A latch striker includes a base and an arm having a segment extending over the base in spaced relation thereto. Cylinder segments project toward each other from the base and arm and are axially aligned and secured with respect to each other.

Vehicle latch systems must be strong and secure to prevent unintended opening of vehicle doors during accidents and other unforeseen events. A known design for a vehicle latch system includes a striker mounted on the doorframe and a releasable latch mechanism on the door configured to engage the striker. The striker includes a bracket secured to the vehicle and a steel post supported by the bracket. The steel post is engaged by the latch mechanism when the door is closed.
Securing the post to the bracket can be both difficult and time consuming. Multiple assembly steps can be required to secure the steel post to the bracket, which may be by welding or other material joining process, threaded engagement between the steel post and a threaded boss on the bracket or securing the post with bolts, nuts or other mechanical fasteners.
Further difficulties can be encountered while securing the assembled striker in the automobile. It is known to provide holes in the bracket by which the bracket is secured with bolts to a frame component of the automobile. The bolts are necessarily short and can be lost or dropped easily during the installation process. The installer must position the bracket in the proper place, insert a bolt or other fastener, and operate an appropriate tool to tighten the fastener.
Consequently, a relatively simple part such as the door striker can be relatively expensive to manufacture and costly to install.
What is needed in the art is a vehicle striker that is sturdy and lightweight, easy and economical to manufacture and simple to install.


The present invention relates to a particle-optical component comprising a first multi-aperture plate, and a second multi-aperture plate forming a gap between them; wherein a plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of a plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; and wherein the gap has a first width at a first location and a second width at a second location and wherein the second width is by at least 5% greater than the first width. In addition, the present invention pertains to charged particle systems and arrangements comprising such components and methods of manufacturing multi aperture plates having a curved surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to particle-optical components for manipulating a plurality of beamlets and particle-optical arrangements and electron-beam inspection systems comprising such particle-optical components. Further, the invention relates to a method of manipulating charged particle beamlets, a method of focusing a plurality of charged particle beamlets and methods for manufacturing multi-aperture plates suitable for use in the particle-optical components. In addition, the invention pertains to a charged-particle multi-beamlet lithography system and a method of writing a pattern on a substrate.
The invention may be applied to charged particles of any type, such as electrons, positrons, muons, ions (charged atoms or molecules) and others.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
The increasing demand for ever smaller and more complex microstructured devices and the continuing demand for an increase of a throughput in the manufacturing and inspection processes thereof have been an incentive for the development of electron microscopy systems that use a plurality of primary electron beamlets in place of a single electron beam, thus significantly improving the throughput of such systems. However, the use of multiple beamlets brings about a whole range of new challenges to the design of electron-optical components, arrangements and inspection and processing systems such as microscopes and lithography systems. A particle-optical arrangement for forming a plurality of charged-particle beamlets wherein the beamlets are arranged in an array pattern is described in WO 2005/024881 A2 (U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/500,256) to the same Assignee.
In general, such particle-optical arrangements and inspection and lithography systems comprising same use a plurality of charged particle beamlets focused on a specimen to be inspected. In case of an embodiment of an inspection system using electrons as charged particles, for example, an electron source provides a single beam of primary electrons (or, alternatively, multiple beamlets from an array of particle sources), which is incident on a multi-aperture plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein for generating a plurality of beamlets from those electrons of the single beam of electrons that pass through the apertures of the multi-aperture plate. The plurality of electron beamlets is focused on the substrate generally by means of a focussing particle-optical lens downstream of the multi-aperture plate. An array of primary electron spots is thus formed on the substrate. Secondary electrons emitted as a result of impinging primary electrons follow a secondary electron beam path to a respective one of a plurality of detector pixels of a CCD electron detector, with a beam path of beamlets of the primary electrons and the beam path of the beamlets of secondary electrons being separated by means of beam separator, such as a Wien-type filter. This arrangement allows to use a single electron-optical column. Such a system is described in detail in WO 2005/024881 A2 to the same Assignee, as mentioned before.
Using such an array or pattern of beamlets of primary electrons requires the electron optical system to provide those beamlets in a reliable and accurate manner such that the beamlets show little, if any, variation in intensity, deviation from a predetermined position within the array, variation in optical properties, such as aberrations and the like. The quality of the array of beamlets and, correspondingly, the quality of the array of primary electron spots generated in an image plane will be dependent on both the properties of the multi-aperture plate used and the characteristics of other components or elements in the electron-optical arrangement. Components upstream of the multi-aperture plates will influence, amongst others, a quality of the single electron beam which will also have an impact on the beamlets generated therefrom. Components downstream of the multi-aperture plate will, amongst others, influence on how well the array of beamlets may be transferred onto the specimen to form primary electron spots. What has been described above for systems using electrons as charged particles is equally applicable to other kinds of charged particles.
Given the requirement to provide a precisely defined array of beamlets of charged particles in order to achieve a satisfactory performance of the entire system, there is a constant need to improve on a performance of such a particle-optical system.
In U.S. provisional application US 60/500,256 to the same Assignee as cited above, multi-aperture plates of different configurations are disclosed. In one aspect, multi-aperture plates having apertures that vary in size or shape depending on their position on the plate or having the apertures displaced from a respective position in a strictly regular pattern are disclosed. Those changes to aperture size/shape and position allow to correct imaging errors such as a distortion. In addition, a multi-aperture plate having a resistor-network disposed thereon is described, the resistor network being configured such that a voltage applied to the multi-aperture plate results in groups of apertures having a different potential. Since the potential applied to an aperture is related to a focusing effect provided by said aperture, the apertures can be configured to have different focussing effects such that a field curvature of the particle-optical system can be corrected.
Although good results can be achieved with the above-described multi-aperture plates, the above described approaches to correct imaging errors of the particle-optical system require multi-aperture plates having apertures that vary in at least one of shape and size and pattern, or having a resistor network, which is often associated with an increase of a complexity of the manufacturing process. In addition, the capacity for correction of imaging errors can typically not be dynamically adjusted in any suitable manner when an imaging error of a particle-optical system changes or the component would need transferring to a different system having different properties. For example, a field curvature introduced by the imaging optics may dynamically change with a change of a total beam current transmitted by the optical system due to space charge effects.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide particle-optical components and arrangements for manipulating beams and beamlets of charged particles that enhance an overall performance of a particle-optical system comprising said particle-optical component/arrangement.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide particle-optical components and arrangements for manipulating beams or beamlets that are configured to correct at least one imaging error of a system comprising said particle-optical component/arrangement. Preferably, the one or more imaging errors comprise in particular one or more aberrations, that are field-dependent, i.e. dependent on a position within a respective field. Examples of imaging errors are a field curvature and any other geometrical aberration, such as coma.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a particle-optical component and arrangement that is configured to correct an imaging error of the particle-optical system it is comprised in with a higher degree of flexibility.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a particle-optical component and arrangement configured to correct an imaging error of the particle-optical system it is comprised in, wherein the extent of the correction provided may be adjusted.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide charged particle inspection and lithography systems comprising particle-optical components and arrangements that meet any of the above objects. It is also an object to provide an improved method of writing a pattern on a substrate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a particle-optical component capable of providing a correction for a particle-optical aberration that is suitable for use in both electrostatic and magnetic environments.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of manipulating charged particle beamlets and a method of focussing charged particle beamlets which are suited to provide particle-optical aberration correction.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of operating a particle-optical system and a method of manufacturing a multi-aperture plate suitable for use in the particle-optical component according to the present invention.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide particle-optical components that allow adjusting a numerical aperture of charged particle beamlets. It is another object of the present invention to provide a particle-optical component that enables testing of a position or other properties of a multi aperture plate and/or optical properties of other optical components of a particle-optical system.

Charged particle-optical systems, methods and components


A method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device is discussed. The method in one example includes: sequentially forming a first metal film and a second metal film on a substrate and performing a mask procedure for the first and second metal films, to form a gate electrode, a first storage electrode and a pad in a thin film transistor region, a storage capacitor region and a pad region; forming a gate insulation film on the substrate provided with the gate electrode; forming a third storage electrode which overlaps the second storage electrode with a passivation film therebetween and is connected to the drain electrode; forming red, green and blue color filters in respective pixel regions of the substrate; and forming an organic light emitting diode on the substrate provided with the color filter.

