An apparatus and process for relabelling and redirecting at least some of the read transaction data frames and the write transaction write data and transfer ready frames in a network so as to bypass a storage manager and pass directly between the client and a storage device via a switch. This eliminates the storage manager as a bottleneck. Some embodiments redirect every read and write transaction, and others redirect only large transactions, or only ones not stored in cache or when latency gets too high. Redirection is accomplished by transmission from the storage manager to a switch redirection commands that contain old and new address data. When a frame to be redirected comes in, its address is compared to the old address data. If there is a match, the new address data is substituted and the frame is passed to a conventional routing process to be routed so as to bypass the storage manager.

The invention finds application in data processing systems such as storage area networks which have at least: (1) an interconnect network which transports data in packets; (2) a storage client or clients; (3) a storage server; and (4) storage devices. In such networks the storage server manages a large number of storage devices to retrieve and store data for various storage clients. The storage clients are not directly connected to the storage devices, and request data stored on the storage devices by making requests to the storage server. The storage server then makes a request to the storage devices. The network, comprised of physical transmission medium and various devices such as hubs, switches, routers etc. provides for the actual transport of data between the clients and the storage manager in the storage server and the transport of data between the storage server and the storage devices. The network also provides a data path between the storage clients and the storage devices. Any connections between the storage clients and the storage devices are not used, because the storage server needs to be solely responsible for the organization of data on the storage devices.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art network configuration implemented with a switch. Storage clients 10 and 12 are coupled to two different ports of switch 14. The switch is also coupled to storage devices 16 and 18 through two different ports. A storage server 20 implementing a storage manager process has an input 22 coupled to one port and an output 24 coupled to another port. The switch allows each port to be coupled to any other port and allows multiple simultaneous connections. Thus, data paths between the clients and the server and between the server and the storage devices can be set up through the switch. In addition, data paths can be set up between the storage clients and the storage devices through the switch, but the clients have no use for this since the clients recognize only the server/storage manager as a storage provider even though the actual data is stored on the storeage devices.
The way a prior art network such as a Fibre Channel Network works to read and write data between client devices and storage devices was as follows. Referring to FIG. 1, a client 10 which wishes to retrieve data from the storage manager would address a Fibre Channel (FC) frame to the server 20 (all the prior art transport protocols and primitives will not be described as they not are part of the invention other than as the basic platform on which the invention sits). This frame contains a SCSI command requesting the desired data. The frame will have a header that contains address information and a payload which contains a SCSI command. The address (PA) of storage client will be the source address, and the address of the server will be the destination address. The header of each frame also contains two exchange IDs, one for the originator and one for the responder, that serves to identify all the frames that belong to this particular read or write transaction. If the same client has, for example, two read or write transaction outstanding, all the frames transmitted from that originator client pertaining to either of those transactions will have the same source and destination address, but all the frames pertaining to the first transaction will have a first originator exchange ID, and all the frames pertaining to the second transaction will have a second, different originator exchange ID. There are also flags to indicate the type of data contained in the payload section of the FC frame such as: a command to do a read or write, a transfer ready message or the requested data itself.
The sequence of events for write and read data transfer operations in a prior art network like that shown in FIG. 1 has the exchanges defined in Table 1 below. In the prior art data transfers, the originator would be a storage client and the responder would be the storage manager 20 for both read and write transactions.
TABLE 1DIRECTIONWRITE ORDERREAD ORDER(1) Originator toCommand to write dataCommand to read dataResponder(2) Responder toTransfer ReadyOriginal(3) Responder toRequested dataOriginatortransferred to originatorfrom responder(4) Originator toData to be writtenRespondertransferred to responder(5) Responder toStatusStatusOriginator
The way this sequence of events works in the prior art networks is that the client 10 sends a SCSI command to, for example, read data to the storage manager. This request will be transmitted to the storage manager through the switch by encapsulating the SCSI command in a FC frame or other packet, as represented by line 1 of Table 1. The read command will request reading of data and specify the desired data by, for example, specifying that the desired data resides on SCSI Logical Unit 1, starting at logical block 75 and extends for 200 logical blocks. This read request will have as its destination address, the address of the storage manager server 20 (hereafter the storage manager or server), and will have an originator exchange ID assigned by the client 10 for this transaction, and the responder exchange ID will be blank.
The storage manager 20 contains a map of where client data is stored for all the data that is stored on the storage devices it is managing. The storage manager 20 looks up where the requested data is stored and establishes a connection through the switch with the storage device storing the requested data and retrieves the data by sending an FC frame encapsulating a command to read the requested data and send it back to the storage manager. FIG. 1 illustrates this sequence of events with the storage manager being the originator and the client being the responder. In this prior art mechanism, the storage manager is the originator of this transaction between itself and the storage device, so the storage manager fills in an originator exchange ID for the transaction which could be anything, but which serves to identify this transaction between the storage manager and the storage device. The responder exchange ID is left blank by the storage manager.
The requested data is read by the storage device and then transferred to and stored on the storage manager 20. In this transaction, the storage device generates an outgoing frame or frames with some responder exchange ID assigned by the storage device and fills in the outgoing frame or frames with data and the originator exchange ID used by the storage manager in the frame requesting the data.
After having received some of the frames and stored the data, the storage manager generates one or more FC frames in which the retrieved data is put, each said generated frame having a destination address which is the Port_ID of the client that made the original request and the Port_ID of the storage manager 20 as the source address. These frames will be filled in so as to have as the originator ID the original originator ID assigned by the client, and will have as the responder ID an ID assigned to the transaction by the storage manager for this read request. The storage manager 20 then sends the frame or frames with the requested data (or at least part of it) encapsulated as the payload in the FC frame or frames and the data flag set in the header, as symbolized by line 3 of Table 1 above. Then a status message is sent from the storage device to the storage manager indicating that all the data has been sent. The storage manager in turn sends a status frame to the client.
The actual processing inside the storage manager 20 during such a prior art exchange is as follows. The storage client 10, when it makes the original request, assigns to that request a particular originator exchange ID. It does this because it may make other concurrent requests for data from the storage manager, and when it gets a frame of data back, it needs to know to which request that data frame is a response. The request gets sent to the storage manager which then retrieves the data from the appropriate storage device using frames with an originator exchange ID assigned by the storage manager for this transaction with the storage device, and with the source ID equal the storage device's port ID and the destination ID set to the storage manager's port ID. When a frame of data comes back from the storage device, it has as its source address the storage device address (PA) and as its destination address the address of the storage manager 20 and it has the assigned originator exchange ID used by the storage manager and a responder exchange ID assigned by the storage device. An engine in the storage manager receives these frames and stores the data therefrom in memory until they can be framed for transmission to the client. Another engine in the storage manager then matches up the requests that are pending with the data that has been received. When it finds a match, the engine puts data in an FC frame or frames using the storage manager's Port_ID as the source address and the Port_ID of the client that made the request as the destination address and includes the appropriate exchange IDs so the client will know to which of its requests the data frame is a response. The frame is then sent to the client through the switch.
The memory in the storage manager has a bandwidth that is related to the bandwidth of the internal bus of the storage manager server. Fibre Channel bandwidth is very high. Assume that if a client were connected directly to a storage device through a switch, that data transfers of 100 Mbytes/sec could occur. Now suppose there were 10 clients in FIG. 1 simultaneously connected to 10 storage devices through switch 14 that could support 10 simultaneous connections. Now the effective data transfer rate is 10×100 Mbytes/sec or 1 Gigabyte/second. Now, if all that data must pass through a data storage manager, there would have to be a 1 Gigabyte/second data path to the memory in the storage manager server 20. Typically, these storage manager servers have PCI buses which do not have bandwidth even approaching 1 Gigabyte/second.
Obviously, the framing of the data in the, server for transfer to the client takes time and the storage manager bus bandwidth is a bottleneck in high volume traffic situations. Furthermore, extensive memory is required in the storage manager server to store all the data before it is retransmitted and the operating system is kept busy organizing the data in memory and organizing the receiving and transmittal of frames. All this needlessly consumes computing resources.
Prior art attempts to solve this problem include the massively parallel storage managers made by EMC. These very expensive servers use parallel buses and parallel processors and complicated software to coordinate the operations thereof. Even they can be a bottleneck however.
There is an existing, related process called Web Director available commercially from Cisco that performs redirecting of web requests sent to a first server to a second server in order to offload work to the other servers. When a web request is received at a first server, it is mapped to a second server, and a message is sent back to the client telling it that the web server has been temporarily moved. The web client then transparently connects through the internet to the second server and communicates directly with it. An overview of this process is as follows:
Overview Of How The Director Functions In Http Session Redirector Mode:
1. A client web browser tries to retrieve URL http://www.sleet.com.
2. The Internet DNS system maps this name to the Director virtual IP address 10.0.0.4.
3. The Director listens for HTTP connections to IP address 10.0.0.4.
4. The client web browser connects to IP address 10.0.0.4.
5. The Director performs a look up for the host name associated with the address 10.0.0.4.
6. The Director performs a look up for the IP addresses associated with the host name www-servers.sleet.com. This results in the normal Director sorting of addresses using all of the metrics configured for this host name.
7. The Director then constructs the new URL using the IP address of the discovered "best" web server (for example, http:H/220.127.116.11) appended with the rest of the original URL, and sends the web client the code "302 Temporarily
Moved," specifying the new URL location.
If the URL originally requested had been:
http://www.sleet.com/Weather/index.html
Then the new URL would be:
http://18.104.22.168/Neither/index.html
8. The client web browser receives the temporary relocation code and transparently connects to the web server at the specified URL.
Because this is only a temporary relocation, the client web browser should bookmark the original URL (http://www.sleet.com), so users who later return to this URL will once again be connected to the "best" web server for that moment. (In reality, most browsers do not bookmark the correct URL. Browser vendors are likely to fix this behavior.)
For a more detailed discussion of this technology, refer to
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/iaabu/distrdir/dd2501 /http. htm which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The problem with this approach is that it will not work in a network where a storage manager is present and is mapping the data stored on storage devices and monitoring all read and write transactions to and from the storage devices since a redirection method has not been defined or incorporated.

