A vehicle monitoring and notification system includes memory and logic. The memory stores data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices to warn users of impending arrivals of at least one vehicle. The logic is configured to determine that at least one of the notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period and to determine a number of notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during the particular time period. If the number exceeds a threshold number, the logic changes when the one notification message is scheduled for transmission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to vehicle monitoring and messaging systems and, in particular, to a vehicle monitoring system and method capable of efficiently communicating a plurality of notification messages to warn users in advance of impending arrivals of vehicles.
2. Related Art
For at least the purposes of allowing advance preparation and scheduling, it would be desirable to know, in advance and with substantial accuracy, the expected arrival time of a mobile vehicle (for example but not limited to, a bus, truck, train, ship, plane, aircraft, etc.) at a particular location, such as a stop along a predefined route.
For example, consider a commercial bus station. A person picking up a friend or relative at the commercial bus station usually calls the bus station to find out the approximate arrival time (information which is oftentimes unavailable or inaccurate) and/or arrives at the bus station prior to the scheduled arrival time of the bus, hoping that the bus is not significantly delayed. With knowledge of accurate arrival information in advance, adjustments can be made to one""s schedule to avoid having to wait extended periods for a vehicle.
Another example involves school children that ride school buses. The arrival times of school buses at scheduled stops can be significantly affected by many factors, such as maintenance problems, rush hour traffic, congested urban/suburban conditions, adverse weather, etc. As a result, school children often wait at bus stops for long periods of time, sometimes in adverse weather conditions, on unlit street corners, or in hazardous conditions near busy or secluded streets. An advance notification system that would inform the students of the proximity of the school bus would be desirable, so that students can avoid having to wait for the school bus at the bus stop for extended time periods.
Yet another example involves the commercial overnight package delivery industry, wherein packages are often delivered on a tight schedule. Customers sometimes wait on delivery of important time-critical packages, not knowing precisely when the delivery will occur. An advance notification system that can inform a customer of the precise arrival time of a delivery vehicle would be desirable in order to improve customer service and to allow the customer to better schedule a pickup of a delivered item.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry for better systems, apparatuses, and methods for accurately tracking and/or reporting the status of mobile vehicles as the vehicles travel.
The present invention overcomes many inadequacies and deficiencies of the prior art, as discussed hereinbefore. In general, the present invention provides an automated system and method for monitoring travel of vehicles and for efficiently communicating notification messages to warn users of impending arrivals of the vehicles.
In a broad sense, the system of the present invention includes memory and logic. The memory stores data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices to warn users of impending arrivals of at least one vehicle. The logic is configured to determine that at least one of the notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period and to determine a number of notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during the particular time period. If the number exceeds a threshold number, the logic causes the one notification message to be transmitted prior to the time period.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the system also includes a sensor and a vehicle control unit disposed on the one vehicle. The sensor transmits location signals indicating the location of the one vehicle. The vehicle control unit transmits a message indicating whether the vehicle is off schedule based on the location signals. The logic is configured to update the data stored in the memory based on the message transmitted by the vehicle control unit.
The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles. The method can be broadly conceptualized by the following steps: storing data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices; determining that at least one of the notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period; determining a number of the notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during the particular time period; comparing the number to a threshold number; changing when the one notification message is scheduled for transmission in response to a determination that the number exceeds the threshold number; and notifying one of the users of an impending arrival of a vehicle via the one notification message.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the teachings of the present invention, as set forth herein and as sought to be protected by the claims.

System and method for efficiently notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles


A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first pattern over a substrate, forming an oxide-based layer over the first pattern, forming a hard mask layer over the oxide-based layer, etching the hard mask layer at a first substrate temperature, and etching the oxide-based layer to form a second pattern, wherein the oxide-based layer is etched at a second substrate temperature which is greater than the first substrate temperature using a gas including fluorine (F) and carbon (C) as a main etch gas.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device including a landing plug.
When performing a photolithography process using argon fluoride (ArF) having a wavelength of 193 nm in a semiconductor device having a line width of 80 nm or less, an additional condition has been generally required along with the typical etch process concepts, i.e., precise pattern formation and perpendicular etch profile. The condition refers to restraining deformation of photoresist which may be generated during etching. Thus, it has become important to develop an improved process condition which can satisfy typical conditions and the additional condition for restraining pattern deformation when fabricating a semiconductor of 80 nm or less. Meanwhile, various elements configuring a semiconductor device are formed into stack structures as the scale of integration accelerated. Thus, a contact plug (or a pad) is introduced. A landing plug contact technology using a self-aligned contact (SAC) method has been typically used when forming such contact plug. The landing plug contact technology is used to enlarge a contact surface area using a minimum surface area in a bottom portion, and to enlarge a process margin with respect to a subsequent process in an upper portion.
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a typical method for fabricating a semiconductor device. Gate patterns G are formed over a substrate 11. Each gate pattern includes a stack structure configured with a gate insulation layer 12, a gate conductive layer 13 and a gate hard mask 14. An etch stop layer (not shown) is formed over the surface profile of the gate patterns G. An insulation layer is formed over the resultant structure. The insulation layer is planarized until the gate hard masks 14 are exposed. A photoresist pattern 17 is formed over a certain region of the planarized insulation layer. An anti-reflective coating layer 16 is formed between the photoresist pattern 17 and the planarized insulation layer. The planarized insulation layer is etched using the photoresist pattern 17 as an etch barrier to form contact holes 18 exposing the substrate 11 between adjacent gate patterns G. The process for forming the contact holes 18 is referred to as a self-aligned contact (SAC) etch process. Reference numeral 15 refers to a patterned insulation layer 15.
In the aforementioned typical method, the etch process for forming the contact holes 18 uses a gas including a CxFy gas comprising fluorine (F) and carbon (C), where x and y representing atomic ratios of C and F, respectively, range from approximately 1 to approximately 10, and a CaHbFc gas comprising C, hydrogen (H) and F, where a, b, and c representing atomic ratios of C, H, and F, respectively, range from approximately 1 to approximately 10. For example, the CaHbFc gas includes CH2F2.
However, a vertical height of gate patterns increases as the scale of integration increases. Thus, it may be inevitable to overly use an etch gas or increase an etch time during the SAC etch for an amount corresponding to the increased etch target. Consequently, etch losses 'A' may be generated in the gate hard masks 14, causing a decreased shoulder margin and inducing a contact hole not-open event 'B'.
Prior arts for improving the aforementioned limitations are revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,451B1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,404B1, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,778B2, and U.S. Published Patent Application No. US20060003571 A1. However, it may be difficult to control complicated etch variables of the etch process in these prior arts because a CaHbFc gas or CxFy gas is added during the etch process.

Method for fabricating semiconductor device


A method of setting shared risk link group identification information (SRLG ID) which is one of link properties employed for calculating a route for a path in a communications network including nodes and links for interconnecting the nodes, and indicates a link group which shares resources, comprises the step of assigning a number of SRLG IDs to the link group in accordance with a failure rate of resources shared by that link group. A route calculating method for calculating routes for a working path and a standby path comprises the step of calculating the routes such that a minimum number of SRLG IDs duplicate between all links on the route of the working path and all links on the route of the standby path.

