A method and assembly for synchronizing machine operations, the assembly comprising a reference generator for generating a speed reference signal and a position reference signal, a plurality of slave units, each slave unit including, a mechanical device, a separate motor linked to and driving the mechanical device and a separate unit controller for controlling the unit motor, the unit controller receiving and using the reference signals to control motor operation and a synchronizer receiving the reference signals from the control signal source and simultaneously providing the reference signals to each of the slave unit controllers for use in controlling operation of the motors in a synchronized fashion.

The present invention relates generally to motor control and, more particularly, to a motor drive with synchronized timing.
This section of this document is intended to introduce various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention described and/or claimed below. This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Rotating motors are typically controlled by a motor drive that receives reference motor velocity and position signals and produces a torque signal that is applied to the motor. The torque signal is generally controlled using a pulse width modulated (PWM) technique. Adjustment of the torque signal based on changes to the reference velocity or position signals relative to measured feedback velocity and position signals ensures that the motor rotates at the reference velocity.
Some applications require precise motor control across multiple, synchronized motors. For example, an electronic line shaft may be employed in a printing application to move the paper or other material over rollers and through various stages of the printing process. For instance, an exemplary printing system may include a folding unit and a plurality of separate printing units where each printing unit includes a plurality or rollers, motors, motor controllers that move a web of paper along and apply different ink colors thereto. After printing, the printing units feed the folding unit that cuts the printed web into sheets and, as the label implies, folds the cut sheets to form sections of newspapers, books, magazines or the like. To ensure print quality, the various stages are synchronized. A lack of synchronicity between the stations results in misregistration between the colors and/or the cut sheets, leading to unacceptable product that may need to be scrapped.
Previous generations of printing technology employed a mechanical line shaft mechanically linked to the various printing units and the folding unit. Rotation of the line shaft by an electric motor activated rollers and other printing unit tools along the line to facilitate the printing process. In a mechanical line shaft system, factors such as play in the mechanical linkages, stretching of the paper web, and torsional flexing of the line shaft itself make it difficult to achieve and maintain synchronicity between the printing units, especially during periods of acceleration and deceleration of the printing system. It has been observed that when synchronicity is not maintained, product generated includes excessive flaws and is often unacceptable for intended use. Mechanical line shafts also have reduced flexibility in addressing print changes. Hence, where changes are required, down time may be excessive.
More modern printing systems, commonly referred to shaftless printing systems or electronic line shaft systems, employ a plurality of motors, motor controllers and associated rollers that form printing and folding units that are electronically synchronized, as opposed to mechanically synchronized. Lack of synchronicity in an electronic line shaft results in similar problems, such as color misregistration, evident in a mechanical line shaft system.
When operating a plurality motors synchronously in an automated system, several factors exist that may cause the position of the motors to deviate from each other even though they are all operating pursuant to a single reference velocity signal. For instance, motor inertia between motors at different stations is often non-uniform and can cause one motor to drift from the other motors.
One solution for reducing drift between motors in a printing system that includes a folding unit and a plurality of printing units has been to divide the printing units into unit groups (e.g., where a group includes printing units that are logically related—a group may include six printing units that apply color print to a single page where the print applied by the six units has to be precisely aligned), obtain a position signal from the folding unit and provide the position signal to each of the groups to be distributed via a high speed bus to units within the group. While this solution results in unit groups that each separately generate substantially aligned printed product, alignment is not exact as, even in the case of a high speed inter-group but, there is some propagation time between the group unit controllers and hence the controllers are slightly phase shifted. In addition, while the units in each separate group may generate substantially aligned printed product, the printed product from each group may be misaligned when received at the folder unit because of the propagation delay between the folding from which the position signal is obtained and the printing unit groups.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a more accurate configuration for synchronizing printing and folding units in a printing system. Similarly and more generally, it would be advantageous to have an extremely accurate synchronizing system for use in any electronic line shaft application.


A lithographic printing plate support of the invention includes an aluminum plate and an anodized aluminum film which has micropores extending from a surface of the anodized film opposite from the aluminum plate in a depth direction of the anodized film; the micropores each have a large-diameter portion extending from the anodized film surface to an average depth (depth A) of 75 to 120 nm and a small-diameter portion which communicates with the bottom of the large-diameter portion; the average diameter of the large-diameter portion at the anodized film surface is at least 10 nm but less than 30 nm; a ratio of the depth A to the average diameter (depth A/average diameter) of the large-diameter portion is more than 4.0 but up to 12.0; and an average diameter of the small-diameter portion at the communication level is more than 0 but less than 10 nm.

The present invention relates to a lithographic printing plate support and a method of manufacturing a lithographic printing plate support, as well as a lithographic printing plate precursor.
Lithographic printing is a printing process that makes use of the inherent immiscibility of water and oil. Lithographic printing plates used in lithographic printing have formed on a surface thereof regions which are receptive to water and repel oil-based inks (referred to below as "non-image areas") and regions which repel water and are receptive to oil-based inks (referred to below as "image areas").
An aluminum support employed in a lithographic printing plate (referred to below simply as a "lithographic printing plate support") is used in such a way as to carry non-image areas on its surface. It must therefore have a number of conflicting properties, including, on the one hand, an excellent hydrophilicity and water retention and, on the other hand, an excellent adhesion to an image recording layer that is provided thereon. If the hydrophilicity of the support is too low, ink is likely to be attached to the non-image areas at the time of printing, causing a blanket cylinder to be scummed and thereby causing so-called scumming to be generated. In addition, if the water retention of the support is too low, clogging in a shadow area is generated unless the amount of fountain solution is increased at the time of printing. Thus, a so-called water allowance is narrowed.
Various studies have been made to obtain lithographic printing plate supports exhibiting good properties. For example, JP 2011-245844 A discloses a method of manufacturing a lithographic printing plate support which includes a first step for anodizing a roughened aluminum plate surface, followed by pore-widening treatment, and a subsequent step for reanodizing under such conditions that the diameter of micropores may be smaller than that in the anodized film formed in the first step. It is described that a lithographic printing plate obtained by using the lithographic printing plate support has a long press life and excellent on-press developability.

Support for lithographic printing plate and manufacturing method therefor, as well as original lithographic printing plate


An electromagnetic shielding filter has two transparent boards and a conductive mesh with plural wires, where the conductive mesh is sandwiched between the two transparent boards. The plural wires are formed of a Cu—Sn—In alloy or a Cu—Ag alloy.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electromagnetic shielding filter composed of a plastic or glass board and attached at the front of a display device and, in particular, to an electromagnetic shielding filter suitably adapted for a plasma display panel (PDP) TV. Also, this invention can be adapted for a field emission display (FED) or cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display devices such as PDP, CRT and FED emit unnecessary electromagnetic waves which may cause a malfunction or noise in peripheral devices or be harmful to humans. Therefore, they need to be equipped with some electromagnetic shielding filter to eliminate the electromagnetic waves. General electrical devices can be electromagnetic-shielded by disposing a conductor around them. However, in case of the display devices, the electromagnetic shielding filter needs to be transparent as well as being conductive.
JP-A-2000-174488 discloses an electromagnetic shielding transparent window material that is composed of two transparent boards and a conductive mesh formed of a metal covered conductive fiber and disposed between the boards, where the mesh is integrated with the boards by an adhesive resin.
The transparent board of the electromagnetic shielding transparent window material are generally made of plastic or glass. The plastic or glass board has a serious defect in aspect of the mechanical strength that it may cause a crack when a strong load is externally applied thereto. Thus, the transparent board needs to have a breaking strength property against the external force to protect the panel from the external force.
In order to compensate the mechanical strength of the electromagnetic shielding transparent window material, JP-A-2000-174488 teaches using a special chemical reinforced glass for at least one of the two transparent boards. However, in this approach, the production cost must be increased since the special chemical reinforced glass is used instead of the commercially-available plastic film.
On the other hand, the electromagnetic shielding filter needs to be lightweight as well as the mechanical strength above a certain level since it is attached at the front of the display panel. In order to make the filter lightweight, it is proposed to reduce the thickness of the transparent board. However, in this way, the strength of the whole electromagnetic shielding filter cannot be secured. In general, the mechanical strength is incompatible with the weight saving. Thus far, the incompatible properties are difficult to satisfy together in the conventional display front filter board.
JP-A-2001-22283 discloses an electromagnetic shielding filter having transparency and conductivity, which is produced such that a conductive metal is deposited on a transparent board and a mesh wiring is then formed by etching it, or a mesh structure is formed by arranging wires in the length and width directions. However, in case of forming the mesh wiring by etching, the production cost will be increased and the transparency (wire invisibility) thereof is too low to meet the market needs.
In case of forming the mesh structure by arranging wires in the length and width directions, the diameter of a wire available is as large as about 30 to 40 μm and, therefore, must be further reduced to satisfy the transparency (wire invisibility). In case of wires, the normal wire drawing process needs to conduct the annealing several times during the operation and it is difficult to produce a ultrafine wire as thin as 20 μm φ from a normal copper or copper alloy material. Thus, it is desired that a wire material for the electromagnetic shielding filter has such a ultrafine-wire processability that does not cause a breaking even in tough area reduction processing so as to produce the ultrafine wire with a diameter of 20 μm φ or less.


