A barrier film made of a ZrB2 film is formed by use of a coating apparatus provided with plasma generation means including a coaxial resonant cavity and a microwave supply circuit for exciting the coaxial resonant cavity, the coaxial resonant cavity including spaced apart conductors provided around the periphery of a nonmetallic pipe for reactive gas introduction, the coaxial resonant cavity having an inner height equal to an integer multiple of one-half of the exciting wavelength, the plasma generation means being constructed such that a gas injected from one end of the nonmetallic pipe is excited into a plasma state by a microwave when the gas is in a region of the nonmetallic pipe which is not covered with the conductors and such that the gas in the plasma state is discharged from the other end of the nonmetallic pipe.

With the scaling down of patterns of semiconductor integrated circuits, there have recently been proposed so-called "buried wiring structures," in which fine contact holes, trenches, etc. having a high aspect radio are buried with a wiring material such as Cu or Al.
However, these buried wiring structures are disadvantageous in that when the main wiring material is, e.g., Cu, it tends to diffuse into the insulating film, thereby causing problems. Therefore, a conductive barrier film is provided between the insulating film and the wiring material to limit or prevent diffusion of Cu. Various methods of forming this barrier film have been proposed. For example, one known method is to deposit a material layer of Ta, TiN, TaN, etc. using PVD, MOCVD, or ALD to form a barrier film (see, e.g., Patent Document 1).
ALD is a technique of forming a desired metal film by first causing a precursor of one type to be adsorbed on the substrate surface (adsorption process), then supplying another precursor to the adsorbed precursor so that they contact and react with each other on the substrate surface (modification process), and then repeating these processes. Generally, ALD has an advantage over CVD in that it can be performed at lower temperature and allows for formation of a film having better coverage.
Incidentally, in addition to Ta and TiN films, ZrB2 films are known to have good barrier properties. As is known in the art, a ZrB2 film can be formed from Zr(BH4)4 material according to the reaction formula (I) below.Zr(BH4)4→ZrB2+B2H6+5H2  (1)
The reaction (1) above is practically effected by thermally decomposing the raw material by the direct heat from the Si substrate, thereby forming a ZrB2 film on the substrate. However, in order to form a good ZrB2 film, this method requires that the substrate be heated to 550° C. or more, which is not desirable.
One way to avoid this problem is a known CVD technique which forms a ZrB2 film on the Si substrate by adding hydrogen radicals to the material and then causing the material to react at low temperature (namely, 300-350° C.) by the heat from the hydrogen radicals and the substrate (see, e.g., Nonpatent Document 1).
Such addition of hydrogen radicals requires excitation of hydrogen gas. One known apparatus for exciting such gas is a microwave-excited plasma processing apparatus that uses a waveguide for introducing a microwave (see, e.g., Patent Document 2).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-6856 (Claim 3, FIG. 4, etc.)    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-255998 (Claim 1, FIG. 1, etc.)    Nonpatent Document 1: J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 91, No. 6, 15 Mar. 2002, pp. 3904-3907 (p. 3904)


A borosilicate glass having properties that enable it to be drawn as microsheets for use as a solar cell cover glass, and a solar cell having such microsheet as a cover glass, the glass having a composition consisting essentially of, expressed in terms of weight percent on an oxide basis:. SiO.sub.2 59-69 ZnO 6.5-8.5 B.sub.2 O.sub.3 8.5-14 CeO.sub.2 0.25-3 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 2-2.5 TiO.sub.2 0-1 Na.sub.2 O 5.5-12.5 CeO.sub.2 + TiO.sub.2 0.5-4 K.sub.2 O 0-8 Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-0.5.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,634 (Danielson) discloses glasses having borosilicate compositions developed for production of microsheet to be used in cover glasses on solar cells. The cover glasses are strongly resistant to solarization, exhibit a cutoff value of 50% at 370 nm. for ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and have properties adapted to forming microsheets.
The glass compositions disclosed in the Danielson patent consist essentially of, expressed in terms of weight percent on an oxide basis:
SiO.sub.2 59-63 ZnO 6.5-7.5 B.sub.2 O.sub.3 8.75-10 CeO.sub.2 4-6 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 2-2.5 TiO.sub.2 1-3 Na.sub.2 O 6.75-7.75 CeO.sub.2 + TiO.sub.2 6-8 K.sub.2 O 6.25-7.0 Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-0.5
A commercial glass, based on these composition ranges, was developed that has proven eminently satisfactory for use in producing microsheet cover glass for solar cells. Recent developments in solar cell use, particularly for space vehicles or a station, have imposed severe limitations on cover glasses for such cells.
One such requirement is to provide as great a solar spectral transmission as possible. This is necessary to provide maximum efficiency in solar cells used to provide power to space vehicles. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a cover glass improved in these respects, and a solar cell embodying such cover glass.
In this regard, another purpose is to provide a glass having a sharp cutoff in the UV portion of the spectrum. This maximizes solar intensity while still protecting an organic adhesive against deterioration by shorter wavelength, UV radiation.
Finally, the possible danger of a static electrical discharge in a space vehicle imposes a requirement of a lower bulk electrical resistivity in the glass. This is necessary to aid in reducing buildup of static charge on the space vehicle. It is, then, another purpose to provide a cover glass having a low bulk resistivity.
Over and above providing these several improvements, it has also been required that the properties described in the Danielson patent for forming microsheet glass be at least retained, and preferably improved. A final purpose, then, is to reach this desired end.


An MAP algorithm-based Turbo decoding method and apparatus. The method includes: iteratively estimating an information symbol by using an MAP algorithm, acquiring an α and β window boundary values of each sliding window by means of window boundary value inheritance, acquiring an α block boundary value and β block boundary value of each sub-block by means of block boundary value inheritance, and recursively calculating posterior probability Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) values of a whole window and a whole block according to the α boundary values and the β boundary values (101); and performing decoding decision according to the LLR values (102).

In the international communication conference held at Geneva, Switzerland in 1993, C. Berrou, A. Glavieux and P. Thitimajshiwa from the British Communications University of France firstly proposed an encoding/decoding scheme referred to as a Turbo code. It is realized by combining two Recursive Systematic Convolutional (RSC) codes in a parallel cascading manner via an interleaver. This scheme adopts an iterative feedback decoding mode, truly explores a potential of cascaded codes, and breaks through a minimum distance short-code design idea in a random-like coding/decoding scheme, thereby making it more approach an ideal random code performance. Some existing communication systems such as a 3GPP LTE/LTE-A system, a WCDMA system and a TD-SCDMA system use Turbo codes for channel encoding.
The Turbo code has the characteristics of random-like codes, and also has sufficient structural information, which makes it possible to be decoded by using an efficient iterative decoding method. Due to these characteristics, the Turbo code has extremely beneficial performances under the conditions of a moderate bit error rate and a long packet length particularly. Actually, when any code rate and information packet length are greater than 104 bits, if a signal-to-noise ratio is within a Shannon limit 1 dB, the Turbo code using an iterative decoding algorithm can reach a bit error rate of 10-5, that is, an Eb/NO value under this code rate reaches a channel capacity.
The basic principle of Turbo decoding lies in iterative estimation of an information symbol based on an MAP algorithm, and inputting gradually updated prior information obtained by all pieces of statistically independent information after the previous decoding iteration. An iterative decoding concept is very similar to negative feedback, output external information is fed back to an input end to achieve an effect of amplifying the signal-to-noise ratio of the input end, thus stabilizing system output. By means of sufficient iterations, a final decoding decision may be obtained from a posterior probability Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) value of any one decoder.
Most of the current MAP decoding schemes reduce the decoding delay and improve the throughput by using a decoding structure consisting of sub-blocks and sliding windows. In order to obtain more accurate boundary values, an existing method pre-calculates a part of overlap as a track back length. Under the restriction of the overlap length, this method is complicated in implementation and severe in performance degradation under high code rate, and the proportion of effective decoding time of each sub-block is low.

Map algorithm-based turbo decoding method and apparatus, and computer storage medium


The invention features a method and a system for selecting a slot within a memory unit, e.g., cache, for removal. The memory unit is accessible to a plurality of processors, and each slot in the memory unit has a corresponding entry in an age table. Each time when a processor examines one of the entries, an age value of the entry is increased. When the age value is above a maturity age, the corresponding slot becomes a removable slot. Each processor also maintains statistics to estimate the number of removable slots in the memory unit. According to the statistics, adjusts a maturity age associated with the processor dynamically and independently to control the number of removable slots. Accordingly, the number removable slots can be maintained at a pre-determined percentage relative to the total number of slots in the memory unit.

