A method of assembling an opto-physiological (OP) sensor comprises: (i) modelling the opto-physiological properties of at least one body tissue type to be monitored; (ii) determining, through application of the model, an optimal optical design for an opto-physiological (OP) sensor operable to monitor the opto-physiological properties of the at least one body tissue type; and (iii) making the OP sensor to the determined optical design. The optimal optical design for the OP sensor comprises: (i) determining the optimum separation of each of a plurality of light sources from a photodetector, based on modelled optical path lengths for light travelling from each light source, through the body tissue type to be monitored, to the photodetector; and (ii) locating light sources of different wavelengths at different distances from the photodetector.

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a non-invasive optical technique for monitoring variation in blood volume or blood flow near the surface of the skin to determine various physiological parameters. The principle uses an illumination source and a photodetector to measure changes in intensity as light is passed through or reflected from body tissue. The detected optical signals are then analysed and correlated with the pulsation of blood through the body, as stimulated by the heartbeat. More background information about PPG can be found in the topical review "Photoplethysmography and its application in clinical physiological measurement", John Allen, Physiol. Meas. 28 (2007) R1-R39, as well as in the following papers co-written by the present inventors and their colleagues:
"Non-contact Reflection Photoplethysmography towards Effective Human Physiological Monitoring", Shi, P., Azorin Peris, V., Echiadis, A., Zheng, J., Zhu, Y., Cheang, P. Y. S., Hu, S.*, J Med. Biol. Eng. Vol.30 Iss 30 (2010): 161-167;
"Insight into the dicrotic notch in photoplethysmographic pulses from the finger tip of young adults", Shi, P., Hu, S.*, Zhu, Y., Zheng, J., Qiu, Y., Cheang, P. Y. S., J Med Eng Tech, Vol. 31, Iss 8 (2009), 628-633;
"Analysis of pulse rate variability derived from photoplethysmography with the combination of lagged Poincaré plots and spectral characteristics", Shi, P., Zhu Y., Allen, J., Hu, S.*, Med Eng. Phys. 31 (2009) 866-871, doi: 10. 1016/j.medengphy.2009.05.001;
"A Preliminary Attempt to Understand Compatibility of Photoplethysmographic Pulse Rate Variability with Electrocardiogramic Heart Rate Variability", Shi, P., Hu, S., Zhu, Y., J Med. Biolog. Eng., Vol.28, Iss 4 (2008): 173-180;
"A Monte Carlo Platform for the Optical Modelling of Pulse Oximetry", Azorin-Peris, V., Hu, S.*, Smith, P. R, Applied Physics Letters, SPIE, Vol.6446 (2007), pp.64460T;
"An Effective Solution to Reduce Motion Artefact in New Generation Reflectance Pulse Oximeter", Alzahrani, A., Hu, S., SIECPC-Apr 2013;
"Electrically conductive adhesive enable to manufacture high performance patch probe for non-invasive physiological assessment", Zhang, X., Hu, S.*, Liu, C., Azorin-Peris, V., Imms, R Proc Electronics System-Integration Tech Conf (ESTC) 2012;
"A study of opto-physiological modelling to quantify tissue absorbance in imaging photoplethysmography", Hu, S.*, Azorin Penis V., Zheng J., Proc. IEEE EMBC 32, 2010, 1: 5776-5779; and
"Development of effective photoplethysmographic measurement techniques: from contact to non-contact and from point to imaging", Hu, S.*, Azorin Penis V., Echiadis A., Zheng J., and Shi P., Proc. IEEE EMBC 31, 2009, 1: 6550-6553.
In an earlier application, WO2009/030934 (incorporated herein by reference), the applicants describe a method of forming an image comprising sequentially illuminating a target with a plurality of illumination pulses and consolidating the image pulse signals to provide a real time image of blood pulsing, which is dependent upon blood oxygen saturation within a blood circulation system.
Opto-physiological technology (including PPG) is applicable to the global mobile health market, which is growing rapidly in developed countries in response to the rising incidence of lifestyle induced chronic diseases and ageing populations. The two main applications of this technology are: i) self-monitoring, for example, for sports performance or to maintain or improve general wellbeing and fitness levels; and ii) clinician-monitoring to capture important health parameters of chronically ill patients or those undergoing post-operative care. In addition, monitoring may be performed to identify or confirm underlying illnesses or to monitor the vital parameters of at-risk patients to track underlying conditions and provide an early warning signal in order to prevent exacerbation.
In relation to current PPG systems, pulse oximetry devices (which determine blood oxygen saturation) are most common. However, these are often inaccurate as they do not take into account the light scattering effects of live tissue, motion induced artefacts or the effects of sweat, skin creams or sprays.
In the consumer fitness market, electrical chest-strap based continuous heart rate monitoring systems are often employed. However, these tend to be uncomfortable and obtrusive making them unpopular for frequent use. Other wearable monitoring systems are emerging in the market, including wristwatch-based sensors that can measure individual parameters such as heart rate and/or respiratory rate. However, no wearable sensor is currently available that can simultaneously measure a wider range of physiological parameters, including blood oxygen saturation.
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide an opto-physiological (OP) sensor and a method of assembling the same, which helps to address the afore-mentioned problems.

Opto-physiological sensor and method of assembly


Tire mounting, bead seating and inflation apparatus and the method for use thereof for mounting and inflating tubeless tires on a vehicle wheel is provided. The apparatus for seating the tire beads comprises an annular orifice structure having orifice means for injecting air under pressure peripherally around the tire through the space between a wheel rim and the lower tire bead. The orifice structure is incorporated into a tire mounting device which includes a base. The base includes means to receive vehicle tires, the orifice structure being provided on said means.

Inflation of tubeless tires on vehicle wheels has proved to be a problem. When a tubeless tire is mounted on a wheel, the sidewalls do not normally form sealing engagement with the rim of the wheel. Various mechanical techniques have been utilized in the past to bulge the sidewalls of the tire cut and cause engagement of the tire beads with the wheel rim whereupon the tire may be inflated through the conventional tire valve. Such techniques have proved to be awkward and time consuming and have not been readily adaptable to some types of tires, such as radial ply and glassbelted tires.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,469, issued Jan. 5, 1971, I have disclosed apparatus for inflating tubeless tires which utilizes a simple annular tubular member having orifices spaced around the periphery thereof through which air is injected into a tire through the gap between the tire bead and wheel rim. The device does not employ any working parts which must slide or otherwise fit exactly on the tire or wheel. There is no wear of the parts and the problem of accurate dimensions is considerably reduced. The present invention provides a modified version of such structure wherein the bead seating structure is incorporated into a conventional tire mounting apparatus to facilitate use of a single station for mounting, de-mounting and inflation.

