A apparatus for an engine, and the apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to (i) perform a feedback control such that the engine speed converges to a target speed by correcting ignition timing during the feedback control, (ii) make a determination that fuel supplied to the engine is a heavy fuel when an ignition fulfillment rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value within a predetermined period after the engine is started, the ignition fulfillment rate is a ratio of the advance correction amount of the ignition timing to a maximum ignition correction range, the maximum ignition correction range is a maximum range in which the ignition timing is corrected during the feedback control, and (iii) set the threshold value to a value that depends on a temperature representative value of the engine, the temperature representative value is correlated with the engine temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel property determination apparatus for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that the properties of the fuel that is supplied to an internal combustion engine has an influence on the control of such things as the air-fuel ratio in the internal combustion engine. For example, because a heavy fuel has a lower volatility than a regular fuel, any control that is designed for a regular fuel may adversely affect the operability and/or exhaust emission of the internal combustion engine if performed when a heavy fuel is being used. Various attempts have been made to determine fuel properties so that control of an internal combustion engine suitable for the fuel properties can be achieved.
Japanese Patent No. 3863362 discloses an internal combustion engine that is equipped with ignition timing control means that performs feedback control of the ignition timing so that the engine speed of the internal combustion engine can converge to a target speed during idling after start-up. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3863362 that an ignition timing correction amount at a time when the engine speed is stabilized with respect to a target speed and an ignition timing correction amount at which the engine speed converges after the stabilization are calculated and fuel properties are determined based on the difference between the ignition timing correction amounts.
It is also known that a more accurate determination of fuel properties is made based on the ratio of the correction amount from a basic ignition timing corresponding to a target speed (which may be hereinafter referred to as "ignition timing correction amount") to the allowable range of the ignition timing that is determined depending on the target speed, temperature and so on of the internal combustion engine (which may be hereinafter referred to as "maximum ignition correction range").
Japanese Patent No. 4356079 discloses a fuel property determination apparatus that determines fuel properties based on a combustion parameter that is calculated based on the pressure in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine (the length of combustion period). It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4356079 that the threshold value that is used to make a determination of fuel properties is set based on the temperature of the internal combustion engine to make a more accurate determination of fuel properties.
As described above, various attempts have been made to determine fuel properties so that control of an internal combustion engine suitable for the fuel properties can be achieved. It is also known that a more accurate determination of fuel properties is made based on the ratio of the ignition timing correction amount to the maximum ignition correction range. When control of air-fuel ratio and so on is performed based on fuel properties in this way, the operability and/or exhaust emission of the internal combustion engine can be maintained in a favorable condition.

Fuel property determination apparatus for internal combustion engine


The pose and shape of a human body may be recovered based on joint location information associated with the human body. The joint location information may be derived based on an image of the human body or from an output of a human motion capture system. The recovery of the pose and shape of the human body may be performed by a computer-implemented artificial neural network (ANN) trained to perform the recovery task using training datasets that include paired joint location information and human model parameters. The training of the ANN may be conducted in accordance with multiple constraints designed to improve the accuracy of the recovery and by artificially manipulating the training data so that the ANN can learn to recover the pose and shape of the human body even with partially observed joint locations.

Computer-generated human body models that realistically represent a patient's pose and shape can be used in a wide range of medical applications including, e.g., patient positioning, surgical navigation, unified medical record analysis, etc. For instance, in radiation therapy and medical imaging, success often hinges on the ability to place and maintain a patient in a desirable position so that the treatment or scan can be performed in a precise and accurate manner. Having real time knowledge about the patient's physical characteristics such as the patient's body shape and pose in these situations may bring many benefits such as faster and more accurate positioning of the patient in accordance with a scan or treatment protocol, more consistent results across multiple scans or treatment sessions, etc. In other example situations such as during surgical procedure, information about a patient's physiques may offer insight and guidance for both surgery planning and execution. For instance, the information may be utilized to locate and navigate around a surgical area of the patient. And when visually presented in real time, the information may also provide means for monitoring the state of the patient during the procedure.
Conventional techniques for recovering a human model for a patient rely on having comprehensive knowledge about the joint locations of the patient and may only be able to recover the pose of the patient based on the joint location. In many medical settings, however, a patient's body is often blocked, at least partially, by medical equipment and/or clothing items, and it may also be beneficial in those settings to obtain information about the body shape of the patient. Therefore, it is highly desirable to have the ability to recover both the pose and shape of a patient despite only having limited information about the physical characteristics of the patient.

Systems and methods for human pose and shape recovery

SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING INTELLIGENCE CO., LTD.


While a plurality of drive currents for flying height setting with current values smaller than a tentative optimum drive current are supplied to a light source, respectively, heater power is supplied to a heater part, and touch down of a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is detected. Tentative optimum heater power is determined based on a correlation between the heater power when the touch down is detected and each drive current for flying height setting. The tentative optimum drive current is supplied to the light source part; the tentative optimum heater power is supplied to the heater part; a reference signal is recorded in a magnetic recording medium; and flying height of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is set by determining whether or not the reference signal is recorded with the desired signal intensity.

In the field of magnetic recording using a head and a medium, further performance improvement of thin film magnetic heads and magnetic recording media is in demand in association with the high recording density of magnetic disc devices. As a thin film magnetic head, at present, a composite type thin film magnetic head made of a structure where a magnetoresistant (MR) element for reading and an electromagnetic transducer element for writing are laminated is widely used.
The magnetic recording medium is a discontinuous medium in which magnetic grains are aggregated, and each magnetic grain has a single magnetic domain structure. In the magnetic recording medium, one recording bit is configured by a plurality of magnetic grains. Consequently, in order to enhance the recording density, asperities at the border between adjacent recording bits need to be reduced by decreasing the size of the magnetic grains. However, if the magnetic grains are reduced in size, there is the problem that the thermal stability of magnetization of the magnetic grains is reduced in association with a decrease in the volume of the magnetic grain.
As a countermeasure against this problem, an increase of magneto anisotropy energy Ku of magnetic grains may be considered; however, the increase of Ku results in an increase in an anisotropy field (coercive force) of a magnetic recording medium. On the other hand, the upper limit of the recording magnetic field intensity of the thin film magnetic head is substantially determined by saturation magnetic flux density of a soft magnetic material configuring a magnetic core within the head. Consequently, if the anisotropy field of the magnetic recording medium exceeds the acceptable value determined by the upper limit of the recording magnetic field intensity, it becomes impossible to write to the magnetic recording medium. Currently, as a method to solve such a thermal stability problem, a so-called thermally assisted magnetic recording method is proposed in which a recording magnetic field is applied to record information under a state where the anisotropy field is reduced by heating the magnetic recording medium while a magnetic recording medium made from a magnetic material with large Ku is used.
In this thermally assisted magnetic recording method, a method using a near-field light probe, or so-called plasmon-generator, comprising a metal piece that generates NF light from plasmon excited by laser light is generally known, and as a magnetic head including such a plasmon-generator, a magnetic head including a magnetic pole, a waveguide and a plasmon-generator facing the waveguide is proposed.
In a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, light propagated through the waveguide is coupled with a plasmon-generator in a surface plasmon mode, and excites the surface plasmon. Propagation of such surface plasmon in the plasmon-generator causes the generation of near-field light at the near-field light generating portion positioned at the end portion of the plasmon-generator at the medium opposed surface side. Then, a magnetic recording medium is heated by irradiating the magnetic recording medium with the near-field light generated at the near-field light generating portion of the plasmon-generator, and information is recorded by applying a magnetic field under a state where the anisotropy field of the magnetic recording field is decreased.
In a thermally-assisted magnetic disk device including such a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, the distance between the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head and the magnetic recording medium, i.e., the flying height of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head relative to the magnetic recording medium, is an important parameter to satisfy demands, such as reduction of the bit error rate (BER) or high recording density.
Recently, in order to respond to demands, such as high recording density, a technology is proposed in which a medium opposed surface of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head toward the magnetic recording medium side is protruded by heat-expanding the surface due to the heat generation of a heater and the like, and the flying height of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head relative to the magnetic recording medium is reduced (see for example, JP 2010-79978). In the patent literature (JP 2010-79978), it is disclosed that the protrusion amount of the medium opposed surface is controlled by controlling the power supply to the heater, and the optimum flying height (the target flying height) can be realized. However, in a thermally-assisted magnetic disk device, in addition to the protrusion of the medium opposed surface due to supply of power to the heater and the application of writing current, since the medium opposed surface also protrudes due to the generation of near-field light, it is actually difficult to reduce the target flying height to approximately several nm (approximately 2 nm).
In the technology disclosed in the patent literature, the supply of power to the heater that can accomplish the target flying height can be set by a touch down test of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head. In other words, the medium opposed surface gradually protrudes while the supply of power to the heater is increased, contact (touch down) between the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head and the magnetic recording medium is detected, and the supply of power to the heater that can accomplish the target flying height is determined.
In the meantime, in a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, when a signal is recorded, the near-field light generated at the plasmon-generator is irradiated to the magnetic recording medium. In association with the generation of the near-field light, the vicinity of the medium opposed surface of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is heated, and the medium opposed surface protrudes toward the magnetic recording medium side. Therefore, taking into consideration the protrusion of the medium opposed surface of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head due to the near-field light, it is necessary to set a supply of power to the heater that can accomplish the target flying height.