Field of the Disclosure
The present application relates to an organic light emitting display device. More particularly, the present application relates to an organic light emitting display device adapted to enhance reliability of elements and reduce the number of mask procedures, and to a method of manufacturing the same.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, flat panel display devices are being developed for replacing cathode ray tube devices (CRTs), which are heavy and have large volume. The flat panel display devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices and organic light emitting display (OLED) devices.
OLED devices are self-luminous and do not need an additional light source, unlike LCD devices. As such, OLED devices are thinner, have lighter weight and superior color reproduction ranges when compared to LCD devices. In accordance therewith, the OLED device is being spotlighted as a next generation display device.
OLED devices are generally classified into a passive type and an active type.
The active type of OLED device includes thin film transistors opposite to pixels. As such, the active type OLED device has advantages of lower power consumption and superior definition compared to the passive type OLED device. Therefore, the active type OLED device is mainly used to implement a large-sized image display device.
A display panel of an ordinary OLED device includes sub-pixels arranged in a matrix shape. The sub-pixels can include red, green and blue sub-pixels. Alternatively, the sub-pixels can each include a white sub-pixel and a color conversion layer configured to convert white light of the white sub-pixel into one of red, green and blue lights. Also, the sub-pixels can be of the active type or the passive type. For example, the active type sub-pixel includes a switching transistor configured to transfer a data signal in response to a scan signal, a storage capacitor used to store a data voltage corresponding to the data signal, a driving transistor configured to generate a driving current corresponding to the data voltage, and an organic light emitting diode configured to emit light corresponding to the driving current. Thus, the active type OLED sub-pixel can be formed in a 2T1C (two transistors and one capacitor) structure including the switching transistor, the driving transistor, the capacitor and the organic light emitting diode. Alternatively, the active type sub-pixel can be formed in one of 3T1C, 4T2C and 5T2C structures and so on. Also, the sub-pixel can be formed in one of a top emission mode, a bottom emission mode and a dual emission mode based on a cross-sectional structure.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an etch stopper and a contact hole formed through the same mask procedure in a related art method of manufacturing of an OLED device;
Referring to FIG. 1, a switching transistor or a driving transistor is formed in a thin film transistor structure. Although they are not shown in the drawing, storage electrodes, a pixel electrode and pads are simultaneously formed when the thin film transistor is formed.
The procedure of forming an etch stopper 15 included in the thin film transistor will now be described.
A metal film is formed on a substrate of a transparent insulation material. A gate electrode 11 is formed by performing a mask procedure for the metal film. Also, a gate insulation film 12 is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 10 provided with the gate electrode 11.
Thereafter, a channel layer 14 corresponding to a semiconductor layer is formed on the gate insulation film opposite to the gate electrode 11, and an etch stopper 15 is formed on the channel layer 14. The etch stopper is used to protect the channel layer 14. Also, a contact hole Ck exposing a part of the gate electrode 11 is formed in the gate insulation film 12. In general, the etch stopper 15 and the contact hole Ck are formed through different mask procedures. However, in order to reduce the number of mask procedures, the related art manufacturing method for an OLED device enables the etch stopper 15 and the contact hole Ck to be simultaneously formed.
Also, it is necessary to perform a heat treatment process for the etch stopper 15. The heat treatment process can be performed for the etch stopper which is formed by depositing an insulation layer for the etch stopper 15 and patterning the insulation layer through the mask procedure. Alternatively, the heat treatment process can be performed for an insulation layer deposited for the etch stopper before the insulation layer is patterned into the etch stopper 15 through the mask procedure.
However, it is preferable to perform the heat treatment process for the etch stopper 15 which is completed through the mask procedure. In this instance, the element can obtain superior reliability as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
In view of this point, the related art manufacturing method of the OLED device allows the heat treatment process to be performed for the completed etch stopper 15 as shown in FIG. 1B. However, a part of the gate electrode 11 exposed the contact hole Ck can be damaged due to the heat treatment process.
In other words, the etch stopper 15 is completed through an etching process and the heat treatment process. A part of the gate electrode 11 is externally exposed through the gate contact hole Ck. Due to this, the gate electrode 11 might be damaged during the etching process and the heat treatment process.
Although only the gate electrode 11 shown in the drawing is described, a storage electrode and gate and data pads are formed on the substrate 10 in the same layer as the gate electrode, such that they are partially exposed through respective contact holes. As such, the storage electrode and the gate and data pads can be damaged during the formation procedure of the etch stopper 15.
These damages result in reliability deterioration of the elements and quality deterioration of images.

Organic light emitting display device and manufacturing method thereof


A noise attenuation system for use with sound receiving devices, including first and second relatively small optical microphone devices having at least one sound responsive membrane operative to produce an output signal in accordance with sound waves picked up by the optical microphone devices, at least one pair of light guides affixed to the first or second optical microphone devices, the pair of light guides each having an input end portion and an output end portion, the input end portion of a first light guide is connectable to a source of light and the output end portion of the second light guide is connectable to a light intensity detecting means. Each of the output portion of the first light guide and input end portion of the second light guide has an axis and a rim and is oriented with respect to each other to include an angle between the axes, and each of the light guide rims is cut at an angle with respect to the axis of its light guide. In operation, the intensity of light reflected by the membrane and detected by the light intensity measuring means, represents the difference in sound intensities picked up by the first and second optical microphone devices.

The present invention relates to a system for attenuation of noise for use with sound receiving devices. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a system for attenuating acoustic background sounds in devices employing a microphone for receiving and utilizing sound waves applied thereto.
As experienced by many, background sounds, which will be referred to hereinafter as "noise", in accordance with the commonly acceptable definition thereof, which is "undesired sound", are very disturbing when, for example, conducting a telephone conversation from outdoor telephone booths or when using a microphone to broadcast information from outside premises, such as sports fields or arenas, and other like locations.
There are known in the art several techniques for noise suppression. The first one utilizes a special construction of a microphone providing different sensitivities to sound waves, reaching the microphone from different directions. Such microphones, known as directional microphones, suffer, however, from the obvious disadvantage of not being able to provide a satisfactory solution to sound received from directions other than the two preset, very distinct directions.
Another known noise cancelling technique utilizes electronic generation of "anti-noise" signals precisely out of phase with the incoming noise signals. This technique involves digital processing of sound signals and the irradiation of noise signals into space, out of phase with the phase of the incoming noise signals, so as to cancel out only the incoming noise signals.
A more common noise cancellation technique employs several individual microphones disposed in spaced-apart relationship producing output signals corrresponding to the sound picked up thereby, which signals are then processed and delayed in different ways to obtain an improved signal to noise ratio. This technique is also quite involved and necessitates special equipment.


A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type with a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and a thin film field effect transistor with a control gate containing a refractory metal silicide formed on the semiconductor substrate over the first insulating layer. A second insulating layer covers the control gate electrode. A semiconductor film is formed on the semiconductor substrate over the first and second insulating layers and having a first region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. A second region of the first conductivity type is formed in contact with a first end of the first region. A third region of the first conductivity type is formed in contact with a second end of the first region. The control gate electrode and a part of the first region are overlapped with each other over the second insulating layer. The second end of the first region is apart from the second side surface of the control gate electrode by a distance more than a thickness of a part of the second insulating layer covering a side surface of the control gate electrode and overlaps with the control gate electrode, wherein the second and third regions serve as a source and a drain of the thin film field effect transistor, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to a static random access memory semiconductor devices.
2. Description of Related Art
In VLSI semiconductor circuits memories are formed of semiconductor devices, which store data by means of electric charges. Different types of such memories include Static Random Access Memories (SRAM's), Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAM's), Read Only Memories (ROMs), etc. These semiconductor memory devices can be packed in very large numbers of memory cells with a large storage capacity in a space with very low volume and can be manufactured at a low cost. Among these memories, the static type semiconductor memory has been widely used as a random access memory (RAM), because it can retain stored data without periodically being refreshed during operation.
The static random access memory (SRAM) can be implemented by a large number of bistable flip-flop circuits each of which stores one bit of information. The CMOS flip-flop circuit is composed of a pair of N-channel MOS field effect transistors and a pair of P-channel MOS Field effect transistors used as a memory cell because of the very low power consumption of the CMOS flip-flop circuit. However, the CMOS flip-flop circuit generally requires a relatively large surface area on a semiconductor substrate, so in the past, there has been a limitation to the capacity of an SRAM by employing the CMOS flip-flop.
Several years ago, a design was adopted in which the cell includes a partial substitution of thin film transistors (TFTs) for the buried FET devices of a pair of P-channel MOS transistors of the CMOS flip-flop circuit in a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) structure. According to the TFT or SOI technique, the N channel MOS transistors are formed at a surface of a semiconductor substrate and the P-channel MOS transistors have been fabricated by a polycrystalline silicon layer or a monocrystalline silicon layer which is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate over an insulating layer. According to this technique, the P-channel transistors can overlap a part of the N-channel MOS transistors, and therefore the space required by each cell of an SRAM is reduced.
A problem with the above approach is that typical polysilicon TFTs suffer from a high negative threshold voltage.