Tire mounting, bead seating and inflation apparatus and method of use


It is an object of this invention to improve speech quality in voice communications.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a jitter buffer controller that can be adapted to a voice packet communication system, such as voice communications or VoIP (Voice over IP) using IP (Internet Protocol) network, in which voice is transformed into packets to be transmitted.
2. Background Art
In recent years, along with the rapid popularization of the Internet, VoIP communications has been receiving attention. In the VoIP communications, voice data is transformed into IP packets to be transmitted over an IP network. The IP network renders best-effort service, which means that a transmission bandwidth for voice transmission is not always secured contrary to the case of using a fixed telephone. Accordingly, there may occur jitters in packet arrival times due to network congestions and the like. Delays in the arrivals of voice packets due to the jitters cause discontinuity in voice reproduction on a receiver's side which has run out packets to be reproduced, resulting in deterioration of voice quality in communications. In the VoIP communications, a jitter buffer (hereinafter, referred to as "buffer") is provided on the receiver's side, which is shown in FIG. 12. The buffer once accumulates voice packets inputted at irregular intervals, and outputs the accumulated voice packets at regular intervals.
Packets are accumulated in the buffer in advance of reproduction, so packet reproduction can be continuously performed even when packets arrive with delay due to jitters, by reproducing the accumulated packets during the delay, to absorb the jitters to thereby attain stability in reproduction. It is possible to absorb jitters to a greater degree by increasing the number of packets to be accumulated in the buffer. However, as the number of packets to be accumulated increases, a longer delay also develops in transmitting the received packets, which impairs realtimeness in the communications.
As described above, if the number of the packets to be accumulated in the buffer is too small, it leads to deterioration of voice quality in communications, such as discontinuity in voice reproduction. The trade-off of increasing the number of packets to be accumulated is correspondingly longer delays to be developed in transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the number of packets to be accumulated in the buffer in accordance with jitters in the network such that the minimum number of packets for retaining voice quality in communications is accumulated, to thereby minimize the transmission delay resulting from packet accumulation in the buffer.
The Patent document 1 discloses a technique for minimizing the transmission delay by dynamically setting the number of packets to be accumulated in a buffer in accordance with jitters, with consideration given to influence on voice quality in communications.
FIG. 13 shows a structural diagram of the technique described in Patent document 1. Arrived packets are received to be sent to a jitter buffer and to a jitter measuring portion. The jitter measuring portion measures jitters in the arrived packets, and the jitter thus measured are sent to a reference value change determining portion. The reference value change determining portion receives current information on the accumulation capacity of the buffer from an accumulation capacity adjusting portion, and compares the information with the jitters measured by the jitter measuring portion. The reference value change determining portion determines a new accumulation capacity of the buffer based on the result of comparison, and notifies the accumulation capacity adjusting portion of the new accumulation capacity. On the other hand, a silence determining portion receives reproduced packets from the jitter buffer, determines whether the packets are silent or not, and notifies the accumulation capacity adjusting portion of the result of judgment. The accumulation capacity adjusting portion replicates or discards the silent packets based on the new capacity notified by the reference value change determining portion. The accumulation capacity adjusting portion also outputs voice signals to a reproduction device.
According to the prior art disclosed in Patent document 1, the jitters in the arrived packets are measured, based on which the accumulation capacity large enough to absorb the measured jitters is set for the buffer, and silent packets in the buffer are replicated or discarded so that the buffer accumulates packets at the set accumulation capacity, to thereby dynamically set the buffer accumulation capacity.
Patent document 2 discloses another technique for setting optimal buffer accumulation capacity for minimizing transmission delay while avoiding buffer underflow.
FIG. 14 is a structural diagram of the technique described in Patent document 2. Arrived packets are received to be sent to a jitter buffer and to a jitter measuring portion. The jitter measuring portion measures jitters in the arrived packets, and sends the result of measurement to a statistical processing portion. The statistical processing portion determines, based on a distribution of jitters, an accumulation capacity capable of absorbing the jitters, and notifies a reproduction control portion of the accumulation capacity. The reproduction control portion outputs a voice signal to a reproduction device.
According to the prior art disclosed in Patent document 2, jitters in the arrived packets are measured, and the statistical processing is performed thereon. Based on the distribution of the jitters obtained by the statistical processing, a maximum value of the jitters, with which buffer underflow is surely avoided according to the statistics, is determined, and an accumulation capacity capable of absorbing a jitter of the maximum value is set for the buffer.
[Patent document 1] JP 2001-160826 A
[Patent document 2] JP 2003-264583 A

Abstract: Provided is a jitter buffer controller for controlling a jitter buffer in which arrived packets are accumulated, including: a jitter measuring portion for measuring jitters in the arrived packets; a judging portion for judging whether or not the jitters of the packets can be absorbed with an accumulation capacity of the jitter buffer; a determining portion for determining levels of importance of the packets; and a control portion for performing reproduction processing or discarding processing on a packet, among the packets accumulated in the jitter buffer, having jitter that cannot be absorbed with the accumulation capacity of the buffer, depending on a level of importance of the packet.


A water system includes a reciprocating pump operated by pedal and motor delivered solar power, including one-way engagement clutch elements preventing hazardous pedal movement and potential motor damage. The pumpstand includes a housing in which a foot pedal and a drive shaft rotate. An eccentric pin, rotating with the drive shaft, moves a connecting rod, which in turn causes a pushrod to oscillate vertically. The pushrod extends into a pressure-tight chamber formed above the rising main (well pipe). A pumprod connected to the pushrod extends to move a conventional plunger through vertical oscillations. A flywheel is attached to the drive shaft, and a counterweight is mounted on the flywheel diametrically opposite the eccentric pin. The radial distance from the drive shaft to the counterweight can be adjusted. A discharge pipe extends from the pressure-tight chamber to an elevated or pressurized storage tank. A distribution pipe from the storage tank feeds water to a number of distribution points, such as faucets in houses.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water distribution systems, and more particularly, to water distribution systems powered by human power. The history of positive displacement reciprocating pumps goes back as far as 275 BC in Ancient Rome. In the sixteenth century, great lift and force pumps, driven by water wheels became the principle method for pumping water to be piped in Europe.
As late as 1987, the World Bank estimated that, throughout the world, 1.8 billion people would need improved water supplies, and that wells equipped with handpumps would be an appropriate choice to meet the needs of this number of people. Most of the reciprocating handpumps commonly used in developing countries have their origins in designs developed during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries in the United States and in Europe. In the United States, about 42 million handpumps were made until 1920, when electric pumps began to replace them. While the basic design of the reciprocating handpump has not changed much in this century, its typical use has changed greatly. In the early part of this century, in the United States and Europe, the big market for pumps was for small backyard pumps used for ten to thirty minutes per day by individual families or farmers. In a developing country today, a single pump may have to supply more than 500 villagers and may be in continuous operation for ten or more hours per day.
What is needed in a developing country is a manually operated pump which can be easily operated by a person for relatively long periods of time and which lifts significant volumes of water with as little effort as possible. Because of the high usage requirements, and because the pump must operate as a practical device far from cities having maintenance facilities and personnel, the pump must be both reliable and easily repaired. A handpump connected with a typical well is driven by pressing the end of a lever downward and by either pulling it upward, or permitting it to return upward due to the weight of the well. The work of lifting the water occurs as the lever is pressed downward. The simplest type of reciprocating pump is the suction pump, which draws water from shallow wells by creating a partial vacuum in a suction pipe. All of the moving parts, including a plunger moved by the lever and a suction check valve, are located above ground; only the suction pipe extends downward into the well. As the lever is pushed downward, the plunger is moved upward, lifting the water above it to be discharged through a spout, and pulling water below it upward through an open suction check valve. As the lever is moved upward, the plunger is moved downward, through the water below it, creating a pressure which opens a valve in the plunger while closing the suction check valve. Two disadvantages of this type of pump are first, it must be primed with water before it can be used and, second, the suction principle, depending on atmospheric pressure to lift water, limits the usefulness of the device to wells having depths less than about seven meters.
In deepwell reciprocating pumps, the cylinder is immersed within the well below the water level, being pulled up and down by a rod extending down the well pipe. This arrangement is suitable for wells as deep as 45 meters or more, with the operating limit depending on the effort that users are willing to apply for progressively less water at increased depths. As the depth of the well is increased, more work is required to lift the column of water in the well pipe, together with the steel rod extending down the well pipe to the cylinder.
One problem with most reciprocating pumps is caused by the fact that the lever used to operate the pump, while providing an exceedingly simple mechanism, does not make particularly good use of the ability of the human body to do mechanical work. The downward force that a person can provide to lift water in this way is limited by his own weight, and the lever primarily uses the muscles moving the arms and upper body, while, in a typical person, the muscles moving the leg are much stronger and more capable of use for extended times.
Another problem with most reciprocating pumps arises from the fact that the work of lifting the water and the pump mechanism occurs only as the lever is pushed down. For example, a conventional reciprocating pump requires a force of about 20 kg 3 as the lever is pushed down, while a force of only about 4 kg is required to move the lever back upward. Thus, uneven demands are placed on the user to supply energy to the pumping process.
A number of pump configurations have been built to overcome various of these disadvantages in the way driving forces are applied. For example, a treadle type foot pedal drive, together with a pair of flywheels, has been applied to a double piston pump, Model SB-115, produced by the Water Conservancy Bureau of Shandong Province, China. The Climax handpump, manufactured by Wildon Engineering of Worcester, United Kingdom, and the Volanta handpump, manufactured by Jensen Venneboer BV, The Netherlands, are both pumps in which a reciprocating motion is developed using a connecting rod driven by a rotating crank mounted on a shaft along with a flywheel. An eccentric rod extends from the flywheel for use as a hand crank. The Climax handpump also uses a counterweight to balance the lifting force applied through the crank.
Thus, the pump from Shandong Province, China, has the advantage of using the stronger muscles moving the legs, while the flywheels of all three of these types of pumps help to spread the force requirements over the operating cycles through the storage of energy. The counterweight of the Climax handpump provides additional help in evening torque requirements of the hand crank.
Nevertheless, the posture and leg movements of bicycle riding, which are known to be both comfortable and practical for providing mechanical work over an extended period, are not used for power input in these pumps. A bicycle type seating and pedaling arrangement is used to drive centrifugal pumps, Model 1-1/2-JB, produced by the Anyue County Farm Machinery Plant, Sichuan Province, China, and Model Jinshan-402B, produced by the Zhenjiang Sprinkler Plant, Jiangsu Province, China.
What is needed is a pump incorporating the posture and pedal configuration of a bicycle for power input with the simplicity, reliability, and flexibility of application of the reciprocating pump.
The force required to lift the water and rod mechanism of a reciprocating pump varies with the depth of the well. While the counterweight of the Climax pump attempts to balance this force, it cannot be moved to compensate for differences in well depth from one installation to another. Even within one installation, it is not unusual to increase the depth of a well to compensate for a falling water table. Therefore, what is needed is a way to vary the position of the counterweight to compensate for differences in force resulting primarily from differences in well depth.
The virtues of flywheels and of counterweighting are also discussed by S. Arlosoroff, et al., Community Water Supply The Handpump Option, (The World Bank, Washington, D.C., 1987) indicating that a properly counterbalanced flywheel in a pumping application can build up considerable speed, particularly when it is operated by two people. These editors further point out that counterweights should at least balance the pull of the pump rod and the plunger.
A conventional handpump or other reciprocating pump includes a spout extending outward and slightly downward from a point a few feet above the ground, below the point at which the pump is operated. Thus, at the spout, a rod extends upward through an opening, being attached to a lever or, in the case of the Climax and Volanta pumps, to a drive crank by means of a connecting rod. Since the top of the pump is not sealed, water cannot be raised above the spout by the pump. On the other hand, the electrically powered water pumping systems in developed countries are typically sealed in such a way that a substantial pressure can be developed above the pump. In a typical water system, this pressure is used either to raise the level of the water to an elevated storage level or to inject the water into a pressure tight tank at ground level. Water stored in this way is subsequently dispensed under pressure through a piping system, which may serve an individual rural house or an entire city.
In developing countries, this kind of water distribution is desirable too, although it is not generally achieved in rural areas. A piped system, supplying water for individual houses, provides significant advantages, both in terms of convenience and sanitation. Considering the changes described above in the patterns of usage of manually operated pumps, by which one pump may have to supply water for 500 villagers, what is particularly needed is a water supply system including a reciprocating pump which can be operated by means of a hand crank or pedal system and which can pump water under pressure into an elevated or pressurized tank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,358,213 to Joerns describes a gear driven reciprocating pump having an upper seal, through which a pair of reciprocating rods operate, and a pressure chamber formed with a division wall and an outlet passageway, allowing the discharge of water near the top of the standard. This feature allows the pump to be operated under considerable pressure for various purposes, discharging a steady stream of water under the pressure of the pump.
While the pump of Joerns shows improvements in the mechanism used to produce reciprocating motion, the gear mechanism is still driven by a handle, or by an unspecified external source of power operating a pulley. What is needed, for the effective application of the Joerns device to the rural areas of a present day developing country, are the other components of a complete water system for supplying water to a number of faucets, together with means allowing the device to be operated by the more efficient process of pedaling.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,592,021 to De Lew et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,430 to Veronesi et al. describe different types of pumping applications in which a flywheel is used. De Lew describes a detachable flywheel for use in a reciprocating oil well pump driven by an electric motor through a walking beam, while Veronesi describes the use of a flywheel, along with an electric motor and a centrifugal pump impeller, within a hermetically sealed casing, through which the fluid being pumped flows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,870 to Bulloch et al describes an exercise device having a bicycle type pedal arrangement used to supply mechanical power to a flywheel, with an adjustable brake creating a variable resistance to the pedaling process.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a pedal and solar powered water pumpstand and water distribution system which includes clutch means for preventing forced pedal rotation injury to an operator.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a pumpstand and water distribution system which includes clutch means for preventing forced rotation damage to a solar powered motor.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a pumpstand and water distribution system which includes a pressure tank having means for shutting off the release of water before all of the water is released, to maintain air pressure above the water.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a water distribution system which automatically switches pumpstand water flow from the pressure tank when the tank becomes full to another water retaining reservoir of any suitable type.
Still additional objects include providing a pump counterweight to balance the work done during the pumping stroke with work done during the downward stroke in the water pump and providing a counterweight which is radially adjustable to vary counter torque at different riser pump settings; providing flywheel store and release pedal energy at peak torque demand; providing a pressure chamber with a high pressure seal to guide and connect a connecting rod small end to pump rods, and a high pressure seal to allow pressure to build up to pump the water to a pressure tank or overhead reservoir; providing a water filtration system to filter sand and sediments; providing a water treatment system to feed necessary chemicals proportional to the flow and to preserve water when in storage; and providing an automatic control system which diverts pump discharge from a high pressure tank to an overhead reservoir and vice versa, an adjustable pilot valve mounted on the pressure tank which monitors the tank internal pressure, such that when pressure in the tank reaches a desired setting, the pilot valve feeds a signal to operate the sequence valve and divert the flow to the overhead tank, and such that a reverse process occurs when the pressure tank experiences a pressure drop, which further includes a pressure switch in the discharge pipe to the overhead tank, disconnects a solar power supply to the electric motor in the event the overhead tank becomes full, which further includes a pressure relief valve which prevents excessive system pressure due to clogging of the filter or accidental use of the wrong pressure setting on the pilot valve, and which finally includes a non-return check valve installed in the pipe line from the sequence valve to the pressure tank to prevent a reverse flow of water to the overhead tank when the position of the sequence valve is on overhead tank mode.