A substrate processing device for processing a substrate, comprising an image sensor configured to detect positions of two corners on at least one diagonal of a substrate when the substrate is transferred to a predetermined position; an illuminating device that can be disposed so as to illuminate the two corners of the substrate on an opposite side of the substrate at the predetermined position relative to the image sensor; and a control device configured to determine the position of the substrate on the basis of the positions of the two corners, which are detected by the image sensor, the control device being configured to be capable of changing at least either light quantity or wavelength of output light of the illuminating device.

There are plating devices that plate substrates mounted on a substrate holder. In these plating devices, a substrate may be displaced from a predetermined proper position when mounted on and/or dismounted from the substrate holder. The displacement of a substrate might occur due to warpage of the substrate holder, warpage of the table on which the substrate holder is placed, warpage of the substrate, or a tilt of the substrate holder, which is caused by water drops on a substrate surface, or dust on the table. Such a positional displacement creates the possibility that a plating process may not be properly performed on a substrate which is a workpiece to be plated.
There have been proposed technologies for detecting the position of a substrate when it is mounted on the substrate holder and correcting the position of the substrate if the substrate is displaced from its proper position (for example, Patent Literature 1). According to the technology described in the Patent Literature 1, a securing/retaining member 15 of a substrate holder 110 is provided with a notch 17 at a position corresponding to an edge of a substrate 500, and a laser sensor 1140 is disposed so that when the substrate 500 is placed in a proper position, a surface of the notch 17 can be illuminated without being blocked by the substrate 500. When the substrate 500 is placed on the securing/retaining member 15, the laser sensor 1140 measures distance. If the distance measured is a distance A to the notch 17, it is determined that the substrate 500 is not displaced from its position. If the distance measured is a distance W1 (<A) to the substrate 500, it is determined that the substrate 500 is displaced from its position. According to this technology, the substrate holder is provided with the notch for position measurement, so that a design modification is required in a larger number of substrate holders to be used. If the substrate holder itself is thin, it might be difficult to form the notch so as to ensure a sufficient detection accuracy.
In general, various semiconductor manufacturing devices may be required in future to process, with relatively high accuracy, a variety of substrates that have not existed so far, which include substrates with more intricate patterns than conventional ones and substrates of various materials as semiconductor materials. These semiconductor manufacturing devices are expected to be more accurate than the existing ones in transferring substrates onto the processing table and positioning the substrates. The semiconductor manufacturing devices are further expected to shorten the processing time required for the positioning of the substrates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Substrate processing device, method for controlling substrate processing device, and storage medium storing a program


A human interaction replacement evaluation system analyzes actions taken by a user with an application on a client device that provides features to replace human interaction services with computer-based services. The results of the action provide an indication of the success of a particular action supported by the application (e.g., whether the action has a positive or negative effect on a key performance indicator) or an indication of how likely the user is to be ready to adopt a particular computer-based service. Recommendations are then provided to the user of the application or a manager of the application indicating actions to use, actions that have negative or positive effects on a key performance indicator, and so forth.

As computing technology has advanced so too have the uses for computing devices. One such use is the replacement of services traditionally involving a high amount of human interaction with computer-based services. For example, a user's stay at a hotel used to include a high amount of human interaction, such as calling the hotel to speak with a person at the hotel for a reservation, checking into the hotel by speaking with a person at the front desk and receiving a room key from that person, calling a person at a concierge desk or restaurant for assistance or services during their stay, and so forth. Many of these human interactions are being replaced with computer-based services. For example, conventional systems allow a user to make a reservation using a smartphone application rather than calling the hotel or check-in to the hotel and receive a mobile electronic key using the smartphone application rather than speaking with a person at the front desk and receiving a physical key from that person.
The replacement of services traditionally involving a high amount of human interaction with computer-based services has advantages, such as saving users time, saving businesses money, and so forth. However, replacing services traditionally involving a high amount of human interaction with computer-based services is not without its problems. For example, some users do not like the lack of human interaction, some users do not know how to resolve problems with the computer-based services, some users are averse to new technology, and so forth. These problems make it difficult for companies to know which human interaction services to replace with computer-based services.
Conventional solutions for determining which human interaction services to replace with computer-based services include using surveys to seek opinions of users about their experience, interest, level of satisfaction, and so forth with the computer-based services. Such surveys, however, are problematic because they reflect what users say not what users actually do, typically have very low response rates, and respondents oftentimes have extreme views and therefore are biased. Thus, these surveys are of questionable value. This leaves companies with little, if any, accurate information on which human interaction services to replace with computer-based services, which leads to poor decision making by the companies and user dissatisfaction and frustration with the computer-based services provided by those companies.

Recommender system for replacing human interaction services


A jet drive unit is mounted within a jet propelled watercraft in a fashion which prevents vibrations due to the operation of the craft's impeller system from transmitting to the hull. The power transmitting shaft system connecting the water jet unit impeller with the craft's engine is made through an elastic, vibration dampening coupling. Further, the water jet unit casing is mounted to the hull through a plurality of vibration insulating connector assemblies. Thus undesirable hull vibration, and its accompanying noise, may be eliminated.

This invention relates to a water jet propelling vessel and more particularly to an improved arrangement for mounting and operating the jet propulsion unit of such a vessel.
One popular form of watercraft is that of the jet propulsion type. This type of watercraft generally has a hull that is formed with a longitudinally extending tunnel in the rear portion of the hull. A jet propulsion unit, consisting of an outer housing that defines a water inlet, an impeller housing in which an impeller is supported and a discharge nozzle are supported within the tunnel. The impeller is driven by an engine that is positioned forwardly in the watercraft by means of an impeller shaft that extends through the tunnel to the jet propulsion unit. Although this type of vessel has a number of advantages, the mounting of the jet propulsion unit rearwardly of the driving engine can present some difficulties.
One particular problem with this type of unit stems from the usual mounting arrangement, whereby the jet propulsion unit is mounted rigidly to the vessel's hull. Vibrations of the impeller, transmitted from the engine via the impeller shaft, or due to imperfect balancing of the impeller assembly, or caused by the flow of water, are often transmitted to the hull. Such hull vibrations can be noisy and discomforting to a rider.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved water jet propelling vessel and an arrangement for mounting and driving the jet propulsion unit in the hull of the watercraft.
It is another object of this invention to prevent vibration transmission from the jet propulsion unit to the hull of the watercraft.

Water jet propulsion unit mounting structure


A monitor display carried by a vehicle. The monitor display is mounted proximate a rim of a corresponding motive wheel of a vehicle. A rim of the motive wheel has a surface which is contoured to substantially conform to an inner surface of the monitor display. The monitor display is rigidly maintained in a non-rotating fashion.

Motor vehicles can be categorized in numerous ways. One is by the "work:leisure" intended function of the vehicle. In the case of a work function, the rims of one are more motive wheels are typically built for strength and have little, if any, aesthetic attributes.
On the other hand, however, wheels of a leisure vehicle are typically adorned with some sort of appealing structure to make them more attractive. In the case of some vehicles, decorative hubcaps or wheel covers are put into place proximate corresponding rims of the motive wheels. In the prior art, such hubcaps or wheel covers are typically able to rotate relatively freely. In fact, the rotation is intended to impart a pleasing effect.
In the case of some vehicles, however, the decorative structure tends to achieve its goal only if the rim or proximate structure rotates such that a display tends to be maintained generally in a desired orientation. Illustrative of such a structure is the WHEEL ASSEMBLY depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,369 issued on Aug. 9, 2005 to Tommie L. McCaster, III and Jason T. Clifford. That document teaches a wheel assembly structure for a vehicle which includes a rim for mounting a tire, and a hub which includes a central portion and a connecting portion radiating from the central portion to the rim of that device. A plurality of lug holes are provided in a central portion of the hub. Lug studs pass through the lug holes, and a rear side of the central portion is mounted against an axle hub of the vehicle. The inventors envisioned the mounting of a functioning clock to a front side of the connecting portion of the hub. The clock, in turn conceals the lug holes from view.
The assembly of the McCaster, III et al. document, however, does not maintain the functioning clock in a consistent, rigid orientation wherein the clock is always oriented with the "12" precisely at the top. The way the orientation of the face portion of the clock is substantially maintained in an intended orientation is by providing a bottom weight face portion.
A plurality of roller bearings at the perimeter of the face portion are also provided. This allows the face of the clock to rotate freely, but the bottom weighting tends to enable the face of the clock to be maintained in a desired orientation. Nevertheless, the face will typically swing like a pendulum, and it might well be that such swinging is not only undesired, but also detrimental to the device structure.
The present invention is a structure which addresses the problems and limitations of the prior art. It serves to offer a structure which will maintain a visual presentation in a desired orientation.


