An applied-ignition internal combustion engine includes first and second combustion chambers, an exhaust-gas system with an exhaust-gas purification system is disposed at the first and second combustion chambers, and an exhaust-gas manifold. An exhaust gas from a combustion of a an air/fuel mixture firstly flows through the exhaust-gas manifold and subsequently flows through the exhaust-gas purification system. A first section of the exhaust-gas system from the first combustion chamber to the exhaust-gas purification system is cooled more than a second section of the exhaust-gas system from the second combustion chamber to the exhaust-gas purification system. The first combustion chamber is operated with a lean air/fuel mixture, the second combustion chamber is operated with a rich air/fuel mixture, and an overall exhaust-gas lambda value at an inlet into the exhaust-gas purification system is stoichiometric.

The invention relates to an applied-ignition internal combustion engine and to a method for operating the internal combustion engine.
With regard to the technical field, reference is made for example to the German published patent application DE 10 2008 047 722 A1. The document discloses a method for operating an exhaust-gas purification system which is arranged at an internal combustion engine capable of lean operation, in particular an Otto internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle. The exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine flows in an exhaust-gas purification system firstly through a nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter and onward through an SCR catalytic converter, wherein the exhaust gas has an exhaust-gas temperature dependent on the present operating state of the internal combustion engine and contains inter alia nitrogen oxides as pollutants. The internal combustion engine is operated with a lean air/fuel mixture (λ>1) if the operating state of the internal combustion engine generates an exhaust-gas temperature above a particular temperature and, during this lean operating state, a reducing agent is fed to the exhaust gas upstream of the SCR catalytic converter. The internal combustion engine is operated with a stoichiometric air/fuel mixture (λ=1) if the operating state of the internal combustion engine generates an exhaust-gas temperature below the particular temperature. The conflict of aims between increased fuel consumption as a result of a long period of homogeneous operation after a cold start and a breakthrough of NOx owing to an absence of operational readiness of the SCR system is resolved by means of the method according to the invention.
To comply with exhaust gas legislation, it has been the case for decades that exhaust-gas catalytic converters are used in order to reduce the pollutants in the untreated emissions of internal combustion engines to a minimum level by means of chemical secondary reactions. In order to increase the power density of internal combustion engines, exhaust-gas turbochargers have been prior art in the field of internal combustion engines for many years. Since both the catalytic coating and the substrate material of a catalytic converter and the turbine of an exhaust-gas turbocharger can be subjected to temperature loading only up to a certain level, the maximum exhaust-gas temperature of the internal combustion engine is limited to this temperature. Since, furthermore, the exhaust-gas temperature level is proportional to the power density of an internal combustion engine, the power density of the internal combustion engine is limited by the maximum admissible temperatures for an exhaust-gas turbocharger and a catalytic converter.
The maximum admissible temperature upstream of a turbine of an exhaust-gas turbocharger basically lies above that of the catalytic converter because the turbine is arranged upstream of the catalytic converter in a flow direction of the exhaust gas. At the same time, the turbine extracts enthalpy from the exhaust gas mass flow in order to thus compress the charge air by means of the compressor, whereby the turbine, in supercharged operation, yet further increases the temperature delta between temperature upstream of the turbine and temperature upstream of the catalytic converter.
Owing to the relationship between exhaust-gas temperature limitation by the above-stated components and the power density of the internal combustion engine, there are already numerous technologies and operating strategies for internal combustion engines in order to lower the exhaust-gas temperature and thus increase the power density of the internal combustion engine. Two of these possibilities are the so-called Miller strategy, which is known to a person skilled in the art, and cooled exhaust-gas manifolds, which may inter alia also be implemented in the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. This case is referred to as a cylinder-head-integrated manifold. Whilst the cooled exhaust-gas manifold can lower the exhaust-gas temperature only downstream of the gas exchange outlet valves, and thereby lowers the overall level of the exhaust-gas temperature, the Miller strategy acts already in the combustion chamber. Owing to relatively cool process temperatures, the knocking tendency of the internal combustion engine is lowered, whereby the so-called center of combustion can be advanced. In this case, the combustion process is made more optimum and thus likewise lowers the exhaust-gas temperatures.
Classic enrichment, in the case of which a greater fuel mass than that required at the present operating point of the internal combustion engine is injected and thus contributes to cooling, and also leaning, that is to say a higher air mass than is presently necessary, are likewise measures for lowering the exhaust-gas temperature.
The above-described enrichment (λ<1), which has been prior art until now, will no longer be used owing to future emissions control. This results in great losses with regard to the power density of internal combustion engines. Leaning (λ>1) likewise places increased demands on the exhaust-gas aftertreatment system owing to the increased NOx emissions, and is thus associated with high costs.
The German published patent application DE 10 2014 216 461 A1, which the present invention takes as a starting point, has disclosed an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head for four cylinders in an in-line arrangement and with an inlet-side and an outlet-side gas exchange valve drive. Within the cylinder head, a first outlet channel of the first cylinder opens into a second outlet channel of the second cylinder, and a fourth outlet channel of the fourth cylinder opens into a third outlet channel of the third cylinder, wherein a control time of the outlet-side gas exchange valve drive can be shortened. By means of this configuration according to the invention of the internal combustion engine, improvements are attained with regard to the fuel consumption and the response behavior of the internal combustion engine.
For the purposes of component protection, in particular for the purposes of protecting an exhaust-gas purification system, such as for example a catalytic converter, it is desirable to reduce the exhaust-gas temperature of an internal combustion engine.
It is an object of the present invention to specify a measure for reducing the exhaust-gas temperatures of an internal combustion engine.
By means of the concept according to the invention, the so-called λ split, the exhaust-gas temperatures can be lowered without thereby globally departing from λ=1 operation and thus necessitating further efforts with regard to emissions control. In combination with a cylinder-head-integrated manifold, it is furthermore possible by means of cylinder-specific ignition angles for the temperature gradient between the individual channels to be lowered and further power potential of the internal combustion engine to be increased.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, a turbine housing of an exhaust-gas turbocharger is arranged in the exhaust-gas system between the exhaust-gas manifold and the exhaust-gas purification system. By means of this measure, the invention can be used not only for naturally aspirated internal combustion engines but also for internal combustion engines with an exhaust-gas turbocharger.
The configuration where the exhaust-gas manifold is integrated at least in a section in a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine is a particularly preferred design variant. With this compact design, particularly good exhaust-gas cooling, in particular with a cylinder-specific ignition angle, is achieved.
A further improvement in the cooling of the exhaust gas can be attained with a feature of the present invention.
A configuration advantageously increases the dynamics of the internal combustion engine.
A logical channel separation is in turn a particularly preferred embodiment.
With the internal combustion engine, a method for operating the applied-ignition internal combustion with the following method steps, is now possible:                introducing air and fuel into the first combustion chamber with a rich ratio,        igniting and combusting the air/fuel mixture in the first combustion chamber,        discharging the exhaust gas through the exhaust-gas system,        introducing air and fuel into the second combustion chamber with a lean ratio,        igniting and combusting the air/fuel mixture in the second combustion chamber,        discharging the exhaust gas through the exhaust-gas system.
A yet further lowering of the exhaust-gas temperature can be achieved by the method steps of:                adapting a center of combustion in the first combustion chamber until an exhaust-gas temperature from the first combustion chamber is at a minimum,        adapting a center of combustion in the second combustion chamber until an exhaust-gas temperature from the second combustion chamber is at a minimum.
In other words:
In the context of the present invention, it is thus provided that the individual cylinders of an internal combustion engine be operated with different lambda values, that is to say one cylinder rich and the other cylinder lean, in order to thus lower the exhaust-gas temperature level upstream of the exhaust-gas purification system or upstream of the turbine of an exhaust-gas turbocharger (illustrated in FIG. 2). The "trimming" of the lambda value must in this case be performed such that the exhaust-gas lambda value after mixing of the exhaust gas of the individual cylinders upstream of the exhaust-gas purification system is again exactly 1 and thus stoichiometric. A 3-way catalytic converter can thus fully convert the pollutants in the untreated exhaust gas, analogously to classic λ=1 operation. In the case of internal combustion engines with an even number of cylinders, it is possible here for one half of the cylinders to be operated lean and the other half to be operated rich. By means of this operation according to the invention of the internal combustion engine, the exhaust-gas temperature is lowered, and the power density the internal combustion engine can thus be increased. If, additionally, the ignition angles, that is to say the ignition time of the individual cylinders, are adapted individually to a minimal exhaust-gas temperature, a further lowering of the exhaust-gas temperature level is achieved. This is in particular because, as a result of the rich operation, the knocking tendency is considerably reduced, and thus a better center of combustion can be realized, which additionally contributes to the temperature lowering. The further a cylinder is shifted toward lean or toward rich, the greater is the lowering of the temperature in relation to normal operation. Here, a λ value can lie between 0.8 and 1.2. By means of this measure, a lowering of the temperature of the exhaust gas by up to 60° can be realized in real operation.
In combination with a twin-scroll exhaust-gas turbocharger, it is possible here to reduce the temperature difference between the individual channels. Here, for example in the case of a four-cylinder internal combustion engine, cylinders 2 and 3, the exhaust gas of which is cooled to a lesser extent owing to the shorter paths in the exhaust-gas manifold, are operated rich, and thus the exhaust gas is cooled further in relation to cylinders 1 and 4. The temperature difference between the scrolls thus becomes smaller, and component protection is improved. In the case of a cooled exhaust-gas manifold, where this effect is even more pronounced, this approach is even more expedient. Since, in particular owing to the cylinders which are operated rich, large quantities of unburned fuel residues and carbon monoxide arise in the untreated exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine, and an excess of oxygen passes into the untreated exhaust gas owing to the cylinders which are operated lean, the release of heat has a tendency to increase owing to the conversion of these in the exhaust-gas purification system. The temperature in the exhaust-gas purification system thus increases somewhat. Since the carbon monoxide emissions of the cylinders are very low in particular owing to the lean operation, the increase in this exothermic reaction is limited. The split factor, that is to say how the rich and lean operation is set per cylinder, must thus be set specifically for every internal combustion engine.
For internal combustion engines in the case of which the exhaust gas of all of the cylinders is merged already upstream of the exhaust-gas purification system or upstream of the turbine of the exhaust-gas turbocharger, the high temperatures can have the result that secondary reactions occur already upstream of the exhaust-gas purification system or of the turbine. In this way, the lowering of the temperature as a result of the lambda split is smaller but still present. In this case, depending on the structural design, it may be advantageous not for a rich exhaust-gas pulse to follow a lean exhaust-gas pulse, in accordance with the ignition sequence, but for multiple rich pulses to be followed by the same number of multiple lean pulses. The secondary reactions are thus reduced owing to the relatively long separation in terms of time between lean and rich, and are thus relocated into the catalytic converter again. The latter is capable of storing oxygen and thus buffering the time offset between the reaction partners required for the complete conversion.
The invention will be discussed in more detail below on the basis of two figures.

