A monitoring system for monitoring the typical response time required to execute a command at a desired remote site, e.g. a website. The monitoring system includes a mechanism for synchronizing the real-time internal clock at both the administrative node and the transaction node. Once both real-time internal clocks are synchronized, a synthetic transaction is generated by the administrative node and sent to the transaction node. The instant at which the command is sent is recorded by the administrative node. The command is received by the transaction node and each important step involved in executing the command is recorded with a time stamp information. Once the command has been completed, the results of the synthetic command, e.g. the requested data, drawing(s), diagram(s) or information, are sent to the administrative node along with the time stamp information indicating the elapsed time for executing each important step of the synthetic transaction. The instance at which the results of the synthetic command are received at the administrative node is recorded and the total elapsed response time for executing the command is then determined. Thereafter, the time line information of both the administrative node and the transaction node can be combined with one another, due to the synchronization of the clocks, and the administrative node can generate a time line indicating the total response time required to execute each important step of the command. This information is useful in facilitating a reduction in the total response time required to execute a command sent from remote node site to another remote node.

The present invention relates to a system to facilitate monitoring of the execution time of a command sent from one remote node to a second remote node over a communication system and, more particularly, the monitoring of the execution of a command sent from one remote computer or node to a second remote computer or node over the global communication system or some other network.
A variety of known communication systems and networks are currently employed to transmit data, drawing(s), diagram(s), information, etc. from one remote site or node to a second remote site or node. A critical component which facilitates effective communication from one remote node to a second remote node is the xe2x80x9cresponse timexe2x80x9d. That is, the elapsed time from the instant when a command is sent from the first remote node to a second remote node to the instant when the transmitted data, drawing(s) diagram(s), information, etc. is received by the first remote node from the second remote node. The primary goal, in all communication systems, is to strive for the shortest elapse time from the instant when the command is sent to the second remote node to the instant when the requested data, drawing(s), diagram(s), information, etc. is received at the first remote node.
In order to keep pace with the continued improvements in technology, users of the world wide web, as well as other communication networks, are demanding shorter and shorter response times. Businesses and advertisers utilizing such communications systems and/or networks are also requiring quicker response times to facilitate improved sales, distribution, marketing, promotion, advertising, etc., of products, goods, items and/or services. With a greater focus being paid to the response time required for executing commands, website owners are increasingly paying closer attention to the time required to execute each command received by the website from a remote request node.
To assist website owners with determining the typical response time required to execute a command at a website, Keynote Systems, of San Mateo, Calif., provides a very basic monitoring service which only determines the total elapsed time from the instance the command is sent to instant the requested data, drawing(s) diagram(s), information, etc. are received. Generally, Keynote Systems will contact a desired website periodically, e.g. once every ten (10) minutes and request retrieval of the website""s home page, and then provide to the client very basic information concerning the total elapse time required to execute such command. While such total elapsed time is somewhat useful to website owners, advertisers, businesses, administrators of website, etc., the total elapsed time information does not provide any meaningful information which is useful in attempting to streamline or decrease the total elapsed time required for executing the command. That is, there is no information being provided concerning which step or steps of the executed command required a significant or substantial amount of time thereby substantially hampering efficient execution of the command. If website owners, advertisers, businesses, administrators of website, etc. were to be provided with such information, then such information could be utilized in modifying the website, or other node connected to the communication system, to facilitate decreasing the response time required to execute the received command.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring systems which overcomes the above noted drawbacks associated with the prior art monitoring systems.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system which monitors the discrete time required to execute each desired or important step of a command and provides this time information to an administrative node to assist the administrative node with streamlining or decreasing the execution time for the command.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system which facilitates synchronization of the internal real-time clocks, at both an administrative node as well as a transaction node, to provide a common baseline for determining the total elapsed time for execution of the command as well as the discrete time required to execute each step of the command.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system with backend software which precisely detects, at the transaction node, the elapse time required to execute each important step involved in executing the command and to send the detected elapse time information to the administrative node for use in streamlining or decreasing the execution time of the command.
The present invention relates to a system for monitoring a total response time for executing a synthetic transaction over a communication system, said monitoring system comprising: a communication system for conveying information; an administrative node being coupled to the communication system and the administrative node having an internal clock; a transactional node being coupled to the communication system and the transactional node having an internal clock; means for synchronizing the internal clock of both the administrative node and the transaction node to display an identical time; means for generating and sending a synthetic transaction from the administrative node to the transaction node for execution via the communication system and recording the sending time of the synthetic transaction; means for receiving and executing, at the transaction node, the synthetic transaction sent by the administrative node while recording a time of receipt and a required time to complete each desired step of the synthetic transaction; means for transmitting a result of the synthetic transaction to the administrative node, via the communication system, along with time information indicating the time required to complete each desired step of the synthetic transaction; and means for generating the total response time required to execute the synthetic transaction.
The present invention also relates to a method for monitoring a total elapsed response time for executing a command over a communication system, the method comprising the steps of: providing a communication system for conveying information; coupling an administrative node to the communication system and providing the administrative node with an internal clock; coupling a transactional node to the communication system and providing the transactional node with an internal clock; synchronizing the internal clock of both the administrative node and the transaction node to display an identical time; generating and sending a synthetic transaction from the administrative node to the transaction node for execution via the communication system and recording the sending time of the synthetic transaction; receiving and executing, at the transaction node, the synthetic transaction sent by the administrative node while recording a time of receipt of the sent synthetic transaction and a required time to complete each desired step of the synthetic transaction; transmitting a result of the synthetic transaction to the administrative node, via the communication system, along with time information indicating the time required to complete each desired step of the synthetic transaction; and generating the total response time required to execute the synthetic transaction.

Systems for monitoring command execution time


An interference-rejection coding method for an optical wireless communication system and such an optical wireless communication system are provided. The coding method uses delay modulation, block code techniques and filtering to reduce the low frequency interference from light sources. A plurality of codewords from the block codes are reserved for performing digital data recovery. The invention removes the need of analog clock data recovery circuit, and does not require complex hardware for realization. Therefore, it can be applied to a wide range of applications, such as optical WLAN, data transmission of medical facilities, wireless communication in the aircraft, encrypted data transmission network, and low-priced transmission interfaces.

As the wireless local area network (WLAN) becomes ubiquitous, the users of portable devices can easily find access points to surf the internet and obtain the information without the restriction imposed by the conventional wiring cables. However, the electromagnetic wave (EM wave) emitted from the wireless communication is potentially harmful to the health, and can also interfere with other electronic instruments. Therefore, its use is usually restricted in the environment where sensitive electronic devices are widely used, such as in a hospital or an aircraft. In addition, because wireless electronic networks are susceptible to eavesdropping or interception, they are unsuitable for applications such as military, government or financial institutes where data security is highly regarded. On the other hand, wireless optical communication provides the alternative to avoid the disadvantages of using electronic wireless communication, including health, security and interference of EM waves. Furthermore, optical wireless communication is not regulated by the government in terms of frequency spectrum management; hence, optical wireless communication provides great potential for a wider range of applications.
Conventional optical wireless communication systems use optical filters, such as low-pass or band-pass filters, to filter out light of different wavelength. Then, an electronic high-pass filter is used to filter out the low frequency harmonic interference. FIG. 1 shows the harmonic interference from various artificial light sources. Although the use of high-pass filter can achieve the suppression of interferences, the cut-off frequency of the electronic high-pass filter must be raised in order to filter out the interferences entirely. This, however, may lead to the distortion of the signals, and generating the additional inter-symbol interference (ISI) effect. Therefore, in conventional technologies, the cut-off frequency of the high-pass filter must be designed to optimize the balance between the increases of ISI and the interference suppression. But the conventional methods can only provide 0.2 dB of improvement in filtering the interference of fluorescent light. The unfiltered fluorescent interference still creates a loss of 17 dB or more, and is unable to reject the interference entirely. The currently available solutions for this include sub-carrier modulation, line coding techniques, spread spectrum modulation, differential detection and adaptive threshold detection techniques.
Conventional sub-carrier modulation techniques are used in optical wireless communication. The signals are modulated to higher frequency range to avoid the overlapping of signal frequency spectrum with interfering optical spectrum. Then, an electronic high-pass filter can be used to effectively filter the interfering source. However, these techniques require additional modulation and demodulation mechanisms, and the system complexity is increased.
Line coding techniques are similar to the sub-carrier modulation techniques, except that these techniques add line coding to modulate the signal to the higher frequency to avoid the interference. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,471/1997, by JVC, disclosed an optical wireless data transmitting and receiving apparatus using a Manchester line coding to reject interference, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,115/1996 disclosed a method of using differential mode inversion (DMI) line coding for interference rejection in an optical wireless communication system. Although these techniques are simple, the disadvantages including the bandwidth requirement twice of that of conventional non return to zero (NRZ), the increasing received optical noise, transmission distortion, and higher demands on the optical components. FIG. 2 shows a waveform view of various line coding techniques, including NRZ, Manchester, DMI and delay modulation.
The spread spectrum modulation techniques use spread spectrum to disperse the base frequencies in order to reduce the impact on the signal. These techniques greatly increase the system complexity, transmission bandwidth requirement and impose higher demands on optical components. Most of the researches in this area are academic, and few are applied to industrial use.
The different detection techniques, originally proposed by U.C. Berkeley, use two optical receivers, with one of them passing through an optical filter and the other passing through a tunable attenuator. The interference-free signal can be extracted by the difference between two signals. The disadvantages of these techniques include the complexity of front-end circuitry and the uncertainty of interference improvement dependent on interference characteristics.
The adaptive threshold detection techniques change the detection threshold at the receiving end according to the condition of the received signal. These techniques can improve the change of the signal bias, but are less effective for optical interference and these techniques increase the front-end circuitry complexity.
In summary of the aforementioned analysis, most optical wireless communication interference-rejection techniques focus on modulation and analog front-end processing. The line coding techniques, in comparison, exhibit a better performance in interference-rejection while only slightly increase system complexity. Therefore, if the bandwidth requirement problem can be solved, the line coding techniques can be more effectively applied to optical wireless communication systems.
As the general health concern, wireless optical communication has a restrictive standard (ILC-825-1) on transmission power. This, combined with the high propagation attenuation (20-40 dB) of the air, greatly limits the power of the signals received at the receiving end. In addition, the indoor light sources, such as sun rays, fluorescent light, lamps, infra-red remote controllers, all contribute to the optical interference in the optical wireless communication. As the interference severely degrades the S/N ratio at the receiving end, it is imperative to solve the problem of optical interference.

