it anodic, while connecting the remaining of the plurality of electrodes as cathodes. A method of operating the magnetron sputtering source includes steps of: providing a plurality of target arrangements; causing each of the plurality of target arrangements to act as a cathode; and sequentially causing each of the plurality of cathodes to temporarily act as an anode.

The present invention relates to a sputter deposition process for large area thin film deposition, and more particularly to a magnetron sputtering source having one or more sliding anodes.
Sputter deposition is used in many applications for thin film deposition of various materials on various substrates. Large area coatings for displays, functional coatings (e.g. on architectural glass) or solar cells require a certain uniformity of the film-thickness over the whole substrate area.
Two basic approaches are known for performing sputter deposition. So-called "inline-processing" involves a substrate that is moved alongside a small coating source and is thereby coated with a respective layer. "Single substrate processing" involves coating the entire substrate "at once," without moving either the source or substrate during deposition. Single substrate processing is normally preferred since it performs the sputter deposition more quickly. This normally requires a coating source that is equal to or larger than the size of the substrate. Such single, large cathodes, however, suffer from an increasing non-uniformity with increasing substrate size due to physical limitations.
For instance, increasing the glass-to-target distance too much can lead to layer problems. On the other hand, if the glass is too close to the targets there will be a lack of electrons in the middle region of the glass, leading to poor layer uniformity.
To get more electrons to the middle of the glass without increasing the glass-to-target distance, greater anode surface area must be provided. To accomplish this, several approaches have been proposed.
One general approach involves providing an array of small cathodes in various orders and arrangements, such as parallel bars, checker-board patterns, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,293 to Haag et al., incorporated herein by reference, describes an arrangement of several bar-shaped targets mounted one alongside the other and separated by respective slits. Each of the target arrangements includes a respective electric pad to allow it to be operated electrically independently from the other target arrangement. Further, each target arrangement includes a controlled magnet arrangement generating a time-varying magnetron field upon the target arrangement. Each of the magnet arrangements is controlled independently from the others.
Even such cathode arrays have size limitations, since it is impractical and technically not feasible to raise the number of cathodes arbitrarily with each upscale of the deposition system. Therefore, a further approach for improving sputter deposition uniformity for large substrates is needed.
A major problem with increasing cathode size is a decrease of the electrical field density in the center of the cathode. This decrease results in a lower plasma density and therefor in a lower deposition rate. To avoid this potential drop towards the center of the cathode, it is necessary to provide an anode near the center. Due to limited space between the targets it is not possible to install permanent anodes with sufficient conductivity without raising the danger of arcing during the deposition process.

Sliding anode magnetron sputtering source


Particular embodiments analyze logos found in a video program to determine video demarcations in the video program. For example, a video demarcation may be content that marks (“marker content”) a transition from a first video content type to a second video content type. Marker content may be used so the user knows that a transition is occurring. Particular embodiments analyze the logos found in a video program to determine the video demarcations in the video. The video is first analyzed to determine logos in the video program. Once these logos are determined, particular embodiments may re-analyze the video program to identify marker frames that include the marker content that signal the transitions to a different video content types. The marker frames may be determined without any prior knowledge of the marker content. Then, particular embodiments may use the marker frames to determine video segments.

Video content owners or distributors may insert various logos into video programs. For example, a television station may insert a station logo into a video program to identify the television station broadcasting the video. Also, other logos may be inserted into the video programs. For example, the television station inserts a score panel that shows the current score of a sports event into a broadcast of a sporting event.
A broadcast of a video program, such as a sporting event, may include different content types. For example, the sporting event may be a "live" showing of the event. That is, the video program is played in real-time or with minimal delay from when the actual event is being played. During the program, advertisements may be inserted. Also, the live recording may also be interrupted by other content, such as when highlights are played during the broadcast.

Detecting of graphical objects to identify video demarcations


A method is disclosed for measuring the linear velocity of recording of data recorded a CD using a Hall sensor. A Hall sensor is placed in the spindle motor of a CD drive to produce a signal based on alternating magnetic flux in the spindle motor. An amplified and processed version of the signal output from the Hall sensor during operation of the CD drive is monitored to measure the timing of three successive inversions of the signal. Based on this timing measurement, the rotational speed of the spindle motor is determined. The recording linear velocity of the data recorded on the CD presently mounted in the CD drive is obtained based on the rotational speed determined from the Hall signal and on a reference rotational speed. As a result of using this method for obtaining the recording linear velocity of the data recorded on the CD, no errors are generated based on the number of tracks the pickup is moved across, and the time necessary for measuring the recording linear velocity is reduced.

The present invention relates to compact disks, and more particularly, to a method for measuring the recording linear velocity of data recorded on a compact disk. This application for a method for measuring recording linear velocity of data on a compact disk is based on Korean Patent Application No. 96-15980, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
A compact disk (or "CD"), a mass medium, has a 12 cm diameter and a 680 Mb storage capacity. Numerous fine grooves are formed on a CD to store digitized data, e.g., audio data or computer data. The grooves are called "pits" and a row of pits are referred to as a "track". The tracks are formed as concentric circles, progressively from the center of the disk toward the periphery thereof. Typically, a CD has approximately 22,000 tracks. The distance between the tracks, i.e., the track pitch, is typically 1.6 .mu.m.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a typical CD. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the CD of FIG. 1, taken along section line II--II.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a CD 10 is an aluminum-coated synthetic resin disk of 12 cm diameter and 1.2 mm thickness. A 15 mm (inner diameter) pass through hole 10h is formed in the middle of the CD. The hole 10h is used to mount the CD 10 on a turntable of a spindle motor 31 in a disk drive. The CD 10 is divided into different areas. The CD 10 has a lead-in area 10a, also known as a TOC (Table Of Contents) area which contains summarized information regarding the contents of the CD. Typically, as in the case of an audio CD, the information contained in the TOC area includes the number of songs, the starting position of the songs, and the total performance time. A program area 10b is where data is recorded. A lead-out area 10c is reserved for recording of a signal for indicating the termination of a program, i.e., the end of the data.
According to the specifications of a typical audio CD, the recording linear velocity of the data is defined to be between 1.2 m/sec and 1.4 m/sec. A 1.2 m/sec recording linear velocity is typically employed when a great amount of data is to be recorded on a disk, whereas a 1.4 m/sec recording linear velocity is employed when relatively less data is recorded on a disk.
When the number of tracks from the current position to a target position on a disk are calculated, based on such a recording linear velocity, the distance between the current and target positions can vary according to the method of calculation. Accordingly, much time is taken up to access data by a pickup. Thus, the recording linear velocity of the data recorded on a disk should be accurately measured in order to accurately calculate number of tracks.
According to the conventional technology, the recording linear velocity of the data recorded on a disk has been measured according to the following two methods.
The first method is: after moving a pickup from one track position on a disk to the immediately previous track (i.e., in the reverse direction, from the outer track to the inner track), the time needed for the pickup to track around from the moved position back to the initial position is measured.
The second method is: after moving a pickup from one position on a disk to a position a predetermined number of tracks away (e.g., hundreds of tracks) in the reverse direction, the recording linear velocity of data is calculated based on the time necessary for the pickup to track around the initial position, and the number of the tracks.
However, in the first method, it takes a lot of time to complete the calculation of the recording linear velocity since the action of the pickup is performed at mono-multiple speed (i.e., the base reproduction speed, not doubled or tripled) in order to minimize errors. Also, precision in the movement by one track is required. Further, in the second method, since the pickup must move across many tracks, the necessary time becomes longer and error in the number of tracks becomes great.
Additionally, a stable servo action is required in either the stepwise track movement (first method) or the lump-sum track movement (second method), otherwise the resulting measurement is not reliable.