Switch assisted frame aliasing for storage virtualization


A deoxygenator includes a plurality of permeable membranes spirally wound about an exhaust tube for removing dissolved oxygen from a hydrocarbon fuel. The permeable membrane is spirally wrapped about the exhaust tube and defines fuel passages and exhaust passages. The fuel passages and exhaust passages alternate such that each fuel passage is bounded on each adjacent side by an exhaust passage. An oxygen partial pressure differential is generated across the permeable membrane to draw dissolved oxygen from fuel in the fuel passage. The dissolved oxygen is then communicated through openings about the circumference of the exhaust tube and out the deoxygenator.

This invention relates generally to a method and device for removing dissolved oxygen from fuels and more particularly to a spirally wound membrane for removing dissolved oxygen from liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Fuel can be utilized as a cooling medium for various systems of an energy conversion device. However, increasing the temperature of fuel also increases the rate at which oxidative reactions occur. The usable cooling capacity of a particular fuel is limited by coke formation and deposition, which is dependent on the amount of dissolved oxygen present within the fuel due to prior exposure to air. Reduction of the amount of dissolved oxygen within the fuel can result in the reduction of coke formed within a fuel delivery system of the energy conversion device.
Decreasing the amount of dissolved oxygen present within fuel reduces the formation of insoluble products referred to as "coke" or "coking". Reducing the amount of oxygen dissolved within the fuel decreases the rate of coke deposition and increases the maximum allowable temperature. In other words, the less dissolved oxygen within the fuel, the higher the temperature before coke buildup becomes a problem. For many fuels, in order to suppress coke deposition, it is generally agreed that the concentration of dissolved oxygen should be reduced below approximately 2 ppm or approximately three percent of saturation although the degree of de-oxygenation will also depend on the amount of heating the fuel will subsequently undergo. For moderate temperatures, less de-oxygenation would be required and for fuels operating at high temperatures (up to 800 F) dissolved oxygen levels below 2 ppm would be desirable. Fuels that currently have improved coking performance are generally more expensive or require additives, and therefore are not always available.
Known devices for removing dissolved oxygen include a gas-permeable membrane disposed within the fuel system. Fuel passes along the permeable membrane, oxygen molecules in the fuel dissolve into the membrane and then diffuse across it and are removed. A vacuum or oxygen partial pressure differential across the permeable membrane drives oxygen from the fuel, which is unaffected and passes over the membrane.
As is appreciated permeable membranes are difficult to manufacture and are limited in size and construction by sizing and economic factors. Membrane bundles are difficult to scale because performance is highly dependent on spacing and geometry and thus hard to predict. High pressures are also a concern with membrane construction. Further, space and weight are driving factors for any system, and any reduction in space and weight provide immediate benefits to operation.
Accordingly it is desirable to design a permeable membrane system that can remove dissolved oxygen from fuel down to the level required to suppress coke formation, and to configure it such that it efficiently utilizes space, reduces weight, is easily scalable, performs predictably, and can be manufactured economically.

Spiral wound fuel stabilization unit for fuel de-oxygenation


A foldable container blank includes at four side walls, a top panel foldably connected to one of the side walls, a bottom panel foldably connected to one of the side walls, and at least one internal support structure that is connected to one of the side walls. Each internal support structure includes a first portion that is in adjacent relation with the top panel when the container is in a closed condition, and a second portion that is in adjacent relation with the first portion when the container is in a closed condition. In some embodiments, the foldable container blank is integrally formed. A method of forming the foldable container blank and a method of folding a container blank are also provided.

The present disclosure relates generally to shipping containers for shipping products to consumers.
Some shipping companies and other organizations have standards with which product packaging must comply. For example, the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) develops testing protocols and design standards for packaging to ensure that packaging protects the products that are transported within the packaging. Some members of the ISTA create their own test protocols based on their own standards for product packaging. These member-created standards may be based on things such as customer feedback, studies of product packaging, and/or shipping challenges. For example, Amazon has created "Project 6-AMAZON.COM-SIOC, Ships in Own Container (SIOC) for Amazon.com Distribution System Shipment." An item that is compliant under Type A of this standard is an individually packaged product that meets the testing requirements, is less than 50 pounds, and is less than 165 inches in girth.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Shipping container and method of folding a shipping container


A RAID subsystem with a plurality of hard disk drives has each disk controller autonomously executing data scrubbing on its disks instead of requiring the RAID controller to execute data scrubbing. The data scrubbing may be interrupted upon an I/O request from the RAID controller, or it may continue if a guaranteed scrub rate is not being achieved. Data is stored in large bands of concentric data tracks, and a band may be preferentially selected for scrubbing based on frequency of reading the band, or recency of writing to the band.

Data integrity is of the highest concerns for many data storage subsystems. These subsystems use various RAID techniques to provide data redundancy so that when data is not available from one of the disk drives, it can be recovered from the other drives in the RAID subsystem. Most subsystems provide only single fault tolerance, as the cost of multi-fault tolerance is high. Unfortunately, unrecoverable read error, also known as hard error, occurs in disk drives. This is the failure situation that arises when a sector cannot be read even after all the steps in a drive's error recovery procedure (ERP) have been exhausted. Such steps include invoking all levels of error correction control (ECC) that have been implemented and re-trying using different head offsets. When an unrecoverable read error is encountered while all the other drives in the RAID are still accessible, that sector can be reconstructed from those drives. However, if the hard error is encountered when one of the drives in a RAID has already failed, then both the hard error sector and its corresponding sector in the failed drive are not recoverable. This becomes a data loss situation.
To reduce the probability of encountering a hard error after a drive has failed, some storage subsystems implement some sort of data scrubbing routine in order to flush out such errors before the data is actually needed. In such a scheme, the RAID controller itself periodically issues verify read (i.e., do not read from cache, read from disk media) commands to each drive controller and cycles through every address in each drive. When an unrecoverable error is encountered and reported by one of the drive controllers, the RAID controller will reconstruct that data from the other drives using RAID redundancy. Some subsystems have auto-reassign enabled in the disk drives so that the sector with hard error is automatically re-assigned to a spare location. Others have auto-reassign turned off so that the RAID controller can decide whether to first try rewriting the data back to the original location to see if the problem gets cleared, reassigning only if the problem persists (e.g. scratch on the media). In all cases, the RAID controller logs the statistics of unrecoverable errors. When such errors exceed a predetermined threshold, the drive will be scheduled to be replaced.
The above subsystem controller-managed data scrubbing has two disadvantages. First, the resources of the RAID system controller are required to manage and execute the scrubbing process. Second, data is returned from the drives even though the controller does not really need them. This generates unnecessary traffic on the bus and can potentially degrade system performance. Because of such limitations, the data scrub cycle may take longer than is desirable.
The present invention recognizes that the above problems can be ameliorated by implementing data scrubbing at a disk drive controller level that does not require any action by the RAID controller unless an unrecoverable error is encountered.

System and method for autonomous data scrubbing in a hard disk drive

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.


