A system and method which employs atrial discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different atrial arrhythmias occurring in a patient for selecting an optimal pacing therapy corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified. The invention may be implemented in a bradycardia pacemaker or other implantable cardiac device. In response to the detection of an atrial rate above the atrial tracking rate, discrimination criteria are applied to a detected atrial activity signal to distinguish between different types of supraventricular tachycardia, such as fast atrial flutter and other atrial flutter at a relatively slower rate, which may be occurring in the patient. The discrimination criteria may be, for example, rate-based or morphology based. The pacer is controlled to provide pacing therapy to a heart in a manner corresponding to the type of supraventricular tachycardia identified. For example, antitachycardia pacing may be provided to the heart in response to the detection of a relatively lower rate supraventricular tachycardia/other atrial flutter, whereas another pacing control, e.g., ventricular pacing, such as ventricular rate regulation or Rate Smoothing, may be applied if a more rapid rate supraventricular tachycardia/fast atrial flutter is identified. The output of an atrial discrimination algorithm may be tracked and the trend thereof used to improve therapy timing.

Various types of medical devices are employed to monitor electrical or other activity of the heart and to provide therapy to the heart in response to the detection of irregular cardiac rhythms. Such devices may be implantable beneath the skin of a patient, i.e., in the patient's chest. Such implantable devices include a hermetically sealed canister containing electronic circuitry for implementing the functions of the device, one or more electrodes implanted in one or more of the ventricles or atria of the heart, or in close proximity thereto, and leads for connecting the electrodes to the circuitry within the device canister. The device circuitry includes circuitry for detecting electrical signals produced by the heart, which signals are picked up at the electrodes, along with circuitry, typically implemented in a microprocessor, for analyzing the thus detected cardiac signals. The device may also include circuitry for providing therapy in the form of electrical signals applied to the heart. Such signals are provided to the heart, via the leads and electrodes mounted in the heart, in response to the detection of an irregular cardiac rhythm by the analysis circuitry based on the detected cardiac activity signals. The implantable device may also include a transmitter/receiver, for transmitting cardiac activity and other information to an external device for, e.g., storage and/or further analysis, and for receiving information, such as programming instructions, from the external device via, for example, an RF link.
An example of such an implantable cardiac device is a bradycardia pacemaker. A bradycardia pacemaker provides relatively low level electrical pulses to the heart to stimulate heart activity when the natural cardiac rate provided by the heart is too low. A dual chamber bradycardia pacemaker includes electrodes positioned in both the atria and ventricles of the heart for detecting naturally occurring atrial and ventricular activations and for providing pacing pulses to the atria and/or ventricles as needed. Such a device monitors the time between sensed and paced atrial and ventricular activations and provides pacing pulses as needed to maintain an adequate heart rate. For example, such a device will note the occurrence of a sensed or paced atrial or ventricular event and, if a subsequent naturally occurring atrial and/or ventricular event is not sensed within a certain time (escape interval) following the first sensed or paced event, a pacing pulse will be applied to the atria and/or ventricles to maintain a desired heart rate.
Although the primary purpose of a bradycardia pacemaker is to provide therapy for heart rates which are too slow, such pacemakers are also typically programmed to deal with naturally occurring atrial and ventricular rates which are too rapid. For example, such a device may detect a too-rapid ventricular rate (ventricular tachycardia). Antitachycardia pacing may be provided to the ventricles to attempt to terminate the ventricular tachycardia. Antitachycardia pacing typically involves a train of pacing pulses applied to the ventricles at a rate slightly higher than the rate of the tachycardia.
In many cases, a bradycardia pacemaker will be programmed to pace the ventricles of the heart so as to track the naturally occurring atrial rate. This is effective in many patients wherein the natural pacemaker which initiates a cardiac cycle in the atria performs normally most of the time. In such a case, the naturally occurring atrial rate is representative of the metabolic demand of the patient (e.g., the atrial rate will increase during exercise or other activity, and decrease during rest periods). Thus, pacing the ventricles to track the atrial rate in such a case ensures an adequate pacing rate for the patient's metabolic demand. However, if the naturally occurring atrial rate becomes too rapid, i.e., a pathologic atrial rhythm (atrial tachycardia) occurs, too rapid ventricular pacing may result if the pacemaker continues to track the atrial rate. Typical bradycardia pacemakers are programmed to deal with such supraventricular rhythm disturbances by automatically switching from an atrial tracking mode of operation (e.g., DDD or DDDR mode) to a mode of operation which does not track the atrial rate (e.g., VVI or VVIR mode) when the detected atrial rate exceeds a maximum atrial tracking rate or another pathological atrial rhythm is sensed by the pacemaker which may otherwise result in too rapid ventricular pacing.
Another type of implantable cardiac device is a defibrillator. A defibrillator detects for very rapid irregular rhythms (fibrillation) in the atria or ventricles. In response to the detection of fibrillation, the defibrillator provides a relatively high energy electrical defibrillation shock to the chambers of the heart which are in fibrillation to attempt to defibrillate the heart to return to a normal sinus rhythm. Rapid detection and defibrillation of ventricular fibrillation is critical. During ventricular fibrillation no blood is circulated by the heart, therefore, rapid defibrillation is required to prevent death. Atrial fibrillation is typically treated by a relatively high energy level shock provided to the atria in synchronism with a ventricular activation (atrial cardioversion). The atrial shock is provided in synchronism with a ventricular depolarization to prevent the attempted atrial cardioversion from inducing a more serious ventricular arrhythmia.
Many modern implantable cardiac devices combine the features of a cardiac pacemaker with those of a cardiac defibrillator. Such devices provide bradycardia pacing in a normal manner, along with monitoring of the ventricles and/or atria to detect for occurrences of ventricular or atrial fibrillation. If ventricular or atrial fibrillation is detected, defibrillating or cardioverting electrical energy is applied to the ventricles or atria in a conventional manner in an attempt to restore a more stable cardiac rhythm. Such devices may incorporate algorithms for distinguishing between, e.g., different rates of ventricular tachycardia, which may be pacing terminable, e.g., via antitachycardia pacing, and ventricular fibrillation, which is not pacing terminable, i.e., requires defibrillation. An example of such an algorithm is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,402 to Olson, et al. Currently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/343,924, filed Jun. 30, 1999, by Milton M. Morris, and entitled Therapy-Selection Methods for implantable Heart Monitors, which application is assigned to the assignee of the present application, describes an algorithm for distinguishing between pacing terminable and non-pacing terminable atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. An implantable cardiac device may also distinguish between different degrees of atrial fibrillation, e.g., between atrial fibrillation of high disorganization and atrial fibrillation of intermediate organization, to provide different levels of atrial defibrillation therapy depending upon the degree of disorganization. The application of such a function in an atrial defibrillator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,641 to Ayers, et al.
A limitation of current bradycardia pacemakers and similar implantable cardiac devices is the response of such devices to detected supraventricular tachycardias, such as atrial flutter. Supraventricular tachycardias are rapid heart rates due to a pacemaker anywhere above the ventricular level, i.e., the sinus node, the atria, or the atria ventricular junction. Atrial flutter, in particular, is a rapid regular atrial contraction. As discussed above, a typical bradycardia pacemaker will respond to a supraventricular tachycardia by mode switching such that ventricular pacing does not track the atrial rate. Nevertheless, a rapid supraventricular arrhythmia may induce a ventricular arrhythmia as well. What is desired, therefore, is an implantable pacemaker or other cardiac device which controls a pacemaker to provide an appropriate pacing therapy in response to the detection of a supraventricular tachycardia. In particular, what is desired is an implantable cardiac pacemaker or other device which employs discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different rapid regular atrial arrhythmias (e.g., fast atrial flutter and other atrial flutter) and which provides an appropriate pacing therapy, in either the atria or ventricles, corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified.