Method for measuring recording linear velocity of data on compact disk


A sound image control device filters transfer functions H3 and H1 indicating transfer characteristics of a sound from an acoustic transducer (8) to entrances to respective ear canals (1) and (2) as well as filtering transfer functions H4 and H2 from an acoustic transducer (9) to the entrances to the respective ear canals (1) and (2) and generates second transfer functions H6 and H5 indicating transfer characteristics of a sound to the entrances to the respective ear canals (1) and (2) from a target sound source (11) at a location different from the sound sources, the sound image control device being equipped with correction filters (13) and (14) that (i) store characteristic functions E1 and E2 for performing filtering operations on the first transfer functions H1, H2, H3, and H4 and (ii) generate the second transfer functions H5 and H6 from the first transfer functions H1, H2, H3, and H4 using such characteristic functions E1 and E2.

Conventionally, a method has been known for representing the sound transmitted from a speaker to the ears using head-related transfer functions (HRTF(s)). HRTFs are functions that represent how the sound being generated from the speaker (sound source) sounds to the ears. By applying filtering on the sound source such as a speaker using such HRTFs, it is possible to give a person a feeling that there is a sound source in a location where such sound source does not actually exist. This processing is referred to as "localizing a sound image" at the location. The HRTFs can be determined either by actual measurement or by calculations. The successful application of this technology makes it possible to resolve a problem that some people feel as if the sound source existed inside their heads when using a headphone and to produce the effect of giving a sense of realism to the listener listening to the sound from a small stereo equipped to a mobile phone or the like as if such sound were coming from a large stereo.
FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example conventional method for determining HRTFs by actual measurement. In general, the measurement of HRTFs is carried out inside an anechoic chamber where there is no reverberation of sound from the wall or the floor, using a test subject or a measuring manikin with the standard dimensions called a dummy head. In FIG. 1A, a measuring speaker is placed about a meter away from the dummy head and transfer functions from the speaker to both ears of the dummy head are measured. Microphones are placed inside the respective ears (auditory tubes) of the dummy head. These microphones receive specific sound impulses emitted from the speaker. In this drawing, "A" denotes a response from the ear further from the speaker (far-ear response) and "S" denotes a response from the ear nearer to the speaker (near-ear response). As described above, by recording responses of the microphones to impulses from the speaker, with the speaker moved at various azimuthal and elevation angles with respect to the dummy head, it is possible to determine HRTFs between sound sources at various locations and the respective ears.
FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing the structure of a conventional sound image control device. As shown in FIG. 1B, such sound image control device modifies the HRTFs measured as shown in FIG. 1A by performing signal processing on the time domain and frequency domain. In other words, processing is performed on an input signal for the near-ear response, far-ear response, and inter-aural time delay included in the HRTFs represented by the diagonally shaded block, so as to output headphone signals. Variations among listeners are supported as follows: for a listener whose ear size is larger than the standard dimensions, resonance frequencies of the respective frequency response characteristics of the near-ear response and the far-ear response are reduced according to the ratio of the difference from the standard dimension; and for a listener whose head dimensions are larger than the standard dimensions, a time delay is increased according to the ratio of the difference from the standard dimension. Such technology is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent application No. 2001-16697 (page 9).
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example conventional technology for calculating HRTFs for plural sound sources using a three-dimensional head model represented on a calculator. In order to calculate HRTFs on a calculator, a three-dimensional shape of a head such as a dummy head is loaded into the calculator, so as to use it as a head model. In this drawing, each intersection of the mesh illustrated on the outer surface of the head model is referred to as a "nodal point". Each nodal point is identified by three-dimensional coordinates. In the case of determining HRTFs by calculations, the potential at each nodal point on the head model is calculated for each sound source (sound emitting point), and the sound pressures of calculated potentials at the respective nodal points are combined. FIG. 2 illustrates the case of determining HRTFs when sound sources are placed at angles of 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees, respectively, with respect to the right ear of the head model. In this case, it is possible to calculate HRTFs when the sound sources are placed at the angles of 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees by calculating the potential at each nodal point when the sound source is placed at the 0 degree angle, the potential at each nodal point when the sound source is placed at the 30 degree angle, the potential at each nodal point when the sound source is placed at the 60 degree angle, and the potential at each nodal point when the sound source is placed at the 90 degree angle.
However, such conventional structure requires the measurement of an enormous number of transfer functions in the case of measuring detailed variations in azimuthal and elevation angles. With regard to this, there are the following problems: (1) it is difficult to stabilize a measurement condition each time the location of the speaker is changed; (2) the size of microphones used for measurement cannot be ignored while the size of ear canals is ignorable; and (3) due to such reasons as that the size of the speaker has an affect on the sound field in the case where HRTFs are measured in the vicinity of the head, highly accurate HRTFs cannot be obtained, and thus in the case where an acoustic transducer located in the vicinity of one meter or less away from the head is used, it is difficult to control sound images correctly. Furthermore, also in the case where HRTFs are determined on a calculator, while it is desired to calculate HRTFs with the sound source being placed in a larger number of different locations, there is a problem in that it requires the calculation of the potential of each of an enormous number of nodal points each time the location of the sound source is changed.
There is also a problem in that, since modification of transfer functions according to head dimensions is made by adjusting an inter-ear delay time in the case where the head is regarded simply as a sphere, variations in the frequency characteristics attributable to an interference between sounds that diffract around the head cannot be reproduced and thus differences in the effect of sound image control among individuals cannot be reduced.
The present invention aims at solving the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to determine enormous kinds of transfer functions for different azimuthal and elevation angles and different distances in a highly accurate manner under the same condition.
A second object is to provide a sound image control device that is capable of obtaining precise localization of sound images even in the case of using an acoustic transducer located in the vicinity of the head by obtaining a highly accurate transfer function even when an acoustic transducer is located in the vicinity of the head.
A third object is to provide a sound image control device that is capable of supporting individual differences in sound interference that varies depending on head dimensions as well as differences in the internal shape of ear canals and thus capable of reducing individual differences in the effect of sound image control.

Sound image control device and design tool therefor


The present disclosure relates to compositions useful for maintaining the clean impression of a carpet (that is, its scent and appearance) over an extended time despite occurrences that might damage the carpet surface. The composition, which includes an antimicrobial agent, an enzyme inhibitor, and an odor-reacting compound, can be used by a consumer to remove contaminants from the carpet and to prevent the odor associated with the decomposition of future contamination. Specifically, the composition has been shown effective in neutralizing odors associated with the decomposition of organic materials (such as urine or food spills) by absorbing and/or removing the odor-generating source. A manufacturing treatment composition and methods for using are also disclosed.