Thin film transistor with titanium nitride or refractory metal gate in SRAM device serving as source/drain contact electrode of an independent FET

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.


A phase control switch apparatus incorporating a phase-based break/make controller (80A, 80B, 80C) for protecting a reactive load such as a transformer (10) from transient surge phenomena taking place upon power-supply breaking/making operation. The phase control switch apparatus includes a reference phase detecting unit (82) for predicting phases of the phase-voltage and phases-current waveforms upon closing and opening of the breaker contacts, a residual magnetic flux detecting unit (83) for predicting residual fluxes in each phase of the transformer (10) on the basis of time points at which the breaker contacts of the individual phases were opened in the preceding breaking operation and polarities of the phase-currents immediately before the breakage, an operation control unit (81) for predicting optimal closing time points for the individual phases at which the transient surge can be suppressed to a minimum on the basis of the predicted residual fluxes

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phase control switch apparatus for controlling open/close (break/make) timings of a breaker connected to the power transmission system to thereby protect reactive loads or reactor components such as transformers, shunt reactors, capacitor banks (CB) and the like connected to the electric power system against an exciting rush current, a transient surge current or the like which takes place upon opening/closing of the breaker and which exerts adverse influences to the reactive load. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a switchgear apparatus equipped with a phase-based break/make controller designed for suppressing the transient currents mentioned above to a possible minimum by controlling optimally the timings at which the breaker is to be closed.
2. Description of Related Art
Switchgear such as the breaker is generally equipped with a break/make timing control apparatus for the purpose of suppressing the exciting rush current, transient surge voltage or the like which occurs upon closing of the breaker by controlling the closing time point or timing of the breaker by taking into account the arcing time and like influential factors.
For having better understanding of the present invention, description will first be made in some detail of the conventional phase control switch apparatus (break/make timing control apparatus) known heretofore. FIG. 24 of the accompanying drawings shows a structure of a hitherto known break/make control apparatus for a breaker typifying the switchgear together with the standard waveforms of R-, S- and T-phase supply voltages in breaker contact closing operation as well as operation timings of the breaker. Parenthetically, this apparatus is disclosed in Japanese. Patent Application Laid-Open No. 156820/1991 (JP-A-3-156820).
Referring to FIG. 24, reference numeral 10 denotes generally a transformer connected or wired in a Y-connection with a neutral point being connected to the ground potential, and numeral 50 denotes generally a breaker having arc-extinction chambers 52a, 52b and 52c within which contacts are disposed. For making it possible to perform open/close (break/make) operations for these contacts independently of one another, the contacts are equipped with respective actuator devices 54a, 54b and 54c. Further, in FIG. 24, reference characters 72a, 72b and 72c denote voltage measuring devices designed for measuring R-, S- and T-phase supply voltages, respectively, and numeral 80 denotes generally a phase-based break/make controller provided for the breaker 50. The phase-based break/make controller 80 is comprised of a reference phase detecting unit 82 and an arithmetic processing/operation control unit 81.
Description will now turn to operation of the breaker and the phase control switch apparatus.
The R-, S- and T-phase supply voltages are measured by the voltage measuring devices 72a, 72b and 72c, respectively, the output signals thereof being transmitted to a reference phase detecting unit 82 incorporated in the phase-based break/make controller 80. The reference phase detecting unit 82 is designed for detecting the zero-point cycles of the R-, S- and T-phase supply voltages, respectively, to thereby determine the voltage-zero point which is to serve as the standard or reference time point Tstandard.
Upon reception of make (close) command for closing the breaker 50, the arithmetic processing/operation control unit 81 constituting a part of the phase-based break/make controller 80 determines arithmetically a closing or making operation time tclose and a pre-arcing time tprearc as predicted from the ambient temperature of the actuator devices, operating forces thereof and voltage measurement data, whereon the predicted closing operation time tclose is subtracted from a time period intervening between the preset R-, S- and T-phase closing (making) target time point Ttarget (e.g. electrical angle of 90xc2x0 for voltage peak) and the reference time point Tstandard while adding the pre-arcing time tprearc, to thereby determine an operation synchronizing time period tcont.
Upon lapse of the operation synchronizing time period tcont from the reference time point Tstandard, the arithmetic processing/operation control unit 81 of the phase-based break/make controller 80 supplies the close or make signals to the individual actuator devices 54a, 54b and 54c, respectively, to thereby control the closing or making operations for the contacts disposed within the arc-extinction chambers 52a, 52b and 52c independently of one another so that these contacts can be closed independently each at a predetermined electrical angle which allows the switching surge phenomenon or event (i.e., surge current occurring upon closing) to be suppressed to a minimum.
Such closing or making operation of the breaker 50 performed at the voltage peak through the control procedure or sequence described above is adopted in many practical applications for closing various load apparatuses and equipment such as exemplified by transformers or shunt reactors in the state in which substantially no residual magnetic flux exists and which is thus favorable to suppression or avoidance of the switching surge event as well as for closing capacitor banks and transmission lines in the no-load state in which the switching surge phenomenon or event can be suppressed by closing the breaker 50 at the voltage-zero point.
As is apparent from the above, the closing control for transformers, shunt reactors or the like has conventionally been performed in the state where substantially no residual magnetic flux exists, allowing thus the switching surge taking place transiently upon contact closing to be suppressed by closing the breaker 50 at a voltage peak point. In reality, however, in case the residual magnetic flux is present in the core of the transformer or shunt reactor, great difficulty is encountered in operating the breaker 50 at the closing time point which is optimal for suppressing the switching surge event, giving rise to a problem.
In the light of the state of the art described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a phase control switch apparatus which is capable of suppressing transient switching surge phenomena by operating or actuating the breaker at an optimum making or closing time point determined on the basis of the residual magnetic flux predicted for each phase of the transformer, the shunt reactor or the like reactive load notwithstanding of existence of the magnetic flux in the core thereof. Parenthetically, it should be pointed out that such making or closing control of the breaker which can suppress the transient surge and the like phenomena is generally considered to be difficult in the case where the residual magnetic fluxes exist in the core of the transformer, the shunt reactor or the like reactive load.
In view of the above and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, there is provided according to an aspect of the present invention a phase control switch apparatus which includes a breaker connected to a reactive load connected to a three-phase electric power system in A-connection or alternatively in Y-connection with a neutral point being connected directly to the ground or alternatively not connected to the ground, the breaker being designed to break a fault current and a load current flowing through the reactive load or make the reactive load closed to the three-phase electric power system for excitation thereof, a voltage measuring means for measuring phase voltages on a phase-by-phase basis, a current measuring means for measuring inter-contact currents at an output side of the breaker, an actuating means for effectuating open/close operations of contacts of the breaker independently on a phase-by-phase basis, a temperature measuring means disposed in the vicinity of the actuating means, a reference phase detecting means for detecting driving pressures and control voltages of the actuating means for the breaker on a phase-by-phase basis, the reference phase detecting means being so designed as to respond to a brake/make command issued to the breaker to thereby predict waveforms of phase voltages, respectively, upon closing of the breaker as well as phases and periodical zero points of waveforms of phase currents, respectively, upon opening of the breaker on the basis of voltage values and current values measured by the voltage measuring means and the current measuring means, respectively, a residual magnetic flux predicting means for storing breaking time points of the phase contacts of the breaker, respectively, and positive/negative polarities of individual phase currents immediately before breaking in a preceding breaking operation to thereby predict residual magnetic fluxes in the individual phases of the reactive load on the basis of the contents as stored, an optimal closing time point predicting means for predicting upon closing of individual phase contacts of the breaker an optimal closing electrical angle for each of the phases on the basis of the residual magnetic fluxes of the reactive load in the individual phases as predicted by the residual magnetic flux predicting means so that surges occurring upon closing of the breaker contacts can be suppressed each to a minimum, and a contact closing operation starting means for validating contact closing operations of the breaker so that the phase contacts of the breaker can be closed at the electrical angles, respectively, which are predicted and set by the optimal closing time point predicting means.
In a preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the residual magnetic flux predicting means may be so designed that on the precondition that the residual magnetic flux in a first phase broken firstly in the preceding break operation of the three-phase electric power system by the breaker is zero, when a second phase to be broken succeedingly is broken with a phase lag of 60xc2x0 (⅙ cycle) relative to the first broken phase and when the first phase current is of positive polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the second phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being negative, decision is then made such that the residual magnetic flux in the second broken phase is negative (e.g. residual magnetic flux of xe2x88x9290%), while when the third phase current to be broken finally is broken with a phase lag of 60xc2x0 (⅙ cycle) relative to the second phase current and when the second phase current is of negative polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the third phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being positive, decision is then made such that the residual magnetic flux in the third broken phase is positive (e.g. residual magnetic flux of 90%), whereas on the precondition that the residual magnetic flux in the first phase broken firstly in the preceding break operation of the three-phase electric power system by the breaker is zero, when the second phase current to be broken succeedingly is broken with a phase lag of 60xc2x0 (⅙ cycle) relative to the first phase current and when the first phase current is of negative polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the second phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being positive, then decision is made such that the residual magnetic flux in the second broken phase is positive (e.g. residual magnetic flux of 90%), while when the third phase current to be broken finally is broken with a phase lag of 60xc2x0 (⅙ cycle) relative to the second phase current and when the second phase current is of positive polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the third phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being negative, decision is then made such that the residual magnetic flux in the third broken phase is negative (e.g. residual magnetic flux of xe2x88x9290%).
