The present disclosure describes techniques evaluating compute and/or thermal loads (among other things) to aid in managing a collection of one or more containerized or modular data centers. For example, forecasts (or real-time measurements) of environmental factors (as well as projected computing demands) may be used to tailor the compute loads, cooling strategies or other metric of data center operations for a network of containerized or modular data centers. Doing so allows an operator of such a data center network to manage specific operational goals in real time.

Computer hardware manufacturers often differentiate products based on what features are supported or provided by a given system. For example, a networking vendor could offer a series of networking switches with different capabilities for routing or managing network traffic. In such a case, the number of active switch ports may specified in a licensing agreement with the end user. Similarly, what quality-of-service, security or traffic shaping features are enabled in such a networking device may depend on what model an end user purchases. Similarly still, for rack mounted server systems, the number of systems supported by a chassis may depend what model an end user purchases. As one additional example, the features enabled for an appliance or other turn-key system may be varied based the features a user is willing to pay for.
At the same time, in each of these examples, the underlying computing hardware may be virtually (if not completely) identical. Doing so frequently allows the hardware manufacturer to lower manufacturing costs. In such cases, the hardware vendor may use software or firmware to enable and disable different features of a given computing device. For example, a BIOS, operating system or application software installed on the computing device may be used to configure different versions or models of the underlying platform. However, this approach leaves a computing device vulnerable to so-called "upgrade attacks," where an end user enables dormant capabilities of a computing device by modifying the software used to configure that device. Several cases have occurred where BIOS and OS level code has been modified to circumvent licensing and/or authentication checks done in software. These modifications result in counterfeit, illegally upgraded or otherwise maliciously modified hardware or software being injected into the market.
Further, in some cases the modifications have been made not by an ultimate end-user, but by a channel partner reselling computing devices to end-users. For example, consider two versions of a given networking system, one which sells for $10,000.00 and one which sells for $2,000.00. Assume a reseller modifies one of the $2,000 systems to enable the features of the $10,000.00 system and then sells it to an unsuspecting customer for $7,000.
Not only does such a transaction cost the hardware manufacture substantial revenue, it creates a variety of other problems. For example, the manufacturer may deny the purchaser with the support provided to legitimate purchases of the more expensive system. Similarly, should the system fail, the end-user would likely be denied warranty protection when the unauthorized modification came to light. Thus, these attacks can have a significant impact both directly on the hardware manufacturer's bottom line through direct revenue loss, but also through loss of brand value.

Method and apparatus for securing CPUS booted using attached flash memory devices


A replicate can be secured to a blister package intended to contain articles, such as pills, and is used to record the removal of individual articles from the blisters. To remove an article from a blister one will usually press against the blister to push the article through a frangible closure seal, breaking the seal in the process. The replicate includes a backing sheet which carries a plurality of traces alignable with corresponding blisters so that when the article is removed from the blister it will not only break the seal but it will also break the corresponding trace. All of the traces are connected to an integrated circuit which may also be formed or provided on the backing sheet, as is a power source for the integrated circuit. The breaking of the trace is an event that is recorded in the integrated circuit for later accessability. The replicate may be secured to the blister package after the package has been produced by conventional form-fill-seal equipment. The individual traces can be formed into a grid of closely spaced traces so that alignment of the traces with the individual blisters is less critical. The replicates may be formed by printing or other conventional methods on a roll of lidstock. After forming the individual replicates are severed from the roll of lidstock for securement to a blister package.

Medications comprise a large component of health care. A limiting factor to the effectiveness of many medications is patient compliance with the prescriptions. Medications typically must be taken at specific intervals based on their pharmacokinetics to maximize plasma levels, and any substantial deviation from the prescribed interval may result in ineffectiveness or adverse effects. As the patient population ages, the incidence of medication errors increases.
A prior invention by Wilson and Petersen as disclosed in Canadian Patent Application No. 2,353,350 of Jul. 20, 2001 describes a packaging device for monitoring use of the contents of blister packages. The packaging device comprises a package, an electrically conducting path and an electronic chip embedded in, or supported by, the package. The package has one or more sealable receptacles for accommodating contents. The electrically conducting path is associated with each receptacle. It changes its characteristics when the receptacle is opened after being sealed. The electronic chip monitors the change in the characteristics of the conducting path, and generates content use data when the change in the characteristics of the conducting path is detected.
One practical difficulty with the Wilson and Petersen invention is that the electronic traces which establish the electronic path must be oriented accurately relative to the blisters or receptacles, between the contents and the lidstock or backing. A second difficulty lies in connecting the electrical traces to the electronic chip, which incorporates an integrated circuit (IC). A third-difficulty lies in the necessity of redesigning widely used form-fill-seal machines to carry out these functions.
It is desirable to have a simpler solution to the integration of electronic monitoring devices with the blister package, preferably so that widely existing form-fill-seal machines can still be used with little or no modification thereto.

Blister package with electronic content monitoring system


In the high-bit-rate transmission of optical signals in an optical transmission system having N optical fiber link sections with, in each case, one optical fiber and one dispersion compensation unit, the absolute-magnitude compensations of the first to Nth dispersion compensation units are dimensioned in such a way that the first to N−1-th fiber link sections is/are overcompensated, in each case, by approximately the same absolute magnitude overcompensation. Furthermore, the absolute-magnitude compensation of the Nth dispersion compensation unit is dimensioned in such a way that the accumulated fiber dispersion at the output of the optical transmission system is virtually completely compensated.