"Contamination", as defined herein, means the unintentional introduction of undesirable and potentially damaging materials onto a textile surface, specifically including contaminants such as human or animal waste, food spills, and vomit. "Textile", as used herein, refers to fibrous materials, including, without limitation, floor coverings such as carpet, area rugs, mats, and the like; upholstery and pet bed fabrics; interior fabrics, such as wall covering fabrics, bed covers, and mattress covers; and apparel fabrics, such as sportswear and undergarments. "Carpet", as used herein, refers to a textile floor covering having a plurality of pile fibers and a backing surface, and specifically includes broadloom carpeting, area rugs, and mats.
People tasked with maintaining carpet in commercial and/or residential settings have often experienced problems with removal of odors associated with organic contamination. Such contamination may occur, for example, when food or drink is spilled onto a carpet surface. Contamination also occurs if an individual or pet vomits on the carpet. Yet a third source of contamination is from human or animal urine, as may occur in homes with indoor pets or in health care or nursing facilities that care for patients suffering from incontinence.
In situations such as those described above, the contamination reaches the carpet surface and either remains on the surface or is absorbed by the pile fibers. The contaminant, which may or may not have foul odors inherent in the contaminant, will begin to decompose over time, if not removed. The decomposition process, in most instances, generates odor molecules as the organic contaminant breaks down. Clearly, this odor generation is problematic for maintaining an odor-free environment having a healthy indoor air quality. Urine odors, for example, are particularly difficult to mask or neutralize.
There are several approaches used by those tasked with maintaining clean-appearing carpet. One approach is to clean the affected area with water and/or detergent. Another approach is to clean the affected area and then apply a fragrance-carrying compound to the surface or the air to mask the odor. These approaches have not been wholly sufficient or successful.
One reason that these approaches fail is that the cleaning technique is ineffective at removing the contaminant. Because the cleaning technique is ineffective at removing all of the contaminant, some source material remains in the carpet. As this source material decomposes, odor molecules emanate from the source, resulting in an undesirable situation for those in proximity to the contamination. Furthermore, the cleaning process leaves a residual amount of cleaning compositions in the carpet. Conventional wisdom holds that any remaining detergent or surfactant left in the carpet pile will "attract" dirt, resulting in a dirty or dingy-looking appearance over time.
A second reason that these approaches fail is because, rather than eliminating odors, they only mask the odors with fragrance. When an individual has completed his cleaning efforts, he may choose to use a scented powder or spray to restore the fresh scent of the carpet. Fragrances associated with scented powders or sprays provide temporary pleasant smells to the room in which they are used, but the malodors are again noticeable when the fragrance disperses. One common and widely recognized problem with scented powders or sprays is that their high fragrance or perfume content may aggravate the allergies of some users. Perfumes can also adversely affect indoor air quality. Therefore, the use of a perfume or fragrance alone to provide a freshening impression does not solve the odor problem, and add to problems for sensitive users who are exposed to ingredients in the product that are likely to cause an allergic reaction.
Finally, using hot water or steam extraction to clean the carpet raises several issues. One issue is the availability, efficiency, and expense of the cleaning equipment. In some instances, individuals turn to professional cleaning services to perform this type of carpet maintenance. Another issue is the amount of water that is in contact with the carpet and how long it takes to dry. Water can seep through the carpet pile and into the carpet padding and/or sub-flooring, which then becomes susceptible to damage from mildew. Deterioration of the padding and sub-flooring can also be an issue. Hot water or steam extraction also leaves residual amounts of detergent or surfactant in the carpet pile, leading to problems that have been previously discussed.
The present disclosure addresses the shortcomings of the previous approaches. The present composition provides a cleaning composition that allows the contaminant to be removed before it breaks down and generates odor. The residual amount of composition that remains after cleaning is useful in preventing deterioration of future contaminants that contact the carpet and in aiding removal of future contaminants.

Method of removing contaminants from carpet with aqueous cleaning composition


The invention is an optical method and apparatus for measuring the temperature of semiconductor substrates in real-time, during thin film growth and wafer processing. Utilizing the nearly linear dependence of the interband optical absorption edge on temperature, the present method and apparatus result in highly accurate measurement of the absorption edge in diffuse reflectance and transmission geometry, in real time, with sufficient accuracy and sensitivity to enable closed loop temperature control of wafers during film growth and processing. The apparatus operates across a wide range of temperatures covering all of the required range for common semiconductor substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and devices for making precise non-contact measurements of the temperature of substrate materials during the growth and processing of thin films, particularly pertaining to semiconductor growth and wafer processing.
2. Related Art
Precise temperature measurement during the growth of deposited layers on a semi-conductor wafer is critical to the ultimate quality of the finished, coated wafer and in turn to the performance of the opto-electronic devices constructed on the wafer. Variations in substrate temperature, including intra-wafer variations in temperature ultimately affect quality and composition of the layers of material deposited. During the deposition process, the substrate wafer is normally heated from behind and rotated about a center axis. Typically, a resistance heater positioned in proximity to the wafer provides the heat source for elevating the temperature of the wafer to a pre-determined value. Precise control of the temperature associated with the process is most desirable, and is best achieved through precise and real-time monitoring of the substrate temperature.
An example application illustrating the necessity of precise temperature control is the formation of semiconductor nanostructures. Semiconductor nanostructures are becoming increasingly important for applications such as "quantum dot" detectors, which require the self-assembled growth of an array of very uniform sizes of nano-crystallites. This can only be accomplished in a very narrow window of temperature. Temperature uncertainties can result in spreading of the size distribution of the quantum dots, which is detrimental to the efficiency of the detector.
The growth of uniform quantum dots is an example of a thermally activated process in which the diffusion rates are exponential in temperature. Therefore, it is important to be able to measure, and have precise control over, the substrate temperature when growth or processing is performed.
Numerous methods have been disclosed for monitoring these temperatures. One simple, but largely ineffective approach has been the use of conventional thermocouples placed in proximity to, or in direct contact with the substrate during the thin film growth operation. This methodology is deficient in many respects, most notably, the slow response of typical thermocouples, the tendency of thermocouples (as well as other objects within the deposition chamber) to become coated with the same material being deposited on the semi-conductor wafer, thereby effecting the accuracy of the thermocouple, as well as the spot thermal distortion of the surface of the semiconductor wafer resulting from physical contact between the thermocouple and the substrate. In any event, the use of thermocouples near or in contact with the substrate is largely unacceptable during most processes because of the poor accuracy achieved.
Optical pyrometry methods have been developed to overcome these shortcomings. Optical pyrometry uses the emitted thermal radiation, often referred to as "black body radiation," to measure the sample temperature. The principal difficulties with this method are that samples typically do not emit sufficient amounts of thermal radiation until they are above approximately 450° C., and semiconductor wafers are not true black body radiators. Furthermore, during deposition a semiconductor wafer has an emissivity that varies significantly both in time and with wavelength. Hence the use of pyrometric instruments is limited to high temperatures and the technique is known to be prone to measurement error.
In "A New Optical Temperature Measurement Technique for Semiconductor Substrates in Molecular Beam Epitaxy," Weilmeier et al. describe a technique for measuring the diffuse reflectivity of a substrate having a textured back surface, and inferring the temperature of the semiconductor from the band gap characteristics of the reflected light. The technique is based on a simple principle of solid state physics, namely the practically linear dependence of the interband optical absorption (Urbach) edge on temperature.
Briefly, a sudden onset of strong absorption occurs when the photon energy, hv, exceeds the bandgap energy Eg. This is described by an absorption coefficient,α(hv)=αgexp[(hv−Eg)/E 0],where αg is the optical absorption coefficient at the band gap energy. The absorption edge is characterized by Eg and another parameter, E0, which is the broadening of the edge resulting from the Fermi-Dirac statistical distribution (broadening ˜kBT at the moderate temperatures of interest here). The key quantity of interest, Eg, is given by the Einstein model in which the phonons are approximated to have a single characteristic energy, kB. The effect of phonon excitations (thermal vibrations) is to reduce the band gap according to:Eg(T)=Eg(0)−SgkBθE[exp (θE/T)−1]where Sg is a temperature independent coupling constant and θE is the Einstein temperature. In the case where θE >>T, which is well-obeyed for high modulus materials like Si and GaAs, one can approximate the temperature dependence of the band gap by the equation:Eg(T)=Eg(0)−SgkBT, showing that Eg is expected to decrease linearly with temperature T with a slope determined by SgkB. This is well obeyed in practice and is the basis for the band edge thermometry.
Variations on this methodology are taught by Johnson et al., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,388,909, and 5,568,978. These references teach the utilization of the filtered output of a wide spectrum halogen lamp which is passed through a mechanical chopper, then passed through a lens, then through the window of high vacuum chamber in which the substrate is located, and in which the thin film deposition process is ongoing. Located within the chamber is a first minor which directs the output of the source to the surface of the substrate. The substrate is being heated by a filament or a similar heater which raises the temperature of the substrate to the optimum level required for effective operation of the deposition process. A second mirror located within the chamber is positioned to reflect the non-specular (i.e., diffuse) light reflected from the back surface of the substrate, said reflection being directed to another window in the chamber and thence through a lens to a detection system comprising a spectrometer. The wavelengths of the elements of the non-specular reflection are utilized to determine the band gap corresponding to a particular temperature. Johnson et al. teach that the temperature is determined from the "knee" in the graph of the diffuse reflectance spectrum near the band gap.
While the prior art is in some ways effective, use of optical fiber bundles, intra chamber optics, mechanical light choppers and mechanically scanned spectrometers renders the methodology deficient in many respects. The detected signal suffers from temporal degradation of the optics within the deposition chamber. The mechanical components are overly susceptible to failure and the overall methodology of collecting the signal is simply too slow for real-time measurement and control applications in the industrial production environment. In addition, the described means of the prior art is subject to variations in accuracy dependent upon the fluctuation, over time, of the output of the halogen light source.
Specifically, the prior art relies on one or more optical elements within the deposition chamber to direct the incident light to the wafer and to collect the diffusely reflected light. The presence of optics within the deposition chamber is problematic, since the material being deposited during the coating process tends to coat all of the contents of the chamber, including the mirrors, lenses, etc. Over time the coatings build up and significantly reduce the collection efficiency of the optics and can lead to erroneous temperature measurement.
More importantly, the prior art relies on a mechanical light chopper and a mechanical scanning spectrometer for measurement of the light signal. Not only do the mechanical components fail frequently with extended use, but it is well known that gears in scanning spectrometers wear, resulting in continual shifts in the wavelength calibration. This leads to perpetually increasing errors in temperature measurement unless the instrument is recalibrated frequently, which is a very time consuming process. In addition, it is well known that scanning spectrometers are quite slow, requiring anywhere from 1-5 seconds to complete a single scan. In most deposition systems the semiconductor wafers are rotating, typically at 10-30 RPM. In this case, a temperature measurement that takes 1-5 seconds to complete is by default an average temperature and it is impossible to make any type of spatially resolved measurement. If the process chamber has many wafers rotating on a platter about a common axis, as is typical in a production deposition system, the slow response time of the prior art makes it impossible to monitor multiple wafers.
Furthermore, the prior art utilizes a quartz halogen light source with no consideration of any type of output stabilization or intensity control. Quartz halogen lamps are known to degrade rapidly over time leading to fluctuations in the lamp output that result in measurement variations and further system downtime for lamp replacement.
Basically, the many limitations of the prior art have limited the applications of diffuse reflectance or "band edge" thermometry in the commercial setting.