A material system and method for imparting non-stick and non-wetting properties to an inorganic article having hydroxyl groups on its surface, the system comprising a silane having the formula R.sub.n SiX.sub.4-n, wherein n is 1-2 and X is a hydrolyzable group, a colloidal metal oxide sol, and an acidified aqueous mixture with a lower alkanol.

Considerable effort has been directed at producing an effective, non-stick and non-wetting coating on the surface of an inorganic article, in particular a utensil for preparing and/or serving food. The term "non-stick" signifies a surface that resists adherence of foreign substances, such as food. This property permits easy cleaning of dishes in which foods are cooked or baked. The term "non-wetting" indicates a surface that repels liquids such as water. The property is evidenced by a large contact angle between a drop of water and the surface on which the drop rests. An advancing angle of at least 90.degree. is considered as representative of a non-wettable surface.
Non-stick, non-wetting articles are commonly produced by coating article surfaces with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,168 (Hares et al.) describes a process for coating glass or glass-ceramic articles with such a layer to produce non-stick cooking utensils. However, PTFE coatings exhibit the disadvantage of being opaque. Also, they require a thermal sintering process at 350.degree.-400.degree. C. for their production, are relatively expensive to produce, and do not provide a desired degree of abrasion resistance.
French Patent No. 2,674,862 (Carre) discloses an alternative material system and process for producing durable, non-stick and water repellent coatings on glass and glass-ceramic surfaces. The process involves applying a mixture of a selected silane with a lower alkanol and water which may be acidified. The silane has the formula R.sub.n SiX.sub.4-n, where R is an alkyl radical and X is a hydrolyzable alkoxy or chloro group. The mixture is applied to a surface containing hydroxyl groups, the silane is hydrolyzed and the alkanol-water mixture eliminated to form a polysiloxane coating adhering to the surface.
Numerous other processes and material systems have been proposed for rendering inorganic surfaces, particularly vitreous surfaces, non-sticking and water repellent. The desired properties can be obtained initially. However, there has persisted a problem with respect to wear during use, in particular, scratching by cleaning agents. It is, then, a purpose of the present invention to improve on the Carre process by imparting a greater abrasion resistance to the coating there disclosed.

Material for imparting non-stick and non-wetting properties


A digitizer panel for input with an electronic pen is detachably attached a laptop PC. The laptop PC includes a touch screen housed in a display housing. The display housing is formed of material having electromagnetic wave transmissivity such as GFRP or CFRP. On the back face of the display housing, an electromagnetic induction type digitizer panel can be detachably attached. The digitizer panel and the laptop PC are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. When the digitizer panel is attached, an electronic pen is brought close to the touch screen for input. When the digitizer panel is not attached, the electronic pen is directly brought close to the digitizer panel for input.

A laptop personal computer (laptop PC) is sometimes equipped with a touch screen where a touch panel is combined with a display, as an input device, in addition to a keyboard and a mouse. The touch screen is a standard input device for a tablet terminal or a smartphone. The touch screen is operated with a finger by directly touching a screen itself or an object displayed on a screen and therefore is operable more intuitively and easily than moving a mouse cursor with a mouse, a Track Point®, or the like.
Furthermore, as another input device for a computer, there is a digitizer whose sensor panel is operated with an electronic pen. The digitizer is connected to a laptop PC through a wired or wireless interface, thereby enabling an operation by moving the mouse cursor displayed on the laptop PC with the electronic pen.
One electromagnetic induction type position detection device uses an input pen. In this position detection device, a plurality of sensor coils arranged on the coordinates sequentially repeats the transmission and reception of an electromagnetic wave to and from the input pen in which a resonance circuit is embedded. The sensor coil receives an electromagnetic wave oscillated by resonance through electromagnetic wave energy which the resonance circuit of the input pen received from the sensor coil and detects the position of the input pen and the pen pressure of the input pen from the intensity or phase thereof.

Electronic device capable of input from a detachably attached digitizer panel and input method and system therefor


A method includes obtaining an incoming event log, splitting the incoming event log into a set of tokens, and identifying a subset of the tokens as anchor tokens. The method also includes utilizing an ordered list of the anchor tokens to traverse through a set of anchor token trees and, responsive to identifying a path from (i) a root node of a given one of the anchor token trees to (ii) a given leaf node of the given anchor token tree corresponding to the ordered list of the anchor tokens, selecting a given parser associated with the given leaf node. The method further includes extracting data from the incoming event log utilizing the given parser, detecting one or more security threats affecting at least one asset in an enterprise system based on the extracted data, and applying at least one remediation action to mitigate the detected security threats.

Various entities are subject to different types of security threats. Some security threats relate to networking and computer security for an enterprise system. Software and hardware devices in an enterprise system may generate event logs that are analyzed to detect potential security threats. To do so, each event log may be matched against a set of parsers, where each parser is an expression or pattern that matches a particular type of event. As the number and types of devices generating event logs in an enterprise system increases, the task of generating and selecting parsers for handling different patterns in the event logs presents various challenges.

Data driven parser selection for parsing event logs to detect security threats in an enterprise system


A method for providing alignment in a die picking process may include aligning a semiconductor wafer based on a reference die, forming an indicator line relative to the reference die by picking a number of dice along a line extending across the wafer, and using the reference line to monitor a position of the picking machine relative to the wafer. A die attach machine may include a control system for automatically implementing such method.

Wafers are typically diced on adhesive tape or plastic foil so the dice are contained, but easily removable, e.g., for storage in waffle packs, gel pack, tape and reel, or bonding into a package. Individual dice may be removed in various manners, e.g., gripping the die and pulling it from the tape, pushing the die from the tape with a pin, or drawing the tape away from the die by vacuum. The released die is generally picked by a vacuum tool and placed as desired. Some systems include a pick and place machine and die bonder equipped with an ejector needle system that pushes against the die back side to help break the adhesion force of the adhesive foil, and a vacuum pick-up tool with coordinated z-axis movement that holds the die before transfer to bond position.
The picking of dice from the wafer is typically facilitated using a wafer map indicating the positions of the various dice on the wafer. In a conventional process, one or more reference dice are used to align the pick position, i.e., the position of the picking tool, e.g., die attach (D/A) machine, relative to the wafer or particular die.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view diagram of a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer comprising a plurality of semiconductor dice. A silicon wafer 102 may be scribed into a plurality of semiconductor dice 104 for further processing to create planar transistors, diodes and conductors on each of the plurality of semiconductor dice 104. After all circuits have been fabricated on the plurality of semiconductor dice 104, the dice 104 are singulated (separated) and packaged into integrated circuits (not shown).
FIGS. 2A1-2C2 illustrate a conventional picking process using a reference die for alignment. In particular, FIGS. 2A1-2C2 illustrate a physical wafer 102 and a corresponding wafer map 110 for three steps of the process. The wafer 102 may be pre-fabricated with one or more reference dice, which may be arranged in groups. In this example, wafer 102 is pre-fabricated with two groups of reference dice: an upper reference die group 105A and a lower reference die group 105B, each including the same number of dice (in this example, five dice) aligned in a row. In a first step, with reference to FIGS. 2A1 and 2A2, user may select one of the reference die groups (reference die group 105A or reference die group 105B) to act as a spatial reference for subsequent die picking. The individual die 104 on each end of the selected reference die group 105A or 105B (in the illustrated example, the left-most die 104 and right-most die 104 of the selected reference die group 105A or 105B) may be visually marked by the software, e.g., by adding a "+" or other symbol over such dice 104 on the wafer map 110. As used herein, the selected reference die group (here, either group 105A or 105B) is also simply referred to as the reference die 105.
In a second step, illustrated by FIGS. 2B1 and 2B2, a picking/die attach machine begins picking up dice 104 from any position on the wafer 102, while using the selected reference die 105 to check the relative positioning of the picking machine and wafer 102. The picking process may continue until all or substantially all dice 104 on the wafer 102 are consumed, as shown in FIGS. 2C1 and 2C2.
However, the selected reference die 105 typically provides only two points (the individual dice 104 at each end of the reference die 105) in the wafer 102 such that the picking tool/die attach machine often cannot detect incorrect alignment relative to the wafer 102. Thus, the picking/die attach machine may slip one row and/or column, which may lead to low yield at a final test due to failed test dice being assembled at the die attach.