Method of setting flying height and flying height setting device


A gear pump in which a gear is secured to a shaft by a press fit and by a key which fits into a slot in the shaft. The key includes radially projecting ears which fit into keyways in the bore of the gear, the keyways having bottoms facing axially toward the bottom of the slot. A hot upset at the free end of the shaft clamps the key axially between the bottom of the slot and the bottom of the keyways. When the shaft/gear/key subassembly is assembled with the body and the end plate of the pump, the gear retention elements described above coact to positively prevent the shaft from being pulled out of the body and from being thrust inwardly into contact with the end plate.

This invention relates generally to a gear pump and, more particularly, to a gear pump which is especially adapted to supply pressurized liquid fuel to an oil burner. Gear pumps of this general type are disclosed in Harwath U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,939; 4,685,871; 4,728,271; and 4,958,997 and in Hunsberger et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,580.
In pumps of this type, it is conventional for a spur gear to be secured to the free end portion of a rotatable drive shaft having a free end which normally is disposed in spaced opposing relation with an end plate. The shaft is supported for rotation by the pump body and the gear is located between the body and the end plate. Conventionally, the gear is secured to the shaft with a tight press fit but also is coupled to the shaft by a key which transmits torque between the shaft and the gear in the event excessive torque and wear reduce or eliminate the torque-transmitting capability of the press fit.
In the pump disclosed in the Harvath '939 patent, the key is in the form of a cylindrical pin which fits into a slot in the shaft and into keyways in the bore of the gear. The arrangement of the pin, the slot and the keyways causes the gear to engage the end plate if excessive endwise thrust is exerted on the shaft during handling or during operation and prevents the end of the shaft from impacting against and being damaged by the end plate. In the Harwath '939 arrangement, however, the shaft is capable of being pulled out of the gear in a reverse direction by an axial force sufficient to overcome the press fit between the shaft and the gear.
The shaft of the pump disclosed in the Harwath '871 patent cannot be pulled reversely out of the gear by an axial force. This is achieved by hot upsetting the end of the shaft so that the key becomes trapped between the hot upset and the axially facing ends of the keyways if a pulling force is exerted on the shaft. In this pump, however, the shaft is capable of moving toward and impacting against the end plate. Because the shaft is relatively small in diameter, the end plate area for resisting the impact also is relatively small and thus damage can result and cause the pump to lock up or otherwise fail.

Gear pump with improved gear/shaft retention


In one embodiment, a microprocessor is provided. The microprocessor includes instruction memory and a branch prediction unit. The branch prediction unit is configured to use information from the instruction memory to selectively power up the branch prediction unit from a powered-down state when fetched instruction data includes a branch instruction and maintain the branch prediction unit in the powered-down state when the fetched instruction data does not include a branch instruction in order to reduce power consumption of the microprocessor during instruction fetch operations.

Microprocessors typically employ a branch prediction unit to make a prediction of whether a branch instruction will be taken during execution of the instruction, and to predict the target of a predicted-taken branch. The branch predictions improve flow and reduce the likelihood of forming bubbles in an instruction pipeline. Specifically, by making a branch prediction, the microprocessor does not have to wait until a branch instruction has passed the execute stage of the pipeline before the next instruction can enter the fetch stage in the pipeline. The branch prediction unit predicts whether a conditional jump is most likely to be taken or not taken. The instructions at the predicted target of the branch is then fetched and speculatively executed. If the branch prediction is correct, the instruction pipeline continues to execute instructions while reducing the likelihood of creating bubbles in the pipeline, and the performance of the pipeline is increased. On the other hand, if the branch prediction is incorrect, then the speculatively executed or partially executed instructions are discarded and the pipeline starts over with the correct branch target incurring a delay.
In one example implementation, a branch prediction unit is powered up in parallel with an instruction cache when an instruction fetch is performed. The branch prediction unit is powered up to look up a branch prediction for the instruction data being fetched from the instruction cache. In other words, every time instruction data in the instruction cache is looked up, the branch prediction unit is also powered up.
However, there are various limitations with this approach for controlling the branch prediction unit. For example, in cases where an instruction fetch is performed on a cacheline that was previously fetched from the instruction cache, and the fetched instruction data contains no branches, the power consumed to look up the branch prediction in the branch prediction unit is wasted, because the instruction data does not include a branch instruction. In other words, in this approach the branch prediction unit is powered up during every instruction fetch operation regardless of whether the fetched instruction data does or does not include a branch instruction. Accordingly, this approach for controlling the branch prediction unit generates unnecessary power consumption, when the branch prediction unit is powered up for instruction fetches of instruction data that does not include a branch instruction.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Digitally controlled delay-locked loops can have a phase detector, control logic, and a delay chain. The control logic generates digital signals in response to an output signal of the phase detector. The delay chain generates a delay that varies in response to the digital signals. In some embodiments, the control logic maintains logic states of the digital signals constant in response to an enable signal to maintain the delay of the delay chain constant in a lock mode of the digitally controlled delay-locked loop. In other embodiments, the delay of the delay chain varies by a discrete time period in response to a change in logic states of the digital signals, and the maximum phase error between a phase of the reference clock signal and a phase of the feedback clock signal is less than the discrete time period when the digitally controlled delay-locked loop is in a lock mode.

The present invention relates to electronic circuits, and more particularly, to digitally controlled delay-locked loop circuits.
Digital delay-locked loop circuits typically maintain a phase relationship between an input reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal. Many digital delay-locked loops generate a significant phase error between the feedback clock signal and the input reference clock signal. In addition, many digital delay locked loops generate an undesirable amount of jitter in the feedback clock signal.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a digital delay-lock loop that can generate a clock signal having reduced jitter and a reduced phase error relative to an input reference clock signal.