The present invention relates to an optical transmission system for high-bit-rate transmission of optical signals having a number of optical fiber link sections with, in each case, one optical fiber and one dispersion compensation unit, the dispersion compensation units having different absolute-magnitude compensations.
In optical transmission systems with high data throughput rates (thus, as in the case of optical transmission systems operating according to the WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) principle as well as in the case of optical single-channel transmission systems), the chromatic dispersion occurring in the transmission of optical signals over the optical fiber and nonlinear effects such as self phase modulation (SPM) or cross phase modulation (XPM) cause distortions in the optical signals to be transmitted. In this connection, see Grau and Freude: "Optische Nachrichtentechik—Eine Einführung", ["Optical Telecommunications Engineering—An introduction"], Springer-Verlag, 3rd Edition, 1991, pages 120 to 126.
Such distortions in the optical signal or data signal to be transmitted depend, inter alia, on the optical launch power of the optical signal. The distortions caused by the chromatic dispersion and the nonlinear effects produce a regeneration-free transmission range for an optical transmission system that is determined, in particular, by the signal-to-noise ratio required for the restoration of the optical signal at the end of an optical fiber link section. The transmission range that can be spanned without regeneration is to be understood here as the optical transmission link over which an optical data signal can be transmitted without the need to carry out a regeneration or "3 R regeneration" (electronic data regeneration with respect to the amplitude, edge and clock of an optically transferred, digital data signal or datastream).
In order to compensate such distortions in the optical data signal, suitable dispersion compensation units are provided or dispersion management is conducted in a fashion adapted to the optical transmission link in the case of the transmission of optical signals over optical standard single-mode fibers. The term dispersion management is to be understood here as a specific arrangement of dispersion compensation units along the optical transmission link (for example, at optical transmitters, at optical repeaters and/or at optical receivers), and as the determination of the suitable dispersion absolute-magnitude compensations for the different dispersion compensation units. Because of the transmission range that can be bridged without regeneration, optical transmission systems are assembled from a number of optical fiber link sections in which the fiber dispersion caused, in each case, in the optical fiber link section under consideration is virtually completely compensated, or partially overcompensated or undercompensated, with the aid of a dispersion compensation unit.
Such dispersion compensation units are configured, for example, as special optical fibers in the case of which the dispersion or fiber dispersion, in particular in the transmission wavelength region, assumes very high negative values owing to a special selection of the refractive index profile of the fiber core and in the surrounding cladding layers of the optical fiber. The dispersion contributions generated by the optical transmission fibers, such as a standard single-mode fiber, can be effectively compensated with the aid of the high negative dispersion values caused by the dispersion-compensating fiber. In addition, the maximum number of optical fiber link sections or the bridgeable range of the optical transmission system can be fixed via the eye pattern (eye opening) of the signal-to-noise ratio of the optical signal or data signal present at the output of the respective optical fiber link section. The minimum eye opening, required for the reconstruction of the optical data signal at the end of the optical fiber link section, of the eye pattern or of the signal-to-noise ratio required therefor, results in a maximum range for a regeneration-free transmission of an optical data signal.
Various dispersion management concepts are adopted for this purpose in optical transmission systems implemented to date, it being possible to carry out the optimum dispersion compensation of an optical transmission link by using optical fiber link sections that are precompensated and/or subsequently compensated or differently overcompensated or undercompensated. A spatially defined distance therefore can be bridged with a fixed number of fiber link sections as a function of the respective data rate, the data format and the fiber properties.
German patent application 19945143.5 discloses for this purpose a dispersion compensation scheme for an optical transmission system in the case of which optical signals are transmitted with data rates of around 10 Gbit/s over a fixed number of optical fiber link sections. In order to increase the transmission range of the optical transmission system, the absolute-magnitude compensations of the dispersion compensation unit at the end of each optical fiber link section are dimensioned in such a way that the remaining accumulated residual dispersion per optical fiber link section rises at least approximately uniformly by the same absolute-magnitude dispersion in each case. That is, the accumulated residual dispersion calculated or estimated for the entire optical transmission system is distributed virtually uniformly over the optical fiber link sections, and as a result each optical fiber link section is undercompensated by virtually the same absolute-magnitude compensation.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,795 discloses an optical transmission system that includes a number of optical fiber link sections with, in each case, one optical fiber and one dispersion-compensating medium. The optical transmission system is divided for this purpose into a multiplicity of optical fiber link sections. In each of these optical fiber link sections, with the exception of the last one, the dispersion-compensating media are used together with the respective fiber link section to compensate the accumulated wavelength dispersion completely or partially (undercompensation). The timing jitter caused in the optical transmission signal by the Gordon House effect is virtually completely eliminated by the described procedure. The optical signals transmitted in this process are transmitted in return-to-zero format with a transmission rate of approximately 20 Gbit/s. Such a dispersion management certainly leads to a reduction in the timing jitter caused by the Gordon House effect in the case of transmission bit rates of 20 Gbit/s, but it is impossible thereby to achieve any substantial improvement in range, in particular for high-bit-rate optical transmission systems with data transmission rates greater than 20 Gbit/s.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to configure an optical transmission system for high-bit-rate transmission of optical signals of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that the signal distortions caused by the fiber dispersion are reduced, and the transmission range that can be bridged without regeneration is increased.

Optical transmission system for high-bit-rate transmission of optical signals with the aid of dispersion compensation units


In some examples, a medical system includes a medical device. The medical device may include a housing configured to be implanted in a target site of a patient, a light emitter configured to emit a signal configured to cause a fluorescent marker to emit a fluoresced signal into the target site, and a light detector that may be configured to detect the fluoresced signal. The medical system may include processing circuitry configured to determine a characteristic of the fluorescent marker based on the emitted signal and the fluoresced signal. The characteristic of the fluorescent marker may be indicative of a presence of a compound in the patient, and the processing circuitry may be configured to track the presence of the compound of the patient based on the characteristic of the fluorescent marker.

Various implantable medical devices have been clinically implanted or proposed for therapeutically treating or monitoring one or more physiological conditions of a patient. Such devices may be adapted to monitor or treat conditions or functions relating to heart, muscle, nerve, brain, stomach, endocrine organs or other organs and their related functions. Advances in design and manufacture of miniaturized electronic and sensing devices have enabled development of implantable devices capable of therapeutic as well as diagnostic functions such as pacemakers, cardioverters, defibrillators, biochemical sensors, and pressure sensors, among others. Such devices may be associated with leads to position electrodes or sensors at a desired location, or may be leadless, with the ability to wirelessly transmit data either to another device implanted in the patient or to another device located externally of the patient, or both.
Some implantable medical devices may be used to chronically monitor physiological signals of the patient, such as implantable hemodynamic monitors, implantable cardiac monitors (sometimes referred to as implantable loop recorders or electrocardiogram monitors), implantable blood chemistry monitors, implantable pressure monitors, or the like. Other implantable devices may be configured to deliver a therapy in conjunction with or separate from the monitoring of physiological signals.


One embodiment of the invention provides a method for optimizing a variety of aspects of pipeline operations by using a genetic algorithm. Generally, the genetic algorithm is used to evolve a population of feasible solutions over successive generations until a termination condition is satisfied. Each solution specifies a feasible operational state of the pipeline system. Over successive generations existing solutions are modified, and an identified solution in the population is removed at each successive generation. Over repeated generations, the solutions in the population improve. Once an optimized production solution is generated, an optimized pressure solution may be generated using a direct pressure optimization process.