Interference-rejection coding method for an optical wireless communication system and the optical wireless communication system thereof

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A forcible entry training simulator. The simulator has a clamping structure that allows for hinges to be affixed and cut by a trainee in the same manner as would have to be accomplished for forcible entry into a building. The simulator has plunge-cutting and lock-pulling simulators as well. In addition, the simulator has a stabilizing wheel structure utilized to allow easy transport and handling of the simulator.

Fire, rescue, police, and military personnel are required to make forcible entry in many circumstances. It is necessary to practice the skills required for entry into buildings, including the use of tools that are utilized for and/or are specifically designed for forcible entry. However, the nature of forcible entry is such that it requires the destruction of part or all of the structure through which entry is sought. Various methods require the destruction of locks, door panels, windows, hinges, frames, and other associated structural members.
Traditionally, forcible entry training simulations have been accomplished using abandoned and other structures when and if they become available. In the alternative or in addition to utilized abandoned structures for training, doorway and window mock-ups have been built so that the skills could be practiced and the destroyed portion of the structure replaced.
However, abandoned structures are not a reliable source of training for the simple fact that the ability to train is restricted by the available of such structures. Further, abandoned structures often will not provide a trainee with a full set of possible forcible entry scenarios. For example, and abandoned house may provide an opportunity to practice using lock-pulling techniques, but will not provide the opportunity to train with tools and techniques for opening metal doors in commercial buildings.
In addition, existing training devices and mock-ups universally have the same flaws: they utilize expensive hardware that must be replaced after each training exercise. Locks must be bought and re-installed, hinges must be replaced with new, uncut hinges, metal door panels must be changed, door frames must be repaired and or replaced, etc.
What is needed is a device that allows for real-world training exercises in forcible entry that provide a trainee with exactly the look, feel, and performance of specific tasks and utilizing specific tools, the in real scenarios will result in the destruction of some or all of a building's entranceway, window, or door, but that will be reusable at low cost and without destroying expensive hardware structures.

Abstract: The structure of the simulator allows low cost alternatives to materials to be used to provide the same level of training as though actual hinges, doors, and locks were being utilized, but without the significant expense of utilizing actual real-world materials in training where the materials will, of necessity, be destroyed.


A system and method are provided for implementing low-cost real-time or near real-time tracking of a plurality of vehicles operating in a confined area, including on an airport. A MESH-type of network is provided to allow for the deployment and integration of large numbers of low power (line of sight) radios. The disclosed systems and network architecture include vehicle-mounted integrated end-device radio/GPS/power/antenna units, fixed or mobile router/repeater devices and fixed network gateways/coordinator units with Internet connectivity that may communicate near real-time end device (vehicle) position/track information for display on a situational awareness display device. The device/vehicle position/track information includes latitude, longitude, speed, direction, time/date, and identification of the end device (vehicle) to a server system capable of managing access to received data as well as capable of displaying received data on the situational awareness display device and of archiving the received data for other analytical uses.

1. Field of the Disclosed Embodiments
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for implementing real-time or near-real time tracking and display of a plurality of vehicles operating in an area, particularly using low cost line-of-sight communication devices operating as cooperating data transmission and relay nodes in a MESH network topology.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, there are multiple "airport centric" tracking requirements that exist to track vehicles operating in modern airport environments. At a high level, these tracking requirements include a number of individually-identifiable systems and system related functions based on the uses of individual vehicles and the areas on the airport property in which the individual vehicles are permitted to operate, among other considerations.
A first and critical level of vehicle tracking is provided for those vehicles that require that their locations be continuously monitored in operation and integrated into air traffic control (ATC) separation schemes for display, for example, on ground situational awareness displays. Based on the complexity involved in maintaining the situational awareness display and costs involved in critical tracking of these vehicles, a number of vehicles that are afforded this level of tracing is very carefully controlled. Safety of operations in and around aircraft justifies the expense in the case of these vehicles. This highest level tracking and display integration scheme is reserved for only certain ground vehicles that interact with active aircraft in areas where aircraft maneuver on runways and/or taxiways, for example. The positions of these vehicles are typically, of necessity displayed on a common situational awareness display to attempt to ensure controlled separation of vehicles and aircraft.
There are various, comparatively very expensive, technologies deployed to accomplish ground tracking of the runway- and taxiway-accessible vehicles. These technologies include the following. Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) is a system that enables air traffic controllers to detect potential runway conflicts by providing detailed coverage and display of movement of aircraft and certain vehicles on runways and taxiways. ASDE-X collects data from a variety of sources to track vehicles and aircraft on the airport movement area and obtain identification information from aircraft transponders. Surface Movement Guidance Control System (SMGCS) provides guidance to and control of aircraft, ground vehicles, and personnel on the movement area of an airport. Guidance relates to facilities, information, and advice necessary for pilots of aircraft or drivers of ground vehicles to navigate the movement area and to keep aircraft or vehicles on the surfaces or within the areas intended for their use. Control of the aircraft and vehicles involves a system of measures undertaken to prevent collisions and ensure traffic flows safely on the critical portions of the airport. Automatic Dependent Surveillance—Broadcast (ADS-B) provides a cooperative surveillance technology in which aircraft and vehicles equipped with ADS-B transceivers determine and broadcast their positions to compatible transceivers enabling the aircraft and/or vehicles to be tracked. The tracking information can be received and displayed by ATC ground stations to provide situational awareness and allow safe separation among participating aircraft and vehicles.
A second and comparatively less expensive system of tracking vehicles may be provided for airport service provider ramp vehicles. This level of tracking may be afforded to vehicles that do not operate on runway or taxi areas of the airport. The tracking of these vehicles may be limited to schemes that manage the vehicles by less stridently tracking locations and speeds of the vehicles in order to monitor safe operation of the vehicles and to ensure that the vehicles remain within their prescribed geographic boundaries (geo-fence). Locations of these ground assets are not displayed on ATC displays and they have no ATC services supplied to them.
Schemes also exist for what could be considered asset tracking on the airport. Containers, pallet and/or container unit load devices (ULDs), luggage carriers and buggies, and the like can be located on the airport grounds. Typically, low-cost active RFID-type technologies (e.g., less than $50 per asset) are provided. Per unit costs of such trackers are limited because some airports could have more 10,000 trackable containers/ULDs.
High availability "low cost" tracking systems are simply not conventionally available, leaving a large contingent of potential customers without a solution for their vehicle and asset tracking needs, particularly in real-time or near real-time. Basically, the only options available in today's airport environment for monitoring and tracking assets are based on the following technologies. Each having attributes that drive their costs up. As a first example, conventional ADS-B squitters cost in excess of $3,000 each. These components are those generally required for use on those vehicles operating in the aircraft movement areas noted above, necessitating certified avionics quality devices, which greatly increase their cost. As a second example, conventional vehicle tracking systems using any one of GSM, GPRS, 3G phone technology or the like to report positions carry with them recurring monthly costs of phone-type service that may be as much as a particular vehicle operator may be expected to be willing to pay for a complete system. As a third example, licensed VHF frequency band vehicle tracking systems necessitate the use of certified and qualified high power output devices. This hardware typically costs more than $600 per vehicle, still a potentially prohibitively high cost for equipping an entire fleet of vehicles.