In another preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the residual magnetic flux predicting means may be so designed that on the precondition that the residual magnetic flux in the first phase broken firstly in the preceding break operation of the three-phase electric power system is zero, when the second phase to be broken succeedingly is broken with a phase lag of 120xc2x0 (⅓ cycle) relative to the first phase and when the first phase current is of positive polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the second phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being positive, decision is then made such that the residual magnetic flux in the second broken phase is negative (e.g. residual magnetic flux of xe2x88x9290%), while when the third phase current to be broken finally is broken with a phase lag of 120xc2x0 (⅓ cycle) relative to the second phase current and when the second phase current is of positive polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the third phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being positive, decision is then made such that the residual magnetic flux in the third broken phase is positive (e.g. residual magnetic flux is 90%), whereas on the precondition that the residual magnetic flux in the first phase broken firstly in the preceding break operation is zero, when the second phase current to be broken succeedingly is broken with a phase lag of 120xc2x0 (⅓ cycle) relative to the first phase current and when the first phase current is of negative polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the second phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being negative, decision is then made such that the polarity of the residual magnetic flux in the second broken phase is positive (e.g. residual magnetic flux is 90%), while when the third phase current to be broken finally is broken with a phase lag of 120xc2x0 (⅓ cycle) relative to the second phase current and when the second phase current is of negative polarity immediately before the breakage thereof with the polarity of the third phase current immediately before the breakage thereof being negative, decision is then made such that the residual magnetic flux in the third broken phase is negative (e.g. residual magnetic flux of xe2x88x9290%).
In yet another preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the residual magnetic flux predicting means may be so designed as to be previously inputted with absolute values of residual magnetic fluxes of positive and negative polarities, respectively.
In still another preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the residual magnetic flux predicting means may be so designed that the absolute values of the residual magnetic fluxes of the positive and negative polarities are set each at a value within a range of 80% to 90% and that when a value of a rush current occurring upon closing operation of the breaker is greater than an expected value, the preset values of the residual fluxes of the positive and negative polarities are increased or decreased so that the rush current can approximate the expected value.
In a further preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the optimal closing time point predicting means may be so designed that on the basis of such results of prediction performed by the residual magnetic flux predicting means for each phase of the reactive load that the residual magnetic fluxes in the phases are zero, negative and positive, respectively, the optimal closing time point predicting means predicts contact closing time points (electrical angles) for the phases such that surges occurring upon closing of the phases can be suppressed to a minimum by setting the closing time points for the first and second phases to be closed, respectively, in terms of corresponding electrical angles on the basis of the respective residual magnetic fluxes, while setting the closing time point for the third phase to be closed at a same time point as the closing time points of the first and second phases or alternatively at a later time point.
In a yet further preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the optimal closing time point predicting means may be so designed that on the basis of such results of prediction performed by the residual magnetic flux predicting means for each phase of the reactive load connected in Y-connection with a neutral point connected directly to the ground that the residual magnetic flux of the first broken phase is zero, the residual magnetic flux of the second broken phase is negative and the residual magnetic flux of the third broken phase is positive, the optimal closing time point predicting means predicts contact closing time points (electrical angles) for the phases, respectively, such that surges occurring upon closing for the phases can be suppressed to a minimum by setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is zero (first broken phase) as the first phase to be closed, while setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is positive as the second phase to be closed and setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is negative as the third phase to be closed, wherein the closing time point for the first phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is zero is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 90 degrees (voltage peak) or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 60 to 120 degrees (voltage peak), while the closing time point for the second phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is positive is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 75 degrees or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 60 to 90 degrees, and wherein the closing time point for the third phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is negative is set at a same time point as the closing time point of the second phase or alternatively at a later time point.
In a still further preferred mode for carrying out the invention, the optimal closing time point predicting means should preferably be so designed that on the basis of such results of prediction performed by the residual magnetic flux predicting means for each phase of the reactive load connected in Y-connection with a neutral point connected directly to the ground that the residual magnetic flux of the first broken phase is zero, the residual magnetic flux of the second broken phase is negative and the residual magnetic flux of the third broken phase is positive, the optimal closing time point predicting means predicts contact closing time points (electrical angles) for the phases, respectively, such that surges occurring upon closing of the phases can be suppressed to a minimum by setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is zero (first broken phase) as the first phase to be closed, while setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is negative as the second phase to be closed and setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is positive as the third phase to be closed, wherein the closing time point for the first phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is zero is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 90 degrees (voltage peak) or alternatively in the vicinity of an electrical angle within a range of 60 to 120 degrees (voltage peak), while the closing time point for the second phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is negative is set at an electrical angle of 315 degrees or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 300 to 330 degrees, and wherein the closing time point for the third phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is positive is set at a same time point as the closing time point of the second phase or alternatively at a later time point.
In another mode for carrying out the invention, the optimal closing time point predicting means should preferably be so designed that on the basis of such results of prediction performed by the residual magnetic flux predicting means for each phase of the reactive load connected in Y-connection with a neutral point connected directly to the ground that the residual magnetic flux of the first broken phase is zero, the residual magnetic flux of the second broken phase is positive and the residual magnetic flux of the third broken phase is negative, the optimal closing time point predicting means predicts contact closing time points (electrical angles) for the phases, respectively, such that surges occurring upon closing of the phases can be suppressed to a minimum by setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is zero as the first phase to be closed, while setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is positive as the second phase to be closed and setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is negative as the third phase to be closed, wherein the closing time point for the first phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is zero is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 90 degrees (voltage peak) or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 60 to 120 degrees, while the closing time point for the second phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is positive is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 280 degrees or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 260 to 300 degrees, and wherein the closing time point for the third phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is negative is set at a same time point as the closing time point of the second phase or alternatively at a later time point.
In yet another mode for carrying out the invention, the optimal closing time point predicting means should preferably be so designed that on the basis of such results of prediction performed by the residual magnetic flux predicting means for each phase of the reactive load connected in Y-connection with a neutral point connected directly to the ground that the residual magnetic flux of the first broken phase is zero, the residual magnetic flux of the second broken phase is positive and the residual magnetic flux of the third broken phase is negative, the optimal closing time point predicting means predicts contact closing time points (electrical angles) for the phases, respectively, such that surges occurring upon closing of the phases can be suppressed to a minimum by setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is zero as the first phase to be closed, while setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is negative as the second phase to be closed and setting the phase for which the residual magnetic flux is positive as the third phase to be closed, wherein the closing time point for the first phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is zero is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 90 degrees (voltage peak) or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 60 to 120 degrees (voltage peak), while the closing time point for the second phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is negative is set in the vicinity of an electrical angle of 40 degrees or alternatively at an electrical angle within a range of 20 to 60 degrees, and wherein the closing time point for the third phase to be closed for which the residual magnetic flux is positive is set at a same time point as the closing time point of the second phase or alternatively at a later time point.
By virtue of the arrangements of the phase control switch apparatus described above, the contacts of the breaker 50 can be closed at the optimal timings by taking into account the residual magnetic fluxes in the individual phases determined on the basis of the predicted residual fluxes in the transformer 10, the shunt reactor or the like reactive load, whereby the transient surge or the like phenomena taking place upon breaker contact closing operation can be suppressed to a minimum advantageously.
The above and other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will more easily be understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken, only by way of example, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A wireless access architecture, having redistributed wireless access functions, comprises a plurality of cell sites connected to a main switching point. The cell sites communicate with cellular users within their respective cell site areas and comprise a communication segment for exchanging communication signals with the cellular users. The main switching point controls the communication with the cellular users and the communication segment and includes a processing segment for processing the communication signals from the cell sites. The processing segment includes a segment for modulating and demodulating the communication signals, and a segment for bit stream processing the communication signals.

