A cleansing system for improving operation of a petrochemical plant or refinery. The petrochemical plant or refinery may include a fractionation column, a condenser, and a pump. Equipment, such as condensers, receivers, reboilers, feed exchangerss, and pumps may be divided into subsections. Temperatures, pressures, flows, and other plant operations may be used for optimizing plant performance. A cleansing unit performs an enhanced cleansing process, which may allow early detection and diagnosis of the plant operating conditions based on one or more environmental factors.

Companies operating refineries and petrochemical plants typically face tough challenges in today's environment. These challenges may include increasingly complex technologies, a reduction in workforce experience levels, and constantly changing environmental regulations.
Furthermore, as feed and product supplies become more volatile, operators often find it more difficult to make operating decisions that may optimize their approach. This volatility may be unlikely to ease in the foreseeable future, but may represent potential to those companies that can quickly identify and respond to opportunities as they arise.
Outside pressures generally force operating companies to continually increase the usefulness of existing assets. In response, catalyst, adsorbent, equipment, and control system suppliers develop more complex systems that can increase performance. Maintenance and operations of these advanced systems generally requires increased skill levels that may be difficult to develop, maintain, and transfer, given the time pressures and limited resources of today's technical personnel. These increasingly complex systems are not always operated to their highest potential. In addition, when existing assets are operated close to and beyond their design limits, reliability concerns and operational risks may increase.
Plant operators typically respond to the above challenges with one or more strategies, such as, for example, availability risk reduction, working the value chain, and continuous optimization. Availability risk reduction emphasizes achieving adequate plant operations as opposed to maximizing performance. Working the value chain emphasizes improving the match of feed and product mix with asset capabilities and outside demands. Continuous optimization employs tools, systems, and models to continuously monitor and bridge gaps in plant performance.
In a typical data cleansing process, only flow meters are corrected. Data cleansing is performed to correct flow meter calibration and fluid density changes, after which the total error of flow meters in a mass balance envelope is averaged to force a 100% mass balance between the net feed and net product flows. But this conventional data cleansing practice ignores other related process information available (e.g., temperatures, pressures, and internal flows) and does not allow for an early detection of a significant error. Specifically, the errors associated with the flow meters are distributed among the flow meters, and thus it is difficult to detect an error of a specific flow meter.
Typically, plant measurements including sensor data are collected on a continual basis, while laboratory measurements are intermittently sampled and delivered to a laboratory for analysis. Thus, when evaluating plant performance based on the actual operating data, it is often difficult to determine a state of health of the plant operation due to a time lag in receiving plant laboratory data.
In many cases, because the laboratory data is collected at a sparse time interval, such as once a day or week, the laboratory data is unavailable during the interval, and thus becomes outdated. Due to the time to updated laboratory data, the plant operators often use the most recently available set of laboratory data for performance evaluation, and assume that the last laboratory data set is still appropriate for the current operating data. This assumption is frequently misleading and inappropriate because the last laboratory data set may be unreliable at the time of plant performance evaluation.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved data cleansing system and method that performs an early detection and diagnosis of plant operation using environmental factors without substantially relying on laboratory data.

Cleansing system for a feed composition based on environmental factors


A process for the preparation and purification of nitroaromatics by nitration of the corresponding aromatics and subsequent melt crystallization. The residual melts which occur are recycled.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation and purification of nitroaromatics.
Nitroaromatics constitute valuable intermediates for dye synthesis, primary products for plastics (e.g., toluylenediisocyanate and diphenylmethanediisocyanate), plant protection products, etc. Such nitroaromatic compounds are generally reduced to the corresponding amines, which are then further processed.
Nitroaromatics are prepared industrially by reacting aromatic hydrocarbons with nitric acid in the liquid phase in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. Commodity chemicals, especially, nitrobenzenes and nitrotoluenes having one or more nitro groups, are obtained in this manner. Mixtures of sulfuric acid and nitric acid of varying concentrations are used for the reaction. The literature also describes processes which work with only nitric acid (U.S. Pat. No. 4.918,250; U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,272 and WO 89/12620) or N.sub.2 O.sub.4/ O.sub.2 mixtures (EP 169 441 and EP 173 131) in the liquid phase.
Common features of the known processes for producing nitroaromatics are: 1) the nitroaromatics are separated from the aqueous acid and the water produced by the reaction, and 2) neutralization of the acids dissolved in the nitroaromatic is performed with basic substances (e.g. with metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, metal hydrogen carbonates, ammonia, amines, etc.). These bases are used in the form of aqueous solutions in order to wash the nitroaromatic free of acid. The nitroaromatic is further scrubbed with fully deionized water in order to remove dissolved salts from the nitroaromatic. A considerable effluent volume (approx. 50 to 1000 kg effluent per tonne of nitroaromatic) results. This effluent is heavily contaminated with inorganic salts such as nitrates, sulfates and nitrated aromatic compounds (nitroaromatics, nitrophenol derivatives, nitrobenzoic acids, etc.).
Nitrated aromatic compounds are known to be difficult to degrade in biological treatment plants. Inorganic nitrates are partly responsible for the increased nitrogen input to the natural environment. Effluents from the production of nitroaromatics must therefore be extensively treated in order to remove these pollutants before leading to a waste water treatment plant.
Another possible route for separation of the aqueous acid from the nitration mixture is the crystallization of the nitroaromatics out of the solution. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,632 describes the possibility of separating dinitrotoluene from the reaction solution by single-stage crystallization. However, this separation technique changes the isomer ratio in the dinitrotoluene. Further purification of the crystallized dinitrotoluene to separate from normally present inorganic and organic acids is not described.
DE 2 926 947 discloses that nitrosation agents can be removed from the nitroaromatics after nitration of the nitroaromatics by crystallization. However, it is then necessary to separate and wash the compound which crystallizes out with a pH-neutral material, in order to remove other organic and inorganic acids from the product.

Process for the preparation and purification of nitroaromatics


A data recorder includes a unitary housing such as comprised of a molded plastic having an open upper portion, a removable lower cover, and a data card receiving arrangement at one end thereof. The data card receiving arrangement includes a narrow slot of precisely fixed dimensions for preventing the insertion of more than one data card at a time. Disposed within the housing are various flat template members arranged in a layered array, with each template having a plurality of spaced apertures therein. Upon full insertion of a data card in the data recorder, the leading edge of the card urges a forward-biased mask member to the full aft position for aligning the apertures of the various layered members allowing the tip of a stylus to be inserted through aligned apertures in the mask and template members to permit severing of chips or punch portions from the data card, which may be either scored or unscored. The recorder includes a seal/lock arrangement and means for removing a hung-up card without disassembling the recorder. Several telescoping stylus designs are contemplated, one employing a trigger mechanism which activates a pointed, inner telescoping member when a predetermined force is manually applied to the stylus, causing the inner member to pierce the data card and remove a chip therefrom in a manner which provides an aural and tactile indication to the user that the data card has been punched.

This invention relates generally to the entry and recording of data on a card, and apparatus therefor, and is particularly directed to a data recording device and associated stylus for removing portions of a data card such as an election ballot.
Data, or information, is frequently recorded on cards by punching out, or removing, portions of the card at designated locations, each having associated therewith a given piece of information. Vote recorders are one example of such data recording apparatus. However, a wide range of data is so recorded in various fields such as in evaluation and testing, market surveys, census taking, meter reading, credit card processing, etc. Apparatus for entry of such information on data cards should be inexpensive, reliable and accurate, easy to use, re-usable, and adaptable to various applications and uses.
Present data recorders, particularly of the vote recorder type, generally include a housing into which a data card is inserted for aligning apertures in a plurality of stacked templates permitting a stylus to be inserted in the aligned apertures and through designated locations in the data card. Prior art data recorders generally include a multi-piece housing which must be assembled and securely coupled together during manufacture. Such assembly is generally done by hand and is thus expensive and difficult because of the tight tolerances specified. Failure to meet such tight tolerances frequently results in the hang-up of data entry cards in the apparatus which generally necessitates disassembly of the data recorder and removal of the torn or bent data card before the apparatus can be used again Also entering into the not insubstantial cost of present data recorders is the fabrication of a control mask having a unique array of apertures therein, as dictated by a particular data recording operation such as an election. Prior approaches to the fabrication of such control masks involve the use of large presses to stamp out the individual masks. This procedure is also costly and time consuming. Finally, there have been problems in the past in that prior data recorders have suffered from a failure of the punched out portion, or chip, of the data card to be completely separated when engaged by a stylus. One reason for this incomplete data entry is that the user cannot see the chip being removed and is not provided with confirmation that the data was properly entered.
The present invention is intended to overcome the aforementioned limitations of the prior art and to provide the various advantages described above. The data recorder of the present invention employs a housing of unitary construction and precise dimensions which is inexpensive, easily manufactured, and can be arranged in stacked arrays to facilitate handling and storage. The data recorder includes a tamper-proof feature and makes use of a unique stylus which provides the user with aural and tactile feedback as to the entry of data. The precise dimensions of the data recorder preclude the insertion of more than one data card at a time and it further includes the capability to remove a data card which has become hung-up in the recorder such as by tearing or bending without disassembly of or tampering with the recorder or breaking its security seal.