Dynamic ground vehicle tracking and reporting system


Combinations of fluoride or monofluorophosphate with phosvitin or soluble salts thereof provide superior protection against demineralization of tooth enamel when used in oral hygiene compositions such as toothpastes and mouthwashes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to oral and dental hygiene preparations which contain a combination of water-soluble fluorine compounds and phosvitin for protection against demineralization of the enamel.
2. Statement of Related Art
Oral and dental hygiene preparations are products which are used to clean and take care of the mouth, teeth and throat. In addition to the elimination of halitosis and the removal of coatings from the teeth, the function of oral and dental hygiene preparations is to prevent tooth disease, such as caries.
One known strategy is to protect the enamel against, or make it more resistant to, attack. For example, it is known that a thin protein film (the so-called pellicle) on the teeth formed from the constituents of the saliva protects the teeth against excessive mineral losses. It is also known that this protein film consists of phosphoproteins which bear phosphoric acid groups attached to serine and which adhere particularly firmly to the enamel surface. In addition, it is known (W082/03008) that phosphoproteins can be added to dental care preparations to reduce the dissolution of hydroxyapatite, the main constituent of dental enamel.
It has also long been standard practice to add fluorine in the form of water-soluble fluorides or monofluorophosphates to oral and dental hygiene preparations in order to increase the resistance of the enamel to attack by caries.

Oral-hygiene/dentifrice preparations which protect dental enamel


A robot main body is provided with a protection cover. The robot main body can be swung by a rotary pipe shaft holding a wire feed device and including a hollow portion and is structured such that a connecting cable and/or a gas hose are guided through the hollow portion of the rotary pipe shaft and are then guided through the forearm portion and base portion thereof. The protection cover covers the portions of the connecting cable and/or gas hose ranging from the connecting portion of the wire feed device and connecting cable and/or gas hose to the rotary pipe shaft.

In a welding operation line represented by automobile production, there is often used an arc welding robot of a 6-shaft joint type and, in recent years, there has been demanded high speed and high quality welding in order to enhance productivity.
To realize the high speed and high quality arc welding, it is necessary to feed a welding wire stably and, conventionally, there is employed a mounting member for mounting a wire feed device onto a robot main body in such a manner that the wire feed device can be shifted in a direction to reduce the curvature of a conduit cable for guiding the welding wire, thereby reducing the feed resistance of the welding wire (see the patent literature 1, for example).
Here, FIG. 5 is an external view of the above-mentioned conventional arc welding robot. A robot main body 101 includes a base portion 101a to be installed in a production line (not shown), a swing portion 101b mounted on the upper portion of the base portion 101a and swingable in the horizontal direction, an upper arm portion 101c mounted on the swing portion 101b and swingable back and forth, a forearm portion 101d mounted on the upper arm portion 101c and swingable in the vertical direction, and a wrist portion 101e mounted on the forearm portion 101d and having three-degree freedom. The positioning of a welding torch 102 mounted on the wrist portion 101e is executed through the cooperative operations of the base portion 101a, swing portion 101b, upper arm portion 101c and forearm portion 101d, and the direction of the welding torch 102 is decided through the operation of the wrist portion 101e, thereby allowing the arc welding robot to perform an arc welding operation in a free attitude. Reference character 105 designates a wire feed device which is mounted on a mounting member 106 and supplies a welding wire 103 to the welding torch 102 from a wire supply source 104 installed in the production line. And, 107 stands for a conduit cable which is composed of a conduit cable front portion 107a for connecting together the wire feed device 105 and welding torch 102 and a conduit cable rear portion 107b for connecting together the wire feed device 105 and wire supply source 104. The welding wire 103 is fed through the inside of the conduit cable 107 to a welding portion (not shown) by the wire feed device 105. On the wire feed device 105, there are mounted a connecting cable and/or a gas hose 109 which are respectively used to provide a welding power supply, send a signal for opening and closing welding assist gas, provide a wire feed device power supply, and supply the welding assist gas; and, the connecting cable and/or hose 109 are connected direct to a welding power supply (not shown), a gas supply source (not shown), an external control unit (not shown) and the like. Also, 301 designates a rotary shaft which is mounted between the mounting member 106 and forearm portion 101d and can be rotated back and forth so that the wire feed device 105 can be swung back and forth.
Now, description will be given here of the operation of the above-structured arc welding robot. When, owing to variations in the attitudes of the respective portions of the robot main body 101, the welding torch 102 is shifted backward and thus approaches the wire feed device, there is applied to the curved conduit cable front portion 107a a force which transforms the portion 107a in such a manner that the curvature thereof is increased; but, because of its restoring force (reacting force) to reduce the curvature thereof, the conduit cable front portion 107a swings the wire feed device 105 backward, thereby being able to keep its small curvature. Since the welding wire 103 is moved through the inside of the-thus structured conduit cable 107, the transformation of the welding wire 103 can be prevented and thus the welding wire 103 can be fed stably.
Patent literature 1: JP-A-8-57648 publication (FIG. 1)

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Wagering methods, devices, and systems that allow individual participants in a game of poker to opt-in or opt-out of a bad beat feature are presented. For each hand played at a given table, a participant may activate the bad beat feature. Once the feature is activated, the participant is eligible for winning at least part of a bad beat progressive jackpot. This jackpot may be funded by tokens purchased by the participant, a rake taken from the hand's wagers, or by some other means. Apportionment of the bad beat progressive jackpot may be triggered by the participant losing the hand despite having cards that provide the participant with a significant likelihood of winning the hand.