Applied-ignition internal combustion engine and method for operating the internal combustion engine

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A memory system and method for storing data in one or more storage chips is disclosed. The memory system includes one or more storage dies included in each storage chip and a controller. Each of the plurality of storage dies further comprises one or more media replacement unit (MRU) groups. The controller includes a translation module, the translation module further comprising: a chip select table (CST) configured to identify one or more valid storage chips during translation for performing a read/write operation, and a media repair table (MRT) corresponding to each of storage chips, each MRT configured to identify one or more storage dies during translation for performing a read/write operation.

The disclosure herein relates generally to virtual to physical memory translation and memory repair for storage class memory (SCM).
Storage class memory (SCM) is a type of persistent memory that combines the low latency and byte-addressability of dynamic read access memory (DRAM) with the non-volatility, areal density, and economical characteristics of traditional storage media. Furthermore, given the byte-addressability and low latency of SCM technologies, central processing units (CPU) can access data stored in SCM without buffering the data in DRAM. Consequently, SCM technologies blur the distinction between computer memory and traditional storage media, and enable single level architectures without DRAM. Unlike traditional main memory and disk storage configurations, SCM provides a single level architecture.
Typically, SCM is implemented as groups of solid state devices connected to a computing system via several input/output (I/O) adapters, which are used to map technology of an I/O device to the memory bus of the central processing unit(s). However, writing data to SCM requires paying attention to specifics in the SCM technology: an SCM media card is organized as a collection of packages that each include "N" number of dies with millions of bytes that are byte-addressable. One common characteristic of SCMs is that these memory devices have finite write endurance. A memory device with finite write endurance means that it cannot be written indefinitely before parts of the SCM start faulting. Identifying which memory is bad or error prone helps to decrease the risk of losing stored data. For example, memory bytes (or bit arrays) that are identified as bad may be avoided entirely while memory bytes that are not identified as bad may be used without restrictions. Furthermore, bad memory bytes in embodiments can be replaced with spare bytes.

Virtual to physical translation and media repair in storage class memory

International Business Machines Corporation


A health-monitoring method, system, and computer program product include operating at least one sensor of a health-monitoring device having a plurality of sensors, detecting a health condition event that requires operation of an additional sensor of the plurality of sensors to monitor the health condition event, activating the additional sensor of the health-monitoring device, and deactivating the additional sensor when the health condition event that requires the second sensor is no longer detected by the detecting.

The present invention relates generally to a health-monitoring method, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system, method, and computer program product to run a decision tree that is designed to optimize overall performance by considering the energy consumption of analyzing each data modality for health-monitoring.
Portable electronic devices contain a variety of sensor and information processing units. These components can capture and analyze a wide range of sensory inputs (e.g., motion, skin conductance, audio, video, etc.).
Conventionally, there is a trade-off between the quantity of analyzed input data and power consumption. A highest accuracy may be obtained by operating all of the components in a continuous manner, but this will drain battery life quickly. Modern wearable devices contain multiple processors that offer varying levels of performance and power consumption.
One conventional technique considers a self-powered (e.g., powered via a solar panel) sensing device that contains a logic unit that enable it to switch between different operating modes based on available power and tasks needed. However, this technique does not consider a wearable device for classifying multimodal healthcare signals, where sensors and on-board processors are switched on/off based on a confidence of event detection.

Energy-efficient multisensory system for mobile health-monitoring

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention is directed to crystalline forms of anhydrous 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol, the Form A and C polymorphs, formulations containing at least one of these crystalline forms and their use to lighten skin.

In humans, skin color arises from a complex series of cellular processes that are carried out within a group of cells known as melanocytes. Melanocytes are located in the lower part of the epidermis and their function is to synthesize a pigment, melanin, which protects the body from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation.
The mechanism by which skin pigmentation is formed, melanogenesis, involves the following main steps: Tyrosine→L-Dopa→Dopaquinone Dopachrome→Melanin. The first two reactions in this series are catalyzed by the enzyme, tyrosinase. The activity of tyrosinase is promoted by the action of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone and UV rays.
Typically, melanogenesis leads to a darker skin tone (i.e. a tan). However, melanogenesis can lead to undesirable pigmentation patterns as well. Examples of such undesirable pigmentation include age spots, liver spots, melasma, hyperpigmentation, etc. This has lead to research to find compounds that will inhibit melanogenesis. One of the targets of this research is tyrosinase, the enzyme which catalyses the initial steps in the generation of melanin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,740 discloses a class of tyrosinase inhibitors. These compounds are 4-cycloalkyl resorcinols. One compound disclosed in the '740 patent is 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol. Example 2 of the '740 patent illustrates the preparation of amorphous 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol. While this compound is a potent tyrosinase inhibitor, it may not be readily produced in the quantities required to support clinical development. The synthesis of example 2 generates substantial quantities of various positional isomers of 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol. Examples of such isomers include 2-cyclopentyl resorcinol, 4,6-dicyclopentyl resorcinol, 2,4-dicyclopentylresorcinol, etc. It is difficult to separate the 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol from its positional isomers.
Crystalline forms of 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol may be readily separated from the positional isomers that are generated in its synthesis. These crystalline forms of anhydrous 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol are typically more amendable to handling and formulating at clinical or industrial scale than are amorphous forms. Other advantages of crystalline forms of 4-cyclopentyl resorcinol will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.


A method includes identifying a queue of workpiece lots awaiting processing in a process tool. At least one of the workpiece lots is associated with an obsolete control thread for controlling the process tool. Each of the plurality of workpiece lots is modeled as a parent lot and a child lot. A completion time for the workpiece lots is optimized by selecting a processing order of the workpiece lots and designating one of the child lots associated with the obsolete control thread as a pilot lot. A first workpiece lot in the selected processing order is processed in the process tool.