This invention relates generally to memory management, and more particularly to managing a cache in a processing system including multiple processors.
Processing systems often employ caches to store data that is frequently required for calculations or is likely to be accessed in the near future. A cache is generally built from fast memory chips, so that accessing the cache requires less time than accessing a storage device, for example, disks. Storing data in the caches, therefore, speeds up data access and increases system throughput.
When data is read from a storage device, a copy of the data is also saved in the cache, along with the address from which the data is read. The cache monitors addresses of subsequent read operations to see if any of the required addresses is already in the cache. If a required address is in the cache (i.e., a read hit occurs), then the cache immediately returns the data having the required address. Otherwise, the data is fetched from the storage device, and a copy of the data along with its address is saved in the cache.
For increased data access speed, it is generally desirable for a cache to have read hits as frequent as possible. The performance of the cache can be measured by hit ratio, the frequency of read hits relative to all data access to the cache. In addition to the speed and size of cache hardware, hit ratio also depends on data access patterns (i.e., the sequence of addresses being read and written). Cache designs often depend on two properties of the access patterns: temporal locality and spatial locality. Temporal locality means that if a data item is accessed once, it is likely to be accessed again soon; while spatial locality means that if one address is accessed, then nearby addresses are also likely to be accessed. With temporal locality, when the processor writes data to a storage device, the data should also be written to the cache to speed up subsequent access. To exploit spatial locality, caches often operate on several words, i.e., a line of data, at a time. A line of data in the cache is called a xe2x80x9ccache linexe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9ccache slotxe2x80x9d.
When the cache is full and must remove a cache slot to accommodate new data, the cache selects a cache slot to be replaced and writes it back to the storage device. The new data is then written to the cache, stored in the location where the replaced cache slot was originally stored. The decision as to which cache slot to select depends on how the cache is managed.
Generally, the selected cache slot is one that has not been referenced recently. A conventional approach for cache slot selection requires maintaining a linked list, in which each slot is linked to another cache slot by forward and backward pointers. In a system including multiple processors, accessing the link list requires a lock mechanism to prevent simultaneous access of a cache slot, thereby decreasing throughput and creating significant performance bottlenecks.
The invention relates to managing a memory unit, e.g., a cache, accessible to a plurality of processors. The method selects one of a plurality of slots within a memory unit for removal. In a general aspect of the invention, the method includes: maintaining an age table containing a plurality of entries, each entry having an age value and corresponding to a slot in the memory unit; increasing the age value of the entry each time the entry is examined by one of the processors; storing, independently at each of the processors, a maturity age associated with the processor; and comparing the maturity age compared to the age value of each entry.
In another aspect of the invention, a system includes: processors; a memory unit including slots, the memory unit being accessible to the processors; an age table containing a plurality of entries, each entry having an age value and corresponding to a slot in the memory unit, the age value of each entry being increased each time the entry is examined by any one of the processors; and a maturity age independently stored at each of the processors, the maturity age being compared to the age value of each entry.
Embodiments of the above aspects of the invention may include one or more of the following features.
Each processor adjusts the maturity age dynamically according to an estimate of the number of slots that are candidates for removal. The candidates for removal include a slot that corresponds to an entry having an age value above the maturity age. According to the estimate, the processor calculates a percentage of the candidates relative to a total number of slots within the memory unit; and compares the percentage to a target percentage. The estimate is derived from an average number of slots that have been examined by the processor before the processor determines that one of the slots is removable. The processor also resets the age of an entry to zero when the processor access the slot corresponding to the entry.
If a slot is a candidate for removal, the processor removes the slots from the memory unit. The slot to be removed can be an oldest slot among the slots examined by the processor, when a pre-determined time threshold expires. The slot to be removed can also be an oldest slot among the slots examined by the processor, when the maturity age at the processor is reduced. One of the processors assigns an age value to a nonstandard slot when converting the nonstandard slot to a standard slot, the assigned age value being based on a category of the nonstandard slot. The processors can simultaneously access the age table. The memory unit can be a cache.
One approach for accelerating the selection of a slot for removal requires each of the processors running a low-priority demon to detect a prospective removable slot before the processor needs the removable slot. Each processor can run a low priority verifying demon to detect and correct errors in the age table.
The invention advantageously provides an efficient approach for managing a memory unit with an age table that allows simultaneous access, a procedure for determining the age values of standard and nonstandard slots, and a process for adjusting the number of removable slots according to statistics collected by each of the processors.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Cache management via statistically adjusted slot aging


A test strip for determining the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid includes a membrane in fluid communication with a porous layer. The membrane and the porous layer are divided into compressed portions, which restrict the capillary flow of the body fluid, and uncompressed portions. The uncompressed portions are adapted to absorb and retain body fluids in excess of the amount required for operation of the test strip. The test strip may be constructed with an internal relief chamber to accommodate the uncompressed portions. A method of making the test strip by pressure and/or heat sealing individual components on a shaping die is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test strip which allows a user to determine the concentration of an analyte in a liquid test sample. The test strip includes an absorbent membrane and a reagent that undergoes a change in color when exposed to the analyte, such as glucose or cholesterol, in a body fluid.
2. Description of Related Art
Test strips are commonly used for determining the concentration of analytes in liquid test samples. For example, known test strips can detect glucose, cholesterol, proteins, ketones, uric acid, phenylalanine, or enzymes in body fluids, such, as blood or urine. The operation of such test strips has become so simple and reliable that the test strips can be used by patients to determine their own analyte concentrations.
Many test strips require a user to apply a drop of a body fluid to a reagent pad, or to a transport medium which conducts the fluid to the reagent pad, where an oxidizable dye or other indicator changes color to signal the presence of the analyte. It is sometimes difficult to bring exactly the right amount of body fluid to the test strip. If too little fluid is delivered, the test strip may not function properly. If too much fluid is applied to the test strip, excess fluid may drip from the test strip. Unnecessary contact between the user and the body fluid, which is typically blood, urine, or saliva, is preferably avoided.

Method of making a test strip for determining analyte concentration over a broad range of sample volumes


A method, system, and apparatus are provided for performing an adaptive stimulation process using medical imaging feedback data for affecting an operation of an implantable medical device. The first stimulation signal is applied to a neural structure for modulation of a target portion of the patient's brain associated with a disorder. Medical imaging data is acquired that is indicative of whether the target portion of the brain is modulated as a result of the first stimulation signal. The first signal characteristic is modified to generate a second stimulation signal in response to a determination that said target portion of the brain is not modulated as a result of said first stimulation signal. The first and second stimulation signals may be used to navigate an effect of the first and second stimulation signals until a targeted portion of the human body is stimulated according to a predetermined threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to implantable medical devices, and, more particularly, to methods, apparatus, and systems for using feedback data from a medical imaging system to affect an operation performed by an implantable medical device (IMD).
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been many improvements over the last several decades in medical treatments for disorders of the nervous system, such as epilepsy and other motor disorders, and abnormal neural discharge disorders. One of the more recently available treatments involves the application of an electrical signal to reduce various symptoms or effects caused by such neural disorders. For example, electrical signals have been successfully applied at strategic locations in the human body to provide various benefits, including reducing occurrences of seizures and/or improving or ameliorating other conditions. Examples of such a treatment regimen involve applying an electrical signal to the vagus nerve of the human body to reduce or eliminate epileptic seizures, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,702,254, 4,867,164, and 5,025,807 to Dr. Jacob Zabara, and the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,569 to Joachim Wemicke et al. The foregoing patents are hereby incorporated in their entirety herein by reference in this specification. Electrical stimulation of cranial nerves, such as the vagus nerve (hereinafter referred to as vagus nerve stimulation therapy or VNS) may be provided by implanting an electrical device underneath the skin of a patient and performing a detection and electrical stimulation process. This type of stimulation is generally referred to as "active," "feedback," or "triggered" stimulation. Alternatively, the system may operate without a detection system once the patient has been diagnosed with a disorder treatable by cranial nerve stimulation (such as epilepsy or depression), and may periodically apply a series of electrical pulses to the cranial nerve intermittently throughout the day, or over another predetermined time interval. This type of stimulation is generally referred to as "passive," "non-feedback," or "prophylactic," stimulation. An implantable medical device that is implanted within the patient's body may apply the stimulation.
State-of-the-art implantable medical devices generally deliver stimulation signals to one or more regions of a patient's body in a predetermined periodic cycle. Based upon the diagnosed disorder of the patient, a physician may determine a regimen of therapeutic stimulation signals to treat the disorder. The devices then execute the predetermined therapy regimen. This regimen may be interrupted by predetermined interruption protocols, such as an external communication from a physician prompting a change in the regimen, a signal from the patient, etc.
As used herein, "stimulation" refers to the application of an electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical signal to a neural structure in the patient's body. In one embodiment, the stimulation comprises an electrical signal. The stimulation signal may induce afferent and/or efferent action potentials on the nerve, may block native afferent and/or efferent action potentials, or may be applied at a sub-threshold level that neither generates action potentials nor blocks native action potentials. In some embodiments, the stimulation signal is a signal that is capable of inducing afferent and/or efferent action potentials on the nerve.
The stimulation signal applied to the neural structure in embodiments of the present invention refers to an exogenous signal that is distinct from the endogenous electrical, mechanical, and chemical activity (e.g., afferent and/or efferent electrical action potentials) generated by the patient's body and environment. In other words, the stimulation signal (whether electrical, mechanical or chemical in nature) applied to the nerve in the present invention is a signal applied from an artificial source, e.g., a neurostimulator.
Providing an electrical signal for stimulation of a cranial nerve may cause variations in the electrical activity of portions of a patient's brain. However, state-of-the-art IMDs generally do not allow for affecting the predetermined stimulation regimens in response to these physiological brain variations. Barring active initiation of operational changes prompted by an external source, such as a physician, state-of-the-art implantable medical devices generally continue a predetermined treatment regimen despite the physiological variations in the brain. This may cause the implantable medical device to become less accurate in targeting specific regions of the brain for treating specific disorders. Further, state-of-the-art medical systems generally do not have sufficient feedback as to the effectiveness of the stimulation in terms of targeting certain regions of the brain.
Generally, state-of-the-art electrical IMDs may cause a reaction in a patient's brain by stimulation of cranial nerves. The effects of the stimulation are evaluated on a long-term basis, where physicians may evaluate whether sufficient improvement relating to the disorder has taken place over time. However, this methodology generally lacks the ability to perform more short-term adjustments. In other words, the time period between delivering stimulation and studying the effects of the stimulation is substantially long—typically months or even exceeding a year. Therefore, a substantial amount of time may elapse to determine whether a stimulation regimen has improved the treatment or condition. Thus, finding the appropriate stimulation regimen can be delayed substantially due to the state-of-the-art methodologies.
In an attempt to alleviate some of these problems, designers have provided for altering the regimen based on an external input or input from the patient, for example, through a magnetic signal sent to the implantable medical device. However, this solution may not be sufficiently reactive to adequately address variations in the brain resulting from particular stimulation regimens. For example, a patient is generally unable to determine the effects of the stimulation to certain portions of the brain. Further, these solutions may require an assessment by an external source, such as a physician or the patient. By the time an external source examines the physiological variations produced by the stimulation, the patient's brain may have undergone further changes, rendering any reaction to the original physiological variations obsolete.
Even though delivery of stimulation signals may cause specific physiological variations in the patient's brain, state-of-the-art implantable medical devices generally behave independently of such variations, at least in the short term. Long-term changes may be provided by re-examination by a physician, i.e. re-diagnosis of a disorder, and then making further adjustments to the stimulation treatment. This may result in significant delay between the physiological changes that may occur due to stimulation, and the time when a physician makes manual adjustments to the stimulation regimen after examination. Therefore, efficient and effective reaction to physiological changes may not take place utilizing state-of-the-art implantable medical devices. Further, targeted regions of the brain may not be adequately affected by a particular stimulation regime, possibly leading to reduced treatment efficacy.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing, the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.