An application for a method and system providing educational seekers a search tool that finds education opportunities across a large number of educational/training providers. The search tool finds courses and/or programs of interest such as certifications, vocational programs, two-year programs, four-year programs, MBA programs, certain financial aide features, specific course offerings, specific sports programs, placement success, etc, The system includes educational software robots called edu bots that visit educational program hosting web sites of the various educational/training providers, extracting information regarding the programs, courses, faculty, financial assistance, sports programs, location, extra-curricular activities, etc. The information is then stored in a common, searchable database for later searching by the educational seeker.

Many people, for instance, those about to graduate high school, are looking for educational programs. In the distant past, guidance counselor offices contained countless brochures from various institutions such as colleges, universities, trade schools, etc. With the wide-spread availability of the Internet (World Wide Web), the art has migrated to an online set of catalogs. In such, each school or institution (educational/training provider) has a web site and, one feature of that web site is descriptions of programs, tracts, degree programs, classes, etc. This is a vast improvement over paper catalogs, but neither provides a robust approach to finding the right program for the educational seeker.
There are several weaknesses in the current approach of finding an educational program. First, the educational seeker, looking for a certain type of program, doesn't necessarily know which educational/training provider offer such a program. For example, if a educational seeker from California is interested in studying law to become an attorney, they don't necessarily know about a small private school in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and, therefore, are not prone to visit that educational/training provider's web site to check out the possible class work. Secondly, each educational/training provider's web site is structured differently making it more difficult for the educational seeker to locate the programs once they find the educational/training provider's web site. Some educational/training providers organize by subject, some by degree, etc. There is no normalized hierarchy and/or format for such web sites, making it tedious to navigate through them to find the right program for the educational seeker.
Thirdly, there is no way to find programs based upon specific criterion. For example, if a educational seeker wants to attend a school that has a degree program leading to a master's degree in biology and also wants to have a minor degree in music, the educational seeker must visit many educational/training provider web sites to see if they offer each, having no way to search for all educational/training providers that offer both together. Another example is a educational seeker who desires a degree in chemistry with a minor in music and wants to study in the Pacific Northwest. Again, current technology does not permit such a search.
Additionally, the educational seeker needs to compare one institution to another. Upon finding a few institutions in the Pacific Northwest that offer a degree in chemistry with a minor in music, the educational seeker often needs to compare class schedules, degree requirements, entry requirements, scholarships available, credit hours required, required courses, elective courses available, cost per credit hour, housing, etc. Currently, no single system provides consolidated data for multiple educational/training providers.
Often it is difficult for the educational seeker to determine from an educational/training provider's web site, which location is the parent campus as opposed to a smaller, satellite campus; details on the offered programs; and availability of courses, etc. To get such information, the educational seeker often needs to request a brochure/catalog or call the school.
Prior advances have not addressed a consolidated, searchable database of course and/or program description information. US Pat. Pub. No. 2007/0122791 to Sperle describes a method of updating course catalogs, but does not access a multitude of educational/training provider databases to develop a database of course and/or program information. US Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0270166 describes a method of transferring a educational seeker's transcript over the web, but does not access a multitude of educational/training provider databases to develop a database of course and/or program information.
In addition, governments are charged with the task of reducing unemployment. To this end, it is desired to have a system that, coupled with an workforce management application, identifies positions available in a certain area and, when a limited number of such positions are available, the system suggests related positions and, if additional training is needed to file those positions, presents local courses for the individual to train in the area of the positions that are in higher demand. No such system is currently available. For example, if a jobseeker is trying to find a position as a certified network administrator and there are few or no positions that match that criteria in the area of the jobseeker but there are related positions such as Web Development, but the jobseeker lacks a skill generally needed for Web Development (e.g. C++ programming), a desired feature of a system will identify the positions available and the needed course and provide a list of courses that the jobseeker can take to prepare and apply for the Web Development positions.
In another example, a job seeker has skills to be an administrative assistant, but a search of open positions finds very few. The search finds several positions as a paralegal, but the job seeker lacks training to be a paralegal, but in the prior art, the system did not present a list of paralegal training programs provided in the locale of the jobseeker that, if completed, qualified the jobseeker for the open positions as a paralegal.
Systems that "spider" the Internet for job postings are known. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/393,394, filed on Mar. 30, 2006, titled, "SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR CREATING AND MAINTAINING A CONSOLIDATED JOBS DATABASE" describes a system for spidering job postings from various web sited containing job postings and storing the job postings in a searchable database. This patent application is here within included by reference.
What is needed is a system that will identify educational program opportunities, consolidate the individual opportunities into a central location and provide advanced searching capabilities to the educational seeker for finding educational opportunities that match the educational seeker's needs and desires.

System, method and apparatus for consolidating and searching educational opportunities


A servo objective lens and a recording/reproducing objective lens are commonly held on a holder. The servo objective lens and the recording/reproducing objective lens are integrally displaced, thereby pulling servo light onto a servo layer. Upon the pulling, focus positions of recording light and reproducing light follow a focus position of the servo light. As a result, the focus positions of recording light and reproducing light are set close to the servo layer. Thereafter, an optical element for displacing the focus positions of recording light and reproducing light in the optical axis direction is driven to pull the recording light and the reproducing light onto a targeted recording layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup device, and more particularly to an optical pickup device compatible with a multilayer recording medium having a plurality of recording layers for recording information by multi-photon absorption in a laminated direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as the capacity of a recording medium is increased, there has been developed an optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers in a laminated direction. For instance, the optical recording medium may have an arrangement that the plurality of recording layers and one servo layer are laminated. In this recording medium, a flat recording layer without a guide track is formed, and a servo layer having a guide track is formed on the recording layer. In this arrangement, in performing a recording/reproducing operation, a focusing servo signal and a tracking servo signal are generated based on the guide track formed in the servo layer. Controlling the position of a beam spot on the recording layer based on the servo signals allows the beam spot to scan the recording layer along an intended scanning trajectory.
In an optical pickup device compatible with the recording medium, it is necessary to provide an arrangement for individually and respectively setting servo laser light and recording/reproducing laser light to a servo layer and a recording layer. In this arrangement, since the recording/reproducing laser light is pulled onto the recording layer based on a relation with the servo layer, and subjected to servo control, it is preferable to drive a recording/reproducing objective lens and a servo objective lens with a predetermined cooperative relation to each other, rather than simply driving the objective lenses independently of each other, to cause the recording/reproducing laser light to easily follow a scanning trajectory on a targeted recording layer.
In the case where a plurality of sets of layers each constituted of one servo layer and a plurality of recording layers are arranged in a laminated direction, control may be performed in such a manner that, after servo laser light is pulled onto a targeted recording layer and a servo layer constituting a set of layers with the targeted recording layer, recording/reproducing laser light is pulled onto the targeted recording layer. In this arrangement, by causing the focus position of recording/reproducing laser light to follow the focus position of servo laser light in pulling the servo laser light onto the servo layer, the focus position of recording/reproducing laser light can be set close to the servo layer. This makes it easy to pull the recording/reproducing laser light onto the targeted recording layer, after the servo laser light is pulled onto the servo layer.


A composite tape cassette, for use in either video or audio format is disclosed. The tape cassette includes a lightweight rigid thermoplastic frame for carrying the reels and tape and providing structural rigidity to the cassette. The frame is encompassed by a paperboard label and thin clear plastic sheath which is securely bonded thereto. Graphics for the cassette are carried directly on the label.