Wafer mapping process control with indicator line


A massive choke coil [e.g. exceeding about three henries, with at least a thousand turns and a relatively low internal resistance of about eleven ohms] placed in parallel with the A/C line, that is, preferably across the A/C line""s xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccommonxe2x80x9d lines, quenching the reflected signal (or back emf) that is developed when any power amplifier or other load places its demands upon the incoming A/C power line. Due to its electromagnetic characteristics, the choke tends to provide a momentary high current source of energy when needed by, e.g., a power amplifier (or other appropriate load) when transient demand is called for. The parallel choke approach tends to have a reversing effect on this signal, at least substantially reducing its presence on the A/C line, providing a greatly enhanced A/C power line signal quality, without which the otherwise untreated signals are able to modulate the A/C line.

The present invention relates to an electrical system for improving the quality of electrical power that is fed into electronic or other electrical equipment or into electrical or electronic components within electronic or electrical equipment. More particularly, the present invention is directed in general to usage on A/C operated devices, preferably audio power amplifiers and pre-amplifiers, televisions (TVs), recording studio amplifiers for musicians, computers, computer peripherals, electrical motors, air conditioners or other appliances, major and minor, and other such electronic and electrical equipment, but not limited to them exclusively. The present invention provides an effective interface for coupling electronic and other electrical components to the A/C line, effectively placing the electric utility transformer closer (from an electrical stand-point) to the electrical or electronic equipment receiving the A/C power. The invention further provides a quenching effect on line noise being produced by the equipment itself, which might effect other equipment sharing the same A/C power, and provides a relatively high current source and stores energy for, for example, power-hungry transients required by, for example, large power amplifiers in audio sound equipment and the like, without any of the xe2x80x9ctrade-offsxe2x80x9d of traditional power line conditioners.
A listing of prior patents, known to the inventor and which may be relevant to the invention, is presented below:
These patents generally are directed to audio amplifiers with transformer couplings, a completely different approach than that of the present invention which places an appropriate xe2x80x9cchokexe2x80x9d coil in parallel with the A/C power line, that is, across the A/C""s xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccommonxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cneutralxe2x80x9d lines.
The present invention is directed in general to usage in connection with A/C operated, electric or electronic equipment, preferably, for example, audio power amplifiers and pre-amplifiers, televisions, computers, computer peripherals, recording studio amplifiers for musicians, and other such electronic component equipment or other electrical equipment or devices, for example, electrical motors, air conditioners and other major and minor appliances, but the principles of the invention are even more broadly applicable.
It is noted that power amplifiers (and other high transient demand loads) and pre-amplifiers when providing an output signal to either the speaker (in the case of a power amplifier) or power amplifier (in the case of the pre-amplifier) tend to produce an undesirable, much smaller, mirror image of the signal that they are processing that modulates the A/C line source.
As an effective cure to this problem, the parallel choke approach of the invention, due to the fact that it must be magnetically charged by electricity [either from the A/C line or back electromotive force (emf) from it""s load] tends to have a reversing effect on this signal, preventing, eliminating or at least substantially reducing it""s presence on the A/C line, thereby providing a greatly enhanced, stablilzed, A/C power line signal for the load. Without the choke of the present invention, the otherwise untreated signals are able to modulate the A/C line, as it is resistive (basically a wire going from the utility services transformer to the wall outlet that the load(s) is/are plugged in to).
Up to now, with very few exceptions, virtually all line conditioners have been a major compromise when used in a line enhancement mode. They will in most cases remove small amounts of line noise generated on a given line by such things as motor starting, small transient disturbances and rarely radio frequency (RF) interference imposed on the line. They do this typically by placing small capacitors and air core or ferrite core chokes in series with the line, along with, for example, a metal oxide varistor (for surge suppression). This provides a low cost (high profit) solution to a very small problem.
In the last few years, research has shown that line borne interference is not the major cause of problems in, for example, audio systems. Further research has shown this to be true of other types of applications as well. It has been found that the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the line is as critical as it would be in capacitive applications. This ESR is greatly aggravated by the majority of line conditioners, as they place resistive elements in series with the source and the load (the wall outlet and the amplifier). As such, when an amplifier hook-up attempts to produce an audio signal, it must discharge the capacitors contained in its power supply into the speakers. This audio signal is then used to modulate the speakers.
But, if one considers basic physicsxe2x80x94for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of an amplifier, the opposite reaction is the modulation of the power supply. No matter how large the power supply is, this modulation is unavoidable. In other words, part of the audio signal is imposed upon the line feeding the amplifier. This signal is then imposed upon other pieces of equipment in the system as well. Isolation transformers cannot stop this type of modulation, as they generally are barely large enough to keep up with the load they are supplying.
Now taking this analysis a few steps further, one should consider the amplifier as a large electric motor. When it tries to start, it produces a significant inverse transient on the line. As it spins up, this load lessens and the line then regains its amplitude. In the case of an electric motor, full rotor speed is (crudely put) the same as an amplifier idling, waiting for a signal. As the load engages the motor, it tends to become a greater load to the line and demands more current. As the audio signal is amplified by an amplifier, its power transformer becomes more of a load, and, therefore, places more of a load on the line.
To make matters worse, while the amplifier is struggling to deal with a resistive line and the further added resistance of any kind of line conditioner placed between it and the A/C receptacle, it is being subjected to all of the other components"" noises as well. To give an example of this, consider that a CD player is infusing various kinds of high frequency noise generated by its internal clock, as well as its processing circuitry. A VCR is as guilty as the CD player, as it probably uses a switch mode power supply and plenty of digital processing as well. If one is using a surround sound receiver and a television, the amount of noise is compounded in a source-by-source fashion.
It should be kept in mind that a prior art line conditioner does little or nothing to correct this kind of problem, and, as stated earlier, usually adds to the problem.
The present invention does much in the way of removing the effects of these problems. The exemplary embodiment herein actually provides a transient power supply when the need arises, as well as a blocking effect to the problems that are caused by the operation of electrical devices. It should be understood that, unlike power conditioning units and any transformer coil(s) used therein, the coil used in the present invention is not in series with the A/C line but rather is in parallel across the line.
Once one or multiple xe2x80x9cchoke coilxe2x80x9d units is cascaded or xe2x80x9cpiggy-backedxe2x80x9d or otherwise installed, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention effectively removes much of the problems caused by the ESR in the line and quenches much of the noise produced by the rest of the equipment as well. Bass signals becomes much clearer, imaging is improved, the color becoming richer and more life-like. In apartment buildings where electrical loading is a serious problem, as well as older houses that have marginal power connections, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will have an even more dramatic effect.
With respect to computers and their peripherals, particularly a high usage piece, such as, for example, a laser printer that tends to produce problems when the fuser comes on, or such as, for further example, a copy machine that does essentially the same thing, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention make a great difference.
It should be understood that, although the foregoing analysis is directed primarily to audio equipment and the like, as an exemplary application, the benefits are similar in many other electrical/electronic applications.
Two additional patents considered in the parent application were U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,015 (issued May 22, 1994) entitled xe2x80x9cPower Supply Control Systemxe2x80x9d assigned to Hitachi, Ltd. of Japan, and 5,260,862 (issued Nov. 9, 1993) entitled xe2x80x9cA-C Power Line Filterxe2x80x9d assigned to Constant Velocity Transmission Lines, Inc. of Auburn Calif.
The Marsh invention is directed to a network (namely multiple ones) of frequency filter sub-circuits ganged in parallel to one another across the A/C line, each of which filter sub-circuits includes in series:
in all of its embodiments a capacitor serving a key filtering function, and an inductive coil with an open air core (FIGS. 3+), likewise serving a key filtering function, the capacitor and the inductor cooperating together to perform the filtering, and
in most instances (FIGS. 4+) a resistor (termed a RLC circuit), which frequency filtering network is described as collectively filtering out frequencies (xe2x80x9cnoisexe2x80x9d) above 60 Hz.
