The present invention comprises a kit for use at childrens' parties or other special occasions; for example, birthday parties. The kit includes a T-shirt or similar article of clothing with pre-printed indicia, indicating the nature of the occasion or displaying a company's logo or other identifying phrases. The pre-printed indicia may also include directions for using the kit as described following. The kit includes a variety of fabric paints, a backing material to prevent the paints from bleeding through the fabric, brushes, markers and the like suitable for use on fabrics, and instructions. The purpose of the kit is to allow the participants at the special occasion to decorate the shirt with their handprints as a keepsake of the occasion.

The present invention relates to a kit of materials allowing the participants at a party or other event to decorate an article of apparel as a keepsake to memorialize the event. The article of apparel is provided with indicia of the nature of the event and indicia encouraging the participants to decorate the article of clothing by, e.g., placing a handprint or the like on the article of apparel with fabric paint provided in the kit.
Parties and other special and memorable events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, retirement parties, baby showers, wedding showers, going away parties, and the like are events that have special significance to the participants. It is a natural human desire to memorialize such events so as to have tangible keepsakes and reminders of these times. Among the common ways in which such events are memorialized are photographs, gift items, guest books, and invitation cards. Informal souvenirs often include decorated napkins, programs and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,415 issued to Selga discloses the concept of a memory quilt on to which is sewn fabric patches which substitute for greeting cards. The fabric patches may have preprinted messages thereon or may be further embellished by the sender with handwritten materials in indelible ink or fabric paint.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,722 issued to Lewis discloses a similar concept allowing an item of decoration to be retained as a remembrance of a party or special occasion. Lewis discloses a simulated cake which includes a decorated layer that may be removed and saved.
It is known that kits of graphic materials have been provided which may be decorated. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,497 issued to Kurgan is an example of a patent on a kit of a graphic art skill development puzzle.
It is also known that garments are provided with preprinted indicia which may be subsequently altered or decorated by the wearer or others. U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,282 issued to Langdon discloses a garment preprinted with indicia related to a sports game. The garment includes markers to be used to indicate the scores of sports games. The markers are removable patches and are not permanently added to the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,110 issued to Tengs discloses a garment with preprinted indicia and further includes a writing surface which allows a message to written thereon and later erased.
Fabric paints are widely available today in various colors for decorating articles of apparel U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,506 issued to Hambright indicates the use of fabric paints to paint a design onto a clothing item.


Devices, systems, and methods employed in wet cleaning semiconductor devices are provided. In particular, systems that can deliver deionized water with the desired concentration of CO2 and methods of generating deionized water with a desired concentration of CO2 for use in wet cleaning of semiconductor devices are provided.

Microelectronics chips such as integrated circuits are made from comparatively large wafers of semiconductor material. This process typically involves multiple successive steps including the following: generation of an etch mask photolithographically; etching of a layer of material as defined by the mask; removal of the photolithographic mask through some combination of wet and dry chemical techniques; and deposition of layers of materials. The photolithographic mask is formed from a polymeric material called a photoresist. After the photoresist mask has been removed, a final cleaning step, called rinsing or wet cleaning, is typically performed.
Deionized (DI) water is known for its use in this rinsing of semiconductor devices. It is known to prevent any metal corrosion and contamination of the devices. In order to make the wet cleaning more effective, gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) have often been mixed with the DI water. Rinsing with carbonated deionized (DI-CO2) water is an electrically inert process that allows for damage free cleaning while maintaining the device integrity.
Controlling the proportions of these gases require considerably complex instrumentation and high costs which are significant disadvantages of current methods. Typically, an excess of gas is used which can lead to toxicity and disposal problems with respect to the unused gases particularly carbon dioxide. As a result, these processes are expensive and cumbersome.

Devices, systems, and methods for carbonation of deionized water


A method and an arrangement for generating x-ray or EUV radiation are disclosed. Target material is supplied from a container for target material to a jet-forming orifice in an interaction chamber by means of a flexible capillary tubing of considerable length, wherein the orifice is an integral part of the capillary tubing. A jet formed by urging target material through the orifice is made to interact with a beam of energy, thus producing a radiating plasma emitting the desired electromagnetic radiation. The use of a flexible capillary tubing for supplying target material from a source of target material to an orifice, which is integrated with the tubing, within an interaction chamber, in order to form therein a jet of target material for interaction with an energy beam to generate x-ray or EUV radiation, is also disclosed.

X-ray and EUV sources based on emission from a laser produced plasma in a target jet are becoming increasingly important since they provide a high-density regenerative target in combination with negligible debris operation. To this date, commercially available glass nozzles have primarily been used to produce the target jet, resulting in limited flexibility in the choice of jet dimensions, speed and jet material.
X-ray and EUV sources of the above-mentioned kind feature high flux and brightness, allow long-term operation without interruption and emit narrow bandwidth radiation appropriate for zone-plate optics. Furthermore spectrally tailored emission for a specific application can be produced by selecting a target material with proper elemental contents.
Methods for generating x-ray or EUV radiation via laser produced plasma emission are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,744 discloses a method wherein a target is generated in a chamber and at least one pulsed laser beam is focused on the target in the chamber to produce the radiating plasma.
Until now, these target jets have been produced using commercially available tapered glass nozzles. Unfortunately these nozzles have a fixed diameter and the range of usable target materials is limited since several interesting target materials have shown to dissolve some parts of the nozzle.
Other problems are associated with the prior art technology regarding the way the target material is supplied to the jet-forming nozzle.
For cryogenic applications, wherein a material that is gaseous at room temperature and atmospheric pressure cooled to liquid state, the cooling of the target material must be done within the chamber in which the plasma is to be produced.
Furthermore, when an organic material such as e.g. alcohols are employed, there is a tendency of pollution of the passageways in the supply system for the target material. The reason is that many carbon based materials may dissolve parts of the equipment or seals used, such that the target material contains fragments or substances that may then clog the jet-forming nozzle. This problem is accentuated by the numerous joints in the supply system for the target material. Many inorganic materials, which may have aggressive properties, can lead to similar problems.
In addition, rather large volumes of target material must be handled and pressurized. Some target materials used are expensive, and for this reason alone the volume that has to be handled should be kept at a minimum. Furthermore, the target material must be kept at a desired pressure and temperature, which of course is rendered more difficult if dealing with large volumes.
Consequently, there is a need for improved methods and arrangements for generating x-ray or EUV radiation via plasma emission.


Coffee grounds containing diterpenes are added together with and heated with phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, or sulfuric acid at a temperature of between 80.degree. C. and 100.degree. C. for a time to degrade the diterpenes, and the product so treated is dried and may be used as a part of an animal food.

The invention relates to a process for the degradation of diterpenes contained by coffee grounds.
It is known in the state of the art that the value of coffee grounds may be enhanced in animal feed by supplementing the said animal feed at the desired concentration. The problem of coffee grounds are that it contains diterpene esters, such as cafestol, kahweol and isocafestol esters, which are known to be physiologically active. U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,581 already relates to a process for enhancing the value of coffee grounds, in which the said grounds are treated by saponification. The disadvantage of this process is that the diterpenes remain in free but nontoxic form in the mass, which may lead to tendentious interpretations as regards the efficiency of the detoxification process. Moreover, in saponification, the calcium salt used blocks the fatty acids which are therefore no longer available, reducing the nutritional value of the coffee grounds obtained.

Process for degrading diterpenes of coffee grounds for animal food


Disclosed are improvements for enzyme-catalyzed reactions involving DNA or RNA, including restriction digests, which are based on conducting such reactions in the presence of lipids.