GMPLS (Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching) is one of route control protocols for communications networks. GMPLS is described in Eric Mannie et al., "Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching Architecture," IETF Internet Draft, draft-ietf-ccamp-gmpls-architecture-07.txt [Non-Patent Document 1], which is an Internet draft submitted to IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), and the like. In the following description, a communications node in a network is simply called the "node."
In a network controlled by GMPLS, each node advertises (broadcasts) the state of a TE link, which is a logical link for connecting itself with an adjacent node, to all nodes within a routing domain as link state information. This advertisement is performed using a routing protocol such as OSPF (Open Shortest Path First). The operation of the routing protocol in GMPLS is described in detail in K. Kompella et al., "Routing Extensions in Support of Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching," IETF Internet Draft, draft-ieff-ccamp-gmpls-routing-09.txt [Non-Patent Document 2], and the like.
The advertised link state information is stored in a link state database in each node, and used by each node for calculating a route for a path which originates from each node. Properties of a link included in the link state information are defined by K. Kompella et al. [Non-Patent Document 2], and such properties include a metric and SRLG (Shared Risk Link Group) information. The metric is a cost of the link in a route calculation, and the length of the link, distance, or a fixed value is typically used therefor. Section 2.3 of K. Kompella et al. [Non-Patent Document 2] defines SRLG that when certain links share one physical resource, and a failure in the physical resource affects the entire links, the links make up SRLG. Information for identifying SRLG is called shared risk link group identification information (SRLG ID).
For example, a plurality of optical fibers in the same pipe line are simultaneously affected by a single failure which is a disconnection of the pipe line. Otherwise, in a wavelength-multiplex optical network, a disconnection of an optical fiber affects a plurality of wavelengths in the optical fiber. SRLG is identified by SRLG ID, and one TE link can belong to a plurality of SRLGs.
SRLG information advertised by a routing protocol is a set of SRLG ID's to which the TE link belongs. The SRLG information is useful for recovering from a failure using GMPLS. A GMPLS-based failure recovery method is described in J. P. Lang et al., "RSVP-TE Extensions in support of End-to-End GMPLS-based Recovery," IETF Internet Draft, draft-lang-ccamp-gmpls-recovery-e2e-signaling-02.txt [Non-Patent Document 3], and the like. For example, a scheme called "1+1 protection" involves previously setting a working path and a standby path, and allowing data to flow both on the working path and standby path. A node at a receiving end generally receives data from the working path, but changes over a switch, when the working path fails, to receive data from the standby path, thereby recovering from the failure. Here, routes must be selected such that the working path and standby path simultaneously fail with a lowest possible probability. For this purpose, SRLG is used. Specifically, when a start point node calculates routes for a working path and a standby path, the working path and standby path are designed not to pass TE links which belong the same SRLG.
Also, J. P. Lang et al. [Non-Patent Document 3] discloses a failure restoration scheme called "Shared Mesh Restoration." In this scheme, when different standby paths pass the same route, the standby paths share resources such as a bandwidth and the like allocated to the standby paths within that section if they satisfy certain criteria. SRLG can be used to determine whether or not the resources can be shared. Assuming, for example, that there are working path 1 and working path 2, when the route of working path 1 and the route of working path 2 do not at all share SRLG, standby paths corresponding to the respective working paths share resources. When such a condition is satisfied, a failure in one resource will not result in simultaneously failures on working path 1 and working path 2, so that a single failure does not cause a contention even if the standby paths share resources.
Further, P. Sebos et al., "Auto-discovery of Shared Risk Link Groups," Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2001, WDD3[Non-Patent Document 4], and P. Sebos et al., "Effectiveness of Shared Risk Link Group Auto-Discovery in Optical Networks," Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2002, pp. 493-495 [Non-Patent Document 5] disclose methods of automatically setting SRLG. According to the methods, information on positions of components such as optical amplifiers within a network is collected using GPS (Global Positioning System) and the like. A supervisory channel (monitoring channel) normally provided for monitoring and controlling optical amplifiers, and the like is used for collecting the positional information. When an optical amplifier passed by a certain link and an optical amplifier passed by a different link are disposed within the same fiber span, the two links are regarded as belonging to the same SRLG. The fiber span refers to a pipe line which is a physical resource. P. Sebos et al. [Non-Patent Document 5] defines SRLG as a "maximum set of fiber spans used by common links," and therefore one SRLG is assigned to one set of fiber spans, irrespective of its length.
However, in the prior art described above, since the SRLG is not allocated in accordance with a failure rate of shared resource(s) but in a one-to-one correspondence to the resource(s), a difference in the failure rate of resource cannot be reflected to route control. For example, a pipe line of 100 km long generally has a failure rate substantially higher than a pipe line of 100 m long. However, in the prior art, links which share a pipe line of 100 m long and links which share a pipe line of 100 km long are equally treated as individual SRLGs. Accordingly, this difference in failure rate cannot be taken into consideration in a route calculation. For example, assume that when routes are calculated for a working path and a standby path, there has not been found any route on which both do not at all share SRLG. In this event, for the second best solution, a calculation should be made to find a route on which the working path and standby path share only one SRLG, wherein SRLG corresponding to a pipe line of 100 km long is less desirable than SRLG corresponding to a pipe line of 100 m long which exhibits a lower failure rate. However, since both are treated in a similar manner in the prior art, such a selection cannot be made.
In the following, a list is described for references used in this description.
[Non-Patent Document 1]: Eric Mannie et al., "Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching Architecture," IETF Internet Draft, draft-ietf-ccamp-gmpls-architecture-07.txt;
[Non-Patent Document 2]: K. Kompella et al., "Routing Extensions in Support of Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching," IETF Internet Draft, draft-ieff-ccamp-gmpls-routing-09.txt;
[Non-Patent Document 3]: J. P. Lang et al., "RSVP-TE Extensions in support of End-to-End GMPLS-based Recovery," IETF Internet Draft, draft-lang-ccamp-gmpls-recovery-e2e-signaling-02.txt;
[Non-Patent Document 4]: P. Sebos et al., "Auto-discovery of Shared Risk Link Groups," Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2001, WDD3;
[Non-Patent Document 5]: P. Sebos et al., "Effectiveness of Shared Risk Link Group Auto-Discovery in Optical Networks," Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2002, pp. 493-495.

Link property setting method, route calculating method and system using the same


A passenger seat has autonomous electric power generated by a fuel cell system and humidification provided by the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system may include replaceable fuel cartridges and may power electronics such as in flight entertainment, lighting, comfort features, seat adjustments, communications and other features autonomously or under control of the seat occupant.

In modern passenger transport means such as aircraft, passenger seats have additional comfort functions besides their primary function as a seat or a sleeper.
There are passenger seats having capabilities for massage, installed entertainment and communication electronics (IFE in flight entertainment). Adjustment functions may be performed electronically, allowing backrest, seating surface, headrest, leg support, and other adjustments to be adjusted via actuators which are integral components of the seat.
For performing these functions, the seats need an energy supply and, in particular, in seats with an installed IFE function, additional connections to communication and data lines. In aircraft, in particular, the high number of such connections restricts the flexibility of cabin design.
There is a longstanding and unresolved need to provide an autonomous passenger seat, which does not need external power or communication connections, and which may be positioned without any constraints in a seating arrangement, such as an aircraft cabin.


The invention presents a method and apparatus for utilizing a single frequency, self seeding laser pulse signal transmitted to create a target beam to be projected toward an atmospheric target whereby a portion will be reflected back upon itself, and a local oscillator beam constructed to a shape approximating a low level elongated square wave pulse to be heterodyned with the returning target beam. A radio frequency voltage drives an acousto-optic modulator and amplitude modulates the local oscillator beam to form an optical output that is a flat top pulse resembling a square wave function. The local oscillator beam and returning target beam are polarization adjusted to match and are then combined and focused onto detector. The system is effective for use as an aircraft velocimeter.

Pulsed coherent laser radar is capable of remote measurements of atmospheric winds and turbulences over ranges of several kilometers. A pulsed coherent laser radar can also be used for shorter range applications where high degrees of accuracy and integrity are required. This invention relates to such short range application in general and the measurement of aircraft air data in particular.
A coherent laser radar as an aircraft air data sensor uses the aerosols in the atmosphere to scatter some of the transmitted energy from the laser source back to a receiver where the Doppler shift is used to measure the aircraft velocity component along the transmitter line of sight. By pointing the laser beam in three or more directions, the aircraft true speed and angles of attack and sideslip can be measured. Compared with continuous wave laser radar, a pulsed system can provide more accurate and reliable measurements. This is due to the enhanced return signal from high peak power pulses.
A pulsed coherent laser radar based on the conventional Injection-Seeded Oscillator/Amplifier (ISOA) technique uses a highly stable low power continuous wave laser as master oscillator and a Q-switched pulse laser as slave laser. This laser system utilizes a feedback control system for injection locking of the two laser frequencies. The feedback control consists of a detector for monitoring the slave laser spectral characteristics, electronic circuitry generating control signals, and a piezoelectric translator for adjusting the slave laser resonator length. In this technique, part of the master oscillator is used as an optical local oscillator and the remaining part for injection seeding of the slave laser. The output of the slave laser is then transmitted through a telescope into the atmosphere.
Recently, a pulsed coherent laser radar was developed that used a single laser source to generate both the transmitter and local oscillator beams. This technique utilizes the self-seeding technique to generate single frequency pulses to be transmitted. By actively controlling the laser Q-switched transmission, a low power quasi-continuous wave pulse is generated that trails the Q-switched pulse. The trailing portion is separated from the Q-switched pulse and is used as the local oscillator.
The technique described in this disclosure also utilizes the self-seeding technique for generating single frequency pulses. However, the additional feedback control loop for generation of the trailing quasi-continuous wave beam has been eliminated to further simplify the system design. This is achieved by utilizing an optical modulator device to modulate the intensity of a portion of the laser pulse generating a flat top pulse suitable as a local oscillator. This technique is best suited for short range applications, since the local oscillator flat top pulse width needs to be equal to or longer than the transmitter round trip time to the desired range.
An object of this invention is to present a method and apparatus for interferometric laser measurement of short range atmospheric conditions.
A second object of this invention is to present a method and apparatus for single frequency laser interferometric measurement of short range atmospheric conditions, e.g., as applied to aircraft true airspeed, angle of attack and angle of sideslip.
A further object of this invention is to present a pulsed coherent laser radar as an aircraft air data sensor which uses the aerosols in the atmosphere to scatter some of the transmitted energy from the laser source back to a receiver where the Doppler shift is used to measure the aircraft velocity component along the transmitter line of sight

Solid state pulsed coherent laser radar for short range velocimetry applications


According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a supply passage through which fluid supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detector including a channel forming part forming a portion of the supply passage, a light projector irradiating light to the channel forming part, and a light receiver receiving light emitted from the channel forming part as a result of irradiating light to the channel forming part by the light projector, the foreign substance detector being configured to detect a foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal obtained by the light that the light receiver receives, wherein the light projector and the light receiver in the foreign substance detector are disposed in areas that are not opposite to each other in areas in upper, lower, left, right, front and rear directions of the channel forming part.