The invention relates to an improved tape cassette intended for use with video or audio technology. Specifically, the invention provides a tape cassette intended to be primarily utilized in the duplicator market. Duplicators commonly are independent companies serving the video and audio tape markets. For instance, the video market is primarily composed of three distinct categories: (1) the movie retail and rental market; (2) the industrial market consisting of 12-30 minute tapes such as demo tapes, catalogue tapes, plant tours, etc; and (3) the premium incentive market, generally consisting of classic movies or other tapes sold as a premium with the purchase of another product. The audio market is also composed of three distinct categories: (1) the music market; (2) the spoken word retail and rental market; and (3) the instructional retail and rental market. Duplicator companies are used to supply all of these markets. Such tapes, in the video industry alone, are estimated to account for over one billion prerecorded video cassettes that were dubbed and distributed in 1990.
Duplicator operations are, overall, fairly similar. The video duplicator purchases a "standard" all plastic video cassette, called a shell, having a small leader tape inside. Video tape copies are made from an original tape and then loaded into the shells. The industry "standard" and most commonly available video cassette is heavily built and usually designed for long playing tape--typically two to six hours. The industry "standard" cassette is primarily constructed from all black plastic, with graphics applied through the use of a label, having a tuck-in style outer carton which has an open end on either the bottom or the side into which the video cassette is inserted. Less commonly available are other assorted all plastic cassettes, such as a one-piece clamshell cassette and the "Delta" cassette, which are constructed with lighter-weight components than the industry "standard" cassette. Audio cassettes generally use an all plastic cassette having graphics applied through the use of a label and a graphic paperboard insert usually placed inside a clear plastic flip-top storage box.
The use of such standard cassettes in the duplicator market provides for an end quality which is sometimes much greater than that necessary for the intended life span of the tape contained therein. As a result, there is a demand for less expensive cassettes offering limited play quality. Cassette designers, primarily those in the video industry, have attempted to meet this demand and provide a lower cost cassette better suited for use in the duplicator industry. Examples of such cassettes are shown, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,612 which discloses a cassette having top, bottom and side panels which are made of a bendable material such as paperboard, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,176 which discloses a paperboard video cassette housing. Such an all paperboard cassette, however, has been found to lack sufficient strength to operate in a commercial video cassette player and, many times, self destructs during initial use. Therefore, there remains a demand for a cassette tape, both audio and video, that is better suited for use in the duplicator market than the standard all-plastic cassettes currently available.
It is an object of this invention to provide a tape cassette which is lightweight and offers the limited play quality for the intended useful life span of the unit.
Another object of this invention is to reduce the per unit cost of a tape cassette.
A further object of this invention is to provide a tape cassette having a lower per unit postage cost for mailing and shipping than the industry "standard" cassette.
Another object of this invention is to provide a lightweight and less expensive tape cassette by reducing the amount of plastic required in the structure of the cassette.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tape cassette that eliminates the need for the outer carton.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide the capability for applying high quality graphics directly to the tape cassette, thus further eliminating the need for the outer carton.
A further object of the present invention is to provide tape cassette graphics, applied directly to the tape cassette, that have a print/gloss quality comparable to that of a vinyl album jacket.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette that discourages illegal duplication. Currently, illegal duplication of tape cassettes is easily accomplished because of the industry use of the "standard" style cassette which is available from numerous sources. Counterfeiters only need to load the duplicated tape into the standard shell and duplicate the label to achieve an end product virtually identical with the legal originals and duplicates. If the counterfeit is given good graphics duplication which is commonly available, it is very difficult to identify an original tape cassette from an illegal duplicate. The present invention is intended to provide a unique tape cassette which will assist in preventing illegal duplication because it is not "standard" and would be cost prohibitive to manufacture and duplicate.
A final object of the invention is to provide a lightweight and inexpensive tape cassette capable of meeting quality assurance standards for cassette integrity when exposed to extreme environmental conditions. Such tests include exposure of the tape cassette to extreme environmental conditions emulating the conditions to which a cassette might be exposed if left in an unattended automobile. For instance, it is desirable that the tape cassette maintain structural integrity when exposed to the following four tests: 160.degree. F. for 24 hours; 160.degree. F. for 72 hours; -40.degree. F. for 24 hours; and 95% humidity level at 75.degree. F. for 24 hours.


To prevent light scattering at the edges of CRT's used in projection television, emission of light is prevented beyond a desired region of raster scanning. In one embodiment, portions of the front surfaces of the CRT's outside the desired region are darkened to prevent light emission.

A. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to the field of projection television and in particular to CRT's (cathode ray tubes) used in such televisions.
B. Related Art
A projection television according to the prior art is shown in FIG. 1a. Three CRT's 101, 102, and 103 are used to produce red, green, and blue, respectively. Each CRT includes a lens assembly, where a lens is sealed to the front surface of the CRT, with fluid filling the space between the front surface and the lens. Light from the CRT's is reflected off a mirror 104 near the top of the set to produce an image on a screen 105. The green CRT 102 has an axis 106, which folds at the mirror 104, so that light on the axis 106 is incident perpendicular to the screen 105. The red and blue CRT's 101 and 103 have axes 107 and 108 which point toward the axis 106 of the green CRT.
FIG. 1b is an unfolded view of the television set of FIG. 1a.
The front surface of each CRT includes a portion around the edges which is not usable to project an image. Typically in a 7" CRT, for instance, a region having a diagonal in the range of 5" to 5.25" is usable. The raster of the CRT must therefore be restricted to the usable area. The raster approximately defines a rectangle on the green CRT and trapezoids on the blue and red CRT's. The trapezoids on the blue and red CRT's are approximately mirror images of each other. The trapezoids compensate for the angles of the axes of the CRT's. The trapezoids differ slightly in shape because of the different focal lengths of the lenses subjected to different color light and the resultant requirement for different angles of the CRT's.
The raster in each CRT, at the time the set is sold, scans an area which is slightly larger than the desired image projection area. This is necessary to increase the life of the set, because over time, as components age, the area scanned will shrink. In order to have a reasonably sized image during the expected life of the set, a slight overscan is required.
The result of the overscan is scattering of light at the edges of the CRT's and glare in the picture on the screen 105.

Method and apparatus for reducing scattered light in projection television tubes


A process for preparing semiconductor pellets from one sheet of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. In the process of the invention, the semiconductor wafer is divided into a plurality of pellet-forming regions and reinforcing regions are formed between the pellet forming regions and at the peripheral part of the wafer.. The reinforcing regions prevent breakage of the wafer without increasing the thickness of the pellets whereby a wafer having a large diameter can be used to obtain many pellets having suitable characteristics from one sheet of the wafer without substantial loss.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing semiconductor devices. More particularly, it relates to a process for preparing a plurality of semiconductor pellets from one sheet of a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been well known to prepare many semiconductor pellets as semiconductor devices in one sheet of a semiconductor wafer in a preparation of semiconductor elements for semiconductor devices. This process is remarkably effective for lowering a processing cost especially in planar type semiconductor devices requiring many steps in a processing of a wafer and glass passivation mesa type semiconductor devices forming a protection of junction exposed surface in the form of a wafer.
FIG. 1 is a partially broken schematic view of a semiconductor wafer structure forming many mesa type thyristor devices which has a surface protection, wherein a p-type anode layer (3) is formed on one surface of the n-type substrate (2) of a semiconductor wafer (1) and a p-type base layer (4) is formed on the rare surface and n-type cathode layers (5) which are separated for each of thyristor pellets E are formed in the p-type base layer (4), whereby each pellet E has pnpn structure and junctions J.sub.1, J.sub.2 and J.sub.3 are formed between the layers.
The pellets E formed in the semiconductor wafer (1) are respectively separated by grooves (6) shaved on both surfaces of the wafer (1) between them. The grooves are called as mesa grooves and shaved in deeper than the junctions J.sub.1 and J.sub.2 to separate the p-type anode layer (3), p-type base layer (4), n-type cathode layers (5) and the junctions J.sub.1, J.sub.2 and J.sub.3 for the pellets, however, the n-type substrate (2) for the n-type base layer is not separated to maintain the shape of the wafer (1). In the condition, the surface protective material (7) is applied in the mesa grooves (6) to electrically and mechanically protect and stabilize the junctions exposed in the mesa grooves (6). The surface protective material (7) can be silicon oxide film, silicone rubber and frit. The semiconductor wafer (1) having the surface protective material is divided along the mesa grooves (6) to form thyristor pellets E.
In accordance with the process for preparing the semiconductor pellets, the surface protective treatment can be applied simultaneously for many semiconductor pellets in a form of a wafer and the processing efficiency is higher and the processing cost for preparing semiconductor devices can be remarkably lowered in comparison with the process for applying the protective surface treatment on the surfaces of pellets after separating the wafer into pellets in the step of forming pn-junctions. It is possible to simultaneously attain the diffusion and the formation of electrodes by one step even in the case of planar type devices. Accordingly this process for preparing pellets is remarkably effective.
A number of pellets formed in one sheet of a wafer is increased by increasing the area of the semiconductor wafer to prepare more pellets by one operation and to decrease the processing cost. Accordingly, it is preferable to use a larger wafer. However, when a diameter of the wafer is larger, the wafer is easily broken in the process for preparing pellets and the processing cost disadvantageously increases. When the semiconductor wafer having the mesa grooves is processed, for example, frit is applied in the mesa grooves having a depth of 50 to 70.mu. formed on the semiconductor wafer having a diameter of 40 mm, it is necessary to use the wafer having a thickness of more than 220-240.mu. in order to prevent the break of the wafer because the thermal expansion coefficient of the frit is higher than that of the silicon to cause the strain in the calcination of the frit. The wafer having a diameter requires a thickness of more than 250-270.mu. and the wafer having a diameter of 75 mm requires a thickness of more than 330-350.mu..
When the planar type devices are formed on a semiconductor wafer, the wafer having a diameter of 40 mm requires a thickness of more than 180.mu.; the wafer having a diameter of 50 mm requires a thickness of more than 220.mu.; the wafer having a diameter of 65 mm requires a thickness of more than 270.mu. and the wafer having a diameter of 75 mm requires a thickness of more than 300.mu..
From the viewpoint of characteristics of the semiconductor device, the increase of the thickness of the wafer causes the increase of forward voltage drop or the decrease of over current endurance and the substantial decrease of current capacity, disadvantageously, in the case of devices for passing current in the direction perpendicular to the wafer surface such as diodes and thyristors. Accordingly, the thickness of the wafer is limited from this viewpoint. From the viewpoint of the other characteristics, a thyristor having a withstand voltage of 500-600 V requires a thickness of the wafer of 180 to 220.mu.. When the thickness of the wafer is more than 220.mu., the forward voltage drop disadvantageously increases. Accordingly, it has been difficult to use a wafer having a diameter of more than 50 mm for a preparation of thyristors.