Enzymes which act upon DNA or RNA, such as restriction endonucleases and exonucleases, ligases, polymerases, and others, have become widely available for use in research applications requiring modification, copying, and/or activation (e.g., transcription) of DNA. For example, restriction digests of DNA using specific endonucleases has aided in the recombinant expression of genes, and has been used for mapping and for cloning and sequencing DNA, as well as for the construction of specific probes for research and diagnostic applications.
Of interest to the present invention are numerous methods involving DNA or RNA modification which are improved upon by the invention. In the present application, methods for DNA or RNA modification include any method in which an enzyme, together with possible auxiliary proteins, acts upon DNA or RNA.
One of the most common methods involving DNA modification involves the digestion of DNA using restriction endonucleases. The most common restriction endonucleases cleave DNA at specific recognition sites within the DNA sequence. Sites at which a DNA sequence is interrupted (cleavage sites) are usually 4-8 base pairs long. Restriction digests are useful for the ultimate production of probes and for incorporation of fragments produced thereby into a vector for expression of a gene product or for cloning purposes. Especially where large amounts of DNA are to be digested, restriction digests may require large amounts of enzyme which are expensive and considerable time may be required for the reaction to run to completion.
Reactions involving DNA modification, such as those described above, are conventionally carried out in aqueous solution in the presence of organic and inorganic salts, buffers, and the required enzymes. The reaction mixtures must be incubated at optimized temperatures for set periods of time in order for the reaction to run to completion.
Also of interest to the present invention are lipids and their physical chemical properties. Lipids exhibit characteristic phase behavior which is a function of, inter alia, temperature and ionic concentrations. Lipid phase transitions are accompanied by dramatic alterations in physical organization. It is now established that several proteins bind to lipids in biological membranes and that such binding is a function of the phase state of the membrane lipids. By changing the physical state of the lipids in the bilayer, one may cooperatively regulate the binding, and therefore, the function of proteins which bind to the lipids. Specifically, several DNA-binding proteins have been shown to bind to lipids, with resulting changes in function depending upon the lipid phase state.
Phospholipids, for example, which are found in all cellular membranes, comprise two very different physical environments, a hydrophobic interior region and a more-complex hydrophilic exterior region. The hydrophobic tails of most phospholipids exist in two fundamental physical states. At higher temperatures the hydrophobic tails are in a fluid state and generally have rotational freedom; while at lower temperatures, phospholipids are more geometrically constrained. Overall, membrane lipids may exist in varying states of order, or phases, which normally depend upon both temperature and the lipid composition. There are four major forms of organization of lipids in a biological environment (i.e., in the presence of water). The lamellar liquid crystalline phase (L.sub..alpha.) is the fluid state normally depicted in representations of biological membranes. The lamellar gel phase (L.sub..beta.) is formed at low temperatures in lipids in which the lamellar structure is possible. The L.sub..beta. phase is characterized by tight packing and acyl chains which are more highly ordered as compared to the L.sub..alpha. phase. The L.sub..beta. phase is also characterized by a predominance of the all-trans acyl chain configuration, resulting in greater bilayer thickness than in the L.sub..alpha. phase. In the Hexagonal I phase (H.sub.I), lipids are organized in cylinder-like configurations, with the polar head groups facing outward. Finally, the Hexagonal II phase (H.sub.II) is characterized by a hexagonal array of cylinders, but with the polar head groups facing inward, surrounding a column of water (i.e., an inverted micelle). The phase adopted by a particular lipid is a function of, inter alia, temperature and the precise mix of lipids present. For example, some lipids, such as unsaturated phospatidylethanolamines, resist bilayer formation and tend toward the H.sub.II configuration. However, the overall configuration of a biological membrane is determined by the sum of phospholipids present, taking into account other factors, such as temperature, ionic strength, and hydration. The kinetic properties of membranes are due, in large part, to the properties of the phospholipids which comprise them. Membrane lipids create a fluid environment in which conformational changes in both membrane proteins and the lipids themselves allow a diversity of reactions to take place at the membrane which cause changes in cellular processes, including growth. The extent of fluidity in the membrane is a function of temperature, as indicated above, and also of the ratio of phospholipid to cholesterol and the extent of saturation of membrane lipids. One of the more important roles of membrane phospholipids occurs in the regulation of binding between membrane-bound receptors and their ligands.
The present invention provides materials and methods for enhancing the yield of restriction digestions, including enhancements in the amount of digestion production obtained per unit time, enhancements in the speed of digestion, enhancements in specificity, and reduced requirements for enzyme.

Materials and methods for digestion of DNA or RNA using restriction endonucleases


A basic fuel injection amount is calculated based on the intake air amount detected by an air flow meter, and the basic fuel injection amount is corrected based on a phase delay of an intake air amount variation between the engine and air flow meter so as to calculate a first correction injection amount. The first correction injection amount is corrected to a second correction injection amount based on an increase amount which is different according to whether or not the engine is in the idle running state. A fuel injector performs fuel injection based on this second correction injection amount. The increase amount is determined by multiplying a difference between the first correction injection amount and basic fuel injection amount, by a predetermined gain. Due to this, a shift of the air-fuel ratio to the lean side when a new load such as an air conditioner is exerted on the engine in the idle running state, is suppressed.

In a vehicle engine, feedback control of a fuel-air ratio of air-fuel mixture aspirated into a combustion chamber based on oxygen density in the exhaust is disclosed for example in Tokkai Sho 60-101243 published by the Japanese Patent Office in 1985. Specifically, an injection amount of a fuel injector injecting fuel into an intake port of the engine is controlled based on the oxygen density in the exhaust. The fuel-air ratio is a reciprocal (1/.lambda.) of the air-fuel ratio (.lambda.).
However when the load of an auxiliary instrument such as an air conditioner acts on the engine during idle running (viz., idling), to maintain the engine rotating speed of an engine at a predetermined limit necessary to maintain stability of combustion, the fuel supply amount must be increased to increase the output torque of the engine.
Due to this control, the intake air amount and fuel amount aspirated by the engine increase together, but as air is a compressible fluid, increase of air inflow to the combustion chamber is relatively gradual compared to the increase in the opening of the intake throttle. On the other hand, as part of the fuel injected from the fuel injector adheres to the surface of the port wall, the fuel inflow amount to the combustion chamber of the engine increases slowly relative to increase of injection amount.
In a multi-cylinder engine immediately after torque increase control, fuel oversupply or undersupply may occur in cylinders depending on the combustion sequence, and the air-fuel ratio is apt to change between rich and lean. A rich shift of the air-fuel ratio acts to stabilize combustion if it is within a certain range, but a lean shift of the air-fuel ratio may make combustion unstable.


Disclosed is a sealant composition, a liquid crystal device and a method for preventing liquid crystal contamination using the sealant composition. The sealant composition consists of 20-30 parts by weight of an ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomer, 15-20 parts by weight of a heat polymerization monomer, 5-20 parts by weight of a polymerizable oligomer, 0.1-5 parts by weight of a photoinitiator, 10-20 parts by weight of a heat curing agent and 0-20 parts by weight of a particulate additive, wherein said polymerizable oligomer is poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate or derivatives thereof. Through the reaction between the polymerizable oligomers and the polymer of the ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomers to generate a reticular high molecular polymer, the anchoring effect of the polymer on the surrounding unreacted heat polymerization monomers is effectively enhanced, thereby reducing the contamination of the crystal liquid by the sealant.

During the manufacture of a liquid crystal panel, after the alignment of the colored film (CF) substrate and the array substrate, liquid crystal is filled between the colored film substrate and the array substrate, and the peripheries are sealed with glue, namely the sealant. Commonly used sealants primarily comprise an ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomer, a thermal polymerization monomer, a photoinitiator, a heat curing agent, and a particulate additive, etc.
Commonly used sealants are cross-linked by stepwise polymerization. First, ultraviolet polymerization is conducted, which generates free radicals from the photoinitiator by ultraviolet irradiation. The free radicals initiate the chain polymerization of the ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomer to generate a high molecular polymer. During this process, since the rate of the polymerization of the heat polymerization monomer is slow, and the rate of the polymerization of the ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomer is fast, the high molecular polymer generated by the polymerization of the ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomer can thus anchor the heat polymerization monomer in the sealant, blocking the diffusion of the heat polymerization monomer into the liquid crystal, preventing the contamination of the liquid crystal by the sealant, thereby avoiding the appearance such as yellowing and unevenness in the peripheries of the liquid crystal panel. After the completion of the ultraviolet polymerization, the heat polymerization is conducted, during which the heat polymerization monomers are polymerized to generate a high molecular polymer with good mechanical performance, thereby effectively binding the colored film substrate and the array substrate.
Studies on anchoring surrounding small molecular by polymer network are introduced in the following publications:
[1] Guo J B, Sun J, Zhang L P, Li K X, Cao H, Yang H, Zhu S Q, Polym Advan Technol, 2008: 19: 1504-1512.
[2] Guo J B, Sun J, Li K X, Cao H, Yang H. Liq Cryst, 2008: 35: 87-97.
[3] Guo R W, Cao H, Yang C Y, Wu X J, Meng Q Y, Liu T, He W L, Cheng Z H, Yang H. Liq Cryst, 2010: 37: 311-316.
Currently, the high molecular polymers generated by photoinitiators from ultraviolet polymerizable double bond monomers during the ultraviolet polymerization of the existing sealant are mostly linear, which cannot effectively anchor heat polymerization monomers, so that there are still a portion of heat polymerization monomers diffusing into and thus contaminating the liquid crystal.

Sealant composition, method for preventing liquid crystal contamination, liquid crystal panel and display device

BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A computer-implemented method includes generating an intervention model for a population of users based on engagement data indicating successfulness of prior interventions for each of the population of users. Each prior intervention corresponds to one of multiple engagement channels, and the intervention model includes multiple channel-specific models. The method includes supplying data related to a first user as input to the intervention model to determine multiple channel-specific intervention expectations. Each channel-specific intervention expectation indicates a likelihood that the first user will take action in response to an intervention being executed using the corresponding engagement channel. The method includes determining a likelihood of a gap in care for the first user, and in response to the gap in care likelihood exceeding a minimum threshold, selecting a first intervention according to the channel-specific intervention expectation that has a highest determined value, and scheduling the selected first intervention for execution.