A method of developing an application program for running on a wireless portable data terminal (PDT), comprising the steps of (a) during the development of an application program for running on a wireless PDT supported by a first operating system, generating user input and documents using development programs running on a developer computer system supported by a second operating system; (b) developing the application program on the developer computer system into a final application program expressed in the form of binary executable code designed for execution on the first operating system loaded onto the wireless PDT; (c) downloading the binary executable code of the final application program onto the wireless PDT; and (d) running the final application program in binary executable code upon the first operating system loaded onto the wireless PDT.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in wireless bar code driven portable data terminals (PDTs) for use in various bar code driven applications including navigation through and interactive with information structures within diverse kinds business enterprises.
2. Brief Description of the State of Knowledge in the Art
Hand-supportable wireless portable data terminals (PDTs) incorporating bar code reading engines are well known in the art and are generally described in published EPO Patent Application No. EP 0 837 406 A2, as well as in the Product Brochure, Data Sheet and Installation and User's Guide relating to Metrologic's ScanPal® 2 Portable Data Collection Terminal (PDT), each said document incorporated herein by reference as if set forth fully herein.
In FIG. 1 of EPO Patent Application No. EP 0 837 406 A2, there is disclosed a wireless portable data terminal (PDT) having a laser scanning bar code reading engine, a keypad, and a LCD-type display panel integrated into a compact hands-supportable housing having a generally bar-shaped geometry. This prior art PDT supports a 2-way RF-type data communication link with a remotely situated base station unit that is operably connected to an information network such as the Internet. In this part art design, the LCD display panel is located towards the end of the housing, near the scanning window of bar code reading engine, with the keypad located opposite the scanning window, towards the PDT operator.
While this prior art PDT design has been used for years in various applications, it suffers from a number of shortcomings and drawbacks which detract from the overall end-user experience.
In particular, due to the overall physical configuration of this prior art PDT design, it is very difficult to operate this kind of PDT in a truly single-handed operation. Most often, manually data entry into such PDTs requires the operator to use two hands: one hand to hold the PDT device, while the other hand is used to manually key data into the device by way of its keypad. By requiring two handed operation, the user experience is typically compromised in ways which can reduce worker productivity and efficiency. For example, the operator cannot easily hold a bar coded garment in one hand while manually keying product-related data into the PDT being held in his or her other hand.
The reason for this shortcoming is that this prior art wireless PDT design provides keypad and control function buttons at locations on the user console, thereby forcing the user the move his or her thumb in such a way that loss of secure grip about the PDT's housing becomes inevitable in nearly most end user applications.
Also, backlit LCD-type display screens provided on such prior art PDTs are generally difficult to view in brightly lit user environments.
Another problem with such prior art PDT designs is that they do not enable simple navigation of the display screen cursor while attempting the operate the PDT using only one hand of the operator. Again, two handed operation is typically required.
Another problem with such prior art PDT designs is that they do not typically support development of powerful end-user applications in a simple low cost manner, nor do they enable easy and flexible deployment of developed applications in portable run-time environments that are supported by open-source operating systems having no or low user license fees associated therewith.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for an improved wireless bar code driven PDT system, improved methods of data capture and transaction processing, and improved development and deployment environments therefor, while overcoming the above described shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art systems and methodologies.

Method of developing an application program for running on a wireless portable data terminal (PDT)


A lithographic projection apparatus is provided with an electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck includes a dielectric element which has a plurality of pins formed on a first surface. The item to be clamped is clamped in position on the chuck by applying a potential difference between an electrode located on the surface of the dielectric member opposite to the clamping surface and an electrode located on the clamping surface of the item to be clamped. The pins are provided with at least an upper conducting layer, which serves to reduce the Johnsen-Rahbek effect, allowing the substrate to be released more quickly.

The term "patterning device" as here employed should be broadly interpreted as referring to means that can be used to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section, corresponding to a pattern that is to be created in a target portion of the substrate; the term "light valve" can also be used in this context. Generally, the said pattern will correspond to a particular functional layer in a device being created in the target portion, such as an integrated circuit or other device (see below). Examples of such patterning device include:                A mask. The concept of a mask is well known in lithography, and it includes mask types such as binary, alternating phase-shift, and attenuated phase-shift, as well as various hybrid mask types. Placement of such a mask in the radiation beam causes selective transmission (in the case of a transmissive mask) or reflection (in the case of a reflective mask) of the radiation impinging on the mask, according to the pattern on the mask. In the case of a mask, the support structure will generally be a mask table, which ensures that the mask can be held at a desired position in the incoming radiation beam, and that it can be moved relative to the beam if so desired.        A programmable mirror array. One example of such a device is a matrix-addressable surface having a viscoelastic control layer and a reflective surface. The basic principle behind such an apparatus is that (for example) addressed areas of the reflective surface reflect incident light as diffracted light, whereas unaddressed areas reflect incident light as undiffracted light. Using an appropriate filter, the said undiffracted light can be filtered out of the reflected beam, leaving only the diffracted light behind; in this manner, the beam becomes patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable surface. An alternative embodiment of a programmable mirror array employs a matrix arrangement of tiny mirrors, each of which can be individually tilted about an axis by applying a suitable localized electric field, or by employing piezoelectric actuation means. Once again, the mirrors are matrix-addressable, such that addressed mirrors will reflect an incoming radiation beam in a different direction to unaddressed mirrors; in this manner, the reflected beam is patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable mirrors. The required matrix addressing can be performed using suitable electronic means. In both of the situations described hereabove, the patterning device can comprise one or more programmable mirror arrays. More information on mirror arrays as here referred to can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,891 and 5,523,193, and PCT patent applications WO 98/38597 and WO 98/33096, which are incorporated herein by reference. In the case of a programmable mirror array, the said support structure may be embodied as a frame or table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required.        A programmable LCD array. An example of such a construction is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,872, which is incorporated herein by reference. As above, the support structure in this case may be embodied as a frame or table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required.
For purposes of simplicity, the rest of this text may, at certain locations, specifically direct itself to examples involving a mask and mask table; however, the general principles discussed in such instances should be seen in the broader context of the patterning device as hereabove set forth.
Lithographic projection apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In such a case, the patterning device may generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising one or more dies) on a substrate (silicon wafer) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single wafer will contain a whole network of adjacent target portions that are successively irradiated via the projection system, one at a time. In current apparatus, employing patterning by a mask on a mask table, a distinction can be made between two different types of machine. In one type of lithographic projection apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by exposing the entire mask pattern onto the target portion in one go; such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper. In an alternative apparatus—commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus—each target portion is irradiated by progressively scanning the mask pattern under the projection beam in a given reference direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate table parallel or anti-parallel to this direction; since, in general, the projection system will have a magnification factor M (generally<1), the speed V at which the substrate table is scanned will be a factor M times that at which the mask table is scanned. More information with regard to lithographic devices as here described can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,792, incorporated herein by reference.
In a manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, a pattern (e.g. in a mask) is imaged onto a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). Prior to this imaging step, the substrate may undergo various procedures, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. After exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other procedures, such as a post-exposure bake (PEB), development, a hard bake and measurement/inspection of the imaged features. This array of procedures is used as a basis to pattern an individual layer of a device, e.g. an IC. Such a patterned layer may then undergo various processes such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off an individual layer. If several layers are required, then the whole procedure, or a variant thereof, will have to be repeated for each new layer. Eventually, an array of devices will be present on the substrate (wafer). These devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc. Further information regarding such processes can be obtained, for example, from the book "Microchip Fabrication: A Practical Guide to Semiconductor Processing", Third Edition, by Peter van Zant, McGraw Hill Publishing Co., 1997, ISBN 0-07-067250-4, incorporated herein by reference.
For the sake of simplicity, the projection system may hereinafter be referred to as the "lens"; however, this term should be broadly interpreted as encompassing various types of projection system, including refractive optics, reflective optics, and catadioptric systems, for example. The radiation system may also include components operating according to any of these design types for directing, shaping or controlling the projection beam of radiation, and such components may also be referred to below, collectively or singularly, as a "lens". Further, the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). In such "multiple stage" devices the additional tables may be used in parallel, or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposures. Dual stage lithographic apparatus are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,441 and PCT patent application publication WO 98/40791, which are incorporated herein by reference.
In a lithographic apparatus it is essential that the substrate is held securely on the substrate table. The position of the substrate is required to be known accurately, even when the table undergoes high accelerations. In a conventional lithographic apparatus it is known to provide this clamping by means of a vacuum. The substrate table is provided with protrusions or pins and an outer wall. The substrate sits on top of these pins and the space behind it is evacuated. The action of air pressure on the surface on the substrate then serves to hold it securely in place. Further details of such a substrate holder can be found, for example, in European patent application EP-A-0 947 884, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
While such a clamp is effective in many applications, recent developments in lithography require the use of EUV (extreme ultraviolet) radiation, x-rays, electrons or ions. Unlike conventional lithography in which UV radiation is employed, EUV techniques require that the beam path, or at least a substantial part of the beam path, is evacuated. The vacuum clamping method is then less effective.
It has been proposed to provide a system of clamping for use in a lithographic apparatus which uses electrostatic forces to clamp the substrate to the substrate table. Such a system will work regardless of the presence of a vacuum on both sides of the substrate. In such a system, the substrate is either conductive, or provided with a conductive electrode on the surface which is to be attached to the substrate table. An electrostatic chuck comprises of one or more electrodes. On top of the electrodes a layer of dielectric material is placed. The top surface of this layer is usually patterned to reduce the contact area between substrate and chuck. A potential difference between the electrode and the substrate (mono-polar design) or between the two or more electrodes in the chuck itself (bi-polar and multi-polar design) is set to generate an electro-static force to clamp the substrate to the chuck.
Typically, the dielectric will have a polished smooth surface. However, in a practical situation the surface of the substrate and the dielectric will never be perfectly smooth and will contain small variations. Furthermore, although the resistivity of the dielectric is extremely high (greater than 108 Σm) a small leakage current will flow. This leads to the creation of Johnsen-Rahbek (JR) forces additional to the capacitive electrostatic force. These forces arise due to the flow of the leakage current between points where the substrate and dielectric are in contact. At points where the substrate and dielectric are not in contact, charge builds up and creates an additional JR force. When the potential difference is removed, the stored charge creating the JR force takes time to dissipate, and introduces a delay before the substrate can be released from the chuck. It has been proposed to apply a reverse voltage in the release stage in order to dissipate the charge more quickly. It has also been proposed to cycle the polarity of the applied voltage to minimize the charge build-up. However a relatively high cycle frequency is required and complicated schemes are required to maintain the clamping force at all times.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a chuck in which the Johnsen-Rahbek effect may be minimized, allowing greater throughput of substrates.