A system and method for playing games, such as card games, over a computer network is described in published PCT application WO 03/093921 A2, published Nov. 13, 2003, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The entire contents of WO 03/093921 A2 are incorporated by reference herein. The system of the '921 PCT publication includes a central gaming server accessible over the Internet and enables participation in games such as poker games by individuals accessing diverse portal websites (gaming websites).
In the last several years, systems have been commercialised such as that described in the '921 patent publication wherein a gaming website provides a facility for online game playing, particularly online poker playing. Such systems have become quite popular and gaming sites may host hundreds, even thousands of players at a time. In online poker, the success of an online poker website ("online poker room") is directly related to the magnitude of a pool of would-be players who desire to play a game of online poker. Simply put, the larger the pool of players, the more virtual poker tables (i.e. poker games each accommodating a maximum of, say, 10 players) the online poker software can spawn, thereby increasing the overall liquidity of the online poker room and increasing its attractiveness to other would-be players.
In order to maximise this size advantage, some online poker rooms operate under a centralised topology, in which there is a single operating entity ("operator") that owns and runs the gaming website and the player pool is homogeneous (i.e. all players are registered with, or "belong to", this single operator). The operator makes its money by charging a proportion (a "rake") of the collective wagers ("the pot") of all players participating in each game of poker that is played in the online poker room. Under a centralised topology, a player will always be playing only with other players who are registered with the same (i.e. the only) operator. Settlement of player wagers is straightforward: 1) the operator deducts it's rake from the pot; 2) the balance is paid over to the player that has won the game; and 3) the next game starts and the process repeats.
Other online poker rooms may operate under a distributed topology (also referred to, in the art, as a network topology). Under this topology, the player pool is heterogeneous, as players registered with different operators are pooled together to maximise liquidity of the collective player pool. This means that players registered with different operators could find themselves playing in the same poker game. In this instance, settlement of player wagers is more complex than in the centralised topology as situations invariably arise in which funds have to be transferred, (or "cleared"), between different operators whose players are playing on the poker network involving a multitude of operators. The principles underlying a distributed topology are set forth in the above-referenced patent application WO 03/093921 A2. The present inventive methods apply to both the centralised and distributed topologies.
FIG. 1 is a screenshot from an online poker room home or "lobby" page, showing a prior art arrangement for providing real-time game information to a potential game player. The player accesses the gaming website using a personal computer or other computing device with Internet access. As shown in FIG. 1, the lobby is presented on the user interface of the computing device. The lobby presents a display of eight categories or types of card games that are currently available for play via the website (either under a centralised or a distributed topology). Each game type is associated with a tab:
Tab 2: Omaha—poker games of the Omaha variety;
Tab 3: Omaha Hi/Lo—poker games of the Omaha Hi/Lo variety;
Tab 4: 7 Stud—poker games of the 7-card Stud variety;
Tab 5: 5 Stud—poker games of the 5-card Stud variety;
Tab 6: Private—invitation-only poker games established by players;
Tab 7: Sit & Go—non-scheduled tournaments; and
Tab 1: Hold'em—poker games of the Texas Hold'em variety;
Tab 8: MTT (Multi-Table Tournaments)—scheduled tournaments.
When any of the first five tabbed categories or types is selected, a player is presented with a list of all tables with poker games of that particular variation that are currently active. See FIG. 1, which shows the tables for the Hold'em game (tab 1). Via scroll bar 10 and slider 12, the player can scan the active game instances (virtual tables) in the list. For each active game instance, the following attributes are displayed:                Name of the table (typically, fanciful names to spark player interest, but may also be in the form of a number or index).        Table stakes in the format: Small Blind/Big Blind.        Number of Participating Players/Maximum Number of Players that can be accommodated.        Whether the table is a no limit table, a pot limit table or a fixed limit table.        Average size of pots at that table.        Average number of players who have not yet folded at the flop stage of the game.        Number of players waiting to join the table.        Number of hands played per hour.
Sit & Go tournaments (tab 7 of FIG. 1) are poker tournaments that have no pre-set start time, and commence when a prescribed number of players required for the tournament have entered the tournament. Sit & Go tournaments can be single-table or multi-table tournaments. When the Sit & Go tabbed category is selected, a player is presented with a list of all Sit & Go tournaments that are either active or are pending. For each Sit & Go tournament in the list, the following attributes are displayed:                A tournament identification code.        A name of the tournament.        A type of poker game played in the tournament.        Whether the tournament is a no limit, pot limit or fixed limit tournament.        The number of seats that are available in the tournament.        The current size of blinds for active tournaments, and the number of players already entered for pending tournaments.
MTT (tab 8 of FIG. 1) are poker tournaments that have a scheduled start time. Players are required to enter the tournament and to be available to commence play in time for the scheduled start of the tournament. When the MTT tabbed category is selected, a player is presented with a list of all MTT tournaments (same instances) that are either active or are pending. For each MTT tournament in the list, the following attributes are displayed:                A tournament identification code.        A name of the tournament.        A type of poker game played in the tournament.        Buy-in rules.        The number of entrants for the tournament.        A current size of blinds for active tournaments and a scheduled start time for pending tournaments.
The game of poker is popular and is widely played in many jurisdictions, particularly in the United States of America. A traditional game of poker is a multiplayer game, generally accommodating a minimum of 4 and a maximum of between 8 and 10 players. In a turn of the game, a winner of the game is the player who obtains a highest-ranking poker hand of five cards. For a standard deck of 52 playing cards, the poker hands are, in order of increasing rank: a pair of cards having the same rank ("one pair"); two pairs of cards in which the rank of each pair is different ("two pairs"); three cards each having the same rank ("three of a kind"); a "straight" in which the five cards of a hand are in sequentially increasing rank order, with no restriction on suite; a "flush" in which the five cards are all of the same suite; a "full house" in which three cards are each of the same rank, while the remaining two cards each have another identical rank; "four of a kind" in which four cards of the hand each have the same rank; a "straight flush" in which the five cards are in sequentially ascending rank order and are all of the same suite; and a "Royal Flush" in which the five cards are all of the same suite and are ranked Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10. Where a deck is used that has fewer than 52 cards, the probability of obtaining a full house is greater than the probability of obtaining a flush, making the latter combination of cards more desirable, and therefore of higher rank, than the former.
Poker hands with a ranking of Four of a Kind and Straight Flush are very strong hands and are usually sufficient to win the game. It is possible, though, that a player may obtain such a hand and yet still not win the game, being beaten by another player who holds a higher ranking poker hand. Such an occurrence, in which a very good poker hand loses to an even better one, is termed a "Bad Beat". For example, a player who has a Four of a Kind with four Kings loses to another player who has a Four of a Kind containing four Aces.
It is customary for poker rooms to offer a jackpot prize that is won upon the occurrence of a Bad Beat. When a Bad Beat event occurs, the losing player of the poker hand is awarded 50% of the jackpot prize, the winner of the poker hand is awarded 25% of the jackpot prize and the remaining 25% of the jackpot prize is distributed equally among the remaining players who participated in the hand. Different poker rooms may have different levels of payouts for Bad Beat jackpots and have different losing hand requirements. For example, bad beat jackpot winners must lose with a hand of Four of a Kind Eights or better in order to qualify for the jackpot or, alternatively, the winners must lose with a hand containing Four of a Kind Jacks or better.
The operator of the poker room provides the Bad Beat jackpot prize. The Bad Beat jackpot prize can be a fixed prize or can be progressive in nature. In the former instance, the fixed prize that is provided by the operator should be of a magnitude sufficient to stimulate player interest. Where the Bad Beat jackpot prize is progressive, the jackpot may be funded by means of a portion of the operator rake on the pot of each game. This method of funding the Bad Beat progressive jackpot prize may cause the jackpot to increase to a size that attracts additional players to participate in the poker game.
Players who desire to be eligible for a Bad Beat jackpot prize, whether progressive or static, must play at dedicated Bad Beat tables or poker games. More particularly, in land-based poker rooms, there is usually one or more dedicated Bad Beat tables at which all players seated at such tables are eligible for the Bad Beat jackpot prize. A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that it lacks flexibility as it is difficult or impossible to establish additional Bad Beat tables during periods of high player demand, whereas in periods of low player demand the dedicated Bad Beat tables may be sparsely populated. In an online environment, a number of virtual poker tables spawned by the online poker software are designated as dedicated Bad Beat tables and all players playing at these dedicated tables automatically play for the Bad Beat the jackpot prize. In this instance, dedicated Bad Beat virtual poker tables may be spawned or collapsed in accordance with the varying player demand, but such decisions usually require manual intervention.
The net result of the situation is that Bad Beat games and players and non-Bad Beat games and players are physically or logically separated in real and virtual poker games, respectively. Further, it is not possible for a player to switch from being eligible for a Bad Beat jackpot prize to not being eligible for the Bad Beat jackpot prize, and vice versa, without changing the real or virtual poker table at which the player is seated.

Online, real-time game playing with distributed Bad Beat progressive jackpot


A modular acetabular cup assembly includes an acetabular cup, and a liner seated in the cup. The cup includes an end face, an apex opposite the end face, and a central axis extending between the apex and a center point of the end face. The liner includes an articular surface having a center of rotation which defines a pivot point of the acetabular cup assembly. In certain embodiments, the pivot point is laterally offset from the center point such that the end face is located between the pivot point and the apex.

In certain total hip arthroplasty (THA) conditions, joint stability may be improved by increasing the tension provided to the soft tissue associated with the joint. Modern modular dual-mobility hip systems have shown promise in reducing the rate of dislocation by introducing increased femoral head size as compared to traditional THA systems, but are limited as compared to traditional THA in the modular options to address the degree of tension in the joint. In certain existing modular dual-mobility systems, an inner head component is mounted to the femoral component, and an outer head component is pivotally mounted to the inner head component to provide a dual-mobility femoral head assembly. Head length options in these dual-mobility constructs are limited by geometry, consequently limiting the soft tissue tensioning options available as compared to traditional total hip constructs.
In certain conventional dual-mobility assemblies of the species described above, skirted femoral heads are utilized to extend the mating cones and consequently increase soft tissue tension. However, head length options for modular femoral heads have been limited due to an increased risk of intraprosthetic disassociation between skirted femoral heads and the mobile bearing insert, as well as suboptimal wear characteristics.
Although dual-mobility bearings have been shown to reduce the rate of dislocation, there remains a desire to further reduce the risk of such dislocation. For these reasons among others, there remains a need for further improvements in this technological field.


A memory controller for controlling data access to a memory comprises a refresh controller. A read count memory part included in the refresh controller counts the number of read operations on each page of the memory and stores the read count therein. If the read count for any page exceeds a predetermined number, the refresh controller rewrites data stored in this page into the memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique to avoid unintended rewriting of data or reduce the possibility thereof, due to repeated readouts of data from a nonvolatile memory.
2. Description of the Background Art
NAND flash memories, among nonvolatile memories, are heavily used for SD memory cards or the like for the purpose of achieving high integration, reduction in manufacturing cost and easy writing for users by simplifying circuit configurations.
In recent, NAND flash memories are adopted for game machines or the like. When the NAND flash memories are used for game machines, there occurs no write operation but only consecutive read operations. In other words, NAND flash memories have been increasingly adopted as ROMs.
Since specific programs are repeatedly read out in the game machines or the like in most cases, however, it begins to be noticed that the programs could be unintendedly rewritten. Such a phenomenon is termed "read disturb phenomenon", and the mechanism of this phenomenon will be briefly discussed below.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an NAND flash memory. The NAND flash memory is constituted of a bit line 41 and word lines 42, 43 and 44 which are arranged in a lattice manner, memory cells 52 and 53, a selection transistor 54 and the like.
In a case where binary data ("0" or "1") stored in the memory cell 52 is read out, the memory cell 52 is a selected cell and the memory cell 53 is an unselected cell. First, the selection transistor 54 specifies the bit line 41 to which the selected cell 52 belongs. Next, a low gate voltage (V(Low)=0V) is applied to the word line 42 to which the selected cell 52 belongs. Then, a high gate voltage (V(High) of approximately 5V) is applied to the word line 43 to which the unselected cell 53 belongs. At that time, since the unselected cell 53 is in a very weak writing condition, electrons are trapped in a floating gate of the unselected cell 53 and accumulated therein. In other words, when binary data stored in the selected cell 52 is repeatedly read out, there is a possibility that a threshold voltage of the unselected cell 53 might be shifted and binary data stored in the unselected cell 53 might be unintendedly rewritten, being changed from "1" to "0".
Even if the binary data stored in the unselected cell 53 is unintendedly rewritten, however, when data are collectively erased before new data are written, it is possible to recover the function of the unselected cell 53. But, if there occurs no write operation and only consecutive read operations, it is impossible to recover the function of the unselected cell 53.
U.S. patent application publication No. 2005/0210184 discloses means for avoiding the above-discussed read disturb phenomenon by controlling the inside of a memory cell. This disclosed method, however, can be applied to a memory having a specific cell configuration but can not be applied to any other cell configuration. In other words, by this method, it is impossible to avoid the read disturb phenomenon without depending on cell configurations of memories.


