An inkjet print head chip having MOS logic blocks that also includes temperature sense resistors implanted in the chip. These resistors are preferably made of N-Well material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printers. More particularly, the present invention relates to ink jet printers.
2. General Background of the Invention
Inkjet print heads require well-controlled substrate temperature to maintain a consistent ink viscosity and jetting performance. Previous designs include a temperature sense resistor (TSR) integrated into the heater chip to monitor the substrate temperature. The chip also has designated resistor elements to heat the substrate as necessary. The resistor elements may have dedicated power FETs to control the substrate heater resistors, as in Lexmark's U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,515 (incorporated herein by reference). Some designs may use the inkjet resistors themselves for substrate heating, if the on-time is less than the bubble nucleation threshold, as practiced by Hewlett-Packard. The printer control unit periodically monitors the temperature sense resistor to determine the substrate temperature. Then the control unit turns the substrate heaters on and off, accordingly, to maintain the proper substrate temperature for optimum jetting performance.
The temperature sense resistor value follows the equations:RT=Rambient*(1+(α*(T−Tambient)))Rambient=RS ambient*(L/W)                where R=resistance of the TSR        α=temperature coefficient of resistivity, (Ω/° C.),        T=temperature, (° C.), and        Rs=sheet resistance, (Ω/□).        L=length of the TSR material, (μm)        W=width of the TSR material, (μm)Based on this knowledge, the TSR is selected to have a large positive temperature coefficient (α) and a large resistance (R). In the past, the resistor material has typically been chosen to be a metal (AlCu). While metal may have a relatively large positive temperature coefficient, its TSR design is limited by the ability to route enough metal around the chip to get a high enough resistance for easy temperature change detection (see metal resistor 20 in inkjet print head chip 220 in FIG. 1). Typical TSR resistances have been 500–1000 ohms. A 500-Ω TSR, for example, will have a resistance change of approximately 2 Ω/° C. A 1000-Ω TSR, for example, will have a resistance change of approximately 3.5 Ω/° C. Metal TSRs are also limited by the wide tolerance range that can occur. The only way to increase the resistance of a metal TSR is to make the trace longer or the width smaller. Making the TSR longer, takes up silicon area. Making the TSR width smaller, widens the tolerance band, due to process variations in width. For example, a TSR 2 μm (2 microns) wide, with 0.1 μm over-etch on each side will be 1.8 μm wide, a loss of 10% of drawn width. A TSR 20 μm wide, with 0.1 μm over-etch on each side will be 18.8 μm wide, of loss of 1% of drawn width. These are some of the issues currently involved with metal TSR designs.
The following U.S. patents, and all patents mentioned herein, are incorporated herein by reference:    U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,450,622; 6,443,558; 6,441,680; 6,382,758; 6,336,713; 6,171,880; 6,102,515; 5,300,968; 5,136,305.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,713 discloses a thermal inkjet printhead which uses metal silicon nitride resistors as heaters. This patent mentions that resistors having high bulk resistivity are desirable for use in thermal inkjet printing units, and that the resistors disclosed therein have high bulk resistivity (see column 8, lines 29).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,558 discloses an inkjet printhead having a thermal bend actuator with a separate titanium nitride heater element. It includes N-well transistors (see column 15).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,880 discloses a meandering polysilicon heater mounted on an IC CMOS chip. See column 4, lines 12–18 and 34–41, and column 5, lines 7–36 (fabricated in a CMOS N-well operation).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,758 discloses an inkjet printhead having TSRs 14 (see column 3, lines 1–5).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,622 discloses a print head with a semiconductor substrate that has an N-well layer, but uses TaAl resistors (see column 3, lines 6–7 and 44–46).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,305 discloses controlling heat to ink reservoirs for inkjet printheads using temperature sensitive resistors (see column 4, lines 30–38).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,968 discloses a lightly n-doped resistor or a heavily n+doped polysilicon resistor (both of which have high sheet resistance and high temperature coefficient of resistance) in a temperature compensating circuit in an inkjet printhead (see column 5, line 65 through column 6, line 30).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,680 discloses a CMOS reference voltage generator using p-type and n-type CMOS transistors. It discusses temperature dependence of these transistors (see, for example, column 4, lines 8–20).

N-well and other implanted temperature sense resistors in inkjet print head chips


There is provided a steering apparatus to ease an uncomfortable feeling given to an operator when a steering wheel is connected to a steering mechanism, on a fail. The apparatus includes a unit that varies an angular ratio of a steering angle of front wheels with respect to an operational angle of a steering wheel. The apparatus also includes a connection unit such as a electromagnetic clutch for connecting the steering wheel to the steering mechanism in order to fix the angular ratio, on a fail such as a failure of a steering motor. The apparatus also includes a rotational body which relatively rotates with respect to the steering wheel by an angular deviation upon this connection. Accordingly, since a real neutral position of the steering mechanism coincides with a neutral position recognized by a pattern on the rotational body being seen, it eases the uncomfortable feeling onto the operator.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a steering apparatus for a vehicle provided with an angular ratio varying device which can vary a ratio of a steering angle of a steerable vehicle wheel with respect to an operational angle of a steering member.
2. Description of Related Art
Steering of a vehicle is carried out by operating a steering mechanism in accordance with the operation of a steering member such as a steering wheel and varying a steering angle of a steerable vehicle wheel by the operation of the steering mechanism. In recent years, as a steering apparatus for a vehicle to carry out such a steering, one that is configured so as to be able to vary an angular ratio (=a steering angle/an operational angle) of the steering angle of the steerable vehicle wheel with respect to the operational angle of the steering member has been known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227).
The steering apparatus for a vehicle described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227 is a separation-type steering apparatus for a vehicle, namely, a so-called steer-by-wire system steering apparatus for a vehicle, which is configured in such a manner that a steering member to be operated by an operator and a steering mechanism operating so as to steer a steerable vehicle wheel are mechanically separated; attaching a steering motor to the steering mechanism, the steering motor is operated based on the operational direction and the operational angle of the steering member; and the steering force is added to the steering mechanism to carry out steering, namely, a so-called Steer-by-Wire System of steering apparatus for a vehicle. This steering apparatus for a vehicle can freely vary the angular ratio of the steering angle with respect to the operational angle without being mechanically restricted by operating the steering mechanism driving the steering motor.
According to the steering apparatus for a vehicle of the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227, a steering control unit imports an operational angle of the steering wheel that is detected by an operational angle sensor (Paragraph [0023]) and imports a real steering angle (a steering angle) of a wheel for steering to be steered that is detected by a real steering angle sensor (Paragraph [0020]). A steering angle control unit obtains a target steering angle by multiplying the imported operational angle by a predetermined control gain. The steering angle control unit carries out steering control operation by a feedback control based on a deviation between the target steering angle and the real steering angle. The control gain is determined as a value that is decreased depending on increase of a speed of a car or a value that is decreased depending on increase of a swing degree of a vehicle to be decided by a yaw rate or a lateral acceleration (Paragraphs [0026] and [0027]). As described above, in the steering apparatus for a vehicle of the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227, the angle ratio of the real steering angle (the steering angle) with respect to the operational angle can be varied by control of the steering angle control unit.
Varying a steering property in accordance with a running condition such as a difference in height of a speed of a car and a measure of the operational angle by varying the angular ratio of the steering angle with respect to the operational angle, the steering apparatus for a vehicle of the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227 can carry out steering suitable for the running condition. In addition, by varying only the steering angle of the steerable vehicle wheel, it is also possible to carry out active steering such as a motion control on a slip and avoidance of a danger of an obstacle.
However, in the steering apparatus for a vehicle as in the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227, in a case where an abnormality is caused in any of a control device for variably controlling an angular ratio and various sensors to be used for this control to be made into a fail condition, it is feared that steering is interfered by an inappropriate control to be carried out under this condition. Therefore, the steering apparatus for a vehicle in the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-252227 is configured so as to be capable of carrying out manual steering by arranging an electromagnetic clutch between the steering member and the steering mechanism and mechanically connecting the steering member to the steering mechanism due to the engagement operation of the electromagnetic clutch in the fail condition.


A method and apparatus particularly suited to the manufacture and assembly of cage-like, substantially cylindrical structures made of long, slender tubular components which, by themselves, are not self-supporting, employs an exo-skeleton structure to assemble cage-like, tubular structures in pie-shaped, longitudinal segments while in a horizontal or vertical position utilizing longitudinal or circumferential attachments. The apparatus comprises at least two segments which permit construction of subassemblies of the cage-like, tubular structure and their transportation, if necessary, to a remote site where they may be finally assembled.