Water system with both electric motor power and manual pedal power, for a reciprocating pump


An attempt to authenticate to a system resource using a particular device and particular credentials is identified and an identity of a user associated with the particular credentials is determined. In association with the attempt to authenticate, a location associated with the particular device is determined and sensor data generated by a set of sensors deployed in an environment is accessed, at least some of the sensor data including biometric data. The sensor data is used to detect a location of the user, and a degree of proximity between the location associated with the particular device and the location of the user is determined. An authentication action is caused to be performed corresponding to the attempt to authenticate based on the degree of proximity.

The present disclosure relates in general to the field of computer systems, and more specifically, to security of computer system resources.
Modern computing enables the interconnection of different computer networks all over the world. These networks can enable users to access and interact with a variety of resources hosted by a variety of different host computing systems physically positioned in various locations throughout the world. Some of these resources are particularly sensitive and valuable. Securing computing systems and their resources is an important consideration in modern computing and continues to be a challenge given the continually-evolving array of tactics exploited by malicious software authors as well as the never-ceasing development of new computing devices and software and use cases vulnerable to such threats.

Integrated biometrics for application security


Systems and methods presented herein provide for conflict resolution of assets selected for insertion into COD content. In one embodiment, the system includes an interface operable to process a request for asset insertion into the COD content selection. The system also includes an asset conflict resolution module operable to identify asset timeslots within the COD content selection from the request, to evaluate the assets to determine conflicts among the assets, to remove conflicting assets, and to select at least a portion of the remaining assets for insertion in the asset timeslots of the COD content selection. For example, the asset conflict resolution module may determine that conflicts exist between certain assets based on various identifiers associated with the assets and/or content such that the conflicts between the assets may be resolved with the removal of one or more of the assets from potential asset insertion selection.

Television networks, such as the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the Columbia Broadcasting Company (CBS), and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), have for years broadcast television shows to the masses as a means for generating revenue through advertising. For example, these networks produce television shows and then seek out sponsors to advertise on the shows. The television shows, or "content", have designated timeslots in which the sponsors' advertisements, or "assets", are inserted. The content and the inserted assets are then broadcast by the television networks, or "content providers", to the public over federally licensed communication airways, occasionally referred to as linear video distribution.
This "shotgun" approach to advertising proved to be very successful in the beginning. However, as the number of advertisers wishing to sell their goods and services substantially increased, television evolved into a much more complex system of communications. For example, cable television providers and satellite television providers now serve as an intermediary between the content providers and the intended public audience. And, the number of content providers has increased accordingly. In this regard, many members of the general public have signed on as customers of the cable/satellite television providers so as to receive a broader availability of content.
Because the market for content consumption has grown, the number of television providers has also grown. And, because each of these providers has its own method of content delivery, the manner in which the content and assets are delivered to the customers has become increasingly complex. Generally, the content providers deliver the content to the television providers with instructions to insert various national assets into the content at certain times. For example, if a company wishes to run a national advertisement campaign targeting a certain television show associated with a particular demographic, the company may purchase one or more timeslots, or "placement opportunities", within that television show from the content provider to air assets advertising the goods and services of the company. The content provider then provides the content to each of the television providers with directions to insert the assets within the timeslots purchased by the company.
The television providers may also have certain timeslots available for inserting certain local assets. For example, a television provider may have "headends" configured in various communities to distribute content to their customers located therein. Each headend receives content from the content providers with various designated timeslots for inserting assets into the content. Some of those timeslots may be designated for local ads where companies within the service area of the headend wish to advertise. These companies purchase those timeslots from the television provider for insertion of their assets to expose the customers to their advertising at the more local level.
As complex as the cable/satellite television has become, certain devices have come along to change and/or circumvent these forms of marketing altogether. The digital recorder, such as that produced by Tivo, is one example of a means for avoiding the asset insertions of marketing strategists. With the digital recorder, the television providers' customers are able to digitally record entire episodes of content and view that content at their leisure, as opposed to a time established by the content providers. However, these customers could also use the digital recorders to fast-forward or skip through the assets without viewing them, much to the dismay of the asset owners/marketers.
In response, television providers started providing content on a "Content On Demand" (COD) basis, occasionally referred to as nonlinear video distribution. In COD, the content provider delivers the content to the television provider which in turn maintains the content for subsequent and individual distribution to their customers. Thus, a customer may select a desired content through a set-top box (STB) or other device and watch that content at the customer's leisure. This COD content is also typically configured with timeslots where assets may be inserted. However, marketing strategists have not been able to determine the effectiveness of asset insertion in COD content.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Asset conflict resolution for content on demand asset insertion


A modularized probe head for modularly assembling on a probe card is configured for probing a semiconductor wafer under test. The probe head includes a silicon substrate having an active surface and an opposing back surface. The back surface of the silicon substrate is attached on a holder. The silicon substrate has a plurality of peripheral bond pads and contact pads on its active surface. At least a probing chip is mounted on the active surface of the silicon substrate. The probing chip has probing tips and side electrodes. The side electrodes are connected with the contact pads by means of solder material. The peripheral bonding pads of the silicon substrate are connected with a flexible printed circuit for electrically connecting to a multi-layer printed circuit board of a probe card.