Hardened fiber optic connectors having a splice connector assembly are disclosed. The splice connector assembly is attached to an optical fiber of a fiber optic cable by way of a stub optical fiber, thereby connectorizing the hardened connector. In one embodiment, the hardened connector includes an inner housing having a first shell and a second shell for securing a tensile element of the cable and securing the splice connector assembly. Further assembly of the hardened connector has a portion of the inner housing fitting into a shroud of the hardened connector. The first shell comprises first and second alignment fingers that allow the mating the hardened connector with a complimentary device. The first shell can have any suitable alignment portion for mating with a complementary device. The hardened connector may also include features for fiber buckling, sealing, cable strain relief or a pre-assembly of components for ease of installation.

Communication networks are used to transport a variety of signals such as voice, video, data transmission, and the like. As communication networks upgrade to increase bandwidth to the subscriber, the transmission of signals using optical waveguides is commonly used.
Since these last mile deployments to the subscriber are typically located outdoors, the network operators typically use a preconnectorized cable assembly terminated with a hardened connector for making a quick, reliable and trouble-free optical connection to the network. The preconnectorized cable assembly is manufactured in a factory so that the end face of the ferrule and optical waveguides undergo a precise, multi-step polishing for maintaining a low insertion loss for the optical connection. Examples of preconnectorized cable assemblies terminated with a hardened connector are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,576 and its related applications.
However, there are instances when network operators desire to terminate hardened connectors in the field with common hardened connector footprints. Different network operators may wish to use different types of splice connectors in their optical network due pre-existing equipment or training of personnel while standardizing on a common hardened connector footprint.
Consequently, there is an unresolved need for an efficient and relatively low-cost method of reliably making hardened optical connections in the field that use splice connector assemblies.

Corning Research & Development Corporation


Structural panels, components and assemblies are described. The structural panel system comprises one or more panels having interlocking profile features providing convenient assembly of multiple panels to provide pre-assembled panels or structures, or components that are easily shipped and assembled at a site to satisfy a variety of building requirements, transport requirements, structural panel requirements, and the like. An integrated raceway gutter system may be provided for evacuation of moisture in conjunction with end-caps having a coordinating structure. Insulation components may be positioned at an interior side of panels and may be separated from the capillary break by a moisture impervious and/or heat reflective layer. Cladding panels may be pre-assembled, along with additional structural building components, to provide pre-assembled structural insulative (and non-insulative) panels. Additional system components, including end caps, a sill, a head, a façade, a jamb and accessory brackets, are also described.

Rainscreen cladding generally refers to a construction façade rainscreen system which consists of the subframe assembly in combination with different finishes, such as cladding panels, brick, ceramic tiles, reconstituted stone boards, ceramic granite based on a natural stone, high-pressure laminates, composite aluminum panels, metal panels (aluminum, zinc, steel), fiber-cement board, or durable exterior woods. An outer skin of rear-ventilated cladding is typically mounted to a new or existing building subframe. Rainscreen cladding systems typically employ a double-wall construction technique that includes an outer layer to keep out the rain and an inner layer to provide thermal insulation, prevent excessive air leakage and carry wind loading. The outer layer is preferably breathable, while the inner layer is constructed to reduce energy losses. When successfully designed and installed, the structural frame of the building remains dry, as water never reaches it or the thermal insulation. Water that migrates to the cavity between the outer and inner layer is typically eliminated by evaporation and drainage. Water droplets typically do not penetrate the panel joints or openings because wind pressure acting on the outer face of the panel is generally equalized in the cavity, so that there is no significant pressure differential to drive the rain through joints. During extreme weather, a minimal amount of water may penetrate the outer cladding. This, however, typically forms droplets that run down the back of the cladding sheets and are dissipated through evaporation and drainage. Using this type of system, the structural wall is insulated externally.

Structural panels, cladding assemblies and components


Methods, systems and computer program products for an N-port network adaptor that is interchangeable between a network switch and a network adaptor. Embodiments of the invention include a method in a network device having a random access memory, a nonvolatile random access memory and a flash memory, the method including operating in a network switch/router mode of operation, operating in a network adapter mode of operation and switching in between the network switch/router operation and the network adapter operation in response to receiving a device configuration signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to network (e.g., Ethernet) adaptors, and particularly to methods, systems and computer program products for an N-port network adaptor that is interchangeable between a network switch and a network adaptor.
2. Description of Background
A network adaptor (also, network card, LAN Adapter or NIC (network interface card)) is a piece of computer hardware designed to allow computers to communicate over a computer network. A network switch (router) is a computer-networking device that connects network segments. A network segment is a portion of a computer network where in every device communicates using the same physical layer. Devices that extend the physical layer, such as repeaters or network hubs, are also considered to extend the segment. However, devices that operate at the data link layer level or higher create new physical layers and thus create rather than extend segments.
Currently, there exist many N-port network adapters (especially 4-port adapter) that provide four interfaces to a computer to which the network adaptor is connected. However, in order to configure a local network, the user also needs a network switch. Currently, there are no combination network adaptor/network switch. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a combination network adaptor/switch.

International Business Machines Corporation


A novel triazole derivative for use in an insecticide has a general formula [I]: ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 is a lower alkyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are same or different halogen atoms and X is a chlorine atom located at 2- or 6-position) and controls various injurious insects, particularly aphids without damaging crops.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel triazole derivative useful as an insecticide as well as an insecticide containing the same as an active ingredient.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that triazole derivatives such as 3-chlorophenyl -5-chloropyridyl-1-methyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole and the like are effective for the control of mites and sap-sucking insects (Research Disclosure RD278004). In this literature, however, there is no description that what concentration of the above derivative is effective to what kind of injurious insect and also the origin for these derivative is unclear. Further, the compounds concretely described in the above literature are poor in the systemic translocation and the systemic penetrance and are hardly said to be satisfactory as an insecticide.
As an injurious insect harming farm and garden products, there are aphides such as cotton aphid, green peach aphid, foxglove aphid and the like. These aphides eat growing points of plants to badly damage farm and garden products and also they infect virus. Therefore, it is strongly demanded to control these aphides. Lately, injurious insects developing resistance to existing insecticide and acaricide appear and the control thereof becomes more serious. In this connection, chemicals for controlling hemiptera insects typified by aphides are desirable to have systemic translocation and systemic penetrance as a functional performance.


The present invention relates to a protective upper and lower body assemblies and protective suit comprising the same. The protective upper body assembly comprises a ventral and a dorsal padding panels, a left and a right shoulder fasteners, and a left and a right flank fasteners. Each of the ventral and the dorsal padding panels include at least two layers of resiliently compressible material and one layer of breathable material. The protective lower assembly comprises a left and a right upper thigh portions, a left and a right lower thigh portions, a left and a right knee shells, a left and a right lower leg portions, and a left and a right feet shells.

Individuals involved in potentially hazardous situations like one found during riots, public disturbances, manifestations, demonstrations, or protests are at risk of confrontation and attack from multiple sources and may therefore require body protection to prevent or mitigate injury-causing or life-threatening encounters or aggression. For example, direct force impact may be received through physical attack from hostile individuals (e.g. kicks, punches, and other bodily impacts) and objects wielded by such individuals (e.g. baseball bats, knives, and the like) or ballistic impacts may derive from various thrown objects, bullets, explosion fragments, and other projectiles.
Most of the protective suits and other similar garments, gears, and equipment worn for body protection generally offer adequate protection to the wearer, but at the expense of freedom of movement. In most instances, the design and construction of the protective suits are such that successive layers of protective material are placed at sensitive areas of the body, for example adjacent to body joints and articulations, which all together result in impeding wearer's movement. Further, rigid material used in hardened inserts and shells that may be loosely attached on the outer layers of protective suits may also have a tendency to move or slide from their respective positioning to further hamper wearer's movement. Moreover, these protective suits are not generally designed and built around the idea of body temperature control and consequently do not implement such features to facilitate breathability and air circulation through the various material layers. This may prove challenging for the wearer in regions where the weather is hot.
On the other hand, not all the protective suits known in the art are readily configurable to adapt to the demanding environment and changing conditions that may be present on the field. As such, the adaptability of modular protective suits may not only be useful to the wearer for evident reasons, but may also help organizations to reduce the cost associated with acquiring such equipment at a large scale since a single protective suit may be adapted to respond to most demands. The modularity of protective suits may also prove useful in case of emergency by providing to first responders quick access to the vital organs of the wearer's torso, for example.
There is therefore a need for a protective suit which would overcome at least one of the above-identified drawbacks. For example, a modular protective suit offering adequate body protection to the wearer while including features enabling freedom of movement, body temperature control, and a quick access to the wearer's torso.


The present invention provides a process for the degradation of chlorite into chloride and oxygen with the aid of chlorite dismutase or chlorites dismutase-containing microorganisms. Virtually quantitative degradation of chlorite is obtained in the absence of reductors and under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions.

