A kit for external fixation pin site care in conjunction with practicing a uniform and consistent standardized protocol to significantly reduce post-operative infection risk is provided. The kit contains labeled treatment materials to be used in the newly-designed, standard post-operative cleansing and infection treatment procedure. The result is significantly reduced incidences of infection at the pin/skin interface of patients.

One of the most common complications encountered with external fixation devices is pin tract infection in post-operative patients. Treatments for this type of infection normally include oral antibiotics, hospitalization for administration of intravenous antibiotics, and in some cases, when the infection is severe treatment includes pin removal.
External fixator pin care currently employed ranges from doing nothing, to using ointments, to pouring saline on the pin sites several times daily, and to use of antiseptic lotions to cover pin sites, etc. The patients are usually warned that if there is any redness or pain around a pin site associated with the increase of purulent discharge, the patient is instructed to return to hospital or doctor for starting of a regimen of antibiotic treatment. Nevertheless, despite their continuing infection risk external fixator pins are known to provide definite and significant orthopedic aid; they are therefore used routinely.
The use of such external devices transfixed through bone to hold the position of a fracture indeed is not new. The pins in plaster method has been used for many years to hold bone fragments in proper position during the healing process. More recently, there has been increased utilization of multiple pins placed through one cortex or both cortices of bone, held by a unilateral, bilateral or circumferential fixation device. For example, Ilizarov circumferential fixation is used for lengthening or bone transport, and EBI.RTM. unilateral fixation is often used for forearm fractures. These fixators allow easy access to wounds, adjustments during the course of healing, and enhance functional use of the limb involved during healing.
With such devices as those above listed, the most common complication encountered is infection at the pin site. Commonly, hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics will occur over a five-day period and is quite expensive. The occurring high incidence of infection and common requirement for hospitalized treatment is a result of the lack of a uniform pin site care protocol which can be consistently and regularly practiced with a high degree of patient compliance. Indeed, a quick review of the literature indicates significant variations are noted in existing protocol designs, and that the majority demand large amounts of supplies, great expense, and much time on the part of the patient.
Some of the more common cleansing methods practiced to one degree or another in the known prior art are:
(1) Cleaning pin sites with tap or soap water, one to four times daily; PA1 (2) Spraying each pin site with normal saline, using sterile syringes; PA1 (3) Cleansing with 100% peroxide alone or in conjunction with a Betadine ointment; PA1 (4) Pouring sodium chloride over the pin site four times daily; PA1 (5) Applying antibacterial ointment or antiseptic ointment only; PA1 (6) Changing dressings one or two times daily without specific cleaning of the pin site; PA1 (7) Cleaning pin sites one to four times daily with Hibiclens or Betadine solution and covering with sponges or dressings; and PA1 (8) Showering.
The problems associated with these methods include cross-contamination of the pin sites, the sealing in of infectious process by ointments, allergies to the cleaning agents, skin irritations caused by the cleaning agents, availability of supplies, no specific contact person for problem solving, and the requirement for numerous clinic visits.
It can be seen that there is a continuing need for an uncomplicated and effective pin site care protocol which decreases infection risk and increases patient compliance. It is a primary object of this invention to fulfill this need.
Another object of this invention is to provide a low-cost kit and regimen that can use widely-available cleaning supplies.
Another object of the invention is to provide a clear and concise set of written instructions for patient education.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide decreased need for post-operative medical intervention.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide universal treatment procedures from a single kit for circumferential fixators, unilateral fixators, pelvic fixators, halo-fixation, skeletal traction and Gardner-Wells fixation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a kit which will allow for patient involvement in their own care in a manner that is more effective than the random treatment processes now commonly used for pin site care.
A still further objective is to provide all of the above objects using materials that are hypoallergenic and using solutions that do not cause allergic reactions in most patients.