Generally, a pipeline system provides a continuous pipe conduit, complete with equipment such as valves, compressor stations, communications systems, and meters, for transporting liquid or gaseous materials from one point to another, usually from one point (or points) of production or processing to another, or to points of use. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a dual-pipeline system that includes both a gaseous nitrogen pipeline running in parallel to a gaseous oxygen pipeline. A number of plants are shown at various locations along the pipeline route, at which air separation units, compressors, boosters, regulators, and other equipment elements operate to introduce material into the pipeline.
Optimizing the operations of a pipeline system, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, is a complex task. In particular, optimizing a pipeline system to account for power costs of various nodes, for reconfigurable elements (e.g., a pipeline element that can act to increase pressure or flow, or decrease pressures or flows at a particular node of the pipeline), and for contractually obligated output and pressure requirements and at various nodes, has proven to be a difficult task. Commercially-available pipeline optimization systems have been generally unable to provide satisfactory solutions for configuring complex pipeline systems. In particular, commercially-available pipeline optimization systems have been unable to account for the variety of factors that may impact on the operational cost of operating the pipeline. For example, currently available optimization systems have not accounted for a pipeline system configured to transport more than one material (e.g., dual-pipeline system shown in FIG. 1); they have not accounted for all the features of client contracts (e.g., both "take or pay contracts" from the production side of pipeline operations and minimum pressure/flow rates from the delivery side of pipeline operations); and they did not optimize the configuration of reconfigurable network elements. Instead, such systems often constrain a variety of these variables and seek to optimize an isolated aspect of pipeline operation, assuming that the others may be optimized independently. Often, this has lead to sub-optimal solutions. Moreover, even when current systems have proven capable of identifying a highly-quality solution, they often fail to do so in a reasonable amount of time.
Accordingly, there remains a need for techniques for optimizing the operations of a pipeline system. Typically, the optimization process should be used to identify an allowable state of pipeline operations that satisfies any operational requirements, physical abilities, and that minimizes operational costs, most notably power consumption.


A cutting tool assembly is provided for removing flash portions and gates from a molded article. The cutting tool assembly includes a holder device including an upper plate, a cylindrical collar, and a bearing disposed between the upper plate and the cylindrical collar to allow movement of the cylindrical collar relative to the upper plate. The cutting tool assembly further includes a cutting member fixedly secured to the cylindrical collar wherein movement of the cylindrical collar relative to the upper plate provides the cutting member with degrees of rotational freedom to float relative to the molded article during trimming of the flash portions and gates.

The invention relates to a cutting tool assembly for deflashing and degating a molded article, and to methods for automatically deflashing and degating a molded article.
Reinforced reaction injection molding (RRIM) and reaction injection molding (RNI) are utilized for manufacturing various molded parts, such as motor vehicle fascias. Parts that are formed via reinforced reaction injection molding include an amount of flash that needs to be removed to improve overall part appearance. The efficient and accurate removal of flash from reinforced reaction injection molded parts is, however, a difficult task. Currently, these reinforced reaction injection molded fascias are deflashed and degated manually using knives and deburring tools. The fascias are then sanded by hand to remove the cutting lines. Such manual deflashing and degating is labor intensive and, as a result, expensive.


An in-line mixing system and method for mixing one or more paint fluid subcomponents. The system includes subcomponent input lines (20) connected to a reducing manifold (22). An on/off solenoid valve (28) in each line is arranged to allow or prohibit fluid from entering the reducing manifold. The reducing manifold includes multiple input passages that converge to form a single output passage. A flow meter (26) is in communication with the manifold output passage to measure the flow of subcomponent fluid through the manifold. Using the flow meter, a control system (30) causes the input line solenoid valves to open and close to create a slugwise line of subcomponent fluids passing from the manifold output passage. From the reducing manifold, the slugwise line enters an integrator (32) where the subcomponents are partially mixed. A static mixer (34) connects to the output of the integrator to thoroughly mix the fluids. Preferred embodiments of a mixing system, an integrator, and an control instruction system are provided.

Known aircraft paint mixing methods include the batch method and the in-line method. In the batch method, containers of cure (catalyst), flow (reducer), and base (resin) are prepared separately and then poured into a large container where they are manually stirred. After an induction waiting period, required for some paint systems, the paint is transported to the point-of-use where it is sprayed using hand-held pressurized spray guns. The containers are rinsed with solvent, left to dry, and then disposed of as waste.
In the in-line method, mixing is limited to two subcomponents. Separate lines of base and cure are fed into a small mixing container. Prior to reaching the mixing container, each paint subcomponent passes through an adjustable valve (e.g., a needle valve or a pneumatic valve) its own flow meter. A control system tracks the flow and adjusts the valves as needed to ensure the proper mix ratio. The mixing container mixes the subcomponents by passing the fluid through a static baffling or other torturous path. After the subcomponents are mixed in the container, the paint travels along an output line to a spray gun, as in the batch method.
In the aircraft industry, both current batch and in-line mixing methods have disadvantages. In the batch method, any unused material must be properly disposed of according to government regulations. The waste therefore adds unnecessary expense to the cost of producing a painted plane and to the environment. In the current in-line method, the flow meter and adjustable valves must be both extremely accurate and responsive in order to ensure a proper mix ratio of the fluid components. Such equipment tends to be mechanically complex and expensive. The extra mechanisms required for each component line also make the current in-line systems expensive. Extra solvent is needed to flush the additional parts during cleanup, which further increases the system's total waste. In addition, current in-line systems are generally designed to mix only two components. Popular polyurethane/epoxy aircraft formulations, however, often consist of three components (base, flow, and cure). Thus, it is necessary to batch mix two of the three components (i.e., the flow and cure), and then add the third component (base) in-line--a system that therefore suffers the disadvantages of both methods.
Thus, a need exists for an improved system of mixing two, three and even four fluid subcomponents (in particular, paint subcomponents) which is capable of producing a paint of a proper ratio on demand and without having to overmix the amount for a particular job. The ideal system would preferably consistently yield a product with less than about .+-.2% error in mix ratio error, and would be capable of mixing two or more subcomponents in-line without the need for batch mixing. Such an ideal system would receive the benefit of reduced costs of material supplies, reduced waste to the environment, and reduced need for cleanup solvent. The present invention is directed to such an ideal system.

Multiple component in-line paint mixing system


Disclosed are environmentally benign crop protection compounds that interfere with the attachment of a broad range of plant pathogens to plant cells surfaces.

There are more than 50,000 species of fungi. Fewer than 100 are pathogenic to humans. However, more than 10,000 fungi cause disease in plants. Fungal pathogens are extremely costly pests, affecting a broad range of crop plants. It is estimated that anywhere between 20–30% of crop production is lost to fungal pathogens alone worldwide with the greatest losses outside the United States (FAO Report). Losses from fungal pathogens are realized in every stage of crop production ranging from those fungi that attack seeds or germinating seed to those that attack the stems of seedlings, the roots, stems, vascular system, fruits and leaves of mature crops.
There are presently a number of widely used fungicide products on the market, including triazoles, anilides, dithiocarbamates, and benzimidazoles. Total worldwide sales of fungicides in 1995 approached $60 billion with greater than 80% of the market being non-U.S.
Essentially all of the non-biological fungicides are toxic chemicals to the fungi, as well as to the environment when they enter drinking water supplies and natural waters and can be toxic to animals and humans through accidental contact. In addition, many of the chemicals generate resistance in the target organisms.
Biological control is based on inhibition by some microorganisms on the growth and action of pathogenic fungi, which cause rotting (See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,277 and EP 0 781 843 A1). However, there can be great variations in the antifungic activity of different isolates or strains of the same species. In addition, the effectiveness of various strains may be diminished during storage and harvesting.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Environmentally benign crop protection agents