In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, processing is performed on a semiconductor wafer (hereafter, referred to as a wafer), which is a circular substrate, by supplying various processing liquids. Suppressing occurrences of a fault in a wafer by detecting foreign substances in the processing liquids has been studied. In Patent Document 1, a liquid processing apparatus including a pipe for supplying a resist to a wafer and a sensor unit, which is an in-liquid particle counter disposed in the pipe, has been disclosed.

Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing system, and substrate processing method


A deployment device for deploying an expandable endoluminal prosthesis within a body vessel may include an elongate member extending longitudinally along at least a portion of a length of the deployment device. The deployment device may include at least one engagement member coupled to the elongate member and extending outwardly from the elongate member. The deployment device may include a circumferential trigger wire extending at least partially circumferentially around the elongate member and removably received between the engagement member and the elongate member. The circumferential trigger wire may be manipulatable from a distal end of the deployment device, whereby the circumferential trigger wire is removable from between the engagement member and the elongate member.

Endoluminal prostheses may be inserted into a body lumen such as an anatomical vessel or duct for various purposes. Prostheses may maintain or restore patency in a formerly blocked or constricted passageway, for example, following a balloon angioplasty procedure. Other prostheses may be used for different procedures. For example, a prosthesis may include one or more stents placed in or about a graft, and the stents may hold the graft in an open configuration to treat an aneurysm. Additionally, stents coupled to one or both ends of a graft may extend proximally or distally away from the graft to engage a healthy portion of a vessel wall away from a diseased portion of an aneurysm to provide endovascular graft fixation.
Stents may be either self-expanding or balloon-expandable. In some examples, stents can have characteristics of both self-expanding and balloon-expandable stents. Self-expanding stents may be delivered to a target site in a compressed configuration and subsequently expanded by removing a delivery sheath, removing trigger wires, and/or releasing diameter reducing ties. A self-expanding stent expands primarily based on its own expansive force without the need for further mechanical expansion. A stent may be made of a shape-memory alloy such as nitinol. The shape-memory alloy may be employed to cause the stent to return to a predetermined configuration upon removal of the sheath or other device maintaining the stent in its predeployment configuration.
Deployment devices are used to deploy prostheses, particularly those including self-expanding stents, within various body lumens. In some deployment devices, trigger wires are used to restrain a prosthesis in a particular position on the deployment device or to restrain one or more self-expanding stents of the prosthesis in a compressed state. The trigger wires may releasably couple the proximal and/or distal ends of the prosthesis to the deployment device. Typically, one or more trigger wires are looped through a portion of a stent near a vertex of the stent. For example, trigger wires may be used to restrain a "Z-stent" or Gianturco stent having a series of substantially straight segments interconnected by a series of bent segments. The trigger wires may be disposed through, and pull upon, the bent segments to pull the stent closely against the deployment device.
In the region of the deployment device in which the prosthesis is carried, trigger wires can foul or catch with stent components on the prosthesis, particularly when the deployment device is bent to pass through convolutions in the anatomical vessel or duct. This may cause inaccurate deployment or even jamming or breakage of the trigger wire.
Trigger wires also may be used in conjunction with different stent designs such as cannula-cut stents having relatively acute or pointed bends. The designs of cannula-cut stents may facilitate compression of the stents to a relatively small delivery profile due to the tight bends of the apices. With such stents, the trigger wires may be looped around one or more vertices formed at the proximal and/or distal apices, e.g., a location where an individual apex splits into two separate strut segments.
If trigger wires are threaded through the vertices of such cannula-cut stents, the trigger wires may become crimped at the vertices during compression of the stents to a reduced diameter delivery profile. If the trigger wires are crimped between the strut segments, the trigger wires and/or strut segments may become damaged. Furthermore, when compressing cannula-cut stents having relatively acute bends to a significantly reduced radial profile, barbs disposed near the apices of the stents may become entangled with the stent struts and/or the trigger wires.
Typically, multiple trigger wires are threaded through multiple vertices of a stent to restrain the end of the stent in the reduced diameter delivery profile. Additional trigger wires may be added to more securely restrain the stent. However, such additional trigger wires may increase the retraction force that is required to release the stent. Such additional trigger wires also may increase the likelihood of one or more of the trigger wires becoming entangled with portions of the stent such as barbs.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus configured to release a stent with a reduced retraction force while also reducing the likelihood of entanglement and damage to the trigger wires and stent struts.

Circumferential trigger wire for deploying an endoluminal prosthesis


Method and apparatus applies a strip or stream of fluid to a moving dough sheet. The apparatus has a fluid flow regulator coupled to a fluid source providing positive pressure, and a nozzle coupled to the fluid flow regulator and disposed proximate the dough sheet such that drops of fluid emerging from the nozzle contact the dough sheet before falling from the nozzle.

The present invention relates to dough processing machinery. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system for applying a fluid strip to a moving dough sheet.
In dough processing, it is often desirable to bond two or more layers of dough together. For example, in the manufacture of filled dough products a filling is applied to a moving dough sheet. The dough sheet is then folded over upon itself, and crimped or sealed in another suitable manner. For doughs of a drier nature, which are preferred for their sensory attributes when cooked, however, a bond imparted by crimping alone is usually not sufficient to withstand the stresses of cooking, handling, and eating; thus, leaks develop. Splitting of the seams and leaking of the filling are serious consumer issues with filled dough products. To increase the effectiveness of the bond of the seams, attempts have been made to apply fluid to the surface of the dough.
The application of fluid to a moving dough sheet has traditionally been accomplished by means of an atomizing spray, a waterfall, or by droplets. However, all methods pose problems either because of the excess amount of fluid applied or because of inadequate coverage of the fluid.
The spraying method does not allow precise control of the amount of fluid actually delivered to the dough because only a portion of the fluid is actually delivered to the dough surface. The amount actually delivered to the dough varies, depending on the relative humidity. Generally, more fluid is required to be supplied than is actually delivered. Also, the spraying method atomizes the fluid which causes tiny airborne droplets to reside in the area of production. This enhances the possibility of microbial growth and contaminants contacting the dough, and can increase the humidity in the processing environment. Increased moisture is particularly detrimental in processing areas that are preferably kept dry or where humidity is carefully controlled for optimum performance. Additionally, in a dough processing plant a fine layer of flour usually exists on virtually all surfaces and atomizing spray tends to turn the fine layer of flour into a sticky layer which is not only aesthetically undesirable, but also contributes to microbial growth. These microbial concerns create food safety problems with the use of sprays in food manufacturing applications. One alternative to the spraying method is described in a co-pending application entitled "LIQUID DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS FOR A DOUGH PROCESSING LINE" filed on even date herewith having Ser. No. 08/720,023, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,670.
The waterfall method, although not subject to the food safety concerns of the spray method, has problems of its own. The waterfall method requires the application of a steady stream of fluid. The minimum amount of fluid required to apply a steady stream is more than the maximum amount of fluid that the dough can accept without adverse consequences. The resulting over hydration yields gummy sensory attributes in the dough making the dough difficult to work with. The excess water also exacerbates concerns related to microbial growth.
The fluid droplet method is similar to the waterfall method except that, instead of applying a steady stream of fluid to the dough, discrete drops of fluid are provided to the dough. If the frequency of the drops is low enough, the dough does not become over-hydrated as it does with the waterfall method. However, applying discrete fluid droplets at such a low frequency results in inconsistent coverage. In other words, using the fluid droplet method, it is very difficult to obtain a consistent and continuous fluid strip along the dough surface without over hydrating the dough.