The present invention relates generally to manufacturing and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for scheduling pilot lots.
The technology explosion in the manufacturing industry has resulted in many new and innovative manufacturing processes. Today's manufacturing processes, particularly semiconductor manufacturing processes, call for a large number of important steps. These process steps are usually vital, and therefore, require a number of inputs that are generally fine-tuned to maintain proper manufacturing control.
The manufacture of semiconductor devices requires a number of discrete process steps to create a packaged semiconductor device from raw semiconductor material. The various processes, from the initial growth of the semiconductor material, the slicing of the semiconductor crystal into individual wafers, the fabrication stages (e.g., etching, doping, ion implanting, or the like), to the packaging and final testing of the completed device, are so different from one another and specialized that the processes may be performed in different manufacturing locations that contain different control schemes.
Generally, a set of processing steps is performed across a group of semiconductor wafers, sometimes referred to as a lot. For example, a process layer that may be composed of a variety of different materials may be formed across a semiconductor wafer. Thereafter, a patterned layer of photoresist may be formed across the process layer using known photolithography techniques. Typically, an etch process is then performed across the process layer using a patterned layer of photoresist as a mask. This etching process results in the formation of various features or objects in the process layer. Such features may be used as, for example, a gate electrode structure for transistors. Many times, trench isolation structures are also formed across the substrate of the semiconductor wafer to isolate electrical areas across a semiconductor wafer. One example of an isolation structure that can be used is a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure.
The manufacturing tools within a semiconductor manufacturing facility typically communicate with a manufacturing framework or a network of processing modules. Each manufacturing tool is generally connected to an equipment interface. The equipment interface is connected to a machine interface to which a manufacturing network is connected, thereby facilitating communications between the manufacturing tool and the manufacturing framework. In some cases, the machine interface can generally be part of an advanced process control (APC) system. The APC system initiates a control script, which can be a software program that automatically retrieves the data needed to execute a manufacturing process.
An APC process control strategy allows a high degree of process control, desirably on a run-to-run basis, with a moderate amount of measurement data. In this control strategy, a model of a process or of a group of interrelated processes is established and implemented in an appropriately configured process controller. The process controller also receives information which may include pre-process measurement data and/or post-process measurement data, as well as information related, for instance, to the substrate history, such as type of process or processes, the product type, the process tool or process tools in which the products are to be processed or have been processed in previous steps, the process recipe to be used, i.e., a set of required steps for the process or processes under consideration, wherein possibly fixed process parameters and variable process parameters may be contained, and the like.
From this information and the process model, the process controller determines a controller state or process state that describes the effect of the process or processes under consideration on the specific product, thereby permitting the establishment of an appropriate parameter setting of the variable parameters of the specified process recipe to be performed with the substrate under consideration, wherein tool-specific internal or "low-rank" control units (substantially) maintain the parameter values, such as flow rates, temperatures, exposure doses and the like, at the targets specified by the APC controller.
Thus, the APC controller may have a predictive behavior, whose accuracy may depend on the amount of measurement data and its timeliness with respect to the current process run. The measurement data, however, may stem from different process tools performing equivalent processes.
To address the multiple tool, multiple process, and multiple product issues arising in a complicated fabrication facility, process control activities are sometimes organized into control threads. A particular control thread refers to a series of process steps that are to be performed by a specific processing tool or by a specific set of processing tools. Distinct control threads are defined for different tool, process, reticle, and/or product combinations as deemed appropriate. Incoming metrology data is associated with a particular thread, and control actions are determined for the thread to generate the process recipe or other production related parameters.
For a particular control thread to be effective in controlling a tool or process, the metrology data provided to the thread should be recent and regular. The age of the metrology data for the thread directly affects the quality of the process control. In some cases, a control thread may become obsolete if it has not received metrology data for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 2-3 days).
Prior to processing selected lots, the control system determines if the associated control thread is active. If the control thread is obsolete, a few wafers will be split out from the parent lot to form a pilot lot that will be processed and qualified prior to running the other lots associated with the obsolete thread through production. After piloting and validation, the piloting wafers may be merged back with the parent lot and continue the remaining process. They may also be kept as engineering wafers and permanently split from the parent lot for future engineering purposes. All other lots associated with the obsolete control thread are held until the thread is re-validated after measurement results from metrology operations are accepted.
Meanwhile, the tool may still process lots of mature threads after applying necessary setups (or no setup if lots waiting in the queue are of the same thread as the current recipe setup on the tool). If there are no other lots associated with active threads waiting in the queue, the tool is idle. From a tool capacity perspective, pilot lots cause capacity loss due to the potential holds or setup changes. If the tool is a production bottleneck, such capacity loss is not recoverable. Even though tools may be occupied by processing other lots with active threads, capacity loss may still occur as the result of the required setup changes.
From a fabrication perspective, pilot lots have an impact on the balancing of the production line. Delaying the dispatch of a pilot lot may result in the lots associated with the obsolete thread to accumulate in front of the tool and cause the production line to become unbalanced.
Current techniques for processing pilot lots include assigning a high priority to the pilot lot to reduce the time that the thread is idle. However, such a technique can potentially disrupt the flow of other products being processed that have to compete with the pilot lot on the basis of priority. Hence, a need exists to determine the best time to dispatch pilot lots so that process control, machine capacity, and production work-in-progress (WIP) remain well balanced.
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. The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Method and apparatus for scheduling pilot lots


Systems and methods for processing image data representing a document to remove deformations contained in the document are disclosed. A system may include one or more memory devices storing instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions. The instructions may instruct the system to provide, to a machine learning system, a training dataset representing a plurality of documents containing a plurality of training deformations. The instructions may also instruct the system to use the machine learning system to process image data representing a target document containing a target document deformation. The machine learning system may generate restored image data representing the target document with the target document deformation removed. The instructions may further instruct the system to provide the restored image data to at least one of a graphical user interface, an image storage device, or a computer vision system.

Individuals and companies often choose to digitize paper documents (e.g., receipts, report cards, etc.) for various reasons. Scanners or digital cameras are commonly used to capture image data representing such documents.
Some documents may have been wrinkled or folded (intentionally or unintentionally) before they are digitized. For example, receipts are often folded and may contain deformations such as wrinkles or creases, which may create certain challenges in the digitization processes (e.g., hinders text recognition processes and the like). Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for processing image data representing documents to remove deformations contained in the documents.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for image data processing to correct document deformations using machine-learning techniques


An improvement over the Foley catheter which provides, in addition to the main drainage lumen, a central smaller lumen for continuous delivery of a small quantity of sterile irrigating solution directly through the distal tip into the bladder. A larger portion of the irrigating solution is deflected by the cone shaped roof of the distal tip and turned backward past the drainage ports and into the drainage lumen. This backward flow of liquid causes a mild suction which assists the removal of clots and tissue debris from the bladder. The continuous flow of sterile solution also cleanses the drainage lumen and prevents the upward movement of bacteria common in most urinary catheters. A suction syringe can also be used in the usual manner in the event of a blockage. A second embodiment of the invention provides two protuberances across from the drainage ports within the distal tip to assist in breaking up clots as they enter the drainage lumen.