Medical imaging feedback for an implantable medical device


A stepping motor for driving a head carriage having a motor axis on which is provided a lead screw comprises a seat plate that forms a back end of the motor, said seat plate being provided with a projection that projects toward a radial direction of the motor axis. At the time of the alignment of a head and a disk, the stepping motor is rotated by rotating a jig which is engaged with the projection. Thus the stationary position of the head carriage along a direction of its movement is adjusted.

The present invention relates to a stepping motor for driving a head carriage and a disk drive unit comprising such a motor, and particularly to a stepping motor having a lead screw on a motor axis, and a disk drive unit comprising such a motor.
Recently, efforts have been made toward downscaling an equipment comprising a disk drive unit as a storage device, facilitating a strong requirement for downscaling of a disk drive unit that is included in such an equipment. However, downscaling of a disk drive unit that is included in an equipment has long been pursued almost to an extent that structurally a disk can hardly be made smaller any more. Accordingly, further downscaling of a disk drive unit requires a downscaling of components.
Generally, in a disk drive unit of this type, a lead screw is provided on a motor axis of a stepping motor and is engaged with a head carriage to form a drive mechanism. That is, a rotational movement of a stepping motor is converted to a reciprocal movement of a head carriage. The simplest configuration to realize this is the one in which a direction of a movement of a head carriage is parallel with an axis of a stepping motor.
FIG. 1 is a plan view and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional mechanism for driving a head carriage in a magnetic disk drive unit, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 2-42266. In a body 2 of a stepping motor 1 is provided a stator coil 3, and housed in the stator coil 3 is a cylindrical magnet 4.
A flange provided in the body 2 of the motor, is fixed to a side 13 of a chassis base 12 by a clamp plate 11. This clamp plate 11 fixes the flange between the clamp and the side 13 of the chassis base 12 by tightening a screw 10. In this way the motor 1 is fixed to the chassis base 12, and a motor axis 5 that extends beyond the plane of the flange 9 is housed inside the chassis base 12.
The end of the motor axis 5 is engaged with a bearing 15 fixed to a support post 14 fitted perpendicularly on the bottom of the chassis base 12. The end of the motor axis 5 that resides inside the motor 1 is engaged with a leaf 7 and is pushed permanently by an elastic force toward the direction A shown in the figure. Consequently, the motor axis 5 has no axial play and is kept at the same position permanently. The part of the motor axis 5 that is an extension from the body 2 is threaded in its entirety so that a lead screw 6 is formed.
A head carriage 20 comprising a magnetic head 21 is provided in such a way that it can slip freely along a guide rod 22. The head carriage 20 is provided with a projection 23 which is engaged with the lead screw 6. When the lead screw rotates, the projection 23 gets a propulsion in the axial direction of the lead screw 6, thus making the head carriage 20 to move along the guide rod 22.
A stepping motor is used as the motor 1 and the lead screw 6 is rotated a specified angle at a time. Therefore the head carriage 20 moves in the directions A or B of the figure a specified distance, allowing the magnetic head 21 to move radially over a magnetic disk 24 and to carry out a read/write operation.
When assembling the above mechanism for driving a head carriage, an alignment control is performed whereby the track on the magnetic disk 24 is aligned correctly with the stationary position of the head 21. In this alignment, the motor 1 is rotated on the motor axis 5 so that the stationary position of the head 21 is aligned with a reference track of the disk 24.
On a cap 8, which forms the part of the stepping motor 1 which is opposite from the side the motor axis 5 extends from, is formed a protrusion 25 with a hexagonal shape. In order to perform the above alignment, a jig 26 having a depression that corresponds to the protrusion 25 is employed to rotate the motor 1, so that the alignment of the position of the head 21 and the position of the reference track is determined in a way known in the art. The motor 1 is then fixed to the specified position on the side 13 by tightening the screw 10.
The center of the hexagonally shaped protrusion 25 of the cap 8 is provided with a round inward depression, and is positioned a specified distance away from the part of the leaf 7 which presses the motor axis, when the motor 1 is mounted onto a disk drive unit. When a large force in the direction of B acts on the motor axis at the time of a seek operation on the disk drive, the part of the leaf that produces pressure displaces in the direction of B to a great extent. Since an excess of this displacement fatigues the leaf 7, the round protuberance of the protrusion 25 acts to limit the displacement to a specified amount.
Generally, in a disk drive unit of this type, an overall depth is determined by the size of the disk and the length of the motor for driving a head carriage. Since the protrusion 25 is provided at the back end of the motor 1 to facilitate the engagement to the jig 26, the size of the protrusion 25 makes the motor 1 that much longer at the back end. Accordingly, a disadvantage has arisen in the prior art in that an overall depth of a disk drive unit is made greater due to the size of the protrusion 25, and there has been a demand that an overall depth of a disk drive unit be made smaller.

Stepping motor for driving head carriage and disc drive unit comprising such motor


A scalable DC power distribution and control system suitable for commercial buildings includes one or more power and control hubs. Each DC power and control power hub provides power and control for any suitable distributed DC loads such as light-fixtures. AC power from the electric utility is applied to the power and control hub and is converted to DC power for distribution to DC loads within the space using low-voltage cables.

Building power systems typically distribute alternating-current (AC) electrical power that is delivered by an electric utility. Some electrical devices inside the building are design to operate based upon AC electrical power, for example incandescent light fixtures. Many electrical devices within a building require direct-current (DC) electrical power to operate. A typical example is a lamp constructed using light emitting diodes (LEDs). Because most building power systems distribute AC power, devices requiring DC power typically are associated with a device-specific AC/DC converter. AC/DC converters, however, generate power losses and using a dedicated AC/DC converter for each device that runs on DC power multiplies the power loss. Additionally, when the power distribution within a building is AC, the power wires must generally be housed in conduits and raceways as a safety measure increasing complexity and expense as well as potentially detracting from room aesthetics.

System for distributing DC power to and controlling building devices


A former (11) works, when supplied with wastewater containing heavy metals and hydrogen sulfide, to react heavy metals contained in wastewater with hydrogen sulfide to form sulfide salts, an acquirer (12) works, when supplied with sulfide salts and acid, to acquire hydrogen sulfide and heavy metal ions produced by reactions between sulfide salts and acid, a hydrogen sulfide supply line (13) supplies hydrogen sulfide acquired by the acquirer to the former, and a collection line (20) collects heavy metal ions.

