A plug for a seal bore in a packer mandrel has a shiftable annular member that can selectively open bypass ports to facilitate latching and then be shifted as part of a release from the plug by a running tool to close the bypass passage that go around a frangible barrier that will later be broken by impact force. The annular member has minimal structure internally to allow attachment of the running tool. The annular member drillout proceeds quickly with minimal cuttings and the frangible member is broken by impact. On an assembly with multiple packers getting plugs a trip is saved as a plug is delivered into a lower packer with a string supporting the packer above. The plug is set in the lower packer allowing release of the running string for subsequent placement and setting of the next packer in the same trip.

In some completions after the well is drilled to the zone of interest, a packer is set on a string that conveys a perforating gun and a lowermost portion of the zone of interest is perforated. The gun is removed and a plug is delivered into the first packer to isolate the lower zone after an initial flow test is conducted. The lowermost region is now isolated and the process repeats in an uphole direction as many times as is necessary. The plug that can be used is a Model F Latching Packer Plug sold by Baker Hughes Incorporated. This plug has a selectively open bypass to facilitate mechanical latching when advancing the plug against formation pressure. The bypass prevents a potential liquid lock that would otherwise impede advancement of the plug until it latched to the packer bore with the seal assembly properly positioned in a polished bore normally extending below the packer mandrel. This plug has an unloader sub that can be selected for a bypass flow configuration or the bypass can be closed with a j-slot which also allows removal of the running string so that the packer is in effect a bridge plug. At a later time this plug will need to be removed to produce from the zone that is below it. If there are no obstructions above plug, its removal simply requires acquiring the j-pin mandrel at the top with a retrieval tool and pulling the plug out of the packer mandrel. If there are other packers above the packer in question with a Model F Plug in it then the plug has to be removed by other means such as drilling it out. Because the Model F is built to accomplish many objectives such as operating as a bypass device and holding differential pressure, trying to mill out such a plug can generate lots of cuttings that then have to be captured with wellbore cleanup tools such as the VACS Tool offered by Baker Hughes. The cuttings that do not get captured can migrate to undesired locations to make subsequent operations in the wellbore more problematic. Beyond that the Model F Plug is placed in a respective packer in a separate trip after the fired guns are removed and the initial flow test is conducted. As previously stated then another packer is run in and set with a string having a perforating gun and the process repeats.
What is need is a plug design that contemplates drillout so that cuttings are minimized while a drift diameter that is made available is maximized while the drillout time is minimized. What is also needed is a way to save trips when dividing a zone into segments that each is flow tested and plugged and later produced necessitating plug removal when there are obstructions above. What is provided is a bottom hole assembly that can deliver and latch a suitable plug to a lower packer while delivering the packer above. In that instance the plug is set in the lower packer and the running tool releases from the set plug to allow the string to be manipulated to position and then set the packer above. This saves a trip in the hole compared to comparable systems used before. Those skilled in the art will more readily appreciate these and other aspects of the invention from a review of the detailed description and the associated figures while appreciating that the full scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

Removable packer plug with installation bypass feature


A method for small-scale fishing boat to avoid ship collision includes the steps of: (1) equipping the small-scale fishing boat with a radar signal receiver for scanning and receiving radar signals transmitted by other ships within the receiving range of the radar signal receiver; (2) using a monitoring computer having a Marine Geographic Information System (Marine GIS) installed thereon to obtain at real time information about the distance, bearings, and etc. of other approaching ships in order to monitor the dynamic conditions of the approaching ships within the fishing boat's operating water area; and (3) actuating a collision warning mechanism based on the intensities of received radar signals when there is more than one approaching ship, so that the small-scale fishing boat can timely receive a collision warning to reduce the risk of collision and maintain safe and smooth voyage on the sea.

In many countries, there are a lot of small-scale fishing boats conducting fishing operation in offshore water. Unlike the deep sea fishing vessels and other large-scale ships, the small-scale fishing boats have a small tonnage and are not required by relevant regulations to equip itself with a radar apparatus or other similar detection apparatus. Such small-scale fishing boats operating in offshore water lack sufficient alertness and frequently unawares anchor or steer in a course of a large-scale ship. On the other hand, the large-scale ships have fast speed and high tonnage, and frequently fail to timely take proper actions such as changing the course in response to the small-scale fishing boat or other emergent event unexpected presented in the course. Therefore, serious collision will occur and the small-scale fishing boat would usually become the victim in the collision.
Since an Automatic Identification System (AIS) is highly expensive and not affordable by general fishermen, it is difficult to demand all the small-scale fishing boats to be equipped with the AIS to ensure safe fishing operation, particularly in offshore water.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method and radar signal receiver for a small-scale fishing boat to collect information of approaching ships and timely generate a warning signal to avoid collision with other ships.

Method for small-scale fishing boat equipped with radar receiver to avoid ship collision and the radar receiver therefor


A touch input device is provided. The touch input device includes a touch panel and a touch control. The touch panel includes a number of touch sensor groups, each touch sensor group includes a line of touch sensors, each touch sensor produces a touch signal in response to a user's touch, the touch sensor groups are arranged on the touch panel one by one along a predetermined path, the quantity of touch sensors of each touch sensor group is increased or decreased gradually, and the arrangement direction of the touch sensors of each touch sensor group is perpendicular to the direction of the predetermined path. The touch control is connected to the touch panel and is used to receive the touch signals produced by the touch sensor, and determine a touch path according to the changes of the quantity of the received touch signals.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to input devices, particularly, to a touch input device and an electronic device employing the touch input device.
2. Description of Related Art
Many electronic devices, such as mobile phones, remote controls, and media players, with touch input device are more and more popular due to convenience. The touch input device produces touch signals in response to user's touch, however, conventional touch input device determines touch path according to the sequence of the produced touch signals, and conventional touch panels are mundane when being operated.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a touch input device and an electronic device with the touch input device to overcome the described limitations.

Touch input device and electronic device using the same

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.


A data processing apparatus comprises a processing unit which is responsive to a plurality of interrupt signals to carry out a corresponding interrupt routine. On receipt of an interrupt signal, the processing unit stores data values from a plurality of registers onto a data stack and carries out the corresponding interrupt routine. Thereafter the processor returns the data values from the data stack to the registers and carries on the processing it was performing when the interrupt was received. If a higher priority interrupt is received whilst the processor is transferring register values to or from the data stack, that transferral is abandoned and the processing unit immediately begins transferring data values from the registers to the data stack in response to the higher priority interrupt.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data processing units responsive to interrupt signals to carry out a corresponding interrupt routine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a data processing apparatus which is responsive to an interrupt signal to carry out a corresponding interrupt routine, variations in the time taken to respond to an interrupt (i.e. the time between the interrupt signal being asserted and when the first instruction of the corresponding interrupt routine is executed) can be problematic in real time systems. These problems may be particularly serious in relation to high priority interrupts, to which it is desirable that the data processing apparatus responds in a swift and predictable manner.
It is known that data processing apparatuses may use a stack based exception model when responding to an interrupt. In such models, on receipt of an exception or interrupt signal, the processing unit is configured to store a set of data values indicative of the current state of the processor (typically this being the contents of a set of registers within the processing unit) on a data stack. On completion of the interrupt routine triggered by the interrupt signal, the processing unit then retrieves the set of data values from the data stack, in order to continue program execution at the point where the interrupt signal was received. Such a stack based exception model may be atomic and un-interruptable, i.e the stacking/unstacking process must be wholly completed before the processing unit can perform any other activity. This has the advantage of preserving the coherency of the set of data values indicating the processor state, but may also worsen "interrupt jitter" by increasing the worst case interrupt response time. Alternatively, the stack based exception model may be interruptable, allowing a higher priority interrupt to disrupt an ongoing stacking/unstacking process, providing the necessary additional mechanisms to cope with the part-stacked/unstacked data stack. This may for example be carried out by allowing a higher priority interrupt to step in on a stacking process commenced by a lower priority interrupt, simply continuing that stacking process until the full set of data values has been transferred to the data stack and then commencing the interrupt routine corresponding to the higher priority interrupt. Since, relative to when the higher priority interrupt was received, the first instruction of the interrupt routine corresponding to the higher priority interrupt begins execution sooner than if that higher priority interrupt had been received in isolation, this worsens interrupt jitter by offering a lower than normal interrupt response time.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a technique which enabled greater consistency in interrupt response times.


An instrument guide and method for use. An elongate flexible body has a proximal end and a distal end. The elongate body has two portions, one or more resilient than the other. A distal pocket is positioned adjacent the distal end of the elongate flexible body. An anchor is provided to attach the guide to a surgical instrument.

The present invention relates to surgical instruments, with one embodiment relating to guides for surgical instruments. Surgery generally refers to the diagnosis or treatment of injury, deformity, or disease. Most surgical procedures involve the use of one or more surgical instruments. In most cases, the surgical instrument must be positioned on or near target tissue of the patient. Target tissue refers to the desired destination, whether final or intermediate, of a surgical instrument, and may or may not include the tissue that is the subject of surgery. A variety of factors may make the placement of the surgical instrument challenging. For example, the shape, position, or sensitivity of the target tissue or surrounding anatomy may complicate positioning of a surgical instrument. As a further example, the geometry of the surgical instrument may pose complications in positioning the instrument. In yet another example, the nature or timing of the procedure may complicate placement of the surgical procedure. Another example is the size of the surgical field. Still other examples of circumstances may complicate positioning of surgical instruments. Instrument guides are sometimes used to facilitate placement of surgical instruments. No one, however, has previously made or used an instrument guide in accordance with the present invention.