The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of heat transfer apparatus and, in particular, to methods and apparatus for assembling vessels or vessel internals such as substantially cylindrical, cage-like structures made of tubular components, in pie-shaped, longitudinal segments while in a horizontal or vertical position utilizing longitudinal or circumferential attachments.
Certain types of heat transfer apparatus comprise tubular, fluid conveying structures arranged in specified geometries. During operation, these tubular structures convey a cooling fluid, such as water, steam or mixtures thereof through an interior portion of the tubes, while hot gases are conveyed around outside surfaces of the tubes. Heat from the hot gases is conveyed through the tube walls into the cooling fluid which is conveyed to other locations or devices, such as turbines or other devices, for use. The properties of the hot gases, which include but are not limited to their temperature, chemical constituents, corrosion potential, emissivity, and their slagging and/or fouling potential, influence the geometries, spacing, arrangement, materials, and sizing of the tubular structures to a great degree.
The construction of radiant synthesis gas (syngas) cooler apparatus used to contain and cool the synthesis gas produced by a coal gasification process such as an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant is a classic example of one type of heat transfer apparatus where the properties of the hot gases influence the tubular, fluid conveying structures provided within the syngas cooler. These syngas coolers are typically long, substantially cylindrical pressure vessels which contain within an external shell of the vessel a specific arrangement of tubular, fluid conveying structures which are used to extract heat from the hot synthesis gas and when erected may be on the order of 100 feet tall or more, and have a diameter on the order of 20 feet or more.
The tubular, fluid conveying structures within such syngas coolers typically comprise a substantially cylindrical, cage-like structure within which may be located additional tubular structures known as division or platen walls. The cage-like structure may be substantially cylindrical along a central portion thereof, and provided with inlet and outlet structures which may be frustoconical or tapered to admit and exhaust, respectively, the hot synthesis gases into the cage-like structure during operation. Headers and/or manifolds are generally provided at both the inlet and outlet structures to provide common locations for the delivery and removal of the fluid conveyed through the cage-like structure.
While the headers and manifolds may have substantial diameters and wall thicknesses, the majority of the cage-like, tubular structure is comprised of long, slender tubes on the order of 2″ outside diameter (O.D.). These tubes are generally straight, and only bent as necessary to accommodate the aforementioned inlet and outlet structures. The substantially cylindrical walls of the cage-like structure are formed of these tubes and welded to one another by means of a membrane structure as is known to those skilled in the boiler arts. Furthermore, while the division or platen walls which may be provided in an interior portion are generally planar structures comprised of membraned tubes, they may have other shapes, such as an angled or "dog leg" configuration, and they may not be attached to the substantially cylindrical walls or to the inlet and outlet structures and thus the entire cage-like, tubular structure is not a rigid, easily handled structure nor can it be easily manipulated.
It is thus clear that development of an efficient technique for manufacturing and transporting heat transfer devices comprising substantially cylindrical, cage-like structures made of long, slender tubular components would be welcomed by industry.

Method of manufacturing a tubular support structure

Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.


An electronic scoring device for analyzing a player's tennis game. A group of push-buttons are used to increment corresponding counters to track statistics within six different categories. The categories may include aces, winners, unforced errors, other won points, double faults, forced errors and other lost points. The output of each counter is visually displayed along with a sum of the values contained in all the counters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic statistical recording device for tennis. More particularly, it relates to a device that analyzes a player's performance by tracking statistics within various categories of the game of tennis.
2. The Prior Art
In any competitive game, it is of great value to keep a reliable record of scores as the game progresses. In some games, particularly tennis, the scoring system is not as straightforward as simply counting a point score until a particular value is reached. In scoring tennis, the existence of a "deuce" or "advantage" condition may result in many alternating won and lost points until one of the players leads by two, concluding the game. A comprehensive solution to the needs of scoring a game such as tennis would necessarily involve a scoring device that may be small and light enough for the player to wear without discomfort or restriction of his playing skill.
In response to these needs, scoring devices have been developed for tennis which automatically identify the winning of a game and the subsequent increase in a player's set score. These devices, which also provide certain time-keeping functions, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,372 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,565. However, certain drawbacks still exist because while these devices accurately monitor the score, they are not able to analyze the player's game behind the score. For example, conventional scoring following a "deuce" condition does not indicate if the ultimate loser won any points before surrendering the game. The tally of games for determining set or match winners does not reveal how competitive or how close the individual games were. These limitations in the scoring system will be inherent in any device that simply tracks conventional tennis scores.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to analyze a player's game by tracking the absolute number of points won (or lost), and the manner in which they were won (or lost), independent of the actual game score. Such a device would provide insight to the player's game by recording that numerous points were won in various categories. A losing player could still derive pleasure and positive reinforcement by pointing to the number of aces or winners he or she had during the match. Such a device would be invaluable during practice since it could keep track of specific strengths and weaknesses. Such tracking is virtually impossible with standard tennis scoring which treats all points generically.


A foldable mobility device includes a chassis assembly, a steering assembly rotatably coupled to the chassis assembly, a seat assembly coupled to the chassis assembly through a first folding mechanism configured to convert the seat assembly between a first folded position and a first unfolded position, a front wheel assembly coupled to the steering assembly and configured to be rotated by the steering assembly for steering the foldable mobility device, and one or more rear wheel assemblies coupled to the chassis assembly through a second folding mechanism configured to convert the one or more rear wheel assemblies between a second folded position and a second unfolded position.

Personal transportation devices may provide a great deal of benefits and convenience in both urban and rural settings. For example, college students are under a lot of pressure to get to classes on time. Many schools around the world are so large that getting from one building or area on campus to another can take longer than a student has between classes. Although scooters, rollerblades, skateboards, bicycles, or cars may shorten the commute, these conventional devices all have limited functions and may be inconvenient to carry or store when not in use.
In another example, in large warehouses and facilities, workers are often required to travel a great distance in order to perform and complete their work. As a result, a great deal of production time may be wasted on getting the workers from one point to another. Gas or electric-powered vehicles are often used for many tasks in these settings. But these conventional vehicles may be very expensive to purchase and maintain so that many businesses may not be able to afford them.
Conventional gas-powered vehicles such as automobiles have caused road congestion and higher prices for gasoline. There have been efforts to replace automobiles with other forms of transportation devices such as inline skates, scooters, and Segways. These conventional devices, however, all have flaws that often raise many issues, such as legality, inconvenience, security, safety, and, thus, render them unsuitable for practical day-to-day use.


A computing device for visually impaired persons. In one embodiment, the device includes processing logic, input and output devices, a selectable member that has a plurality of functions associated therewith, and a device that indicates in a non-visual manner which-of said plurality of functions is associated with said selectable member at a given time. Several variations of the method and manner of non-visual function indication are disclosed.

The present invention relates to interface terminals and more specifically to interface terminals for use by physically disabled individuals. The term interface terminal as used herein refers generally to any type of terminal that a human uses to interface with a machine having electronic control circuitry. Examples of interface terminals include automatic teller machines (ATMs), computerized library catalogue terminals, internet and email devices, self ticketing devices, retail self check out terminals, personal and industrial computers, and the like.
With improvements in computer technology, more and more interface terminals are being implemented. A representative interface terminal is an ATM and this terminal is now used to introduce the present invention. ATMs typically display text messages or a text menu on a display screen. A plurality of control buttons are provided adjacent the display screen and, in use a text menu displayed on the screen is aligned with these buttons such that a user may make selections from the text menu. The functions provided by the control buttons normally change with each screen. This arrangement is very :well suited to a user with adequate vision. For a visually impaired user, however, this system is inadequate in that the changing functions of the control buttons cannot be followed. Hence, this and like interface terminals (i.e., interface terminals with user selection of control buttons or designation of on screen areas or the like) cannot be utilized by visually impaired individuals.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an interface terminal that can be utilized by physically disabled individuals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an interface terminal that can be utilized by both visually unimpaired and visually impaired individuals.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an interface terminal that provides adjacent the screen or at another accessible location a function bar or the like that permits non-visual selection of various changing functions.
These and related objects of the present invention are achieved by use of an interface terminal for the visually impaired as described herein.
The attainment of the foregoing and related advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention taken together with the drawings.

Interface terminal for the visually impaired


A piston/cylinder unit is disclosed. The piston/cylinder unit includes a pressure tube having one end; a piston rod axially movable in the pressure tube, the piston rod extending through the one end of the pressure tube so that a portion of the piston rod is disposed outside the pressure tube; a casing tube attached to the portion of the piston rod, the casing tube at least partially enveloping the pressure tube; and a bush attached to the pressure tube, wherein the bush is disposed between the casing tube and the pressure tube so that the casing tube is axially movable relative to the pressure tube via the bush.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a piston/cylinder unit having a pressure tube, a piston rod mounted axially displaceably in the pressure tube and a casing tube at least partially enveloping the pressure tube and assigned to the piston rod.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generic piston/cylinder units are known. They are employed, for example, in height-adjustable chairs or may be used for power assistance on flaps, for example on flaps of vehicles. DE 196 36 202 C2 discloses a guide bush for parts displaceable telescopically one in the other. DE 198 19 377 C2 discloses a piston/cylinder assembly with a displaceable connection member.