The present invention is directed to a wireless access architecture that redistributes a portion of the access function components traditionally located at the cell sites.
Wireless access technology is becoming the major driver for new Personal Communication Services (PCS), including new services and low cost fixed access services for developing telecommunication networks. The most expensive component of today's wireless network relates to network access, where almost 80% of the investment is made. Very complex and operation extensive equipment is located at the cell site. The cell site is the area having the receiving and transmitting antennas and the base station equipment. Cell site operations typically require expensive operation and maintenance activities.
Proper handling of mass calling traffic situations for PCS services, such as those typically occurring during or after a concert or sporting event requires increased cell site equipment. This increased equipment is under-utilized at times other than mass calling traffic situations. Thus, there is a need for new architectures for wireless access systems that can reduce the overall cost of network ownership while being capable of handling mass traffic situations by taking advantage of recent advancements in technology.
Traditionally, the post-detection functions of digital radio, such as channel coding and speech coding, used Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology. The continuous advancement of DSP technology and the integration of parallel computing make it possible to develop a DSP with very high computing power. Recently, DSP technology has been used in detection, equalization, demodulation, frequency synthesis and channel filtering. Other technological advancements include the development of wideband analog-to-digital (A/D) converters with a large dynamic range. The development of these two technologies have fostered a new technology called "software radio."

Wireless architecture having redistributed access functions


A color image sensor is disclosed. In one aspect, the color image sensor includes: a photo-sensitive cell having a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a chalcogenide material located between the lower electrode and the upper electrode; and an image sensing circuit for measuring the wavelength or intensity of incident light based on an electric characteristic value generated from the photo-sensitive cell.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a color image sensor, and more particularly, to a color image sensor free from a color filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1a, a color image sensor widely used in the art has a combination of a photo-sensitive cell array and a color filter array. The color filter array filters light of a specific color (wavelength) in an optical way, and the filtered light is sent to a photo-sensitive cell to measure a photoelectric transformation voltage or photoelectric transformation current according to the intensity of the light so as to determine the color and intensity of the light incident to a pixel. However, in this method, a color filter is required since the response of the photo-sensitive cell is not sensitive to the color of light, and for this reason, the production cost is high. In addition, since the color filter array has a horizontal arrangement, the minimum size of the pixel should be greater than a certain level, resulting in a bad resolving power of an image.
To solve this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 7,233,036 B1 and ┌Yves Audet, et al., "A CMOS Process Compatible Color Sensor using Wavelength Dependent Absorption Depth", IEEE, 2008, pp. 327˜330┘ have proposed a configuration where a triple PN junction photoelectric transformation element is disposed according to the depth as shown in FIG. 1b. In this technique, by using the difference in skin depths according to the wavelength, electric signals generated from photoelectric transformation elements are detected to determine the wavelength of incident light, namely the color and intensity of light. However, since this technique needs complicated photo-lithography and ion implantation processes to form the triple PN junction, and therefore the production cost is high.

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


An integrated circuit includes a substrate and at least one chip. Each chip is disposed over the substrate or the other chip. Solder bumps are disposed between the substrate and the at least one chip. An insulating film is disposed around the solder bumps and provides electrical insulation for the solder bumps except areas for interconnections. A thermally conductive underfill is disposed between the substrate, the at least one chip, and the solder bumps.

For flip-chip bonding or 3D chip stacking, underfill material is used to fill up the gap between chips and/or a chip and a substrate/printed circuit board (PCB). However, some flip-chips or 3D chips suffer degradation or damage from high temperature due to accumulated heat arising from poor thermal conductivity through the underfill material that hinders cooling of the chips.

Integrated circuit with a thermally conductive underfill and methods of forming same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement. The apparatus may also include a cannula to facilitate introduction of the thermal probe into the intervertebral disc. The cannula includes an arcuate end portion dimensioned to arrange the guidable region of the thermal probe at a desired orientation within the annulus fibrosis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to advances in medical systems and procedures for prolonging and improving human life. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for thermally treating the intervertebral disc to relieve pain associated with abnormalities of the disc due to pathology of the disc or interruption of the various neural processes in and around the disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of radiofrequency electrodes for ablation of tissue in the body or for the treatment of pain is known. In a typical application, a radiofrequency probe or a resistive heating probe may be constructed in an elongated, cylindrical configuration and inserted into the body to a target tissue which is to be treated or ablated. In the case of a radiofrequency probe, there may be an exposed conductive tip portion and an insulated portion of the probe. When connected to an external source of radiofrequency power, heating of tissue occurs near the exposed conductive portion of the probe, whereby therapeutic changes in the target tissue near the conductive tip are created by the elevation of temperature of the tissue. Thermal probes can also be made by resistive heating of a portion of the probe so as to heat surrounding tissue by thermal conduction. By reference, the products of Radionics, Inc., located in Burlington, Mass., include commercially available radiofrequency generators and electrode systems of varied configurations. A paper by Cosman, et al, entitled "Theoretical Aspects of Radiofrequency Lesions in the Dorsal Root Entry Zone", Neurosurgery, December 1984, Vol. 15, No. 6, pp. 945-950, describes aspects of tissue heating using radiofrequency electrodes and probes.
The use of thermal therapy in and around the spinal column is also known. Heating of an intervertebral disc to relieve pain is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,739 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Heating an Intervertebral Disc for Relief of Back Pain" and in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,147 entitled "Thermal Dennervation of an Intervertebral Disc for Relief of Back Pain", the contents of each patent being incorporated herein by reference. In these patents, electrodes are described for either radiofrequency or resistive thermal heating of all or a portion of the intervertebral disc. Straight, curved, and flexible-tipped electrodes are described for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,570 to Sharkey/Oratec Interventions discloses an intervertebral disc apparatus for treatment of the disc. The apparatus includes a catheter having a self-navigating intradiscal section in the form of a conventional helical coil. In use, the intradiscal section is advanced through the nucleus pulposus and is manipulated to navigate within the nucleus along the inner wall of the annulus fibrosis. An energy delivering member incorporated into the apparatus adjacent the intradiscal section supplies energy to treat the disc area.
The apparatus disclosed in Sharkey '570 is subject to several disadvantages which detract from its usefulness in relieving pain associated with an intervertebral disc. For example, navigation of the helical coil of the catheter within the nucleus pulposus requires the support structure to wrap around in an approximately circular fashion from the anterior portion to the posterior portion of the intervertebral disc. This serpentinus path of the support structure is difficult for the surgeon to effectuate. Moreover, the configuration of the helical support structure increases the risk of probe kinking and is deficient in consistently facilitating the prescribed movement within the disc.
It is desirable to treat the posterior or posterior/lateral portion of the intervertebral disc for the indication of mechanical degeneration of the disc and discogenic back pain. Pain can be derived from degeneration or compression of the intervertebral disc in its posterior or posterior/lateral portions. There is some innervation of the intervertebral disc near the surface of the disc and also within its outer portion known as the annulus fibrosis. Mechanical damage such as fissures or cracks within the disc caused by age or mechanical trauma may result in disc innervation which is believed to be associated with painful symptoms.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a novel apparatus and method of use which provides for direct and confirmable placement of a thermal or electromagnetic field (EMF) treating element within the posterior/lateral and posterior portions of an intervertebral disc for thermal treatment. The apparatus includes a percutaneously introducable thermal application device having a novel configuration which provides excellent torque transmission and an increased flexure in a specific direction thereby facilitating the advancement of the thermal device within an intervertebral disc and preferably, for example, in the annulus fibrosus between layers of annular tissue.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for treatment of an intervertebral disc