Conventionally, a probe head is assembled on a probe card for probing the semiconductor wafer under test. The conventional probe card comprises a probe head and a multi-layer printed circuit board shaped like a disk. Because the contact elements of probe head, such as probe needles or probing bumps, are required to contact the bonding pads of a wafer precisely, the precision and the matching of coefficient of thermal expansion of a probe head is higher than that of other probe card components. Therefore, the probe head is a key component of a probe card.
A probe card with a probe head containing an interconnect substrate with raised contact members is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,456. The interconnect substrate is made of silicon by semiconductor fabricating process. Conductive circuits and raised contact members are formed on the active surface of interconnect substrate as a probe head. There is no electric connection formed on the corresponding back surface of interconnect substrate, the conductive circuits of interconnect substrate are formed on the active surface with contact members and extend to edges of the active surface. The conductive circuits of interconnect substrate are connected by bonding wires to a mounting plate, and then use a membrane to connect the mounting plate to testing apparatus. The bonding wires and the membrane provide a hoop height higher than the active surface of the silicon interconnect substrate. While the raised contact members on the active surface of interconnect substrate probing the electrodes of a wafer under test, however, these bonding wire or flexible membrane are possibly to contact and rub against the wafer under test, which may damage the wafer under test and also affecting the testing results.


In socket wrench of the present invention there is provided a storage cavity in the handle thereof for housing an attachable socket storage means or holder. Socket holder comprises a side plate and a cover plate being linked to each other in a L-shaped arrangement, the side plate having mid longitudinal portion thereof formed into a narrow and elongate guide slot for engagement and movement therein of a plurality of mounting stubs. Each stub is to receive a socket member to be mounted thereon. Prior to use of the socket wrench, socket holder can be drawn out therefrom, thereby reducing the weight in the handle advantageous to the manipulation of the wrench, and the upstanding disposition of the socket members of various sizes inside the holder allows removal of one socket member from the other members even more conveniently.

The present invention relates to a socket wrench having a set of interchangeable sockets stored for use and, more particularly, a socket wrench structure which includes a storage cavity in the handle for reception of a socket storage means or socket holder having interchangeable sockets mounted therein.
A socket wrench with a facility for storing a set of interchangeable sockets was disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,306 to Martinmaas. In the disclosed type of socket wrench, a storage cavity is defined in the metal shell, the handle of the wrench, where individual sockets are stored and are embraced each by a retaining strap. When a set of sockets are stored in the cavity or one or two sockets are detached therefrom, this would unavoidably make the manipulation of the wrench less handy owing to the added weight of the sockets in the former case and the vacant space left over by the removal of the sockets in the latter. In addition, when one or the other socket is needed for a job, it would be less convenient for the user to first discover the right socket from among the set of sockets and then to remove the socket by having to release the retaining strap first.

Socket wrench with attachable socket storage means in handle


A service virtual machine provides service to any number of virtual machines on a hypervisor over a first communication channel. When an anomaly is detected within the provided service, any virtual machine using the first communication channel switches to a second communication channel and receives service from a second virtual machine. The second virtual machine may execute upon the same computer or on a different computer. Hooking points within the hypervisor provide a means for the service virtual machines to monitor traffic and provide service to the protected virtual machines. When a service virtual machine is suspended, it is repopulated, upgraded or rebooted, and then restored to service. Once restored, any protected virtual machine may be switched back to the restored service virtual machine. Virtual machines may be switched to a different communication channel by modifying a configuration file. Both communication channels may be in use at the same time.

As known in the art, any number of virtual machines may be executing upon a hypervisor upon a host computer. A service (or security) virtual machine is used to provide protection for any of the other virtual machines executing upon the host computer. But, only a single communication channel is used between the hypervisor and the service virtual machine in prior art architectures. If there is a problem with either the service virtual machine or with the communication channel then the performance of the other virtual machines will be reduced or halted. For example, the service virtual machine may be performing as a gateway, as an anti-malware device, or as a firewall. Because there is only one service virtual machine, there is a single point of failure which is undesirable.
Additionally, a separate problem might occur within the communication channel itself. Because the communication channel includes different components, should one component fail then a virtual machine is prevented from communicating with the service virtual machine. Thus, it would be desirable to reduce the downtime associated with failure of the service virtual machine or of its communication channel.

High availability service virtual machine in virtualization environment


The head-massaging apparatus comprises a headband for engaging over the head. A yoke on each end of the headband carries a vibrator assembly. Each vibrator assembly carries resilient applicator fingers which engage the side of the user""s head in an arc around the ear. An exterior power supply is provided. The resilient applicator fingers vibrate the skin around the ear to activate the nerves and circulation as well as massage the muscles.

This invention is directed to a head-massaging apparatus and particularly an apparatus which engages on the head in front of, over and behind both ears for massaging the related skin, muscles and nerves.
Vibrators have been strapped to hands and the hands used to apply fingers to the recipient""s head to convey vibrating sensation thereto. It is desirable to receive a head massage without needing another person to administer the massage. The areas around the ears are particularly affected in head massage activity.
Prior activity in the field includes Burras U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,794. The patent teaches an over-the-head band with a massaging apparatus in front of and behind each ear. This has been effective, but it is found to be desirable to also apply massage above the ears. In addition, a more direct application of the source of vibration to the massaging fingers improves the massaging result.
In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a head-massaging apparatus which includes a headband which extends over the head and supports a vibrator assembly adjacent each ear. The vibrator assembly has a platform which carries the vibrator and attached to the platform are resilient applicator fingers. The fingers preferably engage in front of, in back of and over the ears.
It is thus a purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a head-massaging apparatus which has many advantages and features which result in an unobvious head-massaging apparatus.
It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide head-massaging apparatus that massages the head by means of vibrating resilient applicator fingers which engage in front of, behind and over the ears so that the fingers apply vibration to the entire relevant area around the ears.
It is a further purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a head-massaging apparatus which is able to be used by the person who desires the head-massaging so that another person is not necessary to aid in the employment of the massaging apparatus.
It is a further purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a head-massaging apparatus which is easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture so it can be widely utilized.


A method for determining whether an imager assembly outside of a camera body meets predetermined focus specifications, wherein the imager assembly includes an image sensor and a camera mounting plate having reference features adapted to cooperate with alignment features in the camera body to locate the image sensor at a predetermined focal plane, including the steps of: mounting the imager assembly onto an imager mounting apparatus having equivalent alignment features; and utilizing low-coherence light interferometry to determine whether the image sensor will meet predetermined focus specifications when mounted in a camera body.