1. Field of Art
The present invention relates to a heavy metal collection system and a heavy metal collection method for use of a substance produced in a wastewater processing to collect heavy metals from wastewater containing heavy metals.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Wastewater, such as industrial effluent, may contain heavy metals harmful to humans, e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium, chrome, etc. Such harmful heavy metals should be removed from wastewater.
As an example for removal of heavy metals from wastewater containing heavy metals (heavy-metal containing wastewater), there is a method of removing heavy metals from heavy-metal containing wastewater simply to meet a prescribed (effluent standard) value, and disposing of removed heavy metals as waste. Heavy metals of heavy-metal containing wastewater may be collected as valuable resources for recycle, to make effective use of heavy metals contained in wastewater.
Also as measures for collection of target substances such as heavy metals of wastewater, there are "unit processing techniques" for simple collection of target substances, and "composite techniques" as combinations of unit processing techniques for collection of target substances, among others, to be used as necessary for objectives.
As unit processing techniques there are e.g. "electrolysis method" and "alkaline precipitation method (coagulation sedimentation method)". The electrolysis method has a pair of electrodes (anode, cathode) inserted in heavy-metal containing wastewater, for current conduction between the electrodes to deposit heavy metals thereon. The alkaline precipitation method has an alkaline chemical, such as caustic soda or slack lime, added to heavy-metal containing wastewater for sedimentation of heavy metals as hydrates.
As an exemplary method for composite techniques, there is a "sulfide method". In the sulfide method, sodium sulfide or hydrogen sulfide is added to heavy-metal containing wastewater for precipitation and removal of heavy metals as sulfide salts. For use in the sulfide method, hydrogen sulfide may be generated from combination of sulfuric acid ions and organics by actions of sulfate-reducing bacteria under an anaerobic condition, for example. Sulfuric acid ions may be generated from simple sulfur by actions of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, for example.
As a method of processing heavy-metal containing wastewater, there has been a technique disclosed in JP 2002-210436 A (Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open Publication No. 2002-210436) in which hydrogen sulfide is generated from a first wastewater containing sulfuric acid ions and organics by actions of sulfate-reducing bacteria, and added to a second wastewater containing heavy metals, for insolubilization of heavy metals as sulfide salts. The technique disclosed in JP 2002-210436 A is an effective method for separate supply of "a first wastewater containing sulfuric acid ions and organics" and "a second wastewater simply containing heavy metals", where hydrogen sulfide from a processing of the first wastewater is available for processing the second wastewater.
There has been a technique disclosed in JP S62-193697 A (Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open Publication No. S62-193697), which generated hydrogen sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria and produced sulfide salts of heavy metals in identical system (an integrated reduction tank). In the technique disclosed in JP S62-193697 A, heavy-metal containing wastewater, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and nutrient salts for their growth are mixed together. And then, hydrogen sulfide are generated by actions of sulfate-reducing bacteria, at the same time heavy metals as sulfide salts are precipitated. In this system sulfide salts are used as adsorption carriers for proliferation of bacteria.
Generally, wastewater has a variety of contents. As a result, there are few cases where the technique disclosed in JP 2002-210436 A is applicable, that is, where "a first wastewater containing sulfuric acid ions and organics" and "a second wastewater simply containing heavy metals" must be separately and concurrently obtainable. JP 2002-210436 A describes techniques for removal of heavy metals from wastewater, without making consideration of heavy metals in insolubilized sulfide salts that may be valuable resources for collection of pure metals. JP 62-193697A employs sulfide salts of heavy metals as carriers, in no consideration of collecting heavy metals from sulfide salts, as valuable resources containing no impurities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heavy metal collection system and a heavy metal collection method for effective use of substances produced in a wastewater processing to collect heavy metals from wastewater containing heavy metals.


A micro imaging system includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element having negative refractive power; a second lens element having positive refractive power; and a third lens element with negative refractive power having an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. There are a total of three lens elements in the micro imaging system.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a micro imaging system and an imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to a micro imaging system and an imaging apparatus applicable to electronic devices.
Description of Related Art
As camera modules being widely utilized, using cameras to fulfill various needs has become a trend of technological developments. In addition, with rapid developments in medical technology, cameras have become essential components to aid physicians in diagnoses and treatments, especially for applications in the precision instruments or in living organism with only limited space which require higher environmental tolerance. Meanwhile, in order to meet various requirements for applications such as intelligent electronics, medical devices, precision instruments, car devices, recognition devices, entertainment devices, sports devices and intelligent home systems, lens assemblies with various features are hence being developed.
Conventional lens assemblies with a wide view angle are usually equipped with spherical glass lenses and this arrangement is difficult in reducing the size of the lens assemblies and achieving the goal of miniaturization. The view angles of the miniaturized imaging systems that are currently available with high image quality are insufficient to capture wider range images. Therefore, the conventional optical lens has failed to adapt to the current trend in the technological development.

Micro imaging system, imaging apparatus and electronic device


Tertiary amines such as alkyl or benzyl amines are catalytically oxidized by oxygen over an activated carbon catalyst to selectively produce secondary amines.

It is known that certain tertiary amines can be treated with ozone to produce amine oxides and that under some conditions secondary amines are formed. A copending application of Applicant Arnold Hershman, Ser. No. 465,976, filed May 1, 1974, and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,398 concerns a process employing molecular oxygen-containing gas and activated carbon catalyst to remove an acetic acid group from N-phosphonomethylimino diacetic acid.


A piezo-electric switch with a lighted push-button. The piezo switch has a case for mounting the push-button, a piezo element with a hole in it, and a hollow spacer for separating the push-button from the piezo element; the holes in the spacer and piezo element are aligned with each other. Within the case is mounted a light source, where the light source may be positioned within the hole in the spacer, or in the hole in the piezo element, but in either configuration allowing light to shine through the holes to illuminate the push-button.

The prior art is rich with approaches to using piezo electric crystal activated switches. However such switches are typically subject to undesirable thermal influences. In addition they typically are not suited to many applications in which actuation must occur in an environment characterized by either imprecise or moderate motion by an actuator, since the piezo element can accept force changes that occur only over a very small range of motion.


An optical spray paint optimization system can be removably mounted to a spray paint gun, thus enhancing the ability of the user to guide the direction of the spray and also locate the nozzle at an optimum spray distance from the surface being painted. The preferred apparatus uses a diode laser, a beam splitter and a reflecting mirror to generate a reference beam and a gauge beam. The reference beam propagates in a fixed forward direction, but the direction of the gauge beam is adjustable by adjusting the attitude of the reflecting mirror. The reference beam and the gauge beam intersect at a convergence point which can be repositioned to a selected distance from the nozzle of the spray painting system by adjusting the path of the gauge beam, thus allowing the user to spray at the optimum spray distance by locating the convergence point on the surface being painted. The beams also aid in aiming the spray.

Spray paint guns spray paint from a nozzle with compressed air onto a surface being painted. In order to optimize the quality of the finish of the painted surface, it is important that the nozzle not be placed too close to the surface being painted. Placing the nozzle too close to the surface can cause an uneven wet film build as well as runs. It is generally desired that the coat of paint on the surface have uniform thickness at a thickness sufficient for complete coverage of the surface. The quality and uniformity of the paint coverage typically improves as the distance between the spray nozzle and the surface being painted increases.
It is also not desirable that the spray distance between the nozzle and the surface being painted be substantially larger than an optimum spray distance. Letting the spray distance be too large can cause overspray, paint fogging, or otherwise decrease the efficiency of paint transfer onto the surface being painted. Having the nozzle too far from the surface being painted not only increases the number of coats necessary to provide a sufficient wet film build for proper paint coverage, but also increases the cost of complying with environmental regulations. High levels of overspray and fogging increases the amount of volatile organic compounds that can escape from spray painting booths, and also increase the amount of hazardous waste that must be disposed of from spray paint system air filtering systems.
Depending on the type of spray painting system being used (e.g. conventional compressed-air system, electrostatic system, etc.), the type of paint being used, and possibly other factors, the optimum distance between the nozzle and the surface being painted varies. Several manufacturers and others in the industry have published data on what is believed to be the optimum spray distance based on a variety of factors. Even with knowledge of the optimum spray distances under each of the various conditions, it can be difficult for a person using a spray gun to keep the distance between the nozzle and the surface being painted at the optimum spray distance. This is especially difficult for novices.
It is generally believed in the spray paint industry that the optimum spray distance should be such that a fifty--fifty overlap of successive paths of spray paint provide sufficient wet film build for proper paint coverage. For novices and sometimes even experienced spray painters, it is difficult to maintain the proper spray pattern to obtain a concise fifty--fifty overlap, especially while trying to maintain the proper spray distance.

Optical spray paint optimization system and method


A flaw identification circuit receives digitized read data and provides an error output representative of defects in a magnetic storage medium. A uniform data pattern is written on the magnetic storage medium. The flaw identification circuitry uses a precision delay circuit and a linear ramp circuit. The linear ramp circuit generates a linear ramp using the charging of a capacitor with a constant current source. This provides an accurate time base reference. The output of the linear ramp circuit is applied to a flash analog-to-digital converter. The flash analog-to-digital converter is directly triggered by the digitized read data signal. The output of the flash analog-to-digital converter is applied to a maximum comparator and a minimum comparator. If the output value of the analog-to-digital converter falls outside of the maximum and minimum value range, an error is signalled. The error is representative of shifts in the location of edges of data pulses in the digitized read data signal. This corresponds to a defect in the magnetic storage medium.