System for applying fluid strip to dough


An improved sense amplifier for RAM arrays is provided which reduces read operation access times, reduces static power consumption and reduces used silicon area. The improved sense amplifier includes an equalizing operation that brings the voltages on the output lines to a midpoint voltage prior to performing a read operation. By providing a midpoint voltage on the output lines, neither output line needs to transition a full rail from Vss to Vcc or vice versa during the amplifying operation, decreasing the amount of time required to read the memory cells.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements to sense amplifiers for random access memories.
2. Background
Random Access Memories (RAMs) are very common storage devices in high technology products. RAMs comprise cache memories in many computers, both internal to the processor and on the computer motherboard. Typically RAMs are arranged as arrays of individually addressable memory cells. The cells are organized in rows and columns. For example, an 8k RAM chip, which has 8k memory cells, is typically an array of 1024 rows by 8 columns.
FIG. 1 shows column M of a typical N row RAM array. Cells M1 through MN are data storage units, typically comprised of flip flops optimized for reduced power consumption and area. Each row of cells has a row select line. The first cell of each column is connected to Row Select 1, and the Nth cell of each row is connected to Row Select N. Each column of cells also has a column select line. All of the cells in Column M have Column Select M (not shown), and all of the cells in Column (M+1) have Column Select (M+1). By selectively asserting row and column selects, each cell can be individually addressed.
The cells in each column are connected to a column bit line and an inverse column bit line. All cells in column M are connected to a column bit line MBIT and an inverse column bit line MBITX, MBITX having the inverse value of MBIT during read and write operations. During a read operation of a cell in Column M, the cell places the stored data value, either a logic one or a logic zero, on the MBIT line and places the inverse of the stored data value on the MBITX line. For example, if the stored value in the cell is a logic one, the cell places logic one on the MBIT line and logic zero on the MBITX line. During a write operation to a cell in Column M, the value to be written into the cell is placed on the MBIT line and the inverse of the value to be written is placed on the MBITX line. For example, if the value to be written is a logic zero, logic zero is placed on the MBIT line and logic one is placed on the MBITX line.
During a read operation, a sense amplifier connected to each column senses the difference in voltage or current between the MBIT and MBITX lines, amplifies the result, and places the result onto the MOUT and MOUTX lines. The typical sense amplifier senses the difference (either in voltage or current) of the lines on the corresponding MBIT and MBITX lines. The magnitude of the voltage difference in the MBIT and MBITX lines is typically a function of the RAM cell drain current and bit line capacitance. However, the magnitude of the current difference in the MBIT and MBITX lines is typically not dependent on the bit line capacitance. The sense amplifier amplifies to standard output levels the line difference, and the resulting difference is reflected on the MOUT and MOUTX lines. The MOUT line reflects the value stored in the memory cell and the MOUTX line reflects the inverse of the same value.
Referring to FIG. 1, two PMOS transistors, T1 and T2, act as loads for the MBIT and MBITX lines, establishing a near Vcc voltage on each line when the transistors T1 and T2 are on. The source nodes of T1 and T2 are connected to Vcc (power) and the drain nodes are connected to MBIT and MBITX, respectively. The gate nodes of T1 and T2 are connected together and connected to a PCHG (precharge) line.
PCHG is active typically when no write operation is occurring. By precharging the bit lines, the effect of the bit line capacitance on voltage is reduced during reads of the memory cell values to decrease the amount of time for the MBIT and MBITX lines to reach the correct values, thereby decreasing access times.
As the number of rows in a RAM array increase as memories get larger with newer semiconductor technologies, the MBIT and MBITX line capacitance increases. Each bit line interfaces with many cells, and consequently has parasitic capacitance much larger than the cell capacitance. When the cell is selected, the charge stored in the cell is shared with the parallel bit line capacitance, creating only a small difference on the MBIT and MBITX lines. A sense amplifier is designed to sense the small differences in current or voltage of the bit lines and amplify the difference to normal logic levels. For sense amplifiers that read directly from the MBIT and MBITX lines, the increased line capacitance of very large RAM arrays creates decreased voltage differences, causing an increase in the detection time and hence an increase in the access time. A sense amplifier that is independent of the line capacitance is needed for very large and fast RAM arrays.
FIG. 2 shows a typical prior art current sense amplifier circuit that typically operates independent of the bit line capacitances. Transistors T5, T6, T8 and T9 perform the sense operation. Transistors T3, T4, T5, and T6 perform the amplify operation. The column bit lines are ABIT and ABITX.
The prior art current sense amp of FIG. 2 is typically used in the RAM array configuration of FIG. 1. The bit lines ABIT and ABITX connect to the bit lines MBIT and MBITX of FIG. 1, respectively. A read enable line, ARE, of FIG. 2 connects to the MRE line of FIG. 1. An ARWX line (Not Read Enable and Not Write Enable) of FIG. 2 is formed by logically ANDing the inverse of the ARE line with the inverse of the MWE line.
The source node of PMOS transistor T5 is connected to the ABIT line. The drain node of T5 is connected to the drain node of NMOS transistor T3 and to an AOUT line. The gate nodes of T3 and T5 are connected together and to an AOUTX line.
The source node of PMOS transistor T6 is connected to the ABITX line. The drain node of T6 is connected to the drain node of NMOS transistor T4 and to the AOUTX line. The gate nodes of T4 and T6 are connected together and to the AOUT line.
The source nodes of T3 and T4 are connected to the drain node of NMOS transistor T7. The source node of T7 is connected to Vss (ground). The gate node of T7 is connected to a read enable line, ARE.
The drain node of NMOS transistor T8 is connected to the AOUT line. The drain node of NMOS transistor T9 is connected to the AOUTX line. The source nodes of T8 and T9 are connected to Vss. The gate nodes are T8 and T9 are connected together and connected to the ARWX line. The ARWX line is active only when there is not an active read or write operation occurring.
Prior to a read operation and not during a write operation, the ARE line is low, the ARWX line is high and the bit lines ABIT and ABITX are precharged to approximately Vcc by the PCHG line through the transistors T1 and T2 of FIG. 1. T8 and T9 are turned ON by the ARWX line while T7 is turned OFF by the ARE line. As a result, the output lines AOUT and AOUTX are pulled down to approximately Vss through T8 and T9.
The row and column selects become active, selecting a particular memory cell, starting the sensing operation. As shown in FIG. 2, the difference between the current I1 which flows through T5 and T8 and the current I2 which flows through T6 and T9 depends on the value of the data in the memory cell and may be expressed as .DELTA.I. The resulting voltage difference between the output lines AOUT and AOUTX may be expressed as .DELTA.V. The gate voltage of T6 is raised by .DELTA.V, I2 is consequently reduced, and the .DELTA.V increases.
The ARE line transitions high, causing the ARWX line to transition low, starting the amplifying operation. T8 and T9 turn OFF, T7 turns ON. The cross-coupled inverter circuit (T3, T4, T5 and T6) amplifies .DELTA.V to the standard output level. For example, if the value in the memory cell is a logic one, the ABIT line voltage will be greater than the ABITX line voltage. This causes T5 to be ON, T3 to be OFF, T6 to be OFF and T4 to be ON. Since the AOUT and AOUTX lines were pulled down prior to the start of the read operation, at least one of the lines must transition the full rail to Vcc.
The prior art sense amplifier of FIG. 2 reduces the effect of bit line capacitance on the access times of the RAM array by sensing the difference in current on the ABIT and ABITX lines. However, access times are limited by the time it takes for AOUT or AOUTX to transition the full rail from logic zero to logic one. In addition, the prior art sense amplifier uses significant amounts of silicon area, seven transistors per sense amplifier, and one sense amplifier per column in the RAM array. The prior art sense amplifier also uses significant amounts of power when not performing a read operation. When ARE is not active (i.e., when no read operation is active) T8 and T9 are ON, with large amounts of current flowing through the transistors.


A three-dimensional continuously knitted fabric cover knitted from yarn in a generally double jersey construction for covering a three-dimensional core, the fabric cover having an exposed front layer with a rear layer adjacent the core, the cover having a tubular portion which has loose knit attachment zones for receiving hog rings when the cover is secured to a seat frame or support.

Three-dimensional fabric covers for seats have in the past been produced from woven or knitted fabric which has been cut into shaped panels which are then sewn together.
More recently, it has been found possible to continuously knit one-piece three-dimensional upholstery fabric covers, which removes the need for cutting and sewing, and has the desired shape to serve as covers for the back and base cushions of motor vehicle seats; see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,308,141 and 5,326,150.
It is necessary to provide anchorage devices at the edges of the covers to enable the covers to be secured to a support and held tautly over their respective cushions. The anchorage devices typically take the form of tubular portions or flaps which may be formed by sewing or by integrally knitting said portions. The tubular portions accommodate rods which are recessed into the cushions and secured under the support. If the base and back cushions comprise bolsters, it may also be necessary to provide anchorage devices on the undersurface of the cover in order to conform the cover to the shape of the upper surface of the cushion. The anchorage devices are typically open-ended tubular flaps which are formed by sewing or integral knitting as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,308,141 and 5,326,150. In some applications, metal rods are inserted into the tubular flaps, and the metal rod and flap are secured to the seat frame by hog rings which pass around the metal rod. Typically the tubular flap may have apertures therein to allow access for the hog rings. In other cases, the hog rings may pass through the fabric of the flap.
For continuously knitted 3-D covers, the provision of apertures in the flaps is a relatively slow operation, but if such apertures are not provided the operator may inaccurately position the hog ring so that tensions in the taut cover are not taken by the metal rod but by the fabric itself. This is manifested as a surface dimpling or dipping along the exposed seam where the tension loads are transmitted to the face side of the cover.