Apparatus and method for real time measurement of substrate temperatures for use in semiconductor growth and wafer processing


A weaving method for the double-face weaving of pile fabrics wherein at least five different pile warp threads (12-19), (20-27) with a yarn number of between 6 and 10 Nm final and at least two tension warp threads (8),(9); (10,11) are provided for each warp thread system (100) and for each fabric (28), (29), wherein the weft threads (1,2), (2,3) of each fabric are divided over at least three levels, while the ground weave repeat runs over at least eight insertion cycles (I-VIII), wherein between 200 and 1000 warp thread systems per meter are provided, and at least 16 pile rows per cm are formed in the warp direction.

The term 'different pile warp threads' generally means that the pile warp threads have one or more mutually different appearance-determining properties. These properties are for example thickness, shine, hairiness or colour of the pile yarn or a combination of two or more of these properties. However, in the most preferred applications, these will be pile warp threads which differ at least by their colour.
The number of different pile warp threads per warp thread system determines how much variation is possible with regard to the pile. In order to produce pile fabrics, for example, in which the pile has five different colours, five pile warp threads having mutually different colours have to be provided for each warp thread system. In order to then produce a predetermined five-colour pattern in the pile, the pile warp thread of the desired colour is allowed to form pile in each warp thread system, at each pile point determined by the pattern, while the other pile warp threads of the same pile warp thread system are invisibly bound in the ground fabric. To this end, the different pile warp threads in each weft insertion cycle have to be positioned correctly. This is usually achieved using a jacquard machine. In order to increase the variation in the pile, the number of pile warp threads in each warp thread system has to be increased.
However, the number of warp threads which can be provided per meter on a weaving loom is limited by the physical properties of the machine and a number of technical limitations associated with weaving. Thus, with certain weaving looms and for a well-defined selection of yarns (indicated by the yarn number), it is practically impossible to weave at more than 1000 warp thread systems per meter (in the weft direction), while each warp thread system contains eight pile warp threads (8 colour frames). Above a certain upper limit, it is therefore no longer possible to increase the number of pile warp threads per warp thread system for a certain weaving loom, as a result of which there is also an upper limit for the possible pile variations of the pile fabrics which are woven therewith, when retaining the same number of warp thread systems per meter. This is also connected to the means which are available in the weaving loom to produce these pile fabrics, such as the weaving reeds with their associated reed dents, and the heddles which control ground warp threads and pile warp threads and a corresponding number of which should therefore also be present within the available space.
Thus, with the following yarns, it is for example possible to weave at 1000 warp thread systems per meter and 8 different pile warp threads per warp thread system (reed 1000, 8 colours):                Pile warp yarns with a density, given in 'meter per gram of yarn' or metric number (Nm), in the order of magnitude of 24/3 Nm, i.e. 8 Nm final,        associated weft threads for the ground fabric with yarn numbers 10/1 Nm or 14/1 Nm, and        associated external weft threads around which pile forming takes place, with a yarn number in the order of magnitude of 20/3 Nm or approximately 6 Nm final.
The expression Nm final is understood to mean the number of meters per gram of an optionally compound yarn: 24/3 Nm means that the yarn is composed of 3 yarn components, each of which has a yarn number of 24 meters per gram. The compound yarn number is then 8 Nm or 8 meters per gram.
In this case, it is feasible to provide up to approximately 12 pile rows per cm in the warp direction in the pile fabric.
In order to be able to increase the pile variation, the number of warp thread systems per meter may be decreased so that more pile warp threads per warp thread system can be provided. However, this results in larger intermediate spaces between the successive pile rows in the weft direction, which reduces the number of pile points per cm in the weft direction and thus also the pile density (number of pile points per m2). Furthermore, it also results in a less uniform pile distribution.