The values of the inductances are described in its only detailed embodiment (FIG. 9) as being in the relatively minute range of 0.5, 0.19 and 0.1 mh (milliheneries, i.e., thousandths of a henry, or, noting the presence of the decimal point, from 1 to 5 ten-thousandths of a henry (see column 3, lines 63-65). This is in stark contrast to the xe2x80x9cmassivexe2x80x9d (all claims) inductor coil of the disclosed embodiments of the Gray application which has an inductance of at least one henry (a comparative factor of about 1:10,000!) or more preferably at least 3 heneries (a comparative factor of about 1:30,000!) [Claims 5, 14, 23 and 24], with the massive coil core filled with magnetic or ferrous material with no capacitive element in its circuit at all.
Of course, in the context of the Gray invention and the Marsh patent, a factor of about 10,000 is not merely one of degree but rather one of kind. Additionally, the presence of a capacitor in series with the massive Gray inductor would be deleterious to its operation, preventing it from operating as described and claimed in this PCT application; the same is likewise true of adding a resistor in series with the capacitor and the inductor as taught in the Marsh patent.
In addition to these tremendous circuitry differences, the 60+ Hz frequency filtering function of the Marsh patent is neither the function, operation or effect of the present invention, which xe2x80x9c(quenches) the reflected back emf signal that develops when the electrical device load places its demands upon the incoming A/C power source line.xe2x80x9d Additionally, unlike the frequency filtering network of Marsh, in the Gray invention, xe2x80x9cthe electromagnetic characteristics of (the) massive inductive coil tend to provide a momentary high current source of energy when needed by the device load when transient demand signal is called forxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9calso tend to have a reversing effect on the. signal, at least substantially reducing the presence of the signal on the A/C line, providing a greatly enhanced A/C power line signal quality, without which the otherwise untreated signals would be able to modulate the A/C linexe2x80x9d. Likewise the Gray uses the xe2x80x9ccoil to substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the resistive effects of the wiring between the electrical device load and the (utility company""s) power transformer.xe2x80x9d
The relatively non-existent inductance, measured in the ten-thousandths of a henry, of the Marsh coils with its capacitors respectively in series are unable to perform these operations or effects. The presence of the capacitor in series with the xe2x80x9cinductorxe2x80x9d isolates the inductor, preventing the claimed xe2x80x9cquenchingxe2x80x9d effect of the Gray invention, and the presence of the series resistors provide a way for the emf to remain on the line in Marsh. The Marsh coils absorbs radio frequency energy in its filtering, while the Gray massive coil with its core of magnetic material stores magnetic energy. The minute amount of inductance and the presence of an air core in each of Marsh""s coils, which are immediately and easily saturated in the presence of, for example, 60 Hz A/C, do not allow them to store any significant energy, and therefore they cannot xe2x80x9csubstantially reduce, if not eliminate, the resistive effect of the wiring between the (utility company""s) transformer and the load.xe2x80x9d The Marsh circuit does not provide any current available to do anything, much less the specific operations of the Gray circuit. Indeed the Marsh circuit with its capacitors works against the alternating nature of the A/C line source, while the Marsh circuit performs its frequency filtering operation, while the Gray circuit, without any capacitor in its massive inductor line, allows and does not significantly hinder the rise and fall of the A/C power and actually through its xe2x80x9cflywheelxe2x80x9d characteristics or effect encourages the A/C line characteristics.
Ii is noted that the ""862 patent initially illustrates and describes a relatively simple circuit that has only one inductor coil (likewise in series with a capacitor) placed across the load between the AC power source and a load (note FIG. 1) and then presents a xe2x80x9ctest,xe2x80x9d which is graphically illustrated in FIG. 2, showing the impedance characteristics of the circuit, plotted against frequency, having a resonant frequency of xe2x80x9cFRxe2x80x9d some where above 60 Hz, with the circuit being capacitive in nature at frequencies below FR and inductive above FR. Although the circuit of FIG. 1 of the ""862 patent may superficially appear to be somewhat similar to the circuit of FIG. 1 of the instant PCT application, the embodiments of the present application, as noted above, do not include a capacitor in series with the massive inductive coil in its placement in parallel across and between the AC power source and the load. Additionally, the embodiments of the present application each include a core of magnetic material, while the inductor L of FIG. 1 of the ""862 patent does not, but rather is an xe2x80x9copen ailxe2x80x9d coil.
Additionally, the ""862 patent does not include the circuit of FIG. 1 as part of its invention, using it apparently only as xe2x80x9cbackground information,.xe2x80x9d and does not suggest that the circuit of FIG. 1 has any practical use at all!
Instead, as noted above, the Marsh patent is directed to a frequency filter network, using a multiple number of a capacitor/inductor in series, filtering sub-circuits of different frequency filtering characteristics (sometimes with an added series resistor and still in another embodiment a resistor in parallel to the inductor) in parallel to each other, to filter out frequencies (xe2x80x9cnoisexe2x80x9d) above 60 Hz. Several different embodiments of the xe2x80x3862 invention are shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 9, with their respective characteristics graphically illustrated in the other figures.
This ganged frequency filtering is not the approach of the Gray invention, which is directed to a totally different operation using a substantially different inductive circuit with a massive coil having a core of magnetic material.
Thus, the Marsh patent does not at all teach or suggest the present invention. As further discussed below, the ""015 Hitachi patent does not cure the Marsh deficiencies with respect to the present invention, and the combination of the two patents likewise do not fairly teach or suggest the present invention.
The Hitachi ""015 patent, nearly 50 pages in length, is directed to a relatively complex, xe2x80x9cpower supply control systemxe2x80x9d circuit in which there are a multiple number of loads with varying power input specification needs. All relevant circuits which use any form of a coil and a core illustrated in the fifty (50) figures of the patent only show only the use of a transformer (22/66) circuit, that is a coil with both primary and secondary windings positioned in series between the AC power source and the load(s). As noted in column 1, lines 27-31 of this patent and as is well knownxe2x80x94xe2x80x9cA conventional power supply system for distributing large power to a plurality of loads . . . supplies power from a commercial AC system to a load through a transformerxe2x80x9d. This, or course, is not like the circuit of the Gray invention which has only a single, continuous, inductor coil with only two terminal connecting leads and a magnetic material core placed in parallel across and between the AC source and the load(s)
The invention of the ""015 patent is designed to avoid the need of using different power conversion means to convert power into a form necessary for a particular load (such as, e.g., using individual switching power supplies, AC-DC converters, etc. as practiced in the prior art). It does this by including between the commercial AC power supply and the load a power supply control system including power conversion means and an interconnected control means which varies the power conversion means based on the power specification needs of the loads (FIGS. 47 and 48 provide the simplest illustration of this concept). In one embodiment through information means the load provides power specification needs to the system, which evaluates the needs and varies the power conversion means to provide the needed spec power.
This load-spec-informational/output-control approach of the ""015 patent is not what the Gray invention provides or even what Marsh""s frequency filtering network provides. Indeed, it appears that there is basically nothing in common substantively between the disclosures of the ""015 patent and the present, Gray invention or the Marsh patent. It thus appears that the Hitachi patent is not at all relevant on the issue of asserted xe2x80x9cobviousness.xe2x80x9d
Although the Hitachi patent does illustrates a DC output filter circuit 23F, the xe2x80x9creactorxe2x80x9d coil 25A is placed in series in one leg of a then DC power line and is used with a capacitor 26A across the DC power line legs (FIGS. 3A and 3B and column 8, line 51+; reactor 25 and capacitor 26, respectively, in FIGS. 10, 12 and 13), and this part of the Hitachi circuit and its operation and purpose are so diverse from either the Gray invention or the Marsh patent, it still appears to of no significant relevance to either the teachings of the Marsh patent (and its deficiencies with respect to Marsh teaching or suggesting the Gray invention) or the Gray invention itself. Regardless, any fair or reasonable combination of the two cited patents would not produce or teach the Gray claimed invention.
Thus, it would appear that the ""862 and the ""015 patents, whether taken individually or together in any fair combination, do not fairly suggest or teach the Gray invention, and that the Gray invention should be considered xe2x80x9cunobviousxe2x80x9d and hence patentable over these two patents.
Thus, the choke of the present invention, when placed in parallel with the A/C line as taught herein, provides a means of quenching the reflected signal (or back emf) that is developed when any power amplifier or other load places it""s demands upon the incoming A/C power line. It also, due to the electromagnetic characteristics of the choke, tends to provide a momentary high current source of energy when needed by, for example, a power amplifier (or other appropriate load) when transient demand is called for.
The preferred approach of the present invention places an appropriate xe2x80x9cchokexe2x80x9d coil in parallel with the A/C power line, that is, preferably directly across the A/C""s xe2x80x9chotxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccommonxe2x80x9d lines. The coil preferably is relative massive but with relatively low ohmic resistance. To achieve this massiveness, the coil should have a thousand plus turns of wire (for example, about 1,310 turns) or its electrical equivalence, taking into account, for example, the gauge and conductivity of the coil wire, while having a relatively low internal resistance of less than one hundred (100 xcexa9) ohms, for example, more preferably about eleven (11 xcexa9) ohms. Such internal resistance is substantially less than most, if not all, of the equipment with which the coil will be used