The present invention relates generally to optical interferometry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the location of an imager plane with respect to a camera-mounting plane of an imager assembly.
In a conventional digital camera, an image beam is directed through a lens and onto an imager or image sensor comprised of an array of sensing elements, for example a Charge Coupled Device (CCD). In order to provide a focused image, the lens and the imager need to be properly positioned, relative to each other, within the digital camera.
The steps in a CCD based imager manufacturing process are as follows. Multiple CCD imager arrays are processed together on a single silicon wafer. Imager dies, composed of a single CCD imager array, are diced from the wafer and positioned and glued into specially designed packages. A flat transparent plate called the imager cover glass is then glued into the specially designed package at a location that is offset from the imager die to hermetically seal the specially designed package. This hermetically sealed package containing the imager die is then mounted into a camera-mounting plate that includes a reference plane to facilitate proper mounting into the camera. The camera itself will include a camera reference plane to receive the camera mounting plate from the imager package. In a film camera, film rails usually define the camera reference plane. Optionally, the package can include the camera-mounting plate and reference plane, which would eliminate this last step of mounting the hermetically sealed package into a camera mounting plate.
In order to ensure that the CCD is positioned properly in the camera, the location of the CCD needs to be determined. Such a location can be determined relative to a reference surface or reference plane.
A Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) is an example of an apparatus employed to determine the location of an object relative to a reference plane. Conventionally, the object is retained in a suitable holder on an optical bench. In one method to determine the location of an object, three points on a reference plane, approximately 120 degrees apart, are measured to define the reference plane; the coordinates of the three points are tracked in the x, y and z directions. A point on the object is then measured relative to the reference plane, and the distance from the reference plane is calculated. Conventional CMMs have contact probes for intimately contacting each of the points defining the reference plane and the object, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,446 issued Jun. 27, 1995 to Ziegart et al. entitled Measurement Instrument with Interferometer and Method, U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,545 issued Aug. 29, 1995 to Taylor entitled Method of and Apparatus for Calibrating Machines Including a Measuring Probe and a Measuring Apparatus, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,082 issued May 29, 1990 to Webber entitled Laser Linear Distance Measurement System and Apparatus. These references include interferometers that monitor the displacement of the machine axes. In contrast, non-contacting methods, such as optical triangulation, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,804 issued Feb. 15, 1983 to Pryor et al entitled Method and Apparatus for Electro-Optically Determining the Dimension, Location and Attitude of Objects, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,625 issued Apr. 23, 1996 to Pryor et al. entitled Method and Apparatus for Electro Optically Determining the Dimension, Location and Attitude of Objects.
Another technology known as low-coherence light interferometry has also been used to measure physical properties of an object. U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,392 issued Aug. 19, 1997 to Marcus et al. entitled Associated Dual Interferometric Measurement Apparatus for Determining a Physical Property of an Object, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,409 issued Jan. 21, 1997 to Marcus et al. entitled Associated Dual Interferometric Measurement Method for Determining a Physical Property of an Object, disclose an associated dual interferometric apparatus and method for measuring physical properties of an object, such as thickness, group index of refraction, and distance to a surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,485 issued May 26, 1998 to Marcus et al. entitled Digital Camera Image Sensor Positioning Method Including a Non-Coherent Interferometer, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,486 issued May 26, 1998 to Marcus et al. entitled Digital Camera Image Sensor Positioning Apparatus Including a Non-Coherent Light Interferometer, disclose a digital camera image sensor positioning apparatus and method which includes a low-coherence light interferometer. The apparatus and method include a removable optical probe assembly mounted to a digital camera. The low-coherence light interferometer is in communication with the optical probe. assembly to determine a depth of an image sensor residing within a digital camera, relative to a reference surface. U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,601 issued Jun. 13, 2000 to Marcus et al. entitled Optical Probe Calibration Apparatus and Method describes an optical probe calibration apparatus used for calibrating the optical probes used in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,757,485 and 5,757,486 referenced above. These three to the camera reference surface.
Heretofore, a skilled operator was required to install the imager in the camera and subsequently assemble the camera before finding out if the imager was properly focused. Several steps were required, including securing the imager with 3 or 4 screws onto the camera-mounting plane, and inserting a measurement optical probe into the camera body and locking the probe into the lens flange-mounting ring before a measurement could be initiated. Before mounting the measurement optical probe into the camera body, the camera electronics needed to be turned on and the electronic shutter needed to be opened. Full camera assembly and substantial skilled operator intervention were required before an assessment of imager focus could be made. If the imager was out of focus, the camera had to be disassembled and the imager replaced. In order to calibrate the measurement optical probe, an external calibration fixture was also required. The distance from the camera-mounting ring to the reference surface in the external calibration fixture is better suited for measurement with an external technique, such as provided by a CMM machine.
While internal apparatus and methods may have achieved a certain level of success, the internal apparatus is not readily transportable nor simple to use. Further, the methods are time consuming and quite often are dependent on the skill of the operator.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for an apparatus and method for determining the position of an image sensor in a digital camera. Furthermore, there is a need to properly predict the position of an image sensor before permanently physically mounting the image sensor inside the digital camera. The apparatus needs to be robust, transportable and simple to use. The method must be fast, provide objective results independent of the operator, and provide accurate and consistent results.
The need is met according to the present invention by providing a method for determining whether an imager assembly outside of a camera body meets predetermined focus specifications, wherein the imager assembly includes an image sensor and a camera mounting plate having reference features adapted to cooperate with alignment features in the camera body to locate the image sensor at a predetermined focal plane, including the steps of: mounting the imager assembly onto an imager mounting apparatus having equivalent alignment features, and utilizing low-coherence light interferometry to determine whether the image sensor will meet predetermined focus specifications when mounted in a camera body.
The present invention also provides an imager mounting apparatus to receive an imager assembly in a predetermined orientation for determining whether an imager assembly outside of a camera body meets predetermined focus specifications, including: an optical probe with a pellicle reference surface; a camera body mounting equivalent with equivalent alignment features for receiving and aligning the imager assembly in a predefined orientation; and a plurality of clamps to lock in the predetermined orientation.
The present invention also provides an interferometric-based measurement system for determining whether an imager assembly outside of a camera body meets predetermined focus specifications, including: a low coherence light interferometer; an imager mounting apparatus including an optical probe having an optical probe chuck; an optical fiber cable for coupling light from the interferometer to the optical probe chuck; and a computer for processing data collected by the interferometer, wherein the data is used to determine whether the imager assembly meets predetermined focus specifications.
The present invention also provides a method for calibrating an absolute distance to a reference surface for determining the position of an imager plane relative to an image sensor camera-mounting reference plane in an imager assembly, including the steps of: mounting a flat reference plate onto an imager mounting reference surface; and utilizing low coherence light interferometry to determine the distance between the imager mounting reference surface and a pellicle reference surface (known as PPxe2x80x2) of the imager mounting apparatus.
The present invention also provides a method for determining a position of an imager plane relative to an image sensor camera-mounting plane in an imager assembly, including the steps of: temporarily mounting the imager assembly onto an imager mounting apparatus having an imager mounting reference surface such that the imager sensor camera-mounting reference plane and the imager mounting reference surface are in intimate contact; wherein the imager mounting apparatus includes an optical probe with a pellicle reference surface in a predetermined orientation with respect to the imager mounting reference surface such that the pellicle reference surface is disposed at a first depth relative to the imager mounting reference surface; utilizing low-coherence light interferometry to determine: (i) a second depth from the pellicle reference surface to a front surface of the optically transparent plate, (ii) an optical thickness of the imager cover glass, and (iii) a third depth from a back surface of the imager cover glass to the imager plane; and calculating the optical position of the imager plane relative to the imager sensor camera-mounting reference plane.

Measurement method and apparatus of an external digital camera imager assembly


To improve the mechanical strength of a wafer comprising a low-k dielectric layer, the low-k dielectric layer is formed so as to have certain regions of low dielectric constant and the remainder having a higher mechanical strength. The higher-strength regions may have a relatively-higher value of dielectric constant. Selective ultraviolet curing of a dielectric material can be performed so as to expel a porogen from the region(s) desired to have low dielectric constant. A photomask, hardmask, or opaque resist, patterned so as to define the region(s) to have lower dielectric constant, is used to shield the remainder of the dielectric material from the ultraviolet radiation. Alternatively, a layer of dielectric material can be blanket cured to lower its dielectric constant, then non-critical regions thereof can be selectively over-cured whereby to produce regions of increased mechanical strength.