Process for preparing semiconductor device _by forming reinforcing regions to facilitate separation of pellets


A process for making an integrated terminating resistor on a two-conductor data bus includes making a series of individual resistor elements and assembling the resistor elements in a stack of parallel, spaced array of elements. The elements are soldered together between end portions of the two conductors of the data bus at both ends thereof by inserting the conductors into two diametrically opposed, axially aligned notches in all of the resistor elements and heating solder in the notches to reflow the solder to bond the conductor in the notches. A parallel electrical and mechanicalconnection is thereby established, connecting the elements together electrically and mechanically in a closely spaced array. The array is sealed in a shock absorbing and abrasion resistant enclosure.

Control systems for aircraft in the past utilized a system of cables which operated hydraulic actuators for powering the control surfaces, landing gear, and other systems controlled from the cabin. The weight and space requirements for these cable systems, and the expense of manufacturing, installing, and maintaining them in modern aircraft has inspired an effort to replace them with electronic controls which utilize electrical signals from controllers in the cabin, transmitted over wires, to actuate machinery for moving the airplane control surfaces, hence the name "fly-by-wire" system. These aviation electronic (or avionic) systems must be built with the same or better reliability and fault tolerance than the earlier cable systems had.
A goal of modern avionic systems is to integrate all of the functions for operation and control of the airplane from the cabin into a control system that permits the maximum possible reduction in the weight, space and power requirements of the avionics system, and permits a simplification in wiring between physically separated airplane control surface actuators and other control functions. Such integration would permit the consolidation of all airplane control functions in a single controller in the cabin which would make automatic control of these functions possible, without burdening the pilot or other operating personnel with routine functions, such as operating passenger cabin lights, air conditioning, seat belt signs, and so on.
This desirable integration of all control functions into one consolidated avionics system can be best achieved by the use of a common data bus to which each control function has access through an associated terminal, each of which is capable of transmitting and receiving data. Data transmitted on the data bus by one terminal associated with a particular control function can be received by the terminals associated with remaining control functions, thus eliminating the requirement for separate wiring interconnections between the main controller and each individual control function. In addition, data generated by a particular control function can be used by any other control function and is available anywhere in the airplane without the necessity of having to add separate wiring specifically to access that data.
The most desirable avionic data communication system is an autonomous terminal access data communications system that uses a current mode data bus. The items critical to the usefulness of such a data communication system are the maximum number of data terminals that may be accomodated, the ease with which each terminal is coupled to the data bus, and the reliability of the system components and the bus cable itself. A system employing a current mode data bus of high reliability having these attributes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,827, and coupling methods and protocol standards for use with this system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,199,633 and 4,471,481. This system, now identified in the field as ARINC specification 629, uses a multi-transmitter, bi-directional bus instead of the older single transmitter unidirectional (one-way) bus which operated in accordance with ARINC specification 429.
A current mode data bus has the advantage that it does not require electrical connection to the conductor itself but is inductively coupled to the line replacable units with which it communicates and which communicate with it. In this way, it is unnecessary to establish metallic connection with the data bus conductor to connect the functional components to the data bus, so the inherent unreliability of plugs and sockets used in voltage mode connections to the data bus is avoided.
The data bus system described in the aforesaid patents does not require a singular data bus controller, thereby eliminating the possibility of a malfunction of the entire data bus system in the event that such a data bus controller should malfunction. Instead, each controller is autonomous, with the result that, if one controller fails, the overall data bus system continues to operate. Built-in protocols in each terminal that communicates on the bus which require them to independently listen to the bus and to transmit data when certain protocol conditions are met. For example, to receive data, each terminal passively monitors the data bus. Data received by that terminal is validated and passed into the system's addressable memory. To transmit, the terminal maintains a transmission time slot on the bus. Prior to the actual transmission, the terminal first assembles a complete data message, determines when it may transmit, and then sends the message.
The described avionic system is inherently more reliable than the older single transmitter, one-way type bus system in that it does not utilize a single controller to operate the bus and has a simpler wiring configuration. However, the increase in the required reliability of the data bus system imposes a necessity that the reliability of the associated components also increase comensurately to insure that the full benefit of the increased system reliability is realized.
In addition to high reliability, avionics data communication hardware, particularly for use in fly-by-wire systems, must meet high standards of fault tolerance. System reliability is determined in part by the design of the terminating resistor of the data bus, by the manufacturing process and materials by which it is made, and also by the method by which the terminating resistor is connected to the data bus cable itself. The terminating resistor must exceed the required reliability established by the data bus cable itself and the coupling technique used to couple the data bus cable to the line replaceable units. It has been determined that the electrical requirements of the terminating resistor could be met with a variability of 5% from the characteristic impedence Z.sub.0 of the data bus cable. In order to accomplish fault tolerance, the resistor must be designed so that failure of any single resistance element does not alter the resistor value by more than five percent.
If the data bus terminators could be shown to have a failure rate less than that of the bus cable alone, once installed and checked out, they would never need reinspection. A terminator of such a data bus can consist of a single resistor which has an extremey low failure rate, however a single point failure of the component or the connections to it causing either an open or a short can cause the data bus to fail. Fault tolerance can be built into a terminator by judicious use of redundancy in the form of parallel resistors. The reliability of the parallel array of resisters is somewhat less than that of a single resistor, but the failure rate still exceeds that of the data bus cable by several orders of magnitude based on an inspection interval equal to the service life of the airplane, and fault tolerance has now been built in.
Such a data bus cable system is advantageous because the methods of testing a data bus to insure against faults could result in decreased reliability, reduction in EMI hardness, and increased complexity and cost. Based on a 20 year service life of an airplane, which results in a projected power-on time of about 110,000 hours, the reliability of the components of a data bus system should be sufficient if they do not exceed the failure rate of the data bus cable itself, which is 10.sup.-9 failures/hour, based on experience with single segments of cable in airplanes. Such a failure rate, based on an inspection interval exceeding the life of the airplane, obviates the need for a permanent or intrusive system in the airplane to check for latent faults in the data bus system. The added complexity of such an intrusive system itself could result in additional degredation of system reliability
The function of the terminating resistor is to absorb or sufficiently attenuate signals incident on it so that they are not reflected back into the transmission line at an amplitude where they would cause distortion of the data signal. In order to accomplish this, the resistor value must be equal or close to the characteristic impedance Z.sub.o of the transmission line. Since the exact value of the transmission line characteristic impedence is not known with certainty before the resistor is connected to the line, it would be desirable to provide a means for trimming the resistor to perfectly match its resistance value to the actual measured value of the characteristic impedence of the data bus line. Resistance trimming is a technique for increasing resistance by removing material from a film resistor using a laser or other cutting or abrading tool (such as EDM or water/abrasive jet) to adjust the resistance of the resistor. It would be useful to be able to use resistance trimming to trim parallel resistors in a parallel stack to adjust the resistance of each resistor in the stack.
An optimum manufacturing system would produce resistors that all had the same resistance value, and then provide a system for trimming all the resistors in the stack of parallel resistors to adjust each resistor an equal amount to produce the desired total resistance of the stack of parallel resistors. Such a system would ensure that the effect of the failure of any one resistor in the stack would be the same as the failure of any other resistor in the stack. This predictability facilitates the fault tolerance design of the overall data communication system.
As an aid to the manufacturing process and also for shipping and receiving inspections it would be useful to provide an instrument for confirming that the data bus with the attached terminating resistor is in fact adjusted to adequately absorb signals incident on the end of the data bus to preclude reflection of signals strong enough to interfere with the operation of the data bus. There are many test instruments for testing the integrity of a data bus to confirm that the line replacable units and the data bus controller are capable of transmitting and receiving the signals accurately, but no instrument exists for nonintrusively measuring the resistance of a resistor on the end of a data bus, that is, measuring the resistance without cutting through the insulation on the data bus wires or the insulation on the resistor itself.
The terminating resistor in an avionic data bus for an aircraft must be mechanically robust so as to resist the inevitable vibration, mechanical handling, and thermal cycling to which it will be subjected during the operation over the lifetime of the airplane. It must be capable of withstanding impacts from being dropped and so forth, pulling forces exerted by the data bus on the terminating resistor, and bending forces between the data bus and the terminating resistor. Each constituent resistor must be a separate entity to preclude failures which could propagate to more than one element or common connection. In addition, vibration, which has the potential for establishing a resonant condition in the resistance elements, must be damped or prevented, as it could shorten the life of the terminating resistor by fatigue cracking in the resistor elements. These requirements militate for packaging the terminating resistor in a manner which will protect the electrical elements in the resistor from mechanical damage which would otherwise occur from the normal expected abuse that it would experience during the lifetime of the airplane, and also ensure that the electrical characteristics remain constant within the permissible range during that same time period.
To ensure that the capacitance of each conductor of the bus cable is balanced, a metal shell is provided around the resister pack and the spacing between the conductors and the metal shell is maintained equal for both conductors by a foam sleeve. This protects the resistor pack and also ensures balanced capacitance of each conductor.