The present invention provides an effective interface coupling electronic components to the A/C line, effectively placing the electric utility transformer xe2x80x9cphysically closerxe2x80x9d (in an electrical sense) to the electronic equipment, substantially improving the quality of electrical signal the electrical or electronic components xe2x80x9cseexe2x80x9d. The invention further provides a quenching effect on line noise being produced by the equipment itself and also provides a relatively high current source and stores energy for power-hungry transients required by, for example, large power amplifiers in audio sound equipment and the like, without any of the xe2x80x9ctrade-offsxe2x80x9d of traditional power line conditioners.
A review of the following will provide further clarifying information on the invention and its workings or mode of operation.
A television is probably one of the most complex loads an average consumer will ever place upon an A/C power line.
The modern television, compared with the older types of TVs, contain much more active circuitry. Technicians are constantly confronted with the statement:
xe2x80x9cmy old set lasted a lot longer and gave me no trouble. Why do I have more trouble with these newer sets?xe2x80x9d
If one considers what is going on in the new televisions, then one better understands, not only why new TVs break more often, but why the new (as well as the old) can benefit from the present invention.
Without the use of the present invention, a new, full feature television is a very complex load. When the set is xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d or in xe2x80x9cstandbyxe2x80x9d, as the state most of the newer sets resort to when they are turned xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d, typically the primary, if not only, circuitry operating is a small on-board computer, a switched mode power supply and, in some cases, a few relays that are used to select input functions.
Thus, this xe2x80x9cstandbyxe2x80x9d situation alone can impose a signal upon the A/C power line. The TV""s power supply is operating at minimum duty cycle, it""s switching pulses are short in duration. The computer has it""s clock operating and is awaiting commands. This provides at least two signals which are imposed upon the A/C power line even when the TV is xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d. So much for the diligent audiophile who turns his/her television xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d (standby) before listening, thinking that all interfering or line disturbing signals from the TV are xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d.
One should then also consider what occurs when the television is turned xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d, and, for example, the associated home theater is completely engaged. First, the main oscillator is activated by the on-board computer. This excites the horizontal circuitry, which is used to produce not only the high voltage and high amplitude waveforms that are needed for CRT scanning, but also the scan type power supplies used to power the other circuitry. Vertical sweep is now started, usually provided by a master oscillator divided by other circuitry and then amplified by a small power amplifier, which is then coupled to the deflection circuitry.
While all this occurs, color circuitry is operating, as well as video and the delay circuitry. Audio, usually treated as a xe2x80x9cstepchild, xe2x80x9d is also brought on at this point, or as soon as a signal is detected from the tuner and mute is released.
As the television reaches full function, all of the circuitry just discussed is now imposing it""s noise upon the main power supply, and it, in turn, places it""s noise and all the rest (in smaller amounts) also upon the A/C power line, which, of course, is servicing other electrical loads and electronic components.
The xe2x80x9csurround soundxe2x80x9d decoder, line doubler (in the case of big screen types) and all of the associated audio support pieces likewise all have their signals imposed on the A/C power line. This can, in some cases, actually become noticeable in the degraded quality of the audio and picture that the system can produce.
The present invention can effectively prevent the components from cross-talking on the A/C power line. Not only do all the components benefit from the reduction of this cross-talk, but the power supplies on all of the associated equipment perform more effectively and efficiently. The lost signal (i.e., lost in the line and confused with other signals) is now presented to the viewer in dramatic fashion. The color is truer, as well as the overall detailing of the picture is improved.
Additionally, for tube (versus solid state) equipment, used, for example, in amplifier circuits, the tubes tend to run cooler and last longer, effectively extending the service life of the equipment.
Test demonstrations on lower-end televisions with an embodiment of the present invention showed that the invention provided dramatic effects, as well as when used on high end and projection type television.
It is noted that, because the main A/C supply is simply an error corrected type of supply, the error must actually be present long enough for the error correction circuitry to detect and process the information, this being controlled by the time constant of the feedback loop contained in the power supply. Before the correction can occur, the signal that is creating the error is passed along to the capacitor supply that resides in the main supply, this capacitor being depleted of a good deal of it""s charge before the duty cycle of the power can correct for this.
Without the present invention, the horizontal sweep frequency, (which appears as an error to the main A/C supply under high demand, as described earlier), the main power supply switching frequency and the variation of its duty cycle as it tries to correct for the added load from a bright scene (also described earlier) are now all passed along to the primary power source, namely, the A/C line. Once the television returns to a more average type of picture, the power supply once again passes errors along to the A/C power. line.
Since the power supply is working at an increased duty cycle, once the load on it is reduced, the error correcting circuit must once again detect the lessening of the load and compensate for it. This is passed on to the line also, but as a momentary lessening of the load or an inverse fingerprint.
Once the embodiment of the present invention is installed on the A/C power input line, these xe2x80x9cfingerprintsxe2x80x9d are greatly reduced. Also, the main power supply has a greater amount of energy to draw from, thus aiding in reducing the errors passed through the power supply, giving the error correction circuitry much less work to do. (It should be remembered that, if the signal is imposed upon the line, the power supply must work to compensate for it, as well as the primary error or xe2x80x9cdemandxe2x80x9d imposed upon it.)
The more of today""s components (e.g., line doublers, super tube and big screen televisions, high resolution and multi-function VCR""s, high power audio amplifiers, surround sound decoders, laser disk and DVD, remote controlled pre-amps, cable and satellite receivers, etc.) that are installed in homes and business, the more the present invention becomes a necessity. Since all of these products all produce their own electrical xe2x80x9cfingerprint,xe2x80x9d a line supply that is resistive like that found in most homes is quite ineffective. As the line is further worsened by many of the xe2x80x9cline conditionersxe2x80x9d that abound on the present market, these fingerprints become more and more evident.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention effectively removes or quenches most of the signals modulating the A/C power line, as well as providing a very high short term type of power supply for the more demanding of those components.
In the case of the larger screen televisions, a bright scene will usually place quite a demand upon the power supply, as well as the high voltage supply. Since the high voltage supply is operated as a form of switched mode supply and under a heavy load, it passes its demands along to the main supply, and it too, in many cases, is another form of switched mode power supply.
Considering that as the main supply is simply an error corrected type of supply, the error must actually be present long enough for the error correction circuitry to detect and process the information, this being controlled by the time constant of the feedback loop contained in the power supply. Before the correction can occur, the signal that is creating the error is passed along to the capacitor supply that resides in the main supply, this capacitor being depleted of a good deal of it""s charge before the duty cycle of the power can correct for the error.
Without the present invention, the horizontal sweep frequency, (which appears as an error to the main supply when high demand, as described earlier) the main power supply switching frequency and the variation of it duty cycle as it tries to correct for the added load from a bright scene (also described earlier) are now all passed along to the primary power source, namely, the A/C line. Once the television returns to a more average type of picture, the power supply once again passes errors along to the A/C line. Since the power supply is working at an increased duty cycle, once the load on it is reduced, the error correcting circuit must once again detect the lessening of the load and compensate for it. This is passed on to the line also, but as a momentary lessening of the load or an inverse fingerprint.
Once the preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed on the line, these xe2x80x9cfingerprintsxe2x80x9d are greatly reduced; also, the main power supply has a greater amount of energy to draw from, thus aiding in reducing in the errors passed through the power supply, giving the error correction circuitry much less work to do.
All of this only explains the horizontal sweep demands and its problems with operating on an adequate A/C line. As the line becomes more and more poisoned by the resistance within it, enabling the modulation of itself by the loads imposed upon it, one must consider the effects of having an entire audio/video home theater and possibly other loads (air conditioning, etc.) upon the line as well.