Method and apparatus for using atrial discrimination algorithms to determine optimal pacing therapy and therapy timing


In one example embodiment, an operator alertness monitoring system may include a proximate condition monitor that is configured to issue an alert to direct an operator's attention to a detected hazardous condition, and an operator alertness monitor that is configured to detect the operator's physical reaction to the issued alert and instruct the proximate condition monitor to respond to the operator's detected physical reaction to the issued alert.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Automated controls continue to be integrated into systems that have traditionally been entrusted to human operator controls. For example, long distance flights are being entrusted to auto-pilots on an increasing scale; operation of building maintenance systems, e.g., climate control, is being entrusted more to automated control systems; and even the task of parallel parking of some current high-end automobile models is being surrendered to an automated system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A cylinder cleaning apparatus for a printing press includes a cleaning cloth, a plate, and a cylinder and a rod. The cleaning cloth is brought into contact with the circumferential surface of a blanket cylinder to wipe a foreign matter on the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder. The plate is arranged to oppose the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder through the cleaning cloth, is deformed in accordance with a radius of curvature of the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder, and has a reaction force against the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder. The cylinder and the rod press the plate against the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder, thereby bringing the cleaning cloth into contact with the circumferential surface of the blanket cylinder at a predetermined contact pressure.

The present invention relates to a cylinder cleaning apparatus for a printing press which presses a cleaning web against the circumferential surface of a cylinder, e.g., a printing cylinder or a roller, and wipes the circumferential surface of the cylinder with the cleaning web.
Various types of printing presses, e.g., an offset press and an intaglio printing press, have printing cylinders, e.g., a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, an impression cylinder, and a transfer cylinder, and rollers, e.g., a form roller and a vibrating roller, all of which serve as cylinders. During printing, foreign matters, e.g., ink dust and paper dust attach to the circumferential surfaces of these printing cylinders and rollers to degrade the quality of printed matter. Hence, the printing press is provided with a cylinder cleaning apparatus for removing the foreign matters by wiping the circumferential surfaces of the cylinders, e.g., printing cylinders and rollers with a cleaning web constituted by roll paper, an unwoven fabric, a roll cloth, or an ordinary cloth.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,361 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-90943 disclose examples of a cylinder cleaning apparatus of this type. The cylinder cleaning apparatus disclosed in the former gazette has a rubber bladder which is inflatable with compressed air. The bladder is inflated to press a cleaning web engaged with the bladder against a blanket cylinder, thereby cleaning the cylinder. The cleaning web is pressed against or separated from the cylinder by inflation and deflation of the bladder. The cylinder cleaning apparatus disclosed in the latter gazette has an expandable member which is expanded with compressed air. After the expandable member is expanded, a unit having the expandable member and a cleaning web mounted thereon is moved by air cylinders toward the blanket cylinder, and the cleaning web engaged with the expandable member is pressed against the blanket cylinder, thereby cleaning the blanket cylinder. The cleaning web is pressed against or separated from the cylinder by moving the unit forward and backward by activating the air cylinders.
However, since any one of the cylinder cleaning apparatuses of the prior art techniques described above uses an expandable member, it requires a sealing structure so that the compressed air will not leak when this expandable member is expanded, resulting in a complicated, expensive cylinder cleaning apparatus. When the expandable member is worn or bursts, a cumbersome repair work must be performed.

Cylinder cleaning apparatus for printing press


In one aspect, an apparatus for use in a wellbore is disclosed that in one non-limiting embodiment contains an outer assembly that includes an isolation packer corresponding to each of a plurality of zones along the wellbore, wherein each isolation packer is configured to be set in the wellbore, a release module associated with each isolation packer to release its associated isolation packer after such isolation packer has been set in the wellbore, and a disconnect module below each isolation packer that is armed using a first force and activated using a second force.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to multi-zone completion apparatus and methods for production of hydrocarbons from subsurface formations.
2. Background of the Art
For fracturing, gravel packing and production from a multi-zone well, a completion assembly containing an outer assembly and an inner assembly are used to perform treatment operations, including fracturing and gravel packing (frac/pack or frac/packing) and flooding or injection operations in each zone before producing the hydrocarbons (oil and gas) from such zones. The outer assembly includes a top packer, a bottom packer and an isolation packer for each zone. To treat a particular zone, such zone is isolated from other zones by setting the packers. A cross-over (also referred to as frac port) in the inner assembly is aligned with a flow port in the outer assembly. A treatment fluid (typically a mixture of water, proppant and additives) is supplied under pressure into the inner string, which treatment fluid flows from the frac port to the formation via the flow port. At times the proppant packed around the frac port can cause the inner string to become stuck in the outer string. To remove the outer string, the inner string is cut off at or above the stuck location. The outer string is then retrieved.
The present disclosure provides apparatus and method for installing and retrieving a multi-zone completion assembly in wellbores.


A method of forming a pattern of a semiconductor device includes: forming a first mask pattern comprising first mask lines extending in a first direction in a cell region and second mask lines extending in the first direction in a first core region, the first mask pattern covering a second core region; forming, on the first mask pattern, a second mask pattern comprising third mask lines extending in a second direction in the cell region and fourth mask lines extending in the second direction in the second core region, the second mask pattern covering the first core region; and forming a third mask pattern by using the second mask pattern, the third mask pattern comprising island-type masks in the cell region, fifth mask lines extending in the first direction in the first core region, and sixth mask lines extending in the second direction in the second core region.

The inventive concepts relate to a method of forming a pattern of a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method of forming a pattern of a semiconductor device, which may simplify a manufacturing process in addition to improving alignment margins.
As the integration degree of semiconductor devices has increased, pattern pitches have reached process limits. Accordingly, the patterning of a cell region is performed by using a plurality of exposure processes to solve limits of the exposure process and alignment margin problems.
Since patterns having narrow widths are advantageous in a core region, the number of exposure processes is increasing and manufacturing processes are becoming more complex. Thus, techniques of implementing narrow patterns in the core region, improving alignment margins, and simplifying a manufacturing process are currently being researched.

Method of forming pattern of semiconductor device


A method and system for binding mobile devices with intelligent apparatus are described. The method and system employ a mobile device to log in the server for acquiring user identification (UID) number. The mobile device fetches the information of an access point (AP), which can be identified by the first intelligent apparatus, and provides the UID number to the identified AP. The present invention characterizes in that the first intelligent apparatus disconnects itself from the mobile device, the first intelligent apparatus logs in the server by way of the identified AP, and the first intelligent apparatus uploads a first device identification code and the UID number to the server by way of the identified AP for generating the binding relationship between the first intelligent apparatus and the mobile device.

Network services may be implemented by wireless connection without the network cables and thus many users gradually employ the wireless connection to access the network services. Moreover, with the rapid development of wireless network, the transmission rate provided by the wireless network becomes increasingly faster. Thus, many intelligent apparatuses, e.g. IP cameras, Internet of Things (IOT) products, or mobile devices, are capable of transmitting the data content by way of the wireless network.
However, if a plurality of new intelligent apparatuses need to be set simultaneously, it is required to configure one-by-one disadvantageously, which results in the complication of the configuration procedure of intelligent apparatuses and a time-consuming process.
Consequently, there is a need to develop a novel method and system for disadvantageously binding mobile devices to solve the problems of configuring intelligent apparatuses complicatedly and individually.

Method and system for binding mobile device with intelligent apparatus


A printed wiring board structure having at least one chip-carrying layer adjacent a core fabricated of an organic matrix having disposed therein continuous pitch based graphite fibers. The chip carrying layers and the core have an interface therebetween and are integrally connected to each other through vias plated with an electrically and thermally conductive material to thereby provide a plurality of connection sites along this interface. An organic matrix is preferably fabricated of a polymer material such as an epoxy resin. Preferred fibers are fabricated of pitch based graphite. A typically preferred present printed wiring board structure has several circuit layers and two chip-carrying layers each on opposite sides of the core, with each of the layers and the core having respective interfaces therebetween wherein each layer is integrally connected to the core at a plurality of connection sites, as required by circuit design, along the respective interfaces.