An apparatus for a residential low voltage control system. A low voltage controller is adapted to fit into a standard wiring box, and the controller provides isolation/separation of the low voltage wiring from other wiring. The face plate of the controller, in one embodiment, has a recessed portion with terminals for connecting the low voltage conductors. In another embodiment, the face plate has a recessed portion with an opening for a terminal block to protrude. In still another embodiment, the face plate has an opening for a low profile terminal block to protrude.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to an apparatus for low voltage control in a residential home. More particularly, this invention pertains to low voltage system with an isolation unit that is easy to install and meets voltage separation requirements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Home automation or management systems which permit increased control of at least some of the electrical subsystems in a dwelling have begun to replace or to supplement conventional wiring systems that operate at a high voltage (typically 120 volts in a residence). These automation systems use low voltage (typically less than 30 volts) circuits controlled by low voltage switches to control high voltage loads. Many home control systems and lighting control systems or subsystems are generally incompatible with conventional wiring techniques. One common complaint is that the additional wiring required for such systems results in a maze of additional wiring. The systems also tend to be relatively expensive. It is desirable, therefore, to have a wiring device that is compatible with existing wiring and requires only the addition of easy to install low voltage wiring during initial construction.
In accordance with the National Electric Code (NEC), electrical conductors including electric light, power, class 1, or non power-limited fire protection signaling conductors must be separated from electrical conductors including power-limited class 2 or class 3 conductors. The conductors of the one group cannot be in any cable, cable tray, compartment, enclosure, outlet box, raceway, or similar fitting with conductors from the other grou
unless the conductors are separated by a barrier. Another exception is where conductors of one group are introduced solely to connect to equipment connected to conductors of the other group.
The NEC further requires that all joints, connections, and splices of electrical cables be made inside an approved enclosure and further must include tight connections with the conduit or cable. Conventional electrical boxes may be made from metal or plastic. The box is further designed with great flexibility so that wires can be brought in from any side by removing a "knock out" to receive a lug for mounting fixtures or the like.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,371,149; 3,472,945; 5,445,539; and 6,483,031 are representative of patents disclosing various devices that separate different classes of conductors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,149 discloses a metal barrier 26 in a wiring box 11 separating power 22 and television antenna 22a conductors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,945 discloses an outlet box 10 divided with a metal barrier plate or partition 15.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,539 discloses a wiring device 20 to which different classes of conductors are attached. The wiring device 20 is mounted in a conventional electrical box 84 and separation of the conductors is 25 achieved by routing the low voltage conductors 76 through a tubular projection 32, which extends through a knockout opening 86 in the box 84. The tubular projection 32 is attached to the housing 22 of the wiring device 20, thereby separating the low voltage conductors 76 from the power conductors 48, 80 in the electrical box 84.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,031 discloses an enclosure, or control module, 18 attached to an outlet box 58. The low voltage wiring 48 enters the enclosure 18 at the rear, directly from the wall space, and the power wiring 49 enters the outlet box 58, where it is routed to the other end of the enclosure 18, which connects the enclosure 18 to the outlet box 58.
Several problems are typically encountered in the use of low voltage control in a residential home. For example, the low voltage switches are typically push-button switches mounted in the door jamb adjacent a door hinge. Such an installation requires a mortise cut to install the switch, which is a time consuming operation. Also, many low voltage controllers require the use of custom components, such as electrical boxes and cover plates, instead of using standard, readily available components. Further, many low voltage controller installations require that the low voltage wiring be routed in a specific manner, thereby limiting the flexibility of the installer.


Within a modulator driver, different blocks are employed, e.g. a buffer, one or more variable gain amplifiers (VGA), and a final driver stage. Each of these blocks has an optimum bias point for best performance; however, interconnecting the blocks requires sharing the DC bias points in their interface, which does not necessarily match the optimum performance bias point of each block. Accordingly, a first offset feedback loop extending from reference points after a selected one of the blocks to an input of one of the blocks. The first offset feedback loop includes current sources capable of delivering a variable current to the input of the selected block in order to compensate any offset in an amplified differential input electrical signal measured at the reference points. A first bias feedback loop is also provided, including a current sinker for subtracting excess current introduced in the first offset compensation feedback loop.

The modulation of the optical signal is done using a transducer that converts an electrical signal into the optical domain via a, e.g. a Mach-Zehnder, modulator. The transducer modifies an optical input signal according to an electrical input signal, whereby the optical output signal contains information from the electrical signal to be transmitted over an optical waveguide. For optical transmission the electrical signal is mapped using a modulation scheme, e.g. 64 QAM. The resulting electrical signal is amplified using a voltage-to-voltage amplifier, i.e. a driver, since its output drives the electro-optical modulator e.g. Mach-Zehnder, modulator. The optical modulator requires a voltage with low distortion and several volts of magnitude.
The driver input signal typically has been processed to maximize the channel capacity. The processing includes the manipulation of magnitude and phase of the electrical signal. In order to reduce power consumption, all processing is done with low power circuits, which limits the maximum voltage magnitude the driver input signal can provide. Accordingly, the function of the driver is to amplify the input signal to values required by the modulator while adding minimum distortion.
The driver input requires a specific voltage/current bias. However, the driver input electrical signal is typically provided by a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and the specific bias conditions of the driver do not necessarily match the bias conditions of the block preceding the driver, e.g. the DAC, in a DSP. DC coupling between the DAC and the driver chip is not desired as both use different supply/voltage domains. For optimum operation, the biasing of the DAC's output and the driver's input, may be different. Therefore, the interface between the DAC and the drive may be AC-coupled, i.e. DC-blocked, allowing independent biasing of the circuit blocks. Unfortunately, AC-coupling introduces LFC/area challenges that have to be dealt with. Moreover, broadband operation requires the use of large value DC-blocking capacitors that typically cannot be integrated on-chip.
Furthermore, several blocks are used in the driver, for example: a buffer, a VGA, and a final driver stage. Ideally, each of these blocks may be optimized for best performance, and part of the optimization is the input bias conditions. However, when the blocks are cascaded, the output bias of the preceding block sets the bias condition at the input of the next block. Accordingly, is not always possible to have the optimum bias at the interface of different blocks. As above, because the blocks are integrated in the same chip, the use of on-chip large value capacitors is impractical.
The implementation of AC-coupling may be done using capacitive coupling; however, the value of the capacitance needs to be large in order to obtain a low cut-off frequency, for example 1 MHz. Unfortunately, a high value capacitance will have parasitics that limit the frequency response.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a circuit that provides independent biasing at the input of a circuit block. The solution should be implementable on-chip, allow broadband operation, and allow for correction of any mismatch that originates an offset in the biasing point of a differential input.

Dual loop bias circuit with offset compensation


An air tunnel diverter for a refrigeration unit includes one or more leg members secured to a hub. The hub is generally formed to include a fitting through which cooler air is passed to the leg member and routed into the desired locations within the refrigerated space. The leg member is placed on the fitting by sliding one end of the leg member onto a leg portion of the fitting. The fitting is then secured to the leg member by an overmolding process in which a soft flexible plastic is cast or otherwise applied around the connection. Installation is further simplified by providing the leg member with a flexible portion. The air tunnel diverter is preferably secured in the refrigeration unit by foam insulation.

The present invention relates generally to an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit. More particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention relates to an air tunnel diverter that can be easily assembled and installed.
Air tunnel diverters are commonly used on refrigeration units, such as household refrigerators. Air tunnel diverters typically have a plurality of pipes and are used to route cool air, usually from a freezer compartment, to various fresh food areas or compartments in the refrigerator compartment or into various refrigerated spaces. To maximize efficiency, it is desirable to have all of the cooler air come from a single location or pump. This requires a plurality of pipes be merged into a single fitting to receive the cooler air or that the pipes be flexible and thus able to be positioned to rout chilled air to the desired locations. Current air tunnel diverters attempt to merge several pipes into the fitting using glue.
Glue is messy and often ineffective, failing to properly seal the air tunnel diverters. If the air tunnel diverters are not properly sealed, the foam insulation, which is typically sprayed on, may creep into the interior of the diverter, thereby reducing the diverters' effectiveness.
Current refrigeration units come in many styles and have a wide variety of specialized compartments. As designs evolve and change, the location of the various compartments also changes. Many homes may soon feature vent only refrigerators, but also refrigerated drawers, cabinents, and other refrigerated spaces. Previously, cooler air was typically routed to these areas through rigid pipes that were designed for a certain style of refrigerator with compartments in certain specified locations. Designing compartments in new locations also required designing a new air tunnel diverter to route the cooler air to the new locations. It is therefore desirable to have an air tunnel diverter that can be easily adapted or positioned to fit in a variety of refrigerated spaces.
Accordingly, a primary feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that overcomes problems found in the prior art.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that does not require glue for installation.
A further feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that is easily adapted for installation in a variety of refrigeration units.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that is easy to install.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of an air tunnel diverter and the method for installing the same in a refrigeration unit that is inexpensive.
These and other features and advantages will become apparent from the following specification and claims.