As integrated circuit devices become increasingly highly-integrated, and patterned features descend to 65 nm and beyond, it is becoming increasingly desirable to form low-k (dielectric constant k<3.0) or ultra-low-k (dielectric constant ≦2.5) dielectric layers on a semiconductor wafer, for example as an interlayer dielectric between different layers of metallization, in order to attain desired capacitance values. (To simplify, in the present document the expression "low-k dielectric" is intended to cover both low-k and ultra-low-k dielectrics, unless the context indicates otherwise).
In order to produce a dielectric layer having a suitably low dielectric constant, it is known to introduce small pores (typically the size of one or several nanometers) into a material which already has a low dielectric constant, such as poly(methylsilsesquioxane), p-MSQ. As a first step, a film is created which is an inorganic matrix of p-MSQ containing a porogen, such as acrylate. Then, in a second step, the porogen is expelled, leaving a nanoporous film having a low dielectric constant. The same type of two-step process is used for producing mesoporous or nanoporous low-k dielectric layers of other materials.
Different techniques have been proposed for expelling the porogen in order to produce the desired low-k dielectric layer. Initial proposals involved applying heat to the semiconductor wafer, in a thermal annealing step. However, the elevated temperatures required for thermal annealing, and the duration of the heating periods, often produced undesirable effects on other components of integrated circuit devices being formed on the wafer (e.g. on Cu metal lines already present on the wafer). Accordingly, other proposals have suggested that the initial non-porous layer of dielectric material could be rendered porous by curing it, notably by application of ultraviolet radiation (UV). This approach is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, in which the thickness of the dielectric layer is greatly exaggerated compared to the thickness of the other wafer layers. The UV curing step generally involves heating the semiconductor wafer, but for a much shorter time than would be necessary for a thermal annealing process alone (e.g. 1/20 of the time needed for thermal annealing).
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, a layer 2 of dielectric material is formed on a wafer 1. This layer 2 consists of a matrix having distributed within it a pore-generating material (porogen). The wafer 1 is placed on a chuck 5 which is heated while UV radiation is applied to the layer of dielectric material 2 (see FIG. 1B). As UV curing takes place, the porogen is expelled from the layer of dielectric material 2, as indicated by the curved arrows in FIG. 1B. After UV curing, the dielectric material has tiny voids, or pores, 3 distributed throughout it, as indicated in FIG. 1C. As a result, the dielectric layer 2 now has a reduced value of dielectric constant
Different materials have been proposed for use in forming porous low-k dielectric layers on a semiconductor wafer. However, the porosity of the low-k dielectric material generally results in low mechanical strength (generally a Young's modulus value of much less than 10 GPa, and low hardness) compared with traditional SiO2 dielectric layers which are relatively tough (having Young's modulus in the range of around 46 to 92 GPa, depending upon the technique used for formation of the SiO2 layer). In the case of methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ), the expulsion of porogens (in order to achieve low-k) reduces the mechanical strength from around 14 GPa to below 6 GPa. In the case of the MSQ-based material Zirkon™ LK2000, produced by RHEM, the expulsion of porogens reduces the mechanical strength from around 10 GPa to around 5 GPa.
When examining the properties of low-k dielectric materials a correlation has been found between lower dielectric constant and reduced Young's modulus. This effect is illustrated in the graph of FIG. 2.
Moreover, this problem of low mechanical strength affects layers made of various low-k dielectric materials. It is especially acute for spin-on deposited dielectric materials, because of a relatively lower degree of cross-linking than CVD deposited films. Organic polymers, in particular, have low mechanical stability.
It is believed that a Young's modulus of at least 6 GPa is required in order for a layer of material to withstand integration into conventional fabrication processes. In fact, the low-k dielectric material can often have such low mechanical strength that it becomes impossible to apply subsequent process steps, notably conventional packaging steps, or even copper chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). Typically, the low-k dielectric layer may peel off during Cu CMP, or crack during packaging. Accordingly, such low-k dielectric materials can only be used if special techniques are employed for the subsequent processing steps, which increase the cost and complexity of the manufacturing process.
It is desirable to be able to produce a low-k dielectric layer on a semiconductor wafer while ensuring that this layer maintains a sufficient degree of mechanical strength to enable it to withstand subsequent conventional process stages.
The present invention provides a fabrication method for fabricating a semiconductor wafer comprising a low-k dielectric layer, in accordance with the appended claims.
The present invention further provides a semiconductor wafer comprising a low-k dielectric layer, in accordance with the appended claims.
Certain presently-preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, of which:

Semiconductor wafer with low-K dielectric layer and process for fabrication thereof


A digital image processing device, more particularly, a digital camera, which includes: a static digital image extracting device used to extract the static digital image and output; a compressing device used to compress the static digital image using wavelet transform to produce a compressed image data file; a memory card used to store the compressed image data file; a central processing unit used to calculate and compare the storage space left in the memory card, storage space used in the memory card and the size of the compressed image data file, when the storage space left in the memory card is less than the size of the compressed image data file, part of the image data file stored in the memory is eliminated to store the compressed image data file, otherwise the compressed image data file is directly stored in the memory card; a decompressing device used to decompress the compressed image data file to produce an image data file; and an image display device used to display the image data file.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital image processing device, more particularly to an image processing device of a digital camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, the storage method for photographs of digital cameras uses the JPEG compressing technique to compress the photograph and then store the compressed data. However, this method cannot process the compressed data flexibly, therefore cannot maximize the use of memory devices.
The conventional JPEG compressing technique uses Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) coding method. In this method, imagine an image is a brick wall constructed by the DCT coefficients, the brick is constructed by individual DCT block. Compressing data can be seen as knocking the end portion of the brick and exposing the indentations and compressing the bricks with indentations. The compressed brick wall leaves filling slits and obscures the image (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, if part of the image data is eliminated to store the rest of the image data in the limited space, then part of the image may be lost. For example, an image which was originally a person's figure may lose its upper half, leaving the lower half intact.
FIG. 2 shows the conventional digital camera, including: a lens 1, a JPEG compressing device 2, a memory device 3, a decompressing device 4, and an image display device 5. Lens 1 is used to take in a digital image. JPEG compressing device 2 is used to compress the input digital image. The memory device 3 is used to store the compressed digital image. The decompressing device 4 is used to decompress the compressed digital image stored in the memory device 3. The image display device 5 (for example, liquid crystal display or computer) is used to display the decompressed image data file. Here, the image stored in the memory device 3 cannot be trimmed and thus the use of the memory device 3 cannot be maximized.

Digital image processing device and digital camera using this device


A computer system is provided in which asynchronously operating processing elements in the system are connected by means of an interconnection media so as to permit communication between an executing program on one of the processing elements with the memory on another processing element. Inter-processing communication logic located on each of the processing elements permits communication between executing programs on any one processing element. Inter-delivery support hardware is provided for interfacing between the interconnection media and the inter-processing communication logic. The inter-delivery support hardware operates asynchronously with respect to the executing programs on the processing elements for (i) enqueuing control elements obtained by a function on a first processing element from physical memory on the first processing element; (ii) temporarily storing the enqueued control elements in a first memory device associated with the first processing element; (iii) copying over the interconnection media via a copy transaction the temporarily stored control elements from the first memory device to a second memory device associated with a second processing element; and (iv) dequeuing the copied control elements from the second memory device to physical memory on the second processing element.

As the numbers of computers and computer users have grown, the demand for communication between users and machines has correspondingly increased. Computer networks which permit such communication have been constructed which comprise more than one processing element. The processing elements may, for example, include portable or laptop computers, personal computers, minicomputers, or the subsystems internal to each of these types of computers. Typically, each of these processing elements operates asynchronously and independently of others in the network, but is able to communicate with the other processing elements in the network.
Asynchronously operating individual processing elements which are connected to each other in a network may together provide the capability of performing parallel processing. During parallel processing, two or more processes, or functional entities, may be executed concurrently by interconnected processing elements to simultaneously process a large number of tasks.
Connectivity among processing elements in parallel processing networks varies considerably between networks. In some networks, each of the processing elements is connected with every other processing element. In others, only neighboring processors are connected. The media through which the individual processing elements in a network are connected also varies among networks. Some networks capable of parallel processing are built around a bus architecture, in which each of the processing elements is connected to bus over which communications take place. Any one processing element may access memory in another processing unit by accessing and taking control of the bus. In this manner, information may be passed from processing element to processing element via memory which is located on the processing elements or on expansion memory within the system.
Networks built around a bus architecture are typically referred to as tightly coupled, since each processing element in the system is directly coupled to the bus. Because of the potential for synchronization errors in such a system, a bus access control mechanism must be provided to arbitrate between processing elements competing for control of the bus. The bus control mechanism must also ensure that a recipient processing element cannot read before a sending processing element has sent its message, and so that the sending processing element does not begin writing until the recipient has read the last information written.
Loosely coupled systems comprise more than one processing element which include connection by a serial form of interconnection which does not permit one processing element from directly accessing memory on another processing element. Loosely coupled systems, however, permit coprocessing by each of the processing elements concurrently, and further permit message passing. Messages are passed between the processing elements using a protocol which is mutually agreeable to the processing elements. Because of the uncertainty associated with network communications, it is the duty of both the sending and receiving processing elements to confirm the integrity of the communications link. Thus, the protocol typically incorporates an error-detection method. The protocol must also specify the manner in which to initiate and terminate the communications channel. As it is possible that more than one channel may be open at any one time, some form of message differentiation must also be incorporated.
The processing elements in a computer system such as a loosely coupled network may each include more than one active entity or function for performing one or more programs, and associated support hardware. The programs include tasks or instructions suitable for processing by the processor. The programs run applications or input/output (I/O) support, and operate on separate process execution threads. Generally, these programs may communicate with other programs on the same processing element by means of interprocess communications (IPC) software. Communications between programs on loosely coupled separate processing elements, however continues to present design difficulties.
It is an object of the present invention, then to provide logic in the form of hardware support that interfaces between IPC software and the interconnect media in a loosely connected computer system. The hardware support permits individually executing functions on asynchronously operating processing elements within the system to indirectly communicate with memory on other processing elements within the system.

Method and apparatus for distributing control messages between interconnected processing elements by mapping control messages of a shared memory addressable by the receiving processing element

International Business Machines Corporation


A system simulates a process entity. Software instructions stored on a memory device and executable by a processor creates an entity type object that generically represents a type of process entity. Instructions create a simulation representing a process and instantiate an entity type instance in the simulation based on the entity type object. The entity type instance represents a specific process entity in the process. Additionally, instructions simulate the functionality of the specific process entity by the entity type instance in the simulation.