A lithographic projection method which comprises projecting radiation along a transmission path and through a lens system and an opaque back focal plane filter for electrons with a transparent aperture for the projected radiation to produce a patterned image and an amount of desired radiation on a target. The transmission path includes a source of radiation of charged particles directed at a target comprising a substrate coated with resist. A pattern-defining mask that contains a plurality of subresolution scattering features thereon to produce the desired degree of scattering of the radiation is placed between the source and the target. The subresolution scattering features vary in density as an direct function of predicted proximity exposure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to compensation for the proximity effect in the imaging patterns of electron beam projection lithography and more particularly to mask structures and a method of manufacturing such masks.
2. Description of Related Art
Terminology
To avoid ambiguity or confusion, some of the terms used in the present application are defined in the following definitions. The definitions are made as clear as possible by limiting them to simple electron beam (E-beam) lithography of integrated circuits, but analogous definitions apply to applications other than the patterning of integrated silicon circuits and to other generalizations. The specificity of these definitions is not intended to limit the generality of the invention.
Electron Beam Projection Lithography: An E-beam is directed through a mask towards an E-beam lens where it is focused onto a work piece such as a semiconductor wafer creating an image of the mask pattern on the wafer. PA0 Transparent: Electrons pass through the material with little or no scattering. PA0 Nontransparent: Most electrons are either absorbed in the material, scattered elastically (with little loss of energy) through large angles or scattered inelastically (with significant loss of energy) through smaller angles. The net result of these interactions and lenses and a contrast aperture downstream of the mask is that few electrons strike the target or workpiece. PA0 Projection Mask (Reticle): A master pattern of transparent and nontransparent areas which determines that electrons hitting transparent areas will strike the target and that electrons hitting nontransparent areas will not strike the target. Usually the master pattern is projected onto the target at a significantly reduced size as the E-beam is focused to expose a smaller image area. PA0 Scattering Mask: A projection mask in which the nontransparent areas generally scatter the electrons somewhat (add relatively small random deviations to their original vectors) instead of absorbing or reflecting them. PA0 Scattering-mask Lithographic Projection System: An electron beam system incorporating, in sequence, an electron source, a scattering mask, a back focal plane where electrons spreading directly from the source are to be focused, and a target plane where electrons spreading directly from the scattering mask are focused. Such a system requires, as a minimum, one lens (generally in the vicinity of the scattering mask) to focus the source at the back focal plane, and one lens (generally in the vicinity of the back focal plane) to focus the mask at the target. PA0 Back Focal Plane Filter: A mask of transparent and nontransparent areas. The filter is placed at a plane where the original electron source is imaged. Such a filter can be designed to pass, scatter or block electrons striking it in different places. PA0 Target: A silicon wafer coated with a "resist" material that becomes more easily removed from certain areas of the wafer when it is developed (dissolved) after exposure of those areas to an electron beam. Thus, after chemical processing the resist material is entirely removed from all areas of the target where the exposure by the projected electron beam was sufficiently intense. Because of uncontrollable variations in the "chemical processing" faithful reproduction of the intended pattern is possible only when there is a significant difference between minimum exposure in areas intended to be exposed and the maximum exposure in areas intended to remain unexposed. PA0 Backscattering: Electrons impact upon the top surface of a silicon target covered with resist at various points of incidence on that surface. The electrons are scattered within the silicon of the target so that they re-emerge from the surface of the silicon and produce additional resist exposure at a significant distance from the original impact point. The accelerating voltage applied to the electrons before they strike the target has a significant effect on the backscatter distribution profile, which may extend only a few micrometers or tens of micrometers from the impact point. PA0 Proximity Effect: A pattern-dependent variation in general exposure levels. Electrons pass through a layer of resist on the top surface of a silicon substrate target striking the underlying silicon substrate. Some of those electrons are scattered back upward, producing additional exposure of the resist by the electrons on their second pass. Because the backscattered electrons typically spread over an area much larger than a minimum-size pattern feature, an isolated spot may get only 5% or less additional exposure; however, accumulated backscattering from many adjacent spots can increase effective resist exposure by 80% or more. PA0 Blockout regions: Large 2 mm square transparent areas of the mask which result in 500 microns square (0.5 mn square) exposed features on the silicon wafer after 4:1 reduction, leaving a large opening with all resist removed. PA0 Clean (Clear): Refers to exposed areas on the wafer from which all resist is removed by the development process. PA0 Subresolution Scattering Features (SSF): Reticle features smaller than the smallest features which can be resolved at the target. A uniform distribution of such features on the reticle has the net effect of reducing the exposure dose in the corresponding area at the target.
Using those nominal percentages and assuming that direct exposure is 100 units, it is seen that large exposure areas receive 180 units, small unexposed areas in the middle of such large exposed areas receive 80 units, and small isolated exposed areas receive 105 units of exposure. That 105-to-80 difference is not a comfortable margin for process control. The proximity effect causes dense pattern areas to be overexposed and/or sparse pattern areas to be underexposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,013 of Nishimura et al for "Method of Forming a Fine Pattern with Charged Particle Beam" describes a method for forming fine patterns having dual exposure. In a first exposure an exposed pattern is formed with a charged beam E-Beam (Electron-beam) exposure. The second (auxiliary) exposure floods the entire device in a non-pattern exposure with either a charged beam or an electromagnetic wave selected from an E-beam, an ultraviolet (UV) or far UV ray or an X-ray. The auxiliary exposure can be performed at a high voltage such as a voltage of more than 30 KeV.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,558 of Bohlen et al for "Method of Compensation of Proximity Effect in Electron Beam Projection Systems" describes compensation of proximity effects by following a first E-beam exposure step with a second exposure step to expose selected areas in the second exposure step. The proximity effect is used with complementary masks. The developing process of the photoresist is discontinued prematurely. Asymmetrical ridge edges are detected by viewing them under a microscope. The line width of the narrower ridge is measured, thereby obtaining the proximity effect range.
Japanese abstract No. JP56-165325 (A) of Nishizawa describes formation of a pattern using sequential exposure levels by shifting the photomask relative to the workpiece coated with photoresist. Each exposure is made with energy less than "proper", but the overlap provides a level of exposure which is proper and when the resist is developed the process yields the selected pattern.
Ismail "A Novel Method for Submicron Structurization Using Optical Projection Lithography" in Microelectronic Engineering 1 (1983) pp 295-300 describes an optical projection method for exposing a very small feature by a multiple (double) exposure when exposing the regions of an unexposed resist layer to be patterned during each exposure with a level of optical energy below the energy level needed to expose the whole resist thickness.
The above references illustrate a problem which requires a solution, which is that multiple exposure steps have been required to achieve the desired results. It is an object of this invention to achieve the objectives achieved by the above processes with a new process employing a single exposure step.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 355,887, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,496 of Gaston for "Proximity Effect Compensation in Scattering-Mask Lithographic Projection Systems and Apparatus Therefore" describes an alternative single step method that uses the electrons scattered outside of the normal acceptance angle of the simple contrast aperture of a scattering mask E-beam projection lithography system. Several different kinds of back focal plane filters allow one to tailor the amount of scattered electron signal that is passed to the target. However, the proximity correction cannot be optimized on an individual feature by feature basis. The mesh size over which the correction must be averaged out is equal to the exposure subfield size. Since throughput considerations will keep this subfield size reasonably large, significant compromises in proximity correction optimization must be made. As contrasted with Gaston, the present invention decouples the proximity mesh size and the exposure subfield size, permitting feature by feature optimization of the proximity corrections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,505 of Chen et al for "Lithographical Mask for Controlling the Dimensions of Resist Patterns" relates to a lithography mask with intensity modulation lines with dimensions below the resolution capability of the tool. The lines have the effect of reducing exposure in the center of large features. Since the lines have dimensions (sizes) below the resolution capability of the tool they are not seen in the final image.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,899 of Lin et al for "Lithographic Process Having Improved Image Quality" relates to an improved image quality by having a plurality of elements in the mask which have dimensions below the resolution capability of the tool. They are employed to control the transmittance area of the mask.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,505 of Chen et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,899 of Lin et al are very specifically addressed to optical lithography problems. The only mention of particle beam lithography is a very general statement at Col. 4 (lines 47-51) of Chen et al. Sub-resolution shapes are implemented here to address nominal energy differences received by specific shapes in optical lithography. Those references are different from the present invention which combats the classic E-beam proximity effect which is based on the neighborhood of the exposed feature and intensity variations due to scattered electrons as is explained below.

Proximity correction dose modulation for E-beam projection lithography

International Business Machines Corporation


For separating flat articles from a lying stack of articles, each foremost article of the stack is conveyed away one after the other in an upwards direction. For making such separation applicable also for mechanically relatively unstable articles, a preparatory step is implemented prior to the step of conveying-away upwards. In this preparatory step each foremost article of the stack is gripped, then separated from the front end of the stack in a direction essentially perpendicular to the main surfaces of the stacked articles and simultaneously or immediately afterwards accelerated upwards. Only when the article has a speed component in upwards direction of approximately the order of magnitude of the conveying-away speed is the article transferred to the conveying-away means. The preparatory step is carried out with a suction device that moves on a suction device track.

A device for separating single flat articles from a lying stack is known, for example, from the publication U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,310. This device comprises a rotating suction wheel arranged at the front end of the stack support, on which the flat articles are standing.
The circumferential surface of the suction wheel moves upwards (parallel to the main surfaces of the stacked articles) immediately in front of the front end of the stack. The one article constituting the front end of the stack is pushed against the circumferential surface of the suction wheel by the stack feeding system and adheres to the suction wheel by the suction effect, to be lifted off the stack support while sliding relative to the following article. The suction effect on the circumference of the suction wheel is controlled in such a manner, that a following article is only adhered to the wheel and lifted, when the preceding article has already reached a position above the stack. Corresponding measures ensure, that the articles at the front end of the stack are not pressed against one another too strongly in order to prevent high pressure in the stack and therefore high friction between the stacked articles, which may lead to separation of not single articles but of pluralities of articles. This, however, is not desirable as it destabilises the front end of the stack.
In order to keep friction between articles low in the region of the front end of the stack, it is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,310 that the article group forming the front end of the stack is isolated regarding pressing force from a rear stack region and that this group of articles is moved towards the front end as a relatively loose stack portion on a slightly downwards sloping and vibrating stack support. By this measure it is ensured, that forces acting in the area of the front end of the stack and pressing the articles against one another and towards the front end remain small and that therefore friction between these articles remains low. This measure enables reliable separation of one article after another with a very simple device.
The device in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,310, however, is suitable only for handling relatively stable articles, i.e. articles which are capable of standing upright on one edge in a very loose stack, wherein the stack has to be the looser, the greater the friction coefficient between the articles is. The device further necessitates a mechanical stability of the articles such that they can be accelerated almost instantaneously by the suction wheel, whose circumferential surface moves with a constant speed in a direction essentially perpendicular to the stack support. Sensitive articles may suffer undesirable deformation or even damage, in particular if, for a high separation capacity the rotation speed of the suction wheel is chosen to be high. Furthermore, the suction wheel or control of the suction cycle is to be adapted to the height of the articles above the stack support and if so required also to their width. This means that the suction wheel may have to be physically adapted for the processing of different article formats.