Air tunnel diverter and method of installing same


A medical device includes a hollow needle having a distal tip for piercing the skin of a patient. A housing is provided for moving the needle relative to said housing between a first ready-for-use position and a second retracted needle protected position. A resilient arm is attached to the housing, said arm having a free end which in the second retracted needle protected position of the needle, engages said needle to move said distal tip laterally.

The present invention relates to medical devices and, in particular, to medical devices such as intravenous catheters which include a hollow needle having a sharp distal end or tip for piercing the skin of a patient.
The existence of infectious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis has highlighted the danger to which medical personnel may be exposed when treating patients by means of catheter devices where a sharp needle tip is used to pierce the skin of a patient. Medical personnel have been infected by physical contact with, or accidental prick by an infected needle (needle-stick).
In order to protect medical personnel against inadvertent needle-stick, a number of solutions have been developed whereby a protective means incorporated within the catheter prevents physical contact with the needle after use and hence against inadvertent needle-stick.
One known device for protecting the needle after use is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,501. In this document, there is described an infusion catheter assembly including a hollow needle having a sharpened distal tip for piercing the skin of a patient. In a ready-for-use position the needle passes through a hole in a rigid front part which houses a resilient member. The resilient member is retained under tension by the needle flank and exerts a force substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the needle. In its retracted position, that is, when the needle tip is moved back through and beyond the hole in the rigid front part the resilient member biases the needle tip laterally to prevent reentry of the needle tip through the hole.
This device is a relatively simple and economic device and is effective to minimize the danger of inadvertent needle stick.
However, since the resilient member is under compression until the device is actually used and since the shelf life of the device is up to three years from manufacture, it has been found advisable to make the resilient member of coiled spring steel in order to avoid the permanent set of the resilient member which would thereby lose its resilience.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a simple but effective means for protecting the point of a needle forming part of a medical device which incorporates resilient means for deflecting a needle tip in a needle protected position but which avoids the necessity of using coiled spring steel.

Medical devices having needle retraction and needle biasing mechanism


A tube bundle heat exchanger has tubes which are held at each side in tube plates or oval-tube collecting-tube plates and are connected to these in each case by means of a weld seam. The connection of the tubes to the inlet-side tube plate or oval-tube collecting-tube plate is formed in each case by means of a conical and/or trumpet-shaped transition piece. The cross section of the transition piece reduces as viewed in the gas flow direction in such a way that the inlet-side end, as viewed in the gas flow direction, of the transition piece is connected in a butt joint to the tube plate or oval-tube collecting-tube plate. The inner and outer contours of the transition piece and of the welded connection region are formed without gaps and corners to the tube plate or oval tube collecting-tube plate and so as to be straight and/or with a radius, measured from the outer contour, of at least 5 mm.

The invention relates to a tube bundle heat exchanger having tubes that are held at each side in tube plates or oval tube collecting tube plates and are connected to these in each case by means of a weld seam, for cooling, by means of a cooling medium surrounding the tubes, a hot gas flow that is directed through the tubes, exhibiting at least one gas inlet chamber, from which the hot gas flow is directed into the individual tubes and which is delimited at one side by the inlet-side tube plate or oval tube collecting tube plate, and at least one gas outlet chamber in which the gas flow directed through the tubes is collected and discharged and which is delimited on one side by the outlet-side tube plate or oval tube collecting tube plate.
As a rule, for cooling gases in many materials processing installations, such as, for example, gasification installations, thermal and catalytic splitting installations, steam reforming installations, etc., heat exchangers, in particular, tube bundle heat exchangers (coolers), are used, into which the gases to be cooled flow through straight tubes and thereby give off the latent heat of the hot gas through the tube wall to the medium surrounding the tubes, in particular, the cooling medium. It is characteristic of such heat exchangers that the gases to be cooled are often under high pressure and at a high temperature and enter the straight tubes of the heat exchanger at high speed. As a result, at the tube inlet or the first section of the tube, a high heat flow density is achieved, which causes both a high temperature as well as high thermal stress in the tubes of the heat exchanger or in the tube plate—tube connection.
In state of the art heat exchangers, the tubes that conduct the gas are welded into the tube plates, whereby the weld seam between tube plate and tube is applied either at the outer or inner wall of the tube plate or inside the tube plate opening. For example, printed document DE 37 15 713 C2 exhibits a welded connection of the tube or tubes with the outer wall of the tube plate or the oval tube collecting tube plate.
The disadvantage of this known design consists in the fact that the gas-facing contour or surface of the transition from the tube to the tube plate or the oval tube collecting tube plate does not exhibit an exactly aerodynamic form. As a rule, the use of an inserted sleeve is undesirable for a number of different reasons, among them a narrowing of the gas-side cross section as well as an inadequate cooling of the sleeve. In addition, a gap can appear on the cooling medium side of the tube plates—tube connection, leading to water-side corrosion, or the tube plates—tube connection can exhibit a corner in which an unwanted stress concentration occurs.
Through document EP 1 154 143 A1, a cooler has become known in whose heat exchanger tubes, which lie between an inlet-side tube plate and an outlet-side tube plate, an exhaust gas is cooled by cooling water. Through the cooling of the exhaust gas, a condensate that exhibits a corrosive component is created, which causes corrosion at the connection of the particular tube with the outlet-side tube plate. As a result of this corrosion, a leak of the cooling water occurs at this connection, which leads to damage of the downstream machine. To prevent the leak, it is suggested that the connection of the particular tube with the outlet-side tube plate be designed in such a way that the tube is placed through the tube plate in a conical manner and the conical part of the tube is completely laser welded to the tube plate in order to achieve a deep-reaching welded connection.


In one embodiment, a method includes receiving autonomous-vehicle sensor data from a sensor array of an autonomous vehicle. The autonomous-vehicle sensor data indicates an object in an external environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining a confidence score for a classification of the object. The method further includes determining an object graphic with a level of detail to visually represent the object. The level of detail of the object graphic is based on the confidence score. The method further includes providing for display a visual representation the object graphic.

A dynamic transportation matching system may enable users (or requestors) to request rides from autonomous vehicles. A user may request a ride through the dynamic transportation matching system with a ride-service application on a mobile device of the user. The dynamic transportation matching system may, according to one or more privacy settings designated by a user, store user information (such as for example user preferences, pick-up or drop-off locations, payment information, or other suitable information) associated with the user.
Traditionally, transportation services have been provided by a human operating vehicle, such as taxis and ride sharing services. Improvements to computer technology have led to increasing efforts to automate these services using autonomous vehicles that do not require a human operator. However, riders are accustomed to traveling with a human driver that can see the road and avoid objects in the car's path. In an autonomous vehicle, a rider may not understand that the autonomous vehicle perceives the environment around it, including objects and obstacles in the road. This may cause the rider to become anxious or fearful during a ride in an autonomous vehicle.