A rechargeable battery includes a PTC device including a cover member provided on the surface of the PTC body to prevent high-temperature hot-melt resin from making direct contact with the surface of the PTC body when the battery pack is being fabricated and to provide a space to allow the PTC body to expand during the operation of the PTC device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rechargeable battery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rechargeable battery including a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device that includes a cover member arranged on a surface of the PTC body.
2. Discussion of the Background
A rechargeable battery may be reused by repeating charging and discharging operations. Rechargeable batteries may be used in advanced electronic appliances, such as cellular phones, notebook computers, and camcorders.
Lithium rechargeable batteries may provide an operational voltage of about 3.6 V, which is about three times higher than that of Ni—Cd batteries or Ni—MH batteries. In addition, lithium rechargeable batteries may have a high energy density per unit weight, and are therefore extensively used in advanced electronic technology fields.
Lithium rechargeable batteries may use lithium-based oxides as positive electrode active materials and carbon as negative electrode active materials. Lithium rechargeable batteries may be fabricated with various shapes, such as cylinders, rectangles, and pouches.
Rechargeable batteries may include a bare cell, a protective circuit module including protective circuits, a PTC device aligned between the protective circuit module and the bare cell, and molding resin arranged in the space formed between the protective circuit module and the bare cell. The bare cell may include a can, an electrode assembly accommodated in the can, and a cap assembly coupled with the can.
In addition, safety devices, such as a PTC device, a thermal fuse, and a protective circuit module, may be installed at an outer portion of the can. The safety devices may be connected to the positive and negative electrode terminals of the bare cell. The safety devices may shut off the current in the battery if the voltage of the rechargeable battery suddenly rises due to increased temperature, overcharging, or over-discharging the battery.
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view illustrating a rechargeable battery equipped with a conventional PTC device 170.
A PTC device 170 is a reversible safety device that is capable of stopping or reducing the current that flows through it when the internal temperature of the rechargeable battery rises above a predetermined temperature due to a malfunction of the rechargeable battery.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional PTC device 170 of the rechargeable battery may include a PTC body 174 having a cylindrical structure with flat upper and lower surfaces, a first conductive section 172 coupled with an upper surface of the PTC body 174 and coupled with a negative or positive electrode, and a second conductive section 176 coupled with a lower surface of the PTC body 174 and coupled with a terminal 220 that is used to make contact with an external device. An insulating member 185 may be interposed between and the PTC device 170 and the cap plate 110 to prevent a short circuit between the can 11 and the PTC device 170 because the can 11 may have a polarity opposite to that of the PTC device 170.
The PTC body 174 may be made of conductive particles distributed into crystalline polymer. Current may therefore flow through the PTC body 174 so long as the internal temperature of the rechargeable battery remains less than a predetermined temperature. If the internal temperature of the rechargeable battery exceeds the predetermined temperature, the PTC body 174 will expand to increase the distance between the conductive particles and thus stop or reduce the current that flows through it. This may stop the battery from exploding or being otherwise damaged. In addition, if the internal temperature of the rechargeable battery drops below the predetermined temperature, the crystalline polymer shrinks, so the conductive particles combine together and the current is able to flow through the PTC body 174 again.
However, a conventional PTC device 170 may be damaged during the manufacturing process when hot-melt resin, such as an epoxy-molding compound, is injected into the space between the protective circuit module and the cap plate. When the hot-melt resin cools, the PTC body 174 may shrink and the expansion of the PTC body 174 may be hindered due to the hard resin encasing the PTC body 174. Therefore, the PTC device 170 may not stop or reduce the current at the predetermined temperature. The battery may therefore continue to operate even when the internal temperature reaches dangerous levels.
Furthermore, if the PTC body 174 is cooled after directly contacting the hot-melt resin at a temperature of about 200° C. , the trip phenomenon may occur in the PTC body 174, thereby causing the conductive articles uniformly distributed in the PTC body 174 to be partially biased and may thus result in resistance dispersion. The PTC device 170 may then operate at a temperature that is different form the original predetermined temperature.


Systems and method relating generally to data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for utilizing multiple data streams for data recovery from a storage device.

A storage medium may include a number of tracks to which data is stored. In a common scenario, a sensor is flown over the respective tracks to sense the data stored on the track. In some cases misalignment of the sensor relative to the track results in noisy or incorrect data being sensed. In such cases, it is difficult to recover data from the storage medium.
Hence, for at least the aforementioned reasons, there exists a need in the art for advanced systems and methods for accessing data from a storage medium.

Systems and methods for three reader storage access

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


When a main block address held in a memory refresh address counter coincides with an access block address corresponding to an access request, its counter value is transferred to a sub refresh address counter. Thereafter, a sub refresh address counter operates with priority over a main refresh address counter until its counter value reaches a final value. Consequently, an access operation and a refresh operation can be simultaneously executed without interfering with each other. As a result, it is possible to execute the refresh operation with a minimum increase in circuit scale and without any deterioration in access efficiency.

1. Field
The application relates to a semiconductor memory having dynamic memory cells, and a memory controller and a system accessing the semiconductor memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, pseudo SRAMs are increasingly mounted on portable equipments such as mobile phones. The pseudo SRAM is a semiconductor memory having memory cells of a DRAM (dynamic memory cells) and internally and automatically executes a refresh operation of the memory cells to operate as a SRAM. The pseudo SRAM executes the refresh operation without a controller such as a CPU recognizing it, during a period in which a read operation or a write operation is not executed. The refresh operation is executed in response to an internal refresh request periodically generated in the pseudo SRAM.
In a semiconductor memory of this type, when the internal refresh request conflicts with an external access request, one of the refresh operation and an access operation is executed first and thereafter the other of the refresh operation and the access operation is executed. In order to prevent the refresh operation from being recognized by an external part, a refresh operation time taken to execute a refresh operation once is included in an external access cycle time, for instance. In this method, the external access time becomes long, resulting in lowered access efficiency.
With the object to execute the refresh operation without an external part recognizing it and without any deterioration in access efficiency, there has been proposed a semiconductor memory storing a parity code together with write data (for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-173676). In this semiconductor memory, the use of the parity code makes it possible to regenerate read data without reading data from a memory block in which the refresh operation is underway. Further, since an external access request and an internal refresh operation do not conflict with each other, there is no need to include the refresh operation time in the access cycle time. This prevents an increase in the external access time, resulting in improved access efficiency.
However, the use of the parity code necessitates a memory block for storing the parity code, a parity generation circuit, an error correction circuit, and so on. This increases a circuit scale to greatly increase a chip size of the semiconductor memory.