Method and device for the separation of single flat articles from a lying stack


A mounting for a disk file comprises a carrier defining a space into which the disk file can be removably inserted for operational use. The carrier has a base and two opposed sides and, and first and second wedges and which are movable to act between the main body of the disk file and the side of the carrier, to secure the disk file against movement relative to the carrier. The wedges include wedges which are movable in a vertical direction by a control linkage operated automatically when the disk file is inserted into the carrier structure.

The present invention relates to a mounting for a disk file having a data storage disk, a moveable disk head and a main body supporting the disk and the head.
In a conventional disk file the data storage disk is usually mounted horizontally for rotation about a vertical axis, and is mounted on a main body or chassis. The disk head, which may be a read only head or a read and write head, is movably mounted on the main body of the disk file, for movement over the disk to desired tracks. Although in some circumstances the disk file may be permanently and rigidly fixed in a frame of other equipment, it often occurs that the disk file must be mounted so as to be easily removable from a supporting frame. For example in a tester rack it is conventional to fit each disk file into a separate carrier moulded of plastics material, and for the carrier then to be slotted into the tester rack. In other applications, a removable disk file may be removably mounted in a computer.
In some arrangements the disk file may be mounted vertically for rotation about a horizontal axis. In general in this specification, where an example of a disk file is described with the disk in a horizontal plane, it is to be appreciated that the description applies equally well to a disk file positioned in a vertical plane for rotation about a horizontal axis, or indeed in other configurations where appropriate.
A problem which arises in the operation of disk files occurs at the end of the seek movement of the disk head to a desired track. The access acceleration and deceleration of the actuator, containing the read/write heads, particularly on high performance disk files, results in an equivalent reaction to the main body of the disk file. This reaction can cause the file to oscillate in its mounting, and hence the reaction provides an input to the file. The result is unwanted misregistration of the head to the track. In recent years the actuators on disk files have generally changed from linear to rotary operation, the read/write heads being moved in an arc across the disk, about a vertical axis (for a horizontal disk) positioned on the main body of the disk file, outside the perimeter of the disk. The vibrations arising from acceleration and deceleration of such a rotary actuator produce rotary oscillation of the main body of the disk file in a horizontal plane.
One way of reducing or avoiding the effects of such vibration is to mount the main body of the file very firmly in a grounded frame, secured against rotary vibration, and another method is to mount the main body of the disk file on a floating mounting, or one which allows movement only at such a low frequency that the actuator servo can follow the vibration with only a small error. If the file is not mounted at one of these extremes (rigidly mounted or on a floating mounting) the mount vibration will appear on the head/track error signal after the file has met its on-track criteria. The resulting misregistration is detected, causing what is generally known as a Write Fault Error, preventing the file from writing, with a consequent reduction in file performance.
In situations where easy removability of the disk file is required, mounting at either of the extreme situations mentioned above is difficult. In a file tester rack for example, removal should be as simple as possible. The tester should also be space efficient, which rules out a low frequency mount option since this would require too large a space. Finally, the tester frame should be capable of manufacture at a reasonably low cost.
It has been known in the past to secure a disk file by a cam having a wedge shaped profile, but this has been done to secure the disk file during transit in a non-operating position. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,777 (Lewis) there is disclosed a mounting system for mounting a disk drive mechanism in a computer circuit board card cage. The mounting includes a plurality of shock mounts provided two on each side of the disk drive mechanism for mounting the disk drive during normal operational use. In addition there are provided four locking pins for holding the disk drive in an inoperative position when they engage in appropriate openings in the sides of the disk drive mechanism. A control mechanism for controlling the locking pins comprises displaceable cams which can be moved relative to the mounting to push the locking pins into engagement with the disk drive mechanism. The displaceable cams have a wedge shaped profile. The use of the cams is to move the locking pins into position for holding the disk drive in an inoperative position, and the locking pins are released during normal operation of the disk drive.


The invention is a diagnostic tool for collaboratively testing a T1 line from remote terminals. A Diagnostic Interface Unit (DIU) containing test and monitoring equipment is connected into a T1 line close to a demarcation point. Testing from that common point, to either end of the T1 line is then performed by one or more operators at remote terminals. The operator terminals are connected via the Internet, to a common server in communication with the DIU. The operators each see the same page of a Diagnostic Web Service (DWS). Using the DWS, one of the operators causes the DIU to be switched into the T1 line and the T1 line configured and tested. All operators see the test setup and results on their own screens in real-time, making this remote testing equivalent to the operators meeting at the demarcation point and jointly testing from that point out.

Modern digital communications circuits are complex devices that contain, and are connected to, many active components. Testing them is difficult. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that a typical communications line is only maintained and operated by the service provider up to the point at which it enters the customer premises. Beyond that point of entry, termed the demarc or demarcation point, the line and the equipment attached to it is the responsibility of the customer.
When a fault occurs on a line, the service provider and the customer try to determine the location and cause of the fault by each testing the line on their side of the demarcation point. However, even the simplest digital line such as a T1 line, is a complex system, as described in detail by, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,896 to Dariano entitled "T-carrier network simulator", the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
A typical issue that arises in attempting to test such T1 lines is that neither the service provider nor the customer are always entirely sure that they are actually testing to the demarcation point. The demarcation point is usually a physical Network Interface Unit, sometimes referred to as a "Smart Jack" because it is capable of responding to commands to set itself into a loop back mode. However, other components that may be attached to the line may also setup loop-backs at other points. It is also common for physical loop backs to be setup for local testing or to avoid alarm signals reaching other parts of the system. In a complex network a tester may not be aware that these loop backs are in place and may erroneously think they have tested the circuit to the demarcation point when in reality they have only tested it as far as some physically set loop-back put in place because of some other problem or test program.
Another common situation is that different spans of a T1 may be incompatibly configured. The portion of the T1 line and associated equipment on the enterprise or customer side may, for instance be configured for D4 framing, while the service provider T1 and equipment may be configured for ESF framing. In such a circumstance, each party tests and finds their span to be operational, but the complete line does not work.
That situation is often compounded by each group only knowing their own test equipment, and using their own jargon to describe their testing procedures. Often neither side understands or is convinced by the other sides test procedures.
All too often these types of issue give rise to a situation where both the service provider and the customer claims to have tested the communications line on their side of the demarcation point and found no fault, but the line is still not operational. Resolving such standoffs can be a costly and time wasting exercise. In practice, resolution of such standoffs is often only achieved when technicians from both the service provider and the customer meet at the demarcation point and jointly test the line. They do this in order to be sure that the line is really being tested from the demarcation point in each direction. Moreover, such a meeting allows them to test the line with the same equipment and to each see the same results, thus helping resolve any issues of whether the tests are appropriate, the results conclusive or the configurations different. However, such meetings can be difficult to schedule and costly, both in terms of the technicians' time and in the downtime of the line.
What is needed is a simple way to diagnose communication line faults and incompatibilities that allows service provider and customer technicians to test communications lines in a way that they are all convinced that the test reaches to the demarcation point, with an agreed upon set of diagnostic tools, in a way that provides them all with the same data and understanding of that data, without the need for a costly physical meeting.

Collaborative remote communication circuit diagnostic tool


A floating solar chimney includes several parts, e.g., the Main Chimney, the Heavy Base, and the Folding Lower Part. The main chimney includes cylindrical balloon rings full of non flammable light gas. The cylindrical balloon rings are tied with the help of supporting rings so that together they form one or more compact units of the main chimney. The compact parts of the main chimney are fastened on the heavy base. The successive compact parts are separated by separating rings filled with environmental air that can go in and out of the separating rings, so that the dynamic independence of the successive compact parts is ensured. The main chimney, which can float, is configured to sit on a chimney seat, and is connected to the heavy base. The lower part of the heavy base is fastened to the folding lower part. The air can enter and come out freely from the rings of folding lower part in order to enable the floating solar chimney to achieve any suitable decline as dictated by the exterior winds.