When a user (also referred to as a patient) is prescribed medication for a condition, successful treatment of that condition requires following the prescription schedule. In other words, the user must fill the prescription, follow the dosage instructions, and then refill the prescription as necessary. Deviating from the dosage and refill instructions is referred to as non-adherence.
According to some estimates, non-adherence results in $300 billion of medical waste every year. This medical waste may include drugs dispensed but not taken, an increase in medical practitioner visits, and, most particularly, an increase in acute episodes that are much more expensive to treat.
Because of the increased cost and worse patient outcomes caused by non-adherence, providers in the medical space (including health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers) may perform interventions (also referred to as outreach) with users. These interventions may take the form of physical visits, phone calls, emails, texts, mobile alerts, etc. However, with limited resources, frequent personal outreach to every user may not be possible. Therefore, there is a need to develop better intervention systems to achieve more positive patient outcomes.
The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Channel-specific engagement machine learning architecture

Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.


A DC motor including a continuous rotation rotor; a first inductor characterized by first parameters; a second inductor characterized by second parameters; a voltage supply unit; a measurement unit for detecting time instants when a first induced voltage in the first inductor equals a second induced voltage in the second inductor; and a control unit for controlling the application of drive voltage pulses to the inductors. The rotor faces first the second inductor before facing the first inductor when being rotated. At least one of the second parameters is selected different from a corresponding parameter of the first parameters such that a maximum induced voltage in the first inductor is greater than a maximum induced voltage in the second inductor. The control unit is arranged to trigger each of the drive voltage pulses after a detection of an equal induced voltage in the first and second inductors.

DC electric motors are well known and have been around for quite a long time. These motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy for many types of applications. Electromechanical mobile devices, such as electromechanical wristwatches, often comprise a DC motor and are powered by DC sources, such as batteries. One example of a DC motor is a permanent magnet DC motor. This kind of DC motor has no brushes and has typically permanent magnets on the rotor. The stator comprises coils, which typically do not move. This kind of electric motor allows for smaller design and results in reduced power consumption.
In horological applications, stepper motors are generally used. Specific commands generate drive electrical pulses, which make the rotor advance step by step. Stepper motors are brushless DC motors, which divide a full rotation into a number of equal steps. The stator defines stable positions for the rotor with permanent magnets. There are typically two or three stable positions per one full rotation of 360 degrees. To be able to generate the pulses, a sufficient voltage level is needed. Voltage supplies used in these motors, especially when used in electromechanical watches, typically generate a voltage level between 1.2 V and 1.5 V. Consequently, batteries available for these applications supply a voltage in this range of values. Continuous rotation DC electric motors have the advantage over stepper motors that when used in horological applications, the watch hands can be rotated continuously. This makes the operation of these watches similar to mechanical watches. In this manner noise caused by the steps of the rotor, which could be disturbing in particular at night time, can be avoided.
A DC motor is controlled by a motor drive unit. The drive units are typically arranged to alternate the current that travels in the stator coils and thus the direction of the magnetic flux lines which are coupled to the magnet(s) of the rotor. An H-bridge circuit is an example implementation of a motor drive unit. The term H-bridge is derived from the typical graphical representation of this kind of circuit comprising four switches arranged between a supply voltage node and ground. By opening and closing these switches in a desired manner, a positive or negative voltage can be selectively applied to the inductor circuit of the motor. In other words, by manipulating the four switches depending on the position of the rotor or more specifically on the rotor magnets, a current can be arranged to travel through the stator coils selectively in a first direction, and in a second, opposite direction.
An example DC motor arrangement is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The simplified motor 1 of FIG. 1 comprises a rotor 3, with permanent bipolar magnets 3b arranged on two ferromagnetic discs 3a (these magnets having an axial polarisation and alternate polarities), and a stator formed by a first stator inductor A and a second stator inductor B. A motor drive or control unit 5 is configured to adjust the current through the coils. A digital control unit 7 is in turn configured to control the operation of the motor drive unit based on a detected operation of the rotor. For instance, if the control unit 7 detects that the rotor is spinning too fast, it can order the motor drive unit 5 to slow down the rotor 3. The motor drive unit is also provided with a voltage supply unit 9, such as a battery. There is further shown a measurement unit 11 for taking measurements relating to the operation of the motor.

DC electric motor with asymmetrical stator inductors

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd


An electronic puzzle device, including: (a) an array of indicators, each of the indicators capable of alternately indicating a first state or a second state, the array having an axis, which may or may not be physically indicated, dividing the array into a first portion and a second portion, and the array being capable of being folded along the axis such that each of the indicators in the first portion is corresponding to one of the indicators in the second portion; (b) a selection input for choosing or detecting a direction of the fold along said axis; and (c) a changer for changing the state of each of the indicators in the second portion depending upon the state of corresponding indicators in the first portion.

The present invention relates to an electronic puzzle game and, in particular, it concerns an electronic puzzle game which can be used to demonstrate important mathematical concepts.
A wide variety of puzzle devices are available, including both electronic and mechanical devices. An example of a mechanical puzzle device is Rubic's cube, in which the user rotates sections of a cube, each of which is composed of smaller cubes of different colors, in order to align the smaller cubes such that each side of the larger cube is of a single color. The disadvantage of such mechanical devices is that they are intrinsically limited to one type of problem to solve.
Electronic puzzle devices have the advantage of being more flexible and capable of including many different types of patterns or problems to solve, since these devices have memories which can store more than one type of problem or configuration of the puzzle. One example of a prior art electronic puzzle device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,425, which has an array of lights that can either be turned on or off. In this device, the state of a light (either on or off), is changed when that light is selected by pressing, for example. However, selecting one light can lead to changes in the state (either on or off) of other lights, according to a preset pattern. The puzzle is solved by turning off all the lights. Thus, the user must find the correct sequence of selections to solve the puzzle.
However, this prior art electronic device, although an improvement over the prior art mechanical puzzle devices, is still lacking in many respects. For example, the array of lights is on a flat surface and each light is selected individually, so there is no manipulation of the game through two or three dimensional space, which was one of the attractions of the typical mechanical puzzle device. Thus, although the prior art electronic device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,425 represents an improvement, it is still lacking in many respects.
There is therefore a need for, and it would be useful to have, an electronic puzzle device which involves manipulations through two or three dimensional space.


A method of fabricating GMR devices on a CMOS substrate structure with a semiconductor device formed therein. The method includes forming a dielectric system with a planar surface having a roughness in a range of 1 .ANG. to 20 .ANG. RMS on the substrate; disposing and patterning films of giant magneto-resistive material on the planar surface so as to form a memory cell; disposing a dielectric cap on the cell so as to seal the cell and provide a barrier to subsequent operations; forming vias through the dielectric cap and the dielectric system to interconnects of the semiconductor device; forming vias through the dielectric cap to the magnetic memory cell; and depositing a metal system through the vias to the interconnects and to the memory cell.

At the present time, many attempts are being made to integrate high density, non-volatile magnetic memories with semiconductor devices. In particular, semiconductor devices, such as various CMOS circuits, can be used for switching and otherwise controlling arrays of high density, non-volatile magnetic memories. The CMOS circuits are highly desirable because of the low currents required and high efficiency.
However, CMOS fabrication processes require many high temperature processing steps (i.e., temperatures in excess of 800.degree. C.). After metal interconnect layers are deposited the CMOS processing steps are limited in temperature to around 500.degree. C. However, the deposition of dielectric and metal layers is improved at higher temperatures. Thus, it is desirable to use as high a temperatures as practical.
One problem in the integration of CMOS circuits with GMR memory devices is that giant magneto-resistive (GMR) materials used as memory elements are generally restricted to temperatures below 300.degree. C. in order to prevent intermixing of the GMR materials. Also, the GMR materials contain elements which oxidize readily and which are sensitive to corrosion. Thus, the GMR materials must be protected from processes that oxidize or contain corrosive agents to magnetic materials.
Accordingly it would be highly desirable to provide an improved method of fabricating memories containing GMR materials with CMOS circuits.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating memories containing GMR materials.
It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating memories containing GMR materials in which the magnetoresistive ratio of the GMR materials is maximized.
It is still another purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating memories containing GMR materials in which the GMR materials are protected from oxidizing and corrosive materials.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating memories containing GMR materials in which the GMR materials are protected from high temperatures and corrosive materials commonly utilized in CMOS manufacturing processes.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming a thin film containing silicon, oxygen and carbon on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: supplying a precursor gas containing silicon, carbon and a halogen element and having an Si—C bonding, and a first catalytic gas to the substrate; and supplying an oxidizing gas and a second catalytic gas to the substrate.