System with massive choke in parallel with a/c line for load conditioning

Richard Gray""s Power Co. (A La. Limited Liability Co.)


A dressing designed in consideration of Teorell-Meyer gradients is described. This dressing delivers, either individually, or seriatim, pharmaceutically effective amounts of drugs and therapeutic ions to a wound site.

External wounds and concomitant bleeding are common injuries in both civilian and military life. Scratches, cuts, abrasions and the like cause breakage of protective tissue and blood vessels, resulting in the flow of blood out of its normal passageways. This flow of blood washes foreign material out of the wound, and the blood clots to seal the area. Clotting prevents migration of materials into the wound area and into the body of the affected individual. This reduces the likelihood of subsequent infection of the wound.
Historically, hemorrhaging is the single major cause of death among those killed in action—as many as 25% of battle casualties that result in early death could benefit from hemorrhage control. In addition, trauma is the leading cause of death for persons 1–44 years of age.
Penetrating missiles cause 90% of combat trauma, versus 25–50% in the civilian sector, and blast, thermal, and blunt trauma account for the remaining 10%. On the battlefield, a wound must be successfully dressed and staunched in one hour, or the victim dies. Exsanguination accounts for most of the post-trauma mortality from deep penetrating wounds, particularly those of the hip. Twenty-five percent of all battlefield mortality is caused by this type of wound.
There are many different treatments for wounds available, most of which involve directly applying pressure to the wounded area and the disposition of an absorptive material or bandage to the wound surface. Direct application of pressure acts to close blood vessels in the area to reduce blood flow; absorb blood flow that is likely to contain foreign material; and to stabilize movement of the blood so that clotting may commence. The disposition of a bandage further absorbs blood flow; provides a barrier to further infection of the wound; and protects the nascent clot while it is still fragile. Ideally, a bandage can also provide antimicrobial or other healing material to the wound surface.
Newer technology for management of wounds includes chemical bandages, polymeric film-forming material applied to the wound area. These products include cyanoacrylate polymers, made with natural coagulants, such as thrombin, prothrombin, and the like. The drawbacks encountered with such formulations, however, include tissue irritation from the cyanoacrylate and the fact that the use of human or animal-derived proteins may be dangerous due to the risk of viral or prion infection, as well as allergic reactions.
For major bleeding incidents, such as those that may be encountered in combat, hemostatic pressure bandages, such as described by Bell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,372 can be used to initiate clotting and arrest hemorrhages. However, the collagen used in such dressings is obtained from bone, which may be contraindicated due to the infection risks aluded to above.
Additionally, a hemostatic bandage currently being developed by the Red Cross (but not yet approved by the FDA) has the drawback that it may trigger allergic reactions. This bandage also uses human blood proteins, thus taxing an already overburdened blood supply. It also lacks durability.
Other developments include a chitosan bandage that has been developed which uses shrimp cell chitin to halt severe bleeding, manufactured by HemCon, Inc. of Portland, Oreg. The bandage allows the wound to quickly form a strong, adherent clot, so that the patient can be transported, and offers rapid, strong adhesion to the injury site to heal the wound.
Once a wound has been treated, there may be a continuing need to apply medication during the healing process. Presently, this is done by continual wound maintenance involving cleaning, debridement where needed, administration of medication and re-bandaging. This process may cause discomfort, time and expense, and may result in inefficient or impaired healing.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a bandage that swiftly provides an anticoagulant when needed in the case of severe bleeding or hemorrhage. It would be further desirable if the same bandage was also capable of continuously delivering medication to the wound during the healing process.

Dressing based on the Teorell-Meyer gradient


A reinforced magnetic hot patch has an attached rigid backing. The hot patch expands and flows when heated to seal an opening in a structural member. A non-planar magnetic hot patch is also provided.

In the automotive industry it is often necessary to seal gaps and joints in metal structures using an adhesive plug or patch. For example, where a stamping and a structural beam meet a longitudinal gap may arise. In addition, drainage holes, assembly access holes, fastening holes, tooling holes, weld access holes and the like are often formed in automobile body structures and must be subsequently closed. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, if left unsealed these gaps and holes allow dust and fumes to enter the passenger compartment and create a source for water leakage and corrosion.
A number of devices have been used in the past to seal gaps and holes in automotive bodies. Assemblies of hot melt adhesives have been clipped into place on the unsealed hole such that the adhesive melts as the vehicle passes through a paint oven. Resilient rubber plugs have been forced by hand into access holes to create a seal. Both of theses techniques, however, usually require the use of considerable mechanical force by the assembly technician which is undesirable. Moreover, if improperly placed these devices may become loose or even dislodge during movement of the vehicle down the assembly line. Also, metal clips in contact with the vehicle body may create a source of metal corrosion (owing to galvanic corrosive activity).
In order to facilitate the closure of longitudinal gaps between parts, hot melt adhesive tapes were developed which could be rolled out to the desired length and placed over the gap. In many instances there was sufficient tack to the tape to hold it in place until the vehicle passed through an oven whereupon the adhesive melted and flowed into the gap, effectively forming a seal. In some applications, however, a technique was needed to hold the tape in position until the adhesive could be melted.
In response to this need for a method of retaining the tape in position (for example where the gap to be sealed faced downwardly), a self-adhering magnetic tape was developed. These prior art magnetized hot melt adhesive tapes comprise long, thin ribbons of thermoset or thermoplastic resins admixed with magnetizable particles. More specifically, many of these prior art magnetic tapes are formed by blending a thermoplastic resin, various elastomers and tackifiers, and magnetizable particles such as barium ferrite to form an extrudable polymer mixture. The mixture is then extruded to form a relatively thin, planar ribbon or tape. After the tape has cooled the ferrite particles are magnetized by passing the tape through a magnetizer.
In use, these prior art magnetic tapes are placed on the ferrometallic parts along the gap. The magnetic field generated by the magnetized particles is sufficient to temporarily bond the tape to the adjacent metal. As the resin components of the tape begin to melt, it is claimed that there is sufficient magnetic force to draw the tape into the gap to form a complete seal. Following the melt phase, the magnetic tape is usually at least partially demagnetized, but the adhesive properties of the tape continue to form a strong bond with the metal surfaces.
Prior art magnetic tapes are exemplified in a number of prior art patents. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,481 discloses a magnetic hot melt adhesive which is extruded to form a tape. It is stated therein that the extrusion die can be altered to produce a magnetized adhesive of triangular or circular cross-section. U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,166 describes an expandable magnetic sealant which is first formed as a tape and is then cut to a desired length or shape. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,724,243 and 4,749,434 similarly disclose hot melt magnetic sealants.
While these prior art tapes are useful in many applications, the geometry of tapes, cylinders and triangles are often incompatible with the space to be sealed. This lack of conformity in the geometries of the magnetic adhesive and the hole or gap may result in only partial closure of the space or insufficient contact between the magnetized body and the ferrometallic structure. As a result the initial adhesive and magnetic bond may not hold the tape in place. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that if a hot melt adhesive patch is dislodged and then melts at an arbitrary position in the vehicle, in many instances it must be subsequently removed. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a hot melt patch adhesive which is well secured to the metallic surface prior to the melt phase of the process.
In addition, in some applications the hot melt adhesive does not provide sufficient strength at the sealed gap. For example the present inventor has found that conventional hot melt patches rupture under relatively modest loads. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a hot melt patch which has high physical strength to resist rupture.


A fluorine-free, terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor with an enhanced green:blue emission ratio is disclosed. The phosphor includes a gadolinium oxysulfide matrix of the nominal formula Gd.sub.2-x O.sub.2 S:xTb, where x is 0.001-0.2. Silicon from metasilicic acid is incorporated in the matrix to enhance the green:blue emission ratio of the phosphor. A method of enhancing the green:blue ratio is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to rare earth oxysulfide particulate materials, and particularly relates to terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphors exhibiting an enhanced green:blue emission ratio as well as a method for producing such enhancement.
Rare earth oxysulfides have long been recognized in the art as valuable luminescent materials. These phosphors are in the form of a solid solution having a matrix of the rare earth oxysulfide compound with a small amount of an activator or dopant dispersed throughout the matrix. The activator normally is also a rare earth element.
Among such rare earth activated rare earth oxysulfides is the blue-green emitting terbium-activated rare earth oxysulfide having the nominal formula: EQU Gd.sub.2-x O.sub.2 S:xTb (1)
where x is 0.001 to 0.2. The phosphor is useful, e.g., in the field of x-ray intensifier screens. However, the spectral sensitivity of the x-ray film does not always precisely match the phosphor emission. Thus, it would be desirable to have the capability to adjust the green:blue emission ratio of the phosphor emission to tailor the phosphor emission to the spectral sensitivity of the x-ray film.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide a terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor in which the green:blue emission ratio of the phosphor emission is enhanced by the addition of silicon without the presence of fluorine in the phosphor matrix.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor in which the phosphor emission can be tailored to match to the spectral sensitivity of a particular x-ray film.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a method of enhancing the green:blue emission ratio of a terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor by adding silicon to the phosphor matrix without the presence of fluorine.

Terbium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor with reduced blue emission


The invention pertains to the method and apparatus for forming air flow control orifices in a patient body temperature regulating blanket consisting of an inflated envelope defined by thin plastic film wherein temperature controlled air flows through the blanket orifices upon the patient's body. The blanket side disposed toward the patient is pierced by a sharp pointed punch having a plurality of intersecting facets defining sharpened intersecting edges. The punch apex and facet intersecting edges are related to the moving film in such a manner that the penetration of the punch forms a plurality of flexible valve flaps, and the valve flaps engaging the patient's body will be retained in a closed condition to restrain air flow through those orifices engaging the body to prevent exposure to excessive air temperatures.