Semiconductor memory, memory controller, system, and operating method of semiconductor memory


A glove with an integrated wrist strap for a pole, such as ski poles, cross-country poles, hiking sticks, walking sticks and the like has an upper surface that defines a palm side, a back side, a wrist part and a thumb joint part. The wrist strap is formed integrally with the glove and includes a circumferentially adjustable loop part that wraps around the wrist part, an attachment part which extends on the palm side of the glove in the region of the thumb joint part, and a pull tab which extends on the outside of the glove. Also included is a binding element which is attached to the attachment part and the pull tab. The binding element, the attachment part and the pull tab are located adjacent the thumb joint part on the palm side of the glove. The pull tab is embodied as at least partly elastic and secured releasably to the upper surface.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a glove with an integrated wrist strap for poles, such as ski poles, cross-country poles, or hiking or walking sticks.
2. Background Art
In one such glove known from European Patent Disclosure EP-B1 0 357 517, the wrist strap is essentially disposed and fixed entirely inside the glove. Only the adjustable portion of the loop part and the binding element for connection to the grip of the pole or stick extend to the outside from the interior of the glove. In this way, whenever the glove is latched to the grip of the stick or pole, it is fixed directly to the grip, so that forces that are exerted, particularly in downhill skiing can be transmitted directly from the ski pole to the glove and vice versa. However, such a glove can be coupled only rigidly to the ski pole. In other words, with this combination of glove and grip, the pole can be grasped in only this one position. Grasping positions of the kind needed when hill climbing on skis or when pushing off in cross-country skiing are not possible.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,218,089 and 3,170,703 disclose a glove that in one embodiment has a likewise rigid, fixed binding to a ski pole in the form of a "floating skin" mounted between the thumb part and the index finger part. This produces the same immovable connection as mentioned above between the glove and the grip of the ski pole. In another embodiment mentioned in these patents, the glove is provided with a wrist strap that is relatively loosely threaded, which allows considerable freedom of motion of the glove relative to the ski pole grip. For instance, the skier can readily grasp the end of the ski pole grip with the glove, or can brace himself with his hand on the head of the ski pole grip. The ski pole grip can also be allowed to hang from the loop in such a way that it cannot be lost, to allow the skier to grasp some other article with his hand. With this known glove, however, as in the previously typical wrist straps that are separate from the glove, a firm, secure grasp of the ski pole that prevents the pole from slipping away and that offers a secure hold is not achieved.

Glove with an integrated hand loop for poles


Reinforced composite shapes and a method and an apparatus for the production of the reinforced composite shapes. Reinforcement elements such as steel rods, reinforcement fibers and resin are fed into a mold. The reinforcement elements are straightened, aligned and oriented before introduction into the mold.

The present invention relates to reinforced composite shapes comprising reinforcement elements, reinforcement fibers, and resin, and to a method and apparatus for manufacturing the reinforced composite shapes.
It relates more particularly to reinforced composite shapes comprising steel rods as reinforcement elements. The steel rods are straightened, aligned and oriented before being introduced into a mold for forming the reinforced composite shapes.
Reinforced composite shapes are conventionally manufactured by impregnating reinforcement fibers with a resin in a bath or by injecting resin into a mold. The composite shapes are then formed in a mold by shaping and polymerizing the impregnated fibers. For example, in the pultrusion process, reinforced composite shapes are manufactured in continuous lengths by pulling resin impregnated reinforcement materials through a forming and curing die, known as a pultrusion mold.
Background pultrusion-type processes are disclosed in EP-A-274,707, JP-A-1-166,936, and FR-A-2,558,102, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference.
Prior art composite shapes, however, are not suitable for structural applications that require a high modulus of elasticity and stress intensity factor. For example, it has been found that prior art composites cannot be used to replace steel pillars, beams, etc., because typically the known composites have a lower modulus of elasticity and stress intensity factor than the steel pillars, beams, etc., that they would replace.

Reinforced composite shapes and method and apparatus for their manufacture

Avda. de Baviera n.degree. 7, 5.degree. Dcha


A method for dispersing solid forms of additives in polymers involves adding dispersions or solutions of additive(s) to a solution of polymer in a tubular mixer (preferably in the presence of a stationary mixer). The mixer leads to a steam precipitation step wherein all fluid ingredients in the mixture are volatilized leaving the solid additive and resin in the desired ratio. This results in a uniform dispersion of the additives in the polymer matrix. As a result of the high dispersion, physical properties of a thermoplastic resin, to which the polymer matrix has been added are preserved. In one illustration, PTFE as a drip inhibitor additive, is added to polycarbonate to obtain a highly dispersed PTFE concentrate of improved drip-inhibition without loss of mechanical properties when added to a thermoplastic molding resin.

1. Field of The Invention
This Patent Application is a continuation of copending patent application Ser. No. 07/977,346 filed Nov. 17, 1992, Attorney Docket No. 8CL6972, now abandoned.
The invention relates to processes for dispersing solid additives in mixtures with synthetic, thermoplastic, polymer and to products prepared therewith. One embodiment concerns dispersing solid additives into particulated polycarbonates or blending the additives and particulated polycarbonates with other thermoplastic resins.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The patent literature is replete with descriptions of methods and processes for preparing homogeneous mixtures of synthetic polymeric resins with a wide variety of solid phase additives. Representative of such descriptions is that set forth in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,168 (Kress et al.) issued on Mar. 10, 1987. Kress et al. disperses particles of polytetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter referred to for convenience as "PTFE") in aromatic polycarbonate resin based molding compositions. The dispersion is carried out, in brief, by admixture of aqueous emulsions of the two components followed by coagulation of the emulsion mixture. Coagulation may be carried out by spray-drying, freeze-drying or the addition of inorganic or organic salts, acids, bases or organic solvents which are miscible with water.
The process described by Kress et al. does result in fine dispersions of the PTFE in the polycarbonate resin, but the degree of dispersion is dependent upon a number of variables, which require close control. For example, when two aqueous emulsions are mixed together, the way that these two emulsions will mix will be predominantly determined by the interactions of each of the suspended particulates with the water phase that they are emulsified with. This means that the surfactants necessarily used in each phase become dominant factors. During the process of coagulation, control of the dispersion of these two emulsions will become increasingly controlled by the interactions of the surfaces of the PTFE particle with the polymer resin particle. Since it is well known that like tends to repel like, there is an inherent driving force to cause segregation of these two mixed emulsions during coagulation.
Furthermore, when water is added to a resin powder the water becomes physically bound to and wets the surface of the powder. The amount of water that will be physically bound to this surface will be determined by the free energy characteristics of the powder surfaces, the amount of surface area available, and the free energy of interaction between water and this surface. Adding a water based emulsion of PTFE to an insufficiently wetted powder will result in the water immediately being stripped from the added emulsion, as long as the amount of water added is less than the saturation capability of the powder. This will result in an effective coagulation of the PTFE emulsion, because the emulsion cannot exist when the water is stripped from it. Since each particle of resin powder has a defined saturation potential for water, this will result in each resin powder particle only reacting with the water in a very small, defined amount of emulsion. This means that there is a forcing of coagulation of the PTFE emulsion on a distance scale determined by the water wetting characteristics of the resin powder. It also means that this will provide an extraordinary lack of dispersion of the PTFE because as soon as the surface of a particle of resin powder has been saturated or wetted out by water it no longer will have any capability to cause the coagulation of any more PTFE emulsion. This then becomes a physical limiting factor that will guarantee that the PTFE will be dispersed in the powder at a distance scale corresponding to the size of the PTFE emulsion size.
The process of the present invention is particularly advantageous in that the variables for controlling dispersion are limited. The process of our invention is simple, resulting in consistently good high dispersions on a scale not previously experienced. The highly homogeneous dispersions obtained produce products of a unique character and with superior properties. High proportions of additive are uniformly dispersed, without sacrificing mechanical properties. For example in regard to dispersing PTFE in polycarbonate resins, higher concentrations of the PTFE can be dispersed without difficulty and without compromising mechanical properties.
The process of the present invention incorporates PTFE into the particle structure of porous polycarbonate resins. Early processes for incorporating PTFE into polycarbonate resins included admixture and processing of the polycarbonate and the PTFE (in a latex) in a ball mill, a rubber mill, an extruder or a Banbury mixer; see for example the description in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,294,871 and 3,290,795. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,795, it is suggested that admixture of the PTFE and the polycarbonate resin take place in "highly-fluid solutions and melts" of the base resin.
More recently, it has been found advantageous to combine the PTFE and a polycarbonate resin by co-precipitation of the two resins. This was said to result in the ultimate in dispersion of the PTFE into the polycarbonate resin; see the description in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,994 (Carter, Jr. et al., issued Jun. 28, 1988).
In this teaching, an aqueous dispersion of PTFE is admixed with a solution of polycarbonate resin and caused to co-precipitate by the addition of an ester, aromatic hydrocarbon, aliphatic hydrocarbon, alcohol, carbonate, ether or ketone. The coprecipitate then needs to be isolated, washed and dried in a somewhat costly recovery.
However, these prior art processes do not yield products with the unique properties, especially in maintaining mechanical properties, associated with the products of our inventive process which is inherently simpler, less time consuming and less costly.