Knitted upholstery fabric with tubular fastening portions


A current flowing through a reactor flows through a resistor, which generates a voltage in accordance with the value of the current. As the voltage generated by the resistor is greater than or equal to the threshold of a transistor, the transistor is in an on state. As the current flowing through the reactor decreases and the voltage generated by the resistor becomes lower than the threshold of the transistor, the transistor turns off and an NMOS turns on. Accordingly, the gate voltage of an NMOS is decreased by a diode, ensuring that the NMOS is turned off before the current flowing through the secondary winding of a transformer becomes zero.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching power supply device and a switching method used by the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional switching power supply (switched-mode power supply) device is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2004-135415.
FIG. 13 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a conventional switching power supply device given in the Publication.
The switching power supply device comprises a main switching element Q1, a synchronous rectification switching element Q2, a series circuit 26, and a synchronous rectification switching control circuit 27.
The main switching element Q1 switches (turns on and off) a current which flows through the primary winding LP, of a transformer T1. The synchronous rectification switching element Q2 is connected between the secondary winding, LS, of the transformer T and a load. The series circuit 26 includes a synchronous-rectification-inductance element L1 and a diode D1, and is connected to the secondary winding LS of the transformer T1 in parallel. The synchronous rectification switching control circuit 27 includes a diode D2, a capacitor C51, and a transistor Q5.
The synchronous rectification switching element Q2 turns off in an on period of the main switching element Q1, and stores or accumulates electrical power in the transformer T1 and the synchronous-rectification-inductance element L1. In tern, the synchronous rectification switching element Q2 turns on in an off period of the main switching element Q1, and permits the stored electrical power to be released. Before the release of the electrical power stored in the transformer T1 is completed, the action of the diode D1 causes the synchronous-rectification-inductance element L1 to complete the release of the stored electrical power. In accordance with a voltage at a node A between the synchronous-rectification-inductance element L1 and the diode D1, the diode D2 in a synchronous rectification switching control circuit 27 detects that the stored electrical power of the synchronous-rectification-inductance element L1 has been released, and turns off the synchronous rectification switching element Q2.
In the switching power supply device, even if the release of the stored electric power of the transformer T1 is completed, the voltage at the node A may not drop instantaneously. To be more precise, the voltage at the node A may not drop instantaneously after the release of the stored electric power from the transformer T1 is completed because of the effect of the inductance of the synchronous-rectification-inductance element L1 and the capacity of the synchronous-rectification control circuit 27, or the parasitic capacity of the synchronous rectification inductance element L1. The delay of the reduction in voltage at the node A may keep the synchronous rectification switching element Q2 turned on after the release of the stored electrical power of the transformer T1 is completed. This may deteriorate the efficiency, and damage the element.

Switching power supply device and switching method


A food dispenser for dispensing dry food, the food dispenser comprising: a food receiving module for receiving the food; a metering module for metering a quantity of the food to dispense, the metering module including an impeller having at least one arm defining a vane, the impeller being rotatably mounted in the metering module, the metering module also including a power drive unit operatively coupled to the impeller for selectively rotating the impeller; a discharge module operatively coupled to the output port for receiving the food from the output port and dispensing the food; an impeller rotation detector operatively coupled to the impeller for detecting a rotation of the impeller when the power drive unit is used to rotate the impeller. The metering module is configured and sized to discharge a predetermined quantity of the food when the impeller rotates over a predetermined rotation angle. The impeller rotation detector detects that the impeller has rotated over the predetermined rotation angle after the power drive unit has been energized to detect dispensing of the predetermined quantity of the food.

Automatic food dispenser for feeding animals, such as automatic dispensers specifically designed for pet animals, as well as the more sturdy type designed for industrial husbandry, are known in the art and are useful for automatically dispensing food material, such as pelletized or powdered dry food to animals.
Such automatic food dispensers of the prior art generally comprise three main elements: a container, or hopper compartment, for temporarily storing the dry food to be dispensed to the intended animal, a power driven feed transfer chamber for dispensing a metered amount, or ration, of dry food on a timely basis, and a conveying means for conveying the dispensed ration to a suitable receptacle such as a feed bowl. The feed transfer chamber generally comprises a rotating element such as, for examples, a rake, a daisy wheel, an auger, or the like, that dispenses dry food from an input port in communication with the hopper compartment, to an output port in communication with the conveying means.
While these prior art devices generally offer an automatic food dispenser for dispensing dry food to animals, they also entail one or more of the following disadvantages:
a) they are generally specifically adapted for only one type of dry food material for animals, either pelletized or powdered/granulated dry food;
b) their mode of operation for dispensing predetermined amount of feed is generally based on a timed operation of a rotating element within the dispenser, and without monitoring means on the actual dispensing of the food;
c) they are generally not readily designed to be quickly and easily disassembled for periodic cleaning. Thus, moisture trapped in dry food dust accumulated in compact mechanical assemblies of the dispenser is prone to develop mould, a generally unacceptable problem in industrial husbandry of animals destined for human consumption.
Against this background, there exists a need for a new and improved food dispenser. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved food dispenser for dispensing dry food.


Embodiments of the invention relate to arrangements for ascertaining time-dependent associations between inputted comparative effectiveness research (CER) variables from patient data are. Each CER variable is represented via at least one unit time series, and a similarity metric with respect to pairs of CER variables is determined. The determining includes comparing at least one unit time series from each of at least two CER variables.

Generally, large-scale electronic medical record systems are known to offer a wealth of data for comparative effectiveness research and clinical decision support. Rich data in such systems include information about diagnosis, demographics, vitals, diagnostic exams and tests, treatment history and outcomes of patients which can be used to explore many scientific questions.
One such question involves finding statistically meaningful co-morbidity relations between diseases using statistics from the population. Traditionally, co-morbidities have been studied through targeted research on candidate disease pairs, such as heart disease with diabetes within population of patients diagnosed with those diseases where the nature of the relationship is at least known. Next, obtaining meaningful results from large-scale disease-association studies usually depends on the accuracy and completeness of information recorded in an electronic medical record (EMR). Diagnosis codes often subsume many conditions (e.g., congestive heart failure), or are generic in nature (e.g., relate generally to mitral valve disorders), so that they alone are not very reliable indicators of the actual underlying disease. Additional diagnosis inferences must be made from the clinical information recorded in EMR such as in textual reports or using multiple sources of evidence for a disease such as through medications prescribed. Extracting such information from free text in textual reports using natural language processing techniques has only met with limited success. Finally, the choice of the data mining algorithm can also affect the co-morbidities that can be discovered.
Popular association mining methods, such as a priori methods, can generate many spurious associations as they exhaustively search through combinations. Methods that count primarily the frequency of co-occurrences of diseases can sometimes lead to incorrect causative inferences, such as those for diseases that persist in time and are common across many patients, e.g., hypertension. Attempts to handle a time-varying nature of relationships in data mining methods has also been limited in using discrete interval combinations.

Finding time-dependent associations between comparative effectiveness variables

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to an orthopedic hinge system, including an outer and an inner lateral base, each substantially complemental in peripheral dimension to each other, the bases each having a major vertical axis, the inner base having a recess. Also included is an elongate distal member having a semi-circular pivot end including, upon a portion of the end, ratchet teeth pointing in a counter-clockwise direction, the pivot end rotationally secured to both of the bases. Further included is an elongate proximal member having a transverse end element proportioned for complemental securement within the recess of the inner base, transverse end element including an axis of rotation co-linear with an axis of rotation of the distal member and defining an axis of rotation of the pivot end of the distal member. The system also includes a cam lever including a pawl surface having teeth pointing in a clockwise direction and, upon contact with the ratchet teeth of the distal member, then complemental therewith, the lever having an axis of rotation co-linear with a second axis within a transverse end element of the proximal member, the lever also including a radial projection disposed radially oppositely from the pawl surface to which an end of a biasing spring is attached.

1. Area of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and, more particularly, to a hinge system for an orthopedic means for assisting movement of body limbs which are in an infirm or partially infirm state. The invention is of particular utility in infant pediatric and upper extremity applications.
Devices of the type to which the present invention relate are normally referred to as "orthotic". This name is based upon the fact that such devices operate to support or assist injured or infirm body limbs, as opposed to replacing a missing limb. Accordingly, the term orthotic, as used herein, is distinguished from the term prosthesis which generally defines an artificial device to replace a missing body part or limb.
The invention includes a type of orthotic device which operates by a pawl and ratchet, and resilient spring action, to permit a range of certain degrees (steps) of limited rotational movement of infirm limbs relative to each other in a manner intended generally to simulate normal motion of such limbs.
2. Prior Art
This invention is an improvement over that of my U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,472 (1985), and other patents that I hold. Orthotic devices will, typically, include a pair of relatively moveable support members attached respectively to different parts of the body, for example, the upper leg and lower leg; in addition, some form of articulation means providing a resilient, or other controlled or controllable interconnection, between the proximal and distal parts of such a support device, are inherent to an appropriate operation of such devices. For the operation of such devices, it therefore is desirable that any artificial joint means, whether resilient in character or step-advance rotational in character, be sufficiently robust to assist in the effective functioning of the affected limb, while avoiding excesses or insufficiencies of motion which might prove discomforting or injurious, while a certain degree of adjustability, versatility, and the like in the motion of the functioning of such devices, is desirable.
Although the basic function of an orthotic device is to support a limb or limbs, it is desirable to attain a certain limited motion and flexibility in predetermined directions. Thus a goal of orthotic devices is the provision of the fundamental support function while, as an advantageous addition, providing a versatility of motion that will resemble normal body motion. As an addition to enabling adequate support, range of motion, and adjustability to various positions, the orthotic device should be as simple as possible in its arrangement of parts so that ease of manufacture will be attained and the functioning of the device is convenient as possible. The invention also addresses ease of locking and unlocking at given step positions, reverse and forward ratchet locking, unobtrusiveness in appearance of the system, these all being long-felt needs in the art.