Provided is a method, system, and program for configuring multiple resources in a system. A plurality of elements are provided that are capable of configuring resources in the system, wherein each element specifies configuration parameters to use to configure instances of the resource. Each resource is capable of being configured by multiple elements that provide a different configuration of the resource. Service information is maintained indicating at least one performance and availability attribute of the configuration of the resource by the element. At least one administrator specified performance and availability attribute for a configuration is received. A determination is made of at least one element for each resource having service information indicating at least one performance and availability attribute that satisfies the at least one administrator specified performance and availability attribute. A determination is further made of resource instances capable of being configured by the determined elements. The determined elements are then used to configure the selected resource instances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, system, and program for configuring system resources.
2. Description of the Related Art
A storage area network (SAN) comprises a network linking one or more servers to one or more storage systems. Each storage system could comprise a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) array, tape backup, tape library, CD-ROM library, or JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) components. Storage area networks (SAN) typically use the Fibre Channel protocol, which uses optical fibers to connect devices and provide high bandwidth communication between the devices. In Fibre Channel terms the one or more switches interconnecting the devices is called a "fabric". However, SANs may also be implemented in alternative protocols, such as InfiniBand**, IPStorage over Gigabit Ethernet, etc. **JIRO, JAVA, SUN, and SUN MICROSYSTEMS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. InfiniBand is a service mark of the InfiniBand Trade Association; MICROSOFT and .NET are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
In the current art, to add or modify the allocation of storage or other resources in a SAN, an administrator must separately utilize different software programs to configure the SAN resources to reflect the modification to the storage allocation. For instance to allow a host to alter the allocation of storage space in the SAN, the administrator would have to perform one or more of the following:                use a storage device configuration tool to resize a logical volume, such as a logical unit number (LUN), or change the logical volume configuration at the storage device, e.g., the RAID or JBOD, to provide more or less storage space to the host.        a switch configuration tool to alter the assignment of paths in the switch to the host, i.e., rezoning, to provide access to the newly reconfigured logical volume (LUN).        perform LUN masking, which involves altering the assignment of HBA interface ports to the reconfigured LUNs.        use a host volume manager configuration tool to alter the allocation of physical storage to logical volumes used by the host. For instance if the administrator adds storage, then the logical volume must be updated to reflect the added storage.        use a backup program manager to reflect the change in storage allocation so that the backup program will backup more or less data for the host.        use a snapshot copy configuration manager to update the host logical volumes that are subject to a snapshot copy, where a backup copy is made by copying the pointers in the logical volume.
Not only does the administrator have to invoke one or more of the above tools to implement the requested storage allocation change throughout the SAN, but the administrator may also have to perform these configuration operations repeatedly if the configuration of multiple distributed devices is involved. For instance, to add several gigabytes of storage to a host logical volume, the administrator may allocate storage space on different storage subsystems in the SAN, such as different RAID boxes. In such case, the administrator would have to separately invoke the configuration tool for each separate device involved in the new allocation. Further, when allocating more storage space to a host logical volume, the administrator may have to allocate additional storage paths through separate switches that lead to the one or more storage subsystems including the new allocated space. The complexity of the configuration operations the administrator must perform further increases as the number of managed components in a SAN increase. Moreover, the larger the SAN, the increased likelihood of hosts requesting storage space reallocations to reflect new storage allocation needs.
Additionally, many systems administrators are generalists and may not have the level of expertise to use a myriad of configuration tools to appropriately configure numerous different vendor resources. Still further, even if an administrator develops the skill and knowledge to optimally configure networks of components from different vendors, there is a concern for knowledge retention in the event the skilled administrator separates from the organization. Yet further, if administrators are not utilizing their configuration knowledge and skills, then their skill level at performing the configurations may decline.
All these factors, including the increasing complexity of storage networks, decreases the likelihood that the administrator may provide an optimal configuration.
The above described difficulties in configuring resources in a Fibre Channel SAN environment are also experienced in other storage environments including multiple storage devices, hosts, and switches, such as InfiniBand**, IPStorage over Gigabit Ethernet, etc. **JIRO, JAVA, SUN, and SUN MICROSYSTEMS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. InfiniBand is a service mark of the InfiniBand Trade Association; MICROSOFT and .NET are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
For all the above reasons, there is a need in the art for an improved technique for managing and configuring the allocation of resources in a large network, such as a SAN.

Method, system, and program for configuring system resources


A method and apparatus for collecting information from ports on a storage network and performing flow control is provided. The data collection method and apparatus includes, identifying a data type transported on the storage network, selecting a port-storage identifier to measure the data type transported across the storage network, monitoring the port-storage identifier on the storage network for the data type, and enumerating occurrences of the data type associated with the port-storage identifier while monitoring the port-storage identifier and the data type. The flow-control operation receives information on a data type passing through the storage network according to a port-storage identifier, compares a threshold with the data type passing through the storage network according to a port-storage identifier, determines when the threshold associated with the data type has been exceeded in consideration of the information received, queues in response to the determination the data type scheduled to pass through one or more ports and storage devices identified according to the port-storage identifier on the storage network.

Storage area networks or SANs facilitate sharing of storage devices with one or more different host server computer systems and applications. Fiber channel switches (FCS) connect host servers with storage devices creating a high speed switching fabric. Requests to access data pass over this switching fabric and onto the correct storage devices through logic built into the FCS devices. Host servers connected to the switching fabric can quickly and efficiently share blocks of data stored on the various storage devices connected to the switching fabric.
Storage devices can share their storage resources over the switching fabric using several different techniques. Port zoning shares the storage resources by limiting host server access to different port connections of the SAN. For example, port zoning can direct the higher frequency host servers to higher performance storage devices on the SAN while lower frequency host servers are given lower performance storage devices on the SAN. Storage resources can also be shared using storage controllers performing various types of storage virtualization. These virtualization controllers can make one or more physical disks appear as one or more logical units or LUNs. Some virtualization controllers are limited to virtualizing the same type of drive, drives from the same manufacturer, or drives with other common characteristics.
Unfortunately, accessing these shared storage devices can be difficult if one or more host servers use too much bandwidth over the switched fabric. Servers accessing their storage over the switched fabric more frequently may use a majority of the available bandwidth and leave little or no bandwidth resources for other host server devices. Even a host server given access to higher performance storage devices may experience poor performance because the bandwidth is in use by other host servers.
Current SAN and switching devices cannot adequately monitor and allocate bandwidth provided over the switched fabric. They do not carefully monitor bandwidth utilization over the switched fabric and thus cannot assure a host server or user that storage allocated on the SAN can be accessed consistently. This lack of control over the bandwidth allocation on the switched fabric makes it difficult to provide storage resources with a high degree of reliability.
Without bandwidth monitoring and allocation capabilities, it is also hard to charge for using bandwidth to access storage over the switched fabric. In a corporate setting, the information technology (IT) department cannot accurately charge-back for information technology costs on a departmental profit and loss basis. For example, a department with a small amount of SAN storage may access the storage more frequently and use a larger amount of bandwidth than other departments with larger amounts of storage that access the storage more infrequently. Similarly, Internet Service Providers (ISP) and other companies providing commercial storage resources cannot accurately charge their customers for storage costs. Essentially, this makes it difficult for commercial companies to pass along the proper costs to the customers using more bandwidth without penalizing those using less bandwidth over the switched fabric to access their storage resources.