Printed wiring board structures generally are constructed of a core upon which one or more layers carrying ceramic chips or leaded components are laminated. These circuit and chip-carrying layers usually are of metalized (copper clad) polymeric construction such as a polyamide, and can be stacked above and below the core material. In order to provide efficient operation within the wiring board structure, the core should perform favorably with respect to tensile modulus, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion.
A common core construction now employed is a metal core fabricated as a layer of molybdenum having on each surface thereof a respective layer of copper. While this copper-molybdenum-copper core is satisfactory with respect to tensile modulus, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion considerations, the weight of this prior-art core can be a significant disadvantage in weight-sensitive applications. Conversely, of course, any replacement core material whose attributes include light weight must still provide satisfactory strength, low coefficient of thermal expansion and heat-response characteristics in order to qualify for wiring board construction.
In view of the above described requirements, it is apparent that a need is present for a printed wiring board structure having a core fabricated to meet weight restraints while providing efficient wiring board performance. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an integrated printed wiring board structure with a core exhibiting high tensile modulus, high thermal conductivity, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and light weight while being compatible with both surface mount and plated through hole technology components and corresponding circuitry.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a printed wiring board structure whose core construction includes an organic matrix having disposed therein pitch based graphite fibers.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.

Printed wiring board structure having continuous graphite fibers


A cleaner-less image former that can prevent cleaning efficiency from reducing and maintain high print quality. After a printing process is started, one lookup table LUT is selected from a group of LUTs based on a temperature detected by a temperature sensor and the number of sheets of paper which have been printed. A pre-transfer bias is determined by applying a current value memorized in a feedback current value memorizing part to the selected LUT, the determined pre-transfer bias is applied to a transfer roller, and then a transfer bias is determined based on the above current value and the temperature. The determined transfer bias is applied to the transfer roller. The residual toner remaining on the transfer roller, a charge brush and a memory removal brush is removed by applying the pre-transfer bias.

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-61032 filed in JPO on Mar. 6, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaner-less type image forming apparatus and method (hereafter called a cleaner-less image forming apparatus) that can prevent cleaning efficiency from reducing and maintain high print quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
A transfer roller, a charge brush, and a memory removal brush are made to contact with a photoconductive body in the cleaner-less image forming apparatus adopting a contact transferring method. A sheet of paper is carried with the sheet sandwiched in between the transfer roller and the photoconductive body, and at this time, a toner image formed on the photoconductive body is transferred to the sheet by applying a predetermined bias to the transfer roller.
The charge brush and the memory removal brush are obviously more contaminated or stained as the number of sheets of paper which have been printed grows. For this reason, a transfer bias is preliminarily applied to the transfer roller within an interval which is a period from the time one sheet of paper passes the transfer roller to the time the next sheet reaches the transfer roller, before printing is carried out, in order to clean these brushes.
As the brushes are more contaminated, however, the preliminary bias voltage that is applied in a usual case cannot fully eliminate the contamination of the brushes. When using a brush charger, it is difficult to keep charge potential on a surface of the photoconductive body uniform, especially due to the toner adhered to the brush, etc. This is because the toner is made up from particles which are insulators, and an electric current between the charge brush and the surface of the photoconductive body is reduced due to the particles adhered to fibers of the charge brush.
Further, the memory removal brush cannot fully disperse the residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductive body as a large quantity of toner is adhered to the removal brush, and there is a problem of reducing cleaning efficiency. That is why the image of the previous page appears on the next page, i.e., a so-called memory occurs, and the residual toner on the surface of the photoconductive body is adhered to the sheet of paper, i.e., so-called fog is generated, so that there is a problem of reducing print quality. Additionally, a problem of toner on the backside of a sheet happens such that the residual toner on the surface of the photoconductive body is adhered to the transfer roller, and the toner of the transfer roller is further adhered to the backside of the sheet.
The present invention is provided in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaner-less image forming apparatus and method that can prevent cleaning efficiency from reducing and maintain high print quality.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a photoconductive body, a charge member for charging a surface of the photoconductive body, a transfer member which is disposed so as to contact with the photoconductive body and transfers a toner image on the photoconductive body to a sheet of paper, a memory removal member for dispersing residual toner remaining on the photoconductive body, and a controller for changing a preliminary bias in accordance with a print workload that the apparatus has had and applying the preliminary bias to the transfer member before applying a transfer bias to the transfer member.
With the apparatus, it is possible to prevent contamination of the photoconductive body, the transfer member, the charge member, and the memory removal member because the preliminary transfer bias is applied to the transfer member (the pre-transfer bias is applied) before applying the transfer bias to the transfer member, that is to say, before printing is carried out. Therefore, the toner can be removed from the charge member, so that the surface of the photoconductive body can be uniformly charged. Moreover, the toner can be removed also from the memory removal member, so that cleaning efficiency can be prevented from reducing. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the toner from adhering to a surface of the transfer member, and to prevent the toner from adhering to a backside of a sheet.
According to one aspect of the present invention which is one of the greatest characteristics of the present invention, the pre-transfer bias voltage is changed in accordance with the print workload, so that the above-described effects are more improved and maintained. In other words, as the print workload increases more (for example, the accumulated number of sheets of paper which have been printed increases, or an accumulated period of time for which the photoconductive body has been being worked increases), the pre-transfer bias voltage is made to be higher, and the high cleaning efficiency is maintained. Additionally, the pre-transfer bias may be being applied to the transfer member for a period which the photoconductive body takes to rotate once or more.
Meanwhile, the pre-transfer bias is preferably changed in accordance with not only the print workload but also a surrounding condition such as a temperature or humidity because resistance of the transfer member varies in accordance with the surrounding condition. In this manner, it is possible to obtain a still more optimum pre-transfer bias voltage when printing is to be carried out.
Additional objects, aspects, benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method


Methods and apparatus for tracking dependencies of commands to be executed by a command processor are provided. By determining the dependency of incoming commands against all commands awaiting execution, dependency information can be stored in a dependency scoreboard. Such a dependency scoreboard may be used to determine if a command is ready to be issued by the command processor. The dependency scoreboard can also be updated with information relating to the issuance of commands, for example, as commands complete.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to tracking the dependency of commands within a command queue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computing systems often include central processing units (CPUs). Often requests to execute commands are made to the CPU from other devices within a system. Examples of devices which may make a command request to a CPU include a video card, sound card, or an I/O device within a system. Input or output (I/O) traffic for a CPU can be classified as Inbound or Outbound. Inbound traffic comes from an I/O device into the CPU. Outbound traffic is initiated from the CPU and goes to an I/O device. As commands come into the CPU they are placed into a command queue. The command queue is used to maintain order and priority amongst the different commands the CPU receives. In some CPUs the command queue is a FIFO (first in first out) queue, or one that executes the commands in the order in which they were received.
A command queue may include commands which are dependent on commands within the same or other command queues. An example of a dependent command is a command to read from an address received after a command to write to the same address. If the read command is executed before the write command the data read may not be current (not updated the data from the write command, i.e. "stale"). Therefore, it is essential that a command queue issue commands to be executed by the CPU in an order such that the adverse effects of command dependencies are not realized (e.g. data read is not stale).
One way to avoid the adverse effects of command dependencies is to enforce ordering on the I/O commands in software. In other words software may be required to be written to not allow load or store commands to the same memory location to be in-flight at the same time. However, this solution is not desirable because it limits the ability of software to use DMA (direct memory access) engines and pipelined access to memory.
Another way to avoid the adverse effects of command dependencies is to use a second FIFO command queue containing multiple pointers. The pointers target commands within the first command queue. When two commands within the first command queue are set to use the same address, a stall pointer is set to mark the new "colliding" command. The "colliding" command and all commands behind it are stalled until all commands ahead of it, including the command that targeted the same address, have exited the queue. The drawbacks to this solution are that it forces the use of a second FIFO, prevents commands that have no dependencies from going ahead of commands that have dependencies, and commands are over stalled because this approach only looks at one dependency at a time, not every dependency individually.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for tracking command dependencies within command queues.

Method and apparatus for tracking command order dependencies

International Business Machines Corporation


An automatic faucet according to the present invention is characterized in that a protective cover for a sensor or the like is removably mounted in a superposed state on the inner surface of a spout body integrally formed with a discharge water flow path within the wall to constitute a spout, and a sensor or the like fitting space for storing a manual sensor, a sensor cord and the like is formed between the spout body and the protective cover for the sensor or the like. That is, the spout constituting the principal portion of the automatic faucet is substantially formed by assembling the mutually independent spout body having formed therein the discharge water flow path and protective cover for the sensor or the like. Accordingly, the spout of the automatic faucet can be assembled easily. When any trouble occurs with the manual sensor or the like or the sensor cord is broken, the protective cover for the sensor or the like can be removed rapidly from the spout body and the broken portion can be fixed or replaced easily.