The processes of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include a process of forming a thin film such as a silicon oxide film on a substrate. For example, the thin film is formed by supplying a precursor gas containing silicon, an oxidizing gas or the like to the substrate. In this case, a catalytic gas may be used to form a thin film at a relatively low temperature thereby improving a thermal budget or the like of the semiconductor device.
In addition, in forming a thin film on a substrate carbon or the like may be added to the thin film to enhance the film quality such as a resistance to wet etching.
However, under a relatively low temperature condition, it may be difficult to introduce carbon into a film, which results in failing to obtain a sufficient carbon concentration or failing to control the carbon concentration with high precision, or the like. Due to these problems, it is impossible to form a thin film having sufficient etching resistance, for example.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium

L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE


In a system for simulcasting a digitally modulated signal and an analog FM signal over the same FM frequency band, the composite signal is received and applied to a conventional FM receiver, and a digital receiver in accordance with the invention. An extended Kalman filter is employed in the digital receiver to estimate the analog FM signal based on a version of the recovered FM signal from the FM receiver, and a discrete version of the composite signal whose spectrum has been translated and is at an intermediate carrier frequency. The estimated FM signal, which is in a discrete form, is subtracted from the discrete version of the composite signal. The resulting signal, which is an estimated version of the digitally modulated signal, is demodulated to recover the digital data as transmitted.

The explosive growth of digital communications technology has resulted in an ever-increasing demand for bandwidth for communicating digital data. Because of the scarcity of available bandwidth for accommodating additional digital communications, the industry recently turned its focus to the idea of utilizing the preexisting analog FM band more efficiently to help make such an accommodation. However, it is required that any adjustment to the FM band utilization does not significantly affect the performance of the analog FM communications.
A licensing authority grants FM broadcast stations licenses to broadcast on different carrier frequencies. The separation of these carrier frequencies is 200 KHz and they are reused geographically. However, in order to account for the fairly gradual power reduction at the tails of the spectrum of an analog FM signal, closely located stations are licensed to use frequency bands separated by typically at least 800 KHz. The following provides background information on analog FM broadcast:

Technique for simultaneous communications of analog frequency-modulated and digitally modulated signals using postcanceling scheme


An inductive pulse forming network stores electrical energy delivered from an outside prime power supply in the electric field of a low-voltage, high-energy density network capacitor. Through timed actuation of a series of one or more switches, the energy stored in the electric field of the network capacitor is subsequently converted to electrical energy stored in the magnetic field of a network inductor. The energy stored in the network inductor supplies high-current, high-power electrical energy to drive an electromagnetic launcher such as a railgun.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to pulse forming networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to high-current, high-power, inductive pulse forming network for use with electromagnetic launchers such as railguns and electromagnetic aircraft launchers.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Pulse forming network (PFN) is an electrical circuit or device that provides a high-power, short-duration pulse of electrical energy of desired waveform. The elements of a PFN are electrically coupled and configured to make a transient current pulse of specific waveform across a load when a load switch is closed.
PFNs have applications, well known to those of skill in the art, in high-power, short-duration power supplies used, for example, in pulsed lasers, pulsed magnetic plasma confinement machines, high-powered microwave weapons, pulsed accelerators for flash x-ray and pulsed electron beam machines, electromagnetic launch systems, and railgun weapons.
In these applications, extremely high average power and extremely high total energy output are required for each current pulse delivered by the PFN to a connected load. To deliver high total energy, several energy storage devices for use with PFNs were previously investigated including batteries, inertial flywheels wound with coils, such as, compulsators, super-conducting magnetic energy storage devices, and high-voltage capacitors.
The United States Navy has attempted to develop a railgun with a projectile range in excess of 370 km (200 Nautical Miles), far exceeding the range of conventional shipboard weapons systems utilizing chemical propellants. In a typical design for a shipboard installed railgun application, it has been shown that between 15 and 20 Megawatts of average power over 8 milliseconds—about 160 Megajoules of total breech energy must be delivered by a PFN to accelerate a useful projectile to about 2.5 Kilometers/Second (km/s). When a railgun of this type is fired at a rate of six rounds per minute, it was shown to draw a peak power of about 20 Gigawatts, to be provided six times per minute. This large peak power requirement made the ship's bus incapable of directly supplying power to the railgun.
The operation of a railgun is straightforward. A current is passed through two metal rails electrically coupled by an armature such as a conductive projectile across the rails. The rails are not only conduits of the current but are, as well, guides within the railgun barrel for the moving projectile. The current supplied by the PFN and flowing across the conductive projectile through the rails, generates a magnetic field around each of the rails. This magnetic field acts on the electric current flowing through the projectile and the resulting Lorentz force accelerates the projectile along the rails and out of the railgun barrel.
The Lorentz force on a railgun projectile is given by:F=L′I2/2,where I is the current through the projectile and L′ is the inductance gradient of the rails, which in prior art railguns designs developed by the United States Navy was of the order of 3×10−7 Henries/meter.
Very high currents (a few million amperes) were require to accelerate sufficiently massive projectiles to the desired railgun muzzle exit speeds of about 2 to 2.5 Kilometers/Second. In a prior art capacitive PFN, high current was supplied by high-voltage parallel-coupled capacitors, in the range of about 5-20 kilovolts (kV), that were connected across the railgun load through a series coupled inductor.
After charging from a high-voltage source, the high-voltage capacitors were connected to the railgun load and were next fully discharged through the series inductor. The voltage of the capacitors was prevented from reversing by a high-current diode capable of withstanding high voltage potentials (typically >10 kV). In a manner known to those of skill in the art, in the capacitive PFN described above, pulse current through the railgun load fell, without reversing, with a time constant of L/R, where L and R are the inductance and resistance of the PFN/railgun load circuit.
The use of high-voltage capacitors in a capacitive PFN presented dangerous electrical conditions. However, putting many low-voltage (2-50 Volts) capacitors in series to supply the requisite high current did not work because the available energy was reduced and the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the series low-voltage capacitors prevented extraction of the high currents required to drive the railgun. As is well known by those of skill in the art, real capacitors, as well as all real electrical components, include impedance associated with the departure of real electrical components from theoretically ideal electrical components.
High voltage capacitors are the most mature energy storage device available for use with a PFN. The characteristics of high-voltage capacitors are well known, they are widely used in the commercial sector, and they have among the highest energy densities, demonstrated to at least a level of 2.5 Megajoules/meter3 (MJ/m3), of any energy storage mechanisms being developed for shipboard use. High-voltage capacitors contain no moving parts and maintenance is straightforward. If a module fails, the capacitor bank that has failed is removed and replaced with a new one.
However, even at significantly higher energy densities, the space required for high-voltage capacitor banks capable of supplying the very high current and high peak and average power requirements of a shipboard railgun, are of great importance. Prior art designs for high-voltage capacitor PFNs used with railguns and other electromagnetic launchers such as aircraft carrier electromagnetic aircraft launch systems and electromagnetic aircraft recovery systems, are excessively heavy and bulky for practical application and have limited lifetimes.
Further, for railguns used as primary armament on armored fighting vehicles (AEV), where space and possibly weight are sharply restricted, no power supply suitably small and light has been developed. In addition, high-voltage capacitors used in prior art capacitive PFNs were typically restricted to a few simple geometric configurations such as square capacitors. These shapes were generally unsuitable for uses requiring atypical capacitor configurations, such as, for example, to fit along the inside of an AEV gun turret.
A current advance in capacitor design is a chemical double-layer, low-voltage capacitor, sometimes called an ultracapacitor, that has the potential to significantly increase capacitor energy density. These new low-voltage double layer capacitors are also easily configurable in a variety of complex space-efficient shapes.
However, as described above, prior art capacitive PFNs required high-voltage capacitors to supply the very high current and high peak and average power requirements of a shipboard railgun. What is needed to fully realize the performance advantages of railguns and other electromagnetic launch systems over convention systems, is a simple PFN structure and method of use that reduces the weight, space, and complexity requirements of prior art PFNs. The innovative PFN would advantageously utilize a high energy density, intrinsically safer low-voltage ultracapacitors, potentially configurable in a variety of useful, space efficient shapes, to provide a high-current, high-power pulse of desired waveform.

Inductive pulse forming network for high-current, high-power applications

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A hybrid cord formed from a plurality of component plies wherein at least two of the plies are of unequal ply length regardless of the twist of the plies and at least one of the plies has a length that is from 1 to 50 percent longer than the other plies and a method of providing a cord with predetermined twist and component ply lengths.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to producing twisted hybrid cords.
2. Description of Related Art
Different types of materials, for example one having a higher modulus and one having a lower modulus, are often used together in hybrid cords for applications such as tire reinforcement. When forming a plied cord, it is common to use different twist levels in the high-modulus ply and the low-modulus ply to account for the difference in modulus between the two materials, or in order to achieve a desired cord response. This currently cannot be achieved on cable corders because they do not form cords in the same manner as ring twisters. Although hybrid cords can be made on cable corders, the cord behavior that can be achieved is limited to that of a balanced twist cord, that is, a cord where the high-modulus and low-modulus ply lengths are the same in which case there is only one response for any given twist level. When an unbalanced hybrid is required, it is currently made on ring twisters. Cable corders provide a tremendous productivity advantage, so it would be desirable to make both balanced and unbalanced hybrids on such machines considering that the unbalanced hybrids are more common than perfectly balanced twist hybrids.

Unbalanced hybrid cords and methods for making on cable cording machines


An antibacterial, anti-inflammatory compound for use in oral products, of the formulae: ##STR1## Wherein: R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are straight chain or branched alkyl substituents or cycloalkyls with one or more alkyl substituents.