S. Shahangian and L. P. Hager disclose in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 256, 12 (1981) 6034, how chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago is used to first oxidize chlorite into chlorine dioxide, which chlorine dioxide may subsequently be dismutated to form chloride, oxygen and chlorate.
There are several drawbacks to said process. Apparently, the degradation of chlorite by chloroperoxidase results for the most part in chlorine dioxide which is an undesired product. It is true that said chlorine dioxide is partially converted into chloride at a later stage, but this reaction also sees the formation of undesired chlorate. In the end, it was found that about 43% of the chlorine bound in the chlorite was converted into chloride, while about 57% was converted into the undesired chlorate. Furthermore, the chlorite conversion proceeds most rapidly at a pH of less than 3.5. Such a low pH will be hindering to any other conversions intended to be performed simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,285 discloses a process in which perchlorate-containing wastewater is subjected to microbiological treatment in a water-treatment plant (WTP) using an anaerobic and an aerobic reactor. In this process the perchlorate is reduced via chlorite to chloride in the first-stage anaerobic reactor using a bacterium named HAP1. Incidentally, it should be noted that this bacterium is capable of reducing chlorite to chloride enzymatically under anaerobic conditions. However, the reaction scheme in FIG. 4 of this reference indicates that the reduction of chlorite to chloride also requires a reductor. This shows that the enzyme responsible is a reductase. The reductor, e.g., hydrogen or formic acid, may also be provided by other bacteria. Also, during the reaction acids are formed which have to be neutralized, since HAP1 has optimum effectiveness in the pH range of 6.5 to 8.0.
DE-A-2,123,093 discloses a process for converting chlorine oxides with the aid of bacteria from activated sludge. This is achieved by feeding the effluent stream to be purified with a composition including many readily oxidizable compounds (reductors) and ensuring that the oxygen required for oxidation is present in a less than stoichiometric amount during anaerobic breakdown. This shows that said bacteria contain a reductase. The rate of conversion is very low. The presence of a dismutase is neither mentioned nor suggested.
NL-A-7,408,898 discloses how chlorate- or perchlorate-containing wastewater is purified anaerobically using microorganisms of the strain Vibrio dechloraticans Cusnesova B-1168, in the presence of readily oxidizable substances. The presence of a dismutase is neither mentioned nor suggested.
The invention now provides an improved process which substantially obviates the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.


An ion implanter includes an dosage control apparatus for measuring and controlling ion beam dosage applied to workpieces disposed in an implantation station of the implanter. The dosage control apparatus permits the direct calculation of a calibration function. The calibration function includes at least one calibration factor, called a K value. The K value is used by dosage control circuitry of the dosage control apparatus to convert from a measured ionized beam current, I.sup.f, as measured by a Faraday cage disposed in the implantation station, to a true or effective beam current, I.sup.T. The K value is determined from a relationship between the measured ionized beam current, I.sup.+, and a pressure, P, in the implantation station. The relationship between the effective beam current, I.sup.T, the measured ionized beam current, I.sup.f, and the implantation station pressure, P, will normally take the form of an exponential relationship, e.g., I.sup.T =I.sup.f [e.sup.-(KP) ]. The K value is determined by measuring the pressure and corresponding ionized beam currents I.sup.f+, for several pressures and applying a curve fitting algorithm to determine the K value that best fits the data points. The effective beam current, I.sup.T, accounts for neutral atoms in the ion beam which are effective species in the implantation of the workpieces but that are not measured by the Faraday cage. The K value depends upon particular gas encountered along the ion beam beam line. Thus, different K values are advantageously calculated during calibration for different residual gas components expected during a production run. During a production run, the proper K value or values are selected and used by the dosage control electronics to determine the effective beam current of the ion beam and, thereby, to accurately control ion beam dosage utilizing the effective beam current. During a calibration run, a restriction plate having a narrow aperture is positioned in the beam line between an ion beam source and the implantation station.

Ion beam implanters are widely used in the process of doping of semiconductor wafers. An ion beam implanter generates an ion beam comprised of desired species of positively charged ions. The ion beam impinges upon an exposed surface of a semiconductor wafer workpiece thereby "doping" or implanting the workpiece surface with desired ions. Some ion beam implanters utilize serial implantation wherein a single semiconductor wafer workpiece is positioned on a support in an implantation chamber. The support is oriented such that the workpiece is in the ion beam beam line and the ion beam is repetitively scanned over the workpiece to implant a desired dosage of ions. When implantation is complete, the workpiece is removed from the support and another workpiece is positioned on the support.
Another type of ion beam implanter uses a rotating, translating disk-shaped support on which workpieces are mounted. A plurality of semiconductor workpieces are mounted on the disk-shaped support. The support is supported in an implantation chamber of an end or implantation station of the ion beam implanter. The rotation and translation of the support allows each of the plurality of workpieces to be exposed to the ion beam during a production run.
Faraday cages, which trap ions of the ion beam while blocking the escape of electrons from within the cage and excluding electrons which might accompany the beam, are universally used to measure ion beam current and thereby facilitate control of implantation dose. However, neutral atoms in the ion beam are not detected by the Faraday cage. If significant neutralization of the ion beam occurs, the Faraday cage ion beam current reading will give a false measure of the true ion implantation received by the workpieces.
Accuracy in quantity of ions implanted in the semiconductor wafer workpieces during the implantation process is of critical importance. The allowable tolerances on uniformity and total implantation dose in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices are now at the 1% level or lower in many applications. At these low tolerance levels, it is necessary to take into account the neutralization of the ions along the ion beam path. Neutralization of ions results from collisions of charged ions with residual atoms and electrons present in the interior region of the ion beam implanter along the beam path or beam line. Such neutralized ions have essentially the same energy as the charged ions and are essentially equivalent to them insofar as implantation dose is concerned.
Residual atoms in the ion beam implanter interior region and, particularly, residual gas atoms in the interior region result from at least three different sources. First, gas is injected into the interior region in connection with an ion beam neutralizer or electron shower. An ion beam neutralizer is disposed along the beam line and neutralizes the positively charged ions of the ion beam prior to implantation. If the positive charge on the ions is not neutralized prior to implantation of the wafers, the doped wafers will exhibit a net positive charge. Such a net positive charge on a wafer workpiece has undesirable characteristics. A neutralization gas is injected into the ion beam electron shower, collisions between the ion beam ions and the injected neutralization gas result in neutralized ions in the beam line. In certain ion beam implanters, neutralization gas associated with the ion beam neutralizer accounts for the greatest volume of residual gas in the ion beam implanter interior region. Typical neutralization gases include xenon (Xe) and Argon (Ar).
Accounting for the second greatest volume of residual gas in the ion beam implanter interior region in certain ion beam implanters is outgassing from photoresist material coated on the semiconductor wafer workpieces. In certain ion beam implanters, photoresist material outgassing accounts for the greatest volume of residual gas. As the ion beam impinges on the workpiece surfaces, the photoresist material is volatized or outgassed. Photoresist outgas is mainly comprised of hydrogen gas (H.sub.2), a variety of hydrocarbons, with a small amount of atmospheric nitrogen gas (N.sub.2) trapped by the photoresist.
A much smaller source of residual gas in the ion beam interior region results from source gas which escapes from a plasma chamber of the ion source. Source gases are injected into and are ionized within the plasma chamber. Ions escaping the plasma chamber through an opening or arc slit in a cover of the plasma chamber are accelerated along the ion beam beam line. A small amount of the source gas escapes through the arc slit and accounts for a low portion of the residual gas in the ion beam implanter interior region. Typical examples of source gases include arsine (AsH.sub.3), vaporized antimony (Sb), phosphine (H.sub.3 P), diborane (B.sub.2 H.sub.6), boron triflouride (BF.sub.3), vaporized gallium (Ga), vaporized indium (In), ammonia (NH.sub.3), hydrogen (H.sub.2) and Nitrogen (N.sub.2).
When the pressure in the interior region of the implanter along the beam line is low enough, the implanter species is essentially a singly charged positive ion selected by an analyzing magnet of the ion beam implanter. The analyzing magnet is positioned along the beam line and causes the ion beam to curve toward the implantation chamber. The strength and direction of the magnetic field of the analyzing magnet is set such that only ion species with a proper atomic weight are deflected at the proper radius of curvature to follow the desired beam line path to the implantation chamber. If, however, the pressure in the interior region of the ion beam implanter along the beam line is not low enough, a significant proportion of charged ions of the ion beam will undergo a change in their charge state through atomic collisions with the residual gas atoms, without undergoing a significant change in energy. In such circumstances, the ion beam striking the Faraday cage will contain a portion of neutral atoms. These neutralized atoms are the desired species and have the desired energies for implantation, thus, such neutralized atoms should be counted in a total flux of the ion beam. However, the Faraday cage is not capable of counting such neutralized atoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,217 to Farley, issued on Sep. 3, 1985, discloses a method and apparatus to compensate for neutralization of the ion beam in the implantation process. The Farley patent is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is fully incorporated by reference herein. The Farley patent utilizes the fact that the amount of ion beam neutralization is a function of the gas pressure in the interior region of the ion beam implanter along the ion beam beam line. Further, according to the Farley patent, the effective ion beam current, I.sup.T, is comprised of two components, the ion beam ionized singly positive charged current, I.sup.+, and the ion beam neutral current, I.sup.0. The effective ion beam current, I.sup.T, is a measure of current efficacious in the implantation of workpieces, regardless of charge of the implanted particles. Thus both the ionized ion beam current, I.sup.+, and the ion beam neutral current, I.sup.0, should be considered in determining the ion dosage a particular workpiece has received. The Farley patent assumes that the current measured by the Faraday cage, I.sup.f, is comprised solely of the ionized singly positive charged current, I.sup.+.
The second component of the true or effective ion beam current, I.sup.T, i.e., the neutral current, I.sup.0, is not measured by the Faraday cage. The atoms comprising the neutral current, I.sup.0, however, are just as effective in implanting the semiconductor wafer workpieces as are the ions comprising the ionized positive charged current, I.sup.+. Further, the greater the gas pressure in the ion implanter interior region, the greater the neutral current, I.sup.0, will be because of more collisions between ions and gas atoms and the smaller the ionized positive charged current, I.sup.+ will be. The Farley patent assumes that within a range of pressures encountered in the implantation process, the ion beam current measured by the Faraday cage I.sup.f, is a linear function of the pressure, P, of the ion implanter interior region.
The method disclosed in the Farley patent compensates for differential between the effective ion beam current, I.sup.T, and the ionized beam current, I.sup.+. The measurement of the ionized positive charged current, I.sup.+, and pressure, P, in the interior region of the ion implanter is used in an ion dosage control system to generate a calibration signal which compensates for the change in ions detected by the Faraday cage as the implanter interior region pressure varies. The calibration signal for a particular production run depends upon a selected calibration factor or "K" value.
The Farley patent method of controlling ion beam dose included the steps of:
1) measuring the ionized beam current, I.sup.+, incident on a wafer workpiece using a Faraday cage; PA1 2) measuring the gas pressure P within the implantation chamber; PA1 3) using a relationship to convert the ionized beam current, I.sup.+, and the pressure measurement P into a true or effective beam current, I.sup.T, and PA1 4) varying the dose of implantation as a function of the effective beam current, I.sup.T.
The true or effective ion beam current, I.sup.T, was then input to a microprocessor based implanter dose control system for use in accordance with known practices for monitoring and control of implantation dose.
According to the Farley patent, a linear equation used to convert the ionized ion beam current, I.sup.+, into an effective ion beam current, I.sup.T, is: EQU I.sup.T =I.sup.+ [1+KP]
Two modes of implanter operation were set forth in the Farley patent. In the first or fixed mode, a set of K values were estimated for different combinations of ion beam parameters and wafer workpiece parameters. The set of K values were stored in microprocessor memory and an appropriate value of K extracted from memory when the ion beam and workpiece characteristics were input to the microprocessor. In a second or dynamic mode of operation, a starting K value was selected, the K value was modified after each full rotation of the workpiece support. Upon each revolution of the workpiece support, the ionized beam current, I.sup.+, and the pressure P were measured and a value of K, called K.sub.j, was calculated (K.sub.j being the value of K for the jth rotation of the support). A moving average of the three most recent Kj's (K.sub.j, K.sub.j-1, and K.sub.j-2) was found and the moving average value, called K.sub.j.sup.A, was used to calculate a new effective beam current for the jth support revolution, called I.sub.j.sup.T.
In either mode of operation, an initial value of K must be provided to the dosage control system. Since K values were empirically estimated for different source gas/workpiece material combinations, a test implant matrix had to be generated for each source gas and each semiconductor wafer material. There was no assurance that any particular empirically determined K value was optimal or near optimal for the source gas/wafer material combination. Further, actual semiconductor wafers were used in testing to empirically determine K values. The testing resulted in the improper implantation of numerous wafers. Such semiconductor wafers have a significant cost per wafer and improper wafer implantation results in a significant scrap loss. Moreover, valuable production time is lost during testing runs in trying to find near acceptable K values for different ion beam parameters and wafer workpiece parameters.
What is needed is an effective ion beam dosage control apparatus for an ion implanter. What is also needed is an apparatus and process for efficiently determining optimal or near optimal K values which can be used to control ion beam dosage applied to workpieces. What is further needed is an apparatus and process for determining optimal K values without using actual semiconductor wafers.