Chuck, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method


A wide band antenna tracking modulator and method is disclosed. The system includes a common port for receiving an electromagnetic signal, a waveguide connected to the common port, at least a pair of side arms and a pair of coupling slots separated along an axis of the waveguide coupling the electromagnetic signals between the waveguide and the pair of side arms. The pair of coupling slots substantially coupled a higher order TE mode signal while substantially not coupling a primary TE mode signal. The method includes substantially coupling a higher order Transverse Electric (TE) mode signal of the electromagnetic signal while substantially not coupling a primary TE mode signal of the electromagnetic signal to at least a pair of side arms coupled to the wave guide though a pair of coupling slots separated along the axis of the waveguide.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure is related to antenna systems; specifically to a wide band antenna tracking systems.
2. Related Art
High gain antennas provide highly directional beams. While these antenna can provided high receive sensitivity, pointing of the antenna to the incoming electromagnetic wave is critical in maintaining this sensitivity. This is especially critical in space applications where pointing errors can seriously degrade system performance.
For any mode of transmission of a microwave signal in a circular waveguide, the electric and magnetic transverse fields may each be resolved into a respective set of tangential and radial components. Those skilled in the art of microwave theory are aware that both the tangential and radial components vary periodically in amplitude along a circular path, which is concentric with a wall of the waveguide, and also vary in amplitude along any given radius in a manner related to a Bessel function of an order m.
Modes of a transverse electric (TE) field are identified by the notation TEmn and modes of a transverse magnetic (TM) field are identified by the notation TMmn, where m represents the total number of full period variations of either the tangential or radial component of the respective electric or magnetic field along a circular path concentric with the wall of the waveguide, and n represents one more than the total number of reversals of polarity of either the tangential or the radial component of the respective electric or magnetic field along a radial path.
In a waveguide that can support more than one propagation mode, the mode that propagates with minimum degradation is designated as the dominant mode. The dominant mode in circular waveguides may be denoted as the TE11 mode, which corresponds to the TE10 mode in rectangular waveguides. In this disclosure, the term "dominant mode" and "primary mode" are used interchangeably.
Conventional antenna tracking systems today are undesirable because they are generally used in single frequency applications. For wideband, frequency applications, conventional systems use asymmetric waveguide modes such as TE21 (Transverse Electric 21) or TM01 (Transverse Magnetic 01) modal couplers. These modal couplers are heavy and use a complex waveguide network in signal combination, and hence are undesirable. Therefore, it is advantageous to have a compact wideband antenna tracking modulator for antenna based signal tracking.


A telescoping tower comprises a plurality of telescoping tower sections, each tower section having a pressure member that engages with a respective pressure member on a respective tower section when the tower sections are moved from a nesting condition to an extended position, the engagement of the pressure members occurring at the overlap of the tower sections to increase stability of the telescoping tower and reduce unwanted play at the overlap regions.

Telescoping towers are traditionally used in areas unsuited for permanent tower installations such as in a military arena, a news hot spot, a disaster zone where existing communication lines have been temporarily or permanently disabled, and the like. Other uses include, but are not limited to, site surveys, testing and monitoring, data collection, and wireless data transfer. Most commonly, telescoping towers are used to facilitate the establishment of mobile communications in a relatively short period of time.
There are generally two known problems with mobile telescoping tower applications. First, as the height of the tower increases, the stability of both the tower and the interface or overlap between tower sections decreases. This is traditionally remedied with guy wires or the like. However, the process of installing guy wires can add an average of an hour to the installation and possibly require additional manpower, which are time and resources that are usually unavailable in an emergent or crisis situation, and which results in the second problem.
These two problems are resolved through the use of unguyed towers. By eliminating the need for guy wires, the time spent on guy wire installation can be better utilized during crucial emergency instances where communication towers are vital. Furthermore, unguyed towers can be advantageous where the use of guy wires and anchors are not feasible. Specific applications where guy wire use would be obstructed include urban areas with many buildings, near bodies of water, presence of underground cables or pipes, heavily wooded areas or hard, rocky ground.
There is a need, therefore, for an unguyed tower that can be erected quickly and efficiently, and that is stable at heights that traditionally require guy wire support. This need is met by the telescoping tower of the present disclosure.


A computer-implemented method for controlling activity of a mobile device corresponding to a first user is provided. The method includes enabling an application to receive an indication of permitted usage from a second user. An indication of permitted usage of the mobile device is received via the application from the second user. Instructions are transmitted to the mobile communication device to disable or enable at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the indication of permitted usage. Further provided is a computing system including at least one memory configured to perform a procedure for controlling activity of a mobile device.

With the growing ubiquity of mobile communication devices such as smart phones and the like, has come the increased desire for parents and guardians to monitor and restrict their children's use of such devices. Mobile communication devices are frequently used by children at inappropriate times for inappropriate purposes. Parents and guardians may want to restrict device usage. However, restricting usage of a mobile communication device may be impractical without sacrificing the safety and convenience benefits offered by such device.

System and method for disabling and enabling mobile device functional components


A powered wheeled riding device is configured to receive left and right foot inputs from a user and in response control a left motor and a right motor to move respective left and right wheels forwardly and backwardly consistent with the left and right foot inputs in order to steer the device without changing a direction of the wheels relative to a frame of the riding device. The riding device has at least one rear wheel that is not powered. The rear wheel is mounted on a wheel mount that rotates freely about a vertical axis so that the rear wheel freely is directed in any direction.

The present disclosure relates to the field of powered wheeled riding toys.
Wheeled riding toys, such as wheeled riding horses, are well known. In such toys, a child sits on a saddle of a horse. Wheels are disposed at all four feet of the horse, which has a rigid internal frame for supporting the rider. As such, the rider can ride the horse, propelling it around using her feet. While this can be fun for some, users tend to become bored of toys taking this approach.
Two-wheeled self-balancing scooters, also often referred to as hoverboards, are also well-known. A typical hoverboard includes a right part and a left part that each have a wheel and a footpad. A user typically stands upon the footpads, and electronics, such as sensors, detect user foot movements. A hoverboard controller directs control of motors driving the wheels based on such user inputs. Although popular, hoverboards have a limited versatility.


Solid state laser gain media of segmented construction are composed of at least two segments of a doped crystalline laser host which are arranged in crystallographic alignment, wherein the dopant concentration varies from segment to segment to provide gradient doping levels for reducing thermally generated stress/strain in the lasing operation.

Pumping--especially longitudinal pumping with a single wavelength pump source--of uniformly doped laser hosts tends to cause non-uniform heating, leading to internal stress/strain within the host where the outer surfaces are cooled except for the end faces. Because of the exponential decay of the transmission function, the intensity I of a beam transversing a crystal is EQU I=I.sub.o e(-.alpha.l)
where I.sub.0 is the initial input, .alpha. is the absorption coefficient at a given pump wavelength and l is the distance along the crystal. Absorbed energy translates into heat. Thus, much more energy (heat) is deposited at the entrance end of the host than further into the crystal. For example, in tests with 6.35 and 5 mm diameter uniformly doped Cr.sup.+3 :LiSrAlF.sub.6 ("Cr:LiSAF") rods of approximately 6 cm length, the input end of the rods shattered at 15-18 Watts input levels when almost all of the pump energy was absorbed. Stress/strain calculations and thermal deposition profiles indicated large areas of stress/strain due to high thermal gradients due to exterior surface cooling except for the endfaces, and poor thermo-mechanical material properties. This can lead to catastrophic failure of the crystal without prior warning as the input power is increased. Longitudinal pumping of a uniformly doped host can also cause localized thermal augmentation due to Excited State Absorption (ESA) and upconversion processes, both of which are exacerbated by uneven pump energy absorption in accordance with the above-stated absorption formula. Further, the fluorescence lifetime in these crystals is strongly temperature dependent near room temperature, resulting in reduced stored energy in higher temperature areas and lower quantum efficiency, producing more localized heat.