Urinary catheters have been used for many years both for patients recovering from surgery and for those who are incontinent. In patients recovering from bladder and prostate surgery blood clots and clumps of tissue and debris often form which require frequent periodic irrigation of the bladder. This irrigation is performed through the catheter and can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort to the patient.
After a catheter has been in place for more than three of four days there is an almost certainty of bacterial infection of the urinary tract which may eventually spread to the kidneys if the catheter must remain in place for extended periods. The infection has been attributed to microorganisms moving up through the drainage tube and into the lumen of the catheter and finally to the bladder. Microorganisms may also become trapped in the urethra where they can reproduce.
Little has been done to improve the catheter since the development of the well-known Foley Catheter which provides an inflatable balloon near its distal end to retain the catheter in the bladder. Goldman fitted his catheter with a rigid section to prevent collapse of the lumen when pressure is exerted to inflate the balloon (U.S. Pat. No. 2,819,718).
Several catheters have been developed which permit cleansing of the main lumen to reduce the chance of having bacteria enter the bladder, but the cleansing solution is not permitted to enter the bladder and has nothing to do with bladder irrigation. Godfrey, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,533 teaches a flushable urinary catheter fitted with a valve such that a cleansing solution can be used to flush the catheter but the solution cannot pass the valve to enter the bladder. The catheter is cleansed up to the point of the valve. Kay also provides for a catheter which is fitted with a cleansing unit. The drainage ports of the catheter can be closed when the cleansing solution is introduced. Here too the lumen of the catheter can be cleansed without the solution entering the bladder (U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,946).
Christopher, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,571,241 and 4,710,169, describes a catheter with a collapsable wall portion which inflates with the flow of urine. The urethra is only extended as is that portion of the catheter when there is a urine flow, so that bacteria do not have a constant access to the bladder. He also provides for antibacterial seals to prevent bacteria from entering the urinary tract.
Glassman has developed a catheter with grooves along the exterior wall through which a cleansing solution can irrigate the urethra. The solution is introduced into the catheter through an external tube which directs the solution through channels within the wall of the catheter and into the grooves through openings spaced along its length. The cleansing solution does not enter the bladder, nor does it cleanse the drainage lumen. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,554).
Sakamoto et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,104, teaches a process for affixing an antimicrobial substance to the exterior wall of a urinary catheter to effectively prevent urinary tract infection. The antimicrobial substance is effective over an extended period of time.
None of the above patents are for introduction of the irrigating solution into the bladder itself. Chen et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,245 has developed a valve assembly for urinary bladder irrigation. However, that system introduces the irrigating solution through the same channel used for drainage, thus pushing any material within the lumen of the catheter up into the bladder.
Morales et al. designed a catheter through which urine is drained from the bladder and which also delivers medication to the bladder through a separate central channel. This catheter is not indwelling and is removed after the medication has been dispensed. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,316)
Chaffin (U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,462) developed a surgical drainage and irrigation tube. The irrigating solution flows upwards on one arm of the tube, and down the other arm. Some of the solution can enter the surgical field, but it is the downward flow that creates mild suction to remove blood and other secretions from the field without creating negative pressures in the cavity or wound.
The instant invention proposes a catheter which can deliver an irrigating solution to the bladder, provide drainage of urine from the bladder and also maintain a mild suction to break up and remove clots and debris which may clog the drainage ports. The drainage lumen of the catheter is cleansed at the same time, thus lessening the chance of upward movement of bacterial therein.

Urinary catheter and bladder irrigation system


A system adjusts contrast of an anaglyph image and includes a contrast adjuster processor that generates a contrast-adjusted first luma signal and second luma signal and a contrast-adjusted third luma signal from a first input image signal and second input image signal. An upstream summing node determines a first difference between the first luma signal and third luma signal and a downstream summing node subtracts the first difference from the first signal component of the first input signal. A fine adjuster circuit receives a signal for the first difference and applies a fine adjustment as a gain adjustment, an offset adjustment, and a horizontal and vertical shift.

1. Technical Field
The technology relates to stereographic image processing, and more particularly to reducing ghosting artifacts associated with contrast adjustments to anaglyph images.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Anaglyph imaging is a technique for producing three-dimensional (3D) images of an object. The images may be still images or video images. Anaglyph imaging involves producing stereoscopic image pairs, typically left and right stereoscopic images. The stereoscopic images may be processed to form a single two-dimensional (2D) anaglyph image that can be printed on an object, e.g., in a magazine, or that can be electronically displayed, e.g., on a video display or television. The single anaglyph image may be viewed through spectacles having different color filters for the left and right eyes, so that the viewer perceives a three-dimensional (3D) rendering of the scene when viewing the 2D anaglyph image. Anaglyph imaging techniques can enable 3D viewing from conventional 2D displays.

Contrast adjusted anaglyph for reducing ghosting artifacts

STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE. LTD.


Disclosed are methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating and inhibiting conical vascularization including conical vascularization associated with viral infection, chemical injury, autoimmune conditions, and post-corneal transplantation or in subjects having a PAX6 mutation associated with conical vascularization. The methods and pharmaceutical compositions are utilized in administering treatment that results in increased concentration of FOXC1 in a subject's cornea in order to treat or inhibit corneal vascularization.

The field of the invention relates to methods for treating corneal vascularization. In particular, the field of the invention relates to methods, compounds, and compositions for treating and inhibiting corneal vascularization associated with bacterial or viral infection, chemical injury, autoimmune conditions, and post-corneal transplantation in subjects in need thereof, or in subjects having genetic mutations that predispose the subjects to corneal vascularization. The methods typically include administering treatment that results in overexpression of FOXC1.
The cornea is normally devoid of blood vessels, and corneal vascularization is a sight-threatening condition. Corneal transparency and avascularity are critical for proper ocular function and can be impaired by corneal neovascularization, which derives from the pathological growth of corneal vessels. (See, e.g., Qazi et al., "Corneal transparency: genesis, maintenance and dysfunction." Brain Res Bull. 2010; 81(2-3):198-210; the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Corneal vascularization can occur due to a number of etiologies. For example, corneal vascularization also can occur in response to a wide range of insults, including bacterial or viral infections, trauma, chemical burns, and inflammation. (See, e.g., Regenfuss et al., "Conical (lymph)angiogenesis—from bedside to bench and back: a tribute to Judah Folkman Lymphat Res Biol. 2008; 6(3-4):191-201; the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). In addition, genetic mutations in the PAX6 gene have been shown to be associated with autosomal dominant keratitis, which is characterized by vascularization and opacification of the cornea. (See, e.g., Mirzayans et al., "Mutation of the PAX6 Gene in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Keratitis," Am. J. Hum. Genet. 57:539-548, 1995, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Corneal vascularization also may result as a complication from corneal transplantation. More than 1.2 million Americans suffer from impaired corneas, and 40,000 people per year undergo corneal transplantation therapy to restore eyesight that has been compromised. (See, e.g., Liu et al., "Gene-based antiangiogenic applications for corneal neovascularization,". Surv Ophthalmol. 2018; 63(2):193-213; and Mohan et al., "Corneal gene therapy: basic science and translational perspective." The ocular surface. 2013; 11(3):150-64; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties). Corneal vasculization may develop in response to rejection of a corneal transplant.
Currently, no effectively treatments are available for corneal neovascularization. (See, e.g., Gupta et al., "Treatments for corneal neovascularization: a review." Cornea. 2011; 30(8):927-38; the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic strategies for improving vision in affected patients.
Mutations or changes in the copy number of human FOXC1 are associated with autosomal-dominant Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS), which is characterized by anterior eye segment defects, glaucoma and corneal neovascularization. (See, e.g., Alward, W. L. "Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome in the age of molecular genetics." Am J Ophthalmol. 2000; 130(1):107-15; Chang et al. "Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome: new perspectives." Br J Ophthalmol. 2012; 96(3):318-22; and Tumer et al., Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome and spectrum of PITX2 and FOXC1 mutations." Eur J Hum Genet. 2009; 17(12):1527-39; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The present inventors have recently shown that deletion of Foxc1 in mice recapitulates anterior-segment defects including corneal neovascularization observed in patients with ARS secondary to heterozygous FOXC1 mutations. (See Seo et al., "Forkhead box transcription factor FoxC1 preserves corneal transparency by regulating vascular growth." Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2012; 109(6):2015-20; the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). This observation indicates that FOXC1 plays a key role in keeping the cornea devoid of vascularization.
Here, the inventors show that FOXC1 can be expressed or overexpressed in the cornea in order to inhibit corneal vascularization. In particular, the inventors show that overexpression of FOXC1 by adeno-associated virus (AAV) in adult mice suppresses corneal neovascularization by alkali-burn injury. Corneal vascularization developing from alkali-burn injury is recognized as a model for corneal vascularization in general. (See Anderson, et al., "An alkali-burn injury model of corneal neovascularization in the mouse. J Vis Exp. 2014(86); the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). As such, the inventor's results indicate that the overexpression of FOXC1 can be used to inhibit corneal vascularization that derives from different etiologies such as infection, trauma, and graft rejection following corneal transplant.