The present invention relates to identifying flaws in a magnetic storage system. In particular, the present invention relates to identifying flaws by monitoring the location of window edges in a readback signal of a magnetic storage system.
In a magnetic storage system, such as a computer disc drive, digital information is magnetically i0 stored upon the surface of a magnetic disc. The digital information is represented by seleotivelY polarizing the magnetic field of consecutive areas across the surface of the rotating magnetic disc. When this information is read back from the storage disc, the magnetic polarization of the medium is sensed and converted into an electrical output signal. This reading and writing operation is through a magnetic read/write head which is suspended over the surface of the rotating disc and which provides a raw data signal. The raw data signal is representative of relative strength of the magnetic flux density present on the magnetic disc. It is highly desirable to provide the highest level of information storage density possible for a given magnetic storage system. Unfortunately, increased storage density leads to significant noise levels in the raw data signal.
The raw data signal comprises a series of data "peaks" whose location is used to represent digital information. With high data storage densities, the precise location of a data peak becomes critical because adjacent data peaks are spaced very close together. If a data peak is shifted slightly in time, incorrect information may be read back. This causes a bit shift error in the digital data signal.
Flaws in the magnetic storage medium may induce shifts in the edges of the data peaks. Severe shifts may result in errors during readback of magnetically encoded information. When manufacturing a disc drive system, it is critical that the manufacturer be able to measure bit shift for a given head/disc combination at the desired storage density. This measurement is used to certify the storage system, guaranteeing a maximum error rate at the specified data storage density. Furthermore, if a magnetic storage medium has a small number of localized flaws, it is possible to map out the defective areas on the surface. of the storage medium. Typically, a map is generated during manufacture of the storage system. The map is stored in a disc controller. During operation, the map is used to identify flawed sectors in the disc surface. The flawed disc sectors are not used for information storage.
A simple and accurate method and apparatus for locating flaws in the surface of magnetic storage media would be a significant contribution to the art.

Method and apparatus for detection and identification of flaws in a magnetic medium by measuring the width of pulses stored on the medium


A method for operating an ignition system for an internal combustion engine, including a first voltage generator and a bypass, is described. The bypass may include, for example, a boost converter for maintaining a spark generated with the aid of the first voltage generator. A speed of an internal combustion engine used with the ignition system is ascertained and the operating mode of the bypass is modified in response to the speed change.

Ignition systems for internal combustion engines are known to be based on a high voltage generator, with the aid of which energy originating from the vehicle battery is converted into high voltages, which are applied at a spark gap in order to ignite a combustible mixture in the internal combustion engine. In this process, a current flowing through the step-up transformer is abruptly interrupted, whereupon the energy stored in the magnetic field of the step-up transformer discharges in the form of a spark. Once the stored energy is discharged, the ignition spark is extinguished. Ignition systems are also known in the related art, in which the first voltage generator ("primary voltage generator") is supplemented by a second voltage generator ("secondary voltage generator"), with the aid of which an existing ignition spark is supplied with electrical energy and may therefore be maintained independently of the stored energy quantity. A system of this type is known, for example, from the related art. Due to the discharge characteristics of the high voltage generator, a current flows, in particular, at the start of the spark discharge, that is so high that the electrodes of the spark gap become eroded. In the process, a spark duration prolonged with the aid of the secondary voltage generator increases erosion.

Ignition system and method for operating an ignition system for an internal combustion engine


A display apparatus may comprise a display section and circuitry. The display section may comprise a plurality of display units arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein each of the display units comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and each of the plurality pixels comprises a plurality of light-emitting devices that are each configured to emit a different color of light. The circuitry may be configured to generate a corrected image signal based on an uncorrected image signal and correction factors that correct luminance and chromaticity of the light-emitting devices, including at least some correction factors determined by adjusting light emission intensity ratios of first light-emitting devices that are configured to emit light of a particular color and are disposed in different ones of the plurality of pixels.

For example, as display apparatuses using three primary colors such as R (red), G (green), and B (blue), LED displays using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been developed. The LED displays have high luminance and high color purity. The LED displays utilizing characteristics of an LED light source as a point light source are frequently used as indoor and outdoor large displays. Most of the LED displays make it possible to form a seamless large display by combining and arranging some independent modules (by so-called tiling).
In the LEDs, variation in wavelength or color purity occurs due to variation during manufacturing. Typically, most of red LEDs are made of an AlGaInP-based compound semiconductor crystal, and most of blue and green LEDs are made of an AlGaInN-based compound semiconductor crystal. There are various causes of the wavelength variation such as the crystal orientation, composition, thickness, and arrangement of a mixed crystal during crystal growth, and processing accuracy. Since nonuniformity is easily increased in an AlGaInN-based mixed crystal, the wavelength variation easily occurs specifically in the blue and green LEDs.
When LEDs that vary in wavelength and chromaticity are provided in respective pixels, it may be difficult to match colors of the respective pixels, thereby causing degradation in image quality such as rough display, the occurrence of color unevenness in a display screen, a difference in color between tiled units, and difficulty in displaying an exact color.
Accordingly, there is disclosed a technology for measuring variation (characteristics) in wavelengths of respective LEDs of R, G, and B between pixels to correct luminance and chromaticity (for example, refer to PTL 1).

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation


A connection between a shaft and a component such as a gear, fan impeller, rank arm, etc, wherein the shaft is provided with axially spaced abutments to sandwich the component against axial displacement along the shaft surface. At least one of the shaft abutments is acutely angled to the shaft axis so that the abutments cooperatively form a wedge-containment system; the component material between the spaced abutments is wedged against rotation around the shaft.

This invention relates to improved low cost means for mechanically securing a shaft to a component so that the shaft and component are prevented from relative movement in the rotational and axial directions. The connection means is designed for employment either at the end of a shaft or at an intermediate point along the shaft length. Certain embodiments of the invention are designed to minimize shaft machining operations and resultant reduction in shaft cross section or shaft strength. The primary concept of the invention is to provide the mechanical component with at least one external planar face that is acutely angled to the axis of a circular bore extending through the component; the shaft extends through the circular bore and has an abutment means thereon in facial engagement with the acutely angled planar face to prevent relative rotational movement between the mechanical component and the shaft. The invention is usable in various different situations in which it is desired to fixedly mount a component on a rotary shaft, as for example in centrifugal pumps, fans, motors, crank arms or handles.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