Method of dispersing solid additives in polymers and products made therewith


A printer is configured to provide a jet of extraction gas that extracts a printing fluid from a printing nozzle in the presence of an electric field that accelerates the extracted printing fluid toward a printing substrate. The printer is also configured to selectively turn the electric field and the jet of extraction gas off and on to enable printing in gas-extraction mode, an e-assisted gas-extraction mode, or an e-jet mode. The jet of gas can be provided by a second nozzle concentric with the printing nozzle. A third nozzle can discharge a focusing gas around the extracted printing fluid.

Printing has evolved from a technique for producing readable text and graphic images, primarily for informational purposes, to a useful manufacturing process with a promising future. In particular, the ability to deposit a functional material onto a printing medium only at particularly specified locations can lead to a zero-waste and relatively fast additive manufacturing process when adapted to deposit materials other than traditional pigments or dyes. But difficulties with the deposition of materials having useful properties other than visual contrast with the printing medium continues to limit printing as a manufacturing process. This is partly because applicable printing technologies generally deliver liquid-based materials to or toward the printing medium, while manufactured goods are typically formed from solid materials. While some solid materials can be printed in particulate form via a liquid carrier material that subsequently evaporates, reacts, or acts as a binder, there are limitations on solids content and particle size for compatibility with known printing methods.

Printer with gas extraction of printing fluid from printing nozzle

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN


Disclosed is a solar powered lamp adopting a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp and an auxiliary startup device which can improve the efficiency of the voltaic-photo transformation when lighting the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp. The device comprises a direct current power unit, a DC/AC inverter circuit for generating a high voltage alternating current from the DC voltage to light a CCFL; and an auxiliary startup circuit disposed between the DC power supply unit and the DC/AC inverter circuit for generating across the input terminals of the DC/AC inverter circuit a voltage of about twice of the DC voltage output from the DC power supply unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solar powered lamp, particularly to a solar powered lamp having a cold-cathode fluorescent bulb, and more particularly to a solar powered lamp with a cold-cathode fluorescent bulb and an auxiliary startup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solar powered lamp has been commonly used in place of the electrically powered lamp to illuminate pathways, yards, parks and other areas, for the purpose of saving existing fuel resources and protecting the environment from pollution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,668 entitled "Solar Power Lamp Utilizing Cold Cathode Fluorescent Illuminating and Method of Facilitating Same" discloses a solar powered lamp, which utilizes photovoltaic devices to charge batteries which can activate a light source formed by the CCFL, in the absence of sunlight.
Conventionally, in a device for driving a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), as disclosed in the '668 patent, a direct-current voltage is needed to be converted into a high-tension alternating voltage by a "direct-current voltage/alternating voltage" inverter circuit (hereinafter referred to as a DC/AC inverter circuit). Then the resulting high-tension alternating voltage is supplied to the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp to light it.
In the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp, the value of the alternating voltage which is required to drive the lamp is about two or three times of the voltage which is required to light the lamp. Therefore, if the DC/AC inverter circuit converts, for example, a DC voltage of 4 volts directly to AC voltage of 1800 volts, and the CCFL operates at about 400 volts, the efficiency of the voltaic-photo transformation will be decreased significantly.