According to one form of an automatic faucet, in the past, a spout is formed of casting, the interior of which is divided by a partitioning wall into two spaces to constitute a two-layer construction, one space being used as a discharge water flow path, the other space being used as a space in which a manual sensor such as an infrared sensor or a control unit is mounted, and a sensor cord or the like is provided.
In such a spout as described above, behavior of a user's hand is detected by a manual sensor, while maintaining a compact shape thereof, and an electromagnetic closing valve or the like is driven on the basis of the detected output so that operation of turning on and off the water can be performed automatically. Since it is not necessary to operate the closing valve directly by the hand, the using mode can be materially improved.
However, the spout cannot be disassembled because it is an integrally molded article formed by casting or the like. Therefore, the work for mounting a manual sensor or a control unit into the spout and the work for wiring a sensor cord to the sensor are cumbersome.
As a result, the manufacturing cost for the automatic faucet is high, and when any trouble occurs, maintenance therefor cannot be carried out easily.
It is an object of the present invention to provided an automatic faucet which can solve the aforementioned task.


An apparatus and method for stabilizing the surface of a food product is disclosed. The apparatus includes a frame, one or two sets of cylindrical rollers in the frame, the sets of rollers being inclined, a mechanism for rotating the rollers, and devices for surface treating the food article. The apparatus optionally may include an enclosure over the frame, and an oil applicator. The devices for surface treating the food article can include a plurality of direct flame applicators, cryogenic liquid gas applicators, impingement hot air applicators, and chemical solution applicators.

The invention relates generally to an apparatus for processing food products and, more particularly, to an apparatus for stabilizing the surface of a food product so that further processing of the food product is easily accomplished.
Protein is capable of forming a stable shape by thermal gelation (e.g., cooked eggs), chemically induced coagulation (e.g., tofu), freezing or deep fat frying (e.g., frozen or fried meatballs), or incorporating a hydrocolloid followed by setting with divalent cations (e.g., alginate with calcium ions). When the food material is solid or semi-solid, shape formation can be achieved using special machines, such as a patty machine or a sausage type stuffing machine. With fluid or semi-fluid materials, stabilized forms can be achieved by confining the materials to a mold, container, or package while subjecting the protein-containing material to heating, freezing, or chemical treatment.
Many types of machines are known for producing shaped food products, such as hot dogs, sausages, and meatballs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,356, Geissbuhler, discloses an apparatus for making skinless sausages. Tubes are filled with a meat mixture and exposed to a heat source such that the meat is at least partially coagulated. The tubes may be heated by thermal conduction, or microwave heating. Another apparatus for making skinless sausages is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,762, Mally. Sausage batter is fed into a molding compartment which is surrounded by a heating assembly. Batter passes through the molding compartment and is surface cooked or congealed to form a proteinaceous skin. The batter is then cut into partially shaped products, and further processed. The heating assembly uses thermal conduction to heat the surface of the batter.
Heating oil is used to heat the surface of the apparatus for cooking meatballs shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,073,225, Lang-Ree and 4,103,605, Hemborg et al. Internal heating elements are used to heat the surface of the rollers used to cook the meatballs in U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,665, Lang-Ree et al.
Other methods of processing such food materials include using infrared radiation to stabilize the surface of the food product, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,898, Brule, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,183, van Schouwenburg.
However, the use of thermal conduction and infrared radiation for stabilizing the surface of proteinaceous material is not energy efficient.
Some types of proteinaceous materials are difficult to process. For example, vegetable protein materials are particularly difficult to process due to the nature of the protein which does not provide sufficient binding in the raw state and the lack of rendering upon cooking. Typically, deep fat frying is necessary for mass production. However, this makes it difficult to produce a low-fat vegetarian food product.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an energy efficient apparatus for stabilizing the surface of proteinaceous food products to allow subsequent handling or processing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing shaped food products with little or no fat in the final product.
These, together with other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art when the following general statements and descriptions are read in the light of the appended drawings.