Such conventional electric power systems using solar energy, with the method of solar collectors and solar chimneys, are based on the principle of solar heating of air in a solar collector of a large area. The warm air rises, through a collaborating solar chimney that is based on the center of the collector, to upper layers of atmosphere, acquiring up-draft speed, due to the height of the solar chimneys. Part of the thermo mechanical energy of this up-drafting current of warm air, via a system of the wind turbines and generators in the base of the solar chimney, transforms into electric energy. The solar chimney in this conventional system is typically manufactured by reinforced concrete. This has the following consequences:                High manufacturing cost; and        Limited height of the solar chimneys due to technological restrictions from the construction materials and from exterior limitations (e.g., earthquakes).
It is known that the output of such a power station is approximately proportional to the product of the height of solar chimney and the area of the collaborating solar collector. Thus, for a given power output from such a solar power station, the height of the solar chimney determines the area of its collaborating solar collector.
Information about solar chimneys can be found in the book "THE SOLAR CHIMNEY ELECTRICITY FROM THE SUN", by JORG SCHLAICH, 1995.


A hybrid-type construction machine comprises an engine 11; an electric power accumulator 19B; first and second pumps 28, 14; a motor generator 27 for driving the first pump 28; and plural actuators 1A, 1B, 7, 8 and 9 which are driven by the first and second pumps 28, 14, wherein the first and second pumps 28, 14 are arranged such that the first pump 28 controls at least one of the actuators 1A, 1B, 7, 8 and 9 independently from the second pump 14 and the second pump 14 controls at least another one of the actuators 1A, 1B, 7, 8 and 9 independently from the first pump 28, the first pump 28 is electrically driven by the motor generator 27 with electric power from the electric power accumulator 19B, and the second pump 14 is directly coupled to the engine 11.

JP2007-10006 A discloses the hybrid-type construction machine in which a part of driven mechanism is motorized. According to the disclosed hybrid-type construction machine, an engine is directly coupled to a motor generator which functions as an electric motor and a generator, and a rotating shaft of the motor generator is connected to rotating shafts of first and second variable displacement pumps in series. For the first and second pumps, a third variable displacement pump which is driven by the motor generator is provided separately. The first pump mainly supplies fluid in a tank to a boom cylinder circuit for controlling a boom cylinder; the second pump mainly supplies fluid in the tank to an arm cylinder circuit for controlling an arm cylinder; and the third pump supplies fluid in the tank to a turning motor circuit for controlling a turning motor. Further, a discharge port of the third pump is connected to a pressure fluid replenishing circuit for replenishing pressure fluid to the boom cylinder circuit and the arm cylinder circuit.
In ordinary construction machines, as is the case with the construction machine disclosed in JP2007-10006 A, two pumps (first and second pumps) are coupled to the rotating shaft of the motor generator in series which is directly coupled to the engine. However, depending on operations of the construction machine, there are cases in which two pumps are not always necessary. In such cases, the fact that the two pumps are coupled to the engine leads to waste of energy. Further, in the case of the hybrid-type construction machine, frequency of use of one of two pumps tends to decrease. For example, if the turning motor is motorized, there may be a case in which one of two motors suffices for a combined operation of a boom-down operation and a turning operation.


A system and method includes reception of a color image comprising a plurality of color pixels, conversion of the color image to a monochromatic image comprising a plurality of monochromatic pixels, performance of M erosion operations on the monochromatic image to generate an eroded monochromatic image, where M is equal to or greater than one, performance of N dilation operations on the eroded monochromatic image to generate a mask image, where N is equal to or greater than one, identification of one or more regions of the mask image based on the mask image, and modification of regions of the color image corresponding to the identified regions of the mask image.

Field
The embodiments described below relate to image signal processing and, more specifically, to efficient detection and/or enhancement of certain image regions.
Description
Conventional medical imaging systems capture Electro-Physiological (EP) signals and display the EP signals on system monitors. FIG. 1 includes image 100 of a displayed EP signal. Image 100 includes waveform region 110, information area 120 and control buttons 130. Image 100 is generated based on a received digital video signal and is made up of image pixels. Each image pixel is associated with a color value (e.g., an 8-bit value for each of Red, Green and Blue components).
To ensure conformance between image 100 and the monitor on which it will be displayed, the received digital video signal is scaled prior to display of image 100. Scaling (e.g., using a bi-cubic scaling algorithm) reduces the brightness of the EP signals within waveform region 110 because the scaling operation incorporates adjacent dark pixels into the computation of the scaled waveform pixels. More specifically, the brightness of the waveform pixels is reduced because the black background of waveform region 110 is provided weight in the computation of the scaled waveform pixels.
Accordingly, conventional systems for scaling EP signals result in dark and difficult-to-see signals. Enhancement functions are known, but such functions produce distortion within the non-waveform regions of the resulting image.


In an operation monitoring apparatus of a nuclear power plant, a first operation console (12) that can be operated by an operator and includes displays (31 to 37), an operation command console (14) that can be operated by a shift supervisor and includes displays (41 to 44) , a transfer device (51) that can display an image displayed on the displays (31 to 37) of the first operation console (12) on the displays (41 to 44) of the operation command console (14), and a switching device (54) that switches an image on the displays (41 to 44) of the operation command console (14) to the image on the displays (31 to 37) of the first operation console transferred by the transfer device (51) are provided. With this configuration, it is possible to improve communications between the supervisor and the operation in operation of the nuclear power plant.

To operate a nuclear power plant stably, an easily operable instrumentation control system having high reliability is required. To realize such an instrumentation control system, application of a soft-operation type central control panel and digitization of a control system and a safety system facility have been promoted. In the instrumentation control system in a nuclear power plant, a central control panel that monitors operations of the plant by an operator is provided, and a plurality of operators who monitor operations of the central control panel are positioned with respect to the central control panel and a shift supervisor is positioned behind these operators. Each of the operators performs reliable monitoring and operations under various supervisions and commands from the shift supervisor, thereby ensuring safe operations of the nuclear power plant.
The following Patent Literature 1 describes an example of an operation monitoring apparatus of a nuclear power plant.

Operation monitoring apparatus of nuclear power plant


Herein are provided methods, systems, computer-readable media, techniques and processes for occlusion estimation in dental prosthesis design. These include determining a first contact point between antagonist teeth, then simulating motion in order to determine additional contact points. Various of the determined contact points may not be used in the simulated motion, based on the simulated physics. When one or more predetermined stopping criteria have been met, then the contact points may be used to define the relative occlusal positions of antagonists. In some embodiments, sets of teeth in a bridge or crown, e.g., may be simulated as moving separately and a new state for each set of teeth may be determined.

1. Field
The present application generally relates to dental planning, and more particularly to occlusion estimation in dental prosthesis design.
2. Description of Related Technology
The use of computer systems to design dental prostheses has increased in recent years. The computer systems allow a dentist, dental technician, or other operator to design dental prostheses for individual patients. Individual prosthesis designs are often called "situations," "dental plans," or "prosthetic plans." Operators using the computer systems can design plans based on a library of the teeth shapes and positions, patient data, and available equipment and hardware.
When designing dental prostheses, a tooth or set of teeth's occlusion with antagonist teeth can be a factor in both function and aesthetics. Additionally, manipulating individual prosthetic teeth (or sets of individual prosthetic teeth) in a multi-tooth prosthesis can be difficult. When the upper set of teeth and the lower set of teeth have been scanned separately, it can be difficult to determine the occlusion between these occluding teeth. The difficulty may arise because the restrictions imposed by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of the jaw or other anatomy of the patient may be absent from the design software. Even when the TMJ and/or other restricting anatomy are represented in the design software, the operator may still need to estimate the occlusion between occluding teeth. Current techniques for providing occlusion estimation are not adequate and can be computationally expensive. The techniques, systems, methods, and computer-readable storage medium described herein overcome some issues associated with the prior art and provide for occlusion estimation and/or crown manipulation in dental prosthesis design.

Occlusion estimation in dental prosthesis design


An apparatus and process for providing exceptionally high velocity projectiles and safer, more accurate munitions. Inefficiencies in explosive oxidation rates and initial resistance to velocity acquisition are overcome.

Projectiles that travel at extremely high speed provide substantial advantages. The laws of physics provide special advantages to hypervelocity projectiles and, even at sub-hypervelocity levels, every increase in velocity is an increase in range, accuracy, and penetrating power. It would seem that simply placing more charge behind the projectile would result in all the velocity you want. However, the fastest bullets in existence today rarely exceed 5000 feet per second at their maximum point of velocity due to offsetting effects that the current technologies are vulnerable to.
Once extremely high velocities are attained, they can be easier to maintain. However, in the process of reaching high velocities, nature restricts the inventor at every turn. As the typical bullet leaves the typical muzzle, the bullet is traveling faster than the gas which i s supposedly accelerating it. At that point, the gas is expending most of its energy maintaining its own expansion rather than adding velocity to the projectile. Massive, expensive, and involved assemblies of equipment too cumbersome and delicate for general use outside the laboratory have been the solution of choice to overcome these obstacles. Devices to accommodate large ratios of explosive load to payload diameter to maximize velocity, such as Sabots, which have encountered problems both in the barrel and under separation in mid-air, can decrease speed and accuracy as they wobble unsupported by the stability of the barrel at separation. The extremely small payloads currently possible at high speed are also a problem. Explosive charges that initiate gas compression to propel very tiny projectiles a very short distance under laboratory conditions have been the only truly successful means to date. These assemblies, however, are certainly not portable, require much expense, maintenance and setup.
The current invention provides the means to economically acquire the benefits of very high velocities while providing safer munitions. These advantages include minimizing the effects of wind on accuracy, greatly increased range, genuine straight line sighting, smaller individual charges, less volatile charges, larger potential payloads, safer Sabot disposal, further improved accuracy using special Sabot, increased penetrating power (with portable, potentially automatically firing equipment) and little or not special setup or modifications to existing firearms.