Rendering a situational-awareness view in an autonomous-vehicle environment


After partially burying an insulation layer in a first single-crystalline silicon substrate, and flattening, the first single-crystalline silicon substrate and a second single-crystalline substrate are formed with a low impurity concentration epitaxial layer. By grinding and polishing the first single crystalline silicon substrate, an ultra thin film SOI layer having thickness of about 0.1 .mu.m is formed. On the ultra thin film SOI layer, an insulation layer 8 for isolation is formed. Thus, an SOI substrate for integrating the power element and a control circuit element including the ultra thin film SOI layer in one chip can be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an SOI substrate and a fabrication process therefor. More specifically, the invention relates to an SOI substrate suitable for a power IC, in which a power element and a control circuit element including an ultra thin film SOI element are integrated on a single chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a high-power element having a current path from a surface to a backside surface of a silicon substrate and a control circuit consisting of low tolerance voltage power element are integrated on a single chip, an SOI substrate, in which the control circuit can be formed in an SOI layer isolated from a power element forming region, is employed. This type of SOI substrate has been known from Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Heisei 4-29353 and Proceedings of 1992 ISPSD.
FIGS. 1A to 1F are sections showing steps in sequential order of a fabrication process of the SOI substrate for integrating a vertical type power element and the control circuit, as disclosed in the above-identified Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Heisei 4-29353 (hereinafter referred to as "first prior art").
At first, as shown in FIG. 1A, a patterning is performed for a main surface of a first silicon substrate (N.sup.- type) 1 by way of a photolithographic method, and a shallow step 2 is formed by ion etching or other appropriate methods using a photoresist as a mask.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, after forming an insulation layer of SiO.sub.2 by way of thermal oxidation or other appropriate methods, a projecting portion of the insulation layer projecting beyond the main surface of the substrate is removed by polishing, etching or other applicable method so that the exposed surface of the first silicon substrate (N.sup.- type) 1 and the surface of the buried insulation layer 3 lie flush (on the same plane).
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, the main surface of the first silicon substrate (N.sup.- type) 1, in which the buried insulation layer 3 is formed, is bonded with a main surface of a second silicon substrate (N.sup.+ -type) 4. Then, heat treatment is performed to form a firmly bonded single composite substrate.
Thereafter, the first silicon substrate (N.sup.- type) 1 is ground and polished into a desired thickness. In conjunction therewith, planarization is effected to form an SOI layer 9.
As shown in FIG. 1E, on the planar surface of the SOI layer 9 formed through the planarization, an insulation layer is formed. Then, the insulation layer is patterned by photolithographic method. Using the insulation layer as a mask, alkali-etching is performed to form cross-sectionally triangular isolation grooves 10 for isolating elements.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1F, an insulation layer is formed on the surface of the first silicon substrate (N.sup.- type) 1 by thermal oxidation or other applicable method. Then, by way of CVD method or epitaxial method, a polycrystalline silicon layer is formed. Then, the polycrystalline silicon layer and the insulation layer are polished to form insulation layers 11 on tapered side walls of the isolation grooves 10, and polycrystalline silicon layers 12 buried in the isolation grooves 10. Through the sequence of process set forth above, the SOI substrate, in which the element forming regions are isolated by dielectric body, can be obtained.
FIGS. 2A to 2D are sections showing sequential order of process steps of a fabrication process of an SOI substrate adapted for integrating horizontal-type power elements and control circuit as disclosed in the above-identified Proceedings of 1992 ISPSD (hereinafter referred to as "second prior art").
At first, as shown in FIG. 2A, after forming an insulation layer 103 on one main surface of a first silicon substrate (P.sup.- type) 101 by thermal oxidation, the one main surface is bonded with one main surface of a second silicon substrate (any impurity concentration and conductivity type) 102. Then, heat treatment is performed to form a single composite substrate, in which the first and second silicon substrates are firmly bonded.
Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the surface of the first silicon substrate (P.sup.- type) 101 is ground and polished into a desired thickness. In conjunction therewith, planarization is performed to obtain the SOI layer 9.
Subsequently, applying the similar processes to those of the steps of FIGS. 1E and 1F, the SOI substrate, in which the element forming regions are isolated by dielectric body, is formed as shown in FIGS. 2c and 2D.
In case of a power IC, in which the high tolerance voltage power element and the control circuit constructed with the low tolerance voltage element are integrated into a single chip, if an ultra thin film SOI element having property of high speed operation, lower power consumption, high reliability and so forth, is integrated, it becomes necessary to completely deplete the SOI layer in order to attain high speed in operation of the ultra thin film SOI element. A thickness of the SOI layer is required in the range of 0.1 .mu.m. The design rule for achieving higher package density associated with reduction of the element dimension always requires a precision of .+-.10% in each dimension, .+-.10% of precision is similarly required for the thickness of the SOI substrate
When the thickness of the SOI layer is set at 0.1 .mu.m for integrating the ultra thin film SOI element in the power IC, in the first prior art, the thickness of the low concentration region of the vertical-type power element forming region (FIG. 1F) becomes thinner simultaneously. In the normal case, the vertical-type power element requires several tens to several hundreds volts of tolerance. For satisfying such tolerance voltage, a thickness of the low concentration region, several to several tens .mu.m is required. Accordingly, in the conventional SOI substrate it has been difficult to form the ultra thin film SOI element for high speed operation and the power element having sufficiently high tolerance voltage, on the common substrate.
Similarly, the horizontal type power element is also required the tolerance voltage of several tens to several hundreds volts. Thus, approximately 1 .mu.m of thickness becomes required for the SOI layer in the region for forming such power elements. However, in the SOI substrate of the second prior art, the SOI layer in the horizontal-type power element forming region should have a thickness of approximately 0.1 .mu.m similarly to the ultra thin film SOI layer. Therefore, it is not possible to form the ultra thin film SOI element operable to high speed and the horizontal-type power element having sufficient high tolerance voltage on the common substrates.
Also, in the second prior art, the thickness of the horizontal-type power element forming region (FIG. 2D) becomes 0.1 .mu.m. Therefore, the power element with sufficient performance cannot be fabricated in the conventional fabrication process.

SOI substrate and fabrication process therefor


A system and method for detecting defective cells in honeycomb bodies which includes a light source which launches and couples light into cells at a first end face of the honeycomb body, and a projection medium which receives the light at a second end face of the honeycomb body. The light source is preferably a collimated light source.

The invention relates generally to inspection of wall-flow particulate filters, and particularly to a method and apparatus for detecting defects in a wall-flow particulate filter.
Solid particulates in fluids such as exhaust gas are typically removed using wall-flow particulate filters having a honeycomb structure. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical wall-flow, honeycomb, particulate filter 100. The honeycomb filter 100 has an inlet end face 102 and an outlet end face 104 and an array of porous walls 106 extend longitudinally from the inlet end face 102 to the outlet end face 104. The porous walls 106 intersect each other to define a grid of generally parallel inlet cells 108 and outlet cells 110. The outlet cells 110 are preferably closed with plugs 112 where they adjoin the inlet end face 102 and open where they adjoin the outlet end face 104. Similarly, the inlet cells 108 are preferably closed with plugs (not shown) where they adjoin the outlet end face 104 and open where they adjoin the inlet end face 102. In a typical cell structure, each inlet cell 108 is bordered on one or more sides by outlet cells 110 and vice versa, preferably in a checkerboard pattern. The inlet and outlet cells 108, 110 may have a square cross-section as shown in FIG. 1 or may have other cell geometry, e.g., rectangle, triangle or hexagon.
In operation, the honeycomb filter 100 is installed in an appropriate can and inserted into the exhaust system of a vehicle equipped with a diesel engine. During operation of the vehicle, diesel exhaust is directed at the inlet end face 102 of the honeycomb filter 100. The diesel exhaust flows into the inlet cells 108 of the honeycomb filter 100, passes through the porous walls 106 into the outlet cells 110, and exits the filter at the outlet end face 104. The porous walls 106 retain a desired portion of the solid particulates in the exhaust.
Filtration efficiencies up to and in excess of 90% by weight of the diesel exhaust particulates can be achieved with honeycomb filters such honeycomb filters 100. However, the filtration efficiency achievable can be dramatically reduced if there are leaks in the honeycomb filter. Such leaks may be due to straight-through defects (cracks, tears, large pores) in the interior porous walls and/or defects in the plugs of the filter (defects include missing plugs). Such defects allow the exhaust gas to pass through the interior walls and/or plugs of the filter uninhibitedly. It is desirable to find such defects and repair them, where possible, prior to using the honeycomb filter in particulate filtration applications. In cases where the honeycomb filters are made by extrusion from ceramic materials, such as cordierite, aluminum titanate and silicon carbide, the defects may be detected before or after firing of the honeycomb body. In the former case, the interior walls are nonporous. In the latter case, the interior walls are porous. Typically, it is easier to repair defects while the honeycomb body is unfired or green.
From the foregoing, it should be apparent there is a need for an improved method of detecting straight-through defects in honeycomb filters which reduce inspection time and improve detection reliability.

Collimated light method and system for detecting defects in honeycombs


In one embodiment, a method of making a sensor comprises: forming a slurry comprising a metal oxide, a binder, an acetate, and a reducing material, applying the slurry to at least a portion of a sensing element comprising two electrodes with an electrolyte disposed therebetween, and calcining the slurry to form a protective coating. In one embodiment, a gas sensor, comprises: a sensing element comprising a sensing electrode and a reference electrode having an electrolyte disposed therebetween, and a protective coating disposed over the sensing electrode, wherein the protective coating comprises aluminum oxide, an alpha alumina and about 2 wt % to about 15 wt % solid solution, based upon the total weight of the protective coating.