1. Field of the Invention
The e invention pertains to the forming of air flow control orifices in a film or web by the use of a multiple faceted sharp punch wherein the punch forms a plurality of flexible valve flaps which define the orifice.
2. Description of the Related Art
Post-surgery medical patients often experience body temperature fluctuations, and a treatment for such conditions includes covering the patient's body with a thermal blanket. The thermal blanket may be inflated with a warm pressurized air, and orifices formed in the blanket side disposed toward the patient permit the warm air to be discharged from the blanket envelope upon the patient. Such a single use patient warming blanket is shown in the assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,238.
As will be appreciated from the above identified patent, the lower side of the blanket disposed toward the patient is provided with a plurality of orifices through which the warm air flows toward the patient. Preferably, the blanket lower side outer surface is provided with a non-woven, fibrous layer which, though thin, is sufficient to increase the frictional characteristics of the blanket envelope forming material, which is usually a thin plastic film of a flexible nature.
Usually, the warming blanket is directly placed upon the patient's body wherein the lower blanket surf ace, i.e. the non-woven material, will directly engage the patient's body. As disclosed in the assignee's above identified patent, the blanket is formed of a plurality of cells by heat sealing the blanket envelope upper and lower films at spaced locations resulting in a blanket form having a plurality of projections or protrusions intermediate recesses or depressions located adjacent the film welded or staked points.
The air control orifices formed in the blanket lower film and non-woven material are usually evenly spaced over the lower surface of the blanket, and some of the orifices will be defined at the lowermost regions of the bulbous projections which directly engage the patient's body. Accordingly, air flowing from such orifices in direct engagement with the patient's body will tend to impose a higher temperature air upon the patient's body than the air discharged from the orifices formed in the blanket recesses which are spaced from the patient's body permitting the air to be diffused, cooled and distributed prior to engaging the patient's body.
Heretofore, the orifices of a patient warming blanket have not been capable of automatically sensing the presence of the patient's body and preventing direct exposure of the air released from the blanket.

Method of controlling air flow from an inflated blanket


A method of monitoring the integrity of the path and flow of digital PCM data from a source end to a receiving end which includes generating a pseudo-random sequence of bits at the source end, transmitting the pseudo-random sequence of bits together with the PCM data through a transmission path to a receiving end, and applying the pseudo-random sequence of bits to a pseudo-random bit sequence checker at the receiving end.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring the integrity of data, path and flow for digital pulse code modulated (PCM) switching systems to ensure correct operation.
In large digital PCM switching systems, one must monitor the switching system to ensure that it is operating correctly. Because of the large number of PCM channels that may be routed by a relatively small amount of circuitry, the core of the switching system is typically duplicated to provide redundancy so as to increase the availability of the system. Typically, two planes of switching circuitry operate simultaneously, with one plane acting as a hot standby for the other. PCM data from each source is routed to both switching planes and at each destination, circuitry selects PCM data from one of the switching planes, falling back to the other switching plane if required. In order to benefit from this redundancy, one must be able to detect a failure in the active switching plane and quickly switch over to the still functional switching plane while the failed switching plane is taken out of service so that failed circuits can be identified and replaced without affecting service (provided that another fault does not occur in the still functional switching plane while it is operating without a backup). Thus, rapid detection and diagnosis of a fault is required to minimize xe2x80x9cdowntimexe2x80x9d of the PCM switching capability.
In typical PCM switching systems, data to be routed through the switch consists of an 8-bit PCM sample. Such samples are normally presented to the switching system at an 8 kHz rate, and are often grouped into time division multiplexed (TDM) frames carrying multiple PCM sample streams, where the frame repetition rate is 8 kHz. In many cases a lower bit rate channel is routed together with the PCM sample in order to carry signalling information. Modern systems usually allow for four state signalling and, thus require 4 bits to encode the signalling state. With frames being transmitted at 8 kHz there is a 125 microsecond interval between one frame and the next. With a requirement that PCM data be transmitted at a 64 kbit/s rate, this requires transmission of.8 bits every 125 microseconds or, in other words, one 8 bit word every frame. The requirement for signalling throughput is only 1.333 kbit/s in North America and 2 kbit/s in Europe and elsewhere. This means that transmitting only 1 bit per frame of signalling data would be more than adequate. Both requirements could be met by transmitting a 9-bit word every frame with one bit being of signalling data and the other 8 bits being PCM data. In fact, only 4 bits need be sent every 16 to 24 frames (referred to as a multi-frame).
When sending data through a switch core three types of checks are required, namely, a data integrity check, a path integrity check, and a flow integrity check. A data integrity check determines if the data was altered as it passes through the switch core. This is typically accomplished by adding a parity bit to the word of PCM data that is routed through the switch core. Generation and checking of parity is extremely simple. However, a parity bit does not permit path or flow integrity checking.
It is possible for a data path to become altered on occasion and for a given destination to be receiving data from the wrong source. Consequently, it is desirable to do a regular path integrity check. Many switch cores do not incorporate such a check. Those that do, often accomplish such a check by adding an extra bit to the word of PCM data that is routed through the switch core to implement a data link. By exchanging messages through this data link, connectivity can be regularly checked. The problem with this approach is that the circuitry to exchange such messages may be quite complex and slow to detect a path integrity failure.
A flow integrity check determines if data continues to flow via the switch core path. Many switch cores do not incorporate such a check. Those that do often accomplish a flow integrity check by adding an extra bit to the word of PCM data that is routed through the switch core. Such an extra bit implements a data link as for the extra bit for the path integrity check discussed above by which messages may be exchanged and flow integrity monitored. Typically, this is accomplished using the same bit as used for the data link. The problem with this approach, as for the path integrity check using an extra bit, is that the circuitry to exchange such messages may be quite complex and slow to detect a flow integrity failure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for checking path and flow integrity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple circuit for monitoring path and flow integrity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for checking data, path and flow integrity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple circuit for monitoring the data, path and flow integrity.
According to the invention there is provided a method of monitoring the integrity of the path and flow of digital PCM data from a source end to a receiving end which includes generating a pseudo-random sequence of bits at the source end, transmitting the pseudo-random sequence of bits together with the PCM data through a transmission path to a receiving end and applying the pseudo-random sequence of bits to a pseudo-random bit sequence checker at the receiving end.
Preferably, the method includes phase aligning the pseudo-random bit sequence generator by initializing the bit registers of said generator to a preselected set of initial states not all of which are zero.
The pseudo-random bit sequence generator may consist of a shift register having a plurality of bit registers and a feedback circuit having feedback tap points on selected ones of said bit registers.
The pseudo-random bit sequence checker may have the same number of stages of bit registers and the same feedback tap points as the pseudo-random bit sequence generator.
The feedback circuit may have tap points are at the output of the last bit register and that of the second last bit register and may take the digital signals at those points apply them to an exclusive OR circuit with the output from the exclusive OR circuit being applied to the input of the pseudo-random bit sequence checker.
A system wide clock may be provided for use in operating the pseudo-random sequence generator and the pseudo-random bit sequence checker.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for monitoring the integrity of the path and flow of digital PCM data from a source end to a receiving end which includes a pseudo-random sequence generator at the source end for generating a sequence of pseudo-random bits, means for transmitting the pseudo-random sequence of bits together with the PCM data through a transmission path to a receiving end; and a pseudo-random bit sequence checker at the receiving end having an input coupled to means for transmitting so as to receive said transmitted sequence of pseudo-random bits.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of monitoring the data, path and flow integrity of digital PCM data transmitted from a source end to a receiving end which includes generating a pseudo-random sequence of bits at the source end, generating parity bits, combining the pseudo-random sequence of bits with the parity bits; transmitting the combined pseudo-random sequence of bits and parity bits together with the PCM data through a transmission path to a receiving end, separating the pseudo-random sequence of bits from the parity bits and applying the pseudo-random sequence of bits to a pseudo-random bit sequence checker at the receiving end.
This method described in this further aspect of the invention utilizes the phase aligning, pseudo-random sequence generator, pseudo-random bit sequence checker, feedback circuit and clock as described previously.
According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for monitoring the data, path and flow integrity of digital PCM data transmitted from a source end to a receiving end which includes a pseudo-random sequence generator at the source end for generating a sequence of pseudo-random bits, means for combining the sequence of pseudo-random bits and parity bits, means for transmitting the combined pseudo-random sequence of bits and parity bits together with the PCM data through a transmission path to a receiving end, means at the receiving end having an input coupled to means for transmitting so as to receive said transmitted combination of sequence of pseudo-random bits and parity bits, and a pseudo-random bit sequence checker at the receiving end having an input coupled to means for separating the pseudo-random sequence of bits and the parity bits so as to receive said transmitted sequence of pseudo-random bits.


The invention provides new substantially pure antibiotics designated AC-98-1, AC-98-2, AC-98-3, AC-98-4 and AC-98-5 derived from the microorganism Streptomyces hygroscopicus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new substantially pure glycopeptide antibiotics, designated AC-98-1, AC-98-2, AC-98-3, AC-98-4 and AC-98-5, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, to methods for the preparation and isolation of such antibiotics, to methods of utilizing such antibiotics to treat bacterial infections and to pharmaceutical compositions containing such antibiotics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,004 discloses a producing organism Streptomyces hygroscopicus NRRL 3085, and production conditions to prepare a complex mixture of antibiotics AC-98. No details of the structures of the individual antibiotics are disclosed. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,004, the mixture of AC98 antibiotics could not be separated into single components by ion exchange (IRC-50), gel filtration (CM-sephadex), or normal phase chromatography (deactivated silica gel).

Substantially pure glycopeptide antibiotics AC-98-1 ; AC-98-2; AC-98-3; AC-98-4 and AC-98-5