Plaque bacteria generate toxins that cause oral diseases, including gingivitis and periodontal disease. Gingivitis is the initial stage of such disease, wherein the gums become red and puffy; the gums bleed when subjected to minor abrasion, as with toothbrushing; and there is persistent bad breath. Continued plaque invasion leads to periodontal disease, affecting the periodontium, which is the investing and supporting tissue surrounding a tooth (i.e. the periodontal ligament, the gingiva, and the alveolar bone). Gingivitis and periodontitis are inflammatory disorders of the gingiva and the periodontal ligament, respectively. Gingivosis and periodontosis are more severe conditions involving degenerative disorders of the tissue.
Microorganisms contribute to both the initiation and progress of periodontal disease. These microorganisms, such as streptococcus mutans, colonize the pellicle film that surrounds each tooth, forming a soft mass. The plaque at and below the gingival margin, and the hard dental calculus that results from such plaque, causes gingivitis and subsequently periodontal pockets, pathologically deepened gingival sulcus. The body's immune response within such pockets, includes the synthesis of prostaglandins (PG), important immunoregulators, related to inflammatory response and the product of two enzyme isoforms, cyclooxygenase -1 (COX- 1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). COX-2 is induced by cytokines, mitogens and endotoxins in inflammatory cells and is responsible for the elevated production of PG and inflammation. Offenbacher et al., J. Periodont Res., 21, 101-112 (1986) and Goodson et al., Prostaglandins, 19, 81-85 (1974) showed that extremely high levels of COX-2 are present within inflamed periodontal tissue, while COX-2 was low within such tissue in remission. The COX-2 level within active periodontal pockets approximates 1 .mu.M (Offenbacher et al., J. Periodon. Res., 19, 1-13 (1984)), a level believed to induce vasodilation, bone resorption and other pro-inflammatory responses. Accordingly, an agent having both anti-bacterial and PG inhibition properties is necessary to combat the bacterial formation of plaque and the associated gingivitis; and to inhibit the activity of COX-2, to reduce PG related inflammation and bone resorption associated with periodontal disease.
Since the 1860's, when Lister used phenol as a surgical antiseptic, it has been known that nearly all derivatives of phenol have some degree of bactericidal activity, when tested in tube dilution, disc agar, diffusion or similar assays. Dewhirst, in Prostaglandins, 20, No. 2, 209-222 (1980) examined sixty-three phenolic compounds for their ability to inhibit prostaglandin cyclooxygenase, as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Dewhirst reported that the most potent inhibitors possessing a two aromatic ring structure, connected by a short bridge, wherein one ring was apolar, the other ring contained a phenolic hydroxyl, ortho to the bridge, and the bridge contained a Lewis base such that the compounds could form bidentate metal chelates.
Three phenolic substances have been shown to inhibit caries in hamsters without adverse weight loss. Stralfors, Archs. Oral, 12, 1375-1385 (1967). The three phenolic substances were quercetin (pentahydroxyflavone), caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) and protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid). Other phenolic substances are well know and widely used antimicrobials, such as thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol), which is found in commercial mouthrinse formulations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,500 discloses noncationic antibacterial alkylated phenol compounds for use in oral compositions which are antibacterial and provide antiplaque efficacy. U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,624 disclosed aminoethylphenols containing halogen and alkyl substituents as anti-inflammatory agents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,244,956 and 4,563,526 disclosed substituted 2-(arylmethoxy)phenol compounds, as medicinal agents which inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins, inhibit platelet aggregation and are useful as topical and systemic anti-inflammatory agents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,512,561 and 5,677,296 disclose carbamic acid derivatives of substituted bibenzoxazepine compounds as analgesic agents for the treatment of pain, and prostaglandin-E.sub.2 (COX-2) antagonists for the treatment of prostaglandin-E.sub.2 mediated diseases. EP Patent Application 0 528 468 A1 discloses the use of triclosan (2',4,4'-trichloro-2-hydroxy-diphenyl-ether) for the inhibition and/or reduction of periodontitis, wherein triclosan inhibits cyclooxygenase activity and also reduces microbial challenge.
There is a continuing need in that art for more effective antibacterial agents compatible with anionic components in oral compositions which inhibit cyclooxygenase and PG activity; to combat plaque, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.

Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benzyl phenol agents and their use in oral compositions


The couch catcher; a receptacle accessory that acts as a catcher for coins, keys, remote controls, phones, jewelry and other debris which commonly can fall between the cushions of a couch or chair and into the crevice beyond reach. Design intent is to alleviate the need for the consumer the pesky task of dismantling the couch or chair to retrieve items that have slipped between the cushions or fallen down into the crevice.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of couch accessories and more specifically relates to couch catchers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many individuals own furniture to rest upon in a residence. This furniture may include chairs, couches, loveseat and the like. A commonplace and annoying occurrence with these upholstered couches and chairs is that when one sits down, there is a high likelihood that coins, keys, remote controls, phones, jewelry or other debris may drop from the individuals pocket and go down into the crevice of the couch or chair. If this is noticed, the cushions (or whatever covering accompanies the couch or chair) have to be removed and the lost items picked up by digging into the crevice of the furniture or by removing the bottom fabric from the couch or chair. Therefore, there exists a need for a device of some sort to prevent the annoyance of small objects from falling into the crevices of a couch or chair.


An apparatus and method for testing a component of a magnetic disk drive in which one or more drive-based components is used in the testing process. Each of the drive-based components is based on a corresponding one of the components of the magnetic disk drive. During testing, the component to be tested and at least one of the drive-based components are selectively engaged.

The present invention relates generally to data storage devices and more specifically, to apparatus and methods for testing components of magnetic disk drives.
Magnetic disk drives are typically composed of components such as read/write heads, actuators, magnetic disks, spindle motors, printed circuit board assemblies and firmware. These components are tested during manufacturing using one or more component testing machines to ensure that they meet the specified performance requirements. Depending on the component being tested, the tests typically measure the component's performance with respect to timing, reading, writing, motor control and servo positioning.
However, the use of conventional component testing machines to test drive components is very costly due to their complicated electrical and mechanical designs. Conventional testers typically have used expensive precision, custom-made components such as mechanical positioning stages, stepper motors, discrete channels, air-bearing spindle motors and motor plate mechanics.
In addition, conventional testers have been typically designed with little consideration of the disk drive environment. The testers' electronics typically were customized to meet the component frequency testing requirements. The testers' mechanics typically were customized to provide the best run-out control without considering high-speed run-out canceling. Further, the testers' software was typically designed to work independently of drive control. Thus, conventional testers did not test components in an environment similar to that of an actual disk drive.
As a result, the correlation between the analog test measurements of components obtained with conventional testers and their actual performance in disk drives has been relatively low. This low correlation resulted in relatively high levels of over-rejects and false acceptance of components.
Another disadvantage of conventional testers is that they relied on mechanical positioners to place the head on the written track instead of using a servo control loop. This limited the track control or tracks per inch (TPI) capabilities of these testers. Further, the positioners were not be able to support track-following of high-frequency track misregistration (TMR) because of the low bandwidth inherent to their large mass and size.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tester for magnetic disk drive components that is lower in cost, provides more accurate test results and is capable of testing higher TPI disk drives than conventional testers.

Apparatus and method for testing magnetic disk drive components using drive-based parts


Provided herein are compounds of the formula:

Lubricant compositions typically comprise a base oil, such as a hydrocarbon base oil, and one or more additives. Certain estolides have been previously described as a biobased alternative to hydrocarbon base oils. Estamides present a potential source of biobased, biodegradable oils that may be useful as lubricants and base stocks.

Estolide compounds, estamide compounds, and lubricant compositions containing the same

Abstract: wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 1; n is an integer greater than or equal to 0; Z is selected from NR5, S, and O; Z′ is, independently for each occurrence, selected from NR5, S, and O; R1 is, independently for each occurrence, is an optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; R2 is selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; R5 is, independently for each occurrence, selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; and R3 and R4, independently for each occurrence, are selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched. Also provided are compositions containing the compounds and methods of making both the compounds and compositions thereof.


The present invention provides a process for the production of dialkyl peroxides by reaction of an alcohol and/or an olefin with an organic hydroperoxide, using an inorganic heteropoly and/or isopoly acid catalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the production of dialkyl peroxides such as ditertiary butyl peroxide by the reaction of an alcohol such as tertiary butyl alcohol and/or an olefin such as isobutylene with a hydroperoxide such as tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of an inorganic heteropoly and/or isopoly acid catalyst.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The preparation of dialkyl peroxides by the reaction of an alcohol such as tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) with an organic hydroperoxide such as tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) is known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,403,771, 2,403,758, 2,862,973, 3,626,014 and the like. The preparation of dialkyl peroxides by the reaction of an olefin such as 2-methylbut-2-ene with an organic hydroperoxide such as TBHP is also known. See Davies, et al., J. Chem. Sec. page 2200, 1954.
In such prior processes, catalysts such as sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid resins and the like have been employed. The use of such catalysts has a number of disadvantages including the corrosion and safety hazards associated with the use of sulfuric acid, catalyst deactivation and deterioration associated with the use of catalyst resins and the like. Canadian Patent 839,312, for example, shows the production of ditertiary butyl peroxide by the reaction of TBA with TBHP using a sulfonic acid resin with the requirement that water be azeotropically removed.
The preparation of organic hydroperoxides by reaction of an alcohol such as TBA with hydrogen peroxide using an inorganic heteropoly acid is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,456.