Method for weaving pile fabrics and for configuring a weaving loom therefor


For a reproduction of optical sound information in a double variable-area track (DZ) an optoelectronic converter device scans the optical sound track of a film. The converter device generates a digital image signal for buffer storage in the memory of a program-controlled data processing device. The data processing device derives the profile of the two edges of the double variable-area track from data values of the buffer-stored image signal. Audio data for a sound reproduction are generated using data about the edge profile determined.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the reproduction of optical sound recordings, which has an optoelectronic converter device for the optical scanning of an optical sound track, which outputs a digital image signal of the scanned optical sound track at an output, and which contains a device for buffer-storing the image signal output by the converter device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the reproduction of optical sound recordings, in particular optical sound recordings in which the sound information is recorded as a double variable-area track on film.
In the case of 35 mm cinema films, the sound information is recorded on an optical sound track which is located between image information and lateral perforation holes. For the reproduction of the sound information, the film is transported at a speed of 24 frames per second. While the film is being transported, a light beam illuminates the optical sound track. The light beam is modulated by transparency differences in the scanned optical sound track and directed onto a light-sensitive sensor. For loudspeaker reproduction, the analogue sound signal output by the light-sensitive sensor is amplified.
There are various optical sound tracks. In the case of the so-called variable-density track, the transparency of the optical sound track is proportional to the recorded modulation amplitude. In the case of the so-called double variable-area track, the width of the clear area is proportional to the modulation amplitude of the sound signal.
Older films that are frequently used often exhibit two types of error: one type involves dirt and dust on the surface of the film; the other type involves scratches in the running direction of the film, so-called running scratches, which are caused by mechanical contact of the film guiding elements with the film surface. Optical sound tracks are particularly sensitive to disturbances caused by dirt and scratches, the number of which rises with the number of times that the film copy is projected. Distortions of speech sibilants, a so-called thunder effect, can arise as a result of scattered light effects of the variable-area track.
In order to restore old cinema films, nowadays the image part is copied onto a new film carrier and the optical sound track is transferred to a magnetic film in single-track fashion in order to prevent the sound tracks that are often scratched and in part disturbed by dirt from being transferred to the new film carrier as a result of optical copying of the optical sound tracks. Furthermore, sound post-processing with electronic filters and manual processing is used in an attempt to remove clicks and crackling from the original sound.
DE 197 29 201 A1 has already described a film scanner with a device for scanning optical sound tracks on a tape-type carrier, in the case of which the sound information is scanned perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the carrier by an opto/electronic converter device. The opto/electronic converter device scans the sound information line by line in order to generate samples for a digital two-dimensional filtering. In this case, the optical sound tracks can be scanned by a CCD line sensor or by a light spot for the control of a photosensor, which light spot is directed transversely over the sound tracks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,784 A discloses an apparatus for the reproduction of optical sound recordings in which the edge of the optical sound track is scanned. An analogue scanning signal filtered in a suitable manner forms the basis for the signal processing. The purpose of the apparatus is to improve the sound signal and to reduce noise.
DE 19 737 570 A discloses an archiving system for cinematographic film material with a film scanner. The film scanner optically scans the image information and an image sound track. The image data are stored in digitized form without further processing. Sound and image signals are reproduced as separate data signals.

Device and method for reproducing photographic sound recordings


An apparatus for cylindrically grinding workpieces includes a first holding tool (10), a second holding tool (12), and a grinding wheel (14). The first holding tool is configured for positioning un-ground workpieces (18), and the first holding tool defines a plurality of first grooves (104) for containing the un-ground workpieces to be partially ground. The second holding tool is configured for positioning the partially ground workpieces, and the second holding tool defines a plurality of second groove (124) for containing the partially ground workpieces. The grinding wheel defines a plurality of grinding grooves (142) for grinding the workpieces.

Usually, optical elements such as camera lenses and spectacles are in used in cylindrical form. However, optical workpieces (i.e. lens blanks) are most easily manufactured in square form. Therefore, these original optical workpieces have to be cylindrically ground before use.
A typical example of a contemporary cylindrical grinding apparatus is a centering apparatus. The centering apparatus typically includes a pair of holders for holding the original workpiece, where each holder has a hollow chamber communicating with a surface of the holder. The holder can hold the workpiece on its surface by using an air pump pumping the hollow chamber, a grinding wheel is then used to cylindrically grind the workpiece. However, such a centering apparatus can only cylindrically grind one workpiece at a time.
Therefore, an apparatus and a process for cylindrically grinding workpieces which can overcome the above-described problems is desired.

Apparatus and process for cylindrically grinding workpieces


A method for transmitting a data packet from a sensor to a controller via a peripheral sensor interface includes transmitting the data packet from the sensor via the sensor interface in a time window of a transmission period of a sensor interface operating mode which is synchronized by the controller. The data packet is re-transmitted by the sensor within the transmission period in at least one additional time window of the transmission period.

The disclosure is based on a control unit or a method. The subject matter of the present disclosure is also a computer program.
Electromagnetic interference can affect a data transmission over an unshielded cable. If a data packet is affected by interference, the data packet can be requested again. This requires a large amount of communication time, however, during which no further data packets can be transmitted.

Method, sensor, and controller for transmitting a data packet from a sensor to a controller


A dental implant has a body and a plurality of distinct roots that extend outwardly from the main portion that generally define a coronal-apical axis. A porous tantalum metal portion is disposed at the body for engaging bone and the plurality of distinct roots are configured to resist a torsional force that is applied to the dental implant and around the coronal-apical axis.

A dental implant or fixture is surgically implanted into a patient's upper or lower jaw to directly or indirectly anchor and support prosthetic devices, such as an artificial tooth. The implants are usually placed at one or more edentulous sites in a patient's dentition at which the patient's original teeth have been lost or damaged in order to restore the patient's chewing function. In many cases, the implant anchors a dental abutment, which in turn provides an interface between the implant and a dental restoration. The restoration is typically a porcelain crown fashioned according to known methods.
One form of a prosthetic device is a unitary or one-piece implant device with a bone-engaging implant portion and an abutment portion integral with the implant portion. Another form of a prosthetic device is a multiple piece device where the abutment is assembled onto the implant. A desire still exists, however, to improve the osseointegration characteristics of such dental devices.
One problem with one-piece dental devices is that the titanium and other materials used for such devices often are an unattractive color. Thus, when the abutment portion of the device below a prosthetic tooth but above the gum or gingival tissue is visible and does not have the color of natural teeth, the dental device provides a non-esthetically pleasing appearance in a person's mouth. Other known dental devices that have the color of natural teeth typically provide inadequate strength resulting in relatively frequent replacement or repair of the device.
Whether or not the dental implant device is a one-piece or part of a multiple piece device where the abutment is assembled onto the implant, the implant is usually either threaded or press-fit into a bore which is drilled into the patient's mandible or maxilla at the edentulous site. The press-fit implant is inserted by applying a force to the coronal end of the implant in an insertion direction. For a threaded implant, self-tapping threads may be provided for initial stability of the implant immediately after surgery. Before biologic integration has time to take place, the threads resist tension, twisting, or bending loads applied to the implant. Additionally, patients prefer to leave the initial surgery with some type of restoration and it has further been shown that the healing of the soft and hard bone tissue is improved if the implant is loaded after surgery.
The surgical procedure for inserting the threaded implants, however, can be complicated and requires that the threaded implants be turned into place, which further requires the use of special tools and inserts. The torque needed to place the implant into the jaw can be high and may require tapping of the bore on the jaw, which adds yet another step to the surgical procedure where tapping typically is not desired. Also with threaded implants, it is often difficult to achieve optimal esthetics where, for example, a prosthetic is held at an ideal orientation by the implant because the geometry of the thread establishes a fixed relationship between the final vertical and rotational orientation of the implant such that a vertical adjustment requires a rotational adjustment and vice-versa.
Alternatively, a press fit implant has a much simpler surgical procedure. For a press fit implant, the implant is inserted by applying a force to the coronal end of the implant in an insertion direction. Unlike the self-tapping, threaded dental implants, however, the current press fit designs provide insufficient frictional contact with the bore to adequately restrict the rotation of the implant within the bore or prevent the implant from pulling out of the bore that can be caused by mastication forces. Thus, the current press fit designs provide very little initial stability and are not well suited for early and immediate loading procedures that are currently used in dentistry. A desire still exists, therefore, to provide press fit implants with greater resistance to mastication forces.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A packing box can include a first cover, a second cover, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, a fourth sidewall, and a bulkhead. The first cover and the second cover can be opposite to each other. The four sidewalls can be sequentially coupled end-to-end. The bulkhead can be received in the main box and be substantially parallel to the first cover and the second cover. Four edges of the bulkhead can be coupled to the four sidewalls, respectively. An inner receiving space of the main box can be divided into a first receiving cavity and a second receiving cavity by the bulkhead. A number of receiving portions can be defined on a surface of the packing box facing the first receiving cavity.