Segmented solid state laser gain media with gradient doping level


The trip curves of circuit protection devices in an electric power distribution system are individually adjusted and coordinated in a hierarchy of protection devices by graphical manipulation, such as by dragging with a mouse, segments of the trip curves presented on a display device. The existing parameter settings can be provided to the display device and the adjusted parameter settings returned to the protection devices manually, but preferably, a communications network provides automatic transfer of the settings in both directions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to adjustment of the protection curves of electric circuit protection devices such as circuit breakers and overload relays, and for coordinating the protection curves of a hierarchy of such protection devices.
2. Background Information
Protection devices such as circuit breakers and overload relays in electric power distribution systems interrupt the current if certain current/time characteristics are exceeded. Specifically these protection devices have a rated current which can be maintained indefinitely. Very high currents, many times in excess of the rated current of the device, such as those associated with a short circuit, result in an instantaneous trip. Some loads, such as electric motors during start-up, draw currents in excess of rated current for a period of time. Such temporary overcurrents must be tolerated if such loads are present. However, if the motor is stalled or the overcurrent otherwise persists, the current must be interrupted to protect the load and the power conductor from overheating. The long delay trip function permits such temporary overcurrent conditions. If the current exceeds a long delay pick-up value, a long delay timing function is initiated. The time to the delayed trip is usually associated with the type of load, for instance the period of overcurrent expected for the class of the electric motor. Typically, the trip curve is set for a trip to occur if the current remains at or above a specified factor, such as 3 to 6 for instance, times the rated current for the long delay time period. However, if the current remains above the long delay pick-up value but below the selected factor times the rate of current, a trip will occur at a time which is an inverse function of the magnitude of the overcurrent. Various inverse time functions can be used, but most commonly an I.sup.2 t function (where I is the current and t is the time in seconds) is used.
Typically, projection devices are provided at several levels in the electric power distribution system. Thus, a main circuit breaker is used in the main bus and additional circuit breakers are provided in the feeder circuits and typically in the branch circuits also, the later of which may further include an overload relay and a starter for a motor. This creates a hierarchy of protection devices with the main circuit breaker at the top and the branch circuit breakers or the overload relays at the bottom. It is desirable to have the lowest circuit breaker possible in the hierarchy respond to a fault or overcurrent condition to minimize disruption of service. This requires coordination of the operation of the protection devices which is implemented by a short delay trip function. The short delay trip function allows a circuit breaker to tolerate an overcurrent of a magnitude which is greater than the long delay pick-up value but less than the instantaneous trip value for a short interval of time in order to allow a lower circuit breaker in the hierarchy to respond.
Coordination of the trip curves of the circuit breakers in an electric power distribution system has traditionally been implemented by drawing the protection curves for the circuit breakers on separate transparencies which are overlaid. If satisfactory margins between the overlaid curves do not exist, the parameters of the affected circuit breakers are adjusted and replotted until satisfactory margins are realized. This coordination process requires a highly skilled engineer. The various parameter values for each of the circuit breakers are given to a technician who enters them into the respective devices. This process is time consuming, costly, and subject to human error.
It is known to display individual trip curves on a computer monitor where the curve can be adjusted by textual entries of the various parameters. Separately, it is known to download circuit breaker parameter values from a remote computer using network communications. This potentially reduces the human errors associated with inserting the correct parameter values in the correct circuit breaker. However, there is no comprehensive system or process for improving the integrity and reducing the required time and cost of coordinating the trip curves of protection devices in an electric power distribution system.
Hence, there remains a need for improved apparatus and a method for coordinating the trip curves of the protection devices in an electric power distribution system.
More particularly, there is a need for such an improved method and apparatus which improves the integrity of the coordination of the protection devices while reducing the cost, time and number and skill of personnel required.
There is also a need for improved apparatus and a method for adjusting the trip curve of an individual circuit breaker.

Apparatus and method for adjustment and coordination of circuit breaker trip curves through graphical manipulation


A dual capacitor load cell is presented that includes two coupled capacitors with a common plate between them where the common plate is responsive to a force applied to the load cell. The capacitance of the two capacitors varies inversely and changes in response to the applied force. The combined capacitance of each capacitor is used to determine the magnitude of the force being applied to the load cell.

A load cell is a sensor that converts a force applied to the load cell into an electric signal that represents the magnitude of the applied force. The electric signal may suitably be an analog or digital signal and may require additional processing to determine the weight producing the applied force. A load cell based on capacitive technology measures the applied load by detecting the change in the capacitance of a capacitor that is part of the load cell and undergoes a dimensional change as a result of the applied force. Capacitance is a measure of the amount of charge that can be stored in a capacitor. The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor depends on the area of the two plates and the distance between the plates. In a load cell, one of the parallel plates moves in response to the applied force which changes the capacitance of the capacitor. Measuring the capacitance of the capacitor provides information about the force being applied to the load cell. However, the output is not linear and there are sensitivity issues.


A movable contact assembly includes a movable contact having a dome shape, a base sheet contacting an upper surface of the movable contact, a columnar portion provided on an upper surface of the base sheet, and a light guide sheet provided on an upper surface of the columnar portion. The light guide sheet has a light-receiving surface for introducing light into the light guide sheet, and allows the introduced light to be emitted from an upper surface of the light guide sheet. The base sheet includes a dome portion having a concave lower surface, and a flat portion connected with an outer edge of the dome portion. The columnar portion is positioned on the upper surface of the dome portion away from the outer edge of the dome portion of the base sheet. This movable contact assembly provides a switch illuminating its upper surface and being activated easily with a preferable feeling.

Key switches having illuminating functions are often used in operating panels mounted to various electronic apparatuses, such as portable telephones and portable data terminals. Such illuminating functions are performed by directly illuminating keys with a light-emitting diode (LED) or by transmitting light from an LED through a light guide sheet.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of switch 501 disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-53063. Central fixed contact 101 and peripheral fixed contact 102 are provided on an upper surface of circuit board 100. Sheet 110 is attached to the upper surface of circuit board 100 with adhesive layer 111. Sheet 110 has dome portion 120 protruding upwardly. Movable contact 130 having a dome shape is accommodated in dome portion 120. A lower surface of the central portion of movable contact 130 faces central fixed contact 101 with a gap between contacts 101 and 130. An outer edge of movable contact 130 is mounted onto peripheral fixed contact 102. An upper surface of movable contact 130 is held on dome portion 120 of sheet 110 with adhesive layer 111.
Sheet 110 is a light guide sheet that transmits light incident from a side edge surface, and illuminates the upper surface.
Light source 150 is mounted on circuit board 100. Light source 150 includes light-emitting portion 151 facing the side edge surface of sheet 110 to cause light from light source 150 to enter in parallel with sheet 110 made of a light guide sheet. Transparent resin 160 collects light from light-emitting portion 151, and introduces the light efficiently onto the side edge surface of sheet 110.
An operation of conventional switch 501 will be described below.
As a pressing force is applied to movable contact 130 from above dome portion 120 of sheet 110, the force reverses the dome shape of movable contact 130 when the force exceeds a predetermined level. Then, movable contact 130 contacts central fixed contact 101, thereby connecting central fixed contact 101 electrically with peripheral fixed contact 102. And, when the force is released, movable contact 130 returns to have its original dome shape shown in FIG. 4, thereby electrically disconnecting central fixed contact 101 from peripheral fixed contact 102.
When light source 150 emits light, the light enters through the side edge surface of sheet 110, the light guide sheet. The light is introduced into sheet 110 including dome portion 120, and illuminates the upper surface of sheet 110. Dome portion 120 covers movable contact 130 along the upper surface of movable contact 130. A key made of light-transmissible material and having a mark, such as characters or symbols, may be provided on sheet 110. This structure provides switch 501 which is operated easily even in the dark, in which the key is activated, and the mark is visibly recognized.
In switch 501, sheet 110, the light guide sheet, has a shape along the dome shape of movable contact 130. The light guide sheet having the light entering the side edge surface thereof may preferably thick so as to accept the light easily. For example, the sheet may often have a thickness of about 0.2 mm. However, if sheet 110, the light guide sheet, has the thickness of 0.2 mm, an excessive force is required due to a stress of sheet 110 when depressing movable contact 130, accordingly preventing switch 501 from being activated easily.