Overexpression of FOXC1 to treat corneal vascularization

The Governors of the University of Alberta


A storage-medium diagnosis includes a storage unit that stores therein respective diagnosis results of subregions of a storage region of a storage medium; a higher-access executing unit that accesses a region corresponding to access request from a higher-level device, and stores a result of the access as a diagnosis result in the storage unit; a diagnosis-region identifying unit that identifies a diagnosis region to be diagnosed next on the basis of the respective diagnosis results of the subregions stored in the storage unit; and a diagnosis executing unit that accesses and diagnoses the diagnosis region identified by the diagnosis-region identifying unit, and stores a result of the diagnosis in the storage unit. The storage-medium diagnosis can reduce the time used for diagnosis of the storage medium and suppress degradation in performance even during operation.

Conventionally, to ensure the reliability of a storage medium installed in a server, diagnosis of the storage medium is regularly or irregularly performed when the server is not in operation. In recent years, the capacity of a storage medium is significantly increasing; therefore, in most cases, diagnosis of a storage medium is not completed while a server is not in operation and goes on even after the server is put into operation.
Patent document 1 Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2000-339107
However, if the diagnosis of the storage medium is performed when the server is in operation, the time used for the diagnosis gets longer, resulting in degradation in operation performance of the server.

Storage-medium diagnosis device, storage-medium diagnosis method


A marine power device capable of preventing a failure in actuation of constantly-driven loads required to be constantly actuated for continuing operation of an internal combustion engine, when various loads are actuated using both a magneto driven by the engine and a battery driven by the magneto as a power supply in a ship in which an outboard motor is used as a propelling equipment. The device includes a switch which functions to separate occasionally-driven loads increased in power consumption and the battery from the magneto when the battery is reduced in output voltage thereof to a level of failing to actuate the constantly-driven loads due to connection of the occasionally-driven loads to the battery or overdischarge of the battery. The switch is arranged at a position which does not affect flowing of a drive current fed from the magneto to the constantly-driven loads.

This invention relates to a marine power device, and more particularly to a marine power device for driving various kinds of electric units mounted on a ship in which an outboard motor is used as a propelling equipment by means of a power supply including a battery and a magneto driven by an engine.
In a ship in which an outboard motor is used as a propelling equipment, a power device including a power supply consisting of a magneto driven by an engine and a battery is used for driving various loads. The loads driven by the power device include constantly-driven loads such as an ignition unit for an internal combustion engine, a fuel injection control unit adapted to control a fuel injector for feeding the internal combustion engine with fuel, a pump motor adapted to drive a fuel pump for feeding the injector with fuel and the like, as well as occasionally-driven loads driven as required.
An outboard boat which is a motor boat equipped with an outboard motor often encounters problems such as a decrease in navigation speed thereof due to an action of an underwater portion of the boat as a resistance during high-speed navigation thereof, planing of a bow of the boat during the high-speed navigation and the like. In order to avoid such problems, an inclination mechanism called a trim mechanism is provided, which is constructed so as to incline the propelling equipment by means of a hydraulic cylinder. For arrangement of such an inclination mechanism, it is required that a motor which is called a trim motor and functions to actuate a hydraulic pump for feeding the hydraulic cylinder with hydraulic fluid is driven in the form of an occasionally-driven load.
Also, the outboard boat is often mounted thereon with a hydraulic lift for lifting the whole outboard motor during navigation of the boat in a shoal or the like. In this instance, it is also required that the motor which functions to actuate the pump for applying a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder is driven as another occasionally-driven load.
Further, in an outboard boat which is mounted thereon with a plurality of outboard motors, a power assisting unit is often arranged for assisting operation of a steering wheel by means of a hydraulic pressure, to thereby reduce force required for operating the steering wheel. In such a case, it is required that a motor which acts to actuate a pump for applying a hydraulic pressure to the power assisting unit is driven as a further occasionally-driven load.
Other occasionally-driven loads associated with the outboard boat include a start motor for starting the engine, a motor for actuating a bilge pump for discharging bilge-water collected in the boat, a motor for actuating a winding machine for winding up an anchor or a net, a lamp and the like.
A conventional marine power device includes a magneto driven by the internal combustion engine, a DC power circuit which includes a rectification circuit for rectifying an AC output of the magneto and a voltage regulator for restricting an output voltage thereof to a set level or below and is adapted to output a DC voltage limited to a set level or below, and a battery charged by an output of the DC power circuit, wherein such constantly-driven loads and occasionally-driven loads as described above are driven by an output voltage of the battery.
Of the loads driven by the marine power device, the occasionally-driven loads such as the motors which act to drive the pump for applying a hydraulic pressure to the trim mechanism, the lift, the power assisting unit for the steering wheel and the motors for driving the bilge pump and winding machine generally consume a current in a large amount. Thus, when the occasionally-driven loads are connected to the battery while the battery is kept at a state approximating overdischarge, the marine power device fails to normally actuate the constantly-driven loads such as the motors for the pump for feeding the fuel injection control unit and fuel injector with fuel, leading to a reduction in output of the engine and/or interruption of the engine. In particular, a two-cycle engine wherein lubricating oil is fed to the engine while being mixed with fuel often causes seizure thereof because shortage of fed fuel due to a decrease in voltage of the battery leads to shortage of lubricating oil.


A magnetic marker, comprising a first fabric base sheet, a plurality of magnetized fibers attached to a surface of the first fabric base sheet by bonding means, and a second fabric base sheet secured to the surface of the first fabric base sheet so as to interpose the magnetized fibers between the first and second fabric base sheets. The magnetic marker using magnetized fibers can withstand repeated piercing which is encountered in the application for detecting the position of the ground fabric during the process of needling for the production of felt. The magnetized fibers are firmly secured between the two fabric base sheets, optionally reinforced by a multiplicity of perpendicularly arranged yarn, that the magnetized fibers can retain the capability to generate magnetic flux even after repeated use.

In a paper making machine, water is removed from a wet web of paper fibers between a series of mutually opposing rolls by compressing the paper fiber web, and press felt in the form of an endless belt having a relatively large width is wrapped around such rollers. The press felt is fabricated by passing woven ground fabric in the form of an endless belt around rolls including a motor driven roll and guide rolls, and entangling fibers of fiber web consisting of layers of woollen or synthetic fiber web with the ground fabric by needling as the ground fabric is passed under a needle head along with the fiber web placed thereon.
During the process of needling, for the fibers to be favorably entangled with the ground fabric, it is necessary to adjust the stroke of needling, the density of needling and the feed speed of the ground fabric according to the number of turns which the ground fabric has made around the feed and guide rolls. Since the press felt must be highly smooth along the circumferential direction thereof without any steps or local irregularities, it is difficult to determine how many turns the press felt has made at any particular given time. Furthermore, since the time point of adjustment must coincide with the point of transition from one layer of fiber web to another, the detection of the rotation of the drive roll would not allow a sufficiently accurate detection of the position of the press felt during the process of needling.
Conventionally, the operator placed a red thread or made a red mark with dye or ink in the ground fabric to identify a reference point on the press felt, and manually made necessary adjustments by visually determining the number of turns the ground fabric had made. Therefore, the operator was required to count the number of turns the press web had made and quickly make necessary adjustments upon detection of such a marker. This required a high level of concentration, and the quality of the press felt was highly dependent on the quality of the operator. Therefore, there has been a strong demand to automate the process of felt fabrication by needling.
For automating the process of needling, it is preferable to be able to use a marker which can be easily detected with a sensor. However, conventionally known markers were inadequate because they tended to be quickly damaged by the process of needling in which the entire press felt including the sensor is repeatedly pierced by needles, and were rendered useless in a very short time.
In Japanese patent laid open publication No. 03-124866 filed jointly by the applicant of this application and two other applicants, it is proposed to prepare a magnetic marker by arranging a plurality of magnetized fibers parallel to each other on a two-sided adhesive tape, and securing it to a lateral fringe of the ground fabric of press felt so that the movement of the ground fabric may be detected with a magnetic sensor during the process of needling, and the process of needling can be automated by using an output signal from the magnetic sensor which accurately indicates the movement of the ground fabric. Further, since the marker basically consists of magnetized fibers, the needling process is not hampered by the presence of the magnetic marker, and the marker can withstand the repeated piercing by the needles.
However, since the magnetized fibers tended to be integrally combined with the ground fabric along with the fibers of fiber web as a result of the process of needling, the marker was not suitable for repeated use. Since the magnetized fibers typically consisting of amorphous alloy are highly expensive, it is more desirable if the magnetic marker can be used repeatedly.