A fiber optic optical subassembly configuration for monitoring fibers. The configuration includes a hollow container, a laser for emitting laser signals towards the fibers being monitored, a photodetector for monitoring reflected laser signals from the fibers being monitored and for monitoring laser output power, a beam splitter and an optical fiber. The optical fiber, disposed within the hollow container, has a coated end face surface, the laser emits signals toward and through the beam splitter, whereby a portion of the laser signal illuminates the photodetector, and another portion traverses down the optical fiber toward the coated end face surface and reflects off the coated end face surface toward the fibers that are being monitored, and reflects back from the fibers being monitored to the photodetector such that faults on the fibers can be detected.

The present invention relates to a fiber optic optical subassembly configuration. More specifically, but without limitation, the present invention relates to a micro-optic based fiber optic beam splitter for reflectometry that can be used for monitoring fibers.
Previous methods have not enabled laser diode monitoring.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for monitoring the output power of the laser diode.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Fiber optic optical subassembly configuration

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


Technologies are directed to prevention of malicious attacks through cartography of co-processors at a datacenter. According to some examples, configuration data to create a co-processor at a field programmable gate array (FPGA) may be received at a configuration controller. The configuration controller may determine unused arrangements for the co-processor and unused placements at the FPGA corresponding to the unused arrangements. The used arrangements and the unused placements, associated with a type of the co-processor, may be stored in a configuration matrix. One of the unused arrangements and one of the unused placements corresponding to the selected unused arrangement may then be selected by the configuration controller to create the co-processor.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A cloud infrastructure provider may leverage economies of scale to provide dynamic and on-demand computing resources at low cost. Virtualization is one of the tools that may be utilized by an infrastructure provider for increased efficiency and enhanced performance. Virtual machines (VMs) from multiple customers may share physical resources such as field gate programmable arrays (FPGAs) to configure co-processors for additional computing capacity. However, co-processors may be used to map shared resources by malicious attackers using fingerprinting methods. This potential weakness may result in customers of datacenters being wary of shared resources' susceptibility to malicious attacks through cartography. A principle obstacle preventing customers from migrating to cloud computing is the fear of spying and malicious attacks from other consumers.

Malicious attack prevention through cartography of co-processors at datacenter


A method for removing dirt from a web in which a blow-off nozzle is provided extending over the width of a web. An edge of the nozzle at an end thereof is positioned close to one surface of the web. Air is blown through the nozzle while said web is being run past said nozzle so that deposits are removed from a surface of the web with the edge while the web is maintained in a floating state separated from the nozzle.

The present invention relates to a method for removing dust or other matter from a web, namely, a flexible support made of paper, plastic or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for removing dust or the like from a web which is moving.
A variety of methods for removing dust from a running web have been proposed in the art. In one of these, termed a dry-type dust removing method, unwoven cloth or a brush held suitably is pushed against a web to remove deposits from the surface of the web. (See, for example Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Applications Nos. 136764/1986 and 27309/1987 and Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 42741/1986, 7329/1987 and 94740/1987.) In another method, a stream of air high in purity is applied at high speed to a web running over a backup roll to remove deposits from the surface of the web by passing them past a suction port. In still another method, the surface of a web is polished directly with a hard member made of diamond or sapphire. (See Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications Nos. 92130/1987, 172532/1987 and 243553/1986, and Japanese Patent Application No. 132991/1987.) Moreover, there are known wet-type dust removing methods in which a web is introduced into a cleaning solution tank where deposits are removed from the web by ultrasonic vibration, or a cleaning solution such as water or organic solvent is applied to a web and deposits together with the cleaning agent are removed from the web by doctoring. (See Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications Nos. 150571/1984, 60748/1987 and 296826/1985.)
However, the above-described conventional methods have various problems. In the method of removing dust from a web using unwoven cloth or a brush, or in a method of polishing the surface of a web with a hard member of diamond or sapphire, the physical contact forms scratches on the web and generates static electricity. In addition, in the method using unwoven cloth, fibers of the unwoven cloth may stick to the surface of the web.
The method of applying a stream of air to a web at high speed is effective in removing deposits which are relatively large in diameter (more than several tens of microns); however, it is substantially not effective in removing deposits which are small in diameter or high in adhesion.
In the wet-type dust removing methods, it is impossible to completely scrape the cleaning solution off the surface of the web, and accordingly it is necessary to provide a drying zone, with the result that the cost of equipment is increased as much, and the cleaning solution is increased in cost. Also, because of the provision of the drying zone, the distance the web travels is increased as much, as a result of which foreign matter such as dust may stick to the web. Furthermore, the cleaning solution functions as a lubricant during the doctoring, and therefore foreign matter strongly stuck to the web may not be removed.