Movable contact assembly and switch using the same


An easy-to-use, inexpensive, and small sheet conveying device, which can stably and separately convey not only sheets of a fixed size that are normally used, but also highly rigid sheets and special sheets, and can further separately convey a bent sheet reliably. In a sheet conveying path switching device having a sheet carrying-in path and a switching separating nail, outlines of two separating/conveying paths out of a plurality of separating/conveying paths positioned on a downstream side of the switching separating nail are configured by a movable belt surface, the two separating/conveying paths being located closer to the separating nail than the other separating/conveying paths.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sheet conveying path switching device for switching a sheet conveyance direction in such an image forming apparatus, and to a sheet conveying device that uses this sheet conveying path switching device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to downsize the whole image forming apparatus, it is desired to reduce the size of a sheet conveying device that conveys a recording sheet as a recording medium from sheet storage means such as a paper cassette or a paper feed tray. Also, in recent years, image forming apparatuses that support various sizes and types of sheets have become popular. In such image forming apparatuses, sheets of several sizes and types are previously stored in sheet storage means, and a type or size of sheet that is selected arbitrarily by a user or a sheet that is selected automatically by the image forming apparatus can be fed. For this reason, the sheet storage means fills a larger space in the image forming apparatus, thus there is a strong need of reducing the size of the sheet conveying device. From the standpoint of conveyance of sheets, the same thing is required in ADF documents as well.
Furthermore, recently, image forming apparatuses that are capable of selecting one-side printing or both-side printing of a sheet to form an image thereon have become popular. In an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on both sides of a sheet, a sheet, one side of which has an image fixed, is sent out to a recording body loading section (sheet discharging tray) provided in the apparatus main body, or conveyed to a recording body reversing section (both-side conveying means) in order to form the image on the reverse side. Therefore, separating means for selectively switching the sheet conveyance direction is provided within the sheet conveying path. Even in the case of forming an image on one side, the conveying path needs to be switched when sheets onto which images have been fixed are sorted and discharged.
As described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-178954, there is adopted a sheet conveying device in which a simple and inexpensive separating arm is used as the separating means. In a conveying path within the sheet conveying device where a separating section is provided, the size of the conveyance direction is changed significantly, depending on the positional relation of the apparatus, and the space occupied by the conveying path is reduced in order to downsize the sheet conveying device. As a result, the conveying path is provided with a curvature section that has a predetermined curvature in order to change the conveyance direction of the conveying path continuously and smoothly, whereby the curvature radius of the curvature section can be set relatively small enough to convey a sheet of a fixed size, which is normally used in an image forming apparatus.
In the sheet conveying device having such a configuration as above, when conveying a highly rigid, firm sheet such as a cardboard, or a special type of sheet such as an envelope, the leading edge of the sheet P comes into contact with the wall surface of the curvature section due to the small curvature radius of the curvature section, whereby the friction resistance between the sheet and the wall surface increases. For this reason, there is a problem that the highly rigid sheet or special type of sheet cannot go forward along the conveying path formed in the curvature section, causing a paper jam or conveyance failure that inhibits stable conveyance operation. It is conceivable to use suction-type conveying means using air, in order to prevent such a problem described above. However, such conveying means requires a suction device, thus there is a disadvantage that the configuration of the sheet conveying device becomes complex and the size of the same increase, causing a cost increase.
In, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 3257712, there is proposed a sheet conveying device that can securely feed sheets to each of the conveying paths intended to convey the sheets at small sheet intervals in response to the high speed of the sheet conveying device, the sheet conveying device being realized at low cost. In this sheet conveying device, as described hereinafter, by using a special switching belt, the conveying force can be applied to a sheet at a sheet-conveyance reversing section so that, even when conveying a firm sheet, smoother conveyance can be performed, compared to a fixed curving guide path having a small curvature radius. However, there is a problem in this device that a risk of a paper jam increases, as described hereinafter.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-129883 and Japanese Patent Application No. 3723067.

Sheet conveying path switching device used in image forming apparatus, and sheet conveying device


A targeting system comprising a plurality of directional sensors (11) to monitor a spatial area. Each sensor (11) transmits time series information about possible targets to a remote receiver (13), the time series information is processed by processor (14) to select at least one frequency line track (23). Various target parameters associated with each frequency line track are processed by processor (15) to derive tonal association information about possible targets which is displayed on display (16).

This invention relates to the resolution of ambiguities associated with a plurality of targets within a spatial area monitored by a plurality of directional sensors.
At present, if an unknown number of targets exist within a spatial area which is monitored by a plurality of directional sensors at known positions, it is difficult to estimate the number and positions of those targets.
In an ideal case, if only the angle of arrival of tonal information from a target to a directional sensor can be determined, and if the tonal information can be detected in such a way by a plurality of directional sensors, then the position of that target can be found by the bearing intersection of the direction vectors, extending from each directional sensor at the angle of arrival of the tonal information.
However, in practice, propagation effects usually limit the number of targets detected at any one sensor, making it no longer possible to estimate the number and positions of multiple targets by simple examination of the bearing intersections.
A frequency line track is a tonal signal and associated parameters such as a bearing estimate (or an angle of arrival at a sensor), signal strength, frequency or bandwidth.


Method and apparatus for selectively actuating a cantilevered probe for applying a compound to a substrate in nanolithography. A probe having a probe electrode and a substrate having a counter electrode are provided. Voltage applied to the probe electrode and/or counter electrode provides electrostatic attraction between them, moving a probe tip into sufficient proximity to the substrate to apply the patterning compound. Alternatively, a flexible cantilevered probe anchored to a holder includes a layer of conductive material forming a probe electrode. A counter electrode on the holder faces the probe electrode. The holder and probe are positioned so that a probe tip applies the compound to the substrate. The probe is disposed between the substrate and the counter electrode. An electrostatic attractive force generated between the probe electrode and the counter electrode flexes the probe and lifts the tip away from the substrate to suspend writing.

High-throughput lithography and surface patterning with extremely fine linewidths (e.g., on the order of 10-100 nm) are important for future growth of the microelectronics industry and nanotechnology. However, the resolution of conventional projection optical lithographic systems, still the most widely used in the microelectronics industry, is limited by optical diffraction. While the resolution can be improved by using beam-based direct-writing tools with high energy and short wavelengths, such systems are complex and expensive, typically result in low throughput, and are not capable of depositing patterns made of biological molecules or chemical compounds (though special chemical resists can be used).
It has been discovered that scanning probe microscopy (SPM) probes can be used in nanolithography to produce patterns on surfaces of substrates. SPM probes include a probe tip attached to a suspension mechanism such as a cantilever. An exemplary SPM is an atomic force microscope (AFM). To produce a pattern, the SPM probe applies a patterning compound using the diffusion of a chemical or biological species from a tip of the probe to the surface. In a typical application, the patterning compound travels to the substrate via a meniscus that naturally forms between the tip and the substrate surface under ambient conditions.
This patterning method, generally referred to as Dip Pen Nanolithography (DPN), allows formation of microscale or nanoscale chemical patterns on surfaces using a microscopy probe such as that of an SPM. Such patterns may include, for example, linewidths on the order of 10 nm-100 nm or greater, and ultimate spatial resolution on the order of 5 nm. Features having linewidths in the 10 nm to several micrometer range, for example, can be fabricated using commercially available silicon nitride tips. An exemplary disclosure of a DPN method is contained in PCT/US-00/00319, which is incorporated herein by reference.
A brief description of an exemplary DPN process follows. As shown in FIG. 1, a tip 10 of a cantilevered probe such as an AFM probe is coated with a patterning compound 14, such as a chemical or a biological material, to be deposited on a surface of a substrate 16. The probe tip 10 is placed in contact with the surface. The patterning compound 14 is then free to diffuse from the probe tip 10 to the surface at the point of contact. Features may then be "drawn" on the surface of the substrate 16 by translating the probe tip 10, for example, along a writing direction W. As used herein, "in contact" means that the probe tip 10 is placed in sufficient proximity to the surface of the substrate 16 to permit transferring the patterning compound 14 to the surface by a method such as diffusion. The probe tip 10 may be scanned across the substrate surface, so that patterning compound 14 is transported through a meniscus 20 that forms between the probe tip and the surface. Once on the surface of the substrate 16, deposited molecules 18 anchor themselves to the substrate, forming robust patterns.
DPN offers a number of unique benefits, including direct writing capability, high resolution, ultrahigh nanostructure registration capabilities, and the flexibility to employ a variety of molecules for writing compounds (including biomolecules) and substrates (such as Au, SiO2, and GaAs). Other benefits include the ability to integrate multiple chemical, biochemical, or biological functionalities on a single "nano-chip", a one-layer process for patterning, and the ability to automate patterning using customized software.
DPN technology can be implemented using a low-cost SPM instrument. In an exemplary setup, a DPN probe chip is mounted on an SPM scanner tube in a manner similar to commercially available SPM tips. Precise horizontal and vertical movement of a probe on the probe chip may be attained, for example, using an internal laser signal feedback control system of the SPM machine.
Multiple SPM probes can provide a throughput advantage for DPN over individual probes. For example, multiple probes may be arranged in one- or two-dimensional arrays in a probe chip, providing a plurality of probe tips in simultaneous contact with the surface.
Additional flexibility can be gained by providing actuators that allow individual probes to be independently addressable, most particularly when multiple probes are used, so that the probes can be selectively engaged with the substrate surface independently of other probes. Techniques for independently actuating one or more probes in a multiple-probe array are disclosed in related U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,129.