Apparatus for stabilizing the surface of a food product


A feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component has a monolithic structure including stacked internal signal electrodes and internal ground electrodes with dielectric layers disposed therebetween Internal dummy electrodes, which essentially do not contribute to electrostatic capacity formation, are disposed in at least one of a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and an external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, and a region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion. Thus, a highly reliable feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component with a uniform sintering state in the monolithic structure, and low resistance, is provided.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component having a monolithic structure formed by stacking one or more pairs of an internal signal electrode and an internal ground electrode so as to face one another across a dielectric layer, a pair of external signal electrodes which are connected to extension portions of the internal signal electrodes, and an external ground electrode connected to internal ground electrodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 6A and 6B, 7A and 7B, and 8 illustrate a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component (feedthrough type three-terminal capacitor) which is a type of a monolithic electronic component.
Here, FIG. 6A is a front cross-sectional view of a conventional feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component, FIG. 6B is a side cross-sectional view thereof, FIG. 7A is a plan view illustrating the form of an internal signal electrode, which is an element of a conventional feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component, FIG. 7B is a plan view illustrating the form of an internal ground electrode, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the external configuration of a conventional feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component.
The feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component has a structure wherein, a monolithic structure 54 (FIG. 8) is formed by stacking an internal signal electrode 52 (see FIG. 7A) and an internal ground electrode 53 (see FIG. 7B) so that the principal portions thereof face one another across a dielectric layer 51 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, a pair of external signal electrodes 55a and 55b (FIG. 6A) to which the extension portions 52a and 52b of internal signal electrodes 52 are connected is disposed on both end surfaces of the monolithic structure 54, and an external ground electrode 56 (FIG. 6B) to which the extension portions 53a and 53b of internal ground electrodes 53 are connected is disposed on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure 54.
Now, with a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component (feedthrough type three-terminal capacitor) having such a structure, normally, the electronic component includes a predetermined number of ceramic green sheets 57 upon which is disposed an internal signal electrode (pattern) 52 as shown in FIG. 7A and ceramic green sheets 58 upon which is disposed an internal ground electrode (pattern) 53 as shown in FIG. 7B being alternately layered, and further, outer layer ceramic green sheets (not shown) with no internal electrodes disposed thereon being layered on both the top and bottom and surfaces, and subjected to the processes of compression and baking, so that, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, internal electrodes (the internal signal electrodes 52 and internal ground electrodes 53) are layered with high concentration at the region X (electrode layering region) wherein the internal signal electrodes 52 and internal ground electrodes 53 are layered, but at the regions Y (extension portion layering region for signals) wherein the extension portions 52a and 52b of the internal signal electrodes 52 are disposed, and at the regions Z (extension portion layering region for grounding) wherein the extension portions 53a and 53b of the internal ground electrodes 53 are disposed, the internal electrodes (extension portions 52a and 52b and extension portions 53a and 53b) are disposed at every other layer (sparsely), meaning that there are irregularities in the layering concentration (distribution concentration) of the internal electrodes.
Consequently, at the time of baking the monolithic structure, scattering at the internal electrodes partially and selectively increases, so the sintering state of the internal electrodes becomes non-uniform, resulting in a problem wherein there are irregularities in the resistance of the internal electrodes.
Particularly, the sintering tends to be insufficient in the signal extension portion layering regions Y and the grounding extension portion layering regions Z, and connection with the external signal electrodes 55a and 55b and the external ground electrode 56 becomes poor, so there has been a problem in that the DC resistance tends to fluctuate.
Also, the resistance of the internal signal electrodes and the internal ground electrodes normally tends to become high in the event that sintering is insufficient, but these characteristics also become high in the event that sintering is excessive, and the irregularities in concentration on the monolithic structure due to the disposed state of the internal signal electrodes and grounding causes insufficient or excessive sintering, and is a great factor leading to fluctuations in the DC resistance.
In order to overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a highly reliable feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component having a monolithic structure including internal signal electrodes and internal ground electrodes stacked so as to face one another across a dielectric layer, wherein the sintering state of the monolithic structure is uniform and DC resistance is very small.
According to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component includes a monolithic structure having one or more pairs of an internal signal electrode and an internal ground electrode stacked so as to face one another across a dielectric layer, external signal electrodes communicating with extension portions of the internal signal electrodes and disposed on both end surfaces of the monolithic structure, and an external ground electrode communicating with extension portions of the internal ground electrodes and disposed on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, wherein internal dummy electrodes, which essentially do not contribute to electrostatic capacity formation, are disposed in at least one of: (a) a region defined by both side portions of the internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion; and (b) a region defined by both side portions of the internal ground electrodes and the external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion.
Disposing internal dummy electrodes which essentially do not contribute to electrostatic capacity formation in at least one of a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, and a region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, suppresses irregularities in the concentration of internal electrodes disposed within the monolithic structure and makes the sintering state of internal electrodes at the time of baking the monolithic structure uniform, thereby enabling irregularities in the resistance of internal electrodes to be minimized and prevented.
That is, with the feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, there are few irregularities in the concentration of internal electrodes, imbalance in the state of disposal of internal electrodes in the monolithic structure formed by alternately stacking internal signal electrodes and internal ground electrodes across dielectric layers (ceramic green sheets) and compressing in the manufacturing process is prevented from occurring, thereby preventing irregularities in the compression state and making the sintering state uniform. Accordingly, a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component with small DC resistance and high reliability can be obtained in a highly reliable manner.
Further, providing internal dummy electrodes increases the area of contact between the external signal electrodes and internal signal electrodes, and the area of contact between the external ground electrode and internal ground electrodes, thereby increasing the adhesion strength of the external electrodes, while the increased area of contact reduces the contact resistance, thereby improving anti-surge properties.
Now, with preferred embodiments of the present invention, the phrase xe2x80x9ca region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashionxe2x80x9d is a concept meaning a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, regardless of whether on the same plane in the monolithic structure where an internal signal electrode is disposed or on a different plane. This is a broad concept including not only feedthrough type three-terminal electronic components manufactured by a process wherein, for example, internal dummy electrodes are disposed on the same ceramic green sheets where internal signal electrodes are disposed, and the ceramic green sheets are layered, of course, but also to feedthrough type three-terminal electronic components manufactured by a process wherein internal dummy electrodes are disposed on different ceramic green sheets from those where internal signal jog electrodes are disposed, and the ceramic green sheets are stacked.
Further, the concept of xe2x80x9ca region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both end surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashionxe2x80x9d is also a broad concept in the same way as with the above-described region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure.
Moreover, with preferred embodiments of the present invention, the internal dummy electrodes may or may not be in a state of conducting with the external signal electrodes and the external ground electrode. However, a situation wherein the internal dummy electrodes are in a state of conducting with the internal signal electrodes and internal ground electrodes is undesirable, since the internal dummy electrodes will greatly contribute to electrostatic capacity formation.
Also, according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component includes a monolithic structure including a stack of one or more pairs of an internal signal electrode and an internal ground electrode, facing one another across a dielectric layer, external signal electrodes communicating with extension portions of internal signal electrodes and disposed on both end surfaces of the monolithic structure, and an external ground electrode communicating with extension portions of internal ground electrodes and disposed on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, wherein internal dummy electrodes, which essentially do not contribute to electrostatic capacity formation, are disposed in both: (a) a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, and (b) a region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion.
Disposing internal dummy electrodes which essentially do not contribute to electrostatic capacity formation in both a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, and a region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, viewing the monolithic structure in planar fashion, enables irregularities in the concentration of internal electrodes disposed in the monolithic structure to be prevented and eliminated, thereby making the sintering state of internal electrodes at the time of baking the monolithic structure uniform.
Further, the area of contact between the external signal electrodes and internal signal electrodes and the area of contact between the external ground electrode and internal ground electrodes increases, such that increases in contact resistance are minimized and prevented in an even more reliable manner, and consequently, the completed product has excellent anti-surge properties.
Also, regarding the internal dummy electrodes, internal dummy electrodes, disposed in a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, may have a form essentially corresponding to the form of the extension portions of internal ground electrodes, and may have dimensions extending in the direction following both side surfaces of the monolithic structure which are essentially the same as or greater than the width of the extension portions of the internal ground electrodes. Alternatively, internal dummy electrodes, disposed in a region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, may have a form essentially corresponding to the form of the extension portions of internal signal electrodes, and may have dimensions extending in the direction following both end surfaces of the monolithic structure which are essentially the same as or greater than the width of the extension portions of the internal signal electrodes.
This arrangement wherein, of the internal dummy electrodes, internal dummy electrodes, disposed in a region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, have a form essentially corresponding to the form of the extension portions of internal ground electrodes, and have dimensions extending in the direction following both side surfaces of the monolithic structure which are essentially the same as or greater than the width of the extension portions of the internal ground electrodes, and internal dummy electrodes, disposed in a region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, have a form essentially corresponding to the form of the extension portions of internal signal electrodes, and have dimensions extending in the direction following both end surfaces of the monolithic structure which are essentially the same as or greater than the width of the extension portions of the internal signal electrodes, enables the disposed state of the internal electrodes to be even more uniform, achieving further advantages of the present invention.
The reason that the dimensions of the internal dummy electrodes in the above-described predetermined direction are preferably the same as or greater than the width of the extension portions of the internal ground electrodes or internal signal electrodes is that this structure results in each of the electrodes being sandwiched between dummy electrodes from above and below, thereby facilitating making uniform the sintering state of the internal electrodes.
In an alternative arrangement, the internal dummy electrodes may be disposed only in the region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, and may not be disposed in the region defined by both side portions of internal ground electrodes and external signal electrodes provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure.
With the arrangement wherein internal dummy electrodes are disposed only in the region defined by both side portions of internal signal electrodes and the external ground electrode provided on both side surfaces of the monolithic structure, the sintering state is made uniform to a degree which is sufficiently meaningful for actual use, and the DC resistance is greatly reduced. This is because the width of the extension portions of the internal ground electrodes is smaller than the width of the extension portions of the internal signal electrodes, and accordingly is more readily affected by sintering of the internal electrodes.
Also, Ni or a Ni alloy may be used as a material for forming the internal signal electrodes and the internal ground electrodes.
In the event that Ni or a Ni alloy is used as the material for forming the internal signal electrodes and the internal ground electrodes, irregularities in the sintering state occur more readily due to imbalance in the state of internal electrodes disposed in the monolithic structure, since Ni scatters more readily than Pd at the time of sintering, but the sintering state can be made uniform and the DC resistance reduced by applying preferred embodiments of the present invention in such a case, which is particularly significant.
Also, the thickness of the internal signal electrodes, the internal ground electrodes, and the internal dummy electrodes, may be about 2 xcexcm or less.
As the number of layers of internal electrodes increases, the thickness of the internal signal electrodes, internal ground electrodes, and internal dummy electrodes often becomes thinner, and in the event that the thickness of the internal electrodes including the extension portion is about 2 xcexcm or less, great fluctuations in DC resistance readily occur due to the sintering state of the internal electrodes, but in such a case, applying preferred embodiments of the present invention allows a feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component to be obtained with a uniform sintering state and small DC resistance, which is particularly significant.
Other features, elements, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

Feedthrough type three-terminal electronic component


A technique for minimizing motor polygon assembly output reflectivity using real time facet reflectivity measurements and mapping. An automatic power control sensor manages laser beams produced by the laser source associated with the system during overscan periods ‘outside’ of defined printing time. Errors are then recorded internal to the raster output scanner to minimize overall setup in the image output terminal.