A transport container and a transport container managing system are suitable for use for security management when valuable goods are transported by a transportation service. A transport container, which is closed in a condition that goods are housed therein and lock by the key mechanism upon transportation, has a key driving unit for switching a lock/unlock condition of the key mechanism by driving the key mechanism, a storage unit for storing, in advance, position information of a destination of the transportation where the key mechanism is unlocked, a position detecting unit for detecting a present position, a position collating unit for collating the position information of the destination of the transportation stored in the storage unit with present position information detected by the position detecting unit upon an operation to unlock the key mechanism to determine whether these two sorts of position information are in agreement or not, and an unlock directing unit for directing the key driving unit to unlock the key mechanism if the position collating unit determines that the position information of the destination of the transportation and the present position information are in agreement, thereby performing an unlocking operation under a specific condition so that the security of the transported goods may be improved.

The present invention relates to a transport container and a transport container managing system suitable for use for security management in a transportation service by a banking facility, delivery service company, etc. when valuable goods such as money or articles are transported.
In general, when a banking facility transports cash, the cash is housed in a safe, and the safe is locked and loaded on a cash transporting vehicle to be transported to a predetermined place. In a transportation business such as a delivery service, transported goods are loaded on a delivery van to be transported to a predetermined place, as well.
In recent years, there has been a lot of crime as represented by an attack or a robbery on a cash transporting vehicle on duty during transportation of cash by a banking facility or a delivery van on duty during transportation of goods by a delivery service company. For this, there is a demand for an establishment of a transport container managing system as a security managing system for transported goods during transportation thereof by a vehicle on duty.
In a general transport container managing system applied to transportation of cash, when cash is loaded on a cash transporting vehicle and the vehicle comes and goes between the banking facilities to transport the cash, a route for the transportation or a time of the transportation is altered indeterminately, and in addition information about it is kept secret.
Further, during the transportation or at an arrival, a confirmation is made with a security guard company on a radio or the like and in addition the door of the cash transporting vehicle and the case are locked, thereby ensuring security for the transportation service.
However, only a physical lock is provided in the door of a cash transporting vehicle or a case in a general transport container managing system. Only the guard (a transporter while guarding) or the bank clerk possesses a key for the lock in order to ensure security. If someone hijacks the cash transporting vehicle or robbers the case on the vehicle, the lock can be easily opened.
In addition, there has been no way of tracking the cash transporting vehicle. If the cash transporting vehicle is hijacked, it is impossible to locate the cash transport vehicle.

Transport container and transport container managing system


Reporting methods well suited for reporting control information in a wireless system are described. A wireless terminal reports information to a serving base station, e.g., a base station attachment point, according to a reporting schedule. The reporting schedule includes a plurality of different types of fixed type information reports which communicate information of a type dictated by the reporting schedule. The reporting schedule also includes flexible reports at predetermined locations within the reporting schedule. The wireless terminal selects the type of report to be communicated in the flexible report, e.g., as a function of a report prioritization operation. Information identifying the wireless terminal's report type selection for the flexible report is jointly coded along with the report body information and communicated in the same dedicated control channel segment. The reporting schedule repeats over time. In some embodiments there are more fixed reports than flexible reports in one iteration of the schedule.

A wireless terminal having an ongoing connection with a base station typically needs to communicate various control channel reports to the base station. The various types of control channel reports may be, e.g., uplink traffic channel resource request reports, channel measurement reports, transmission power reports, etc. In some systems reports can be mapped to a fixed recurring schedule providing for the periodic transmission of each of a plurality of different fixed type of reports on a predetermined basis. By using a predetermined reporting schedule with agreed upon fixed types of reports in each reporting slot, both the wireless terminal transmitting a report and the base station receiving the report know how to interpret the information being communicated and the overhead associated with identifying the type of information in a report can be reduced or eliminated. The predetermined reporting schedule with fixed types of reports can be structured to accommodate a wireless terminal with an average set of reporting needs. However, in actuality each wireless terminal at any given time will normally have a unique set of uplink control channel reporting needs. The wireless terminal's needs may be based upon a number of factors including: current motion, uplink user data needs, latency requirements, channel conditions, interference levels, transmission power availability, and/or the rate of changes of various factors and/or conditions.
Accordingly, it should be appreciated that while using a fixed reporting schedule and predetermined reports may work well under some conditions, it may not work well for all wireless terminals or all possible conditions, particularly where conditions are changing for an individual wireless terminal more rapidly than for other wireless terminals in the system.
In view of the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need to improve upon the use of fixed type reports in combination with a fixed reporting schedule. In particular, there is a need for methods and apparatus that provide a wireless terminal at least some control over the type of information and/or type of report sent to a base station at one or more points in time. It would desirable if improved methods and apparatus could be designed that would limit the amount of overhead used in overall uplink control channel reporting so that it is not excessive as compared to the known use of a fixed set of control information reports and a fixed reporting schedule which is used to control which of the fixed reports is transmitted at a given time.

Methods and apparatus for flexible reporting of control information


A posterior burr hole Vocalizer device comprises a head band for attachment to a patient's head, a band constriction unit for adjusting the diameter of the head band, a sagittal plane aligning piece, and a trajectory plane aligning piece. The device is properly positioned on a patient's head in relation to the supraorbital rims and the superior attachment point of the patient's external ears in order to define an optimum location for a posterior burr hole site. Methods of making such a burr hole localizer device are also disclosed, together with methods for locating an anterior target site and an optimum posterior burr hole site.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a burr hole localizer device for attachment to the head of a patient in order to facilitate localization of an optimum site for posterior burr hole placement, and methods of making such a device. This invention also relates to methods of locating an optimal site for a posterior burr hole prior to a parieto-occipital shunt operation.
2. Background of the Related Art
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement for hydrocephalus is one of the most common procedures in neurological surgery. Hydrocephalus may result from subarachnoid hemorrhage, trauma, tumors, and the like. The technique entails introducing a catheter through brain tissue into one of the lateral ventricles of the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricle may be vented through the catheter to relieve signs, symptoms, and sequelae of hydrocephalus.
The current surgical technique for placement of VP shunts was developed in the 1950's by Scarff and has persisted with few modifications. Despite the relative simplicity of this procedure, the complication rate can be significant and includes operative morbidity as well as post-operative infections and obstructions, etc. Surgical technique plays a major role in reducing complications associated with VP shunts. Improper placement of the ventricular catheter may result in neurologic injury from the misplaced catheter or may cause an early proximal shunt obstruction, which is often secondary to blockage by adherent choroid plexus and other debris. The incidence of misplaced catheters is variable and dependent on a variety of factors, including the experience of the surgeon, the size of the targeted ventricle, the surgical approach, and the use of intraoperative guidance, such as fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or endoscopy. Thus, to optimize shunt function and minimize morbidity, proper placement of the proximal catheter is essential.
Two surgical approaches may be used for VP shunt placement, frontal and parietooccipital. Although little data is available, a retrospective series by Albright, et al., J. Neurosurg. 69:883-886 (1988), found good catheter placement in only 55% of frontal shunts and 33% of parieto-occipital shunts. Four cases of ophthalmic injury following ventricular catheter insertion were recently reported, and intracerebral hemorrhages secondary to misplacement have appeared in isolated clinical reports. The rate of such complications is not known. Recently, endoscopic placement of ventricular catheters has been reported with an accurate placement rate of 90%. Neuroendoscopy: Volume 1, Mary Ann Liebert, New York, pp. 29-40 (1992). The disadvantages of this technique are related to the cost of the instrumentation, the added operative time, and the time required for the surgeon to become familiar with the technique. If, however, an accurate, rapid, and inexpensive tool were available to aid in catheter placement, it would simplify the procedure.
A frontal catheter guide fulfilling these criteria has been successfully developed by Ghajar for placement of frontal ventricular catheters. Ghajar, J. B. G., A guide for ventricular catheter placement: technical note. J. Neurosurgery, 63:985-986, 1985. This instrument capitalized on the anatomical observation that a line passing perpendicular to the skull at the coronal suture will intersect the lateral ventricle.
However, parieto-occipital catheter placement has significant advantages over frontal catheter placement. The catheter path necessary for the frontal approach to the ventricles traverses frontal lobe regions having a low seizure threshold. Mechanical irritation of the neural tissue surrounding the catheter may give rise to epileptogenic foci independent of the underlying cause of hydrocephalus. This complicates patient management and increases health care costs, as well as markedly impacting the patient's quality of life.
The anatomy of the head and neck also causes technical difficulties for the surgeon. The distal end of the shunt is subcutaneously tunneled to the peritoneal cavity for implantation. Implantation in the open peritoneum provides an outlet for excess fluid drainage from the ventricles. The catheter path to the abdomen is circuitous from the frontal burr hole, however. The tube must pass posterior to the ear, and generally requires an additional skin incision. These difficulties increase operative time, cost, and complications.
In view of the above considerations, posterior shunt operations are often preferred over frontal shunt procedures (see, for example, J. L. Leggate, et al., J. Neurosurg., 68: 318-319 (1988)). In performing a posterior shunt operation according to the prior art, a catheter is passed from a posterior burr hole towards a frontal or anterior target point on the patient's forehead. Evidently, selection of an appropriate burr hole site is crucial to correct placement of a catheter within the target region (anterior horn of lateral ventricle) of the patient's brain. Notwithstanding, prior to the instant invention, there have been no mechanical or other forms of devices available to aid in the appropriate localization or selection of a posterior burr hole site. Indeed, the current standard practice is to palpate landmarks such as the external occipital protuberance, and to visualize where the burr hole should be located. This procedure is inherently inaccurate, and may result in severe neurologic injury when a catheter passed through a misplaced burr hole inadvertently traverses a critical brain structure (internal capsule).
Other than burr hole site selection, a second source of error in catheter placement during a posterior shunt procedure is insertion of the catheter along an incorrect trajectory. A simple mechanical device, known as the Caroline Guide, which eliminates this second source of error is taught by Howard III, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,267, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