The output driver includes a plurality of transistor devices connected to an output line. A separate flash-programmable element is connected to each of the plurality of transistor devices. Each of the separate flash elements receives the data signal along an input line and outputs the data signal if the flash cell is enabled (or not programmed) and outputs a constant voltage level, regardless of the data signal, if the flash element is not enabled. Hence, only those output transistors connected to flash elements that have been enabled are triggered by the output signal. Other transistors merely receive a constant voltage and are, therefore, not triggered regardless of the output signal. By enabling only a few of the transistors, a current slew rate of current drawn through the transistors is reduced, thereby reducing overall voltage noise levels, although at the expense of slower signal throughput. By enabling all or most transistors, the current slew rate is increased, thereby resulting in greater voltage noise, but also achieving faster signal throughput. The various flash-programmable elements of the output drivers of the integrated circuit chip are programmed after fabrication of the chip based upon the voltage noise constraints of the specific environment of the chip, including the clock rate, form factor, packaging and type of peripheral devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to integrated circuits (ICs) and in particular to techniques for limiting the current slew rate of output drivers of an IC.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical ICs include a set of output drivers for driving signals provided by internal circuitry of the IC through output pads onto output transmission lines, which may be individual lines of an output bus. A typical output driver includes one or more transistors connected to a high voltage power supply and ground. Gates of the transistors are connected to internal lines providing the signals to be output. Often, the output transistors are connected in "complementary" pairs, with each pair having a PMOS transistor and NMOS transistor. An output of the driver appears on interconnected drains of the NMOS and PMOS transistors.
In use, a signal to be output is simultaneously applied to the gates of each of the PMOS transistors and each of the NMOS transistors. Outputs from the transistors are combined onto the single output line. To provide sufficient power for pulling up or pulling down the output line, which may be subject to a large external load, the output driver is typically provided with fairly large transistors connected to a power supply providing a significant amount of charge. Accordingly, when the input signal is applied to the gates of transistors, a significant current is quickly conducted through the transistors. Noise in the output signal, however, is directly proportional to the time rate of change of current herein also referred to as the current "slew" rate. Accordingly, the faster the current increases from near 0 to an amount required for driving the output signal, the greater the noise in the output signal. Even greater noise occurs when the output signal is driven from high to low voltage. In this context, "noise" represents any deviation in the intended voltage of the output signal. If the deviation is significant, it may be difficult or impossible for an external device connected to the output line to properly receive the intended signal.
FIG. 1 illustrates the time rate of change of current drawn through the output transistors of such a conventional output driver. As can be seen, the current increases steeply than decreases steeply, resulting in a current spike 10, causing significant noise.
FIG. 2 illustrates a transition in an intended output signal 12 and an actual signal 14, subject to significant voltage noise. As can be seen, the output voltage varies or oscillates significantly, before being dampened. Large voltage swings, such as identified by reference 16, may be erroneously detected as a further transition in the output signal.
In practical systems, noise of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 occurs only if a large number of high-drive output drivers are triggered simultaneously causing a significant change in the total power supply current with respect to time. Accordingly, to avoid noise problems, many systems are merely configured to trigger only a certain maximum number of output drivers simultaneously, to thereby lower the overall time rate of change of current drawn from the power source and to thereby limit the amount of noise. For state of the art integrated circuits, however, it is frequently necessary to trigger a large number of output drivers simultaneously for use in, for example, driving a 32-bit bus at a high dock rate. Accordingly, techniques have been developed for reducing the current slew rate within at least some of the output drivers to allow a large number of the drivers to be triggered simultaneously while generating an acceptable amount of voltage noise.
FIG. 3 illustrates the PMOS components of a conventional output driver configured to reduce the current slew rate. Output driver 20 includes a set of three separate output transistors 22, 24 and 26 interconnected to a set of three staggered inverters 28, 30 and 32. An input line 34 is connected into inputs of each of the inverters. An output of inverter 28 enables inverter 30. Likewise, an output of inverter 30 enables inverter 32. Accordingly, the three inverters output three versions of the input signal (inverted) with each being delayed or advanced with respect to the others.
The outputs of the three inverters are connected to the gates of transistors 22 through 26, respectively, such that three transistors are triggered at slightly different times. More specifically, transistor 26 is triggered first, then transistor 24, and finally transistor 22. By triggering the output transistors at slightly different times, the total time rate of change of current caused by activation of the output transistors is decreased, thus yielding lower voltage noise.
Although not shown, output driver 20 also includes a set of NMOS transistors and a set of corresponding staggered inverters, interconnected as a mirror image of the components shown in FIG. 2. Also, although not separately shown, each of transistors 22, 24 and 26 may represent an entire set of transistors. In other words, a set of, for example, four or five output transistors may be connected to the outputs of each of the inverters. Such may be required if the individual transistors are fairly small in size. In a practical system, only some of the output drivers are configured as shown in FIG. 2. Other output drivers, particularly those transmitting critical signals, are configured conventionally. Such allows the critical signals to be transmitted promptly, while only the less critical signals are delayed somewhat by transmission through a set of staggered inverters.
The configuration of FIG. 2 succeeds in reducing the current slew rate caused by signals transmitted therethrough. However, one disadvantage of the arrangement of FIG. 3, is that the slew rate, once set, cannot be modified. In other words, during design of an IC incorporating the output driver of FIG. 3, the sizes and characteristics of the inverters and transistors must be determined. Often, however, it is not known during the design stage what the slew rate should be set to. For example, the speed of operation of components within integrated circuit are highly dependent upon temperature. Accordingly, if an IC is to be used in a low temperature environment, the output drivers will switch faster, resulting in higher noise. However, during the design stage, it may not be known whether the IC is to be used in a low temperature environment or not. Also, it is often not known what peripheral components the IC will be used in connection with. The peripheral components may affect the external load applied to the output buffers, and thereby affect the amount of voltage noise occurring for a given current slew rate. Also, ICs fabricated in accordance with a single design may be operated at different clock rates. For those with slow clock rates, less 20 voltage noise is generated than ICs employed with higher clock rates. The amount of voltage noise may also depend upon the packaging of the IC or upon its form factor.
Because the environment, clock rate, packaging or form factor of an IC may not be known in advance, a system designer must "guess" or otherwise predict what amount of current slew rate reduction is required and design the IC accordingly. The designer must also allow for a sufficient noise margin in the event that the current slew rate reduction is not sufficient. Such can result in an overall IC configured to perform at a clock rate less than would otherwise be desired.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for controlling current slew rate within an output driver wherein the current slew rate can be set or modified subsequent to wafer fabrication, and perhaps subsequent to packaging of the wafer in an IC and it is to that end that the aspects of the present invention are drawn.

Method and apparatus for limiting the slew rate of output drivers of an integrated circuit by using programmable flash cells


Aqueous streams are purified by use of ozone in one or more purification zones wherein the ozone is drawn from one purification zone to another by use of one or more eductors in each purification zone.

A substantial number of aqueous streams must be treated to meet governmental laws and regulations to certify them for drinking purposes or for release into the environment. Non-limiting examples of such aqueous streams include: those emanating from municipal water supplies; those waste water streams resulting from various chemical, petrochemical, and refining processes; and, those resulting from various other industries such as the pulp and paper industry. Contaminated ground water streams must also be treated depending on their intended use. Such aqueous streams typically contain one or more impurity, such as suspended matter, dissolved organic constituents, dissolved mineral matter, and microorganisms. The pulp and paper industry is faced with an additional problem of having to reduce color from its waste water streams. The color, which usually develops when wood is pulped, is derived primarily from the non-carbohydrate constituents of the wood, such as lignin. Lignin and certain extraneous components contain sites that can, under certain conditions, be readily converted to colored (chromophoric) groups. These constituents are generally chlorinated organic compounds which vary in molecular weight. The chlorinated lignins are typically high molecular weight molecules that tend to be stable against biodegradation. Therefore, it is desirable to break these high molecular species into smaller components which will be more susceptible to biodegradation.
Various methods have been developed over the years for purifying aqueous streams, including methods for removing or destroying color components. Early methods of treatment involved the use of aeration with a gas having a relatively high oxygen content, over a period of several days, to biodegrade various bacterial and organic substances. This typically resulted in the waste stream being environmentally safe except for the presence of color components which are not easily destroyed by aeration. Before the introduction of strict environmental laws and regulations, such streams, after aeration, could merely be fed into a moving river or stream, where their color would be diluted. The drought and resultant low flow conditions of receiving streams in the United States in the 1980's has caused increased concern about the environmental impact such colored waste streams have when released into rivers, streams, etc. Consequently, there is a substantial need to further purify these streams to a greater degree, at reasonable cost, so they will have little, if any, negative impact when released into the environment.
Other conventional methods for purifying aqueous streams include the addition of lime, activated carbon, or both, to precipitate, and adsorb colored bodies. In the case of lime, the resulting precipitate is typically gelatinous in nature, low in solids, difficult to separate, and is extremely resistant to dewatering by accepted methods. This presents a disposal problem of its own. Furthermore, much of the lime is lost during the process, adding greatly to the economics of the process itself. Activated carbon, which removes color components by adsorption, has also been used, but has proved to be uneconomical. That is, like the use of lime, the use of activated carbon results in the disadvantages of high cost and the continuous need for solids disposal or regeneration of reactant.
Still other conventional methods for treating waste water streams include the use of oxidizing agents, including oxygen, ozone, air, peroxides, permanganates, chromates, metal oxides, mineral acids, and organic oxidizing agents, such as peracetic acid. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,374 teaches the use of ozone to reduce the molecular weight of the lignins to less than about 10,000, thereby reducing its color intensity. These lower molecular weight species are also more susceptible to biodegradation because they are more easily digested by microorganisms. In fact, ozone is becoming the oxidizer of choice for purifying these streams.
While the above methods have met with various degrees of success in clarifying waste water streams which contain color bodies, there still remains a need in the art for ever more efficient processes for clarifying such streams.


A combination of a carrier block and gripper block is disclosed. The gripper block includes a first side and a second side spaced apart from the first side, and an upper surface spanning the distance between the first side and the second side. The upper surface includes a gripping surface. The gripper block includes at least one recess positioned in at least one of the first side and the second side of the gripper block, the at least one recess including an engagement surface. A retention device includes a retention feature proximate the first end and extending laterally away from a longitudinal axis of the retention device. The carrier block includes at least one retention recess disposed at least partially through the carrier block, the at least one retention recess being configured to receive a second end of the retention device.

The present invention relates to gripper blocks and carrier blocks that are coupled to an apparatus that conveys tubing into a bore. For example, embodiments of the disclosed gripper blocks and carrier blocks are suitable for use with coiled tubing injection equipment for use in the oil and gas industry.
Coiled tubing has been used for many years to conduct various interventions within a bore, pipe, or pipeline, including drilling, completions, inspections, and other interventions. Coiled tubing apparatus includes a reel of tubing that is withdrawn or returned from the reel via an injector. The injector typically use a pair of opposed endless/infinite (i.e., looped) gripper chains mounted in a common plane. Coupled to the chains are a series of carrier blocks, to which are coupled replaceable gripper blocks. The opposing gripper blocks are configured to grasp the tubing and apply sufficient force to inject or retract the tubing from a bore as the gripper block/carrier block combination move in a loop via the gripper chains.
Various types of gripper blocks have been used over the years. One of the most common types includes a gripper block with a dovetail feature on its lower surface. The dovetail of the gripper block is configured to be slid into a complementary dovetail feature on an upper surface of the carrier block. This provides the ability to replace the gripper blocks relatively easily.
The dovetail connection, however, has several deficiencies. There needs to be sufficient clearance between the dovetail features of the gripper block and the complementary dovetail features of the carrier block to permit a user to slide the gripper block relative to the carrier block to couple/decouple the gripper block from the carrier block. This clearance, however, may permit movement of the gripper block relative to the carrier block during use.
This relative movement may have been tolerable with smaller tubing sizes. The industry, however, frequently is using larger diameter tubing (e.g., tubing greater than 2.625 inches/66.7 millimeter diameter) during operations than it has in the past. This larger diameter tubing imposes relatively greater forces on the gripper block and, consequently, the dovetail connection. Thus, the larger forces imposed by the larger diameter tubing may displace the gripper block from its aligned position relative to the carrier block and adjacent gripper blocks. This misaligned gripper block, then, could cause the misapplication or force and/or increased force to be applied to the tubing and/or the gripper block and/or the carrier block. Consequently, the misapplied and/or increased forces may risk binding the tubing and/or damaging the tubing, the gripper block, and the injector apparatus. For example, the narrow end portions of the dovetails act as a stress concentrator and pose a risk of breaking when the gripper block becomes misaligned relative to the carrier block.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved gripper block and carrier block assembly that provides easier assembly, tighter tolerances, and less relative movement between the gripper block and the carrier block during use. In addition, there is a need for an improved gripper block and carrier block that is capable of withstanding the larger forces encountered during use with larger diameter tubing.