Processes and devices used for electro photographic printers wherein a laser scan line is projected onto a photoconductive surface are known. In the case of laser printers, facsimile machines, and the like, it is common to employ a raster output scanner (ROS) as a source of signals to be imaged on a pre-charged photoreceptor (a photosensitive plate, belt, or drum) for purposes of xerographic printing. The ROS provides a laser beam which switches on and off as it moves, or scans, across a photoreceptor.
Commonly, the surface of the photoreceptor is selectively imaged and discharged by the laser in locations to be printed. On-and-off control of the beam to create the desired latent image on the photoreceptor is facilitated by digital electronic data controlling of the laser source. A common technique for effecting this scanning of the beam across the photoreceptor is to employ a rotating polygon mirror surface; the laser beam from the ROS is reflected by the facets of the polygon, creating a scanning motion of the beam, which forms a scan line across the photoreceptor. A large number of scan lines on a photoreceptor together form a raster of the desired latent image. Once a latent image is formed on the photoreceptor, the latent image is subsequently developed with a toner, and the developed image is transferred to a copy sheet, as in the well-known process of xerography.
While several exposure systems have been developed for use in electro photographic marking, one commonly used system is the raster output scanner (ROS). A raster output scanner is comprised of a laser beam such that the laser beam contains image information, a rotating polygon mirror having one or more reflective surfaces, a motor polygon assembly, etc. Some raster output scanners employ more than one laser beam. Usually in motor polygon assembly (MPA), errors may occur during manufacturing. Based upon these errors erratic beam reflectivity may occur from each facet in a ROS Imager MPA assembly that is then passed on to ROS outputs as dysfunctions in critical applications.
Laser scanning is based on a technique achieving both start-of-scan detection and dynamic beam intensity regulation in a multiple laser beam raster output scanner using a photodetector. The raster output scanner includes a source, or sources, of a plurality of laser beams or arrays, a rotating polygon having at least one reflecting facet for sweeping the laser beams to form a scan line path, and a photodetector for receiving illumination from the multiple laser beams and for converting those beams into beam-dependent electrical currents. The raster output scanner further includes a scan detection circuit for producing a start-of-scan signal, and a beam intensity circuit for producing an electrical output signal which depends upon the beam intensity of each laser beam. Optionally the raster output scanner also can include an optical fiber 102 that collects a portion of the light flux in the sweeping laser beams which directs the light flux onto the photo detector. Referring to FIG. 1 (prior-art) the top view 100 of a raster output scanner used in the electro photographic printing machine is illustrated. The raster output scanning assembly 100 can include a plurality of laser diodes or array(s) 150 and 151 which produce laser beams 103 and 104, respectively, are modulated according to image data from the data source and laser driver 152. The image data from the data source and laser driver 152 might originate from an input scanner, a computer, a facsimile machine, a memory device, or any of a number of other image data sources.
The purpose of the data source and laser driver 152 is to excite lasers 150 and 151 with modulated drive currents such that the desired electrostatic latent image is interlaced on the photoreceptor in precise registration with uniform exposure. The output flux from laser diodes 150 and 151 are collimated by optical elements 154, reflected by fold mirror 156, and focused on reflective facets 157 of rotating polygon 158 by cylindrical lens 160. The facets of rotating polygon 158 deflect the beams which are then focused into well defined spots focused on the surface of photoreceptor 10 by scan lens elements 162 and 164. As the polygon rotates, the focused spots trace parallel raster scan lines on the surface of the photoreceptor. The sensor network 106 is positioned in the scan path to collect light flux from beams 103 and 104 at the beginning of the scan. Optionally, the input end of the optical fiber 102 is positioned in the scan path to collect light flux from beams 103 and 104 at the beginning of the scan. The optical fiber 102 transmits the intercepted flux to the sensor network 106. Beam intensity signal 110 and the start of scan signals are configured from the sensor network 106 to the data source and laser driver 152. The synchronized input 122 is configured to the sensor network 106.
The present inventor has recognized a drawback of prior art of laser scanning is with lack in effectively controlling the output intensity variation of exposing beam(s) of a rotating polygon type image forming apparatus using control marks formed on a rotating surface portion of a polygon member or a motor polygon assembly. Ideally, control marks can be read by a reader during rotation of the polygon member, and the information read from the control marks is used to control the modulation of the exposing beam of the image forming apparatus to expose evenly spaced, uniformly sized, precisely oriented, geometrically straight scan lines of pixels on a photosensitive member. The control marks can include pixel clock information, intensity correction information, error correction information about individual facets of the polygon member, and motor speed control information.

Motor polygon assembly (MPA) facet reflectivity mapping


A substrate-processing apparatus includes a plurality of process chambers, a buffer unit, and a transfer member. The transfer member transfers the substrate between the process chambers and the buffer unit, and collects the substrates processed in at least two of the process chambers where processes are simultaneously finished to transfer the processed substrates to the buffer unit at once. Accordingly, a number of times during which the transfer member transfers substrates is decreased so that the substrate-processing apparatus reduces the process time and improves the productivity.

In substrate-manufacturing processes, deposition and etching of dielectrics and metal materials, coating and development of photoresists, asher process, etc are repeated a plurality of times to achieve delicate arrangement of patterning. However, although these processes including the etching or the asher process are performed, foreign substances still remain in substrates. Processes for removing these foreign substances include a cleaning process using deionized water or chemical.
Substrate-cleaning apparatuses performing the cleaning process are classified into a batch substrate cleaning apparatus and a single substrate cleaning apparatus. The batch substrate cleaning apparatus includes a chemical bath, a rinse bath, and a dry bath having sizes capable of processing 25 substrates or 50 substrates at once. The batch substrate cleaning apparatus removes foreign substances by immersing substrates in the respective baths for predetermined times. Such a batch substrate cleaning apparatus simultaneously cleans upper and lower portions of a substrate and processes a large amount of substrates simultaneously. However, as the diameters of substrates are increased, the sizes of baths are also increased, so as to increase the size of an apparatus and the amount of chemical. In addition, foreign substances detached from adjacent substrates are attached to substrates being cleaned in a chemical bath.
Recently, as the diameter of substrates is increased, the single substrate cleaning apparatus is widely used. In the single substrate cleaning apparatus, a substrate is fixed to a substrate chuck in a chamber having a small size adapted for processing a single substrate, then rotated by a motor, and then chemical or deionized water is provided to the substrate through a nozzle disposed over the substrate. The spin of the substrate spreads the chemical or the deionized water on the upper portion of the substrate, so as to remove foreign substances from the substrate. The single substrate cleaning apparatus has a smaller size than the batch substrate cleaning apparatus and achieves a uniform cleaning performance.
In general, the single substrate cleaning apparatus includes, from a side thereof, a loading/unloading unit, an index robot, a buffer unit, process chambers, and a main transfer robot. The index robot transfers substrates between the buffer unit and the loading/unloading unit, and the main transfer robot transfers substrates between the buffer unit and the process chambers. At the buffer unit, substrates to be cleaned wait to be inserted into the process chambers, or the substrates that have been cleaned wait to be transferred to the loading/unloading unit.
The main transfer robot includes a hand transferring a substrate to be cleaned and a hand transferring a cleaned substrate, so that the main transfer robot can transfers one substrate to be cleaned and one cleaned substrate. Thus, when substrates have been cleaned in the two process chambers, respectively, an operation of transferring the substrate to be cleaned from the buffer unit to the process chamber is performed two times, and an operation of transferring the cleaned substrate from the process chamber to the buffer unit is performed two times.
As such, the main transfer robot has two hands used for different purposes, and thus the main transfer robot transfers substrates between only one process chamber and the buffer unit, at a time. This increases the number of times during which the main transfer robot moves, and the transfer time of substrates, and reduces productivity.

Substrate-processing apparatus and method of transferring substrate in the same


A physical exercise machine is provided having a stepper exercise assembly and a climber exercise assembly which includes a pair of handles individually slidable on parallel tubular rails against the tension of spring elements contained within the rails. The rails are retractable into a tubular support member for collapsing the machine from an extended to a compact configuration.