Solar powered lamp having an auxiliary startup device


A surface profile measuring apparatus for measuring rugged profiles of object surfaces includes a white light source, a varying device for varying a relative distance between an object surface and a reference surface, a frequency band limiting device for limiting the frequency band of white light to a particular frequency band, an image pickup device for picking up an image of the object surface, a sampling device for successively acquiring intensity values of interference light corresponding to varying interference fringes, from a particular location at sampling intervals corresponding to a bandwidth of the particular frequency band, a storage device for storing a group of interference light intensity values acquired, and a computing device for estimating characteristic functions from the group of interference light intensity values stored, and determining a height in the particular location based on a peak position of the characteristic functions.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a surface profile measuring method and apparatus for measuring rugged surface profiles. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique of measuring surfaces in a non-contact mode by using white light.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventional apparatus of this type include a well-known surface profile measuring apparatus which employs a method of measuring, by means of white light interference, rugged profiles of precision products such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates for liquid crystal displays.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional surface profile measuring apparatus comprises an interferometer, in which white light from a white light source 90 is directed through a first lens 91 to a half mirror 92. The white light reflected by the half mirror 92 is condensed by a second lens 93, and passes through a beam splitter 95 and irradiates an object surface 96 to be measured.
The beam splitter 95 of the interferometer divides the white light into a part that irradiates the object surface 96, and a part that irradiates a reference surface 94. The white light irradiating the reference surface 94 is reflected by a reflector 94a on the reference surface 94, and reaches the beam splitter 95 again. The white light having passed through the beam splitter 95 is reflected by the object surface 96, and reaches the beam splitter 95 again. The beam splitter 95 brings together, to the same path again, the white light reflected by the reference surface 94 and the white light reflected by the object surface 96. At this time, an interference phenomenon occurs, which corresponds to a difference between a distance L1 from the reference surface 94 to the beam splitter 95 and a distance L2 from the beam splitter 95 to the object surface 96. The white light with which the interference has occurred travels through the half mirror 92 and into a CCD camera 98.
The CCD camera 98 picks up an image of the object surface 96 along with the white light with which the interference has occurred. This construction includes a varying device, not shown, for vertically shifting a unit having the beam splitter 95. Such shifting of the beam splitter 95 varies the difference between distance L1 and distance L2, thereby increasing or decreasing the intensity of the white light incident on the CCD camera 98. When, for example, attention is directed to a particular location on the surface 96 within a region covered by the CCD camera 98, the beam splitter 95 is moved to vary the difference from distance L2 less than distance L1 to distance L2 greater than distance L1. By measuring the intensity of white light having interfered (hereinafter referred to simply as xe2x80x9cinterference lightxe2x80x9d) in the particular location, a waveform as shown in FIG. 2A, in theory, is obtained. A height in the particular location on the object surface may be derived from a peak position in the waveform of intensity variations of the interference light. The rugged profile of the surface is measured by determining heights in a plurality of locations in a similar way.
It is to be noted that actual data obtained by measuring the intensity of interference light are discrete as shown in FIG. 2B. It is necessary to derive a peak position in the waveform of intensity variations of the interference light from such data.
A method and apparatus for determining a peak position in a waveform are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,601, for example. In the method and apparatus disclosed therein, each discrete data as shown in FIG. 2B is squared to obtain data as shown in FIG. 2C. Subsequently, these data are smoothed into a waveform as shown in FIG. 2D. A height in a particular location is determined from a peak position of the smoothed waveform.
However, such prior method and apparatus have the following drawbacks.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,601 noted above, a theoretical waveform as shown in FIG. 2A must be reproduced since a waveform with a peak position occurring at the height in a particular location is based on data obtained through actual measurements. That is, in order to measure, with sufficient precision, a height in a particular location on an object surface being measured, intensity values of the interference light in the particular location must be sampled so finely as to enable reproduction of a theoretical waveform.
As a result, an extended sampling time is required to acquire numerous intensity values, and hence a disadvantage of consuming a long time in measuring a surface profile. Further, a huge amount of data is acquired by the sampling, which requires an increased storage capacity for storing such data. This results in an increased cost of manufacturing the apparatus, and an extended computation time for processing the large amount of data, thereby further extending the time consumed in measuring the surface profile.
This invention has been made having regard to the state of the art noted above, and its object is to provide a surface profile measuring method and apparatus for measuring rugged profiles of object surfaces at a relatively high speed and with high precision by determining heights in particular locations with increased precision from a relatively small amount of data.
The above object is fulfilled, according to this invention, by a surface profile measuring method for measuring rugged profiles of object surfaces, wherein interference fringes are produced by varying a relative distance between an object surface and a reference surface while irradiating the two surfaces with white light from a white light source, variations in intensity value of interference light occurring at this time are measured for a plurality of particular locations on the object surface, and heights in the particular locations are derived from a group of interference light intensity values acquired from each particular location, the method comprising:
a first step of limiting a frequency band of the white light from the white light source to a particular frequency band;
a second step of varying the relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface irradiated with the white light in the particular frequency band;
a third step of acquiring a group of interference light intensity values which are successively collected from each of the particular locations on the object surface at sampling intervals corresponding to a bandwidth of the particular frequency band, the intensity values corresponding to variations in the interference fringes occurring with variations in the relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface;
a fourth step of estimating characteristic functions based on amplitude components of a theoretical waveform of intensity value variations derived from the group of interference light intensity values; and
a fifth step of determining a height in each of the particular locations based on a peak position of the characteristic functions estimated.
The frequency band of the white light from the white light source is limited to a particular frequency band, and the white light in the particular frequency band irradiates the object surface and the reference surface. Interference fringes are produced according to an optical path difference between the white light reflected by the object surface and the white light reflected by the reference surface.
At this time, the relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface is varied to vary the optical path difference, and hence the interference fringes. Interference light intensity values resulting from the variations in the interference fringes are successively collected from a particular location on the object surface at sampling intervals corresponding to a bandwidth of the particular frequency band. As a result, a minimum group of interference light intensity values based on the white light in the particular frequency band is acquired.
An ideal waveform of the intensity value variations of interference light in the particular location is derived from the group of interference light intensity values, and characteristic functions based on amplitude components of the waveform are estimated. In the ideal waveform of the intensity value variations of interference light, a high-frequency function appears to vibrate within a low-frequency function. The characteristic functions correspond only to the low-frequency functions extracted. The characteristic functions have a peak position substantially coinciding with a position where the ideal waveform of interference fringes is at a maximum amplitude. Thus, a height in the particular location is determined based on the peak position. The rugged profile of the object surface is measured by determining heights in a plurality of such particular locations.
As described above, the frequency band of white light is limited to a particular frequency band, and the intensity values of interference fringes are sampled from each particular location at intervals corresponding to the bandwidth of the particular frequency band. Consequently, the intensity values may be sampled at larger sampling intervals than in the prior art which employs sampling intervals by taking the entire frequency band into account.
The group of interference light intensity values acquired through the sampling is one resulting from the white light in the particular frequency band. Consequently, a theoretical waveform form of the intensity value variations of interference light may be derived from the group of interference light intensity values. The characteristic functions based on amplitude components of the theoretical waveform may also be determined with ease.
Further, since a height in a particular location is determined based on the peak position of the characteristic functions, the height in the particular location may be determined faster than and with no less precision than in the prior art where a peak position is derived from a waveform based on actual measurement data.
That is, height information may be obtained from a smaller amount of data and with higher precision than in the prior art. This feature allows a surface profile to be measured in a reduced time, and requires only a reduced storage capacity for storing data, whereby an apparatus may be manufactured at reduced cost.
In this invention, preferably, the third step is executed with the sampling intervals determined by dividing xcfx80 by the bandwidth of the particular frequency band.
The sampling intervals are determined based on a value obtained by dividing xcfx80 by the bandwidth of the particular frequency band. As a result, the group of interference light intensity values may be acquired, which is a minimum group of sampled values needed to reproduce the theoretical waveform of the intensity value variations of interference light based on the white light in the particular frequency.
Since the sampling intervals are determined based on a value obtained by dividing xcfx80 by the particular frequency band, the sampling intervals corresponding to the particular frequency band may be determined easily.
In this invention, preferably, the fourth step is executed to derive an average intensity value from the group of interference light intensity values, obtain adjusted values by subtracting the average intensity value from the intensity values, respectively, and obtain new functions, as the characteristic functions, by substituting the adjusted values into a formula representing amplitude components of a waveform substantially extending through the adjusted values.
An average intensity value is derived from the group of interference light intensity values to determine a value of a centerline of the waveform showing the variations in the intensity values of interference light. Adjusted values are obtained by subtracting the average intensity value from the respective intensity values. Thus, the adjusted values form a group of values showing a waveform distributed across the centerline. This group of values is used to estimate the characteristic functions. These characteristic functions have a peak position substantially coinciding with a position where the waveform of the intensity values of interference fringes is at a maximum amplitude. Thus, the height in the particular location may be determined based on the peak position.
Further, since the height in the particular location is determined based on the peak position of the characteristic functions, height information may be obtained from a smaller amount of data and with higher precision than in the prior art.
In another aspect of this invention, a surface profile measuring apparatus for measuring rugged profiles of object surfaces, comprises:
a white light source for emitting white light to irradiate an object surface and a reference surface;
a varying device for varying a relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface;
a frequency band limiting device for limiting a frequency band of the white light emitted from the white light source to a particular frequency band;
an image pickup device for picking up an image of the object surface along with variations in interference fringes occurring with the variations in the relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface irradiated with the white light;
a sampling device having a function for acquiring intensity values of interference light from a plurality of particular locations on the object surface imaged, the sampling device acquiring interference light intensity values successively from each of the particular locations at sampling intervals corresponding to a bandwidth of the particular frequency band, the intensity values corresponding to variations in the interference fringes occurring with the variations in the relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface caused by the varying device;
a storage device having a function for storing a group of interference light intensity values acquired by the sampling device from each of the particular locations, the storage device storing the group of interference light intensity values acquired at the sampling intervals; and
a computing device having a function for measuring the rugged profile of the object surface by deriving a height in each of the particular locations from the group of interference light intensity values stored in the storage device, the computing device estimating characteristic functions based on amplitude components of a theoretical waveform of intensity value variations derived from the group of interference light intensity values stored in the storage device, and determining the height in each of the particular locations based on a peak position of the characteristic functions estimated.
The white light source emits white light in a relatively broad frequency band. The frequency band limiting device limits the white light in that frequency band to a particular frequency band. As a result, the frequency band of the white light irradiating the object surface and the reference surface may be grasped. The varying device varies the relative distance between the object surface and the reference surface irradiated with the white light in the particular frequency band. The image pickup device picks up an image of the object surface along with interference fringes varying with an optical path difference between the white light reflected by the object surface and the white light reflected by the reference surface. This enables a grasp of how interference fringes are generated or varied according to the rugged profile of the object surface. The sampling device, in order to acquire the intensity values of interference light varying in a particular location on the object surface, successively collects the intensity values of interference fringes at sampling intervals corresponding to the bandwidth of the particular frequency band. In this way, the sampling device acquires a minimum number of intensity values of interference light based on the white light in the particular frequency band. The storage device successively receives the intensity values acquired by the sampling device, thereby storing a group of interference light intensity values for the particular location. The computing device derives a theoretical waveform of the intensity value variations of interference light for the particular location from the group of interference light intensity values, and estimates characteristic functions based on amplitude components of this waveform. Further, the computing device derives a height in the particular location on the object surface based on a peak position of the characteristic functions. The rugged profile of the object surface is measured by determining heights in a plurality of such particular locations on the object surface.