Method of removing dust from a web involving non-contact scraping and blowing


Apparatus 10 for a computer system comprising a plurality of interconnecting modules 16, 18, 20 with each module in the series having computer components encased therein, and external linking and connector elements extending therefrom forming a functioning computer. Each module contains one or more hardware components such as processor 60, DVD 62, video card 54, memory 58, power supply 55, motherboard 46, etc. that provides the user with means for determining and assembling a computer system comprised of user selectable and swappable component modules that plug into each other. The modules are typically of a thin rectangular form and have a structure formed of either a metallic chassis 12 or a plurality of interconnecting panels with knock out portions 40 to allow for connection there through to the computer component's connection ports. The modules connect to one another via a plurality of spring mounted clips 74 on the top that snap into apertures in the bottom of the mating module so that this maintains the module's physical connection to one another having push buttons on the sides of each module for the selective release when so desired. Also, a plurality of jumper elements 84 are used to transmit data or power therethrough and between the modules to where it is needed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronics and, more specifically, to a computer system comprising a plurality of interconnecting modules with each module in the series, having computer components encased therein, and external linking and connector elements extending therefrom forming a functioning computer.
Each module contains one or more hardware components such as processor, DVD, video card, memory, power supply, motherboard, etc. that provides the user with means for determining and assembling a computer system comprised of user selectable and swappable component modules that plug into each other.
The modules are typically of a thin rectangular form and have a structure formed of either a metallic chassis with assorted modules attached about its form to house the contained electronic components with said chassis modules serving as either venting, a connection means or structure. The modules may also instead be constructed of a plurality of interconnecting panels with knock out portions for there removal, to allow for connection there through to the computer component's connection ports. The modules connect to one another via a plurality of spring mounted clips on the top that snap into apertures in the bottom of the mating module, this maintains the module's physical connection to one another having push buttons on the sides of each module for the selective release when so desired, also a plurality of jumper elements are used to transmit data or power therethrough and between the modules to where it is needed. Ports for electrical interconnection between the modules preferably are mounted to the top and bottom panels and are outfitted with all required data and power transmission port types. The layout on the ports on the top and bottom panels are also preferably in a symmetrical orientation to correctly align and maintain uniformity between all the modules comprising the completed computer. Additionally, this system may be adapted to existing computers by providing a top module that is hardwired to the original computer case that serves as an adapter like component that allows for future add-ons of modules thereto for upgrading purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other reflective modular computers designed for enabling customization and upgrades. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,460 issued to Sisler on Feb. 26, 1985.
Another patent was issued to Harshberger on May 10, 1994 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,397. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,275 was issued to Frankeny, et al. on Nov. 8, 1994 and still yet another was issued on Feb. 11, 1997 to Lester as U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,721.
Another patent was issued to Prager, et al. on Dec. 17, 1988 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,914. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,663 was issued to Fan on Sep. 12, 2000 and still yet another was issued on Apr. 2, 2002 to Rapaich, et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,454.
Another patent was issued to Clidaras, et al. on Oct. 21, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,421. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,661,648 was issued to Dayley on Dec. 9, 2003 and still yet another was issued on Feb. 24, 2004 to Aisenberg as U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,251.
Another patent was issued to Ellger on Oct. 25, 2002 as Patent No DE 10019327. Yet another Patent No. CA2,354,181 was issued to Kontron Communications Inc. on Jul. 26, 2003.