A semiconductor device having a gate electrode on a silicon substrate via a gate insulating film is formed by laminating the gate insulating film with a silicon oxide film, formed on the silicon substrate, an Hf silicate film is formed on the silicon oxide film, and a nitrogen-containing Hf silicate film formed on the Hf silicate film, and containing Hf in a peak concentration in a range from one atomic % to thirty atomic %, and nitrogen in a peak concentration in a range from ten atomic % to thirty atomic %.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device using a metal silicate film as a gate insulating film, to a method for manufacturing such a semiconductor device, to an apparatus for forming such a film in a semiconductor device, and to a method for forming such a high-dielectric-constant film in a semiconductor device.
2. Background Art
Accompanying the miniaturization of semiconductor devices, the reduction of thickness of gate insulating films has been demanded. The reduction of thickness of silicon oxide films and silicon oxynitride films (hereafter referred to as "silicon oxide film and the like"), which are used as conventional gate insulating films, is limited due to increase in leak current, and it is difficult to reduce the SiO2-converted film thickness to 1.5 nm or less. Therefore, there has been proposed a method for inhibiting leak current by using a high-dielectric-constant film, such as a metal oxide film, a metal silicate film and a metal aluminate film, which has a higher specific inductive capacity higher than that of silicon oxide film and the like as the gate insulating film; and by increasing the physical film thickness of the gate insulating film.
However, when the high-dielectric-constant film is used as the gate insulating film, and a polysilicon electrode is used as the gate electrode, there has been a problem that impurities doped in the polysilicon electrode diffuse into the substrate through the gate insulating film when the impurities are activated, and the transistor properties are deteriorated.
In order to solve this problem, a method for introducing nitrogen into the high-dielectric-constant film has been proposed.
Specifically, there has been proposed method for forming a high-dielectric constant film composed of a zirconium oxynitride layer or a hafnium oxynitride layer, by forming a metal layer composed of zirconium or hafnium on a substrate, and oxynitriding the metal layer (refer to e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-58832).
Furthermore, there has also been proposed a method for laminating a lower barrier film consisting of a hafnium-containing silicon oxynitride film, a high-dielectric-constant film consisting of a silicon-containing hafnium oxide film, and an upper barrier film consisting of a silicon-containing hafnium oxide film that contains nitrogen to form a gate insulating film and for controlling the composition of a metal (M), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N) and silicon (Si) in the high-dielectric-constant film and the lower barrier film (refer to e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-8011).
In a thin-film formation using a high-dielectric-constant material, the ALD (atomic layer deposition) method is generally used. In this method, material gasses are alternately supplied while resetting the chamber to the original state to form each atomic layer.
For example, the formation of a hafnium oxide (HfO2) film as a high-dielectric-constant film will be specifically described. First, the chamber is evacuated, argon gas is flowed in the chamber, and the pressure in the chamber is maintained to 0.2 Torr. In this state, hafnium tetramethylethylamide [Hf(N(CH3)(C2H5)2)4] is flowed into the chamber while controlling the flow rate, and the Hf material is vaporized and adsorbed on the surface of the substrate. Then, the chamber is purged, and an oxidizing gas such as ozone gas is introduced. Thereafter, the chamber is purged. By repeating such steps for several tens of times, a hafnium oxide (HfO2) film of a thickness of several nanometers can be formed on the surface of the substrate.
The introduction of nitrogen into a high-dielectric-constant film reduces flat-band-voltage shift (hereafter referred to as "Vfb shift") due to the diffusion of impurities. This is estimated because the high-dielectric-constant gate insulating film is densified by nitriding treatment, and the diffusion of impurities is restricted.
However, in the above-described conventional method, initial Vfb shift due to the effect of fixed charge or the like is large, and there has been a problem that satisfactory transistor characteristics cannot obtained particularly in P-channel MIS transistors.
In addition, a high-dielectric-constant thin film formed using the ALD method generally contains several percent impurities. This is considered because carbon (C), hydrogen (H) or chlorine (Cl) included in material gas using the ALD method remains and is incorporated in the formed film. The impurities remaining in the high-dielectric-constant film may cause fixed charge and trap, and the characteristics of the film is damaged.

Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and method for forming high-dielectric-constant film


A first-order signal generator (135). The generator comprises a shift register (210′) having a number N of bit positions. Each bit position is operable to store a binary value, the shift register operable to shift the binary value at each of the bit positions. The generator also comprises circuitry for tapping selected ones of the bit positions and circuitry for applying a function (220′) to each binary value in the selected ones of the bit positions to provide a function output. The generator also comprises circuitry for coupling the function output as an input to one of the bit positions. Lastly, the generator also comprises circuitry (230′) for outputting a first-order noise signal by coupling, as a twos complement number, each binary value in a plurality of the bit positions.

The present embodiments relate to digital circuits and are more specifically directed to a first-order noise generator.
Noise generator output signals are used in various electronic device applications. As one application and detailed later, such a generator may provide a noise signal having a desired frequency profile (i.e., shaped noise) for use in an electronic device, such as in a sigma-delta converter. In this and other applications, various design criteria are often established in connection with implementing the noise generator, and indeed these criteria often apply to other circuitry associated with the application. For example, one criterion is to minimize the amount of power consumed by a device. As other examples, device size, complexity, and cost all should be minimized. As still another example with respect to the various signal generators, a certain frequency response is desired. Particularly in the present context of a first-order noise signal generator, preferably the response curve, over a desired range of frequencies, is such that the response curve changes by 10 dB per every order of magnitude of frequency of interest, where each order of frequency is sometimes referred to as a "decade;" thus, the goal is a frequency response change of 10 dB/decade for a first-order response. The preceding goals have been met to a certain extent in the prior art by implementing a first-order decay signal generator using a number of linear feedback shift registers ("LFSRs") in a single implementation, as further detailed below.
By way of background first to an individual LFSR, FIG. 1 illustrates a single LFSR designated generally at 10. LFSR 10 has N bit positions B0 through BN-1, each for storing a binary value of 0 or 1. As a shift register, the device operates in a cycle, typically in response to a clock (not shown), to shift the content of each bit position in a same direction and into a respective adjacent bit position, where the content in one end (e.g., at BN-1) is shifted out of the register and the content at the other end (e.g., B0) receives a new input value. Thus, in this example and for sake of uniform discussion in this document, a shift is shown to be from left to right, although the opposite case most certainly may be alternatively implemented by one skilled in the art. In an LFSR, the bit content at selected bit positions ("SBPs") of the register are combined into a function, shown as function ƒ{SBPs} and designated at 20 in FIG. 1. The output of function ƒ{SBPs} is also input into the register's input bit, which in the present example is bit position B0. Thus, in a given cycle, function ƒ{SBPs} is determined, and while each of bit positions B0 through BN-2 shifts its content rightward to the next adjacent bit and BN-1 shifts its content out of register 10, the result of function ƒ{SBPs} is provided as an input to bit position B0. This determination of function ƒ{SBPs} and its provision as an input is the feedback function of the LFSR. Note that the function ƒ{SBPs} may be determined in various forms, and typically it is implemented as a logical XOR of the SBPs, which are also sometimes referred to as taps, in a given order. The particular positions chosen as the SBPs as well as the exact choice of function ƒ{SBPs} vary and may be determined by one skilled in the art from various known or ascertainable resources. Two uses of the contents of LFSR 10 of FIG. 1 are noted with respect to the prior art, as separately described below.
In a first prior art use of LFSR 10, the entire sequence of bits, B0 through BN-1 (which may be designated as [B0:BN-1]) may be used as a pseudorandom code generator. Such an application is desirable in telecommunication applications, or elsewhere, where a code is desired that has good auto and cross-correlation properties. When such an application is implemented, the sequence of [B0:BN-1] as it changes for each cycle of operation provides in effect a white or nearly-white noise signal. To illustrate this aspect, FIG. 2 depicts a plot of the FFT of such a sequence over time, for an example of N=16 and for use of the SBPs of bit positions B3, B8, B14, and B15, and at a clocking rate of 40 MHz of LFSR 10. As can be readily appreciated, across the depicted frequency spectrum there is a 0 dB response, demonstrating therefore the above-described white noise signal.
A second prior art use of LFSR 10 is now described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a first-order noise generator 30, that is, one that produces an output signal having a decay on the order of 10 dB/decade. Generator 30 includes a number M of LFSRs, each of the general form of LFSR 10 in FIG. 1 and, thus, for sake of reference, shown in FIG. 3 as LFSR 100, 101, and so forth through 10M-1. While not explicitly shown, note also that each different LFSRx in FIG. 3 may use different taps as compared to the other LFSRs in generator 30. The output of a same bit position of each LFSR is concatenated into an M-bit register 40, thereby providing a value with bits V0 through VM-1; for sake of example, that same bit position in FIG. 3 is shown as the rightmost position (corresponding to position BN-1) in FIG. 1. Value [V0:VM-1] is connected as an input to a first order high pass filter 45, which in response provides an output to a twos complement analyzer 50, the output of which provides a first-order noise signal, FON. The operation of each LFSR 10x in generator 30 is as described in connection with FIG. 1, operating therefore in parallel and in a single cycle to each provide a respective value bit, Vx, to register 40. In response, twos complement analyzer 50 interprets the output of first order high pass filter 45 as a twos complement number, and thereby outputs its equivalent such as a signed number as FON. Thus, value [V0:VM-1] changes for each cycle of operation of the LFSRs 100 through 10M-1. With this operation and the successive changes in value [V0:VM-1] as well as the corresponding changes in FON, a first-order response is generated, that is, the changes in FON provide a 10 dB/decade decay if examined in the frequency domain.
While the preceding applications have proven useful in various implementations, recall that design criteria seek to reduce device size, complexity, power consumption, and cost. Given these goals as well as others that may be ascertained by one skilled in the art, there arises a need to improve upon the prior art, as is achieved by the preferred embodiments described below.