Substrate processing systems are described that have a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside a process chamber. The CCP unit may include a plasma excitation region formed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a first plurality of openings to permit a first gas to enter the plasma excitation region, and the second electrode may include a second plurality of openings to permit an activated gas to exit the plasma excitation region. The system may further include a gas inlet for supplying the first gas to the first electrode of the CCP unit, and a pedestal that is operable to support a substrate. The pedestal is positioned below a gas reaction region into which the activated gas travels from the CCP unit.

Plasma deposition and etching processes for fabricating semiconductor integrated circuits have been in wide use for decades. These processes typically involve the formation of a plasma from plasma-generating gases that are exposed to electric fields of sufficient power inside the processing chamber to cause the gases to ionize. The temperatures needed to form these gases into plasmas can be much lower than needed to thermally ionize the same gases. Thus, plasma generation processes can be used to generate reactive radical and ion species from the starting gases at significantly lower chamber processing temperatures than is possible by simply heating the gases. This allows the plasma to deposit and/or etch materials from substrate surfaces without raising the substrate temperature above a threshold that will melt, decompose, or otherwise damage materials on the substrate.
Exemplary plasma deposition processes include plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of dielectric materials such as silicon oxide on exposed surfaces of a substrate wafer. Conventional PECVD involves the mixing together of gases and/or deposition precursors in the processing chamber and striking a plasma from the gases to generate reactive species that react and deposit material on the substrate. The plasma is typically positioned close to the exposed surface of the substrate to facilitate the efficient deposition of the reaction products.
Similarly, plasma etching processes include exposing selected parts of the substrate to plasma activated etching species that chemically react and/or physically sputter materials from the substrate. The removal rates, selectivity, and direction for the plasma etched materials can be controlled with adjustments to the etchant gases, plasma excitation energy, and electrical bias between the substrate and charged plasma species, among other parameters. Some plasma techniques, such as high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD), rely on simultaneous plasma etching and deposition to create features on the substrate.
While plasma environments are generally less destructive to substrates than high-temperature deposition environments, they still create fabrication challenges. Etching precision can be a problem with energetic plasmas that over-etch shallow trenches and gaps. Energetic species in the plasmas, especially ionized species, can create unwanted reactions in a deposited material that adversely affect the material's performance. Thus, there is a need for systems and methods to provide more precise control over the plasma components that make contact with a substrate wafer during fabrication.

Semiconductor processing system and methods using capacitively coupled plasma


A hair clip structure having a comb concealed therein includes a plate body, an elastic clip, and a comb. The plate body has an inner acting face on which the elastic clip is secured using bolts. Left and right ends of the plate body are respectively provided with left and right tracks, that are respectively provided with openings on opposed faces and lower portions for receiving the comb that is pushed in between the left and right tracks from a lower end of the plate body. The left and right tracks on the plate body are provided with left and right limiting grooves each having a stop boss. An intermediate limiting groove having upper and lower stop projections is disposed between the left and right limiting grooves. The comb is also provided with a plurality of stop studs at a base end such that, when the comb is pushed upwardly or downwardly on the plate body and when the comb is disposed between the left and right tracks, the stop studs can perform stopping or checking functions along the left and right limiting grooves and the intermediate limiting groove. Hence, a structure in which the comb can be pushed downwardly for combing purposes or can be concealed in the inner acting face of the plate body is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hair clip structure, and more particularly to a hair clip structure having a comb concealed therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hair clips and hair combs have their respective functions. Hair clips are used to fasten hair in position. Combs are used to groom the hair. For women, these two items are inseparable, and they often put both of them in their handbags. However, women may carry many items in their handbags, and it is desirable to have a structure that incorporates the functions of both a hair clip and a comb to space storage space and to facilitate carrying.

Hair clip structure having a comb concealed therein


A metal hardmask for use with a Dual Damascene process used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. The metal hardmask has advantageous translucent characteristics to facilitate alignment between levels while fabricating a semiconductor device and avoids the formation of metal oxide residue deposits. The metal hardmask comprises a first or primary layer of TiN (titanium nitride) and a second or capping layer of TaN (tantalum nitride).

As is well known by those skilled in the art, a continuing goal in manufacturing and production of semiconductors is a reduction in size of components and circuits with the concurrent result of an increase in the number of circuits and/or circuit elements such as transistors, capacitors, etc., on a single semiconductor device. This relentless and successful reduction in size of the circuit elements has also required reduction in the size of the conductive lines connecting devices and circuits. However, as the conducting lines are designed to be smaller and smaller, the resistance of the interconnects increases. Further, as the number of dielectric layers increases, the capacitive coupling between lines on the same level and adjacent level increases.
In the past, aluminum was used as the metal interconnect lines and silicon oxide as the dielectric. However, newer manufacturing techniques now favor copper as the metal for interconnect lines and various low K materials (organic and inorganic) are favored as the dielectric material. Not surprisingly, these material changes have required changes in the processing methods. In particular, because of the difficulty of etching copper without also causing unacceptable damage to the dielectric material, the technique of forming the metal interconnect lines has experienced significant changes. Namely, whereas aluminum interconnects could be formed by depositing a layer of aluminum and then using photoresist, lithography, and etching to leave a desired pattern of aluminum lines, the formation of copper interconnect lines are typically formed by a process now commonly referred to as a Damascene process. The Damascene process is almost the reverse of etching, and simply stated a trench, canal or via is cut, etched or otherwise formed in the underlying dielectric and is then filled with metal (i.e., copper).
The process is rather straightforward if the metallization or copper layer was to be formed at only one level. However, as is well known by those skilled in the art, semiconductor devices are now formed at multiple levels on a chip and consequently metallization or interconnects, which are on the order of 100 nm (nanometers) and less, must also be formed at each level. Further, not only are multiple levels of metallization required, but these multiple levels must be interconnected. The possibility of difficulty in achieving the necessary registration of 100 nm connecting vias through the dielectric (which will then be filled with copper) that will align with a 100 nm interconnect line at another level in the same semiconductor device becomes apparent.
To facilitate alignment and registration, one approach has been the use of titanium nitride, TiN, as a metal hardmask for etching the trenches and inter-level connecting vias. The TiN is sufficiently translucent to wavelengths of light used by the lithography process such that alignment does not pose a difficult problem. Unfortunately, because of the presence of oxygen during an RIE (reactive ion etch) process used to cut the vias, the titanium in the metal compound leaves a TiOx based residue on the etched surfaces. The TiOx can increase capacitance and affect the reliability and yield of the process.
It is also been found that the use of TaN as a metal hardmask does not result in the formation of metal oxide residue such as occurs when TiN is used. However, TaN doesn't have the translucent characteristics of TiN and presents problems in aligning the template pattern with lower metal levels, especially aligning level M3 with level M4.
Therefore, a metal hardmask having satisfactory translucent characteristics to avoid alignment problems and that did not leave a metal oxide residue on the etched surface would be advantageous.

Bilayered metal hardmasks for use in dual damascene etch schemes

International Business Machines Corporation


A retracting system especially for use with operating room equipment and adapted to permit a vinyl tube to be removed from a storage spool to a desired length. The spool system is then locked into position so that the tubing is not retracted. By pulling slightly on the tubing, the apparatus retracts the tubing onto the storage spool for future utilization.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a vinyl tube or tubing supply system, in general, and to a supply system which selectively retracts the vinyl tubing onto a storage spool, in particular.
2. Prior Art
There are many known means for providing vinyl tubing to various types of devices especially when used in hospitals and, more particularly, in the operating rooms thereof. The vinyl tubes are used for many purposed including, but not limited to, suction, irrigation evacuation or the like.
In the past, the tubes or tubing have been connected to the appropriate sources such as suction pumps, liquid reservoirs and the like and arranged around the operating table in a rather haphazard fashion. For example, the tubing is frequently allowed to rest on the operating table, on the patient or the like. This has, of course, presented some difficulties in maintaining the sterile field of the medical procedure.
Moreover, the tubing is frequently in the way of the surgeon or other operating room personnel. The tubing frequently becomes a nuisance in that it interferes with the procedures being performed. In addition, if more than one tubing is in use, the tubing can become confused, entangled, intermingled and so forth.