When a medium or a large-sized electronic device, such as a flat panel television or a computer monitor, needs to be packed, a carton may be used for packaging. Foam may be received in the carton cushion the electronic device. The foam can be used to define a plurality of receiving cavities for receiving the electronic device and accessories of the electronic device. As a result, the electronic device and the accessories may be positioned separate from each other and will be protected by the foam. However, when the packed carton is transported or moved, one or more of the packed items may shift from the receiving cavities and damage one or more of the other packed items, including the electronic device.


A method and system that include double-clock and double-edge flip-flops that produce a circuit output signal in response to two clock signals that have a first flip-flop that produces a first output signal responsive to a first clock signal and a second flip-flop that produces the second output signal responsive to a second clock signal. The method and system provide a means for producing the circuit output signal in response to exclusively either the first flip-flop producing the first output signal or the second flip-flop producing the second output signal. Applications for the method and system include a double-clock single-data flip-flop circuit, a double-edge, double-data flip-flop circuit, a double-edge, single-data flip-flop circuit and a double-edge J-K flip-flop circuit.

Digital electronic circuits that operate as edge-triggered flip-flops are a widely-used industry-standard building block. Common edge-triggered flip-flops have a single clock input which is sensitive to a single polarity of level transition, either low-to-high or high-to-low, with specific polarity for the device designed-in at the time of manufacture. The typical edge-triggered flip-flop design also has a small number (usually one or two) of synchronous control inputs which are sampled by the device on each occurrence of the predetermined sensitive edge of the clock input. The output or outputs of the edge-triggered flip-flop then are switched by the device to new values according to the sampled input or inputs. For example, the simplest variety of edge-triggered flip-flop is the common type-D flip-flop, which has a single synchronous control input, referred to as the D or data input, and an output, referred to as the Q output, which follows simply the data input logic level at each sensitive edge of the clock. A second output, referred to as the not-Q, Q-false, or Q-bar output, may be provided, which is the logical inverse of the Q output.
Using conventional circuitry, it is difficult to increase the rate of signal output for a given clock signal. This makes the design of circuits for certain outputs impractical, if not impossible. For example, using conventional counter technology, it is very difficult to produce counters that with an even duty cycle, divide by an odd number or that divide-by-(n/2), where n is an odd integer. As a result, there is a need to design a simple circuit that can address these limitations for digital electronic circuits.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a simple, easy-to-implement circuit that makes simple the use of double-clock inputs or use of both the rising and falling edge of a single clock input. As such, the present invention solves the limitations in existing digital electronic circuit designs by providing a double-clock flip-flop circuit that produces a circuit output signal in response to two clock signals by using a first flip-flop for producing a first output signal in response to a first clock signal and a second flip-flop for producing a second output signal in response to a second clock signal, then a means for generating an input data signal to the first flip-flop in response to the second output signal combined with a means for producing the circuit output signal in response to exclusively either the first flip-flop producing the first output signal or the second flip-flop producing the second output signal. As a result, the circuit is responsive to two clock input signals.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a synchronous logic circuit that is sensitive to both edges of a clock signal and that may be used as either a D or J-K flip-flop circuit.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to reduce system clock rates and increase the speed of a counter circuit by using both edges of a single clock input.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit that permits both edges of a clock signal to directly control the circuit output signal.
It is a yet another object of the present invention to provide a circuit that has many possible applications for uses requiring double-edge, single-data flip-flops as well as a double-edge, J-K flip-flop output that may be used in various applications such as in counter circuits, shift registers, and state machines.

Double edge single data flip-flop circuitry


A differentiated granularity timing apparatus and a method to provide various flexible timing granularities without requiring much memory space and complex circuit design are disclosed. The differentiated granularity timing apparatus of the present invention comprises a differentiated granularity timing unit, a comparing unit, an adder and a buffer. The buffer is for storing a time value. The comparing unit further comprises a comparator and a plurality of predetermined time interval values stored therein. The comparator is for outputting a control signal according to the time value. The differentiated granularity timing unit further comprises a multiplexer and a plurality of timers. Each timer is for providing a timing signal with different timing granularities respectively. The multiplexer is for outputting one of the timing signals with the corresponding timing granularity according to the control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a timer, more particularly, to a differentiated granularity timer apparatus and the method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The timer plays an important role in many digital logical circuits for network application. Especially, for controlling the time needed to store the information in a network system, timer is an indispensable component in so-called garbage collection. for example, in the OSI Standard, the record tables, such as the Forwarding Table of the Layer 2, the routing Table of the Layer 3, and the NAPT Table of the Layer 4, all have to use timer mechanism in order to enable the ASIC to age out the expired information. In the conventional art, a time value T is written into a buffer or a memory. The timing operation performed by the timer is to execute a counting process in every U second(s) (assuming the timer is designed to perform timing operation with the timing granularity of U seconds).
When a timer performs a timing operation from 0 second to T second(s) or in a reverse manner from T second(s) to 0 second, a timeout operation will be triggered. In such case, the larger the time value T is needed, the more space the buffer or the memory must provide. For example, if the timing granularity is one second, the range of the time value is from one second to 24 hours (86,400 seconds), at least 17 bits are required. When many timers operate at the same time, the total memory space required for timing operation will be extremely huge, and the circuit relative to the timing operation will be complex. The difficulties and cost of designing and manufacturing the ASIC will thus be increased.
In the conventional art, the time value T stored in the buffer or the memory is in the form of equal time interval, as described above. For example, if 6 bits are used for storing the time value and the timing granularity is one second, the maximum time value that can be expressed by 6 bits will be 63 seconds (26=64, the 64th second is for timeout).
However, a precise timing mechanism is not always necessary. Sometimes, a small amount of inaccuracy is also acceptable. If a timing mechanism with minor inaccuracy but not with 100% precision is acceptable, there will be a room for improving the conventional timer. The acceptable inaccuracy referred herein is subject to the value and the range of the time value.
Moreover, in many cases of timer designs, since not every timing granularity will be used for timing operation, the timer can be designed to be precise in some specific timing granularities. Even if the time no granularities not being used are with more inaccuracy, the precision and the accuracy of the timer are not affected.

Timing method and apparatus for digital logic circuits


A multi-valve actuating valve bridge for an engine is provided. The valve bridge includes a rocker arm engaging tappet head and at least two arms extending transversely of the rocker arm and engaging the tappet head. The valve bridge further includes a valve stem guide pocket provided on each of the arms. The valve stem guide pocket includes a valve stem contact face and a tapered surface extending from the valve stem contact face towards an opening of the valve stem guide pocket. The tapered surface defines an inverted frusto-conical cavity. A first inner diameter of the valve stem guide pocket at the valve stem contact face is greater than a second inner diameter of the valve stem guide pocket at the opening.