Orthotic hinge system with spring-biased pawl control of ratchet member


A member (1) resistant to erosion by cavitation on which an amorphous carbon film coating is formed on a surface of a base material has at least a first amorphous carbon film coating (4) having a plurality of columnar structures (4a) on the surface of the base material (2), and a second amorphous carbon film coating (5) having a plurality of granular structures (5a) deposited with no orientation on the surface of the first amorphous carbon film coating (4).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a member in which an amorphous carbon film coating is formed on the surface of a base material that contacts a fluid and to a method of manufacturing same. More particularly, it relates to art enabling the reduction of erosion caused by cavitation that may occur within the fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
In hydraulic equipment in a vehicle, because an operating fluid flows at high speed, the parts of the operating fluid having a low pressure vaporize in the region of valves and the like that are part of the hydraulic equipment, and vapor bubbles (cavitation bubbles) occur. The phenomenon of cavitation occurs, in which these bubbles collapse and disappear in a short period of time (several microseconds to several tens of microseconds). When such cavitation bubbles collapse, a shock wave as much as several GPa is generated. By the action of this shock wave on the surfaces of valves, damage that is known as erosion occurs in the form of depressions that appear to be parts where the surface is dug into. As a result, the hydraulic equipment might exhibit vibration and a decrease in performance.
In order to suppress erosion caused by this type of cavitation, the surfaces of the valves that come into contact with the operating fluid may be treated with Tufftride. Also, the provision of a DLC (diamond like carbon) film coating on either or both of the surface of a check ball found in a check valve and the surface of the annular ball sheet that receives the check ball has been described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2003-207001.
In recent years, however, with a shift to hybrid vehicles, new systems that regenerate the energy of the vehicle when running have been added. As a result, linear valves and the like that are found in such vehicles experience an increased number of operations, and there is a trend toward more operating fluid passing through these valves. Also, cavitation erosion of the surfaces of the valves that contact the operating fluid occurs more easily. For this reason, it is not possible to sufficiently suppress erosion by the current situation being one in which, although Tufftride treating is done to the surfaces of ferrous materials, and simply providing a coating of amorphous carbon (DLC film coating). In particular, depending upon the film forming conditions, there is a large difference in the characteristics, such as the structure of the film, the thickness of the film, the adhesion, the surface hardness, SP2 (graphite structure)/SP3 (diamond structure) ratio, hydrogen concentration, and metal additive concentration. Therefore, it is not possible to say that an amorphous carbon film coating has superior cavitation erosion resistance characteristics. Additionally, a valve coated by an amorphous carbon film coating (DLC film coating) in such an environment cannot be said to have sufficient adhesion, and there is a risk of it peeling.

Member for cavitation erosion resistance and method for manufacturing same


A gear engagement mechanism of a life device includes a lifting member interlocking with a lifting tray to linearly move in a vertical direction, and a gear train having a pinion engaged with the rack to transmit a rotary motion to the rack and transmitting the rotation torque of a lift motor M to the pinion. When the lifting member has over-run an upper limit stop position and a lower limit stop position, engagement of the pinion and the rack is released.

The technology of the present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copy machine and a printer and a paper feeding device constituting a part thereof.
In a paper feeding device, one end of a lifting tray is connected to a paper feeding tray, on which papers to be fed are placed, so as to be rotatable. Furthermore, in the paper feeding device, a shaft is arranged at a lower side of the lifting tray, and one end of a lift plate is integrally and rotatably connected to the shaft and abuts and supports the other end side of the lifting tray side from below at the other end of the lift plate. Furthermore, the shaft is rotated by the start of a lift motor to rise the lift plate, so that the lifting tray is lifted up and thus the papers placed on the paper feeding tray are sent from the paper feeding tray by a pickup roller one by one.

Paper feeding device and image forming apparatus


An electric motor is provided, including a stator having two electromagnetic poles diametrically opposite each other, a rotor including a rotor core configured for being rotatably mounted with a shaft for rotation relative to the stator. The rotor core is formed by stacking a plurality of laminations each of which has a central hole and a plurality of generally radially extending teeth. The stator and the rotor have geometric attributes such that: R1=G*0.9968, wherein G is defined as thickness of a field yoke, and R1 is defined as a distance from an outside edge of a central hole to bases of the teeth. A compressor assembly is also provided that employs the present motor.

The present invention is directed to electric motors, and more specifically to a motor having improved operational efficiency, as well as compressor assembly employing that motor.
Electric motors are widely utilized for providing increased functionality in many devices in current use. There are a variety of motor types available to suit electrical drive power needs. AC induction motors and DC motors are the most common, but other motor designs such as synchronous, switched reluctance and permanent magnetic motors are used in various applications.
While several applications are contemplated for the present motor, such as appliances, the present motor is preferably intended for use with compressor and pump assemblies and related equipment. Suitable applications for such motors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,107,872; 2,560,560; 3,686,524; 5,231,917; 6,005,321; 6,762,531; and 7,081,698, all of which are incorporated by reference.