The University of Iowa Research Foundation


This method for producing a semiconductor device comprises: a first step wherein a plurality of semiconductor chips are affixed onto a supporting substrate such that circuit surfaces of the semiconductor chips face the supporting substrate; a second step wherein a plurality of sealed layers are formed at intervals by applying the sealing resin onto the semiconductor chips by three-dimensional modeling method, each sealed layer containing one or more semiconductor chips embedded in a sealing resin; a third step wherein the sealed layers are cured or solidified; and a fourth step wherein sealed bodies are obtained by separating the cured or solidified sealed layers from the supporting substrate.

Hitherto, semiconductor devices (semiconductor chips) such as an IC using a silicon semiconductor or an organic EL device using an organic semiconductor are generally produced by forming many devices on a wafer substrate surface in a matrix form and then dividing the devices into individual devices by dicing. In general, the semiconductor chips are packaged by being applied with resin sealing and the like, and are mounted on various electronic devices.
As a packaging technology for the semiconductor chips, in recent years, a technology called fan-out wafer-level packaging is proposed (for example, see Patent Literature (hereinafter, abbreviated as PTL) 1). In the fan-out wafer-level packaging, a rear surface side (a side opposite to the circuit surface) of the semiconductor chip is sealed with resin. Then, a re-distribution layer is formed on a front surface (circuit surface) of the semiconductor chip, and an external terminal is further Ruined on the re-distribution layer.
A large-area packaging technology is needed in terms of cost reduction. In particular, collective sealing of a plurality of semiconductor chips and collective formation of an RDL (re-distribution layer) in a large area that is a high-cost process are needed.
Meanwhile, PTL 1 discloses a method for producing a semiconductor apparatus through (1) a step of fixing a plurality of semiconductor chips on a supporting substrate so that front surfaces (circuit surfaces) thereof face down; (2) a step of collectively sealing rear surfaces of the plurality of semiconductor chips with a sealing material; (3) a step of obtaining a sealed body by removing the supporting substrate; (4) a step of forming re-distribution layers on front surfaces (circuit surfaces) of the semiconductor chips of the sealed body that are exposed, and further forming external connection terminals such as metal bumps thereon; and (5) a step of dividing the semiconductor chips into individual semiconductor chips or packages each formed from a plurality of semiconductor chips.

Method for producing semiconductor device and intermediate for semiconductor device


A polarized media electronic air filter assembly has an electronics box mounted along one side by a slid-in fit into an open, receiving channel. Arcing between screens is reduced by using a relatively resistive material for at least one of the screens exposed to arcing.

In the previous art, electronic air filters of the charge media type, a filter medium is positioned between metal screens and polarized by applying high voltage between these screens. In many cases, the high voltage supply is an integral part of the filter. Examples are my U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,887 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,586. These inventions effectively describe filters which have two outside grounded screens and an inside screen which is charged with high voltage. Between the screens there are pads of dielectric fibrous trapping material which becomes polarized by the electric field between the screens.
These filters are usually one or two inches thick and they get their power from a low voltage supply such as 24 volts which is usually available for the air-handling units. These filters use very little power, about 1½ watts to 2 watts. Their electronic system converts a low voltage input to high voltage, eg, approximately 7 KV to 12 KV. The high voltage creates an electrostatic field inside the filter and polarizes the fibrous media which then better attracts the dust from the air flow. The method of attaching the power supply electronics to the filter itself is one object of this invention.
The amount of voltage which can be applied between these screens is limited by the space between the screens. Typically for a one-inch thick filter, the applied voltage is approximately 7 kilovolts. If the voltage is increased beyond this, avalanche arcing has in the past occurred between the inside screen and the outside grounded screens. This produces a loud sparking noise. Avalanche discharge occurs when a small leakage starts which ionizes the air and generates a conductive path between the screens at one spot. This causes the charge on the inside screen to dissipate abruptly thus making the loud noise. The effect is intense because the inside screen and the outside screens form a capacitor with the dielectric media being the dielectric.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,577, by the same inventor, describes a similar filter where conductive strings are used in place of the inside screen. The purpose of using the strings is to provide internal ionization via the loose ends of the fibers. These strings feature loose fiber ends and they are rendered conductive by some means. In this case, avalanche discharge is very minimal because the strings, by their small total surface have very small capacitance. In practice, they are about 1¼ inches apart. The actual area covered by the strings is much smaller as compared to the area covered by an equivalent screen. This is why the strings have very small capacitance.
Another object of my invention is therefore to provide a method of allowing a higher voltage to be employed without the presence of severe avalanche discharge.
By reducing avalanche discharge in these filters and enabling application of higher voltage between the screens, a higher efficiency of the filter is provided.
The invention in its general form will first be described, and then its implementation in terms of specific embodiments will be detailed with reference to the drawings following hereafter. These embodiments are intended to demonstrate the principle of the invention, and the manner of its implementation. The invention in its broadest and more specific forms will then be further described, and defined, in each of the individual claims which conclude this Specification.

Electronic air filter with resistive screen and electronic modular assembly


A solids removal system for use in removing sand and silt from well production fluids. The system has a manifold assembly provided with jetting nozzles, which is installed in a liquid and solids-containing vessel, where solids have settled in the walls. The jetting nozzles deliver, in a pre-determined sequence, a solids-dislodging fluid, causing the solids to become suspended in the fluid. The dislodged solids and fluid are then extracted by pump from the vessel and directed to a solid-fluid separator. Solids-free fluid is returned for re-re-circulation through the vessel, while the solids are moved to a containment location.

The present invention relates to a system of solids separation, and more particularly to a system for separating sand and silt from well bore water used in the oil and gas industry.
Presently, there exist an estimated 5000 oil and gas production facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico alone. All of these facilities employ one type or another of solids separation equipment. Such equipment is necessary to separate each fraction of the produced fuel and gases so that they may be directed in a clean state to their particular means of storage, transportation and ultimate sale. For wells, which produce sand and solids, the separation equipment acts as a collection mechanism for the solids. During drilling or production operation, particles of sand and silt are brought to the surface with the oil gas and produced water. The sand and silt accumulate in the separation equipment creating numerous problems to the equipment owners, including reduction in the separation retention time by displacing gas or volume, blocking free passage of fluids thereby affecting the separation efficiency and carrying over sand to other valves and equipment, thereby increasing wear of the equipment through abrasion and the like.
Sand removal has been an everyday maintenance activity of oil and gas producers since oil production began. However, even today the most common means for removing accumulated sand is to shut in the wells and/or divert the production stream to another separator that can handle the separation while the vessels are opened and cleaned in a conventional process. A conventional process usually involves the use of hydrocyclones and vibrating screen shakers. The conventional process exposes the workers to potentially dangerous conditions including exposure to Benzine, a known carcinogen, and to oxygen deficient atmosphere. Additionally, the explosive environment of the hydrocarbon separation causes the threat of combustion by a simple static spark. Even further, the cost of shutting the well production can reduce the profit of the well owner by millions of dollars a day.
In the 90's, technology was developed to approach the sand removal problem remotely. This technology is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,512 issued on Mar. 2, 1999. That technology, while offering great advances over conventional then-current technology has certain disadvantages as it allows removal of approximately 65% of the solids.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with the prior art and provision of a solid separation system which can remove substantially all sand and solids from the vessel used in the oil and gas industry under their normal operating conditions.


An information processing apparatus includes: a plurality of memories; a plurality of buses each connected to each of the memories; an input/output device configured to make access to the plurality of memories; a processing unit configured to alter a mapping of a logical address and a physical address of a memory area used by the input/output device; and a switch configured to transfer access from the input/output device to any one of the plurality of buses based on the mapping, whereby the performance deterioration due to bus conflict is suppressed.