1. Field of the Invention:
This invention pertains to the field of physical exercise equipment and in particular relates to a combination stepper/climber exercise machine characterized in that the climber portion of the machine is retractable into a supporting element of the stepper portion of the machine, so that the machine can be collapsed to a compact configuration.
2. State of the Prior Art
Stepper exercise machines provide a simulated stair climbing exercise, and such machines are in popular use. Generally, the stepper machine has two foot operated levers or pedals pivoted to a free-standing supporting frame and synchronized by an appropriate mechanism, such as an interconnecting pulley arrangement, so that one lever rises as the other is depressed. The movement of the foot levers is damped by a resistance element, such as a hydraulic cylinder, to oppose the weight of the user bearing down on the foot levers. The result is an alternating up and down motion of the foot levers as the user's weight is shifted from one lever to the other, simulating the effort required in climbing a staircase.
A climber exercise machine, on the other hand, typically has left and right handles at an overhead level, requiring the user to reach up to grasp the handles, which are alternately pulled down to a chest level against a yielding resistance, the handles returning to their elevated position when pulling force climbing a cliff for example where the arms are called onto to pull-up the weight of the climber along the cliff face.
Combination stepper/climber exercise machines are also known, as exemplified by Wang U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,441 and 4,982,952. Both these patented devices have an elongated support member which rises to the full height necessary to support the handles of the climber portion of the exerciser at or above eye level of a user standing on the stepper portion of the device. The overall height of the device can be reduced for shipment or storage only by disassembling the machine. Other known combinations stepper/climber exercise machine suffer from the same shortcoming, in that they can not be readily and conveniently downsized for transport or storage.
What is needed is a combination stepper/climber which can be easily collapsed to a compact configuration when not in use, without need of tooling by the average, mechanically unskilled user.


An improved archery quiver mounting device is provided which includes a base support member and a quiver mounting arm. The base support member includes an attaching arrangement for attaching the mounting device to the belt or waistband of the archer. In addition, a clevis device having bifurcated legs is provided for pivotally receiving the quiver mounting arm. The mounting arm has an aperture to receive a tension adjusting bolt which has a convenient hand knob for quickly adjusting the friction between the clevis parts and the mounting arm so that the mounting arm can be positionally adjusted in any desired position. The opposite end of the mounting arm has a number of properly placed mounting holes for attaching the coupler flange for a standard quiver mount whereby a quiver can be quickly and easily attached to the arm. The mounting arm can be bent inwardly toward the leg of the archer so as to properly position the quiver during use.

The archery quiver has been described as a container for conveniently carrying and storing arrows for use by an archer. The quiver is a handy tool which allows the archer to have convenient access to the arrows during various archery events. These events not only cover recreational shooting, but tournament competition as well as use during bow hunting.
As is well understood the position of the quiver during hunting can become quite critical to the hunter. Arrows are long, thin projectiles that have stabilizing feathers or vanes at one end and a sharpened tip or point at the opposite end. A notch, provided at the feathered end, allows the arrow to engage the bow string to stabilize the arrow and provide direct energy transfer from the bow string to the arrow at the time that the arrow is released.
Most quivers are arranged so that the pointed end of the arrow is inserted into the quiver to protect the points and hold or retain the arrows. Thus, the feathered or "nock" end of the arrow extends usually beyond the quiver in an exposed manner. These feathers or vanes are usually colorful and quite visible so that the archer can track the arrow in flight and identify its position in the target. In many cases, whether the user is engaged in competition or hunting determines the type of quiver and the mounting arrangement for the quiver. In the past the hunting quivers have been mounted on the back of the user by means of a strap or have been hung by a strap from the belt or waistband of the user. In many cases where the belt has been used as the support for the quiver a second strap at the bottom of the quiver has been tied to the leg to hold and position the quiver during ambulation. A third quiver mount which has become quite popular with competition archers as well as hunters is the arrangement where the quiver is mounted directly on the archer's bow
From a patenting standpoint the first "bow" quiver was patented in the United States in 1949, by F. B. Bear (U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,068). This quiver was a unique approach to the sport of archery, since it secured arrows individually, rather than clustering them together and more significantly the quiver mounted directly onto the bow itself. Another quiver design patented in the United States in the same year, by J. A. Schoenike (U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,101), also held arrows individually in custom sized channels but maintained the traditional pouch design and was carried separate from the bow.
During following years numerous other "bow" quiver designs followed, which greatly broadened the original concept. Many of these quivers could be mounted at various angles to accommodate the archer's preference with regard to shooting position In addition, these developments included new mechanical arrangements for attaching and mounting the quivers to the bow as well as the person of the archer. Many of these included quick disconnect type methods, which allowed the quiver to be attached and removed quite readily in order to replenish the arrow supply of the archer. As an additional feature a patent by H. J. Rose, 1973, (U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,734) incorporated into the bow quiver a mounting element for use in attaching the quiver to the belt of an archer after detaching it from the bow.
Modern arrow quivers fall into three (3) categories; back quivers, bow quivers and hip quivers. All bow quivers hold arrows secured individually, but back and hip quivers can exhibit either type of arrow carrying design, such as, those which cluster arrows together or those which secure arrows individually. Existing designs in hip quivers, which secure arrows individually, are carried upon a waist belt, usually disconnect from the belt quickly and have a rigid spine design, which holds the arrows at a specific angle with relation to the belt support, as well as the ground. Most of these quivers have leg straps or ties to stabilize the lower portion of the quiver to the adjacent leg. Some of these designs even have a continuously pivoting yoke at the waist attachment which is provided to relive the torquing forces at the attachment due to walking or squatting, which are created during use. This is typical of the type of quiver which is mounted both at the waist as well as being tied to the leg, simultaneously.
The many prior art designs which presently exist with hip quivers which are preferred by hunters limit the bowhunter's ability to deal with varying terrain and to remain concealed, and camouflaged with the environment. A rigid fixed angle at which the arrows are held prohibits the archer from squatting against a steep hillside or among underbrush since the feathered or "nock" ends of the arrows will jam into and engage the surrounding terrain and foliage. Furthermore, should the archer need to crawl on "all fours", such quivers position the arrows so that the feathers or vanes extend high above the archers back, which is a decided detriment to his intended goal of concealment and camouflage. In addition, if the quiver is also attached to the leg of the archer this feature causes the feathered ends of the arrows to "flag" or wave while moving or ambulating which is again a decided detriment to the goal of the hunter.


Methods and devices for obtaining a fingerprint sample due to incidental contact with a fingerprint sensor when performing a gesture are described. In one aspect, an electronic device includes a touchscreen display and a fingerprint sensor adjacent the touchscreen display. One or more processors are associated with instructions that cause a fingerprint sample to be obtained and that cause a gesture to be detected. The gesture is characterized by input representing movement that is directed at or from the fingerprint sensor. The input is received, at least in part, at an end of the touchscreen display that is nearest the fingerprint sensor.

Electronic devices, such as mobile communication devices, are often used to receive and store sensitive data. For example, such devices are often used in an enterprise environment where confidential information may be passed around between such devices. Device security is, therefore, often a concern for enterprise users.
Device security may also be an issue for non-enterprise users. For example, users who are using devices for personal use may wish to secure such devices so that unauthorized users, such as children for example, are unable to perform certain actions such as making telephone calls, making long distance telephone calls, accessing the Internet, and/or making purchases from the device.
Password-based protection has historically been used to prevent electronic devices from being used by an unauthorized user. Passwords are typically alpha-numeric strings or sequences that are input via a keyboard. Such protection is vulnerable to a number of attacks. For example, a password-guessing attack might be employed in order to gain unauthorized use of an electronic device. Unauthorized access may also be obtained in password protected environments when an unauthorized user observes entry of a password by an authorized user and makes note of the password.
In addition to the security concerns, password entry may also be time-consuming for a user since they are required to sequentially input a string whose security value increases with its length. As password length increases, the security of the password is improved, but the time required for input is also increased.
Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.

Authentication using fingerprint sensor in gesture path


A wireless communication device (200), including: a housing (210); a controller (220), the controller (220) configured to control the operations of the wireless communication device; memory (270) coupled to the controller (220); a transceiver (250) coupled to the controller (220), the transceiver (250) configured to send and receive wireless signals; the receive signal includes at least a control channel and a packet data channel, the control channel being configured to provide the modulation and encoding and/or decoding information necessary to process a subsequent packet of data received by the transceiver (250) or in preparation for transmission by the transceiver (250); a monitoring module (290) for monitoring the control channel and controlling a dynamic scaling module (295), the monitoring module (290) reads a parameter field from the control channel which is used to determine that the data message has certain processing needs meeting a certain threshold; the dynamic scaling module (295) is configured to provide energy savings by varying the voltage and frequency of a controller, substantially real-time, according to processing needs, including: (i) a performance mode when the certain threshold is met; and (ii) a default mode when the certain threshold is not met.