Motor for compressor pumps and related compressor assembly


A display device includes a display panel, an environmental sensor, a correction circuit and a driving circuit. The correction circuit is configured to generate a corrected gray-scale data on the basis of input gray-scale data. The driving circuit is configured to drive the display panel in response to the corrected gray-scale data. The correction circuit generates the corrected gray-scale data by executing a correction using a polynomial in which the input gray-scale data are used as variables. Coefficients of the polynomial are changed in response to an output signal of the environmental sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a driving method for a display panel, and more particularly a method to adjust a gray-scale level displayed on the display panel as desired by performing a correction to a gray-scale data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a liquid crystal display, a gamma correction is performed in accordance with voltage-transmission characteristics (V-T characteristics) of a liquid crystal panel to correct a corresponding relationship between a gray-scale data supplied from an outside and a driving signal for driving a display device. Since the V-T characteristics are nonlinear, a nonlinear driving voltage needs to be generated by a gamma correction with respect to a value of gray-scale data in order to display an original image in a correct color tone. Moreover, a gamma correction is performed by occasionally using different gamma values for R (red), G (green) and B (blue) respectively in order to improve the color tone of a display image. Since each of R (red), G (green) and B (blue) has different voltage-transmission characteristics of the liquid crystal panel, it is preferable to perform the gamma correction by using a gamma value corresponding to the color for the improvement of the color tone of the display image.
There are roughly two methods to realize the gamma correction in the liquid crystal panel. One method (hereinafter referred to as the first method) controls a gray-scale voltage corresponding to each of usable gray-scales to a voltage level corresponding to a gamma curve. The driving voltage of the liquid crystal panel is generated by generally selecting a gray-scale voltage corresponding to a gray-scale data from a plurality of gray-scale voltages. Accordingly, a gamma correction is realized by controlling the voltage level of each gray-scale voltage to meet with the gamma curve.
The other method (hereinafter referred to as the second method) executes a data processing for gray-scale data. In the gamma correction, the data processing is executed in accordance with the following formula with respect to input gray-scale data DIN so as to generate corrected gray-scale data Dγ.Dγ=DγMAX(DIN/DINMAX)γ,  (1)A driving voltage for driving a signal line is generated in accordance with the corrected gray-scale data Dγ that was generated beforehand.
There are positive and negative aspects in the first and second methods. In the first method, since a gray-scale voltage applied to the liquid crystal panel is adjusted in consideration with the V-T characteristics of the liquid crystal panel, a precise correction can be realized for various gamma curves. However, it is difficult for the first method to adjust a gray-scale voltage, and it is not suitable to perform a gamma correction with different gamma values in R (red), G (green) and B (blue) respectively. It is because the gray-scale voltage provided in the inside of a driver IC which drives a signal line of the liquid crystal panel is shared among R (red), G (green) and B (blue); and if it is assumed to change the gray-scale voltages respectively for R (red), G (green) and B (blue), signal lines for supplying a gray-scale voltage need to be provided separately in each of R (red), G (green) and B (blue). Meanwhile, it is suitable for the second method to perform a gamma correction with different gamma values for R (red), G (green) and B (blue) respectively. However, in the second method, a circuit size tends to be large.
It is especially problematic in the second method that an arithmetic operation including exponentiation is involved in the formula (1). A circuit for rigorously executing the arithmetic operation of exponentiation is complicated and has a problem of being mounted to a liquid crystal driver. If a device has an excellent arithmetic operation capability such as CPU (Central Processing Unit), the arithmetic operation of exponentiation can be rigorously executed by a combination of a logarithmic operation, multiplication and exponential operation. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2001-103504A discloses a mounting method of a gamma correction which is realized by a combination of a logarithmic operation, multiplication and exponential operation. However, it is not preferable to mount a circuit for rigorously executing exponentiation in terms of reducing a hard ware.
One of the simple mounting methods for the gamma correction is to use a look-up table (LUT) in which the corresponding relationship between the input gray-scale data and the corrected gray-scale data is written. The gamma correction can be realized without directly executing exponentiation by defining the corresponding relationship between the input gray-scale data and the corrected gray-scale data written in the LUT in accordance with the formula (1). Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2001-238227A and JP-A-Heisei 07-056545 disclose a technique to prepare the LUTs for R (red), G (green) and B (blue) respectively in order to perform the gamma correction corresponding to gamma values which are different in the respective colors.
One of the problems to perform the gamma correction by using the LUT is that the size (or the number) of the LUT needs to be increased to perform the gamma correction corresponding to the different gamma values. For example, in order to perform the gamma correction for each of R, G and B and for 256 kinds of the gamma values by using the LUT with the 6-bit input gray-scale data and the 8-bit corrected gray-scale data, the LUT needs to have 393216 (=64×8×3×256) bits. It is problematic on mounting the gamma correction to the liquid crystal driver.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-A-Heisei 09-288468 discloses a technique to perform the gamma correction corresponding to a plurality of the gamma values while sustaining the LUT size small. In this technique, a liquid crystal display device is provided with the rewritable LUT. Data to be stored in the LUT are calculated by a CPU using arithmetic operation data stored in an EEPROM, and then transmitted from the CPU to the LUT. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2004-212598A also discloses a similar technique. According to the technique described there, the LUT data is generated by a brightness distribution determination circuit and transmitted to the LUT.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2000-184236A discloses a technique to suppress the increase of the circuit size by using the LUT, in which the corresponding relationship between the input gray-scale data and the corrected gray-scale data is written, for calculating polygonal line approximation parameters instead of directly using for generating the corrected gray-scale data. In this technique, the corrected gray-scale data corresponding to specific gray-scale data are calculated by using the LUT so as to calculate polygonal line graph information including the polygonal line approximation parameters by using the corrected gray-scale data calculated above. When the input gray-scale data is provided, the corrected gray-scale data are calculated by the polygonal line approximation indicated in the polygonal line graph information.
However, in the conventional technique, it is impossible to instantly switch gamma curves (i.e. an instant switch of gamma values for a gamma correction) in accordance with the changes of a surrounding environment of a liquid crystal display. Since portable terminals such as a laptop PC, PDA (Personal Data Assistant) and a mobile phone can be used under various environments, there is a demand to change the visibility of the liquid crystal panel to correspond to the environmental changes. For example, in a liquid crystal display using a semi-transmission liquid crystal, a reflection mode is used to display images when the intensity of the external light is strong, and a transmission mode is used to display images when the intensity of the external light is weak. Since the reflection mode and the transmission mode have different gamma values in the liquid crystal panel, the visual performance of the liquid crystal highly depends on the intensity of the external light. Therefore, if it is possible to instantly switch the gamma values by corresponding to the intensity of the external light, the visibility of the liquid crystal display can be significantly enhanced. However, conventional techniques are unable to satisfy these demands. For example, in a technique described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-A-Heisei 09-288468 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2004-212598A, data to be stored in the LUT needs to be transmitted to the LUT and the LUT needs to be rewritten so as to switch the gamma values for the gamma correction. Because of a considerable size of the data stored in the LUT, it is still difficult to instantly switch the LUT. It means that the gamma values are difficult to be switched instantly for the gamma correction.
Based on these situations, it is now demanded to provide a technique which can instantly switch the correction curves (e.g. gamma curves for performing the gamma correction) in a short period of time in accordance with the change of a surrounding environment in a display device, while a circuit size is kept to be small.

Display device, controller driver and driving method for display panel


According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for cloud integration for autonomous vehicles is provided. An embodiment may include receiving a location for the autonomous vehicle from a global positioning system, may also include determining a rule area in which the autonomous vehicle is located based on the received location, may include identifying a traffic rule set associated with the determined rule area, may also include, in response to determining that the identified traffic rule set is not available for the determined rule area, transmitting a manual mode alert to a user, and may include enabling a manual mode in the autonomous vehicle.

The present invention relates, generally, to the field of computing, and more particularly to autonomous vehicles.
Autonomous vehicles are vehicles that are able to navigate without human intervention using sensors to guide the performance of driving tasks. Employing an autonomous vehicle capable of sensing the surrounding environment and navigating without human input has the potential to decrease the human errors that lead to automobile accidents, since many automobile accidents can be attributed to some form of human error, such as delayed reaction time, tailgating, rubbernecking, and other forms of distracted or aggressive driving. Autonomous vehicles rely heavily on cloud computing integration to communicate with each other to avoid accidents, download up-to-date maps and traffic data, and to create efficient routes to a driver's destination.

Using cloud-based traffic policies to alleviate issues with cross geographic traffic in autonomous vehicles


A method of compressing phase history (PH) data includes (a) dividing PH data into multiple sub-apertures; (b) transforming the sub-apertures into multiple coarse resolution images; and (c) compressing each of the coarse resolution images. Compressing each of the coarse resolution images may include (i) selecting at least one image from the coarse resolution images to form a base image, (ii) differencing each of the coarse resolution images from the base image to form residual images, and (iii) quantizing the residual images.

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a well known technique for developing radar imagery with excellent two-dimensional (2D) resolution. This is typically done by flying an airplane over the ground to be mapped, and successively transmitting a sequence of radar pulses. With the forward motion of the airplane, each successive radar pulse is transmitted from a position a little farther along on the flight path, thus simulating a very long radar array.
Return signals from the transmitted pulses are sampled in the airplane and either processed on board for immediate exploitation or stored or transmitted for processing at another site. The processing is computationally expensive, employing such techniques as fast Fourier transform (FFT), inverse FFT or correlation on vast amounts of data. These operations require vast processing power and storage.
Radar energy is transmitted in the form of sequential pulses, at different time instances in the flight path of the vehicle. The pulses interact with the terrain (and any object on the terrain) and a portion of the pulse energy is reflected back towards the platform and recorded by a detector. Returns from different objects arrive at different times at the detector. These time differences provide information on range, which is then used to create a final radar image.
Typically, the transmitted pulses in a SAR system are sinusoidal in nature. The detector records the reflected sinusoids by recording a complex number, whose phase component is directly related to the time-of-flight, or range, and its magnitude component is proportional to the reflected energy. Thus, data captured in a SAR system is complex in nature, with properties that are unique with respect to data captured in systems from other imaging modalities.
Technology trends in the field of SAR indicate that SAR system designs are continuously pushing the envelope for increases in area coverage and resolution. These trends imply massive amounts of collected data, which in turn, stress the ability to store collected SAR data and rapidly disseminate SAR data.
Progress in microelectronics and computer technology, together with the creation of networks operating at various channel capacities, has been the basis of an infrastructure for a new era in telecommunications. Standards for the efficient representation and interchange of digital images (like JPEG, JPEG2000) have been essential in the development of digital photography applications. Unfortunately, largely due to the uniqueness of SAR data, data compression algorithms employed by current standards (like JPEG, JPEG2000) do not perform optimally with SAR data.
The present invention addresses this problem by providing a system and method for lossy compression of complex SAR data.

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data compression


A mobile handset in a mobile services network, with access to a plurality of services including a firmware/software update service, is also capable of updating its update agent using an appropriate update package. The update package is retrieved from an update package repository via a management server. In one embodiment, the existing update agent is copied to a backup section before the update agent itself is updated. On the subsequent reboot, the new update agent is employed unless it is determined that it is corrupted or ineffective, in which case the old update agent is reactivated.

Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA's), often contain firmware and application software that are either provided by the manufacturers of the electronic devices, by telecommunication carriers, or by third parties. These firmware and application software often contain software bugs. New versions of the firmware and software are periodically released to fix the bugs or to introduce new features, or both.
Problems may arise when informing a mobile handset of a need to update its firmware or software. Additionally, the mobile handset may utilize an update agent or driver in the update process, and the update agent or driver may also require updating. Such updates may be complicated and a mobile handset may become inoperative if such an update should fail.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the present invention.