For optimization of system performance, applications are operated in a state close to the real operation state of the system prior to actual operation thereof, and tunings of system performance and real time performance are conducted by using a performance monitor or benchmark software with parameters modified with a change of a buffer area and an inhibition of a specific transaction on the application side.
Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications No. 2000-207348 and No. 9-73430.
In a practical system, when the hardware configuration (configuration of the memory, the CPU type, the mounted I/O, and so on), the installed application or the operating mode (such as the installation environment, concentration of operation time, real time performance requirements, and so on) is changed, transactions and transmission and reception ratios in various buses/interfaces are also changed, and thereby the bus occupation rates are changed.
Especially in the memory bus in which all the devices including the CPU and mounted I/O devices utilize the memory space, there is a problem that overall performance deteriorates when a lot of bus conflicts occur.
Accordingly, to keep system performance optimized, every time a hardware configuration or an installed application is changed, tunings have to be carried out by implementing performance monitoring in actual system checking in consideration of the real system operation mode, or system performance measurement with a benchmark software.
Here, the tunings includes, for example, to change the used CPU to another one having a sufficient memory cache size and processing speed, change the mounted I/O used to another one having a sufficient processing capability, change the buffer area assigned on the memory, and inhibit a specific transaction in order to improve utilization efficiency of the memory bus.
Numerous man-hours are used to determine individual tuning setting values and an optimum hardware configuration. Further, it is not easy to change a hardware configuration, and to change setting values for a buffer area and an inhibition of a specific transaction from time to time according to the operating state of an actual system. This poses a problem of performance deterioration as well due to a gradually increasing difference between the actual operating state and an estimated environment in the course of continuous usage of the once set information.
Further, it is difficult to perform true performance measurement of an actual system because the performance thereof is influenced by application operation of a performance monitor or benchmark software used for performance measurement in the actual system.
An object of the present disclosure is to suppress performance deterioration due to bus conflict.

Information processing apparatus and bus control method


Viscous damping such as provided by hydraulic dampers is employed to load frictional energy dissipating elements, such as friction wedges used to damp relative movements between the bolster and the side frames in a conventional railway car truck, such that the magnitude of frictional damping provided is dependent upon the velocity of relative movement between the truck bolster and side frames.

Railway car trucks such as conventional three-piece freight car trucks have conventionally used sliding friction to dissipate energy during relative movement between the truck bolster and the side frame. Specifically, spring loaded friction shoes or wedges have been disposed between the bolster and the side frame so as to bear on generally vertical side frame column surfaces, and to slide on the column surfaces in response to relative movement of the bolster, both vertical and horizontal, with respect to the side frames. The resultant sliding friction between the friction shoes and the side frame column surfaces dissipates some of the energy associated with the movements of the bolster and side frames, and the car body. Such energy dissipation can improve ride quality and control truck hunting and truck warping.
A friction shoe typically is formed as a wedge which is biased into a bolster pocket against upwardly converging bolster pocket and side frame column surfaces, as is well known. To maintain such friction wedges in engagement with the bolster pocket and side frame column surfaces, mechanical spring force of either constant or varying magnitude has been used. One common means of friction wedge restraint has been an elongated compression spring extending between the side frame window floor and an undersurface of the friction wedge such that the biasing force which retains the friction wedge varies with the relative vertical position of the bolster with respect to the side frame.
The art is replete with examples of railway truck friction wedge arrangements, and although conventional friction wedges have generally been suitable for their intended purpose, practitioners in the art have continually sought improvements in friction wedge performance. For example, friction wedges can degrade vertical ride quality because they respond to any relative movement of the bolster with respect to the side frame with the same frictional restraint. That is, all relative bolster to side frame displacements of any velocity, and whether large in magnitude or small, result in full frictional damping force per unit of frictional sliding movement by the friction wedges on the column surfaces. This can degrade ride quality; however, if the friction forces evolved by conventional friction wedges are kept small out of concern for ride quality, the result may be insufficient damping for the more violent bolster movements with respect to the side frame. Such movements may require greater energy dissipation in order to prevent such undesirable results as spring bottoming or evolution of harmonic responses resulting from periodic force inputs.
A great many friction shoe structures and railway trucks adapted to use them are known from the prior art, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,109,586, 2,352,693 and 2,737,905.
To deal with the described limitations of frictional damping, one approach has been to add supplemental damping, for example viscous damping such as provided by hydraulic dampers, to further restrain relative bolster to side frame movement in railway trucks. The damping response of a hydraulic damper generally is velocity dependent so that for small and/or slow relative movements, the hydraulic damper develops limited restraint whereas, in response to larger velocity, amplitude or frequency of relative movement, the hydraulic damper evolves greater restraining force. The prior art contains numerous examples of hydraulic dampers applied in railway trucks including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,936,226, 4,198,911, 3,773,147, 4,132,176, 2,573,165, 2,284,696, 1,983,088, and the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,586.
Like conventional friction wedges, conventional hydraulic railway truck dampers also have been generally suitable for their intended purposes although improvements have nonetheless been continually sought. For example, the velocity dependent damping of conventional hydraulic dampers typically has been single-acting, which means that for a given level of energy removal twice the force is necessary as that which would be necessary if the hydraulic damper were double-acting. In addition, prior hydraulic dampers have acted directly between a railway truck bolster and side frame, thus being completely independent of friction wedge operation. Although often helpful in controlling evolution of harmonic responses, some known railway truck hydraulic dampers are less effective in improving vertical ride quality. Furthermore, frequent hydraulic damper operation in response to rapid, but small amplitude relative bolster to side frame movements during normal running may result in considerable heat build up in the damper with consequent reduction in damper service life.

Railway car truck and method and apparatus for velocity-dependent friction damping


A system for cardiac treatment includes a monitoring probe having a probe distal end, a magnetic field generator coupled to the probe distal end, a catheter having a catheter distal end, a magnetic sensor coupled to the catheter distal end, and a console. The monitoring probe is configured for insertion into an esophagus of a patient. The catheter is configured for insertion into a heart of a patient. The console is configured to drive the magnetic field generator to emit magnetic fields, to receive signals from the magnetic sensor in response to the magnetic fields, and to estimate respective distances between the catheter distal end and the probe distal end based on the signals.

Systems for obtaining real-time spatial information on objects placed within a living body are often utilized for monitoring invasive treatments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,131,853 describes a device that includes a probe adapted to be inserted into an esophagus of the patient. A first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor are coupled to the probe. An electrode is also coupled to the probe. A controller generates a live and continuously updating three-dimensional anatomic map and three-dimensional thermal map of the esophagus during an ablation procedure based at least in part on the information received from the temperature sensors and the electrodes.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,884 describes a system and method for tracking the position and orientation of a probe. Three at least partly overlapping planar antennas are used to transmit electromagnetic radiation simultaneously, with the radiation transmitted by each antenna having its own spectrum. A receiver inside the probe includes sensors of the three components of the transmitted field. The position and orientation of the receiver relative to the antennas are determined noniteratively.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,617,152 describes devices, systems and methods for the ablation of tissue and treatment of cardiac arrhythmia. An ablation system includes an ablation catheter that has an array of ablation elements and a location element, an esophageal probe also including a location element, and an interface unit that provides energy to the ablation catheter. The distance between the location elements, determined by calculating means of the system, can be used by the system to set or modify one or more system parameter.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,355,801 describes a system and method for determining on a continuous, real-time basis the proximity of the esophagus to an endocardial catheter during mapping, ablation or other endocardial catheter-based procedures, comprising an esophagus probe catheter and an endocardial catheter adapted for proximal signal transmission between each other. A signal processing unit is included to process and compare a characteristic of the proximity signal that is changes or attenuates with distance between the two catheters, such as impedance, amplitude and/or phase. The system and method may include adaptations of the catheters with location sensor, and a mapping/navigational system for non-fluoroscopic location determination of the catheters.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,271,095 describes a system for determining the proximity of the esophagus to the ablation electrode of an ablation catheter during an ablation procedure. The system comprises an ablation catheter having at least one ablation electrode, an esophageal probe catheter having at least one electrode, and a signal processing unit. Both the ablation electrode and the esophageal probe catheter are electrically connected to the signal processing unit. The signal processing unit receives electrical signals from the ablation electrode on the ablation catheter and the electrode on the esophageal probe catheter and compares the signals to determine the proximity of the esophagus to the ablation electrode.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0116576 describes systems and method for navigating a medical probe (such as a catheter) relative to an anatomical body (such as a heart). A mark (such as a point or line), representing an anatomical region of interest (such as tissue targeted for treatment or tissue not targeted for treatment) is displayed on a representation of the anatomical body. The positions of the medical probe and the mark are determined within a three-dimensional coordinate system, and the proximity between the medical probe and the mark determined based on these positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,265,732 describes a method of catheter and radiating coil location in a human body and in particular to the determination over time of the location of the tip of a catheter as it is inserted and during its use in the body. In particular when a radiating coil is used in conjunction with a catheter, a coil locating device can be used to determine the distance the coil is from the device and hence its depth in the body of a patient. This is achieved by locating the coil-locating device on or over a predetermined landmark on the patient's body. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0030098 describes a temperature probe for monitoring temperatures of a surface of a tissue or organ within the body of a subject includes a section with a substantially two-dimensional arrangement and a plurality of temperature sensors positioned across an area defined by the substantially two-dimensional arrangement. Such an apparatus may be used in conjunction with procedures are used to treat diseased tissue. Specifically, a temperature probe may be used to monitor temperatures across an area of a surface of a tissue or organ located close to the treated tissue to prevent subjection of the monitored tissue or organ to potentially damaging temperatures.