A lighting system comprising a central controller for generating control signals and one or more lighting subsystems each of which accepts the control signals from the controller. Each of the subsystems comprises first and second lighting units connected in series. Each of the lighting units comprises a plurality of emitting diodes (LEDs), each being a different type emitting a different color of light. Each of said lighting units has a power lead and a respective lead from each of its LEDs. Each of the lighting units comprises similar types of LEDs emitting similar colors of light. Electronic circuitry is included, some of which is arranged between the first and second serially connected lighting units. The electronic circuitry accepts the controller control signals corresponding to power and each of said type of the LEDs. The control signals and electronic circuitry are arranged to cause one or more pairs of the corresponding similar LEDs types in said LED units to emit light.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the lighting of pools, spas, and the like, and more particularly to lighting using light emitting diodes (LEDs).
2. Description of the Related Art
Reservoirs of water such as pools and spas are commonly constructed with one or more underwater light sources for illuminating the water within the reservoir. The light sources are visually appealing and the illumination of the water allows for safe use of the pool or spa at night. Conventional lighting units are commonly mounted on the wall of the pool or spa, and comprise a watertight housing that contains an incandescent light source.
A number of variations to the conventional pool or spa light have been developed. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,615 to Eychaner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,936 to Guthrie, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,875 to Johnson. One disadvantage of the lights disclosed in these patents is that each uses an incandescent, fluorescent or quartz light source. The life of these light sources is relatively short which results in periodic maintenance to replace the failed light sources. The cost of additional light sources and the periodic maintenance can add additional costs and the maintenance can be difficult to accomplish because the lights are usually below the water surface.
Fiber optic lighting systems have been developed for spas by, among others, Coast Spas located in British Columbia, Canada. The system includes a remote light source and numerous optical fibers directed toward a number of holes in the spa wall. Each hole has a cap to hold one of the optical fibers so that the light emitting from the end of the fiber is directed through the cap and into the water within the spa. Each cap has a transparent lens that disperses or focuses the light from the fiber.
One disadvantage of these systems is that the remote light source is prone to failure and can require regular maintenance. The light source generally comprises an incandescent bulb and a color wheel that is turned by a mechanical mechanism. The wheel has sections of different colors and the light from the bulb is directed through the wheel where it is changed to the particular color of the wheel section it passes through. The light then enters the optical fibers and is transmitted to the interior of the spa. As the wheel turns, the different sections having different colors pass in front of the light source, changing the color passing into the optical fibers. The incandescent bulb has a relatively short life and the mechanical components of the wheel can fail or require maintenance.

RGB spa light using light emitting diodes


An optical imaging system and method for performing random intensity illumination microscopy is disclosed. The system includes an incoherent signal light source, at least two diffusers having spatially random diffusion patterns, an image capture device that receives a reflected light signal from an object to be imaged, and a processor configured to perform digital image processing of the reflected signal. The method comprises acts of providing an incoherent light signal, diffusing the incoherent light signal with at least two diffusers having spatially random diffusion patterns to provide a diffused light signal, splitting the diffused light signal to provide a first light signal and a second light signal, reflecting the first light signal from a specimen to provide a reflected light signal, collecting the reflected light signal and the second light signal with an image capture device and processing the collected images to determine reflectance.

Wide-field microscopy provides images with short acquisition time and a wide field of view, however its inability to resolve depth information limits it to near-surface measurements or thin samples. In order to provide both lateral and axial information, many techniques in microscopy have been explored. In particular, confocal microscopy has gained popularity for its ability to section individual planes by passing the light through a pinhole and eliminating out of focus light. In particular, confocal reflectance microscopy (CRM) has been used for imaging skin. However, CRM requires the ability to scan individual points on an object leading to expensive and elaborate point scanning equipment. Other techniques for scanning a full 2D plane include the use of dual-wedge scanners or 2D micro-electrical-mechanical scanners.
Apart from microscopy techniques that require lateral scanning, other optical microscopy techniques have been introduced that capture an entire 2D image field in a single step. One such technique is known as structured illumination. This technique uses a known pattern, typically at a constant spatial frequency, projected onto a sample. Reflected light from areas conjugate to the pattern is modulated at that spatial frequency and can be separated from the out of focus regions. This technique requires that the spatial frequency of the pattern is known a-priori, such that an exact ⅓ phase shift can be applied to resolve the entire image. An extension of this technique, known as dynamic speckle illumination (DSI) uses a coherent laser source and a randomly distributed speckle pattern produced by a spatial light modulator that is decorrelated from image to image by either translation or randomization. This technique has been successfully utilized for optical microscopy, however the number of images required to produce sectioning increases with depth, reducing the quality of the sectioning when imaging deeper into the specimen. Also, areas where speckles are correlated can result in streaking within the image, causing undesired artifacts within the final image. Dynamic speckle illumination has also typically been utilized with fluorescence from a specimen as a means of providing depth information about the specimen. The use of fluorescence requires that light be absorped and re-emitted by the specimen being imaged, which often requires the staining of a specimen with a fluorescent material. Fluorescent stains may suffer from limitations in the potential wavelengths that can be emitted, are subject to photobleaching, and can potentially be harmful to a specimen being imaged in-vivo.
Accordingly, there is a need for optical microscopy systems and techniques that provide for rapid, full-field image acquisition, high quality image sectioning at depth, and safety for in-vivo measurements, all while being very cost effective to produce. Such systems and techniques will increase the range of environments and applications where optical microscopy can be utilized. When applied to biomedical and healthcare applications, such systems and techniques can shorten diagnostic times, reduce invasiveness of imaging procedures, and improve the quality of patient care.

Systems and methods for random intensity illumination microscopy


An engine control system for managing lean operation of an internal combustion engine coupled to a lean NOx trap uses an indication of vehicle activity. A target amount of tailpipe emission per distance is adjusted based on the vehicle activity indication. Then, engine air-fuel ratio is controlled based on the adjusted target amount of tailpipe emission per distance. Also, the indication of vehicle activity is used to enable decontamination cycles of the lean NOx trap.

The invention relates to a system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine coupled to an emission control device.
In direct injection spark ignition engines, the engine operates at or near wide-open throttle during stratified air-fuel ratio operation in which the combustion chambers contain stratified layers of different air-fuel ratio mixtures. Strata closest to the spark plug contain a stoichiometric mixture or a mixture slightly rich of stoichiometry, and subsequent strata contain progressively leaner mixtures. The engine may also operate in a homogeneous mode of operation with a homogeneous mixture of air and fuel generated in the combustion chamber by early injection of fuel into the combustion chamber during its intake stroke. Homogeneous operation may be either lean of stoichiometry, at stoichiometry, or rich of stoichiometry.
Direct injection engines are also coupled to emission control devices known as three-way catalytic converters optimized to reduce CO, HC, and NOx. When operating at air-fuel ratio mixtures lean of stoichiometry, a three way catalyst optimized for NOx storage, known as a NOx trap or catalyst, is typically coupled downstream of the first three-way catalytic converter. The NOx trap typically stores NOx when the engine operates lean and release NOx to be reduced when the engine operates rich or near stoichiometry.
One method of determining when to operate end lean operation and regenerate a NOx trap by operating the engine rich or near stoichiometry uses an estimate of NOx discharged from the NOx trap. In this approach, when an estimated amount of NOx discharged from the NOx trap is greater than a predetermined value, the NOx trap is regenerated.
The inventors herein have recognized a disadvantage with the above approach. In particular, during transient vehicle conditions, there is more error in the estimated NOx discharged. Therefore, to accommodate all operating conditions, the threshold is set low. Then, when operating at steady conditions, the low threshold causes sub-optimal fuel economy performance than could otherwise be achieved.
An object of the invention claimed herein is to provide a method for controlling an internal combustion engine that can optimize fuel efficiency across all vehicle operating conditions.
The above object is achieved, and disadvantages of prior approaches overcome, by a method for controlling an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a tail pipe, the engine coupled to an emission control device, the method comprising: generating an indication of vehicle activity based on an operating condition; determining a set-point amount of emissions from the tail pipe per distance of the vehicle, with said set-point based on said indication; and adjusting an engine operating parameter based on said set-point.
By adjusting the tailpipe threshold based on vehicle activity, it is possible to optimize performance during all conditions. advantage of the above aspect of the present invention is improved fuel economy.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated by the reader of this specification.