Carrier block and gripper block for coiled tubing assembly


A wirelessly powered flexible tag configured to be in contact with a substrate is provided. The tag includes a coupling layer configured to couple the tag to the substrate. An electrical circuit disposed on the coupling layer and configured to interact wirelessly with an external stimulus. The tag further includes at least one electrode or at least one heating element in operative association with the electrical circuit, and configured to generate electrical energy or thermal energy, respectively. Upon wireless interaction with the external stimulus the tag is configured to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in the substrate.

The invention relates generally to a wirelessly powered flexible tag (WPFT). Upon interaction with an external stimulus, the WPFT is configured to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in a substrate.
Although reflective power technology, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, has become commonplace in modern-day society, current devices serve only a very limited purpose. For example, today the most common RFID tags are "passive" devices, that is, devices configured to receive a very small amount of energy, and transmit a response signal to a readout device. These types of passive RFID tags are analogous to barcodes. Even more advanced "active" RFID tags (e.g. RFID tags that possess their own internal power source) still only function as sensor/readout devices. Although active RFID tags have been used as sensors (e.g. temperature sensors, humidity sensors, shock/vibration sensors, light sensors, and radiation sensors) none of the energy induced or generated by the RFID tag is used to do any work or enable any change or response in the substrate to which the active RFID tag is affixed.


A new process and apparatus for producing carbon black is provided and unique reactor with separate carbon black forming reaction zones is described. The process utilizes such a reactor is to give unique carbon blacks which give rise to low hysteresis loss and good wear where used in rubber compounds for reinforcement and particularly in rubber tires.

In recent years, there has been a worldwide demand to improve the fuel efficiency of automobiles in order to conserve the world's limited supply of petroleum based hydrocarbons.
Studies have indicated that a relatively large amount of the energy consumed by an automobile is used to overcome the rolling resistance of its tires, caused by hysteresis losses in the tire tread compounds. Therefore, automobile manufacturers have put rigid specifications on original equipment tires to reduce rolling loss by hysteresis, while maintaining treadwear resistance, traction, and handling characteristics. As these specifications become more and more demanding, the tire suppliers have asked their suppliers of polymers and carbon black, the two largest components in tires, to assist them by producing materials that will decrease hysteresis losses in tire tread compounds.
Carbon black producers have been active in trying to develop new grades of carbon black that impart good treadwear properties with decreased hysteresis properties, while maintaining satisfactory traction and handling characteristics. It has been found that changing the balance between treadwear and hysteresis properties of carbon black is very difficult to achieve by conventional manufacturing methods. In general, decreases in hysteresis values are accompanied by decreases in treadwear resistance, and vice versa.
In a carbon black reactor with a linear flow pattern (see FIG. 1), it is customary to inject carbon black feedstock oil through multiple hydraulic spray nozzles into a hot combustion gas stream emanating from a combustion zone located upstream of the carbon black feedstock oil injection point. It is further customary to inject the atomized carbon black feedstock oil radially inwardly and/or outwardly at essentially a right angle to the direction of flow of the hot combustion gas stream, in order to disperse the feedstock oil uniformly into the hot combustion gas stream. The total flow of carbon black feedstock oil is metered as a single stream even through this stream is subdivided into multiple streams for injection into the hot combustion gas stream.
Patently the foregoing techniques utilizing the reactors currently employed do not provide carbon black products with the afore-described desideratums.

Apparatus for producing improved carbon blacks


Portable tractor, trailer apparatus for shredding varieties of materials, including asphalt, concrete, wood, demolition and landfill debris. A fifth-wheel mounted trailer includes a collection hopper having a hydraulically driven end-wall which directs materials into a cutter-head. The cutter head is indirectly driven by a pair of hydraulic drive motors, transfer belts and tensioned pulleys. A pivoting floor section includes a number of spaced apart rakers determines the size of exhausted particulates. The cutter-head includes teeth which clear an axle space at each sidewall and teeth which distribute materials across the width of the head. The head is removable via sidewall channels provided in the support framework.

The present invention relates to a shredding apparatus and, in particular, to a trailerable assembly for size reducing varieties of materials fed into the assembly.
Varieties of shredding devices including multi-toothed rotary drums have been developed. Some of these assemblies have found application in road construction for grinding away asphalt or concrete road surfaces. Typically such assemblies provide one or more cutter-heads which are biased into contact with a road surface to eat away the surface.
Applicant is also aware of some assemblies which are remotely located and fed with debris that is transported to the grinder. These latter assemblies are extremely costly and find principle application only for very large construction/demolition projects.
Otherwise, applicant is aware of a transportable assembly which includes means for alternatively grinding debris or selectively compacting debris fed into a debris hopper. Power is obtained via an on-board engine and interconnected drive belt system that extends the length of the assembly. Although transportable, this assembly is very costly and due to the arrangement of components, very difficult to maintain and service in the event of jamming.
In distinction to the foregoing devices, applicant has developed an assembly which is readily transported with a conventional fifth-wheel transport tractor and which is easily maintained, serviced and cleared in the event of jams. The assembly is powered from a detached hydraulic pump at the transport tractor or an engine powered pump separately coupled to the assembly.


The invention concerns a drafting head for a drafting machine, with a gring member (4) having several actuating elements (6, 8, 10) arranged on the gripping member (4) and capable of being actuated by a hand of the user that is resting on the gripping member (4) for the purpose of executing various switching statuses, as for example, disengaging, free- (unrestricted) switching, secured braking (locking) of the normal side, respectively for releasing the locking of the normal side of the drafting head (1). Provided here is at least one actuating element (6, 8) for disengaging and/or free-switching of the normal side of the drafting head (1), and one actuating element (10) for locking the normal side of the drafting head (1). Actuating element (10) for locking is arranged on the gripping member (4) such that it rests against the inner surface of the ball of the thumb of the user hand resting on the gripping member (4). Preferably the actuating element (6, 8) for disengaging and/or free-switching can be disposed within the gripping range of the user hand resting on the gripping member (4).