Aspects of the present invention generally relate to the fields of networked computerized industrial control, automation systems and networked computerized systems utilized to monitor, log, and display relevant manufacturing/production events and associated data, and supervisory level control and manufacturing information systems. Such systems generally execute above a regulatory control layer in a process control system to provide guidance to lower level control elements such as, by way of example, programmable logic controllers or distributed control systems (DCSs). Such systems are also employed to acquire and manage historical information relating to such processes and their associated output. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for using tools employing calculations that are designed model and simulate the process in order to optimize the process. The use of these modeling and simulation functions allows a user to capture the economic benefit from processes such as refinery, chemical or petrochemical plant operations.
Industry increasingly depends upon highly automated data acquisition and control systems to ensure that industrial processes are run efficiently, safely and reliably while lowering their overall production costs. Data acquisition begins when a number of sensors measure aspects of an industrial process and periodically report their measurements back to a data collection and control system. Such measurements come in a wide variety of forms. By way of example, the measurements produced by a sensor/recorder include: a temperature, a pressure, a pH, a mass/volume flow of material, a tallied inventory of packages waiting in a shipping line, or a photograph of a room in a factory. Often sophisticated process management and control software examines the incoming data, produces status reports, and, in many cases, responds by sending commands to actuators/controllers that adjust the operation of at least a portion of the industrial process. The data produced by the sensors also allow an operator to perform a number of supervisory tasks including: tailor the process (e.g., specify new set points) in response to varying external conditions (including costs of raw materials), detect an inefficient/non-optimal operating condition and/or impending equipment failure, and take remedial actions such as move equipment into and out of service as required.
Typical industrial processes are extremely complex and receive substantially greater volumes of information than any human could possibly digest in its raw form. By way of example, it is not unheard of to have thousands of sensors and control elements (e.g., valve actuators) monitoring/controlling aspects of a multi-stage process within an industrial plant. These sensors are of varied type and report on varied characteristics of the process. Their outputs are similarly varied in the meaning of their measurements, in the amount of data sent for each measurement, and in the frequency of their measurements. As regards the latter, for accuracy and to enable quick response, some of these sensors/control elements take one or more measurements every second. Multiplying a single sensor/control element by thousands of sensors/control elements (a typical industrial control environment) results in an overwhelming volume of data flowing into the manufacturing information and process control system. Sophisticated data management and process visualization techniques have been developed to handle the large volumes of data generated by such system.
Due to this complexity, it is a difficult but vital task to ensure that the process is running efficiently. Although the modeling the process for the purpose of simulating it is known, the challenges involved in creating and using a simulation model of a process include ensuring the accuracy of the model and responsive performance of the simulation while running. Simulation of a process requires solving large systems of equations, which can be extremely time consuming.

Entity type templates in process simulation


In the conventional image memory diagnosis, diagnosis data is written in the image memory for a comparison between the data read out of the image memory and the diagnosis data. All the address and control signals for the image memory are output by the system. By contrast, according to the invention, the display control signal output by the CRT controller is converted into address and control signals for the image memory, thus not only increasing the process speed but also reducing the system load.

The present invention relates to image memory diagnostic systems for diagnosing the operation of an image memory of a display unit for displaying characters and/or graphics.
FIG. 4 shows the organization of a conventional display unit constructed based on the display unit disclosed in IBM Technical Reference Options and Adapters Volume 2. This display unit includes a system bus 1, a system data bus 1a connected to the system bus 1, a system address bus 1b connected to the system bus 1, a command bus 1c connected the system bus 1, a CRT controller 2 for generating various control signals to be described later, a CRT address bus 2a for transmitting a CRT address from the CRT controller 2, a memory control line 2b for transmitting a memory control signal from the CRT controller 2, a video control line 2c for transmitting a video control signal from the CRT controller 2, a selector 3 for choosing between the system address bus 1b and the CRT address bus 2a, a memory address bus 3a for transmitting a selected signal, an image memory 4 for storing video data, a memory read data bus 4a for transmitting memory read data from the image memory 4, a parallel/serial converter 5 for converting parallel memory read data into serial data, a video data line 5a for transmitting data from the parallel/serial converter 5, a video control circuit 6 for displaying a picture image at a display device, such as CRT or LCD, and a video signal line 6a for transmitting a video signal to the display device.
In operation, in response to a command input at the command bus 1c, the CRT controller 2 outputs at the memory control line 2b a memory control signal, causing the selector 3 to select a system address at the system address bus 1b and output it at the memory address bus 3a as a memory address. At this address, the image memory 4 writes system data from the system data bus 1a.
In response to a command signal from the command bus 1c, the CRT controller 2 then outputs a CRT address at the CRT address bus 2a, a memory control signal at the memory control line 2b, and a video control signal at the video control line 2c. In response to the memory control signal at the memory control line 2b, the selector 3 selects at this time a CRT address at the CRT address bus 2a and outputs a memory address at the memory address bus 3a. The image memory 4 outputs at the memory read data bus 4a a parallel video data (memory read data) accessed by the above memory address and memory control signals.
The parallel/serial converter 5 then converts the above read data into serial data and feeds it to the video control circuit 6 via the video data line 5a. In response to a video control signal from the video control line 2c and data from the video data line 5a, the video control circuit 6 generates and feeds a video signal to the display device via the video signal line 6a. Thus, the display device displays a picture line corresponding to the video data provided via the system data bus 1a. This operation is repeated over the entire lines of the screen to provide a picture field or frame. This field operation is repeated to provide a continuous motion or still picture on the display.
FIG. 5 shows a sequential relationship among the memory address signal, memory control signal, and memory read data in the conventional display unit. The memory address signal is either a CRT address signal or a system address signal output at the memory address bus 3a by the selector 3 in FIG. 4. The memory control signals include a row address select signal (RAS), a column address select signal (CAS), an output enable signal (OE), and a write enable signal (WE). A symbol *1 represents both output and write enable signals from the system bus 1 which are enabled in response to access to the memory 4. The memory read data is a signal output from the image memory 4 at the memory read data bus 4a. This memory read data is output at the read data bus 4a when the RAS, CAS, and OE signals are low and the WE signal is high, with the CRT address signal provided at the CRT address bus 3a.
In order to diagnose the image memory of the above display unit, it is necessary to repeatedly execute the diagnostic program of a processing system for transmitting a system address to write in the image memory the test data from the processing system or read data from the image memory for comparison between the read data and the test data in the processing system. Consequently, such conventional image memory diagnosis not only takes a considerable amount of time but also puts an additional load on the processing system for fault diagnosis.


A semiconductor component which comprises a planar structure which has a channel stopper 7 formed at one edge and a field electrode which covers a pn-junction 3 of the planar zones adjoining the edge 4. The blocking voltage can be increased by providing a channel stopper field plate 19 arranged over the channel stopper and an anode field plate 18 arranged over the field electrode and these field plates are spaced a greater distance from the surface 8 of the semiconductor body between the electrodes 18 and 19 and they have over the channel stopper electrode and the gate electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a semiconductor component which has at least one planar zone embedded in a surface of a semiconductor body and a first insulating layer on the surface of the semiconductor body and a channel stopper electrode formed on the first insulating layer at the edge of the semiconductor body 3 and an electrode that covers the pn-junction adjoining the planar zone formed on the first insulating layer. The electrode and channel stopper electrode are covered by a second insulating layer and a channel stopper field plate is formed on the second insulating layer which covers the channel stopper electrode at least on that portion facing away from the edge of the semiconductor body and is electrically connected to the channel stopper electrode. An anode field plate is formed on the second insulating layer and covers the electrode at least at that side facing away from the planar zone and is electrically connected to the planar zone and the two field plates are spaced apart and the second insulating layer is thicker in the region between the channel stopper field plate and the anode field plate.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art semiconductor component which has a semiconductor body 1 which has a top planar surface 8 in which a zone 2 is formed that has a conductivity type that is opposite to the semiconductor body 1. The semiconductor body 1 is limited by an edge 4 as shown. A first insulating layer 5 is arranged on the surface 8 and extends up to the edge 4 and covers the pn-junction 3 where it abuts the surface 8 on the side opposite the edge 4. A channel stopper field electrode 7 is formed on the first insulating layer starting adjacent the edge 4 of the semiconductor body and extends at its other edge over the pn-junction 3 between zone 2 and semiconductor body 1. An electrode 6 covers the first insulating layer 5 above the pn-junction 3. In the case of a MOS transistor, for example, the electrode 6 can be a gate electrode and can be connected to a gate terminal G.
A second insulating layer 9 is formed over the channel stopper electrode 7, the first insulation layer 5 and the electrode 6 as shown. A channel stopper field plate 11 which is electrically connected to the channel stopper electrode 7 is provided on the second insulating layer 9 adjacent the edge 4. An anode field plate 10 which overlaps the electrode 6 is formed on the second insulating layer 9 on the side which faces away from the edge 4. The inner edges of the field plates 10 and 11 are spaced from each other as shown. The surface of the second insulating layer 9 between the edges of field plates 10 and 11 is covered with a passivation layer 12. The passivation layer is formed of a poorly conductive material, for example, amorphous silicon. The amorphous silicon has a defined specific resistance so that a defined voltage curve can be maintained between the field plate 10 and the field plate 11. The field lines thus emerge from the opening between the field plates 10 and 11 and are uniformly distributed. With the thickness of the two insulating layers 5 and 9 which is relatively small, a relatively high blocking or offstate voltage for the semiconductor component can be obtained. A highly doped anode zone 15 is provided on the other side of the semiconductor body 1.
The specific resistance and the stability of the amorphous silicon are very difficult to reproduce and require extreme care during manufacturing processes.
Patents which are related to this invention are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,767,981, 4,614,959, European Patent Application 069,429, German DE No. 351,622, German DE No. 3,141,203, German DE No. 3,046,749, European Patent No. 077,481 and the publication in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices ED-33, 1986, December, No. 12, New York, N.Y. U.S.A. entitled "An Accurate DC Model For High Voltage Lateral DMOS Transistors Suited for CACD" Pages 1964-1970.