Linear feedback shift register first-order noise generator


An image matching method capable of matching images with a high precision and a program and an image matching system for the same, providing a conversion unit for performing image processing based on a registered image and a match image for converting points in each image to patterns of curves based on a distance from a reference position to the closest point on a straight line passing through each point in the image from the reference position and an angle formed by a straight line passing through the reference position and the closest point and an x-axis as a reference axis including the reference position, converting linear components in the images to patterns of a plurality of overlapped curves, and generating converted images, a correlation value generation unit for performing correlation processing based on the converted images and generating a correlation value, and a matching unit for performing the matching based on a signal indicating the correlation value generated by the correlation value generation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image matching method for matching two blood vessel images, fingerprint images, still images, moving images, and other images based on linear components in the images, and a program and an image matching system for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as systems for matching image information, various image matching systems are known. For example, an information processing apparatus for comparing for example a registered image against an image for comparison, that is, a "match image", in a predetermined positional relationship to calculate correlation values and matching a registered image against the match image based on the correlation values or an information processing apparatus generating correlation values by processing in units of pixels are known (refer to for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-194862).
In the above information processing apparatuses, however, when parallel movement, rotation, enlargement, reduction, or other offset occurs between a registered image and the match image, it is difficult to suitably generate the correlation values, so sufficient matching precision is sometimes not obtained. Consequently, improvement is demanded.

Image matching method, program, and image matching system


A method (400) and apparatus (300) for selecting one of a plurality of antennas (320, 322), on a UE (300) implementing transmit diversity in a multi-carrier wireless communication system, for the joint transmission of two or more uplink signals, each modulated onto a different carrier frequency, such as when the carriers share a power amplifier (314). The method (400) and apparatus (300) select an antenna (320, 322) based on channel conditions associated with the carriers, even when prior art transmit diversity methods provide conflicting antenna selection indications.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), an industry consortium that defines and promulgates wireless communication network technical specifications, has defined a number of standards, such as High Speed Packet Access (HPSA). 3GPP has introduced multi-carrier operation for the uplink in HSPA. Release 9 of the standard allows for the transmission of two signals, each modulated onto adjacent 5-Mhz uplink carrier frequencies (referred to herein as "carriers") in parallel from the same User Equipment (UE) towards a serving base station (Node-B or eNode-B). Multi-carrier uplink has the potential to substantially increase both user throughput and system throughput. The two-carrier specification is known as Dual-Cell High Speed Uplink Packet Access (DC-HSUPA) operation. Since the carriers are adjacent in the same frequency band, it is technically feasible to transmit signal modulated onto both carriers using a single multi-carrier power amplifier (PA) with twice the bandwidth, which may provide a more economical solution than two parallel, single-carrier PAs. Under normal conditions, the two carriers operate independently from each other; for example each carrier has its own mechanisms for power control, serving grants, E-TFC selection and HARQ retransmissions.
The potential benefits of uplink transmit (Tx) diversity in the context of High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) is being evaluated (see, e.g., 3GPP Tdoc RP-090987, 3GPP Work Item Description: Uplink Tx Diversity for HSPA). With uplink transmit diversity, UEs that are equipped with two or more transmit antennas are capable of utilizing all of them. This is achieved by multiplying the uplink signal s(t) with a set of complex weights wi, and transmitting the signal from two or more antennas, as depicted in FIG. 1. Note that i=1 . . . N where N denotes the number of transmit antennas. In general, each path from a transmitting antenna a1 . . . aN to a receiving antenna b1 . . . bm will experience different channel characteristics hn,m across the air interface.
The rationale behind uplink transmit diversity is to adapt the weights wi so that the user and network performance is maximized. Depending on UE implementation, the antenna weights wi may be associated with different constraints. Within 3GPP two classes are considered: beam forming and switched antenna diversity.
Beam forming is a technique whereby, at any given point in time, the UE may transmit from more than one antenna simultaneously. The name beam forming is derived from the technique of controlling the phase and amplitude of signals transmitted from different antennas to create a pattern of constructive and destructive interference in the wavefront, effectively altering the gain in desired spatial directions. Because differentiated signals are transmitted from different antennas, beam forming generally requires a separate PA to drive each antenna.
In switched antenna diversity, the UE at any given point in time transmits from only one of the antennas. Thus, referring again to FIG. 1, if wi≠0, then wj=0 for all j≠i. With switched antenna diversity, a UE may use a single PA, and simply switch its output to the selected antenna. Switched antenna diversity can be considered as a special case of beam forming, where the weight of one antenna is 1 (i.e., switched on) and all others are 0 (i.e., switched off).
In either case, decisions of the use of Tx diversity and the selection of the antenna weights can be taken by the network or the UE.
The Node-B may provide explicit feedback to the UE stating whether Tx diversity should be applied, and if so which weights the UE should use when transmitting the signal. This case requires feedback, and may require the introduction of a new feedback channel.
Alternatively, the UE may autonomously decide whether Tx diversity should be applied. To decide this, the UE may monitor existing indicators and measurements of channel quality, such as the number of required HARO retransmissions, the downlink channel quality indicator (COI), or the UE transmission power headroom (UPH) measurement. For example, if the COI and/or the UPH become low, the UE may conclude that it is in a bad coverage area and that it is likely to be beneficial to activate Tx diversity.
Additionally, the UE may autonomously decide the antenna weights wi. To select the weights wi the UE may monitor existing feedback channels, including those that are transmitted for other purposes, such as the Fractional-Dedicated Physical Control Channel (F-DPCH). For example, if the UE receives a large number of consecutive Transmission Power Control (TPC) UP commands on F-DPCH from the serving cell, the UE may conclude that it is likely to be beneficial to switch to the other Tx antenna by changing the antenna weights wi.
The fundamental goal of uplink transmit diversity is to exploit the variations in the effective channel. As used herein, the term effective channel incorporates the effects of the transmit antenna(s), transmit antenna weights, and the receiving antenna(s), as well as the wireless channel between transmitting and receiving antennas. In switched antenna diversity, and possibly also in beam forming, the antenna weights wi are changed abruptly (e.g., if a UE transmitting on antenna 1 switches wholly or significantly to transmitting on antenna 2, then w1,w2 will change from (nearly) 1,0 to 0,1. Consequently, the effective channel as perceived by the receiving Node-B may change abruptly.
In prior art systems, it has been possible to base WCDMA/HSPA functionality on the assumption that the UEs always are transmitting from one antenna. Consequently, the channel and interference estimates are typically based on a filtered version of the instantaneous channel and interference measured by the Node-B. Hence, whenever the UE changes its antenna weights—and especially if the change is abrupt such as in switched antenna diversity—the channel estimates used by the receiver becomes inaccurate. This reduces the receiver performance. Additionally, uplink transmit diversity results in a discontinuity in received power at the Node-B and a transient that upsets loop power control.
The power discontinuity occurs at the Node-B whenever the effective channel between UE and Node-B changes. This discontinuity will be a combined effect of the facts that the wireless channels between the transmit antennas and receive antenna(s) are different, and that the antenna gains of the two transmit antennas are different.
An antenna switch (or rapid change in the antenna weights) also results in a transient period until the inner-loop power control (ILPC) and outer-loop power control (OLPC) have settled. If the Node-B was aware that the power discontinuity was caused by an abrupt change in antenna weights, it could adjust its behavior thereafter; for example, by freezing the OLPC.
Thus, for numerous reasons, unnecessary antenna switching should be avoided in traditional Tx diversity. Multi-carrier operation introduces additional difficulties in Tx diversity decisions.
One basis for Tx diversity algorithms is available channel quality information, such as TPC UP/DOWN commands transmitted over F-DPCH from the serving Node-B. However, when uplink Tx diversity is combined with uplink multi-carrier operation (e.g., DC-HSUPA) it is not at all clear how to adapt the single-carrier Tx diversity UE algorithm to multi-carrier operation.
For example, if the UE receives a large number of TPC UP commands for a subset of the uplink carriers, and at the same time receives TPC DOWN for some other carrier(s), it is not obvious whether, and in such case how, the UE should prioritize between the TPC commands associated with the different carriers. This scenario is realistic because different uplink carriers may be associated with different conditions with respect to, e.g., radio propagation, traffic load, interference, and the like. Accordingly, multi-carrier operation introduces significant complexity into, and renders unworkable many prior art algorithms implementing, uplink Tx diversity.