Process for making integrated terminating resistor


A shared keyboard and system ROM uses a single ROM for both the keyboard and the system operating system information (BIOS). The shared ROM is never simultaneously used for both of these functions. At initial boot-up, the system processor executes from the shared ROM to copy the system BIOS information to the system Random Access Memory DRAM. Once this copying has been completed, the shared ROM then is used by the keyboard subsystem. Different address ranges are employed in the shared ROM for the keyboard information and for the system BIOS.

Current computer systems, particularly smaller systems such as desk-top personal computers (PC's), portable and lap-top systems, are continuously being designed to reduce the sizes of the various electronic devices in such computers, while simultaneously increasing the number of pieces of information which can be processed by the computers. In the development of computers of smaller physical size, with ever increasing capacity, multiplex address/data buses, along with multiplex system controllers, have been developed; so that the address buses and data buses of the Central Processing Units (CPU's) share common buses for sequentially transferring groups of address and data information to the memory input/output devices and input/output only devices. The development of multiplex systems and the associated controllers has permitted a significant reduction in the number of required pins for the various I/O devices in the systems.
Even with the development of multiplex systems for personal, lap-top, or portable computers, significant price competition exists in the industry. Prices of electronic components of such computers are impacted by the number of separate integrated circuit components which are required and by the amount of valuable board space needed for those different components. Consequently, systems are periodically redesigned to place larger numbers of functions in integrated circuit packages having as few address and data pins on them as possible.
In the past, a separate read-only memory (ROM) has been required for the keyboard subsystem; and a physically separate ROM has been required for the operating system information (BIOS). The BIOS ROM used for the operating system is necessary at the initial boot of the system to effect the system boot. Once the computer system is functioning, following the initial boot, the keyboard subsystem ROM is used during the operation of the computer to provide the necessary keyboard operating information to the computer system. Although neither of these separate ROM devices usually are of large capacity, the fact that two physically separate ROM's are used causes an increase in the complexity of the system solution, particularly in view of the extra expense of separate packages and the mounting real estate required for these separate packages. Additional pins are required to interconnect the separate ROM's with other portions of the computer system, all of which provides an upward price pressure on the finished manufactured product. During the initial boot-up of the computer system, the keyboard subsystem ROM is not operated. In addition, following the initial boot-up of the system, the operating system (BIOS) ROM is not operated.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a computer system which has reduced cost and reduced complexity by combining the separate keyboard subsystem and operating system ROM's into a single larger ROM, thereby reducing the overall cost of the system through lowering of the number of parts required.

Single shared ROM for storing keyboard microcontroller code portion and CPU code portion and disabling access to a portion while accessing to the other


A radar system (10) forms a range-Doppler map (28). A CFAR processor (57) determines a threshold (60) and evaluates the map (28) to identify potential targets whose amplitudes are greater than the threshold. The potential targets are evaluated to determine (88) whether they form substantial peaks for the Doppler bins (32) where they are located, and to determine (98) whether they resemble noise more than targets. In addition, the potential targets are evaluated to determine (114) whether they are most likely the result of range sidelobes and to determine (118) whether they are most likely images of targets rather than targets. When any of these situations are detected, the potential targets are removed from a potential target list (50).

A common problem with conventional radar systems has been the processing of radar return signals to distinguish targets from clutter. A target represents an object that the radar system is intended to detect and about which the radar system provides an indication, such as a "blip" or icon on a radar screen. Clutter represents unwanted indications that are not considered targets.
For the purposes of the present invention, two forms of clutter may produce unwanted indications. Active clutter results from object echoes and jamming signals. Objects whose echoes may cause active clutter include the ground, buildings, the sea, rain, chaff, grass, birds, and the like. Jamming signals are actively and intentionally transmitted in an attempt to trick a radar receiver. On the other hand, passive clutter need not result from any object or active attempt to trick a radar receiver. Rather, passive clutter may result from noise, unintentional interference, and signal processing techniques carried out in a radar receiver.
Conventional radar systems employ hardware receiver designs that generate a range-Doppler or range-range-rate map in which a radar return signal is broken into time components, referred to as range gates herein, and into frequency components, referred to as Doppler bins herein. Each cell in this map characterizes the amplitude of the return signal for the cell's range gate and Doppler bin. Conventional radar system hardware receiver designs limit the amount of passive clutter that appears in this map to acceptable levels. However, the map may include active clutter along with targets. A CFAR processing technique then calculates one or more thresholds based upon the map, and each cell's amplitude is compared to an appropriate threshold times a user-supplied constant. The user may set this constant at a lower level to increase the CFAR or at a higher level to decrease the CFAR. The CFAR processing technique that calculates thresholds exerts a large influence over the radar system results because this algorithm forms the basis for distinguishing targets from clutter, or at least from active clutter.
Unfortunately, the known solutions for minimizing passive clutter in the range-Doppler map involve expensive hardware that often requires periodic error-prone and time consuming alignment and adjustment procedures, complex and heavy equipment, and components that consume an excessive amount of power. While these burdens may be of little importance in some applications, they pose serious obstacles to a portable, battery powered, relatively inexpensive radar unit. Consequently, portable radar units often opt for simple, low power, light weight radar receiver units that place a greater amount of passive clutter in a range-Doppler map.
The conventional CFAR processing techniques are not geared toward distinguishing the spurious signals caused by passive clutter. Consequently, conventional CFAR techniques fail to adequately distinguish targets from both active and passive clutter. In particular, conventional CFAR techniques often fail to identify an unusually high level spurious noise signal, image signal, range sidelobe, or Doppler sidelobe. Thus, conventional portable radar systems too often indicate passive clutter.


A downhole tool including a settable member, a scale removal feature depending from the settable member, the scale removal feature including a protrusion extending radially inwardly from an inside dimension of the settable member.

Many tools in the resource recovery industry require setting by expansion. Such tools may include seals for example although other radially expandable tools are also used. In some cases relative movement of a cone is required. Problems can occur with such devices, especially where seals are concerned but broadly even due to frictional increases beyond expectation, with sand or scale depositions on the cone. The art would well receive reliable constructions that improve functionality.

Downhole tool with integrated scale removal feature


A globally accessible list contains the identification of content casting applications, and the identification of stream receivers. When a casting application is launched to select a streaming content file, the casting application then accesses the global casting list and searches for the ID of the content casting application, and then selects the associated stream receiver to cast the URL to that stream receiver. This allows the user to not have to select the stream receiver every time a stream is cast. The list can be formed by an app, e.g., an application that forms the global list which may be an application that is provided with one of the stream receivers, for example. In one embodiment the list can be stored on a computer, e.g. the first computer that runs the application. The global casting list also contains, for each content casting application, an ordered list of IDs of user selected stream receivers by app and for by user. A stream receiver is selected based on order of the list.