Surface profile measuring method and apparatus

The Circle for the Promotion of Science and Engineering


A shunt system for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of a patient to a different region of the patient's body. The shunt system includes endoscopic placement features so that the system can be placed endoscopically in a minimally invasive surgery. Also provided is a single fluid flow control device having flow control characteristics previously obtainable only by connecting in series two or more shunt system components. In addition, the shunt system includes a selectively engageable locking mechanism that allows the system to be assembled quickly and easily, without the need for sutures or adhesives. The present assembly process minimizes the possibility of any unintended fluid leakage from the device.

Hydrocephalus is a condition afflicting patients who are unable to regulate cerebrospinal fluid flow through their body's own natural pathways. Produced by the ventricular system, cerebrospinal fluid is normally absorbed by the body's venous system. In a patient suffering from hydrocephalus, the cerebrospinal fluid is not absorbed in this manner, but instead accumulates in the ventricles of the patient's brain. If left untreated, the increasing volume of fluid elevates the patient's intracranial pressure and can lead to serious medical conditions such as subdural hematoma, compression of the brain tissue, and impaired blood flow.
The treatment of hydrocephalus has conventionally involved draining the excess fluid away from the ventricles and rerouting the cerebrospinal fluid to another area of the patient's body, such as the abdomen or vascular system. A drainage system, commonly referred to as a shunt, is often used to carry out the transfer of fluid. In order to install the shunt, typically a scalp incision is made and a small hole is drilled in the skull. The proximal end of the shunt, which usually includes a proximal, or ventricular, catheter, is installed in the ventricular cavity of the patient's brain. The distal end of the shunt, which includes a distal, or drainage, catheter, is installed in that portion of the patient's body where the excess fluid is to be reintroduced. To regulate the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and maintain the proper pressure in the ventricles, a pump or valve can be placed between the proximal and distal catheters. If the pump or valve is not equipped with anti-siphon features and such features are desirable, a siphon control device can be separately included. The siphon control device can be positioned within the fluidic pathway, usually between the shunt valve and the drainage catheter. The siphon control device avoids overdrainage caused by the siphoning effect of hydrostatic pressure in the distal shunt catheter, which can be created by the elevation of the proximal catheter inlet with respect to the distal catheter outlet, i.e., when the patient sits or stands.
In most conventional shunt systems, the various components that form the shunt system, i.e., proximal and distal catheters, shunt valve, anti-siphon device, tubing, etc., are manufactured separately and then connected together during implantation to form the complete drainage pathway. During a typical surgical procedure, the proximal catheter is inserted directly into the ventricle cavity, after which the shunt valve and a pre-attached distal catheter are then implanted near the surface of the skull at an approximately 90° angle with respect to the proximal catheter. The proximal catheter is then attached by means of suturing surgical tubing to an inlet port on the shunt valve, thereby forming a right angle with respect to the shunt valve. With the current increase in popularity of endoscopic surgeries, some neurosurgeons have now attempted rigid endoscopic placement of ventricular catheters into the ventricles of the brain. In some cases endoscopic placement of shunt valves having domed silicone reservoirs with attached pre-cut catheters has even been attempted.
Because of the limited space available for the surgeon to perform the suturing after the proximal catheter is advanced into the ventricles, the assembly procedure after endoscopic implantation of the shunt system components can be extremely difficult. Also, shunts having domed reservoirs are not easily occluded for flushing distally. Given the amount of time necessary to suture the surgical tubing that connects the ventricular catheter to the shunt valve, the length of the surgical procedure can prove to be less than desirable. An added setback to using these conventional shunt systems is the compatibility problems that arise when the various components are produced by different manufacturers. Furthermore, currently available shunt systems can be prone to shunt separation and/or leakage at the sites where the separate components are connected to one another via the surgical tubing.

Hydrocephalus shunt system with endoscopic placement features