A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, including: forming a metallic layer and an interlayer insulation film on a semiconductor substrate sequentially; etching on the interlayer insulation film using fluorine-based etching gas to form an opening portion of a predetermined pattern, reaching the metallic layer; and supplying chlorine-based silane gas and discharging, thus forming a Si film at least on an internal surface of the opening portion without exposure to the atmosphere after the etching.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, for example, having a copper wiring and a low-dielectric constant interlayer insulation film.
In recent years, a copper wiring has been used with miniaturization and high-speed operation of a semi conductor device. Further, in order to reduce a wiring interval and to inhibit a delay of an electrical circuit signal due to multiple layering, an interlayer insulation film with a low dielectric constant has been used. As the interlayer insulation film having a low dielectric constant, for example, SiCOH film including CH3 or H bonded to a SiO2 framework has been used.
In such a semiconductor device of a multiple-layered structure using a copper wiring and an interlayer insulation film with a low dielectric constant, a diffusion prevention film having high barrier properties is formed on an interface between a lower-layer copper wiring and the interlayer insulation film in order to prevent copper contained in a lower-layer copper wiring from being diffused into the interlayer insulation film. Such a diffusion prevention film is exposed at a via hole pattern bottom portion when a via hole pattern is formed on the interlayer insulation film. After formation of a wiring groove, the exposed portion of the diffusion prevention film is removed by etching. In this case, a film including Si such as SiN, SiCN or SiC is used as the diffusion prevention film and therefore dry etching using fluorine-based etching gas is commonly performed.
Such etching causes a copper wiring to be exposed at a via hole bottom portion and to be left in the atmosphere in this state until the next process. However, in this state, the copper wiring is corroded as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-356474 (paragraph [0010], etc.).
More specifically, for example, it can be described as follows: Due to dry etching using fluorine-based etching gas, fluorine remains on the exposed copper wiring surface. The remaining fluorine reacts with moisture in the atmosphere and is converted to Cu—F. F reacts with oxygen or an OH group in moisture and converted into Cu oxide or Cu hydroxide. Corrosion of a copper wiring caused in this way poses a problem that it is difficult to obtain desired electrical characteristics.
Fluorine also remains on a via hole inner wall. Fluorine can become an etchant of an interlayer insulation film composed of, especially an inorganic insulation film with a low dielectric constant including CH3 or H bonded to a SiO2 framework. Accordingly, the interlayer insulation film is etched, so that an etching damage layer is formed. In particular, an interlayer insulation film which is porous due to lower dielectric constant of the interlayer insulation film is more vulnerable to damage. The etching damage layer poses a problem that the damage layer absorbs moisture and causes an increase in a dielectric constant when left in the atmosphere.
To suppress an adverse effect of moisture in the atmosphere and fluctuations in characteristics due to the effect as much as possible, an exposure time to the atmosphere after processing by dry etching using fluorine-based etching gas until the next process such as wet etching is strictly controlled. However, it can be hardly said that only controlling the exposure time to the atmosphere is sufficient since, in a case where production suspension occurs due to troubles such as power failure in a production line, only the control method is not sufficient to take proper measures.