A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards enabling information filtering using measures of an affinity of a relationship between subscribers of an online portal system. The affinity of a relationship may be determined based, in part, on the tracking of various online behaviors of and between subscribers of the portal system. Any of a variety of behaviors may be tracked, including message communications between subscribers, participation in instant messaging groups, purchases, activities, categories, and so forth. Such behaviors may be employed to determine a level of trust (or affinity) between subscribers of the portal system. This affinity measurement may be used to filter various information, including, but not limited to, product recommendations, ratings, polling queries, advertising, social network communications, personal ads, search results, and the like. Moreover, this affinity measurement may also be employed to perform message spam detection.

Social networking is a concept that an individual's personal network of friends, family colleagues, coworkers, and the subsequent connections within those networks, can be utilized to find more relevant connections for dating, job networking, service referrals, activity partners, and the like.
A social network typically comprises a person's set of direct and indirect personal relationships. Direct personal relationships usually include relationships with family subscribers, friends, colleagues, coworkers, and other people with which the person has had some form of direct contact, such as contact in person, by telephone, by email, by instant message, by letter, and the like. These direct personal relationships are sometimes referred to as first-degree relationships. First-degree relationships can have varying degrees of closeness, trust, and other characteristics. These relationships can also be unidirectional or bidirectional. A unidirectional relationship typically means that a first person is willing and able to interact with a second person, but the second person may not be willing or able to interact with the first person. Conversely, a bidirectional relationship typically means that both people are willing and able to interact with each other.
Indirect personal relationships typically include relationships through first-degree relationships to people with whom a person has not had some form of direct contact. For example, a friend of a friend represents an indirect personal relationship. A more extended, indirect relationship might be a friend of a friend of a friend. These indirect relationships are sometimes characterized by a degree of separation between the people. For instance, a friend of a friend can be characterized as a second-degree relationship.
The above personal relationships, and others, can be utilized to find and develop relevant connections for a variety of objectives. Finding and developing relevant connections can be accelerated with online services. Such online social networking can be used to mine personal and/or interest relationships in a way that is often more difficult and/or time-consuming to do offline.
Thus, there has been a flurry of companies launching services that help people to build and mine their personal networks. However, these efforts have been predominately directed towards dating and job opportunities. Many of these companies are struggling with developing additional services that will build customer loyalty. Without the ability to extend the value of the existing networks, social networking loses its appeal. Thus, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

System and method of information filtering using measures of affinity of a relationship


A method and system for monitoring network devices are provided. In one embodiment, a method for agent-based monitoring of network devices includes selecting a network device from an enterprise network. An agent template is selected based on the selected network device. An agent object is instantiated based on the agent template. The agent object is operable to monitor hardware characteristics of the network device.

Communication networks rapidly convey large amounts of information typically in the form of frames or packets to remote points. Such networks may include a number of apparatuses such as switches, bridges, routers, computers, printers, servers, databases, or other such devices. Network management systems have become necessary to facilitate the management of communication systems especially as they have grown in size. Conventional management systems typically do not provide the ability to monitor hardware characteristics of a network device.

System and method for agent-based monitoring of network devices


Provided are a touch sensor chip, a touch sensing apparatus including the same, and a method of controlling noise of a touch panel. The touch sensing apparatus includes: an electronic device which is driven by a clock signal; a touch panel which is placed adjacent to the electronic device and receives a touch signal; and a touch sensor chip which transmits a driving signal to the touch panel and hops a frequency of the driving signal by a hopping interval if a noise level at the frequency of the driving signal is equal to or higher than a noise threshold, wherein the hopping interval is set based on an exciting frequency of the touch sensor chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a touch sensor chip, a touch sensing apparatus including the same, and a method of controlling noise of a touch panel, and more particularly, to a touch sensor chip which varies a driving frequency according to the occurrence of noise, a touch sensing apparatus including the touch sensor chip, and a method of controlling noise of a touch panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch sensing apparatus includes a touch panel and recognizes a user's screen touch or gesture as input information. Touch panels of touch sensing apparatuses are classified into resistive, capacitive, ultrasonic, and infrared touch panels according to their driving method. Of these touch panels, capacitive touch panels are drawing much attention due to ease of multi-touch input.
A capacitive touch sensing apparatus suffers from various types of noise. One of the types of noise is environmental noise caused by the environment around the touch sensing apparatus. The environmental noise denotes noise generated by electromagnetic interference (EMI) or ground (GND) fluctuation that occurs in electronic devices other than the touch sensing apparatus. Generally, a touch panel of a touch sensing apparatus is placed on a display panel which displays images. Therefore, the touch panel may be interfered by a driving signal that drives the display panel as well as by other electronic devices around the touch panel.
If a noise occurs in the touch panel due to the environmental noise, the touch accuracy of the touch panel can be reduced. For this reason, a touch sensing apparatus that can flexibly deal with the environmental noise is required.

Touch sensor chip, touch sensing apparatus including the same, and method of controlling noise of touch panel


In a process and an apparatus for the avoidance of airplane collisions in which at least one light source of a light flash warning apparatus on an airplane generates light flashes at periodic intervals, light flashes with a constant frequency are emitted from a first light source and light flashes with a variable frequency are emitted from a second light source, thereby increasing the warning effectiveness, localizing capability and, thereby, safety during operation of the airplane.

The invention relates generally to a process for the avoidance of airplane collisions wherein light flashes are generated in periodic intervals from a light flash warning apparatus on an airplane comprising at least one light source, and to an apparatus for the avoidance of airplane collisions including the light flash warning apparatus on the airplane comprising the at least one light source and generating the light flashes in periodic intervals.
With an increase of air traffic in all areas near-collision incidents are increasing. In order to warn off other airplane approaches, light flash warning apparatus on airplanes are used, comprising at least one light source, which generate light flashes in periodic intervals. The light flashes increase visibility of approaching airplanes whereby early course corrections can be initiated in order to avoid airplane collisions.
In apparatus and processes for the avoidance of airplane collisions of the prior art in which light flash warning apparatus are used, it has proven to be disadvantageous for light flashes to be generated only in periodic intervals, that is with a constant frequency, whereby these light flash warning apparatus draw only limited attention from other pilots, thereby decreasing warning effectiveness of such light flash warning apparatus and leading to operation of an airplane with insufficient safety, particularly in congested areas.
An apparatus of this kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,501 wherein light flashes are generated in periodic intervals. To increase warning effectiveness a light source generates light flashes which are dephased from other light flashes by a fixed value. Also, in this case, it proves to be disadvantageous that a habit-forming effect is achieved.
It is an object of the invention to provide a process and an apparatus for the avoidance of airplane collisions wherein the warning effectiveness, the ability to localize, and, thereby, the safety are increased during operation of the airplane.