Sensors, in particular gas sensors, have been utilized for many years in several industries (e.g., flues in factories, in furnaces and other enclosures, in exhaust streams such as flues, exhaust conduits, and the like, and in other areas). For example, the automotive industry has used exhaust gas sensors in automotive vehicles to sense the composition of exhaust gases, namely, oxygen. For example, a sensor is used to determine the exhaust gas content for alteration and optimization of the air to fuel ratio for combustion.
One type of sensor uses an ionically conductive solid electrolyte between porous electrodes. For oxygen, solid electrolyte sensors are used to measure oxygen activity differences between an unknown gas sample and a known gas sample. In the use of a sensor for automotive exhaust, the unknown gas is exhaust and the known gas, i.e., reference gas, is usually atmospheric air because the oxygen content in air is relatively constant and readily accessible. This type of sensor is based on an electrochemical galvanic cell operating in a potentiometric mode to detect the relative amounts of oxygen present in an automobile engine's exhaust. When opposite surfaces of this galvanic cell are exposed to different oxygen partial pressures, an electromotive force ("emf") is developed between the electrodes according to the Nernst equation.
With the Nernst principle, chemical energy is converted into electromotive force. A gas sensor based upon this principle typically consists of an ionically conductive solid electrolyte material, a porous electrode with a porous protective overcoat exposed to exhaust gases ("exhaust gas electrode"), and a porous electrode exposed to the partial pressure of a known gas ("reference electrode"). Sensors used in automotive applications typically use a yttria stabilized zirconia based electrochemical galvanic cell with porous platinum electrodes, operating in potentiometric mode, to detect the relative amounts of a particular gas, such as oxygen for example, that is present in an automobile engine's exhaust. Also, a typical sensor has a ceramic heater attached to help maintain the sensor's ionic conductivity at low exhaust temperatures. When opposite surfaces of the galvanic cell are exposed to different oxygen partial pressures, an electromotive force is developed between the electrodes on the opposite surfaces of the zirconia wall, according to the Nernst equation:
  E  =            (                        -          RT                          4                                                              F                    )                              ln                                (                        P                      O            2                    ref                          P                      O            2                              )                      where:        E=electromotive force        R=universal gas constant        F=Faraday constant        T=absolute temperature of the gas        pO2ref=oxygen partial pressure of the reference gas        PO2=oxygen partial pressure of the exhaust gasDue to the large difference in oxygen partial pressure between fuel rich and fuel lean exhaust conditions, the electromotive force (emf) changes sharply at the stoichiometric point, giving rise to the characteristic switching behavior of these sensors. Consequently, these potentiometric oxygen sensors indicate qualitatively whether the engine is operating in fuel-rich or fuel-lean conditions, without quantifying the actual air-to-fuel ratio of the exhaust mixture.
Sensors often comprise a first electrode capable of sensing an unknown gas and a second electrode exposed to a reference gas, with an ionically conductive solid electrolyte disposed therebetween. Materials (contaminants), such as silicon (in forms such as, for example, silica (i.e., silicon dioxide)), lead, and the like, present in the unknown gas (e.g., engine exhaust), can poison or otherwise damage the sensing electrode. In order to prevent poisoning/damage to the sensing electrode, a protective layer can be applied to the sensing electrode. Protective layers can comprise spinels (i.e., magnesium aluminate) or metal oxides that have a high surface area for contaminants (e.g., silicon dioxide). The protective layer traps the contaminants, preventing them from reaching and poisoning the sensing electrode. There remains, however, a need for additional sensors, protective coatings, and methods for producing the sensors and protective coatings that reduce possible poisoning of the electrodes.

Methods of making gas sensors and sensors formed therefrom


A slider comprises an air bearing surface which is arranged to face a recording medium and a protective film which covers at least a part of the air bearing surface. The protective film includes a first protective film formed on the air bearing surface and made of an amorphous material based on carbon and hydrogen and a second protective film formed to cover the first protective film and made of an amorphous material based on carbon and hydrogen. Further, the atomic fraction of hydrogen in the second protective film is lower than that in the first protective film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slider used in a hard disc drive or the like and a method of producing the slider, and in particular, to the structure of a protective film formed on a air bearing surface of the slider and a method of forming the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A magnetic head slider (hereinafter referred to as slider) may make contact with a recording medium (magnetic disk) in a hard disc drive, for example at the time of starting the drive employing a contact start/stop method or at the time that a hard disc is subjected to external shock while in operation. A protective film composed of diamond like carbon (DLC) or the like for preventing the slider from making contact is formed on the air bearing surface (ABS) of the slider. Similarly, a protective film composed of DLC or the like is formed on a recording layer of the recording medium.
The DLC film formed on the air bearing surface is formed using a thin film forming technique such as sputtering or vapor deposition. Since the surface of substrate made of Al2O3—TiC-based ceramics (AlTic) which is the principal material of the slider is heated when the film is formed, the DLC film is distorted by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the substrate and the DLC film when the film is cooled after being formed. Because the DLC film is high in hardness (high rigidity), it is subjected to larger internal stress (contraction stress) than film made of a different material if both films are distorted to the same degree. Therefore, even a small shock will likely cause the DLC film to release internal stress and cause it to peel off from the substrate. Since the DLC film does not have enough adhesive force to the AlTic substrate, an intermediate layer (adhesive layer) consisting of Si (silicon) or the like is generally provided beneath the DLC film. That is set forth, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H04-364217, H10-3630, 2001-266324 and 2000-222714.
Incidentally, it has been known that DLC largely changes in strength such as hardness and toughness with the addition or the reduction of hydrogen. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-3630 and 2001-266324 have disclosed proposals in which a multi-layer structure DLC film with excellent functions can be formed by varying the conditions for forming a film when DLC is used as a protective film of the slider.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-222714 has proposed a method of producing a pad consisting of DLC formed on the air bearing surface. This publication has disclosed a technique in which a material substance of the pad is deposited by vapor deposition at a tilted angle with respect to a line normal to the air bearing surface when the DLC film is deposited using filtered cathodic arc vapor deposition (FACVD or FCVA).
The protective film based on conventional art described above has no problem in terms of its performance as the protective film for the slider, however, it has the following other problems. First, two or more targets are required because a material entirely different from DLC is used in the intermediate layer (adhesive layer). This increases the cost because the structure of a film forming device is complicated or two film forming devices are required. The adoption of multi-layer structure DLC film as disclosed in Patent Document 2 requires at least three layers made of the intermediate layer (adhesive layer) and multi-layer structure DLC layers, and therefore the film can be totally thickened. This makes it difficult to decrease the distance between a magnetic head (a writing element and a reading element) and the recording layer of the recording disc (so-called a distance of magnetic space), which becomes a hindrance to increasing recording density.

Slider having protective films of differing hydrogen content


The invention is a method for real-time estimation of the instantaneous engine speed produced by each cylinder of an internal-combustion engine, from an instantaneous engine speed measurement at the end of the engine transmission system. A physical model, representing in real time the dynamics of the transmission system according to the crankshaft angle and to coefficients of a Fourier series decomposition of the instantaneous speed produced by each cylinder, is constructed. These coefficients are determined in real time from coupling between the model and an adaptive type non-linear estimator. The instantaneous speed produced by each cylinder is then deduced from these coefficients. The mean torque produced by each cylinder can also be deduced therefrom. An application is: engine controls.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method intended for real-time estimation of the instantaneous engine speed produced by each cylinder of an internal-combustion engine from the instantaneous speed detector located at the end of the transmission system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Knowledge of the instantaneous speed for each cylinder allows estimation of the mean torque produced by each cylinder.
Estimation of the mean torque produced by each cylinder is important for all vehicles, whether equipped with gasoline or diesel engines. In the first case, it conditions good combustion of the mixture when the fuel/air ratio is close to 1, and therefore sensitive to cylinder to cylinder difference problems. In the second case, the knowing the torque allows readjustment so as to obtain optimum running conditions. Catalysts using a NOx trap lose efficiency in the course of time. In order to recover optimum efficiency, the torque of each cylinder has to be kept identical for some seconds, prior to returning to normal running conditions with a lean mixture. Removing pollution with DeNox catalysis therefore requires precise control of the torque cylinder by cylinder.
An instantaneous engine speed detector is therefore arranged at the end of the transmission system. This measurement is greatly distorted by the transmission and is affected by noise.
In order to control more precisely, and in particular individually, injection of the fuel masses into the cylinders, reconstruction of the torque cylinder to cylinder is necessary. Installing a digital torquemeter below each cylinder of a vehicle cannot be done considering the cost price thereof.
The method according to the invention provides an estimator, working from the measurement performed at the end of the transmission chain, to estimate the instantaneous engine speed below each cylinder.

Method of estimating the instantaneous engine speed produced by each cylinder of an internal-combustion engine