Process for forming opening portion in interlayer insulation film on metallic layer of semiconductor device


In a tube (4) for a heat exchanger comprising a flat pipe (16) whose both ends are opened and in which a flow path (15) for a heat exchanging medium is formed, and an inner fin (17) arranged in the flow path (15), wherein said flat pipe (16) is constituted of a sheet of material for a flat pipe, the inner fin is constituted of two opposing flat plate portions (17b, 17c) connected along one of side edges of said flat pipe (16) and formed in a flat plate shape so as to be in contact with an inner surface of the said flat pipe (16), and projection portions (17d) which are projected from at least one of the flat plate portions (17b, 17c) and whose tops are in contact with the other opposing flat plate portion (17b, 17c). It is preferred that the projection portions (17d) are projected from both of the flat plate portions (17b, 17c) toward the opposing flat plate portion, and the opposing tops are made come in contact with each other. The tube for a heat exchanger which can prevent significant deformation of the inner fin from occurring when the inner fin included in the flat pipe is cut in a width direction thereof together with the flat pipe can be provided.

In recent air-conditioning units, it is considered to decrease volumetric flow of coolant in a refrigerating cycle to design a reduction of compressor's power as requirement for saving power and fuel efficiency. Thus, in a heat exchanger, it is desired to increase a heat exchanging efficiency so as to gain a heat exchanging ability more than of the prior heat exchanger in a less volumetric flow of coolant. Under thus condition, though coolant distribution in the heat exchanger influences on the heat exchanging efficiency largely, it is difficult to find an effective improvement plan for temperature distribution at the small volumetric flow due to the structure in a prior drawn cup type heat exchanger in which a tank is provided only in one side thereof. Therefore, the heat exchanger is in course of shifting from one side tank type of the heat exchanger to a both tank type heat exchanger which has tanks in both sides thereof these days.
Furthermore, there is a case that it is obliged to provide various incidental equipments around an air conditioning unit. In thus case, because minimization of the air conditioning unit is required, minimization of the heat exchanger is more necessary with this requirement. Accordingly, it becomes more important problem to secure the heat exchanging ability more than in prior heat exchangers with satisfying the requirement for minimization of the heat exchanger.
Though various improvements of the heat exchangers are considered from the above-mentioned point, above all, it is recognized as an effective means to improve a tube structure. About the improvement of the tube structure, it is desired to make an equivalent diameter of a flow path smaller as well as promoting flattening of the tube, and further it is considered as an effective means to provide inner fin in a flat pipe.
In the case of forming this tube, a flat pipe with a specific length is formed in advance and inner fin are inserted into the flat pipe and brazed so far. However, according to this method, there is disadvantage that productivity becomes worse because the inner fin must be inserted into every flat pipe.
Accordingly, this applicant adopts a method for producing tubes by a roll forming in order to resolve the above disadvantage. This is that a material for a flat pipe is rolled up so as to cover the inner fin, a flat pipe A is formed while including the inner fin B in the flat pipe as shown in FIG. 10, and then a tube D with a specific length is formed by inserting a cutting blade C from one side in a width direction thereof to cut the flat pipe A together with the inner fin B.
However, because a shape of a prior tube is determined only in a view point that the included inner fin makes an equivalent diameter of the flow path smaller, as shown in FIG. 10, there is a disadvantage that the inner fin B are deformed extremely and the flow path with small equivalent diameter can not be formed because the inner fin B get out of position in an arrow direction illustrated with a broken line (a width direction of the tube) by the cutting blade C when the cutting blade C inserted from the width direction in the case of forming the inner fin in, for instance, a corrugated shape.
It is considered that this disadvantage is caused by that stiffness to a width directional force of the inner fin itself, stiffness to a binding force by the flat pipe from a thickness direction thereof, and further a contact resistance to a width directional force at a contacting portion between the inner fin and the flat pipe are not secured because a shape of the inner fin is determined only in a view point that the equivalent diameter of the flow path is reduced.
Therefore, in this invention, it is a main object to provide tubes for a heat exchanger which can prevent much deformation of the inner fin to secure a flow path with a small equivalent diameter in the flat pipe in the case of cutting the inner fin included in the flat pipe together with the flat pipe in the width direction.
More concretely, the object of the invention is to provide tubes for a heat exchanger so as to increase the stiffness to the width directional force of the inner fin itself and the stiffness to the binding force by the flat pipe in the thickness direction thereof, and further to enlarge the contact resistance to a width directional force at a contacting portion between the inner fin and the flat pipe.