Method and apparatus for network storage flow control


Apparatuses, circuits, and methods are disclosed for reducing or eliminating unintended operation resin ling from metastability in data synchronization. In one such example apparatus, a sampling circuit is configured to provide four samples of a data input signal. A first and a second of the four samples are associated with a first edge of a latching signal, and a third and a fourth of the four samples are associated with a second edge of the latching signal. A masking circuit is configured to selectively mask a signal corresponding to one of the four samples responsive to the four samples not sharing a common logic level. The masking circuit is also configured to provide a decision signal responsive to selectively masking or not masking the signal.

Metastability is a reliability concern where a plurality of different signals are provided to a circuit at the same or at nearly the same time, including where an asynchronous signal is to be synchronized with a latching signal (e.g., a clock signal). In a rising edge triggered flip-flop, for example, if an input signal transitions right before a rising clock edge and violates the setup time of the flip-flop, if the input signal transitions at the same time as the rising clock edge, or if the input signal transitions right after the rising clock edge and violates the hold time of the flip-flop, then the flip-flop may at least temporarily enter a metastable state. The metastable state may be that one or more nodes of the flip-flop are at an invalid logic level (e.g., somewhere between a logic high and a logic low). The invalid logic level may result from the one or more nodes not being fully charged or discharged when the flip-flop latches the input signal at the rising clock edge because, for example, the one or more nodes did not get fully pulled-up or fully pulled-down.
When a flip-flop, for example, enters a metastable state, the output of the flip-flop may be incorrect in that it does not correspond to the input signal provided to the flip-flop. The output may, for example, linger at an invalid logic level for an unacceptable period of time. Alternatively, or in addition to the output lingering at an invalid logic level, the output may not correctly correspond to the input signal because the output may transition too early or too late (i.e., have an incorrect phase). In some cases, the phase of the output will be correct, but the width of the output pulse will be incorrect. The lingering, the incorrect phase, and/or the incorrect pulse width resulting from the metastability may cause unintended operation of a circuit or apparatus that receives the output of the flip-flop.
The conventional approach to preventing unintended operation resulting from metastability includes chaining one or more flip-flops in series to help prevent lingering output signals from propagating to a subsequent circuit. Although such serial chaining of flip-flops may reduce the likelihood that the output signal of the serial chain lingers, this approach generally does not address the root cause of the metastability (e.g., latch nodes that do not get fully charged or discharged before the flip-flop latches) and instead simply mitigates some of the consequences from when a flip-flop experiences metastability. Furthermore, serial chaining of flip-flops tends to consume power, present additional clock and signal loading, and add delay to a signal path, all of which may be undesirable in some cases.

Apparatuses, circuits, and methods for reducing metastability in data synchronization


An octave bandwidth conformal cavity-backed slot antenna includes a ground plane with a number of different length slits that come together at the central feedpoint. The slit length varies from one-half a wavelength at the highest frequency at which the antenna is to operate for the short side to one wavelength at the highest frequency for the long side, with the proximal ends of the slits having a common feedpoint. Such slot antennas may be arrayed in a quad configuration. Because the trapezoidal envelope of the antenna induces the phase-center to shift with frequency, when two are arrayed with short sides adjacent, the spacing between them results in a phase center from one antenna to the next that is effectively within half a wavelength at all frequencies.

Aircraft and other vehicles are commonly provided with cavity-backed slot antennas which in general involve a slot through a ground plane. These cavity-backed slot antennas are by their very nature narrow banded and it is only with difficulty that one can increase the bandwidth of the slot antenna so that it may be used over a wide frequency range for detection of multiple transmitters. Wide bandwidth slots support, for instance, direction finding involving angle of arrivals (AOA) determinations, and radar-warning systems. Unlike horn and spiral antennas, slots can be spaced within a half wavelength to allow unambiguous phase determination, beamforming and sidelobe control.
Moreover, it is desirable to provide an S band or an L band conformal slot antenna for high power communications. In general slots may be scaled dimensionally to support systems of various mission needs. Combining ultra-wide bandwidth with the scalability and phase control of slot arrays allows them to be used with the most demanding radar and communications signal receiving electronic-warfare receivers and transmitters.
The slot is cut or etched into a metallic ground plane, which may be shaped to conform to the smoothly curving surface of an aircraft or other platform, thus being described as conformal.
In the past one way to obtain greater bandwidth was to attempt to increase the width of the slot. However, the result is a wide open wave guide cavity. The problem with such a wide slot is an intolerable radar cross section that would cause a stealthy platform to be susceptible to illumination by enemy radars.
Another application that was attempted was to create an array of four slots in a square arrangement so that the resulting antenna would not only have a broader bandwidth, but also would behave like a monopole extending out of the surface of the ground plane. If the four slots were fed together in phase, while one would achieve a monopole behavior, the bandwidth would nonetheless be limited by the bandwidth associated with the slots. Other feed arrangements for the square array allow diversity of polarization or direction finding. However, these also would be of limited application if the slot bandwidth could not be extended.
The challenge was to come up with a way to make a fat slot but with the fat slot mostly covered up so as not to present a large structural radar cross section. Moreover, there needed to be a way to fit the slots in a square array without the wide fat slots overlapping.
In short, a topology needed to be developed that would provide a 2:1 or 3:1 bandwidth without significantly increasing the platform's radar cross section and to do so with conformal antenna apertures usable on the skin of aircraft or other vehicles.
In summary, there is a conflict between close spacing and minimum length and width for slot antennas in a quad array. Close half-wavelength spacing or less is required element-to-element at highest frequencies (i.e., short wavelengths), but the length of elements must be half-wavelength at low frequencies (long wavelengths) for efficient performance. Also, each element must be wide enough to achieve bandwidth. Additionally, the radar cross section of the conformal aperture must be minimized. A need therefore exists for wide instantaneous bandwidth (3:1) conformal slot apertures capable of handling high power and of being arrayed in a quad configuration for 360 degree azimuthal coverage.

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


An ink-jetting apparatus and an ink-jetting method are disclosed. An ink-jetting apparatus for jetting an ink through a nozzle which includes a chamber containing the ink, an actuator providing a pressure to the chamber, and an electrostatic part forming an electric field around the nozzle, may provide high resolution and a wide range of grey scale by using a piezoelectric method with an electrostatic method in combination.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink-jetting apparatus and an ink-jetting method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of printing minute droplets to obtain high resolution patterns, the so-called 'on demand' type ink-jet printing method is currently in use. Examples of this on-demand type ink-et printing method include the piezoelectric type, thermal type and electrostatic type.
The piezoelectric type is a method of printing that provides pressure using a piezoelectric element 60 to a chamber 30 connected to a nozzle 40, and jets droplets from the nozzle 40.
The thermal type is a method for printing that heats ink and jets droplets from a nozzle by way of the pressure of a bubble generated by the heating.
For higher resolution, it is necessary to create small droplets. Thus, in the piezoelectric type or thermal type method, the diameter of the nozzle is small. However, if the diameter of the nozzle is made small, dregs may stick to the nozzle, or the nozzle may be blocked up as the ink around the nozzle dries.
Such problems may cause the direction of the jetted ink to be changed, which is directly correlated with degraded printing quality. Thus, there is a limit to realizing high resolution by decreasing the diameter of the nozzle.
The electrostatic type, on the other hand, is a printing method that generates an electrostatic force between an object and the printer head, and moves a droplet by the electrostatic force. The electrostatic type may form extremely minute droplets compared to the size of the nozzle, and there is less risk of the nozzle being blocked up.
However, when using the electrostatic type, it is hard to manufacture the apparatus because of the complexity, and there is a need for minute controlling capability. Also, there are the complications involved with manufacturing minute structures for providing a uniform amount of ink for jetting minute droplets.