Ion dosage measurement apparatus for an ion beam implanter and method


The present invention is directed to a shaped-tube electrolytic polishing process which involves providing a workpiece with at least one hole. The hole is polished by advancing a metal tube electrode through the hole while passing an electrolyte through the tube and into the hole and while passing electric current between the metal tube and the workpiece through the electrolyte. As a result of such polishing, reduced surface roughness is imparted to the hole. It is particularly desirable to provide the hole in the workpiece by a shaped-tube electrolytic drilling process.

Electrochemical machining is a widely used technique for providing holes in difficult-to-machine metal parts. Generally, these processes involve using electrochemical force (as opposed to mechanical force) to disengage or deplate material from a workpiece.
A highly specialized adaptation of electrochemical machining, known as shaped-tube electrolytic machining, is used for drilling small, deep holes in electrically conductive materials. Shaped-tube electrolytic machining is a noncontact electrochemical-drilling process that distinguishes itself from all other drilling processes by its ability to produce holes with aspect ratios of up to 300:1. Being an electrochemical process, shaped-tube electrolytic machining is unaffected by either material hardness or toughness. It uses an acid-based electrolyte instead of the salt electrolytes normally incorporated in electrochemical machining. The use of acid electrolytes ensures that the metal sludge by-products from electrolytic deplating are dissolved and carried away as metal ions. This eliminates clogging of the electrolyte flow path around the electrode, an important feature when drilling deep holes. Shaped-tube electrolytic machining processes are discussed in more detail in Machining Data Book, vol. 2, pp. 11-71 to 11-75 (3rd ed. 1980); E. J. Weller, Nontraditional Machining Processes, pp. 109-13 (2nd ed. 1984); and G. F. Benedict, Nontraditional Manufacturing Processes, pp. 181-87 (1987).
Advances in jet engine technology have resulted in the need to machine super alloys and metals. The characteristics of these metals and the complex designs associated with jet engine hardware have posed machining problems which are beyond the capability of conventional machining processes. As a result, shaped-tube electrolytic machine processes have found particular applicability in the manufacture of aircraft engines. These processes are especially useful in drilling holes through turbine blades, buckets, vanes, and struts so that cooling liquid can be circulated through these components during turbine operation. Since such cooling is enhanced by turbulence within the cooling passages, there is little reason for finely machining these passages. Examples of the use of shaped-tube electrolytic machining processes in conjunction with aircraft engine manufacture are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,352,770 to Crawford et al., 3,352,958 to Andrews, 3,793,169 to Joslin, 3,805,015 to Andrews, and 4,088,557 to Andrews.
In recent years, shaped-tube electrolytic machining processes have also found application in the manufacture of precision extrusion dies for producing ceramic honeycomb structures. Such structures are particularly useful for automobile catalytic converters.
The manufacture of extrusion dies from these ultra-hard materials is an extremely tedious process. The extrusion dies are formed with multiple apertures through which the extrudate is forced under high pressure. In one method of forming the extrusion die, mechanical drills are used to provide the extrusion apertures. If the extrusion dies are formed of ultra-hard materials such as, for example, 17-4PH stainless steel or Inconel.RTM. 718 (a registered trademark of International Nickel Co., Inc.), the drilling rate used for aperture formation is very slow and a great deal of time and effort is expended in extrusion die formation. If softer die materials are used, the drilling rate is increased, but the life span of the resulting extrusion die is correspondingly shorter.
Because of these difficulties, apertures are now formed in extrusion dies by electrochemical machining techniques rather than mechanical drilling. With an electrochemical machining process, the workpiece from which the die is to be formed is situated in a fixed position relative to a movable manifold. The manifold supports a plurality of drilling tubes, each of which are utilized to form an aperture in the workpiece. The drilling tubes operate as cathodes in the electrochemical machining process, while the workpiece comprises the anode in that process. As the workpiece is flooded with an acid electrolyte from the manifold, material is selectively deplated from the workpiece in the vicinity of the drilling tubes to form the requisite aperture pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,563 to Hayes and European Patent Application Publication No. 0245 545 to Peters disclose such processes. Although this production technique has found significant usefulness in the art, the resulting extrusion dies can suffer from a problem of surface roughness in or near the holes.
In the use of shaped-tube electrolytic machining to manufacture extrusion dies, the presence of roughness in the passages of the dies is undesirable. Such roughness imparts friction against extrusion of material. These frictional forces are often so great that the ram for the extruder is unable to push material through the die. The present invention is directed to overcoming this problem.

Shaped-tube electrolytic polishing process


Method for the in vitro diagnostic or for the monitoring of a disease involving an inflammatory reaction within a patient, which comprises the steps of: a) providing a biological sample from the patient; b) measuring the amount of selenoprotein P which is contained in the biological sample; c) comparing the amount of selenoprotein P measured at step b) i) with the amount of selenoprotein P which is contained in a biological sample from an individual which is not affected with the disease; or ii) with the amount of selenoprotein P which was contained in a biological sample from the same patient.