An apparatus and a method for transmitting control information in a small base station of a wireless communication system are provided. In the method, when the small base station operates in a Low Duty operation Mode (LDM) in a superframe, a control signal including LDM operation information is generated. Only a subframe via which a preamble, a control signal including the LDM operation information, and a SuperFrame Header (SFH) are transmitted is transmitted during the superframe. When the small base station operates in a normal operation mode in a superframe, at least one of the control information and data is transmitted via at least one subframe of the superframe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting control information of a small base station that operates in a Low Duty operation Mode (LDM) to a terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wireless communication system may provide a femto cell service for providing a high-speed data service while solving a service problem of a propagation shadow area. The femto cell denotes a small cell area formed by a small base station accessing a mobile communication core network via a broadband network installed in an indoor space such as an office and a household. Here, the small base station denotes a base station of small power that a user installs in person, and includes any or all of a micro base station, a self configurable base station, a compact base station, an indoor base station, a home base station, and a femto base station. In the following description, it is assumed that the small base station is a femto base station.
The femto base station operates in a normal operation mode or a Low Duty operation Mode (LDM). For example, in a case where terminals that access the femto base station operate in an idle mode or a sleep mode, or a terminal that accesses the femto base station does not exist, the femto base station operates in the LDM in order to reduce interference for neighboring cells. At this point, an LDM section where the femto base station operates in the LDM is divided into an Available Interval (AI) during which the femto base station transmits control information, and an UnAvailable Interval (UAI) during which the femto base station does not transmit a signal.
A terminal of a cellular system may recognize a base station based on a preamble or broadcast control information transmitted by the base station, and try a cell selection to the base station. However, in a case where the femto base station enters an UAI, the femto base station does not transmit a signal. Accordingly, the terminal cannot recognize the femto base station that has entered the UAI. For example, when a user turns on power of a terminal at a position adjacent to a femto base station that has entered an UAI, there is a problem since the terminal cannot recognize the femto base station even though the terminal is adjacent to the femto base station and so the terminal attempts to access a macro base station. In another example, a terminal that operates in an idle mode cannot recognize the femto base station and so it cannot perform a position update. In a further example, during a handover, the terminal cannot scan the femto base station that has entered a UAI.
Another problem is that overhead may occur when a macro base station including the femto base station transmits information regarding an operating mode of the femto base station to a terminal so that the terminal may search for the femto base station that has entered a UAI.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for transmitting information of a femto base station that operates in a LDM in a wireless communication system.