Electrostatic nanolithography probe actuation device and method

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


The present invention relates to methods to control the spread of recombinant DNA molecules between sexually compatible plants of differing genetic composition. The invention describes the production of transgenic plants that comprise recombinant traits of interest or concern linked to repressible lethal genes. The lethal genes are blocked by the action of repressor molecules produced by the expression of repressor genes located at a different genetic locus. The lethal phenotype is only expressed after the segregation of the repressible lethal gene construct and the repressor gene following meiosis. The present invention may be employed for both open-pollinated and hybrid seed production systems and may be used to maintain genetic purity by blocking unintended introgression of genes from plants devoid of the specific repressor gene. The invention includes methods that impart traits that are desirable for environmentally responsible heterologous protein production, to genetic material used to impart said traits and to new plants and products derived by said methods.

The increasing number and diversity of plants containing novel traits derived from recombinant DNA research present both environmental and commercial concerns. The concerns arise from the potential for novel traits to spread by pollen to sexually compatible plants in a natural or cultivated population.
Plants with new and altered traits imparted by genetic technologies and recombinant DNA technology in particular are now viewed as the cornerstone of the crop biotechnology industry. Currently a considerable number of crops plants with novel traits that originated from tissue culture, somatoclonal variation or mutation as well as genetic engineering are undergoing field trials and the first stages of commercial release. These plants not only include conventional crops grown on an annual basis, but other plants such as trees or shrubs which comprise novel traits and are perennial in nature.
Modern crop varieties comprise both individual genes that confer a particular trait and combination of genes assembled through conventional plant breeding. Accordingly, as more novel traits are developed and incorporated into modern crop varieties, it is valuable to have a means to preserve genetic compositions, including those of specific crop varieties, cultivars or breeding lines. Of particular value is the preservation of crops which carry traits not usually found in the crop; for example, plants which produce novel oil, meal or other components or those plants modified to produce speciality chemicals. Additionally, perennial plants such as trees are being produced which carry novel traits such as altered lignin levels, insect and fungal resistance and herbicide tolerance.
Novel traits are introduced into plants by conventional breeding or genetic engineering. However, to date neither route provides features that can be routinely used for maintaining germplasm purity, or controlling persistence or potential spread of the novel trait. Current vectors and genetic compositions typically do not address two important issues: (1) commercial issues such as the prevention of transformed crop plants or elite varieties from contaminating other commercial productions, or the prevention of introgression of alien germplasm from closely related cultivars or plant species, and; (2) environmental issues such as the removal of transformed crop plants or related species that have acquired the genes in question from non-agricultural environments. Additionally current transformation methods do not provide the means for reducing the introduction of genes via pollen mediated out-crossing to other cultivars or related species (either wild or cultivated).
The single largest immediate risk for the use of many crops with novel traits is the risk of contamination among commercial productions of the same crop species. The risk of a crop species such as oilseed rape or canola (Brassica napus) to become a weed or to cross with wild weedy relatives is modest compared with the near certainty of crossing with other commercial productions of canola, especially where large production areas exist. In the past this has not been a significant problem for farmers and commercial processors for several reasons. First, breeding objectives have been relatively uniform for canola crop; second, only a small number of cultivars have comprised 90-100% of the total acreage grown by farmers; and third, the only speciality type, traditionally cultivated, high erucic acid industrial oil cultivars have been grown in physical isolation. Accordingly, cross contamination of food quality canola varieties with genes conferring high erucic acid has not been a serious issue.
Recently additional unique varieties have been released. These include varieties that carry recombinant genes which confer tolerance to herbicides and varieties developed by conventional breeding which have variations in fatty acid profile, such as high oleic acid. Purity of seed, both during production and harvesting of canola seed for crushing and processing is now a growing issue. Because of the impending modification of canola with numerous additional recombinant genes that impart different properties to the oil (e.g. high laurate content) or the use of plants as producers of heterologous proteins such as pharmaceuticals, potentially serious industrial cross contamination may be anticipated.
These issues extend to many crops in addition to Brassica oilseeds. In maize, increasing emphasis on herbicide tolerance, insect resistance and diversification of modified end products (eg. starch, oil, meal) clearly indicates that many different traits will be incorporated in the corn crop. As some maize varieties are destined for specialized use, such as wet milling or feed, or even production of pharmacologically important proteins, the issue of segregation of these speciality types from the mainstream is relevant. Considering that corn pollen can sometimes travel significant distances, a genetic means to control pollination is be highly advantageous.
Similarly, the proximity of perennial plants to their wild relatives is a problem. For instance, a transgenic tree expressing insect tolerance could cross with a wild species of tree to create a hybrid that expresses insect tolerance. Under managed conditions such as plantations, insect resistance would not have a significant environmental impact. However, should the insect resistance trait become widespread in a natural forest population a serious ecological problem could result. Insect populations are part of the food chain in a forest system and reduced levels of insects could lead to a collapse of the predator population, which is often native bird species. Accordingly, for unmanaged systems control of the spread of genes that may carry environmental consequences is a highly desirable goal.
Currently physical isolation combined with border rows that function as pollen traps have been employed to contain transgenic plants under study and development. This method, however, is impractical for widespread cultivation. Moreover, with increasing production and distribution of an increasing number of different transgenic types, the potential for contamination increases dramatically. This issue has recently become a major concern for the oilseed rape industry and will become a greater issue for other major crops (eg. corn) as the numbers of different recombinant and speciality genotypes reach the market place.
In addition to cross-contamination among commercial crop productions, another concern is the potential spread of crops used as vehicles for producing heterologous proteins of commercial or medicinal value. These novel protein products can potentially contaminate plants destined for food use and export. Although production standards can be implemented that will attempt to preserve the identity of individual transgenic lines and reduce unintended contaminations, the outflow of genes to other cultivars will eventually occur. The potential spread of genes that cannot be easily identified, e.g. by herbicide tolerance, nor impart a distinctive morphology has yet to be addressed by government or industry.
Methods which control the spread of transgenes into the environment or other commercial cultivars are also useful for preventing the introgression of alien germplasm into identity-preserved commercial varieties. In this regard "alien germplasm" is defined as any germplasm which does not comprise the full complement of traits of the identity-preserved cultivar. Accordingly alien germplasm can include both sexually compatible wild relatives and other commercial varieties of the crop. With an increasing number of plants carrying novel traits being contemplated for commercial production, methods that prevent the contamination of both seed production and commodity production will provide a valuable means to maintain germplasm purity and identity preservation.
As an example, many enzymes have been tested that alter plant oil production in oilseed crops such as soybean corn and canola. The same plant species have been used for producing inedible short chain or long chain industrially fatty acids as well as edible oil. Since modified oil seeds must be isolated to ensure pollen carrying the oil modification genes does not contaminate edible oil variety seeds, this poses a growing problem for the seed production industry. The isolation distances routinely practiced in seed production for many crops may not be sufficient to ensure required levels of purity. Where crop plants are used to produce speciality products such as pharmaceutically active compounds, even minor contamination of germplasm is highly undesirable.
Oil seed crops such as canola typically shatter seed before harvest. This results in significant numbers of volunteer plants in subsequent years, potentially contaminating subsequent commercial productions both by crossing and by direct effects of the pollen on developing grain (xenia effects). In addition, seeds retained and distributed by farmers for future planting could contribute to contamination problems.
For perennial plants, the long life of trees and the presence of indigenous wild relatives raise additional concerns. Some trees take many years to flower, producing enormous amounts of pollen that can last for many years and are especially suited for widespread wind pollination. Transgenic trees therefore pose special problems and may require mechanisms to control gene flow to wild relatives.
It has been suggested that some new crop types, through hybridization with wild relatives, may invade natural ecosystems. This and related issues have been extensively debated (eg. University of California, Risk assessment in agricultural biology: proceedings of an international conference, 1990, Casper, R., & Landsman, J., 1992, The bio-safety results of field tests of genetically modified plants and microorganisms. Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on The Biosafety Results of Field Tests of Genetically Modified Plants and Microorganisms, 1992 Goslar, Germany, Dale, P. et al., 1992, The field release of transgenic plants. The British Crop Protection Council. Brighton Crop Protection Conference: Pests and Diseases, Vols. I, II and III., Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on The BioSafety Results of Field Tests of Genetically Modified Plants and Microorganisms, 1994, Monterey, Calif., D. D. Jones, 1994).
The consensus of these studies and experimental results achieved to date support the view that the degree of potential spread of transgenes to wild relatives is highly dependent upon the species and environmental conditions. Crossing with relatives is not likely with some species and probable for others (Raybould & Grey, J. Applied Ecology 30: 199-219, 1993). Many crops are highly specialized and adapted to non-competitive cultivation practices and thus are not generally considered a serious environmental risk on their own (Dale et al., Plant Breeding 111:1-22, 1993, Fishlock, D., The PROSAMO Report, published by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex, UK TW11 0LY) The potential for environmental problems due to, for example, the inclusion of a virus coat protein gene that has potential for viral recombination and the evolution of new viruses with an extended host range, is currently unknown (Gal S., et al., Virology 187:525-533, Grimsley, N., et al., EMBO Journal 5: 641-646, 1986, Lecoq, H., et al., Molec. Plant Microbe Interact. 6:403-406, 1993. Tepfer, M., Biotechnology 11: 1125-1132. 1993). Accordingly there is a need for methods to restrict the potential flow of this type of genes or to selectively eliminate those plants which contain such genes.
Attempts have been made to develop methods to specifically remove or identify plants that contain novel traits introduced by recombinant DNA. For example, the use of a conditionally lethal gene, i.e. one which results in plant cell death under certain conditions, has been suggested as a means to selectively kill plant cells containing a specific recombinant DNA. Recently the development of genes which are conditionally lethal in plants have been described (eg WO 94/03619). However, methods using these genes have been restricted to the application of a substance that triggers the expression of the lethal phenotype. For widespread agricultural practices, these methods have serious limitations.
An example of a conditionally lethal gene is the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid-derived oncogene commonly referred to as "gene 2" or "oncogene 2". The gene encodes the enzyme indole acetamide hydrolase (IAMH) that hydrolyzes indole acetamide, a compound that has essentially no phytohormone activity, to form the active auxin phytohormone indole acetic acid. The enzyme IAMH is capable of hydrolyzing a number of indole amide substrates including naphthalene acetamide, resulting in the production of the well known synthetic plant growth regulator naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Use of the IAMH gene for roguing plants has been described by Jorgenson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,873). The method requires application of NAM to discriminate plants which carry the conditionally lethal gene.
Other enzymes may also be used as conditionally lethal genes. These include enzymes which act directly to convert a non-toxic substance to a toxin, such as the enzyme methoxinine dehydrogenase, which converts non-toxic 2-amino-4-methoxy-butanoic acid (methoxinine) to toxic methoxyvinyl glycine (Margraff, R., et al., 1980, Experimentia 36: 846), the enzyme rhizobitoxine synthase, which converts non-toxic 2-amino-4-methoxy-butanoic acid to toxic 2-amino-4-[2-amino-3-hydroxypropyl]-trans-3-butanoic acid (rhizobitoxine) (Owens, L. D, et al., 1973, Weed Science 21: 63-66), the de-acylase enzyme which acts specificlly to convert the inactive herbicide derivative L-N-acetyl-phosphinothricin to the active phytotoxic agent phosphinothricin (Bartsch, K. and Schultz, A., EP 617121), and the enzyme phosphonate monoester hydrolase which can hydrolyze inactive ester derivatives of the herbicide glyphosate to form the active herbicide (Dotson S. B., and Kishore G. M., 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,801). Other conditionally lethal genes may be engineered from lethal genes. A lethal gene which is expressed only in response to environmental or physiological conditions is lethal under those conditions. For example, a gene that encodes a lethal activity may be placed under the control of a promoter that is induced in response to a specific chemical trigger or an artificial or naturally occurring physiological stress. In this fashion the expression of the lethal gene activity is conditional on the presence of the inducer.
The expression of the conditionally lethal gene that acts on a non-toxic substance to convert said substance to a toxic substance is typically regulated by a promoter that is a constitutive promoter expressed in all or most cell types or a developmentally regulated promoter expressed in certain cell types or at certain stages of development. Any promoter that provides sufficient level of expression can be used. However, in practice promoters that provide high levels of expression for extended periods offer the best opportunities to remove unwanted plants.
The need to apply a chemical to induce the lethal phenotype reduces the utility of a conditionally lethal gene. The widespread application of chemicals may be impractical and raise additional environmental concerns. Accordingly the use of conditionally lethal genes as currently described is not ideally suited for general applications since intervention is required to express the lethal phenotype.
The possibility of using a repressed lethal gene to limit the persistence of hybrid crops has been suggested recently by Oliver et al (patent application WO 96/04393). In this system expression of a lethal gene is blocked by a genetic element that binds a specific repressor protein. The repressor protein is the product of a repressor gene typically of bacterial origin. The genetic element that binds the repressor protein is referred to as a blocking sequence and is constructed such that it further comprises DNA sequences recognized by a DNA recombinase enzyme (e.g. the CRE enzyme). Plants that contain said blocked lethal gene are hybridized with plants comprising the DNA recombinase gene. Either the lethal gene or the recombinase enzyme (or both) is under control of regulatory elements that allow expression only at a specific stage of plant development (e.g. seed embryo). Consequently, the recombinase function in the resulting F1 hybrid plant removes the specific blocking sequence and activates the lethal gene so that no F2 plant is produced. Notably, this scheme cannot control outcrossing of germplasm that carries the novel trait nor introgression of alien germplasm. The method does not apply to self- or open-pollinating varieties. Accordingly, the method is useful only as a means to restrict use (e.g. re-planting) to F1 hybrid seed.
Methods to eliminate recombinant DNA sequences used to obtain transformants such as selectable markers have been developed. Use of a transposase or recombinase to remove selected recombinant sequences from transgenic crop plants has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,852 (Biologically Safe Transformation System, by Yoder and Lassner). This invention describes a method for removing vector and marker gene sequences by enclosing them within a transposon. The sequences are subsequently removed by crossing the plant to a plant with transposase function.
No published method, however, addresses the problem of contamination of related varieties by cross pollination. The art also does not provide a means to prevent the introgression of alien germplasm by pollination with related pollen, even pollen from the same variety but lacking the genetic trait(s).
Therefore, a method that limits outcrossing and introgression without intervention is needed for management and control of novel traits and crops with novel traits. A mechanism to control cross-contaminations among commercial crops is also needed. Such a mechanism is also needed in the management of perennial crops such as trees, shrubs and grapevines. In particular any mechanism which does not require intervention in order to function is ideally suited for perennial crops. The present invention describes methods and genetic compositions which respond to these needs.