1. Field
The present disclosure is directed to a wireless communication device and method.
2. Introduction
User's are demanding wireless communication devices and methods capable of decoding the highest data rate possible. Presently known methods either maintain the voltage and frequency at levels required to support high data rates, generally all of the time, or use long term averaging methods to scale voltage and frequency at a slow rate. These devices provide minimal improvement, while leaving significant current drain savings unaddressed.
There is a need to aggressively utilize dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) in wireless communication applications, to maximize battery life.
More particularly, there is a need to aggressively utilize dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) in wireless communication applications, for example, for use in packet communication applications.
Thus, there is a need for a method and device for prolonging battery life in battery operated wireless applications.

Wirelesss communication device and method


This invention relates to a device for causing fracture of a brittle material such as a glass. The invention employs at least two fluid streams directed against the surface of the material to be cut. One stream is a heated fluid such as air whereas a second flow of colder fluid such as ambient temperature air is also directed against the surface to be fractured at a displaced location. The combined effect of heating and rapid cooling causes thermal stress and fracture to occur in the material to be cut. The manner of applying the fluid according to this invention produces a highly controllable propagating fracture.

This invention relates to the cutting of glass, using a cold fluid jet to produce a controlled thermal shock to induce a precisely propagated fracture of the glass. While not limited thereto in its capability, the present invention is an effective tool for severing glass and similar material in curved patterns and odd shapes as well as linear cuts without leaving serrated, or ragged edges.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,720,883 F. N. Campbell, et al disclose a method of severing glass along a defined line by applying heat to the zone of such line and other conditions in a manner whereby controlled expansion takes place and the glass is accurately severed at the desired line. The heat necessary for the invention is provided in a controlled method from a table and support system which separates the glass and pieces derived from the cutting process. The prior art is limited in its flexibility; that is, the pattern in which the glass is to be cut must be pre-determined and then the mechanism, or table must be reset each time a change in the cutting pattern is desired. The prior art utilizes bare copper wire laid within notches on the cutting table to provide heat for the cutting process, therefore, this method is further inflexible because its mode of thermal transference must also be prepatterned.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,006 Pikor discloses an apparatus for cutting notch sensitive materials. The apparatus induces heat shock to notch sensitive materials, including glass. This apparatus includes a flexible resistance heater wire which may be applied to an article to be severed in overlying relationship to the desired fracture plane; the fracture plane usually being defined by a preconditioning step of scribing. The prior art is inflexible in its ability to transfer the necessary heat for the process because the mode of tranference is a copper wire, patterns of severence are limited to shapes which can be overlayed by the wire. Pikor's is also inflexible in that the glass must be scribed along the desired cut before the mode of heat transfer is applied to sever the glass.
In United Kingdom patent number 1,357,116 Pilkington Brothers Limited disclose an invention which relates to the cutting of glass and in particular to the cutting of glass sheet material by inducing thermal stress within the glass. The apparatus provides a method of cutting glass sheet material which method comprises forming a point of weakness at a position on the glass, directing a stream of heated gas through a nozzle outlet towards the glass so that the stream is incident on the point of weakness to initiate a fracture in the glass, meanwhile restraining the flow of heated gas away from the area of glass adjacent the nozzle outlet by means of a restraining member symmetrically disposed around the nozzle outlet and extending perpendicular to the axis of the nozzle outlet, and effecting relative movement between the glass and the nozzle outlet along a path, the temperature and flow rate of the gas being controlled so that sufficient stress is generated in the glass to extend the fracture from the point of weakness along the path in a controlled fashion.
In summary, prior art claims to generate a fracture by heating the glass by direct contact with a heated wire, heating of the glass by bringing the glass in close proximity to a heating wire, or, by heating the glass with a jet of hot gas. While heating the glass by any of the above methods will result in a fracture of the glass, precise control of the fracture line is difficult to achieve because the fracture actually occurs as the glass cools. Thus, the prior art relies on precision heating of the glass along the desired fracture line and depends upon ambient atmospheric air to cool the glass back to the the line of fracture. At best, this is a random cooling process, particularly where the heating and cooling is not in a linear pattern. The prior art is limited, as cited in United Kingdom patent number 1,357,116, Pilkington Brothers Limited, in that small circles are impossible to cut in their entirety by the hot gas jet method of heating. The final few degrees cannot be cut by the hot gas method if the ambient atmospheric air is used for cooling, because the final few degrees will fracture uncontrollably in an undesireable fashion in a chord to the circle, therefore, use of mechanical means is required to complete the cut. This undesireable effect is caused by the retention of heat in the glass in the center of circle which is subjected to constant application of heat; the retained heat cannot be disipated quickly enough by ambient atmospheric air. However, if the exact track of the cooling gradient can be controlled, a precise, and controlled fracture can be achieved. The prior art attempts to control the fracture line by surrounding the hot air jet with a ring to control lateral dispersion of the hot air and consequently disipation of heat through the glass. The exact line of fracture is dependant upon the rate of cooling from the outside of the heated area to center of the area which was heated. The present invention directs the cooling air to cause a fracture in any desired pattern and provides a finished edge that requires no additional grinding, or cutting.


An improved door sill construction. The sill includes a core including a form made from spun class fibers treated with a polyester resin. The spun glass fibers are oriented in both lineal rows and random mats in order to maximize strength. The sill further includes a cladding coating the form which is stable to ultraviolet radiation.

Sliding doors such as ones providing egress, for example, from a residential dwelling to a patio or deck are well-known in the prior art. Such prior art is fairly well developed. Sliding doors having been in existence for a considerable period of time. Typically, such doors, which are known as French doors, are utilized to provide access, as indicated above, to patios, decks, etc. from residences with which such patios, decks, etc. are associated.
Of serious concern in the manufacture of doors in general and, particularly, sliding doors, is the sill structure. The sill is the portion which provides the threshhold over which one passes when passing through the door closure.
In the case of sliding doors, sills provide unique problems. They must be resistent to chemical action which might result from exposure to ultraviolet light. Additionally, they must be strong and durable, since traffic across them can be quite significant.
In the prior art, various materials have been employed in the manufacture of sliding door sills. Wood is one particular composition which has been employed. Wood, however, decays over a period of time, since wood absorbs moisture. Even when decay is slow so that the useful life of a sill is obtained, warping can occur. Warping, if significant enough, can create a safety hazard. At a minimum, however, it gives rise to an unsightly condition.
Aluminum has been deemed to be a logical choice for a sliding door sill application. Aluminum has been thought to have the most significant strength for this application. Stronger materials would, of course, be more desirable.
Even aside from the strength issue, however, aluminum does have certain drawbacks. Because of its inherent metallic properties, aluminum has a relatively high coefficient of thermal conductivity. When used in a sliding door sill application, aluminum can conduct heat within the building in which the door is installed to the outside. This is a particularly acute problem in geographic locations where winters are very cold. In extreme temperature conditions, the temperature gradient between the inside and outside of a building is quite extreme.
The solution proposed when aluminum is used has been to provide a thermal break in order to inhibit thermal conduction. Doing this, however, has translated to high manufacturing costs.
It is to these dictates of the prior art and the problems discussed above that the present invention is directed. It is a composition for a sliding door sill which overcomes the problems of the prior art, taking into account the desirable dictates for such a product.


The invention covers a not and cold water mixer valve with thermostatic regulation, which comprises a valve body enclosing a ceramic-disc valve assembly and a thermosensitive bulb (30) arranged axially, centered and contiguos with the valve assembly, susceptible of axial dilatation and free from any control functions for the opening/closing of the valve.

On the one hand, mixer valves are known which can be inserted into tap bodies like cartridges and which comprise ceramic-disc valve assemblies to control the delivery of hot water, cold water or mixed water resulting from the displacement of a displaceable disc on another fixed disc. The fixed and displaceable discs are usually provided with inlet passages for hot and cold water and with one outlet passage for the delivery of mixed water to the tap spout.
On the other hand, various types of hot and cold water mixer taps are known which comprise thermostatic regulators designed to interact with a sliding unit which varies the inlet openings for cold and hot water in order to change the mixing ratio of the two types of water according to the temperature required for the fluid delivered. In known arrangements, the thermosensitive unit is often designed to perform control functions and to operate the valve elements as well, thus being subject to considerable mechanical stress.

Hot and cold water mixer valve assembly with thermostatic regulation