Simultaneous actuation of pairs of valves associated with a cylinder in an internal combustion engine is usually achieved by a valve bridge. The valve bridge is actuated by a rocker arm, to contact terminal ends of valve stems associated with the valves to cause the valves to operate between an open and a closed position. In situations of momentary valve sticking, momentary piston to valve contact, valve train separations from dynamic operation, or any other similar situation which may interfere in simultaneous movement of the valves, distribution of the load on the valve bridge may be unequal. This can lead to application of uneven forces and stresses on the valve bridge and the valves, which may result in unnecessary damage and breakage of the valve bridge and the valves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,867 relates to a valve actuating mechanism for an internal combustion engine is provided including an integrally formed stop element to limit the axial travel of the valves toward the piston to a predetermined maximum extent in the event an adjacent associated valve becomes stuck and unmovable. The present invention further provides a valve actuating mechanism including a guideless valve bridge with specifically configured contact faces which prevents both the excess axial movement of the valve stem and the transfer of undesired loads to the valve stem or adjacent structures.


The invention relates to a method and a device for the measurement of ions by coupling different measurement methods/techniques, a first detector being a collector (17) and a second detector being an SEM (18), and the ions to be measured or resulting secondary particles being selectively delivered to the collector or the SEM. The SEM (18) is operated selectively in analog mode or count mode. The collector (17) is provided with an integrator.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method and a device for the measurement of ions by coupling different measurement methods/techniques.
2. Prior Art
The measurement of ions is important particularly in connection with mass-spectrometric analysis methods. In the scope of materials analysis, for instance, ions are generated from a material sample, separated according to mass or other criteria and detected in a detector or a similar instrument.
Collectors, for example Faraday cups, are widely known detectors which can be used to measure the ion current as a voltage across a high resistance or in a high impedance amplifier. Secondary electron multipliers (SEMs) are also known. They operate with a conversion dynode at the input, on whose surface the incoming ions are neutralized and electrons are thereupon released. The electrons are then multiplied from stage to stage inside the SEM, so that even very small numbers of ions can be registered. It is also already known to operate an SEM in two different operating modes, namely analog mode and count mode. In order to record the electrons in analog mode, a signal is taken from one of the central stages. The count mode records the electrons arriving at the last stage of the SEM. The analog mode and count mode run in parallel with each other, for instance in the Finnigan Element 2 mass spectrometer from Thermo Electron. High ion currents can be measured using the analog mode, while the count mode evaluates the relatively smaller ion currents.
In particular applications, it is expedient to have a wide dynamic measurement range of more than nine orders of magnitude (more than 109). In order to quantify minor impurities or doping in mass-spectrometric materials analysis, for example, such as laser ablation ICP mass spectrometry or glow discharge mass spectrometry (GD-MS), it is advantageous to be able to measure both the primary component (matrix) and the impurities or doping. It is also often advantageous to record a process gas used in the mass spectrometer (carrier), for example argon or other noble gases. For many applications, especially GD-MS, it is advantageous to lower the detection limit for impurities or doping. Minute traces of the components which are present should be detectable, if possible in the sub-ppb range, at the same time as the primary component (matrix). It is moreover desirable to take measurements efficiently and rapidly since, in GD-MS applications for example, analyte material is continually being eroded from the sample surface. The material composition may vary as a function of the depth of the sample.


A fixing device for an extension tube of an exercise includes an outer tube and an inner tube received in the outer tube, wherein the extension tube extends through the inner tube. A quick release device laterally mounted to an outer periphery of the outer tube. The quick release device extends through the outer tube and the inner tube to quickly fixing/releasing the extension tube when adjusting the stretching distance of the extension tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device, and more particularly to a fixing device for an extension tube of an exercise device.
2. Description of Related Art
Nowadays, there are more and more peoples can not set aside a little time to take exercise outdoors such that many types exercise device are marketed for these peoples who are busy but want to take exercise. For mass-production, these exercise devices are usually standardized. However, users have different heights such that the exercise device usually has an extension tube disposed thereon for adjusting the height/length of a part, such as a seat, for different users. Consequently, a fixing device a necessary for securing the extension tube after adjusted to a suitable height/length.
A conventional fixing device for an extension tube of an exercise device usually only provide an actuate force, such as pushing or clamping, to enhance the friction between the fixing device and the extension tube such that the safe coefficient thereof is low. Furthermore, some conventional fixing devices can not be used to an extension tube that has an oval-shaped cross-section. They need to be advantageously altered.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional fixing devices for an extension tube of an exercise device.

Fixing device for an extension tube of an exercise device


The invention relates to methods and compositions which utilize the emission of light to monitor changes in microenvironments involving cells. The invention is especially useful for monitoring exocytotic activity such as detecting quantal release of synaptic vesicles. Fusion proteins of Cypridina luciferase and synaptotagmin-I or VAMP/synaptobrevin-2 were targeted to synaptic vesicles and, upon exocytosis, formed light-emitting complexes with luciferin present in the extracellular medium. Photon emissions in the presence of a depolarizing stimulus can be observed with these systems. pH-sensitive mutants of green fluorescent protein are also provided, which are useful for visualizing exocytosis and for imaging and measuring the pH of intracellular compartments.