An optical recording medium including a substrate having guide groove thereon; a first protective layer located overlying the substrate; a recording layer located overlying the first protective layer; a second protective layer located overlying the recording layer; a third protective layer of from 2 to 9 nm thick located overlying the second protective layer and comprising Si in an amount not less than 35 atomic percent; and a reflection layer including Ag in an amount not less than 95% by weight. An overcoat layer having a glass transition temperature of from 90° C. to 180° C. is preferably formed overlying the reflection layer. A method for manufacturing the optical recording medium is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium in which information can be recorded using laser light and the recorded information can be reproduced using laser light, such as CD-DAs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVD-VIDEOs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD+Rs, DVD+RWs and DVD-RAMs. Particularly, the present invention relates to a high speed optical recording medium in which information can be recorded at a high speed not lower than 12 m/sec.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Various optical recording media, in which information can be recorded or reproduced with laser light, such as CD-DAs, CD-ROMs, VIDEO-CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVD-VIDEOs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD+Rs, DVD+RWs and DVD-RAMs have been commercialized. Needs such as higher density information recording and higher speed information recording exist for these optical recording media to record a large amount of information at a high speed. Recently, a Ag-based reflection layer has been investigated to provide such a high density and high speed recording medium.
Recording media having a Ag-based reflection layer have the following advantages:    (1) the resultant recording media have increased reflectance over a wide wavelength region, resulting in increase of reproduction ability of the recording media;    (2) the amplitude of recorded signals increases because silver has good optical properties, resulting in increase of reproduction ability of the recording media;    (3) in the case of phase change optical recording media, the reflection layer has relatively high cooling speed, resulting in improvement of the overwriting ability of the recording media;    (4) in the case of phase change optical recording media, the reflection layer has relatively high cooling speed, resulting in widening of the recordable speed range of the recording media;    (5) the resultant recording media have improved productivity because the Ag-based reflection layer has high sputtering efficiency; and    (6) the heat stress applied to the recording media can be decreased because the sputtering time can be reduced, resulting in improvement of mechanical properties of the recording media.
When silver is used for a reflection layer, however, the resultant reflection layer has the following drawbacks:    (1) the reflection layer tends to be corroded under high temperature and high humidity conditions;    (2) the reflection layer tends to be easily corroded by sulfur and chlorine;    (3) the reflection layer has poor adhesion to the layer on which the reflection layer is located; and    (4) silver is a noble metal and therefore the reflection layer has a relatively high cost compared to an aluminum reflection layer.
In attempting to prevent silver from being corroded, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. (hereinafter referred to as simply JP-A) 57-186244 (i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,363) discloses a AgCu reflection layer. In addition, AgMg-based, AgOM-based and AgPdCu-based reflection layers have been disclosed in JP-As 7-3363, 9-156224 and 2000-285517. Further, Japanese Patent No. 2749080 discloses a Ag-based reflection layer in which one or more elements such as Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Rh, Pd, Sn, Sb, Te, Ta, W, Ir, Pt, Pb, Bi and C are included.
When the present inventors prepared a DVD+R disc and a DVD+RW disc using such materials as a reflection layer to evaluate the archival preservation property thereof at 80° C. and 85% RH, the resultant discs have poor preservation reliability because a reproduction error problem suddenly increases after a 300-hour preservation test.
In attempting to prevent a reflection layer from being corroded, methods in which an ultraviolet crosslinking resin layer is formed on a reflection layer have been conventionally proposed. For example, JP-A 2001-222842 discloses a method in which a resin layer having a glass transition temperature not lower than 45° C. is formed on an Al reflection layer to prevent water absorption of the resin layer, resulting in prevention of wrinkling of the resin layer, and thereby corrosion of the Al reflection layer can be prevented. When the present inventors prepared a recording medium in which the resin having a glass transition temperature of 80° C. which is disclosed in JP-A 2001-222842 is formed on a Ag-based reflection layer, the reflection layer of the resultant recording medium was corroded and thereby a reproduction error problem increases.
In addition, it is known that a ZnS.SiO2 (80/20 by mole) layer is formed on and under a reflection layer to prevent corrosion of the reflection layer. In this case, a ZnS.SiO2 layer having optimized thermal expansion coefficient, optical constant and elastic modulus is used.
However, it is known that when a Ag-based reflection layer is formed on the ZnS.SiO2 layer to prepare a high speed recording phase change optical recording medium, a problem in that the reflection layer is corroded due to reaction of Ag with ZnS.SiO2.
In attempting to solve the problem, JP-A 11-238253 discloses a method in which an intermediate layer using a material such as Ta, Ni, Co, Cr, Si, W, V, C, Si, Au, Pd, Ag oxides, Al oxides and Ta oxides is formed to prevent the Ag-based reflection layer from reacting with sulfur included in the protective layer adjacent to the reflection layer. It is also disclosed therein that the thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably 40 nm to utilize the high heat conductivity of the Ag-based reflection layer while preventing corrosion of the reflection layer. In addition, it is disclosed that when the intermediate layer has a thickness of from 10 to 50 nm, the resultant medium has good signal properties, and good preservation reliability at 80° C. and 85% RH.
However, when the present inventors prepared phase change optical recording media having such an intermediate layer having a thickness of from 10 to 50 nm, the signal properties of the resultant recording media largely depended on the thickness of the intermediate layer, and thereby the recording media could not have practical signal properties. In addition, when the recording media were subjected to a heat cycle test 6 times in which a cycle of preservation at 25° C. and 95% RH for 12 hours, followed by preservation at 40° C. and 95% RH for 12 hours was repeated while the recording media were heated and cooled at a heating or cooling speed of 10° C./hour when the temperature was increased or decreased. As a result, a problem in that the Ag-based reflection layer is peeled from the intermediate layer occurred.
Namely, according to the present inventors' investigation, it is found that the reaction of silver in the reflection layer with sulfur in the protective layer can be prevented but the adhesion of the intermediate layer to the Ag-based reflection layer is poor, and thereby adhesion between both the layers deteriorates when the recording media are preserved under high humidity conditions or dew condensation occurs. The reason is considered to be that by forming a chemically inactive intermediate layer to prevent diffusion of elements included in one of the layers to the other layer and to prevent corrosion of the Ag-based reflection layer, deterioration of adhesion of the intermediate layer to the Ag-based reflection layer cannot be prevented particularly under high humidity conditions.
The present inventors disclose in JP-A 2000-331378 that an element such as AlN, SiNx, SiAlN, TiN, BN, TAN, Al2O3, MgO, SiO, TiO2, B2O3, CeO2, CaO, Ta2O5, ZnO, In2O3, SnO2, WC, MoC, TiC and SiC is used in an upper dielectric protective layer adjacent to a reflection layer, wherein the upper dielectric protective layer may have a multi-layered structure, and wherein the upper dielectric protective layers (i.e., the second and third protective layers 4 and 5 in FIG. 1) preferably have a total thickness of from 7 nm to 60 nm, and more preferably from 10 nm to 30 nm.
However, there is no embodiment therein, in which the thickness of the second upper dielectric protective layer (i.e., the third protective layer 5 in FIG. 1) is 9 nm or less (there is only an embodiment therein in which the thickness of the second upper dielectric protective layer is 10 nm). In addition, there is no technical idea therein such that in order to dramatically improve the reliability of a Ag-based reflection layer without widely changing the optical and thermal properties of the recording medium and in order to prevent corrosion of silver in the reflection layer without adversely affecting the function of the first protective layer (i.e., the second protective layer 4 in FIG. 1), a thin surface-modified layer is formed as the second protective layer (i.e., the third protective layer 5 in FIG. 1) contacting the reflection layer.
As mentioned below, when a material including Si in an amount not less than 35 atomic percent is used for the protective layer (i.e., the third protective layer 5 in FIG. 1) contacting the reflection layer, the initial signal properties and the reliability under high humidity conditions of 95% RH of the resultant recording medium deteriorate if the thickness of the protective layer is not less than 10 nm (this can be easily understood from the evaluation results of Comparative Examples 3 to 7 mentioned later). In addition, when a third protective layer including a material other than the materials including Si in an amount not less than 35 atomic percent such as SiO and SiC (the material is considered to be equivalent to the materials including Si in an amount not less than 35 atomic percent in JP-A 2000-331378) and having a thickness not greater than 9 nm is formed, the resultant recording medium cannot produce the same effects as those of the recording medium of the present invention (this can be understood from the evaluation results of Examples 1 to 16 in Table 1).
Namely, JP-A 2000-331378 does not disclose nor suggest that among the materials for use in the upper protective layer disclosed therein, only the materials including Si in an amount not less than 35 atomic percent can produce excellent effects.
Accordingly, although it is disclosed in JP-As 11-238253 and 2000-331378 to use Si or a material including Si for the intermediate layer or dielectric protective layer, such materials are considered to be equivalent to materials which are considered to be comparative materials in the present application. Namely, it is not disclosed nor suggested therein that only the materials including Si in an amount not less than 35 tomic percent can produce excellent effects. In addition, since the thickness of the protective layer is greater than the preferable range (i.e., from 2 nm to 9 nm) in the present invention, the object of the present invention cannot be attained. Namely, it is clear that the technical idea of the present invention is not disclosed therein.
Further, the above-mentioned patent applications have never disclosed preferable sputtering conditions of the intermediate layer or dielectric protective layer including Si, preferable structures and film properties of the resultant layer, which depend on the sputtering conditions, and preferable layer thickness which is determined such that a good combination of the environmental reliability and signal properties can be imparted to the recording medium.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for an optical recording medium which has good preservation reliability even under high temperature/high humidity conditions, good high temperature operation stability, good mechanical properties, and good productivity and which can perform high speed recording and reproduction.

Optical recording medium having protective and/or adhesive layers, and method of manufacture


A display device in which a driving chip is attached to a display panel by using an anisotropic conductive film to from a strong adhesive bond between the body of the driving chip and the display panel and to electrically connect contact terminals on the driving chip with contact pads on the display panel.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to the attachment of a driving integrated circuit chip to a display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display devices utilizing various types of display panels are currently available. As the semiconductor and thin film technologies for making liquid crystal display (LCD) panels have been developed, small and lightweight panels with improved performance have become available. A display device provided with the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is taken herein as representative of the various display devices.
A display device having a liquid crystal display panel has the advantages of miniaturization, such as light weight and reduced power consumption and therefore has become popular as a substitute for cathode ray tubes (CRT) Currently, liquid crystal display panels are used in large-sized products such as monitors and televisions and in small-sized products such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA) and portable multimedia players (PMP), and in all other information processing devices where a display device is required.
A display device intended to be used in small-sized products generally includes a driving integrated circuit chip that is directly mounted onto an area adjoining the edge of the display panel.
However, in the conventional display device a problem exists in that the driving integrated circuit chip, mounted on the display panel, may separate from the display panel due to external impact and cause the display device to fail. Thus, because the driving integrated circuit chip is not firmly mounted on the display panel, the durability of the display device is decreased.