Mobile handset capable of updating its update agent

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A vapor gas discharging apparatus for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which includes a vapor line disposed between a canister and a fuel tank, wherein a purge line may be connected to the canister for transferring vapor gas from the canister to an engine, may include a discharging nipple formed to the canister and employed to supply air to the canister, an air supply line connected to the discharging nipple of the canister for supplying the air to the discharging nipple, a two-way valve connected to an end of an exhaust pipe and an end of the air supply line, and controlled for selectively communicating air flow between the air supply line and the exhaust pipe or between the air supply line and the outside of the air supply line, and a conduction member disposed in the air supply line between the two-way valve and the discharging nipple.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vapor gas discharging apparatus for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and more particularly, to a vapor gas discharging apparatus for an HEV, which is capable of stably discharging vapor gas inside a fuel tank during a motor operation period, even in a low-temperature environment.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, an important factor which is most considered in a fuel system when designing an HEV using an engine and a motor is how to discharge vapor gas, discharged from a fuel tank during an engine stop period, to the outside.
When the engine of the HEV is operated, vapor gas is transferred to the engine from a canister by a gasoline engine together with fuel.
That is, the HEV is driven by the motor in a middle/low-speed state and an idle state. At this time, since the engine is stopped, a purge rate of vapor gas introduced from the canister to the engine becomes zero. However, the fuel inside the fuel tank continuously discharges vapor gas. Therefore, when the vapor gas introduced into the canister from the fuel tank is not discharged to a purge line, the vapor gas is discharged to the atmosphere through an air outlet.
Therefore, the HEV may not meet the exhaust gas regulations, and may cause a problem in merchantability, such as smell.
In order to solve the above-described problem, a vapor gas discharging apparatus for an HEV has been proposed in the related art as illustrated in FIG. 1. The vapor gas discharging apparatus for an HEV includes a fuel tank 10 formed of a high-tension steel plate having such a large thickness as to endure excessive pressure of vapor gas, a vent valve 40 mounted on a vapor line 30 provided between fuel tank 10 and a canister 20, and a pressurized OBD valve 50 mounted at an outlet nipple 21 of canister 20.
In the vapor gas discharging apparatus for an HEV according to the related art, when there is no purge during a motor operation, a vapor gas flow is formed as follows.
In the vapor gas discharging apparatus for an HEV according to the related art, the engine is stopped during an idle or low-speed period, and vent valve 40 of vapor line 30 is blocked when the motor is operated. Accordingly, the vapor gas inside fuel tank 10 is not introduced into canister 20, but the vapor gas stays inside the fuel tank 10.
When the engine is operated during an acceleration period, vent valve 40 of vapor line 30 is opened. At this time, the vapor gas inside fuel tank 10 is introduced to canister 20 through vapor line 30, and then transferred to the engine along a purge line 60 connected to canister 20.
Meanwhile, the vapor gas discharging apparatus for an HEV according to the related art includes a heat storage material inside canister 20, in order to fundamentally prevent the vapor gas from being discharged to the atmosphere during the motor operation. Such a heat storage material repeats liquid/solid phase changes at a predetermined temperature, and emits latent heat during the phase change from liquid to solid. That is, hexadecane used as the heat storage material causes phase change at a reference temperature (about 18° C.) of the room temperature regulation. The latent heat generated at this time increases the internal temperature of canister 20, thereby increasing the desorption efficiency of activated carbon for collecting the vapor gas.
However, the production cost and weight of the vapor gas discharging apparatus may rise due to the heat storage material and the structure thereof, and the heat storage material may obtain an effect of the phase change only at the reference temperature. Therefore, the heat storage material does not have an effect upon an efficiency increase of canister 20 at a low temperature. Accordingly, there are difficulties in operating the vapor gas discharging apparatus in cold places and during the winter season.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Vapor gas discharging apparatus for hybrid electric vehicle


Computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for selecting polarization settings for an inspection system for inspection of a layer of a wafer are provided. One method includes detecting a population of defects on the layer of the wafer using results of each of two or more scans of the wafer performed with different combinations of polarization settings of the inspection system for illumination and collection of light scattered from the wafer. The method also includes identifying a subpopulation of the defects for each of the different combinations, each of which includes the defects that are common to at least two of the different combinations, and determining a characteristic of a measure of signal-to-noise for each of the subpopulations. The method further includes selecting the polarization settings for the illumination and the collection to be used for the inspection corresponding to the subpopulation having the best value for the characteristic.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for selecting polarization settings for an inspection system for inspection of a layer of a wafer. Certain embodiments relate to a computer-implemented method for determining a characteristic of a measure of signal-to-noise for subpopulations of defects, each of which includes defects that are common to at least two different combinations of polarization settings of the inspection system, and selecting the polarization settings for illumination and collection to be used for inspection of a layer of a wafer corresponding to the subpopulation having the best value for the characteristic.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Fabricating semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices typically includes processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer using a large number of semiconductor fabrication processes to form various features and multiple levels of the semiconductor devices. For example, lithography is a semiconductor fabrication process that involves transferring a pattern from a reticle to a resist arranged on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated in an arrangement on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Inspection processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on a specimen such as a reticle and a wafer. Inspection processes have always been an important part of fabricating semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits. However, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, inspection processes become even more important to the successful manufacture of acceptable semiconductor devices. For instance, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, detection of defects of decreasing size has become necessary since even relatively small defects may cause unwanted aberrations in the semiconductor devices. Accordingly, much work in the inspection field has been devoted to designing inspection systems that can detect defects having sizes that were previously negligible.
Inspection for many different types of defects has also become more important recently. For instance, in order to use the inspection results to monitor and correct semiconductor fabrication processes, it is often necessary to know what types of defects are present on a specimen. In addition, since controlling every process involved in semiconductor manufacturing is desirable to attain the highest yield possible, it is desirable to have the capability to detect the different types of defects that may result from many different semiconductor processes. The different types of defects that are to be detected may vary dramatically in their characteristics. For example, defects that may be desirable to detect during a semiconductor manufacturing process may include thickness variations, particulate defects, scratches, pattern defects such as missing pattern features or incorrectly sized pattern features, and many others having such disparate characteristics.
Many different types of inspection systems have been developed to detect the different types of defects described above. In addition, most inspection systems are configured to detect multiple different types of defects. In some instances, a system that is configured to detect different types of defects may have adjustable image acquisition and sensitivity parameters such that different parameters can be used to detect different defects or avoid sources of unwanted (nuisance) events. For instance, the spot or pixel size, polarization or the algorithm settings for the angles of collection may be different for an inspection process used to detect particulate defects than for an inspection process used to detect scratches.
Although an inspection system that has adjustable image acquisition and sensitivity parameters presents significant advantages to a semiconductor device manufacturer, these inspection systems are useless if incorrect image acquisition and sensitivity parameters are used for an inspection process. For example, incorrect or non-optimized image acquisition and sensitivity parameters may produce such high levels of noise that no defects can be detected in the generated inspection data. In addition, since the detects, process conditions and noise on a specimen such as a reticle and a wafer may vary dramatically (and since the characteristics of the specimen itself may vary dramatically), the best image acquisition and sensitivity parameters for detecting the defects on a particular specimen may be difficult, if not impossible, to predict. Therefore, although using the correct image acquisition and sensitivity parameters will have a dramatic effect on the results of inspection, it is conceivable that many inspection processes are currently being performed with incorrect or non-optimized image acquisition and sensitivity parameters.
The task of setting up an inspection process for a particular specimen and a particular defect of interest may be extremely difficult for a user particularly when an inspection system has a relatively large number of adjustable image acquisition settings and sensitivity parameters. In addition, it may be impossible to know whether the best inspection process has been found unless all possible combinations of the image acquisition parameters have been tested. However, most inspection processes are currently set up using a large number of manual processes (e.g., manually setting the image acquisition parameters, manually analyzing the resulting inspection data, etc.). As such, setting up the inspection process may take a relatively long time. Furthermore, depending on the types of specimens that will be inspected with the inspection system, a different inspection process may need to be set up for each different type of specimen. Obviously, therefore, setting up the inspection processes for all of the different specimens that are to be inspected may take a prohibitively long time.
Previous methods for selecting one or more polarization settings for an inspection recipe for a process layer are labor intensive processes, which include several iterative steps. The first step of one such method is to perform an inspection scan with predefined default settings for a dark field inspection system. The goal of this step is to locate defects (or anomalies) on the surface of the wafer for the process layer of interest. Of this entire population of defects, the user manually selects a sub-sample of defects to examine further. For each defect, a signal-to-noise ratio is determined (based on the raw image intensities). Basically, this signal-to-noise ratio is a measure of how much more intense the defect scatters relative to its background (or non-defective region). The signal-to-noise for a given defect is strongly dependent on the polarization choice. Therefore, the user must cycle through all of the available polarization options on the dark field inspection system and determine which polarization state will maximize the overall signal-to-noise for this subset of defects.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages to such methods. For example, such methods can be substantially time-consuming and tedious. Depending on the nature of the process layer, the methods described above can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to find the best polarization setting. In addition, if the user has no prior knowledge of the process layer, the user may choose non-interesting defects in the sub-sample and as a result choose an incorrect polarization setting for the actual defects of interest.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and/or systems for selecting polarization settings for an inspection system for inspection of a layer of a wafer that are less labor intensive, quicker, and less tedious than previously used methods and that result in polarization setting selections that are more appropriates or even optimal, for inspection of a layer on a wafer than polarization settings selected using the methods described above.