Process and apparatus for the avoidance of airplane collisions


A structure of a chamber in a combustion engine includes a ring-groove portion formed on the piston, a squish-area making portion formed on a top surface of the piston for a squish-area, an outer edge portion formed around the top surface excepting the squish-area making portion, and a land portion formed around a side surface between the ring-groove portion and the top surface. The land portion includes, a squish-land portion formed between the ring-groove portion and the squish-area making portion, an outer-edge-land portion formed between the ring-groove portion and said outer edge portion, the outer-land portion being smaller than the squish-land portion in height.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a chamber for a combustion engine.
(2) Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 9, conventional internal combustion engine 200 includes a cylinder head 203, a piston 201 and a chamber 205 which is formed from a bottom surface 204 of cylinder head 203 and a top surface 202 of the piston 201.
In the engine 200, squish areas 206 and 207, which are narrow spaces formed between the piston top surface 202 and a bottom edge 205A of the chamber 205, are made when the piston 201 is in Top Dead Center (TDC).
Accordingly, in the engine 200, it is possible to generate squish currents (see arrow "SF" in FIG. 9), which are air currents individually spurted out from the squish spaces 206 and 207 to the center of chamber 205 when the piston 201 comes up from Bottom Dead Center (BDC) to TDC. Further, in FIG. 9, each of 'h206' and 'h207' indicates the height of squish spaces 206, 207, respectively.
Besides, as shown in FIG. 10, a valve recess 210 is formed on the top surface 202 of the piston 201 so that intake valves and exhaust valves (not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) do not hit against the top surface 202 partly because a Variable Valve Timing (VVT) mechanism (not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) is equipped with the engine 200.
In other words, a valve stroke of the intake and/or the exhaust valve in an engine having the VVT mechanism is longer when the piston 201 is at TDC as compared to an engine without the mechanism. Accordingly the valve recess 210 is formed on the piston top surface 202 to avoid the valves hitting against the piston 201.
For example, a laid-open publication Japanese Utility Model (Kokoku) HEI 7-36107 discloses techniques related with the valve recess.
However, as shown in FIG. 10, it is necessary to move a top ring groove 208B, down (toward a piston pin 211 shown in FIG. 9) in which a piston ring (top ring) is fitted, when a valve recess is formed as deeply as the valve recess 210 shown in FIG. 10 because it is necessary to keep a thickness between the valve recess 210 and the top ring groove 208B as indicated 'h205' in FIG. 10.
Accordingly, it is impossible to avoid increasing the height of a top and 209, which is formed around the side surface of the piston 201 and is formed between the top ring groove 208B and the top surface 202, to keep necessary distance between the top ring groove 208B and the top surface 202.
In FIG. 10, an imaginary top ring groove 208A, formed when the valve recess 210 is not formed on the top surface 202, is shown by a dashed line.
Further, 'h209A' shows the height of the top land 209 when the valve recess 210 is not formed on the top surface 202. Alternatively, 'h209B' shows the height of the top land 209 when the valve recess 210 is formed on the top surface 202.
In other words, FIG. 10 shows that it is impossible to avoid increasing the top land's height due to forming the valve recess 210 by comparing between the height h209A and h209B.
However, increasing the volume of a quenching area which is a space between the top land 209 and a cylinder liner (not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) is inevitable, if the height of the top land 209 is increased. Namely, flames from combustion in the chamber 205 cannot spread into the quenching area, and thus quality of the exhaust gas emitted from the engine 200 gets worse due to increasing amounts of HC (Hydro Carbons as unburned fuel).
In order to avoid worsening of the quality of exhaust gas, the location of the top surface 202 may be lowered toward the piston pin 211, i.e., the height h211 between the top surface 202 and the center C.sub.201 of the piston pin 211 is reduced.
But, it is also inevitable to increase the heights h206 and h207 of the squish areas 206 and 207. Accordingly, the fuel consumption becomes bad due to difficulties in generating adequate squish currents SF.

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


A covering system for a building substrate is disclosed. The covering system comprises at least two panels having two opposite, gutter shaped joints, and a joint linking system comprising a cleat configured to accept the adjacent joints, a compression cap configured to bridge the adjacent joints, means for attaching the compression cap and cleat to the building substrate, and a cover cap configured to lie flush with the panels and conceal the compression cap and the attaching means. When assembled, the covering system forms a watertight seal on and prevents water leakage into the building substrate. Further, the covering system provides hidden fasteners, an internal drainage channel which removes any moisture that migrates into the system, and joints which allow for expansion and contraction of the panels during assembly and in the course of environmental changes once installed.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a covering system for a building substrate. More specifically, the invention relates to a covering system which produces a surface having a smooth, planar configuration and which forms a watertight seal on and prevents virtually all water leakage into a building substrate. The system comprises panels having opposite, gutter shaped joints and a joint linking system which conceals both the drainage channels and the means for fastening the panels to the building substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Building covering systems have evolved over the years in an effort to improve weather-tightness and resistance to moisture damage as well as to increase insulation capacity. The lack of weather-tightness and poor insulation in roofing systems can be observed in colder climates as ice dams. That is, snow accumulation on a poorly insulated roofing structure frequently leads to ice buildup at the roofs edge. This ice buildup, known as an ice dam, causes water to buildup behind the ice which may lead to water damage of the building substructure, both at the roof line and within the supporting walls.
Panel systems designed to cover various building surfaces have been developed with the aim to reduce such damage. For example, metal panel systems have been developed which provide increased durability and weather resistance. Current metal panels used in roofing systems typically include panels having upstanding joint areas for linking the panels along adjacent margins, often referred to as standing seams. These standing seams can be secured by crimping, welding, interlocking, or soldering to prevent penetration of moisture to the back sides of the panels and the underlying building surface. These attachment points are rigidly fixed, however, and thermal expansion and contraction stresses which accumulate around these points often lead to wear and damage of the underlying building structure. Additionally, points where the panels are attached to the roof substrate also present areas which are vulnerable to moisture entry and consequent water damage.
Recent improvements to these metal panel systems have addressed some of these problems by fastening the panels to the building surface using a batten structure mounted within the joint area of adjacent panels, and by providing a cover which extends over the longitudinal margins and joint area of the adjacent panels. The batten and cover, however, are typically held in place by fasteners which limit expansion and contraction in at least one dimension in response to changes in the ambient temperature. Thus, while such systems provide a mechanism to conceal the attachment means and may allow for some movement, they still do not entirely solve all of the problems of thermal expansion and contraction stresses exerted on a panel system.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a building covering system that may provide a water-tight seal on a building substrate, and which allows for thermal expansion and contraction in multiple dimensions. Further, there exists a need in the art for a building covering system that may increase the insulation value for a building.

Covering system for a building substrate


The shim-type implant for distraction and fusion of cervical facet joints is provided. The implant has a generally box-like shape with a blunt leading edge that may be centered or offset to the inferior face. The implant may include a graft window for enhanced osseous through-growth after implantation. The implant is coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) and/or tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) to allow for osteo-conduction, is porous, and has a roughened surface with serrations on the superior and inferior faces. The implant may be fabricated from a titanium or tantalum alloy. In an embodiment, a set of tools is provided with a chisel and one or tongs and one or more decorticators for inserting the implant.

Cervical spinal surgery since the late 1950s and early 1960s has steadily transitioned from primarily posterior based to primarily anterior based. Posterior based surgery has the following major advantages: minimal critical structures in the surgical field, familiar anatomy, and access to multiple levels. However, posterior based surgery has the following major disadvantages: dissection or approach related post-operative pain and large or limited arthrodesis option (for example, lateral mass screws and surface area available for fusion). Anterior based cervical surgery addresses some of the deficits, particularly pain and infection rates. Thus, the trend in the United States has been a shift towards more anterior cervical surgery and towards less posterior cervical surgery.
However, certain unique risks still remain with anterior surgery: injury to esophagus, injury to trachea, dysphagia/dysphonia, injury to recurrent laryngeal nerves, carotid artery injury, internal jugular vein injury, vagus nerve injury, adjacent level disease, non-unions, implant failure, implant prominence, dural injury, spinal cord injury to name a few. Thus, there has been a reemergence of posterior based surgery, particularly minimally invasive posterior surgery, to address the issues that may arise with anterior surgery.
Common indications for posterior minimally invasive surgery (MIS) include anterior cervical non-unions, patients at high risk for non-unions (for example, smokers), and/or isolated foraminal stenosis which may lead to radiculopathy. In theory, given that the facet surface area of the posterior spine is equal to or larger than the surface area of the disc space anteriorly in between the uncus, one could minimize the rate of cervical non-unions or even treat anterior non-unions via a posterior MIS. In theory, if stenosis is present at the foraminal level, indirect decompression via a posterior MIS would elevate the facet joint and increase the foraminal height as has been shown in the literature. In theory, given the minimal disruption of soft tissue with posterior MIS, the infection rates and post-operative pain issues would match or surpass that of anterior based surgery.
Two general technologies are currently in use for minimally invasive cervical facet arthrodesis. The first are manufactured allografts, made from human bone that is compacted and machined. See for example "FacetLift" implants from Medtronic. These implants have clear disadvantages. The implants are brittle and can fracture during insertion. In addition, these implants are radiographically lucent, which can make intra-operative assessments challenging and post-operative fusion rates difficult to observe. And, these implants have small pore sizes (or no pores at all) from the machining process and can result in limited or no bone in-growth and bone fusion.
An alternative cervical facet implant are metal (usually titanium) implants, for example the "CAVUX®" (referred to as "DTRAX®" in some literature), "HONOUR® ORB," "Valeo® II C", "UNIFLEX® Cervical cage" and others. See, for example, WO 2015/047818 and WO 2009/148619. These implants do not provide for efficient bone in-growth. Rather, they typically have bone on-growth or through-growth through a limited graft window, which is less efficient at bone fusion. In addition, the shape of prior art implants is not conducive to safe implantation. In some instances, these implants require harsh insertion techniques, such as malleting that reduce the control of the implantation procedure. The cervical facet joints frequently have minor imperfections and bone spurs, and prior art devices can unnecessarily damage these features during implantation.

Minimally invasive posterior cervical facet arthrodesis shim implant and tools therefor