Various implementations power homes and businesses without needing to connect to electric utility company-provided power, i.e., they can operate off-grid. Generally the system includes solar panel racks (e.g., photovoltaic cells on sheets stabilized using ballasts, anchors, or mounting) that generate electrical power used to provide power to a building or that is stored on batteries. The system includes the solar panel racks and an enclosure to be installed at the premises and separate from the building. The enclosure includes the batteries and inverters that are electronically connected to the solar panel racks and batteries. The inverters are configured to convert direct current (DC) electricity from the solar power racks and batteries to alternating current (AC) electricity to provide power to the building via wires electrically connecting the inverters to the main panel of the building.

Electrical power can be produced at residential or commercial premises in various ways including, but not limited to, via photovoltaics, gas turbine-based generators, wind turbine-based generators, water-based turbine generators, and fuel cells. These energy producing technologies are commonly used in conjunction with electrical power provided via electrical grids that provide electrical power from remote sources, i.e., electrical utility company-provided electrical power.
The deployment of alternative (i.e., non-grid) energy producing technologies such as solar power at residential and/or commercial premises is often deterred by various physical, economic, and political considerations. For example, the inconvenience, disruption, safety concerns, and cost associated with having solar panels installed on the roof of the building and having electrical components occupying space within the building deters many potential adopters of these technologies.


A memory controller can provide current to a heater in a flash memory to reduce cycling induced errors. If necessary, after heating, the memory may be refreshed. In non-battery powered systems, data may be removed from the memory prior to heating and restored to the memory after heating.

This relates generally to flash memories and, particularly, to techniques for thermally treating a flash memory to improve its cycling lifetime.
When flash memories are repeatedly programmed and erased, they may have a tendency to lose data. Cycling of the memory induces the formation of charge traps in an oxide below the floating gate. These charge traps trap electrons during programming and erase operations. These trapped electrons can be released during the storage time of the device. The more the memory is used to recycle, the more trapped electrons may exist and the more prone the device may be to cycling induced failures.
More particularly, after cycling, electrons previously trapped in the tunnel oxide may be released with appropriate activation energy. This mechanism is commonly known as detrapping. The detrapping originates a threshold voltage negative shift so that cells in the so-called zero state move to the read level and can fail. The shift depends on the amount of electrons trapped during cycling, so the higher the quantity of trapped electrons, the higher the threshold shift. The higher the shift, the higher the probability that the stored information will be lost.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Systems and methods for communicating with a network device are provided. In this regard, a representative system, among others, includes a computing device that is electrically coupled to a printing device, the computing device being configured to access a website through a network, the computing device including a print manager in memory, the print manager being configured to: retrieve content associated with the website, receive input data associated with filter criteria, filter the content associated with the website based on the input data associated with the filter criteria, and instruct the printing device to print the filtered content that includes a portion of the retrieved content.

Blogs on the Internet have been becoming more popular. Blogs are websites where users can read commentaries or news written by their peers. Many users print their favorite blogs to read on the go or share with others. Currently, the users actually print the entire blogs or manually preview and select areas on the website that they wish to print. Both situations lead to a waste of time and paper resources.

Systems and methods for printing content associated with a website

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


A process for manufacturing an air flow throttle valve assembly in which the valve disc or blade is precisely sized and centered after assembly to the shaft and throttle body by heating and squeezing of the disc, preferably while the shaft is held at a shallow angle to extrude the perimeter slightly out to the bore wall. After cooling, the shaft angle is reset to a slightly greater angle.

This invention concerns techniques for manufacturing assemblies of molded parts.
Recent trends particularly in the auto industry have been to manufacture many parts from molded plastics in order to reduce weight and costs. The engine air intake system is one example in which the intake manifold and air induction ducts and air flow throttle valve are now commonly constructed of molded parts, whereas formerly those parts were constructed of cast and machined metal.
This trend is continuing and as a further development, efforts are being made to mold complete assemblies as of the air flow throttle body and the intake manifold as one molded part.
Air flow valves include a flow control blade or disc fit into a bore in the throttle housing body defining the air flow passage. The disc is pivoted on a shaft to open and close the flow passage, and must fit accurately to be able to rotate between a closed position allowing a low flow of air and open positions. With machined or stamped metal parts, a sufficiently accurate fit has been obtained by a technique of centering the disc at assembly.
The centering of the disc within the bore has in the past been accomplished during assembly by rotating the disc to a closed position to center the disc in the bore, and then fixedly attaching it to the mounting shaft as with screws or by a staking operation.
However, where the valve body and the valve disc are both molded, a difficult manufacturing problem is encountered due to the close tolerances required for a proper fit.
Precision molding techniques have been developed for this purpose, but are only marginally economic.
Advances in plastic molding technology have included techniques for molding assemblies including moving parts. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,718 and 5,304,336 there is described a process for molding the movable valve disc inside the valve body, using the throttle body bore to size the disc.
A complex mold configuration is required involving movable inserts, etc., as well as multistaged molding steps.
The efforts to achieve an integrated molded manifold and air flow throttle body have involved quite complex mold configurations, such that it does not appear feasible to also mold the disc into the air flow valve body at the same time that the manifold and throttle body are molded.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing process for molding an accurately fitted valve disc of an air flow valve which can be carried out without a complex mold configuration such as to be able to be applied to the manufacture of integrated manifold and throttle body components.

Process for manufacturing an air flow valve


An additive manufacturing composition for powder bed processes is described. The composition includes at least a first type of impact modified polymer beads. The polymer beads include a) an acrylic or vinyl (co)polymer matrix, and b) an impact modifier in which at least 85% w/w of the first type of impact modified polymer beads have a particle size of between ≥20 μm and ≤200 μm and/or on average the impact modified polymer beads have greater than 5% w/w impact modifier. Also disclosed is an additive manufacturing process for a production of a three dimensional product comprising fused impact modified polymer particles. The use of a composition in additive manufacturing, an additive manufacturing cartridge or replacement hopper and a process for the production of impact modified polymer beads by a suspension polymerization process is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to additive manufacturing compositions. More specifically, the present invention relates to additive manufacturing compositions comprising impact modified polymer beads.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) (also known as 3D printing or rapid prototyping) is the process by which digital 3D design data is used to build up a component in layers by depositing materials such reactive liquids, foodstuffs, starch, polymer powder, metals, gypsum and other inorganic powders.
Generally, AM technologies employ the use of a computer, 3D modelling software (termed Computer Aided Design (CAD)), printing equipment and layering material. Once a CAD sketch is produced, the AM equipment reads data from the CAD file and lays down or adds successive layers of build material such as liquid, powder or sheet material in a layer-upon-layer fashion to fabricate a 3D object.
The principal AM technologies that utilise polymer powders as the build material are powder binding, laser sintering and heat sintering.
In the powder binding technology, an inkjet print head moves across a bed of powder, selectively depositing a liquid binding material, either a solvent for the polymer particles or a monomer system that rapidly cures. In either case, the polymer particles are adhered together. A thin layer of powder is then spread across the completed section and the process is repeated with each layer adhering to the last.
Heat sintering works by using a thermal print head or infra-red heat source to apply heat to layers of polymer powder. The selectively heated polymer particles melt and fuse together. When a layer is finished, the build platform moves down, and an automated roller adds a new layer of material which is then sintered to form the next cross-section of the model.
Laser sintering works in a similar fashion, except a high powered laser is used to selectively heat the polymer particles.
Laser sintering and heat sintering have the advantage over the ink jet approach in that they do not rely on a solvent or monomer binder to fuse the particles together. The properties of the resultant printed part are therefore not compromised by any deficiencies stemming from the solvent or monomer binder, such as plasticisation, odour, colour, reduced mechanical properties, etc.
The polymer powders used in such methods should have good powder flow characteristics to allow the powder to be effectively dispensed from the hopper onto the target surface. It is also desirable that the powder produces printed articles that have good mechanical properties and/or surface finish, such as uniform roughness.
However, it has been found that the irregularly shaped polymer particles produced by many common methods of manufacturing polymer powders such as milling of polymer pellets, lead to poor flow characteristics and uneven surface finish. Further, powders made from polymers such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) have been found to have unsatisfactory mechanical properties.
Previous attempts to improve the mechanical properties of the powders have included melt compounding an impact modifier with the polymer. Unfortunately, this approach produces pellets that need to be cryogenically milled, then sieved and classified before they can be used in the AM powder bed processes, which is time consuming and costly.

LUCITE INTERNATIONAL SPECIALITY POLYMERS AND RESINS LIMITED


A method of molding a component such as a headliner or sun visor for the interior of automotive vehicles is molded from different thermoplastic materials from the same family that can be subsequently recycled as a whole without the need of separation into its constituents. The interior component is a multi layer composite of polyester (PET) finishing fabric, a resilient layer of bicomponent polyester fiber padding composed of blend of a low melting point fibers and high melting point fibers, and a relatively stiff core layer of polyester/glass fiber composite of polyester and glass fibers. The different fibers of the core layer are blended into a thin and porous sheet which is cut to size. The cut sheets are consolidated and molded under heat and pressure into a light weight, dense and structurally strong composite. A mold charge comprises the polyester/glass fiber composite layered with the bicomponent. The charge is heated in an oven and transferred to an open mold having the polyester finishing fabric facing therein. The mold is dosed and pressure is applied to complete formation of the headliner or sun visor component.