The introduction of "casting" applications such as Google's Chromecast enabled applications that select content streams and stream receivers now make it possible to select multimedia content hosted on intranets and the internet and to direct the content stream to any display device that hosts a stream receiver or has a stream receiving device, such as Google Chromecast, attached to the display device.
Casting applications facilitate the selection of content by the user being able to use a laptop computer, desktop computer, tablet computer, PDA, or cell phone to select multimedia content on network based service providers such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Pandora, or other such services. Once a user selects a casting application for accessing content, that user can select streaming content and then redirect the content stream by selecting a stream receiver to actually play the content stream. The user presses the play button and the casting application will "cast" the stream to the selected stream receiver.
A typical household environment or a business environment may contain multiple stream receivers and multiple content casting or content stream redirection applications. An environment with both multiple casting/redirect applications and multiple stream receivers can quickly become confusing as to which casting/redirect application will make use of which stream receiver.
Google cast and other streaming schemes force the user to select the stream receiver device in every content casting application separately and each time a stream is to cast on any given content casting application. This can become confusing with which content casting application is streaming to which stream receiver.
As an example, today if one were to launch the Netflix content casting application and cast the stream to a stream receiving device, then launch the YouTube content casting application, one will again have to select the stream receiver device to receive the YouTube content.

Global setting for casting content to networked renderer


A door latch (24) suitable for latching a door (20) to a door frame (22). The door latch (24), in a preferred embodiment, has an adjustable nose bolt (36); is "panic unlatchable"; and can be operated by axial or rotational spindle forces supplied by, for example, a push button (48) or a door knob (120). The latch apparatus (24) preferably includes an adjustable nose bolt (36) which is adjustable in and out relative to the spindle (50). A trunnion (58) interposed between the inside handle (46) and the nose bolt (36) allows for relative adjustment of the nose bolt (36) with respect to the handle (46). In addition, a preferred embodiment of the latch apparatus (24) includes a lock lever (100) which forms a recess (108) suitable for capturing a spindle ear (110) to substantially prevent the spindle from operating the latch apparatus (24) to move the nose bolt (36) from a first position to a second position. Finally, a preferred latch apparatus (24) includes a spindle cam (78) which acts on inclined arms (82) of the handle (46).

Door latches of various types are well known. Door latches, or catches, serve to hold a door in place when it is closed, even if the door is not locked. Such latches have been used in conjunction with many different types of doors, including primary doors and secondary doors such as screen doors.
The present invention is directed to an improved locking apparatus suitable for doors of any type, but is particularly directed to secondary doors such as screen doors commonly found on residential dwellings.
Actually, a door latch functions to latch or interconnect two door portions which are otherwise relatively movable. The first door portion might be the door itself while the door frame might be the second door portion. Of course, the phrase "first door portion" could also be applied to the frame and the phrase "second door portion" applied to the door.
In order to latch two door portions together, normally a latching apparatus is located on one door portion and a strike is located on the other. The latching apparatus normally includes a movable latching element, such as a "nose" or "bolt," which is suitable for engaging the strike. Typically, a handle, e.g., a knob or lever, is attached to the movable latching element for ease of use.
The strike which engages the movable latching element could be a simply L-shaped bracket or a spring-loaded bar; alternatively, the door frame itself can function as the strike, the latching element engaging the frame, in which case the frame simply has a "strike area" which does not include a specially designed strike.
It should be stressed that the latching apparatus including the movable latching element could be mounted on the door frame while the strike is located on the door, although this is not the normal latching scheme. It should also be noted that the frame of a secondary door may in fact be formed partially or completely by the frame of the associated primary door.
As noted above, the latching apparatus of the present invention is particularly directed, though not limited, to a secondary door such as a screen door for a dwelling. Thus, the present discussion focuses on screen door latches for purposes of illustration, but the scope of the invention is not so focused.
Although prior art screen door latches are well known and generally function adequately for their intended purposes, several problems remain. Some problems stem from the fact that screen doors are used in conjunction with primary doors to seal an opening in the wall of a dwelling. Typically, the screen door is emplaced after the primary door is hung. Thus, the screen door and its frame and latching apparatus must adapt to mechanical constraints associated with the primary door's frame.
More specifically, assuming that the latching apparatus is attached to the screen door and the strike is attached to the screen door's frame, oftentimes the door frame is such that the strike does not extend sufficiently toward the latching apparatus to conveniently allow for engagement of the movable latching element and the strike. Thus, with prior art latching apparatus, the strike usually must be shimmed or the latching apparatus has to be relocated, or both, in order to provide for latching and unlatching of the screen door.
The unadjustability of prior art latching apparatus also creates other problems as well. For example, if the strike is shimmed, it may excessively extend into the doorway, thus creating a nuisance if not a hazard. In addition, it is quite possible that the strike can extend too far even without having been shimmed. In this case, since the prior art locking apparatus cannot be adjusted, the entire latch apparatus (not including the strike) has to be relocated closer to the center line of the door to accommodate the strike.
Similarly, the backset of a latching apparatus might have to be located in a particular position with respect to the edge of the screen door. This would be desirable if it is desirable to vertically align the latching apparatus with an auxiliary piece of hardware such as a deadbolt lock; or, a particular backset might be needed simply to vertically center the latching apparatus in the longitudinal frame piece of the screen door for esthetic reasons.
In such instances, when using prior art latch apparatus, the strike typically has to be shimmed out to engage the movable bolt or nose of the latch apparatus. If the latch apparatus has a particularly long "throw" this shimming process might be unnecessary, but such lock apparatus are typically very cumbersome and complicated.
The unadjustability of prior art latch apparatus becomes particularly troublesome in light of the fact that screen doors, and particularly metal and plastic screen doors, experience thermal expansion and contraction which can fairly significantly change the amount of clearance or interference between the latching apparatus mounted on the door and the strike area or strike located on the door frame. In fact, it might be necessary to shim the strike or relocate the latching apparatus to account for thermal effects.
Prior art screen door latches, in addition to not being adjustable, suffer from another inadequacy. Most prior art door latches include two handles, one handle being located proximate to each surface of the door, i.e., the inner surface and the outer surface. Typically, the latch apparatus includes a lock which is in the nature of a small tab or button which can be slid or rotated to lock the latch thereby preventing unlatching of the door. However, such latching apparatus do not allow for "panic unlatching" of the door wherein the door can be opened simply by engaging the latch handle proximate the inner surface of the door. Absent means for panic unlatching, the individual seeking to exit the door must locate the locking tab and move it appropriately. Since there are no standards or accepted methods for locking such latching apparatus, the individual generally must experiment with the locking apparatus to determine the proper direction for unlocking, unless of course the individual is quite familiar with the particular latching apparatus with which he is dealing.
Lack of a "panic unlatching" means particularly causes problems in panic situations such as when the individual is fleeing a fire or when the individual needs to leave the dwelling rapidly and the doorway is not sufficiently lighted.
In addition to the problems associated with unadjustability and the inability to readily unlatch in a panic situation, prior art latching apparatus do not readily accommodate, without modification, various types of outside door handles. That is, prior art latching apparatus are typically designed to accept only a rotating spindle which is attched to a door knob or handle connected to the outside surface of the door; or the prior art lock apparatus is designed to accommodate only a spindle which moves axially when driven by a push button located on the outside surface of the door. Thus, the lock apparatus manufacturer must supply two types of latch apparatus if he wants to market his product for rotating and push button handles. This means that the manufacturer must assemble and stock two sets of components and is not able to capitalize on all of the potentially available economies of scale.
The present invention is directed to the problems associated with the prior art door latching apparatus. Specifically, the locking apparatus of the present invention is adjustable to accommodate various types and configurations of strikes; it allows for panic unlatching or unlocking of the latch apparatus; and/or it accommodates rotating outside handles and outside handles which apply an axial force on the latch's spindle.


A method and an apparatus for the modification of seawater, brine, or alike, to render it suitable for irrigation, industrial use, or for further treatment in a drinking water purification plant, as well as to extract desired substances from brines, such as boron, and to clear waste from mining processes, by reducing environment endangering contaminants, like petroleum hydro-carbons, or radioactive substances, as well as inactivating microorganisms and virus in biosolids, by means of exposing the substances to high-intensity macrosound, i.e., alternating mechanical energy radiation at (ultra-) sonic frequencies. The treatment enhances the separation of salt, or/and other desired materials, from the water, and activates in situ the adsorption of the materials on sorbefacient substances supplied to the desalination process in form of dust of pulverized, liquefied, or vaporized substances, or by elements (of walls) of treatment chambers, or filters. The separation of the adsorption material together with the adsorbed salt, or/and any other extract from the liquid, is accomplished by common techniques, such as sedimentation, decanter, filter, or (electrostatic) separator.