Various methods are known for monitoring molecular changes in local environments at a microscopic level. Detection of changes in the microenvironments involving active cells presents a particular challenge because many methods involve destruction or damage to the cells being analyzed. Although significant information has been obtained using electrophysiological techniques, these techniques have limited application for studying complex real time cell physiology and also may damage and thereby alter the cells being recorded. Also, electrophysiology is limited to detecting events involving a change in electrical potential.
Many cell process involve changes in the molecular microenvironment. Such processes include, for example, exocytosis and endocytosis which involves contact between the intracellular and extracellular environments, and changes in ion concentration associated with electrically active cells such as neurons and muscle cells. The release of cellular substances, in particular, is a generalized phenomenon of several cell types which is fundamental to the function of multicellular organisms. Blood cells, endocrine cells and neurons are examples of cell types particularly dependent on such processes. Blood granulocytes, for example, release various mediators of inflammation through exocytosis; endocrine cells release hormones required by other cells; and neurons release neurotransmitters packaged in synaptic vesicles. The ability to detect changes in the microenvironment caused, for example, by the fusion of an exocytotic vesicle with a plasma membrane and contact of the lumenal surface and contents of the vesicle with the extracellular space would provide information useful for understanding and modulating processes which causes release of such cellular substances.
Exocytotic events are particularly important to the proper function of neurons since synaptic transmission is dependent upon the controlled release of synaptic vesicles. Many problems in neurophysiology can be reduced to questions about the location, timing, and magnitude of synaptic activity, including, for instance, the integration of inputs by a single neuron, synaptic plasticity, and pattern classification and storage by neural networks. The study of these and related problems would greatly benefit from a method that allows direct recording from many synapses simultaneously, with the capacity to reliably detect single exocytotic events. Such a method would appear optimal because, on the one hand, central synapses generally transmit information via the fusion of a single synaptic vesicle (1,2), while, on the other hand, the computational power of the nervous system arises from networks containing large numbers of synapses (refs. 3–5).
While current electrophysiological methods allow the activity of individual synapses to be recorded, they do not permit populations to be studied. There is a practical limit to the number of cells that can be impaled simultaneously with intracellular electrodes, and importantly, an invasive method requires an a priori decision on which cells to study, making discovery difficult. Extracellular field recordings with multiple electrodes avoids some of these problems and thereby allows the collective activities of many cells to be measured, but does not permit activity to be ascribed to individual synapses or neurons (6,7). Optical imaging of light emission from fluorescent indicators of membrane potential or intracellular Ca2+ concentration (7–10) greatly increases spatial resolution but again, does not measure synaptic activity directly. An alternative optical approach that offers a direct gauge of synaptic activity is to load synaptic vesicles with fluorescent dyes and to observe dye release (11,12). However, this method is intrinsically incapable of resolving individual quanta, which can cause only a small decrease in total fluorescence. Despite their limitations, these techniques have opened a window on multicellular phenomena as diverse as the representation of visual scenes by retinal ganglion cells (13) and the emergence of cortical circuits during development (14). Methods that reveal the detailed patterns of synaptic inputs and outputs in entire networks can thus be expected to disclose important new physiological concepts operative at the relatively unexplored interface between cellular and systems neurophysiology.
Due to the importance to physiology of proper exocytotic processes in neurons and other cells types, it is therefore desirable to develop sensitive compositions and methods which can detect changes in the microenvironment inside or outside of cells including quantal exocytotic events in real time. Molecules which can detect changes in microenvironments would be useful as probes of cellular events involving changes in such microenvironments due to movement of molecules in solution or the spacial location of molecules associated with cell membranes. It would be particularly desirable to have available molecules that provided an optical signal upon encountering such a change in the microenvironment.
Various types of molecules have been used in the art for the detection of the presence of other molecular entities. Radiochemical labels have high sensitivity but are hazardous and must be used with appropriate caution. In addition, these labels are not useful for real time localization. Optical labels such as fluorescent molecules or other forms of dyes have also been coupled to molecules to act as reporters for the detection of specific molecular entities. Typically a reporter capable of generating an optical signal is bound to a specific binding molecule which is a member of a ligand binding pair. Such binding molecules are usually antibodies, specific binding proteins, e.g. receptors or peptide hormones which specifically binds a corresponding target ligand. These reporter-ligands are reagents which must be added from the external environment to the system under investigation. Their usefulness is therefore limited by their accessibility to the appropriate molecular target, nonspecific binding or diffusion to inappropriate locations and availability of appropriate binding pairs. Another type of molecular reporter comprises signal generating molecules expressed endogenously by a cell. Several bioluminescent proteins have been reported as useful as detectable labels for optically reporting the presence of a molecular entity.
The green fluorescent protein (GFP) of Aequora victoria, for example, is a naturally fluorescent protein with a p-hydroxybenzylideneimidazolone chromophore, created by in vivo cyclization and oxidation of the sequence Ser-Tyr-Gly (positions 65–67). The chromophore's phenolic group, derived from Tyr-66, exists in two states of protonation, which in all likelihood underlie the protein's two main excitation peaks at 395 and 475 nm (ref. 47). Several reports have characterized various bioluminescent proteins. See, for example, Cormier et al., "Recombinant DNA Vectors Capable of Expressing Apoaequorin", U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,266; Prasher, "Modified Apoaequorin Having Increased Bioluminescent Activity", U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,309; Cormier et al., "Isolated Renilla Luciferase And Method Of Use Thereof", U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,155; McElroy et al., "Recombinant Expression of Coleoptera Luciferase", U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,024. The use of bioluminescent fusion proteins as reporters of gene expression has also been reported. See, for example, Harpold et al., "Assay Methods And Compositions For Detecting And Evaluating The Intracellular Transduction Of An Extracellular Signal", U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,128; Tsein et al., "Modified Green Fluorescent Proteins" International Application WO 96/23810; Gustafson et al., "Fusion Reporter Gene For Bacterial Luciferase", U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,524; and Chalfie et al. "Uses Of Green-Fluorescent Protein", U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,084. Although GFP has been reported as a useful reporter molecule, its utility would be further enhanced if it could be made sensitive to changes in the microenvironment.

Hybrid molecules and their use for optically detecting changes in cellular microenvironments


A method, computer program product, electronic device and system for enabling the pre-download of media objects are provided. In particular, means can be provided by which Download Descriptor can be maintained alongside a pre-downloaded media object associated with the Download Descriptor until the pre-downloaded media object is consumed.

It is often desirable for a user of an electronic device, such as, for example, a cellular telephone, portable digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop, or tablet, to have the ability to download various media objects from a network (e.g., a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN), or a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)). Examples of media objects that could be downloaded and used by the electronic device include ringtones, images, music or video files, and applications.
In many instances it would be desirable for the user to be able to "pre-download" the media objects. In other words, the user could download one or more media objects from a server on the network and then wait to decide whether or not to consume (e.g., install, play, or save to) each pre-downloaded media object at some later point in time. The pre-downloading of media objects (and, in fact, any downloading of the media object whether immediately prior to consumption or at some earlier point in time) often involves the use of an application residing on the electronic device that is responsible for downloading and consuming the media objects. This entity is referred to herein as a Download Agent.
For example, the Download Agent may download one or more media objects to the electronic device from a Download Server, with the media objects to be installed, or otherwise consumed, by the user of the electronic device at some later point in time. The Download Agent my further notify the Download Server (or, more generally, the network entity from which the media object was downloaded) when each media object has been successfully downloaded. If and when the user decides that he or she would like to consume (e.g., install) the media object previously downloaded, the Download Agent will perform the steps necessary for consumption (in this example installation), and thereafter may inform the Download Server that the media object has been successfully installed. Installation is complete when the media object has been prepared for execution/rending on the electronic device. Following installation, the media object is then available to the user on the device.
One advantage to the pre-downloading of media objects is that once a user decides that he or she wishes to consume one or more media objects, the user is able to do so immediately. Since the media objects are already downloaded, the user need not wait until downloading is complete to consume the media object. Another advantage is that by notifying the Download Server of successful downloads and consumptions, the Download Server can be aware of not only what media objects are downloaded, but also which of the downloaded media objects are successfully consumed by the user.
Before a media object can be downloaded to a device, and, more particularly, before a previously downloaded media object can be consumed, a Download Descriptor associated with the media object must be made available to the Download Agent. The Download Descriptor may, for example, be retrieved from the Download Server by browsing a website. Alternatively, or in addition, the electronic device hosting the Download Agent may support the reception of the Download Descriptor by way of, for example, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), email, or some other instant messaging protocol.
The information in the Download Descriptor, which contains metadata relative to the particular media object associated with it, may be used, for example, by the Download Agent to initially verify that the electronic device is capable of using and/or rendering the media object with which the Download Descriptor is associated (e.g., to verify that the electronic device has sufficient memory based on the size and type of the media object). The Download Descriptor may further include the scheme that should be used by the Download Agent to download the media object, as well as instructions to send a Download Complete Notification to the Download Server once the media object is successfully downloaded. A user can also use the information in the Download Descriptor to confirm (or decide) that he or she wants to install, or otherwise consume, the media object. For this purpose, the Download Descriptor may include information such as the name, vendor, size, type, description and download time of the media object. The Download Descriptor may further include an instruction to send an Installation Complete Notification to the Download Server once the media object has been successfully installed.
In the case of pre-downloading media objects, wherein a period of time passes between when the media object is downloaded to the electronic device and when the user actually consumes the media object, it is important that the Download Descriptors associated with respective media objects be stored and bound to the respective media object at least until consumption occurs. Currently, there is no means by which Download Descriptors can be stored alongside their respective pre-downloaded media object between the time when the media object is downloaded and when it is first accessed or consumed (e.g., installed).
A need, therefore, exists for a means by which one or more Download Descriptors associated with respective media objects, which have been pre-downloaded, can be tied to their respective media objects during the period of time between download and consumption, and wherein the Download Descriptors can be readily accessed by a Download Agent, or other application, for the purposes of consumption.

Method, system, apparatus and computer program product for enabling the pre-download of media objects