Ink-jetting apparatus and ink-jetting method


Various embodiments include systems and methods for adaptive visualization enhancement in volumetric ultrasound images. One or more structures may be determined or identified to be visually enhanced in the volumetric ultrasound images, and one or more visualization changes may be determined, for each of the one or more structures to be visually enhanced. Rendering adjustments required to achieve each of the one or more visualization changes, for each of the one or more structures to be visually enhanced, may then be determined; and the rendering adjustments may be applied during volume rendering of the volumetric ultrasound images.

Ultrasound imaging is a medical imaging technique for imaging organs and soft tissues in a human body. Ultrasound imaging uses real time, non-invasive high frequency sound waves to produce ultrasound images, which may be, for example, two-dimensional (2D) and/or three-dimensional (3D) images.
In some instances, different structures may be displayed in ultrasound images. For example, when imaging a particular organ, the ultrasound images may include structures associated the organ itself (e.g., walls, chambers, different tissue areas, etc.), structures associated with surrounding areas (e.g., other organs nearby), and/or structures associated with foreign objects that may be in proximity of the organ (e.g., catheters, etc.). The various structures may not very clearly distinguishable from one another. Users may have, however, varying levels of interest in the different structures displayed in the ultrasound images, such as based on the particular purpose for performing the ultrasound imaging. For example, the users may want to focus on existing foreign objects (e.g., catheters), such when using ultrasound images to assist in handling of these objections (e.g., monitoring and/or guiding movement of the catheters in patients' bodies). This may be difficult to do, however, when such objects are hard to distinguishing from surrounding tissue.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Visualization of volumetric ultrasound images


An electrode 4 for detecting a biological signal and a loop antenna 3 are integrally mounted on a support 2 placed on the surface of a living body and a transmitter 5 is placed on the support 2. A biological signal detected on the electrode 4 is input through a connector 11 to electric circuitry 10 of the transmitter 5 and an electric signal processed by the electric circuitry 10 is output through connectors 12 and 13 to both ends of the loop antenna 3 from which the biological signal is emitted to a receiver. At this time, the opening face of the loop antenna 3 is in a direction almost perpendicular to the surface of a living body for improving sensitivity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a biological signal transmission apparatus of a medical telemeter for transmitting a biological signal from a transmitter through an antenna to a receiver and in particular to a biological signal transmission apparatus using a loop antenna, a microstrip antenna as an antenna.
2. Related Art
A system for transmitting by radio a biological signal detected on an electrode placed on a subject to a nearby computer diagnostic apparatus, etc., via an antenna for diagnosis is known. Hitherto, various propositions have been made as a transmission apparatus used with such a system.
In a proposition described in JP-A-60-97103U, two electrodes 502 and 503 attached to a chest belt 501 and a transmitter main unit 504 placed on a wrist of a subject are connected by electrode leads 505 and 506, as shown in FIG. 34. An antenna line 507 from the transmitter main unit 504 is placed closely on the leads 505 and 506 in parallel therewith and an end of the antenna line 507 is buried in the chest belt 501. The electrode leads 505 and 506 and the antenna line 507 are insulated from each other and the end of the antenna line 507 is also electrically insulated so as not to touch the body surface of the subject.
According to the proposition, the antenna line 507 is placed closely on the leads 505 and 506 and thus can be made 1 m or longer without disturbing any motion, and the efficiency of the transmitter 504 can be improved and miniaturized for enhancing portability of the transmitter.
In a proposition described in JP-A-62-202804U, a pair of electrodes 201 and 202 is placed in unit cases 203 and 204, which are opened at bottoms for exposing the electrodes 201 and 202, and both ends of an antenna line 205 are connected to the electrodes 201 and 202, as shown in FIG. 35. The unit cases 203 and 204 are coupled by a connection cable 206 and the antenna line 205 is inserted into the connection cable 206.
According to the proposition, the electrodes 201 and 202 placed in a pair of unit cases 203 and 204 are fitted to a heart rate detection part of a living body and a signal from the antenna line 205 is transmitted, so that the device is easily attached and detached and moreover can be placed without an oppressive feeling or a feeling of wrongness on the chest of the subject.
In a proposition described in JP-A-63-32501U, a device comprises a pair of electrodes 301 and 302, a transmitter main unit 303 having electric circuitry for processing an electrocardiographic signal detected on the electrodes 301 and 302, and an antenna 304 for sending the resultant signal to a receiver by a radio wave, as shown in FIG. 36. The antenna 304 is covered with water-repellent fibers and is put on the surface of a human body.
According to the proposition, the antenna 304 is covered with water-repellent fibers and is connected to the transmitter main unit 303 so that it is put on the surface of a human body. Thus, when the device is attached to a subject, clothes of the subject do not swell locally and moreover it is not feared that the electrode 301, 302 may be off the attachment point. Resultantly, sufficiently strong radio waves can be sent to the receiver in addition to ease of use.
In a proposition described in JP-A-9-108194, a base sheet 401 placed on the anterior chest wall of a subject is formed like an L letter, a longwise portion 401a is put along the breast bone line of the subject, and a widthwise portion 401c is directed toward the heart side from a corner 401b positioned near the xiphisternum of the subject, as shown in FIG. 37. The base sheet 401 is formed on a rear with an adhesion layer made to adhere to the anterior chest wall. A first electrode 402 is attached in the proximity of the corner 401b, a second electrode 403 is attached in the proximity of the upper end part of the longwise portion 401a, and a third electrode 404 is attached in the proximity of a side end part of the widthwise portion 401c. Further, a fourth electrode 405 is attached slantingly below the second electrode 403 and a fifth electrode 406 is attached above the third electrode 404.
Of the five electrodes arranged as described above, α induction is detected between the electrodes 402 and 403 and β induction is detected between the electrodes 403 and 404. γ induction for ischaemia of side and front and rear walls in a high-potential direction weak in sensitivity only with α induction and β induction is detected by means of the electrodes 405 and 406. The electrocardiographic signals induced to the electrodes are amplified and modulated by a circuit unit 407 attached to the base sheet 401 and are transmitted to the receiver through an antenna 408 attached along the longwise portion 401a.
According to the proposition, the electrodes 402 to 406, the circuit unit 407, and the antenna 408 are mounted integrally on the base sheet 401, so that the device is easily placed on the subject and action is not limited.
In the examples in the related arts described above, the antennas are monopole antennas using the electricity length of a quarter the wave length. For example, assuming that the transmission frequency is 300 MHz, the wave length is 1 m and the antenna length becomes 25 cm. To place the monopole antenna so that it is not affected by a human body as much as possible, the monopole antenna may be placed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of a human body and distant from the human body. However, the antenna length is long (in this case, 25 cm), thus when the transmitter is placed on a human body, it disturbs the motion of the human body. If the transmitter is placed along the surface of the human body so as to facilitate the motion, radio waves radiated from the antenna are affected by the human body as described above, thus the gain is easily degraded. Also, although employing small and compact transmitter and electrode, there is still a problem that long using for standard limb lead (II) between electrodes disturb patient.

Biological signal transmission apparatus


Sub pixel image alignment includes mapping first pixels from a first image and second pixels from a second image to a coordinate system and applying one or more sub-pixel shifts to the mapped first pixels. For each sub-pixel shift, an overall energy is calculated and is based on a plurality of gradients that represent changes in a channel value among the shifted first pixels and the mapped second pixels. The sub-pixel alignment further includes determining the sub-pixel shift that provides the lowest overall energy.

Robust image registration is one of the problems at the core of research in computer vision and the emerging field of computational photography (CP). Various techniques for robust image registration exist and are based on methods such as aligning features within the image or applying dense pixel-to-pixel correspondence, among others.
A general approach in computational photography is to take multiple pictures of the same scene, each taken in a slightly different way, and then combine the images to produce one single photograph. Some of the goals in producing the final photograph include, for example, refocusing the image in post-processing or increasing the dynamic range of the photograph. In some cases, the goal of CP is to produce a single super-resolution image based on multiple lower resolution images.
Although super-resolution images can be obtained by increasing the resolution of a camera's image sensor, higher resolution sensors also give rise to higher fabrication costs and increased shot noise. Furthermore, increasing the sensor chip size to accommodate a larger number of pixels leads to increases in capacitance, which can reduce the data transfer rate. In addition, the application of pixel level registration among images, during the formation of a super-resolution image, can lead to artifacts such as blurring and the appearance of double features.