Modern man's need for water is pressing. As the world's population has increased, so has the demand for water, especially for pure water, to safeguard public health. From 1900 to 1960 the demand for water in the United States increased six-fold. By the year 2001, the demand for water averaged 900,000,000,000 (billion) gallons per day. Next to homes and agriculture, industries are major users of water.
There are six different kinds of freshwater reserves, or sources. The four concentrated (or main) reserves are those in rivers, lakes, man-made reservoirs, and groundwater. The other two water reservoirs are found in the atmosphere and the soil. These sources are so difficult to tap that they are known as diffuse, or scattered reserves.
Water engineers are dealing, and have experimented with various methods, including converting salt water into fresh water. The principle methods researched, developed and so far put to limited use are distillation (or evaporation), electrodialysis, freezing, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis. A number of large desalination plants, some with capacities of 1,000,000 or more gallons per day, have been constructed in the United States. However, the use of such plants has been much more widespread outside the United States, especially in underdeveloped countries. None of these plants currently operate at reasonable costs.
The problem of adequate water supply has become more and more critical, since more human waste, as well as waste from agriculture and industries, pollute the world's freshwater resources, such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Some of the polluting (liquid) wastes can be treated by various technologies to become environmentally friendly, and thus preserving the water resources. The willingness of people to preserve nature by applying adequate technologies for treatment of waste, is confronted by considerable cost.


A force sensing mechanism. The mechanism is provided with a beam having a stationary portion. A housing accommodates a portion of a device coupled to an afterloader and is coupled to the beam. A force sensor coupled to the beam monitors a force of the device. An afterloader system includes a processor and a cartridge to house the force sensing mechanism. In a method, the force sensing mechanism is provided to which a portion of a device coupled to an afterloader is coupled. A device force of the device is monitored.

The present invention relates to afterloaders and devices to couple to afterloaders. In particular, the present invention relates to the sensing of force related to a device coupled to an afterloader.
In the last several years, minimally invasive surgical procedures have become increasingly common. Treatment of vasculature can be done in a minimally invasive manner. For example, a blood vessel narrowed by an obstruction, such as a stenotic lesion, can be treated by an angioplasty procedure to compress the lesion and widen the vessel to increase blood flow there through. Angioplasty involves the advancement of an angioplasty balloon at the distal end of a catheter to the site of the lesion within the vessel. Once positioned, the balloon is inflated to compress the lesion.
Following angioplasty, the risk of a subsequent restenosis is significant. Restenosis, the re-emergence of a stenotic lesion, is prone to occur at the site of the former stenotic lesion treated by the angioplasty. In order to help avoid restenosis, radiotherapy procedures have been developed that are applied to the site of the former stenosis following angioplasty. These procedures include the advancement of a radiation source to the site of the former stenosis. Application of radiation to the site of the former stenosis can significantly reduce the risk of restenosis.
Radiotherapy can include the use of a radiation source wire as well as other radiation sources. Where a source wire is used, it will be made available to the physician in a secure manner and delivered to a patient by way of a radiotherapy catheter that can be equipped with a centering balloon. The centering balloon will be positioned within vasculature at the site of the former stenosis. The source wire will be advanced through a lumen of the radiotherapy catheter to a distal portion of the catheter. The centering balloon helps keep the catheter lumen centered to allow a more even distribution of radiotherapy.
The source wire is advanced by way of an afterloader. That is, the source wire has been loaded within an afterloader prior to treatment. The afterloader is a machine which stores the source wire and subsequently advances it through a radiotherapy catheter to deliver radiotherapy. The afterloader advances and retracts the source wire through the radiotherapy catheter in an automated manner during the radiotherapy procedure.
It is important that the radiotherapy catheter be positioned such that its lumen is un-kinked and unobstructed as the source wire is advanced there through. For example, if a given automated radiotherapy procedure is carried out with an obstructed lumen, the source wire could be damaged, or worse, pierce the radiotherapy catheter as it attempts to force itself past the obstruction. This could result in directly exposing vasculature to the source wire in an unintended manner and possible harm to the patient. Additionally, placement of the radiotherapy catheter within a highly tortuous vessel can lead to similar consequences if the advancing source wire exerts a force on the catheter that either the catheter or the source wire cannot tolerate.
In addition to a radiotherapy catheter, other devices can be connected to the afterloader to receive an advancing source wire. For example, a physics coupler can be secured to the afterloader to establish measurements or perform calibrations related to the source wire prior to application of a radiotherapy procedure. Additionally, oncology applicators can be secured to the afterloader to receive the source wire. Regardless of the device coupled to the afterloader, an unobstructed lumen will be required.
In order to ensure that the lumen of the device coupled to the afterloader is positioned in a smooth and unobstructed manner when receiving the advancing source wire, the afterloader can be equipped with a dummy wire. The dummy wire, having no radioactive source, can be advanced through the lumen and retracted again to ensure a clear lumen path is present to receive the source wire.
However, the dummy wire, like the source wire, is also susceptible to damage and can cause injury to a patient should it exert a force upon the device coupled to the afterloader that the device or the dummy wire cannot tolerate. Therefore, what is needed is a force sensing mechanism to monitor force in relation to the device.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a force sensing mechanism having a beam with a stationary portion. A housing for an afterloader with a coupling portion to accommodate a portion of a device coupled to the afterloader is coupled to the beam and a force sensor is also coupled to the beam to monitor a force of the device.
An embodiment of the invention includes an afterloader system with a processor and a force sensing mechanism to deliver information to the processor regarding a force of a device coupled to an afterloader. The system includes a cartridge to house the force sensing mechanism.
In a method of the invention a force sensing mechanism having a beam with a stationary portion is provided. A portion of a device is coupled to a housing for an afterloader and the housing coupled to the beam. A device force of the device is monitored.


A battery charger system includes a power supply and a switch connected to the power supply wherein the switch has a first switch half and a second switch half. First and second batteries are selectively connected to the power supply via the switch. The first and second switch halves are moved between a plurality of operational positions to fully charge the first battery, discharge the first battery into the second battery, discharge the second battery into the first battery, and fully charge the second battery.

Non-rechargeable batteries and rechargeable batteries produce current the same way, which is through an electrochemical reaction involving an anode, cathode and electrolyte. The advantage that the rechargeable battery has is that the reaction is reversible. When electrical energy from an outside source is applied to a rechargeable cell, the negative-to-positive electron flow that occurs during discharge is reversed, and the cell's charge is restored.
However, after a number of recharge cycles, rechargeable batteries can lose discharge capacity. For example, if these batteries were not fully discharged every time they were used, they would quickly lose capacity. This means the batteries were able to discharge less energy than when in their new condition. This is known as the memory effect.
With some battery chemistry types, discharge capacity can be reconditioned by "auto-cycling," which is the process of fully discharging and recharging the battery one or several times. Equipment that is designed to recondition a battery in this way simply discharges the battery through a current resistive device and "wastes" the energy by converting the energy to heat. In most situations, this is acceptable because the cost of wasted energy is very small and the waste heat is easily transferred to the environment.
However, in some circumstances, the energy cost may be more meaningful, or the waste heat may be more difficult to dissipate. Such is the case for the batteries used in spacecraft. For example, the International Space Station can provide only limited cooling capacity to a battery charger module, which also performs the auto-cycling for spacesuit batteries. As such, it would be useful to reduce the waste heat in this type of situation.

Rechargeable battery auto-cycler requiring lower power and dissipating reduced waste heat


A method of performing random access procedure in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The present invention includes the steps of receiving a first message transmitted to count the number of user equipments attempting to receive the broadcast/multicast service from a network, transmitting a preamble for a random access to the network, receiving a second message including a user equipment identifier for identifying the user equipment and uplink (UL) radio resource allocation information in response to the preamble from the network, transmitting a third message to the network using the uplink radio resource allocation information, and stopping the random access in case of receiving a contention resolution message from the network.