Esophageal probe with transmitting coils


A sensor system having an analyte modulator, detector and a pump. The concentration of an analyte sample may be modulated at one time constant. The detector may have an output with a drift at another time constant. The one time constant may be shorter than the latter time constant. The latter time constant may be substantially removed from the detector output with a discriminator. A reservoir may receive high concentrations of analyte from the modulator, before analyte is forwarded to the detector and pump via analyte conveyance lines and valving. The modulation or pre-concentration of analyte in the sensor system may entail shorter times and smaller volumes than those needed by the detector. Such mismatches may be alleviated via accumulation of analyte in the reservoir prior to being forwarded to the detector.

The present invention pertains to instrumentation and particularly to sensors. More particularly, the invention pertains to fluid and chemical sensors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,894, issued May 28, 2002, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,118, issued Jan. 4, 2005, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,452, issued Feb. 21, 2006, is hereby incorporated by reference. These patents may relate to aspects of structures and processes related to fluid analyzers.


The present disclosure relates to a camera package, a manufacturing method of a camera package, and an electronic device capable of reducing a manufacturing cost for forming a lens. The manufacturing method of the camera package according to the present disclosure includes forming a high-contact angle film around a lens forming region on an upper side of a transparent substrate that protects a solid-state imaging element, dropping a lens material in the lens forming region on the upper side of the transparent substrate, and molding the dropped lens material by a mold to form a lens. The present disclosure is applicable to, for example, a camera package and the like in which a lens is arranged above a solid-state imaging element.

As a method of forming a lens on a substrate, an imprinting technology of pressing a mold against a resin dropped on the substrate to transfer a mold shape is known. In order to form a defect-free lens with an excellent yield, a method of forming while dropping an excessive amount of resin beyond a lens volume so as to protrude from a mold is generally used. The excessive amount of the resin is dropped because when the resin is dropped on the substrate, the resin spreads by its own weight, so that a bulky and complicated-shaped lens is formed.
For example, Patent Document 1 suggests a technology of providing an overflow portion which traps an excessive resin on a mold so that the excessive resin does not flow to an unnecessary region.

Camera package, manufacturing method of camera package, and electronic device

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


The present invention relates to compounds of formula I which are antagonists of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) activity. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical formulations, the use of a compound of the present invention in the manufacture of a medicament, a method of therapeutic treatment using such a compound and processes for producing the compounds

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is a decapeptide that is secreted by the hypothalamus into the hypophyseal portal circulation in response to neural and/or chemical stimuli, causing the biosynthesis and release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the pituitary. GnRH is also known by other names, including gonadoliberin, LH releasing hormone (LHRH), FSH releasing hormone (FSH RH) and LH/FSH releasing factor (LH/FSH RF).
GnRH plays an important role in regulating the action of LH and FSH (by regulation of their levels), and thus has a role in regulating the levels of gonadal steroids in both sexes, including the sex hormones progesterone, oestrogens and androgens. More discussion of GnRH can be found in WO 98/5519 and WO 97/14697, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
It is believed that several diseases would benefit from the regulation of GnRH activity, in particular by antagonising such activity. These include sex hormone related conditions such as sex hormone dependent cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy and myoma of the uterus. Examples of sex hormone dependent cancers are prostatic cancer, uterine cancer, breast cancer and pituitary gonadotrophe adenoma.
The following disclose compounds purported to act as GnRH antagonists: WO 97/21435, WO 97/21703, WO 97/21704, WO 97/21707, WO 55116, WO 98/55119, WO 98/55123, WO 98/55470, WO 98/55479, WO 99/21553, WO 99/21557, WO 99/41251, WO 99/41252, WO 00/04013, WO 00/69433, WO 99/51231, WO 99/51232, WO 99/51233, WO 99/51234, WO 99/51595, WO 99/51596, WO 00/53178, WO 00/53180, WO 00/53179, WO 00/53181, WO 00/53185 and WO 00/53602.
It would be desirable to provide further compounds, such compounds being GnRH antagonists.

3-aminoalkyl-2-aryl-indole derivatives and their use as GnRH antagonists


A mounting device for hanging lighting fixtures from a ceiling. A quick connect hanger assembly having a universal design which is readily adapted to different suspension media. The assembly includes a suspension media adapter and a separate hanger bracket.

The present invention generally relates to architectural lighting and more particularly to hanger hardware used in connection with suspended lighting fixtures. The invention has particular application in the installation of linear lighting systems which may involve hundreds of feet of extruded linear fixture elements and connectors suspended from an overhead ceiling structure by one or more different types of suspension media such as rigid stems, swivel stems, and adjustable and nonadjustable cables.
Linear lighting systems are presently installed using hanger hardware that is specifically designed for the suspension media and the fixture elements and connectors to be used for a particular installation. Such hardware, which is needed to attach the suspension media to the linear system components at determined suspension points, include various types of steel brackets, extruded aluminum hangers, aluminum die cast parts and the like. Hanging a component of the lighting system might also include direct attachment of suspension media to the component's housing. In any case, each piece of hanger hardware is specific to a particular application resulting in relatively complicated specification requirements, increased installation time and complexity, and thus, added cost.
A further difficulty with conventional hanger hardware for suspended lighting systems is that once such a system is specified and built, it is difficult and costly, and at times a practical impossibility, to change to another type of suspension scheme. Thus, after specification, there is very little flexibility in terms of how the lighting system is suspended at the job site. Also, conventional suspension hardware does not readily permit suspension schemes which provide for anything other than standard suspension spacing or exact nominal spacing dimensions (which are typically 4', 8', 12', etc. suspension points); any non-standard suspension scheme could be achieved only at substantially greater costs.
The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional suspension hardware by providing a quick connect hanger assembly having a universal design which is readily adapted to different suspension media and which can be used to suspend various components of a linear lighting system at different points within the system. The quick connect hanger of the present invention is easily installed and has a limited number of inexpensive parts which can be shipped to a job site in kit form at any time prior to or during installation, or after installation if the hanging scheme is to be modified. The hanger of the invention requires no pre-assembly or pre-measuring to exactly locate where hanger brackets are to be placed. Costs and delays associated with errors and misplaced components are virtually eliminated. Using the hanger of the invention, suspension media can be readily changed at the job site, even after the installation is completed, thus simplifying the specification process.
In addition to the above-mentioned flexibility and ease of installation, the quick connect hanger of the invention further provides suspension hardware which will effectively prevent dislodgement of the suspended system component from the hanger when the component is jarred, such as would occur during an earthquake.

Universal quick connect hanger for suspending a lighting system


A treadmill with a trampoline-like surface having an endless belt adapted to travel between two guide rails. The treadmill includes an improved suspension system formed from a flexible wire cable that connects two adjacent reinforced openings formed near the lateral edges of the belt to a carrier that moves on the guide rails of the treadmill.