Severe sepsis and more particularly at a further stage, septic shock, leading to multiple organ failure are major medical problems in critically ill patients and are the most common cause of death in medical and surgical intensive care unit (ICU) (Definition and epidemiology This L G, Dhainaut J F; in Septic Shock, Dhainaut J F, This L G, G Parked; Sunders 2000). Septic shock is a public health problem because of its frequency (500 000 to 700 000 new cases per year in the United States), and of it mortality Fate (around 45%). The systemic repercussion of septic shock is considered as the result of an uncontrolled and generalized immuno-inflammatory reaction. In the case of septic shock, that reaction results from a systemic host response to invasive infection. (From Celsus to Galen to Bone: The Illnesses, Syndromes, and Diseases of Acute Inflammation, Marshall J C, Aarts M A, in Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Vincent J L ed.; Springer Verlag, 2001; 3-12). This reaction leads to organ dysfunction and, at a further stage, organ failure.
The physiopathology of septic shock could be considered as a consequence of an overproduction of free radicals (Novelli, G. P., Role of free radicals in septic shock, J Physiol Pharmacol; 1997,48 (4): 517-527) (Zimmerman, J. J., Defining the role of oxyradicals in the pathogenesis of sepsis, Critical Care Medicine; 1995, 23, (4): 616-617) This does not contradict the usual diagrams concerning septic shock but points to free radicals as being directly responsible for cellular damages. The main origin of this deleterious overproduction of free radicals would be the activated polynuclear neutrophils adhering to the venous postcapillary segment (Bast, A.; Haenen, G. R.; Doelman, C. J., Oxidants and antioxidants: state of the art, Am J Med; 1991, 91, (3C): 2S−13S). In septic shock, nitric oxide is known to have a marked role. It appears early in septic shock. Its deleterious effects on the organism seems to be essentially mediated by peroxynitrite (ONOO—), formed during the simultaneous synthesis of NO by endothelium cells and superoxide anion by phagocytic cells, such as polymorphonuclears. Moreover, the endothelium is a particular target for peroxynitrite, Selenium may be an efficient treatment of septic shock in particular for increasing selenoprotein P concentration (Selenium and the "free" electron"—Selenium a trace to be followed in septic or inflammatory ICU patients, Forceville X, Intensive Care Medicine; 2001, 27: 16-18).
The early diagnosis and treatment of septic shock have to be conducted in a state of emergency. In man, at the present time, in the only phase III positive therapeutical trial in the treatment of the inflammatory reaction of septic shock, patients had to begin treatment within the first 24 hours of septic shock (Efficacy and Safety of Recombinant Human Activated Protein C for Severe Sepsis, Bernard G. R., Vincent J L, Laterre P F, New England Journal of Medicine; 2001). In fact, microcirculation endothelium is rapidly damaged during septic shock. The massive alterations of endothelium have a major physiopathological role in the consequences of septic shock and lead to organ failure (Sepsis/septic shock: Participation of the microcirculation: An abbreviated review, Hinshaw L B Critical Care Medicine 1996, 24 (6), 1072-1078).
There is a need in the art to have a relatively simple and reproducible biological marker to precisely identify septic shock patients in order to have reproducible epidemiological data, to define appropriate populations of patients to be included in sepsis trials, to identify populations of patients who might benefit from those therapies, and to monitor the evolution of septic shock under those therapies. Moreover that marker should ideally target the biological process or a biological process responsible for the manifestation of septic shock. "The search for such (a) marker(s) is an important priority for ongoing investigations" (From Celsus to Galen to Bone: The Illnesses, Syndromes, and Diseases of Acute Inflammation, Marshall J C, Aarts M A, in Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Vincent J L ed.; Springer Verlag, 2001; 3-12).
However, the diagnostic of sepsis and septic shock remains presently complex and depends on definitions that are based on clinical manifestations (Groeneveld, This, in Dhainaut 2000, Pg. 355). They characterize a subgroup of patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome not only due to infection but also to diseases such as pancreatitis, extended burns, and polytrauma. For further details, see the American College of Chest Physicians and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, conference consensus, Chicago 1991 (The ACCP-SCCM consensus conference on sepsis and organ failure, Chest 1992; 101:1644-55), and the article by Marshall and Aarts (From Celsus to Galen to Bone: The Illnesses, Syndromes, and Diseases of Acute Inflammation, Marshall J C, Aarts M A in Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Vincent J L ed.; Springer Verlag, 2001; 3-12). Sepsis, severe sepsis and at a further stage septic shock may be due to infection associated or not with detected bacteremia due to bacteria, but also fungi or virus.
Septic shock is defined as a sepsis-induced hypoperfusion (i.e. systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg or a reduction of ≧40 mmHg from baseline) despite adequate fluid resuscitation along with the presence of perfusion abnormality that may include but are not limited to lactic acidosis, oliguria or an acute alteration in mental state. Patients who are receiving inotropic or vasopressor agents may not be hypotensive at the time that perfusion abnormalities are measured (Bone, 1992, ref. 2925) (Definition and epidemiology This L G, Dhainaut J F; in Septic Shock, Dhainaut J F, This L G, G Park ed.; Sunders 2000). This clinical definition established in the ACCP-SCCM consensus conference on sepsis and organ failure, Chicago, August 1991 remains the only valid one (The ACCP-SCCM consensus conference on sepsis and organ failure, Chest 1992; 101:1644-55).
Different markers of septic shock, and especially of its initial manifestation, have been proposed, but are non-specific and insensitive (Diagnosis: from clinical signs to haemodynamic evaluation, Groeneveld A B J, This G T; in Septic Shock, Dhainaut J F, This L G, G Park ed.; Sunders 2000). As activation of inflammatory pathways, including the cytokine network, is considered to play a major role in the pathogenesis of septic shock, cytokines have been extensively studied as a potential marker of septic shock (Cytokines and Anticytokines in the Pathogenesis of sepsis, van der Poll T, van Deventer S J H, Infectious disease Clinics of North America; 13 (2) 1999; 413-426). In comparison with other cytokines, IL-6 (a mixed pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine) has been reported most consistently in the circulation of septic patients. However, IL-6 level shows considerable variation, and it is not possible to define a cut-off value to identify septic shock patients (Cytokines and Anticytokines in the Pathogenesis of sepsis, van der Poll T, van Deventer S JH, Infectious disease Clinics of North America; 13 (2) 1999; 413-426) Procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocytosis, lactate concentration, coagulation parameters, and other parameters have also been proposed to identify septic shock patients (Diagnosis of sepsis: Novel and Conventional Parameters, Rheinhart K, Meisner M and Hartog C, Advances in sepsis, 2001; 42-51). However, though they seem to be useful parameters to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of septic shock, they cannot clearly identify septic shock patients due to their lack of specificity and the diagnosis of septic shock remains based on clinical parameters. (From Celsus to Galen to Bone: The Illnesses, Syndromes, and Diseases of Acute Inflammation, Marshall J C, Aarts M A, in Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Vincent J L ed.; Springer Verlag, 2001; 3-12). Presently, laboratory abnormalities can only be supportive for the diagnosis of sepsis and cannot prove the presence of septic shock. Taken together, abnormalities in hematological and chemical laboratory parameters may only constitute indicators of septic shock (Diagnosis: from clinical signs to haemodynamic evaluation, Groeneveld A B J, This G T; in Septic Shock, Dhainaut J F, This L G, G Park ed.; Sunders 2000). Each alone of this parameters carries little meaning. (Defining a Clinical Syndrome of Systemic inflammation, Vincent J L, Byl B, Sepsis, 200; 4:15-19).
Their is also an urgent need in the art to find a specific and reliable parameter to define septic shock patients. A precise definition of septic shock patients could allow an early diagnosis and a follow-up of septic shock. This parameter should ideally be closely related to the physiopathological process of septic shock (From Celsus to Galen to Bone: The Illnesses, Syndromes, and Diseases of Acute Inflammation, Marshall J C, Aarts M A, in Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Vincent J L ed.; Springer Verlag, 2001; 3-12).

Methods and kits for the in vitro diagnostic or for the monitoring of a disease involving an inflammatory reaction


The disclosure discloses a method, apparatus, device for table extraction based on a richly formatted document and medium. The method comprises: acquiring page content; performing a table detection process on the page content by use of a preset table detection model to obtain a list of table tags, and to obtain a first table content; performing, by use of a preset through-line drawing model, a through-line drawing process on the first table content to obtain a list of through-line tags, and to obtain a second table content; and performing, by use of a preset table-cell merging model, a table-cell merging process on the second table content to obtain a list of short-line tags, and to obtain an explicit table content.

The richly formatted document in the prior art include but are not limited to scanned file, cross-platform file format, web page and the like. The cross-platform file format include PDF document, Word document, etc., which is composite organic typesetting of components such as titles, text chapters and paragraphs, tables, images and so on.
A table is a data structure that contains abundant information for humans and has a highly structured form for machines. Therefore, it is of great research value and application value to extract table data in the richly formatted document.
However, at present, there is no good extraction method for implicit tables in the rich text document, and it is not possible to accurately extract implicit tables in the rich text document.

Method, apparatus, device for table extraction based on a richly formatted document and medium