MOS semiconductor device which has high blocking voltage


Front, rear and center trailer frame sections are provided and the front section includes hitch structure for attachment to a towing vehicle while the rear section includes ground engageable support wheels. The front and rear sections include upper deck portions generally horizontally aligned with each other and the front section includes rear vertically spaced opposite side upper and lower mounting portions. The rear section includes vertically spaced opposite side upper and lower mounting portions and the center section is horizontally elongated and defines an upper deck extending longitudinally therealong. The opposite ends of the center section includes opposite side anchor points for alternate releasable substantially rigid anchoring to the front and rear section upper and lower mounting portions and the upper deck is substantially horizontally aligned with the upper deck portions of the front and rear sections when the anchor points are anchored relative to the upper mounting portions, the upper deck being spaced appreciably below the upper deck portions of the front and rear sections when the anchor points are anchored to the lower mounting portions.

Various forms of semi-trailers presently being manufactured are referred to as "flats" in that they define a raised upper flat loading surface while other semi-trailers are termed "drop center trailers" inasmuch as the center load receiving portions thereof between the front and rear ends of the trailer are appreciably lowered relatively to the front and rear trailer ends.
"Flats" are conventionally utilized for carrying various forms of bulk equipment and supplies, whereas the "drop center trailers" are utilized primarily to carry heavy loads which may not be readily lifted to the high level of the load carrying surface of "flats". However, semi-trailers in many instances carry loads thereon in only one direction due to the unavailability of a return load on the same type being available. Furthermore, in many instances when a "drop center trailer" is utilized to carry a load in one direction, the only load which may be available therefor in the return direction comprises a load that may best be carried by a "flat". Accordingly, a need exists for an improved form of trailer which may be readily converted from a "flat" to a "drop center trailer".
Convertible trailers heretofore have been designed such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,719,587, 2,776,146, 2,970,861, 3,103,397, 3,319,393 and 4,092,039. However, these various forms of convertible and adjustable trailers are not capable of being readily completely transformed between "flat" and "drop center" trailer configurations.


A method and a system have been described to determine a pressure relief set point for a person-support apparatus. The method includes determining the change in pressure or volume in a zone from a vacant mode to a person occupied mode and computing the weight supported there from.

A number of commercially available person-support apparatus include an air filled person support surface. Normally, the air within the person support surface can be regulated depending on the patient's requirement. It is preferable that the air pressure inside the person support surface be maintained such that the contact area between the patient and the person support surface is therapeutically optimal to minimize peak interface pressures. Air pressure should also be sufficient so that the weight of patient preferably does not cause the patient to touch the firm, structural bottom of the person support surface. An optimum value of pressure within the person support surface is called as the pressure relief set point. Pressure relief set point values can vary from patient to patient depending, for instance, on their weight as well as potentially other variables. While various systems and methods have been developed to accommodate patients of various weights on a person support surface in an optimal manner, there is still room for improvement. Thus a need persists for further contributions in this area of technology.

Automatic patient weight measurement for determining pressure relief set points


A method of forming a semiconductor package with smooth edges, and a semiconductor package formed thereby is disclosed. In embodiments, after encapsulation, the semiconductor packages may be at least partially singulated from the panel by making one or more cuts through the panel to define one or more edges of the semiconductor package. The one or more edges may be smoothed by applying a laminate to the edges. The edges receiving the laminate may include any edge between a top and bottom surface of the package.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of smoothing the edges of a portable memory card and a memory card formed thereby.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the sizes of electronic devices continue to decrease, the associated semiconductor packages that operate within them are being designed with smaller form factors, lower power requirements and higher functionality. Currently, sub-micron features in semiconductor fabrication are placing higher demands on package technology including higher lead counts, reduced lead pitch, minimum footprint area and significant overall volume reduction.
While a wide variety of packaging configurations are known, flash memory storage cards may in general be fabricated as system-in-a-package (SiP) or multichip modules (MCM), where a plurality of die are mounted on a substrate. The substrate may in general be a printed circuit board, a leadframe or a tape automated bonding (TAB) tape. FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a plurality of semiconductor packages 20 being fabricated on a substrate panel 22. Semiconductor packages 20 are typically batch processed from panel 22 for economies of scale. Each package 20 includes one or more semiconductor die 24 mounted to the substrate, and electrical bond wires 26 for electrically coupling the one or more semiconductor die to the substrate. The substrate may further include passive components 28, such as for example capacitors, resistors and inductors further enabling the operation of the package 20. Where the packages 20 are LGA (land grid array) packages such as are used in portable memory cards, contact fingers (not shown) may be formed on a surface of the substrate and coupled to the one or more semiconductor die through a lead pattern formed in the substrate. The contact fingers and lead pattern allow electrical communication between the semiconductor die in the package and a host device in which the package is used.
Once electrical connections between the die and substrate are made, the respective packages 20 on panel 22 may then typically be encapsulated in a molding compound to seal off and protect the components within the package. Once encapsulated, the respective packages 20 may be singulated from the panel 22 to form the finished packages. An example of a finished, encapsulated package is shown in prior art FIG. 2. The package 20 shown in FIG. 2 may for example be a Memory Stick Micro (M2) card developed by SanDisk Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif. and Sony Corporation of Tokyo Japan, which commonly used in cellular telephones and other mobile devices.
Many conventional semiconductor packages, like package 20 in FIG. 2, have both straight and curvilinear edges. The package 20 in FIG. 2 includes a generally rectangular shape having sides 32 through 38 joined by rounded corners. Side 32 of the package 20 further includes a pair of notches 40 and side 36 includes a single notch 40. Many other types of memory cards similarly include a curvilinear shape having rounded edges, notches, and/or a chamfer, including the Transflash and the Secure Digital (SD) card.
Several methods are known for cutting the straight edges of a package 20 during singulation, including for example diamond saw. However, specialized cutting methods are required for cutting curvilinear shaped edges during singulation. Such specialized cutting methods include, for example, water jet cutting, laser cutting, water guided laser cutting, dry media cutting and diamond coated wire cutting. Such cutting methods are able to achieve sophisticated rectilinear and/or curvilinear shapes of the individualized integrated circuit packages. A more detailed description of methods for cutting encapsulated integrated circuits from a panel, and the shapes which may be achieved thereby, is disclosed in published U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,633, entitled "Method for Efficiently Producing Removable Peripheral Cards," which patent is assigned to the owner of the present invention and which patent is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
As semiconductor packages continue to shrink, the structure within a host device for receiving and ejecting portable memory packages is becoming more delicate, and the ejection force with which smaller packages are ejected from the host device is getting smaller. Consequently, the roughness of the edges of portable memory packages is becoming a significant factor in package design, as small memory cards having rough edges may get stuck inside the host device.
Known cutting methods for cutting straight edges are effective at achieving smooth cuts. A measurement of roughness is Ra (average roughness), which is the measure of the average height of the bumps on a surface, measured for example in microns (μm). Straight edge cutting methods are typically able to achieve a roughness of Ra<1 μm. However, where a package includes curvilinear edges and is singulated by methods such as water jet or laser singulation, the edges are relatively more rough, typically about Ra=3 to 6 μm or greater. An example of a cut forming edges made by such methods is shown in prior art FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the packages 20 encapsulated in a mold compound 46 and including edges 50 defined by curvilinear cutting methods. As shown, the edges 50 of the package may be jagged, and may more easily get stuck within a host device.
In order to improve the surface roughness of package edges, it is known to grind package edges using for example a grinding wheel and/or polish package edges using for example a polishing rod. However, such methods do not sufficiently reduce edge roughness, and the tooling and equipment required adds cost to the fabrication process.

Method of reducing memory card edge roughness by edge coating