Various data/services are transmitted and provided in a network (E-UTRAN: evolved universal terrestrial radio access network) according to the asynchronous mobile communication system standard (3GPP). For instance, there are system information via BCH (broadcast channel), control message via PDCCH (physical downlink control channel), user traffic or control message via downlink/uplink SCH (shared channel), traffic or control message of broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) via downlink SCH or downlink MCH (multicast channel), initial uplink control message via RACH (random access channel) and the like.
The MBMS (multimedia broadcast multicast service) is a sort of a broadcast/multicast service and is the service that simultaneously transmits data packets to a plurality of user equipments. In this disclosure, 'broadcast/multicast service' can be replaced by one of different terminologies including 'MBMS', 'point-to-multipoint service', 'MBS (multicast and broadcast service' and the like. In the MBMS based on IP multicast, user equipments share resources required for data packet transmission and receive the same multimedia data. Hence, in case that a user equipment at a predetermined level, which uses MBMS, exists in the same cell, it is able to raise resource efficiency. As the MBMS has nothing to do with an RRC connection, a user equipment in an idle mode can be provided with the service.
Operational schemes of the MBMS can be categorized into two modes including a broadcast mode and a multicast mode. The broadcast mode is the mode that a single transmitter transmits data to all receivers on a sub-network. And, the multicast mode is the mode that at least one or more transmitters transmit data to at least one or more specific receivers. In the multicast mode, an intention to receive data needs to be delivered to a network and subscription and leaving is available.
In order to effectively operate the broadcast/multicast service, it is necessary to check the number of user equipments that attempt to receive a specific service. This kind of information is usable in determining an optimal scheme for providing the broadcast/multicast service. For instance, if the small number of user equipments are interested in the corresponding service, it may be more efficient to use a separate dedicated channel to provide the service to each of the user equipments. On the contrary, if a plurality of user equipments are interested in the corresponding service, it may be more efficient to use a common channel.
A method of counting user equipments attempting to receive a specific broadcast/multicast service (hereinafter named 'MBMS counting') is initiated in a manner that a network transmits an access information message to a user equipment via MCCH. If the user equipment attempting to receive the service is in an RRC connected state, counting can proceed using a dedicated channel or a RACH. On the other hand, if a user equipment is in an idle mode, an RRC connection request message is transmitted in accordance with a random access procedure using a RACH.
In the following description, the RACH and a random access procedure in WCDMA system are explained. First of all, a RACH is used to transmit data of a short length in uplink. And, such an RRC message as an RRC connection request message, a cell update message, a URA update message and the like is transmitted via the RACH. A logical channel such as CCCH (common control channel), DCCH (dedicated control channel) and DTCH (dedicated traffic channel) can be mapped to the RACH which is a transport channel. And, the RACH is mapped to a physical channel PRACH (physical random access channel).
Once a MAC (medium access control) layer of a user equipment indicates a PRACH transmission to a physical layer of the UE, the physical layer of the UE selects a single access slot and a single signature and then transmits a PRACH preamble in uplink. The preamble is transmitted for an access slot interval having a length of 1.33 ms. One of 16 kinds of signatures is selected and transmitted for a first predetermined length of the access slot. If the user equipment transmits the preamble, a base station transmits a response signal via a downlink physical channel which is a AICH (acquisition indicator channel). The AICH transmitted as a response for the preamble carries the signature selected by the preamble for a first predetermined length of an access slot corresponding to the access slot for transmitting the preamble. In this case, the base station transmits an positive response (ACK: acknowledgement) or a negative response (NACK: non-acknowledgement) to the user equipment using the signature carried by the AICH. If the user equipment receives ACK, it transmits an RRC connection request message to the network using an allocated radio resource. Thereafter, the network transmits a contention resolution message and an RRC connection setup message to the user equipment. If the user equipment receives NACK, it indicates a PRACH transmission to the physical layer of the UE again after an appropriate duration. Meanwhile, if the AICH corresponding to the preamble transmitted by the user equipment is not received, the user equipment transmits a new preamble by a power 1-step higher than that of the previous preamble after a predetermined access slot.

Random access method for multimedia broadcast multicast service(MBMS)


A rigid cover assembly for use on an open top box body is particularly adapted for trucks carrying loose goods. The cover assembly has an arched shape lid within which are located tilted piston devices for pivoting the cover assembly over the box body. The piston devices extend between the top edges of the front and the rear wall of the box body up to locations inside the lid adjacent the respective front and rear walls. The lid is provided with openings for loading the box body with loose goods.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rigid cover assembly for truck body box and stationary open top box provided with an internally mounted hinged system for closing and opening the cover assembly. The cover assembly, which is mounted on a box body carrying loose goods, is provided with access doors through its surface. The cover assembly has an arched shape for housing the hinged system.
2. Prior Art
A search of the prior art has failed to reveal pertinent references.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,969 discloses a truck body closure including a cover and a pair of pistons mounted outside the truck body and outside the cover. The body closure appears to be intended for rather short trucks considering that the pistons are located at a longitudinal end of the truck body. The pistons operate by contraction to open the cover which is not provided with any openings.
Some prior patents are also directed to roll-up tarp assembly such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,445 and 5,002,328. Such arrangement does not imply a hinged arrangement for a rigid cover.
Other various systems are foreseen for retracting a load bed cover such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,721 wherein U-shaped frames are adapted to slide on the truck body.
Generally, truck bodies are covered with a flexible material such as tarpauline which are rolled-up or slidden over the top surface of the truck body.

Rigid cover assembly for open top box body


A method of playing an improved version of the game of Pai Gow Poker also known as Asian Poker wherein a fifty six card playing deck includes a fifty two card standard deck plus four jokers, thereby permitting as many as eight players to participate in the game. A set of three special dice 48, 54, and 60 is utilized to determine an action player, and may also be utilized to determine the direction of sequential play. In an improved banking method, the bank hand (player-banker) is not fixed for each hand (deal), but the bank hand can move from player to player during the play of the game depending upon which player has the better hand.

The present invention constitutes an improved version of the game of Pai Gow Poker. Sources well known in the art of Pai Gow Poker include Mason Malmuth, "The Gambling Theory and Other Topics" (Las Vegas: Mason Malmuth, .COPYRGT. 1990); Bill Zender, "Pai Gow Poker" (Las Vegas: Bill Zender, .COPYRGT. 1991); Stanford Wong, "Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow Poker" (La Jolla: Pi Yee Press .COPYRGT. 1992); George Allen, "How to Play Pai Gow Poker" (Tempe: George Allen, .COPYRGT. 1988); and Mike Caro, "Caro's Professional Pai Gow Poker Report and Banker Guidelines" (Las Vegas: Mike Caro, .COPYRGT. 1986).

Method of playing an improved version of the game of Pai Gow Poker


A recognition (e.g., speech, handwriting, etc.) model build process that is declarative and data-dependence-based. Process steps are defined in a declarative language as individual processors having input/output data relationships and data dependencies of predecessors and subsequent process steps. A compiler is utilized to generate the model building sequence. The compiler uses the input data and output data files of each model build processor to determine the sequence of model building and automatically orders the processing steps based on the declared input/output relationship (the user does not need to determine the order of execution). The compiler also automatically detects ill-defined processes, including cyclic definition and data being produced by more than one action. The user can add, change and/or modify a process by editing a declaration file, and rerunning the compiler, thereby a new process is automatically generated.

Speech recognition model development processes involve performing a large number (e.g., 100) of processing steps. Each step is implemented by a processor that creates one or more outputs based on the consumption of inputs, which are the outputs of other processor steps. A problem is to decide which step is to be performed next. The process can be divided into several phases such as planning in which human experts define high-level tasks of the model development, modeling in which software programs perform data processing and build the models and model tuning in which a number of modeling parameters are tested in order to optimize speech recognition performance.
A current planning phase requires the manual specification of the "predecessors" for each task. The author has to manually order the tasks to ensure that all inputs are prepared before executing a task. When there are a large number of tasks, creation and management of the plan then becomes unreliable.
The modeling phase currently is implemented as rigid (e.g., hard-coded) procedural software. The work-flow is controlled by predesigned switches that determine the sequence of model building actions (e.g., configuration files).
The tuning phase currently is also implemented as rigid procedural software. In this phase, based on the intermediate data files or parameters that are tuned, some processes (and only those processes) must be activated. Since the work-flow is controlled by predesigned switches, it becomes difficult to satisfy the requirement by changing the code.
This approach has several limitations. By design the developer has control over which step to perform or not to perform by turning on/off switches in a control file. Consequently, the subsequent steps are not codified in the process and there is no enforcement to complete all the steps. Moreover, to add new functionality or update to the tool, the whole training process has to be tested against regression. This is expensive and a principal reason why deploying new technology can be costly. Additionally, if the modeling process is interrupted, there is no mechanism to guarantee that the restart will perform only the needed steps without duplicated or missing steps. The tuning stage is more complex because once an input file or a configuration is changed, it is difficult to determine which components are affected and should be rebuilt. Finally, there is no automatic way to know how many subcomponents will be affected if one input is missing.

Model development authoring, generation and execution based on data and processor dependencies