A drafting head of this type is, for example, known from German Reference in which disposed laterally on the gripping member are two actuating elements, namely pushbuttons, and upon actuation are displaceable approximately parallel to the drawing plane for setting the different switching statuses of the drafting head. With the first actuating element, the normal side of the drafting head can be disengaged and can free-switch over into an over stroke position. With the other actuating element, the normal side of the drafting head can be firmly locked in the actual position. In the case of known type drafting heads, the actuating elements are arranged such that they can be actuated by the tips of the fingers of a user hand resting on the gripping member. Usually, the actuating elements are actuated with the thumb, while the other fingers are used for firmly holding the gripping member and for rotating the drafting head. After disengaging or free-switching the normal side of the drafting head, often occurring during use is that the drafting head is rotated by the user hand that is resting on the gripping member, and firmly holding onto this latter, into a position in which the thumb and also the other fingers no longer find themselves within reach of the second actuating element for locking the normal side of the drafting head. Now, in order that the actuating element for locking be capable of being actuated by the fingers, preferably the thumb, of the hand of the user resting on the gripping member, their position relative to the gripping member must be changed, which is possible only by pivoting or rotating the hand of the user relative to the gripping member, or even by completely letting go of the gripping member and shifting the user's hand. This leads not only to a troublesome manipulation of the drafting head when locking but also frequently to the drafting head being displaced out of the previously-attained working position by the movement of the user's hand. It is indeed also conceivable, in place of the hand resting on the gripping member, to use the other hand for actuation of the actuating element for locking; however, this method of proceeding is likewise really troublesome, since usually the other hand is holding the drafting stylus which, before operating the actuating element for locking, must then first be laid aside.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to further develop a drafting head of the initially-mentioned type such that for locking used will be the user hand that is resting on the gripping member, without its position relative to the gripping member needing to be changed.
This objective, in the case of the drafting head of the initially mentioned type, is satisfied in accordance with the invention by the fact that the actuating element for locking is arranged on the gripping member such that it lies against the inner surface of the ball of the thumb of the user hand resting on the gripping member. Preferably, the actuating element for disengaging and/or free-switching is disposed within the gripping range of the user hand resting on the gripping member.
The advantage of the invention lies particularly in the fact that the drafting head can be switched by the user hand resting on the gripping member into a disengaging of free-switching status, and maintained in this condition, while the actuating element for locking can simultaneously be actuated with the ball of the thumb of the user hand resting on the gripping member and, in this manner, the drafting head can be locked in the actual position set after releasing, without the position of the user hand relative to the gripping member having to be changed, or even having to use the other hand. This is achieved in accordance with the invention by the fact that the actuating element for locking continually--therefore also when rotating the drafting head--rests against the inner surface of the ball of the thumb of the user hand resting on the gripping member. Disengaging and/or free-switching, as well as locking of the normal side of the drafting head can, therefore, be executed only by the hand of the user that is resting on the gripping member, thereby, for locking, the hand of the user does not need to be pivoted relative to the gripping member nor removed therefrom.
Preferably, the actuating element for disengaging and/or free-switching is coupled with the actuating element for locking in such manner that when free-switching the normal side of the drafting head a previously-set locking is released.
According to a particularly preferred form of embodiment of the invention, the actuating element for locking is disposed on the gripping member such that its actuation can be accomplished by means of an actuating force acting perpendicularly to the drawing plane, and in so doing, the actuating element can move toward the drawing plane. This form of embodiment of the invention has the advantage that when actuating the actuating element for locking, no force components that could displace the drawing head are active parallel to the drawing plane. By applying the actuating force perpendicularly to the drawing plane, the drafting head remains in the previously set working position.
The actuating element for locking is preferably constructed as a pivot lever that is pivotable about a pivoting axis running parallel to the drawing plane. In order to realize an ergonimically-favorable maneuverability, this actuating element has at the free end of the pivot lever a thickened section that is partially drawn over the bulge of the gripping member and that rests in large-surface fashion against the inner surface of the user hand resting on the gripping member.
Another preferred form of embodiment of the invention is characterized by the fact that, for disengaging and/or free-switching the normal side of the drafting head, there are disposed opposite to one another a first and a second actuating element, and displaying an opposingly-aligned actuating path, and that a first switching status can be set only with simultaneous actuation of both actuating elements. The advantages of this design lie particularly in the fact that there are provided on the gripping member two actuating elements with a counter-running path of movement and that for setting a first switching status both actuating elements are actuated simultaneously--and oppositely to one another--so that the actuating forces acting opposingly on the drafting head are removed. A displacement of the drafting head is reliably prevented in this manner.
In order to be able to set still other switching statuses with the first and the second actuating element, preferably produced is a second switching status by actuation of the first and/or of the second actuating element.
Particularly preferred, one of the switching statuses can also be adjusted by setting the first and second actuating element commonly into an over stroke position, so that this switching status can also be set without the one-sided reaction of the actuating forces.
Preferably, in the first switching status, the normal side of the drafting head is freely switched, so that the normal side is freely rotatable without engaging into the notch positions. This first switching status is set by simultaneous actuation of the first and of the second switching elements. As a second switching status, by actuating the first or the second actuating element, the normal side of the drafting head can be released from a notched position.
The first and the second actuating elements are preferably constructed as rocker keys that pivot over a small pivoting angle about pivot pins that are attached to the gripping member at a predetermined distance from the base plate.
All actuating elements are preferably biased in their at-rest position by means of springs, so that after actuation they can again assume their initial position.
According to a particularly preferred form of embodiment of the invention, the gripping member is constructed as an oblong bulge whose height perpendicularly relative to the drawing plane is greater than its width parallel to the drawing plane. The bulge-shaped gripping member preferably has, transversely to its longitudinal direction, a cross section having approximately the form of a U- or V-profile, with the base of the U- or V-profile being directed upwardly and capable of being gripped about by the palm of the user's hand. In the longitudinal direction of the oblong bulge, the gripping member has approximately the form of a segment of a circular disk. The upwardly-pointing contour of the bulge, in its longitudinal direction, is approximately circularly curved up to the base plate of the drafting head.
Advantageous further developments of the invention are characterized by the features of the subclaims.

Franz Kuhlmann Prazisions-Mechanic und Mashinenbau GmbH & Co. K.G.


Disclosed are methods of making polymeric swords and sparring instruments having improved mechanical properties. In one embodiment, a method of making a polymeric sword includes centering a flexible support member on either a first half of a sword mold or on a second half of the sword mold; pouring a polymer mixture into the first half the sword mold and into the second half of the sword mold and closing the sword mold by clasping the first half of the sword mold to the second half of the sword mold; heating the sword mold comprising the polymer mixture in a heating apparatus; and removing the polymeric sword from the sword mold.

The recent rise in the popularity of the fantasy genre in literary works, television, and films have brought about an attendant rise in the demand for weaponry seen in such works. These types of weaponry are often carried by fans of the genre to gatherings such as renaissance faires (RenFaires), comic conventions (ComicCons), or costume play (CosPlay) events. The most popular form of such weaponry involve bladed instruments such as longswords, broadswords, and sabers. Since public venues and events often ban steel or other metallic weaponry for public safety concerns, a popular alternative is to choose swords made of polymeric materials such as polyethylene (PE) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). However such swords often lack the look and feel of their authentic counterparts and are prone to tears, bends, or breaks.
Moreover, enthusiasts of combat sports such as fencing, wushu, and kendo are frequently in need of practice instruments that can mimic the weight and durability of real swords. While polymeric swords offer a safer surrogate to metallic instruments, most polymeric swords sold in the market today bend or break upon repeated impact. In addition, wielding such polymeric swords often leaves much to be desired as the weight of these swords tend to belie their decorative authenticity. Therefore, there is a need for a polymeric sword that can withstand the rigors of actual sword play but still offer the look and feel of a metallic arm.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of manufacturing a sword or sparring instrument


Quantum-well sensing arrays for detecting radiation with two or more wavelengths. Each pixel includes at least two different quantum-well sensing stacks that are biased at a common voltage.

Quantum-well semiconductor devices can be configured to detect radiation with improved performance compared to many other types of radiation detectors. Unique properties of the quantum-well structures allow for a high quantum efficiency, a low dark current, compact size and other advantages.
In particular, various quantum-well structures can be formed by artificially varying the compositions of lattice matched semiconductor materials to cover a wide range of wavelengths in infrared ("IR") detection and sensing. An intraband transition, that is, photoexcitation of a carrier (i.e., an electron or a hole) between a ground state and an excited state in the same band (i.e., a conduction band or a valance band), can be advantageously used to detect radiation with a high responsivity in the IR range at a selected wavelength by using a proper quantum-well structure biased at a proper voltage. For example, the absorption wavelength of a quantum-well structure formed of Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As/GaAs can be changed by altering the molar ratio x (0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1) of aluminum or the thickness of GaAs layer. Other materials for infrared detection include Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te and Pb.sub.1-x Sn.sub.x Te. See, for example, Gunapala and Bandara, "Recent Developments in Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetectors," Physics of Thin Films, Vol. 21, pp. 113-237, Academic Press (1995) and a commonly assigned pending Application Ser. No. 08/785,350 filed on Jan. 17, 1997, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Infrared sensing arrays formed of quantum-well structures are desirable due to their applications in night vision, navigation, flight control, environmental monitoring (e.g., pollutants in atmosphere) and other fields. Many conventional infrared arrays respond to radiation only in a specified wavelength range, such as a short-wavelength infrared range ("SMIR") from about 1 to about 3 .mu.m, a mid-wavelength infrared range ("MWIR") from about 3 to about 5 .mu.m, a long-wavelength infrared range ("LWIR") from about 8 to about 12 .mu.m, or a very-long-wavelength infrared range ("VLWIR") that is greater than about 12 .mu.m. All sensing pixels in a quantum-well sensing array operating at a specified radiation wavelength are biased at a predetermined voltage. A readout multiplexer having an array of readout pixels corresponding to sensing pixels is usually used to supply this common bias voltage and to read out the signals from the sensing pixels.
A sensing array may have sensing pixels that each include a MWIR detector and a LWIR detector to form a dual-band array. Hence, simultaneous detection of radiation signals can be achieved at two different IR ranges in the same array.
Several dual-color single-element quantum-well detectors have been proposed. Two quantum-well detectors for two different wavelengths can be stacked together to form a single detector for detecting two radiation at two different wavelengths. See, for example, Tidow et al., "A High Strain Two-Stack Two-Color Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 70, pp. 859-861 (1997) and a commonly assigned pending Application Ser. No. 08/928,292 filed on Sep. 12, 1997, which are incorporated herein by reference. Two different voltages are supplied to the detector to provide proper bias to different quantum-well detectors for substantially optimized responsivities. U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,603 to Stokes discloses a three-color quantum-well sensing array that requires two bias voltages for each sensing pixel.
This requirement of two different bias voltages presents a difficulty in forming a dual-band sensing array. A sensing array requires a multiplexer for readout but most commercial readout multiplexers can only provide a single bias voltage to the sensing pixels. It may be possible to design a special readout multiplexer capable of supplying two voltages. However, this increases the cost of the device. In addition, the need of two voltages complicates the circuitry.

Dual-band quantum-well infrared sensing array having commonly biased contact layers