Methods and genetic compositions to limit outcrossing and undesired gene flow in crop plants


A method for making an electrode including a particle based film is disclosed in which the film is coated and/or impregnated with veins of conductive material. A support backing is placed adjacent to one side of the film to provide support and prevent damaging the film while the conductive material is applied onto the opposite side of the film. The film is bonded directly to a current collector of an energy storage device.

Energy storage devices typically comprise a plurality of electrodes. One type of energy storage device is a battery, another is a double-layer capacitor. Double-layer capacitors, also referred to as ultracapacitors and super-capacitors, are energy storage devices that are able to store much more energy per unit weight and unit volume than traditional capacitors such as electrolytic capacitors. In part, the performance of double-layer capacitors is limited by its internal resistance. The chemistry and physics of known double-layer capacitor technology limits the maximum cell operating voltage of a double-layer capacitor to less than about 4 volts, above which destructive breakdown will occur. A typical nominal operating voltage is about 2.5–3.0 volts.
Known electrode designs include conductive carbon layers. The carbon layers are typically bonded to a conductive current collector by an adhesive/bonding layer or film. When current is passed through the electrode, the interfacial contact resistance between the adhesive/bonding layer, collector, and the electrode film creates a voltage drop and generation of heat, thus, wasting energy meant to be stored. Increased contact resistance also increases a capacitors RC time constant and, thus, its charge and discharge time.
In energy storage devices that employ electrodes comprised of a carbon cloth, one method used to reduce interfacial contact resistance utilizes coating of one side the carbon cloth with molten sprayed metal. The thermal spraying process acts to impregnate the carbon cloth with conductive metal. This provides conductive paths throughout the thickness of the carbon cloth and allows for a metal-to-metal contact between the impregnated carbon cloth electrode and a metal current collector.
It is desirable to minimize the internal resistance of energy storage devices, because, generally speaking, energy storage devices having a low internal resistance can be charged and can, in turn, deliver stored energy more quickly, at a higher power density, with increased voltage, and without excessive generation of heat.