Method and system for executing instructions out of a non-volatile memory that may have defective blocks is provided. During an initialization process, a processor reads operating system instructions from the non-volatile memory that may have defective blocks. While reading the operating system instructions, the processor expects a valid signature at a known offset. If the processor does not receive a valid signature at the expected offset, the processor continues to search for a valid signature for X more blocks after the offset. The X blocks are the number of defective blocks in a memory partition where the operating system instructions are stored.

To initialize and start a computing system, a processor typically reads initialization instructions (may also be referred to as "boot code") out of a dedicated memory chip during an initialization process (may also be referred to as "booting" or "boot" process). The initialization functions may be called to identify, test, and initialize system devices such as a video display card, storage device and other hardware. After executing the initialization instructions a computing system is set to a known state, so that any software stored on the storage device can be loaded and executed.
After the initialization instructions are read, the processor reads and attempts to execute operating system instructions. Non-volatile memory, for example, a NAND based flash memory is now commonly used to store operating system instructions and applications. The NAND based memory although cost effective and stable, may have challenges. For example, NAND based flash memory may include defective blocks. This presents a challenge during the initialization process because the computing system may expect operating system instruction code and/or application instruction code to be present at certain expected locations of the NAND memory. However, the instructions may not be present at the expected locations because of defective blocks, which may jeopardize the initialization process. Continuous efforts are being made to efficiently store executable instructions to initialize a computing system.

Method and system for initializing a computing system


A method and apparatus for testing leaks in a compressed natural gas fuel system on an assembly line. The apparatus includes a filling receptacle, a filling conduit, a fuel tank assembly, a supply conduit, a pressure regulating assembly, and a joint box. The filling conduit extends between the filling receptacle and the fuel tank assembly. The supply conduit extends between the fuel tank assembly and the pressure regulating assembly. The joint box includes a valve which regulates fluid communication between the filling conduit and the supply conduit. In the method according to the present invention, the tank assembly is fluidly isolated from the remainder of the fuel system and the filling conduit and supply conduit are fluidly connected, by opening the joint box valve, to permit pressurization and leak detection of a first portion of the fuel system. Thereafter, the joint box valve is closed to isolate the filling conduit from the supply conduit, and the pressure regulating assembly is activated to pressurize a second portion of the fuel system for leak detection purposes.

The present invention relates generally to leak testing apparatuses and methods and, more particularly, to a leak testing apparatus and method related to manufacture of compressed natural gas automobiles.
One of the problems associated with manufacture of compressed natural gas or CNG automobiles has been in the testing of the fuel system for leaks during the assembly process without unnecessary delay of the assembly line. The problems created by testing for fuel system leaks is that such testing, in the past, has been a relatively time-consuming process that was not capable of being accomplished in the time allotted on an automated assembly line. Accordingly, attempts in the past to provide a CNG mass-produced automobile have not been favorably received.
With reference to FIG. 1, a prior art leak testing apparatus and method is schematically illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, a filling conduit 12 extends from a filling receptacle 14 to the input port of a CNG tank 16. A manual input valve is provided at the CNG input port and a manual output valve is provided at an output port of the CNG tank 16. A supply conduit 18 extends from the CNG tank output valve to a fuel pressure regulator assembly 20. From the fuel pressure regulator assembly 20 a fuel feed line (not shown) extends to a fuel rail (not shown) which communicates with a series of CNG injectors. Each of the joints or connections in the fuel system must be checked for leaks prior to the automobile leaving the factory and preferably, during the assembly process. However, in the past the fuel system leak checking was done in a single step and required about 15 minutes to accomplish a full check of the fuel system. Moreover, the prior art leak checking method required pressurization of the CNG tank 16, which is wasteful of pressurizing fluid and time consuming.
The prior art method for testing leaks in the fuel system requires pressurization of the entire system by injecting pressurizing fluid via the filling receptacle 14 and filling conduit 12. Once the system, at least to the pressure regulator assembly 20, was pressurized, the tank output valve could be closed and sensors could be used to sense leakage of pressurizing fluid. Thereafter, the pressure regulator assembly 20 could be activated to introduce pressurized gas into the fuel feed line and the fuel rail, and further sensing for leakage of pressurizing fluid would occur. As stated previously, pressurizing and sensing of the fuel system typically required 15 minutes, whereas, in modern assembly lines, each step the process is given a certain time period, for example 60 seconds. Accordingly, the known leak sensing method and apparatus is incompatible and not useful on modern assembly lines.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for testing leaks in CNG fuel systems for automobiles which can be performed quickly and reliably. Moreover, there exists a need in the art for a CNG leak testing method and apparatus that can be incorporated into an automobile assembly line.


An airbag module cover an airbag module housing. The cover has two electrically conducting foils which are spaced apart opposite each other between a front panel and a back panel. The distance between the foils is guaranteed by nonconducting spacers which are disposed between the foils. A stop member is connected to the back panel. A gas diffuser is disposed inside the airbag module housing. A space is defined between the diffuser and the stop member. A layer of a folded airbag penetrates the space. When pressed, the cover deflects causing the stop member to travel through the space contacting the folded airbag and stopping against the diffuser. A resulting pressure causes the foils to make contact and activate the horn.

The invention relates to an airbag module having a cover having horn foils located between a front and a back panel.
An airbag is typically housed in an airbag module. The airbag module has a cover and a housing. The cover has a front panel, at least a portion of which is elastically deformable, and a back panel. The back panel is preferably flexible. Front and back horn foils are located between the cover front and back panels. When the cover is on the housing, the back panel is located opposite the folded airbag.
To activate a car horn, the foils must make contact. This is typically accomplished by depressing the front panel toward the back panel. As the front panel is depressed is causes the cover to depress until it makes contact with the airbag. Such contact causes the front panel to compress against the back panel, thereby, causing the foils to make contact, activating the horn. For problem-free activation of the horn, a defined space must exist between the back panel of the airbag module cover and an airbag in the airbag module. If this space is too small, the airbag may press against the cover back panel and move it toward the front panel causing the foils to move closer to each other. In this regard, the slightest force against the front or back panels of the cover may cause the horn foils to make contact and accidentally trigger the horn. If the space between the back panel and the folded airbag is too great, the cover must be depressed deeply to obtain contact between the foils. In this regard, the forces required to activate the horn may be high and inconsistent.
In practice, an attempt has been made to eliminate these disadvantages through optimization of the folding of the airbag to consistently obtain a free space in the airbag module. However, because of the unavoidable tolerances of the airbag and the folding of the airbag, a consistent free space is difficult to obtain.


An apparatus and method for reproducing a color image of an original color image. The apparatus and method produces a saturation range of color light in the original color image and reproduces a saturation range of an output device. The invention then calculates maximum saturation ranges covering the saturation range of the color light and the reproduced saturation range of the output device corresponding to each lightness. According to the maximum saturation range of the color light and the maximum reproduced saturation range of the output device corresponding to each lightness, the apparatus and method calculates a saturation compression rate for analogously compressing the saturation range of the color light into the reproducing saturation range, and performs a saturation compression on the original color image using the calculated saturation compression rate. A reproduced color image is then generated based on the performed saturation compression.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for reproducing color for use by an output device such as a printer outputting an output image according to color image data. More particularly, this invention relates to a technology of reducing a colorimetric bungle between the output image outputted from the output device and the color image data inputted from a color image scanner. In other words, the technology is to match the output image of the output device with the color image data of the color image scanner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, according to demands of high quality of an image for a color image medium such as TV (television), an output image from an output device corresponding to color image data, such as a printout, i.e., hard copy, of a color image from a printer, is strongly required to be higher quality. To accomplish the higher quality of the printout by the printer, it is necessary to match an output image with original color image data. The output image is, for example, a print image printed out from the printer corresponding to the color image data. The original color data are, for example, the color image data inputted from a color image scanner.
For matching color as mentioned above, a conventional printer takes a method for reproducing color as follows.
When reproducing color, the color image data to be outputted, for example, color space data supplied from a data base are processed by a predetermined color converting procedure. This color converting procedure has a compressing saturation procedure to compress a saturation into the color space data. The compressing saturation procedure produces output image data comprising a plurality of color information including cyan, magenta, and yellow to be suitable for printing by the printer. The output image data are supplied to the printer.
The compressing saturation procedure is a procedure for compressing the saturation of the color image data into a gamut of the saturation corresponding to each hue wherein the gamut of the saturation is capable of reproducing color (color representation) by the printer. That is, the compressing saturation procedure is a procedure for compressing the saturation into a reproducing saturation range. FIG. 1 shows the compressing saturation procedure in a general idea.
On the compressing saturation procedure, saturation ranges of color light in the color image data and reproducing saturation ranges of the printer are calculated. The saturation ranges of the color and the reproducing saturation ranges of the printer are stored in a memory. A required compression rate is calculated from both of the saturation ranges corresponding to each hue. Then, the compressing saturation procedure is processed with the compression rate. The result of the compression is stored in a memory for use of the color image data. The color image is outputted based on the stored data in the memory to reproduce color.
However, the saturation reproducing ranges of the printer are different from each other corresponding to each hue. Therefore, as the conventional compressing saturation procedure as described above is processed, it is possible of breaking color balance of the output image.
The saturation reproducing ranges of the printer are generally narrower than the saturation ranges of color light. In particular, the saturation reproducing ranges of the printer are remarkably narrower than the saturation ranges of color light in accordance with becoming higher lightness or lower lightness. Therefore, in the case of the color image data which have a wider range of the lightness, the image must have subdued colors lacking of vividness.