Prior to the present invention, various headliners have been molded from plastics material for use in the occupant compartment in the automotive vehicles. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,584 issued May 18, 1982, a self-supporting or rigid automotive headliner is formed with a substrate layer of expanded polystyrene which is relatively rigid. The molded panel has an intermediate layer of polyester urethane foam (a thermoset material) for soft feel and a knitted cloth or vinyl skin employed as a finishing interior cover of the panel.
The substrate layer may also be extruded in sheet form and may be compression molded in matching dies. The intermediate flexible urethane foam layer of this panel may be vacuum formed over the substrate and secured thereto by adhesive. The flexible foam layer may also be formed by spraying it directly on the back of the substrate without use of the adhesive. In addition to these components of different families of materials, the finished layer is provided by a flexible decorative cover of vinyl skin or cloth which is fused to the intermediate layer by flame laminating in which the surface of the intermediate layer becomes tacky and the cover layer is fused thereto.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,832, a resilient vehicle headliner is molded from a batt of textile fibers which may be formed from polyesters, such as PET with an elongation of 10 percent to provide resiliency. A portion of these fibers are bicomponent fibers having a low melting point component for use as bonding agents to secure a thin surface layer of foam thereto. Polyurethane, a thermoset material which is not a readily recyclable material, is a disclosed prior art foam. The foam layer contributes to the acoustical properties of the headliner while providing a soft surface to which a textile fabric layer is bonded thereto to provide the finished interior surface of the headliner. The headliner of this patent disclosure lacks a stiff core layer comparable to that of the present invention so that it is resilient and flexible. This allows this headliner to be bent or flexed nearly double allowing it to be passed through the side vehicle windows to facilitate headliner installation. Such headliner constructions are particularly suitable for headliner replacement purposes.

Method of molding a recyclable multi-layer component from plastics material


A process for increasing mobility of heavy oil includes: disposing a solvating composition comprising a paraffinic solvent and a multifunctional solvent in a heavy oil environment including a heavy oil, the heavy oil comprising asphaltene; contacting the heavy oil with the solvating composition; and stabilizing asphaltene in the heavy oil with the solvating composition to increase mobility of the heavy oil and to form a stabilized heavy oil which includes the heavy oil and solvating composition. A method for making stabilized heavy oil includes separating resin from an oil; combining the resin and a paraffinic solvent to form a solvating composition; disposing the solvating composition in a heavy oil environment which includes heavy oil comprising asphaltene; and contacting the asphaltene with the solvating composition to make stabilized heavy oil, wherein the stabilized heavy oil comprises the solvating composition and heavy oil.

The viscosity of heavy oil is affected by presence of high molecular weight compounds and their aggregates. Some of these high molecular weight compounds are useful hydrocarbons; however, they cause challenges that impact producing and refining the heavy oil. Efforts to decrease the viscosity of heavy oil involve in-situ precipitation of the high molecular weight compounds. Light, aliphatic hydrocarbons have been used in cyclic solvent injection systems to precipitate some of the high molecular weight compounds. Inhibitors such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons with sulfonic acid functional groups have been added to heavy oil to decrease viscosity of the heavy oil and reduce toluene insoluble material, which is organic and organometallic matter produced in thermal treatment of the heavy oil. Some of the inhibitors can be toxic and, once introduced downhole, can last for an extended period.
Components of heavy oil include paraffins, naphthenes, olefins, resins, asphaltenes, and the like. The chemical structures some of these components include unsaturated hydrocarbon or aromatic portions. Heavy oil also contains heavy metals (e.g., vanadium, nickel, molybdenum, etc.) as well as heteroatoms (e.g., nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen). The heteroatoms may substitute for carbon atoms in the various heavy oil components. Some of these components are toxic and negatively affect the environment due to, for example, aromatic content.
Asphaltene molecules have been widely reported as having a fused polyaromatic ring system and containing heteroatoms such as sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, and the like. The heteroatoms may be part of the aromatic ring system or part of other carbocyclic rings, linking groups, or functional groups. Two structural motifs for asphaltene molecules are the so-called continental and archipelago structures. In the continental structure, alkyl chains connect to and branch from a central polyaromatic ring system, which is believed to contain several fused aromatic rings, e.g., 10 or more aromatic rings. In the archipelago structure, multiple polyaromatic ring systems are connected by alkyl chains that may contain a heteroatom, and additional alkyl chains extend freely from the polyaromatic rings. The number of fused aromatic rings in the continental structure can be greater than the number of fused aromatic rings in the archipelago structure.
In addition to the aromatic regions of the asphaltenes, heteroatoms provide the asphaltenes with polar regions, and the terminal alkyl chains provide hydrophobic regions. Asphaltenes also can have polar functional groups such as carbonyl, carboxylic acid, pyrrole, amide, phenol, thiol, etc. Consequently, it is believed that asphaltene molecules aggregate into various micellular structures in oil, with the alkyl chains interacting with the aliphatic oil components and aromatic or polar regions being aligned near the interior of the aggregate or micelle. Precipitation of asphaltenes is widely believed to occur when asphaltenes have a concentration exceeding a critical micelle concentration.
Heavy oil has been characterized as having an API gravity less than 20° with a viscosity at reservoir conditions of lower than 10,000 centipoise, a higher boiling point than lighter ends of crude oil, and a high density compared to lighter oil. The viscosity of heavy oil is one reason why its production has proven difficult, expensive, and time consuming. Furthermore, heavy oil may deposit in the pores of formations, blocking the flow of fluids. Additionally, components of heavy oil, e.g., asphaltenes, can precipitate from a stream of oil and coat boreholes, production tubing, and transport lines, foul processing equipment, or poison catalysts. Despite issues with precipitates from heavy oil, many attempts to upgrade heavy oil still precipitate heavy oil components. Thus, new materials and methods for mobilizing heavy oil would be well received in the art.


A method for controlling an inverter-based resource (IBR) connected to an electrical grid includes receiving grid parameter(s) and applying a droop function to the grid parameter(s) to determine a power droop signal. Further, the method includes receiving a power reference signal. Moreover, the method includes determining a power command signal as a function of the power droop signal and the power reference signal to allow for a fast response in a power output of the IBR to the grid parameter(s). The method also includes applying power constraint(s) to the power command signal to limit how much the power output of the IBR can be changed due to the grid parameter(s). Further, the method includes determining one or more control commands for the IBR based, at least in part, on the power command signal. Thus, the method includes controlling the IBR based, at least in part, on the power command signal.

Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, generator, gearbox, nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy of wind using known airfoil principles. For example, rotor blades typically have the cross-sectional profile of an airfoil such that, during operation, air flows over the blade producing a pressure difference between the sides. Consequently, a lift force, which is directed from a pressure side towards a suction side, acts on the blade. The lift force generates torque on the main rotor shaft, which is typically geared to a generator for producing electricity.
Wind turbines can be distinguished in two types: fixed speed and variable speed turbines. Conventionally, variable speed wind turbines are controlled as current sources connected to an electrical grid. In other words, variable speed wind turbines rely on a grid frequency detected by a phase locked loop (PLL) as a reference and inject a specified amount of current into the grid. The conventional current source control of the wind turbines is based on the assumptions that the grid voltage waveforms are fundamental voltage waveforms with fixed frequency and magnitude and that the penetration of wind power into the grid is low enough so as to not cause disturbances to the grid voltage magnitude and frequency. Thus, the wind turbines simply inject the specified current into the grid based on the fundamental voltage waveforms. However, with the rapid growth of the wind power, wind power penetration into some grids has increased to the point where wind turbine generators have a significant impact on the grid voltage and frequency.
Moreover, power generation projects utilizing inverter-based resources are increasingly being connected to weak AC transmission networks. One of the reasons causing weaker grid connections is the displacement of conventional synchronous generation by inverter-based resources, which make the grid collectively weaker due to the loss of voltage-source characteristics of synchronous generation. Additionally, the loss of inertia contributed by the synchronous machines leads to more rapid frequency changes in the grid, which may have a destabilizing effect on the inverter-based resource(s).
Historically, power grids generally operate with enough synchronous generation connected at any given time to give stable voltage and frequency throughout the power grid. Since conventional inverter-based resources rely on a relatively stable grid voltage and frequency to operate stably, the synchronous generation connected to the grid are key enablers for conventional inverter-based resources. However, power grids are increasingly seeing portions of time in which penetration levels of inverter-based resources are becoming very large, e.g., >60%. Conventional inverter-based resources may be approaching its limitation of stability as penetration of synchronous generation approaches 0%.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a system and method of power control to improve stability in inverter-based resource converter controls for systems with low-penetration levels of synchronous generation, thereby allowing higher penetration of inverter-based resources in power grids.

System and method for converter control of an inverter-based resource