This invention relates to treadmills with trampoline-like surfaces and, more particularly, to an improved suspension system for suspending the mat or belt between a supporting surface in such an apparatus.
Treadmills utilize an endless moving belt that allows an individual to walk, jog or run in place. Treadmills are useful not only for exercise, but for rehabilitation programs and medical testing such as the "stress test" which is commonly used. There is a demand for treadmills in indoor health clubs since many clubs are not able to build a running track and a treadmill provides the capability of a well-rounded exercise program.
Most treadmills are formed with a thin, endless belt which travels over a supporting surface so that the belt can withstand the weight of the individual using it. The rigid surface beneath the belt in these treadmills can cause shin splints or other stress-related injuries to the legs of the user. The use of treadmills of this design in rehabilitation programs is limited because of the impact on the legs of the users.
It has been found that a treadmill which utilizes a trampoline-like surface with a built-in resiliency reduces impact on the legs of the users to the point where such a machine can be used as a primary therapeutic aid for rehabilitation from leg injuries. because it significantly reduces the wear and tear on the legs of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,473 which issued on Jul. 3, 1990 describes a treadmill with a trampoline-like surface. The suspension system of this treadmill is made from a pair of springs spaced at an angle between each carrier and the belt to provide lateral support and stability for the belt. However, belts which utilize springs have a tendency to be unstable and the spring fatigue causes the belt to become slack. Further, springs have been found to increase the expense of maintenance to the machine due to spring failure and spring cuts.
An improvement over a spring suspension system is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 657,439 which was filed on Feb. 19, 1991, which is incorporated as though fully set forth. In this application an improved treadmill with a trampoline-like surface having rail carriers attached directly to the lateral edges of the belt is disclosed. The suspension system includes rail carriers extending over the lateral edges of the belt with a bolt that extends downward from the rail carrier, being inserted through grommets in the belt and secured on the belt underside by a nut. The rail carriers provide tension to the belt.
In order to maintain the correct amount of tension with this suspension system, the dimensions of the width of the belt and the placement of the grommets along the belt edge are extremely important. Very little variation in these dimensions is adjustable in the manufacture of the treadmill. Additionally, the belt has a tendency to stretch over time creating decreased belt tension. This causes excessive noise and instability of the carriers as they roll around the rails of the treadmill.
Due to the problems mentioned above, an improved suspension system that eliminated the use of springs or a rigid belt-carrier connection would improve the structure and performance of the apparatus.

Suspension system for treadmill with resilient surface


The manufacture of wrapping sheets provided with respective handles is accomplished by obtaining the wrapping sheets and the handles from respective strips of heat-sealable material, which are mutually coupled by means of a coupling device able electrically to charge the strips with respective electrical charges of opposite sign.

The present invention relates to a device for manufacturing wrapping sheets provided with related handles.
In particular, the present invention relates to a device for manufacturing wrapping sheets for packaging paper rolls taken individually or in groups constituted by a plurality of paper rolls, positioned adjacent to each other and aligned, whereto the present description shall explicitly refer without thereby losing its general nature.
According to the prior art in the paper roll industry, the paper rolls are packaged within related wrapping sheets, each of which is obtained from a first strip of heat-sealable material, is wrapped around one or more paper rolls to form a paper roll package, and is associated to a handle able to allow the consumer conveniently to grip the package itself.
Generally, the handles are obtained from a second strip of heat-sealable material, whose width is smaller than the width of the first strip, is superposed to the first strip, and is joined to the first strip by means of a coupling device that is normally able to seal or glue the two strips.
Once the two strips are joined and a third strip of heat-sealable material is obtained, the wrapping sheets and the related handles are obtained in succession by cutting the third ribbon transversely to a direction of advance thereof.
The known devices described above have some drawbacks, mainly deriving from the tact that the solutions adopted by said devices for joining the aforesaid first and second strip are relatively complex and entail in one case heat-shrinking phenomena, which occur at the end of the sealing operation, are located solely in the area of superposition of the two ribbons, and can, therefore, cause said superposition area to be shortened and narrowed relative to the remaining part of the wrapping sheet, compromising the correct formation of the roll package, and in the other case the known problems connected with the use of glue.

Device for manufacturing wrapping sheets provided with handles


A backlight module has two lighting sides installed inside a casing. Two sides of the casing are installed with a main display screen and a sub-display screen. The backlight module comprises at least one light source; a light guile plate for guiding light from the light source to the main display screen and the sub-display screen. A lower diffusion sheet, a first light enhancing sheet and preferably, an upper diffusion sheet are installed between the main display screen and the light guide plate. A reflective sheet, a second light enhancing sheet and preferably, an upper diffusion sheet are installed between the sub-display screen and the light guide plate. Part of light from the sub-display screen is reflected to the main display screen.

A liquid crystal display module needs a backlight module to emit light to a liquid crystal display panel because the liquid crystal screen cannot light up itself. The backlight module has two types, a straight type and a lateral type which is especially necessary to a device needing two displays (such as that in a mobile phone) so as to reduce the thickness itself.
With reference to FIG. 1, a prior art backlight module having two lighting sides has a light source 90 and a light guide plate 91. The light guide plate 91 is adjacent to the light source 90 for guiding light of the light source 90 to a main display screen 92 and a sub-display screen 93 at the front and rear sides of the light guide plate 91.
A lower diffusion sheet 94, a light enhancing sheet 95 and an upper diffusion sheet 96, etc. are installed between the light guide plate 91 and the main display screen 92. The function of the lower diffusion sheet 94 is to diffuse the light to adjust the uniformity of the light to avoid reflection light spots on the main display screen 92. The light enhancing sheet 95 is used to correct the light path so as to focus the light to has a preferred directivity. Thereby, the light in the front side of the main display screen 92 is enhanced. The upper diffusion sheet 96 is not a necessary structure. The function of the upper diffusion sheet 96 is to avoid Newton rings to appear and to protect the light enhancing sheet 95. The upper diffusion sheet 96 can be replaced by a reflected light polarizing sheet so that the main display screen 92 has a preferred display effect. A reflective sheet 97, a lower diffusion sheet 94 and a light enhancing sheet 95 are sequentially installed between the light guide plate 91 and the sub-display screen 93. The reflective sheet 97 is installed between the light guide plate 91 and the sub-display screen 93 so as to reflect part of the light from the light source 90 into the main display screen 92. Since in general, the main display screen 92 is larger than the sub-display screen 93, the reflective sheet 97 is used to adjust the light of the main display screen 93 and sub-display screen 93.
However, in this prior art, part of the light is reflected by the reflective sheet 97 to the main display screen 92 so that the light to the sub-display screen 93 is insufficient. If the light source 90 is increased to increase the light to the main display screen 92 and sub-display screen 93, the cost will increase and power loss is also increased.

Backlight module having two lighting sides


Stored data elements are read from a first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer memory in a pipelined fashion. A look-ahead fetching technique is utilized during a memory read cycle operation to advance (select) a subsequent data element in preparation for a next read command. Data read in advance is not output, however, until a subsequent read cycle corresponding to a next request for data in the buffer memory. A first data element written into the buffer memory is stored in an initial data register. Upon a first read request, the first data element is output from the initial data register. A first and a second memory array are provided for alternately storing successive ones of data elements written into the buffer memory. While a presently requested data element from the first array is being output, a memory cell in the second array, which contains the next data element to be requested, is selected and sensed, and the sensed value placed on an output line. Upon receipt of a next request, the value maintained on the output line is output, and a memory cell in the first array, containing the next data element to be requested, is selected and sensed, and that sensed value is placed on a different output line. Such a sequence continues for successive read requests, thus forming a pipelined FIFO buffer memory with look-ahead sensing of memory cells.

This invention relates to the field of serial memories. Such memories are typically used as buffer memories to receive input data elements at one rate, and to output at a different rate the stored data elements in a sequence defined by the order in which they were written into the buffer memory. Generally, there are two types of such buffer memories. One type is based on shifting data elements through multiple cells in the buffer memory. The other type is random access memory (RAM) based, not requiring shifting of data elements through multiple cells. This invention specifically relates to RAM based serial memories. In prior art buffer memories of that type, the time required to complete a read is long, because the particular memory cell containing a requested data element must be selected (memory cell activated and stored signal imparted onto data bit lines), and the imparted signal must be sensed by an amplifier before the data element can be outputted from the buffer memory. Thus, the access time in such prior art systems is long.

Random access memory based buffer memory and associated method utilizing pipelined look-ahead reading


A roof railing for motor vehicles which has a tubular rail extending spaced from and substantially parallel to the roof surface along a lateral roof frame. Two supports on the ends of the rail attach the roof railing to the roof of the vehicle. The rail is developed with a bend at each of its end regions. It also has free ends which extend parallel to the surface of the roof and rest on the roof. In the region of each bend, there extends below the rail a support which is fastened to the rail. On its top side, the support has a groove which surrounds a part of the circumference of the rail. Each support is fastened to the roof of the vehicle.

The present invention relates to a roof railing for motor vehicles and particularly to mounting supports at the ends of the railing. A roof railing has a tubular rail which extends spaced from and substantially parallel to the surface of the roof along a lateral roof frame. There are two supports at the opposite ends of the rail for attaching the roof railing to the roof of the vehicle.
A roof railing of this type is known, for instance, from Federal Republic of Germany A 40 04 829 which discloses a roof railing generally comprised of a rail on each side of the roof and at least two support feet for supporting each rail. The support feet are usually developed as metal castings with pins which engage the ends of the rail. These pins are aesthetically unpleasant because in practice, a gap with respect to the rail is unavoidably formed, and the pins form transitions which decrease the load bearing capacity of the roof railing.
In the roof railing for motor vehicles disclosed in Federal Republic of Germany 29 46 533 A1, the rails have a bend at each of their end regions. The downwardly bent ends of the rails can be fastened by screws or the like to the roof plate of a motor vehicle. This generalized statement does not teach a person skilled in the art since it is not clear how a screw or the like is to be fastened in the open end of a tubular rail.