Method and apparatus for uplink multi-carrier transmit diversity


A method and apparatus for detecting opens and shorts in a metalization layer includes creating a reference feature list of opens features and at least two reference feature lists of shorts features included in a top surface metalization. A first of the at least two reference feature lists include shorts features having a first threshold and the second of the at least two reference feature lists include shorts features having a second threshold more aggressive than the first threshold. High numerical aperture (NA) illumination is used to produce a grey level image of the top surface metalization. A first image stream is produced from the grey level image using a first digital threshold suitable for use in detecting opens exclusive of shorts and then opens features are extracted. At least a second image stream and a third image steam are then produced from the grey level image using second and third digital thresholds, respectively, suitable for use in detecting shorts exclusive of opens. Thereafter, shorts features are extracted from the second and third image streams. Lastly, a report of extra opens features and extra shorts features extracted from the first, second, and third image streams is generated, wherein the extra opens and shorts features constitute potential flaws.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the manufacture of electrical devices and, more particularly, to the automated optical inspection of metal patterns on an underlying structure or substrate.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Fabrication of electrical and electronic devices which have included a layer of metal connections formed on an underlying layer or substrate has been a well-known practice. Printed circuits are a well-known example of such structures. Integrated circuits also include similar structures but of a much smaller size. Improvements in materials technology and semiconductor metallurgy, in particular, has resulted in ever greater degrees of miniaturization, circuit complexity and feature density in electrical devices which include such conductors.
As circuit complexity has increased, sophisticated electrical and optical methods of testing for defects have been developed in order to detect defects of a scale comparable to the feature size of the connector pattern formed. Automation of these techniques has become a practical necessity due to the number of connections usually present. These automated techniques have been generally effective in detecting actual defects in the pattern.
Electrical continuity testing is often effective and efficient in discovering defects in connection patterns since a network of signal lines may be simultaneously tested. However, there are many types of defects such as shorts to the same node and thin areas of a conductive pattern which cannot be easily detected by electrical testing. Further, the cost and complexity of some circuit modules currently being manufactured makes it economically desirable to repair defective circuits when a defect is discovered and electrical continuity testing rapidly becomes arduous if used to locate the defect for repair. For this reason, optical testing to compare a manufactured connection pattern with an intended pattern has been developed and successfully used to locate actual circuit defects. It should be noted that the location of defects may also be useful in the modification of conductor pattern designs in the manufacturing of devices which are of a scale at which repair is not, in fact, feasible. Since the optical scanning and comparison of an actual pattern with a desired pattern does not vary in procedure with the connection pattern formed, optical testing becomes economically advantageous as pattern complexity increases.
It is to be understood that optical testing equipment is commercially available to automate the testing process. Such equipment is capable of detecting variations in optically sensed patterns of a size sufficient to test patterns with any minimum feature size currently being produced and capable of detecting the shape of a variation from a desired pattern in any orientation in an automated manner. However, due to the similarity of dimension of acceptable manufacturing variation to variations in sensed patterns caused by defects, such equipment tends to reject some good patterns while passing some containing defects. Both types of errors tend to increase the cost of the circuits produced and reduce the efficiency of the manufacturing process.
The illumination used in optical testing of surface patterns include so-called dark field and bright field illumination techniques used either separately or together and at different spectral frequencies in the optical testing of circuit connection patterns. Bright field illumination is very sensitive to variations in surface topology and results in many imaging artifacts representing acceptable variations in topology and which may cause difficulty in analysis of images and many false defect detections. On the other hand, dark field illumination is problematic, in that, image contrast would generally be low, leading to a low signal to noise ratio of a reflected image of an optically scanned circuit connection pattern. In the latter instance, the circuit connection pattern may also not be easily discernable from any underlying layers.
Several different forms of image analysis are typically used in a battery of tests to determine if a connection pattern which has been produced is of acceptable quality and free from defects. However, the discovery of defects at low rates of false detection and undetected faults has been particularly difficult to achieve since many defects yield images similar to those produced as portions of a correctly formed desired pattern.
In addition to the above discussion, high density multilayer thin film structures, such as multilayer chip modules (MCMs), may include a number of high density patterned layers (e.g., 50-70 layers). For purposes of discussion, high density shall refer to patterned wiring layers in which a spacing between adjacent wires (i.e., lines), a line width, and the height on a line are all about on the same order. The layers of the MCMs may include thin film wiring layers which run predominately in the horizontal and/or vertical direction. Examples of such layers include xyz layers which may further be sandwiched between thin film mesh type voltage planes. Such MCMs are prone to significant yield losses due to shorts and opens, if the defects are not repaired early enough in a manufacturing process thereof. Electrical test is typically limited in detecting electrical defects until such time as the MCM is completely manufactured, at which time, a repair might be too late. Manual inspection may also be limited because the MCMs may be exceedingly complex and dense. The MCMs furthermore typically include a non-planar and significant topology. Remnants of underlying layers can be seen through intermediate layers, such as polyimides, which may make manual visual inspection very ineffective and problematic. In addition, the significant topology of the part being inspected and images from underlying layers, likewise, make it difficult to automatically inspect such MCMs. While most inspection techniques utilize bright illumination and require that the part being inspected be planar, the same inspection techniques are typically ineffective for inspection for opens and shorts of a wiring pattern on a MCM because of the low contrast image of the patterned metalization layer on the MCM.
Feature extraction optical inspection testing techniques are known in the art. For instance, a particular list of features can be used during an inspection, wherein the features may include line ends, junctions, or some other particular feature. The feature list may typically includes an x-y coordinate and the type of feature at the corresponding x-y coordinate. During processing of a feature extraction optical inspection, a report list is generated which typically reports all extra features and all missing features. However, for a low contrast image inspection (for example, MCM part inspection), such an optical inspection technique is highly susceptible to errors when the image of the pattern being inspected fades away. Furthermore, in the instance of low contrast images, the distinction between metal and not-metal is not easily discernable.
An example of MCM substrates having low contrast layers include complex dense x and y signal layers of an MCM substrate. The MCM substrates of this type present a screening problem as a result of excessive topology, in addition to, the thinness of an underlying intermediate polyimide layer. Such an MCM substrate is highly susceptible to the occurrence of defect coupling, i.e., the detecting of shorts and overflowing on opens and vice versa. It would thus be desirable to provide an effective method for screening of dense thin film signal layers of MCM substrates for shorts, opens, near shorts, and near opens with minimal defect coupling.

Method and apparatus for multi-stream detection of high density metalization layers of multilayer structures having low contrast

International Business Machines Corporation