Method of and apparatus for reproducing color for output device


An electronic device, a method for domain name query, and related products are provided, which are for an electronic device. The method includes the following. Whether the electronic device enables a link aggregation (SLA) is detected in response to detecting an Internet protocol (IP) address query request for a target domain name. Multiple communication links enabled by the SLA are determined in response to detecting that the SLA is enabled. An IP address corresponding to the target domain name is obtained by querying multiple domain name system (DNS) servers through at least one target communication link of the multiple communication links.

The domain name system (DNS) is a core service of the Internet. Specifically, it is a distributed database where domain names and Internet protocol (IP) addresses are mapped to each other, which can make it easier for people to surf the Internet without having to remember the string of IP addresses that can be directly read by machines. Generally, the domain name query is performed through a single link, and thus, due to changes in network quality and status of domain name servers, efficiency of the query is often not guaranteed.

Method for domain name query, electronic device, and storage medium

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


An adduct of a glycidyl ester of an alpha,alpha-branched saturated monocarboxylic acid containing a total of 5 to 18 carbon atoms and 2-isopropylimidazole can be used to cure epoxy resin compositions useful in preparing prepregs for electrical laminates.

This invention relates to glycidyl esters of alpha,alpha-branched saturated monocarboxylic acids containing a total of 5 to 18 carbon atoms.
Imidazole compounds having a secondary amino group in the ring and salts or adducts thereof have been proposed as accelerator; for epoxy resin/curing agent systems. U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,984 relates to the preparation of a whole range of adducts of mono- and polyepoxides with imidazoles having a secondary amino group in the ring and to the use of such compounds as curing agents, alone or in combination with other curing agents in epoxy resin compositions, particularly in molding powders or powder coating compositions. These described epoxy-imidazole adducts are in general good curing agents and accelerators for the anhydride curing of polyepoxides.
However, in certain epoxy resin systems, such as epoxy resin solventless prepreg matrix systems for fiber-reinforced composites, not any type of epoxy-imidazole adduct can be used effectively as a curing agent or accelerator. Such systems require an accelerator which is liquid at room temperature and which is effective in an amount of 0.75% and 10% by weight based on the total weight of the epoxy resin composition, in order to minimize plasticizing effects. Also in such applications, the epoxy resin/curing agent/accelerator system should have a long shelf life, good reactivity at elevated temperature and high glass transition temperature.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an epoxy resin-based composition which is useful in solventless prepreg applications.

Glycidyl ester/imidazole adduct-containing composition


Bicarbonate containing solutions for use during medical treatment are provided. The bicarbonate containing solution of the present invention includes at least two separate components including a bicarbonate concentrate and an electrolyte concentrate which can be readily and sterilely mixed to form a ready-to-use formulation for patient administration, particularly as applied to the treatment of acute renal failure associated with critically ill patients in an intensive care setting.

The present invention relates generally to medical treatments. More specifically, the present invention relates to bicarbonate-based solutions for use during dialysis therapies, such as continuous renal replacement therapies.
A variety of different medical treatments are known and used to treat critically ill patients for acute renal failure (ARF) which is typically associated with multiple organ failure syndrome in intensive care settings. For example, traditional dialysis therapies, such as hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, are commonly used to treat ARF.
However, because traditional dialysis therapies are known to have limited use with respect to the treatment of critically ill patients for ARF, the use of continuous renal replacement therapy in favor of traditional dialysis therapies has increased, particularly in intensive care settings. In this regard, a number of possible advantages with respect to CRRT in comparison to traditional dialysis therapies have been recognized.
A foremost advantage is the potential to effectively avoid, or at least minimize, cardiovascular instability. In this regard, CRRT, in general, is a slow and continuous therapy that does not include rapid shifts in blood volume and electrolyte concentration due to the removal of metabolic products from blood as compared to traditional forms of dialysis therapy, such as hemodialysis. Examples of continuous renal replacement therapies include continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration, continuous arteriovenous hemodiafiltration, continuous venovenous hemofiltration, continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration, slow continuous ultrafiltration and continuous ultrafiltration periodic intermittent hemodialysis.
In general, CRRT is a convective blood cleansing technique that utilizes a patient's blood pressure as the primary driving force for ultrafiltration. During CRRT therapy, blood typically flows through a hemofilter such that a transmembrane pressure gradient between the blood compartment and the ultrafiltrate compartment causes plasma water to be filtered across the highly permeable membrane. As the water crosses the membrane, it can convect small and large molecules across the membrane and thus cleanse the blood.
An excessive amount of plasma water is also removed during continuous renal replacement therapy. In order to maintain a proper water balance in the patient's body, fluid must be substituted continuously by a balanced electrolyte solution (replacement or substitution fluid). The substitution fluid can be infused intravenously either into the arterial blood line leading to the hemofilter (predilution) or into the venous blood line leaving the hemofilter (post dilution).
Typically, commercially available replacement fluids are lactate-based solutions. However, the physiological buffer bicarbonate is preferred over lactate in patients with multiple organ failure which is typically associated with ARF. In this regard, the metabolic conversion of lactate to bicarbonate is not required prior to metabolic action thus eliminating undesirable effects due to the conversion process of lactate to bicarbonate.
Further, it is common practice among intensive care physicians to manually prepare solutions buffered with bicarbonate extemporaneously. This is typically carried out by adding the prepared bicarbonate solution to an existing sterile solution to form the bicarbonate-based solution prior to administration to the patient. For example, it is known to add bicarbonate to an acidic electrolyte concentrate solution which is in direct contact with administration tubing connected to the patient prior to administration thereof to the patient. It is also common practice to manually inject other electrolytes, such as potassium chloride, directly and separately into the bicarbonate-based solution prior to administration.
However, the physical handling due to the initial preparation of a bicarbonate solution, subsequent addition thereof to another solution and manual injection of other components to form the resultant bicarbonate-based solution prior to administration may be too tedious and time-consuming to adequately address the time-sensitive nature of responding to ARF in an intensive care setting. This practice may also necessarily cause the bicarbonate to degrade into a volatile carbon dioxide gas and a carbonate ion, which then can react with calcium and magnesium ions in solution to undesirably form precipitates, thus impeding proper administration. Further, the potential of bacteriological contamination of the bicarbonate-based solution is great unless strict aseptic techniques are followed during preparation.
A need, therefore, exists to provide improved bicarbonate-based solutions that can be effectively administered during continuous renal replacement therapy to treat ARF, particularly as administered to critically ill patients in an intensive care setting.

Bicarbonate-based solutions for dialysis therapies


Disclosed are a photoresist composition, a pixel definition structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display panel. The photoresist composition includes an organic film-forming resin, a superhydrophobic polymerizable monomer, a polyfunctional crosslinkable polymerizable monomer, a photoinitiator, an additive and a solvent.

With the popularity of the Internet and the continuous development of display technology, high-quality display panels have become an important feature of many electronic consumer products. Compared with liquid crystal display panels, organic electroluminescent display panels have the advantages of self-illumination, low energy consumption, low production cost, wide viewing angle, high contrast, fast response, more vivid color display, and easier realization of thinness and flexibility. At present, in the display fields of mobile phones, digital cameras, computers, personal digital assistants, etc., organic electroluminescent (OLED) display panels have begun to replace the traditional liquid crystal display panels, and are expected to become the mainstream choice for the next generation of display panels.
In an OLED display panel, a pixel definition layer includes an aperture area (i.e., a pixel area) and a pixel definition structure (i.e., a Bank area) for defining the aperture area. Specifically, the pixel definition structure is an organic barrier in the aperture area, generally exhibiting a regular trapezoidal structure with a narrow top and a wide bottom to limit inkjet printing ink from escaping to the periphery. The manufacturing process generally includes a process of coating, exposing, developing, curing, etc. of the photoresist material, and removing the photoresist material in the aperture area to form an aperture area and a pixel definition structure. On the one hand, in order to prevent the inkjet solution from spreading on the top of the pixel definition structure to contaminate adjacent pixels, causing cross-coloring, the upper half area of the pixel definition structure needs to exhibit lyophobic properties with the inkjet solution (i.e., ink); on the other hand, in order to uniformly spread the inkjet solution inside the aperture area, the bottom area of the pixel definition structure needs to exhibit lyophilic properties with the inkjet solution. To achieve the distinction between lyophobic properties and lyophilic properties on the top and bottom of the pixel definition structure, the photoresist material used to form the pixel definition structure is often composed of at least one layer of lyophilic material and at least one layer of lyophobic material.

Photoresist composition, pixel definition structure and manufacturing method thereof, and display panel

Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.