Mounting support for roof railing for motor vehicles


An electrically powered earth coring device may be used to remove weeds from lawns or flower beds. The device comprises a hollow shaft 3 having a handle 1 and a hollow cylindrical cutter 5, extensible from the lower end of the shaft to penetrate the ground around the root of a weed 34 and create a core of earth. When a preset depth has been reached, the cutter 5 is retracted in order to remove the core of earth and the weed from the ground. A plunger 16, mounted inside the shaft 3, pushes the core of earth out of the cutter as the latter is retracted. Opposing claws may be mounted pivotally at the lower end of the cutter 5 in order to grip the root of the weed. The coring device may also be used for planting bulbs.

This invention relates to an electrically powered earth corer. It is considered that the invention will mainly be used for removing weeds from lawns or flower beds and in this description the earth corer is therefore referred to as a "weeder". However, the invention is by no means limited to a weeder.
Removal of weeds from lawns can be done either mechanically or by use of herbicidal poisons. Poisons, which can be environmentally unfriendly leave the body of the weed in the ground, although dead, which can be unsightly. Mechanical methods of removing weeds include simple manual pulling or digging out with a trowel, or similar tool. Particularly when the weed is deep-rooted, manual pulling often results in a breakage of the weed leaving at least some part of the root remaining in the ground due to the friction of the surrounding earth on the weed. This root will almost certainly re-grow. Digging out the weed with a trowel is more effective at removing the weed as it removes the surrounding earth together with the weed. But removing a weed in this way requires a sizeable hole to be dug in the lawn which can be more troublesome than the original weed.
There are known devices that purport to assist in the removal of deep rooted weeds, without creating a large hole. These operate by the insertion of a thin spike down the centre of the weed. Attached to this spike is a blade which is designed to close on the root of the weed when pulled up and thus remove the weed and root together. One drawback with these devices is that if the weed is firmly rooted the blade fails to adequately grasp the root and merely slips along the length of the root as it is pulled up, failing to remove the weed. Effective operation is also very dependent upon soil conditions.


A method for controlling at least an electrically actuated valve to operate in at least a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising deactivating an electrically actuated valve in response to an operating condition of a vehicle electrical system, said electrically actuated valve deactivated in a desired position.

One method to control intake and exhaust valve operation during engine operation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,446. This method uses electromechanically actuated valves to control vibration of an internal combustion engine caused by cylinder deactivation. The method causes at least one of a plurality of cylinders to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode in which the intake stroke, combustion stroke and exhaust stroke are inhibited. The method then controls the pressure within each inactive cylinder that operates in the cylinder deactivation mode.
Once the above-mentioned method has set the stroke of each cylinder, timing of valve opening and closing is determined by retrieving a map based on accelerator pedal position and engine speed. Finally, a further valve timing adjustment is made to correct for air-fuel errors and valve operating conditions. Specifically, valve temperature and power supply voltage are referenced to correct valve opening and closing times.
The inventors herein have determined that the before-mentioned approach can have several disadvantages. Specifically, while it may adjust electromechanical valve opening and closing time based on supply voltage, variations in the electrical system can still lead to degraded performance. For example, if the vehicle experiences temporary reduced power conditions, there may be insufficient electrical energy to operate all of the valves as suggested in the prior art. Further, the vehicle battery may not have enough stored energy to crank the engine. Further still, even if there is sufficient electrical energy, the overall efficiency of the system can become degraded if too many electrically actuated valves are operated.

Electrically actuated valve deactivation in response to vehicle electrical system conditions


The movable cleaning shoe frame is provided with internal sidewalls. The frame supports a sieve for receiving grain to be cleaned. The sieve is provided with longitudinally extending dividers that define a plurality of longitudinally extending grain flow channels. The sidewalls and the dividers are provided with cleaning shoe spreaders that extend into the longitudinally extending grain flow channels above the sieve. Movement of the cleaning shoe drives the spreaders to flap back and forth. This flapping action of the spreaders distributes the grain to be cleaned transversely across the sieve so that the cleaning assembly operates more efficiently.

Combines are large agricultural machines that harvest, thresh, separate and clean an agricultural crop. A harvesting assembly harvests an agricultural crop from a field and directs the harvested crop to a feeder house that conveys the harvested crop to a threshing assembly. The threshing assembly threshes the harvested crop removing the grain from the other crop material. The threshed crop material is directed to a separating assembly that expands the threshed crop mat to release trapped grain. The remaining large components of crop material other than grain are expelled from the combine. These large components may be reduced in size by a straw chopper.
Grain and chaff fall from the threshing and separating assemblies and are directed to a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly removes the chaff from the grain and blows it out the rear of the combine. The cleaned grain is collected from the floor of the cleaning assembly and is directed to a grain tank by an elevator.
The cleaning assembly comprises a cleaning fan and a cleaning shoe. The cleaning shoe comprises a movable frame holding a series of sieves. The topmost sieve is called a chaffer sieve. The main difference between the chaffer sieve and the secondary sieve located below the chaffer sieve is the size of the sieve openings. The chaffer sieve openings are larger than the secondary sieve. The grain to be cleaned is first deposited on the chaffer sieve. The grain falls through the chaffer sieve to the secondary sieve and from the secondary sieve to the floor of the cleaning assembly. An air blast from the cleaning fan is directed upwardly through the chaffer sieve and the secondary sieve to blow the lighter chaff out the rear of the combine. The frame moves in a reciprocating, shaking or cascading manner to drive the grain to be cleaned longitudinally rearward along the chaffer sieve and secondary sieve. It should be noted that cleaning assemblies may comprise more than one secondary sieve.
Cleaning shoes operate most efficiently when the combine is on level ground. When the combine is operated on side slopes, the grain to be cleaned accumulates on the down hill side of the cleaning shoe and the uphill side is not loaded. In extreme operations, the combine is provided with leveling mechanisms that level the combine during sidehill operations. This is not an economic solution in the vast majority of farming operations. One simple solution has been to provide longitudinally extending dividers on the sieves that limit the downhill migration of grain to be cleaned. This solution is not entirely effective and a variety of other mechanisms a have been proposed that either pneumatically or mechanically drive a portion of the grain to be cleaned to the uphill side of the cleaning shoe.


A semiconductor device includes a fuse unit comprising an array e-fuse and suitable for generating a boot-up end signal when a boot-up operation ends, a power generation unit suitable for generating a plurality of driving voltages for the fuse unit in response to a power-up signal indicating start of the boot-up operation and a power control unit suitable for controlling the generation of the driving voltages in response to the power-up signal and the boot-up end signal.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device having an array e-fuse, and more particularly, to a power gating technique for controlling power that is supplied to an array e-fuse.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, each of a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor included in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) has a threshold voltage Vth. Thus, an external voltage VDD equal to or more than 2*Vth corresponding to a sum of the threshold voltages of the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor should be basically secured to stabilize an operation region. Therefore, the DRAM requires a power-up signal generator to generate a power-up signal PWRUP indicating that the external voltage VDD reaches a required voltage level. The power-up signal generator outputs the power-up signal PWRUP that pulses to a logic high level once when the voltage level of the external voltage VDD is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage level or a target voltage level and the external voltage VDD is stabilized. In response to the power-up signal PWRUP, an internal circuit performs an operation with the stabilized external voltage VDD. With high integration of semiconductor devices, a chip size of the device has been reduced and the operating voltage has also been reduced. Furthermore, a deep power down mode has been employed to reduce undesired power consumption.
Electrical fuses arranged in an array inside a semiconductor device are referred to as an array e-fuse. During a boot-up operation, all of data of the array e-fuse are read and stored in an internal latch for a power-up time after application of the external power supply voltage VDD. For the boot-up operation, it is required to read all of data stored in the array e-fuse before the semiconductor device starts performing a normal operation. In a case of a conventional metal fuse, fuse data is automatically stored in a latch during the boot-up operation depending on whether or not the metal fuse was cut. In a case of the array e-fuse, however, a boot-up read operation needs to be performed once at a time to read data on each cell or e-fuse during the boot-up operation. The boot-up operation needs to be performed within the power-up time that is a setup time for operation of the semiconductor device. Thus, the amount of fuse data to be read at a time becomes greater as the size of the array e-fuse becomes greater. In the case of a semiconductor device including the array e-fuse, the threshold voltage of which is relatively low, current consumption needs to be reduced. Therefore, when the semiconductor device includes transistors operating at a low voltage, that is, having low threshold voltages Vth, the semiconductor device may be operated at high speed, but current leakage may be increased. As a result, since the current leakage increases during a normal operation of the semiconductor device, additional current consumption occurs when the array e-fuse is used.

Semiconductor memory device including array e-fuse