Apparatus and method for transmitting signal in wireless communication system


A module device testing apparatus and method that is adaptive for testing a large number of module devices at the same time. In the apparatus and method, a plurality of module devices is entered into a high-temperature tunnel with at least two layers. A test of the module devices is performed within the high-temperature tunnel. The module devices having completed the high temperature test are derived from the high-temperature tunnel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technique of fabricating a module device in which various circuit devices are mounted on a print circuit board, and more particularly to a module device testing apparatus and method that is adaptive for testing a large number of module devices at the same time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a conventional module device is fabricated by carrying out a step of printing a wiring according to a circuit configuration on a print circuit board (PCB), a step of loading various circuit devices including a integrated circuit chip, such as a memory chip, on the PCB printed with the wiring, and a step of soldering various circuit devices loaded on the PCB in such a manner that the circuit devices are connected to the wiring. In the module devices fabricated in this manner, the circuit devices may not be loaded at a predetermined position and also a poor soldering may occur. For these reasons, the module device fabrication method requires a process of testing the module devices so as to judge whether or not any module devices are poor.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional module device testing apparatus includes a socket board 3 provided with a number of sockets 2, a test unit 4 provided with a loading head 6 to mount and release the socket board 3, and a test control box 5 mounted to and released from the test unit 4. Module devices 1 are mounted to or released from the sockets 2 on the socket board 3 with the aid of the loading head 6. If the module devices 1 are mounted to the sockets 2, then they are electrically connected, via the socket board 3, to a main board (not shown) within the test unit 4. Circuit and software for testing the module devices 1 are contained in the test control box 5. The test control box 5 is electrically connected, via a connector installed at the side surface of the test unit 4, to the main board. If the test control box 5 is mounted to the test unit 4 and an electric power is applied to the test control box 5, then a test is performed in accordance with various test parameters of the module device 1. Also, the test is performed within a high temperature chamber or a low temperature chamber so as to be aware of temperature characteristics of the module devices 1.
However, the conventional module device testing apparatus has a drawback in that it must use an expensive test control box 5, and has a problem in that, since the test is carried out at a single layer, the number of module devices 1 capable of being simultaneously tested is limited. In other words, in order to test a large number of module devices 1 at the same time, it is necessary to install a number of testing apparatus on the same plane. Since an area provided with the testing apparatus has a limit, however, the number of module devices 1 to be tested is limited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of testing module devices that is capable of simultaneously testing a large number of module devices.
In order to achieve these and other objects of the invention, a module device testing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of test units mounted with a plurality of module devices; a high-temperature tunnel with at least two layers; movement means, provided within the high-temperature tunnel, for moving the test units at the same layer and between layers within the high-temperature tunnel; and test means for testing a poor pattern and an electrical characteristic of the module devices progressing within the high-temperature tunnel.
A module device testing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of test units mounted with a plurality of module devices and provided with a tester for testing a poor pattern and an electrical characteristic of the module devices; a high-temperature tunnel with at least two layers; movement means, provided within the high-temperature tunnel, for moving the test units at the same layer and between layers within the high-temperature tunnel; module device loading means for locating the module devices at a loading position of the high-temperature tunnel; module device unloading means for deriving the module devices located at the loading position of the high-temperature tunnel; control means for controlling the movement means within the high-temperature tunnel, the module device loading means and the module device unloading means and for generating an identification information and a control signal of the test units; reading means for supplying the control means with a test result information from the test units; and recording means for recording a producer information of the module devices and the test result information to the module devices.
A module device testing method according to still another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of entering a plurality of module devices into a high-temperature tunnel with at least two layers; making a test of the module devices within the high-temperature tunnel; and deriving the module devices having completed the high temperature test from the high-temperature tunnel.

Apparatus and method for testing module devices


A method and system for managing data records on a computer network is described, in which copies of data records are distributed among various servers in a hierarchical tree structure, and in which servers that experience an excessive number of requests for a particular data record transmit replicas of that data record to other servers to distribute the load.

Name services have been in use on computer networks for many years. In general, the main function of a name service is to map a name, such as a file name, or network domain name, to some arbitrary data record, such as a file or a network address. A name service can, for example, receive a "look-up request" that includes a name, such as a textual name of a web site, from a requesting client and return information associated with the name, such as the IP address of the web site, to the requesting party. Other functions performed by a name service include mapping a name to a restricted set of data objects. For example, a computerized "white pages" name service for a telephone network might map a person's name to multiple pieces of information, such as the person's telephone number and the person's street address. One of the most popular name services in use today is the Domain Naming Service (DNS).
A name service, like other types of data management systems, may be implemented using a distributed database. That is, some or all of the data records of the name service may be distributed and stored in multiple locations throughout a network. In such a name service, there will often be multiple copies, or "replicas" of any given data record. One challenge that exists in implementing a name service in this manner is providing timely updates to the various replicas of a data record. Another challenge is dealing with so called "flash-crowds." A flash-crowd is a large number of users who suddenly become interested in a single name or limited set of names administered by the name service and subsequently lose interest after a relatively short period of time. In the context of the DNS and the Internet, for example, a flash-crowd forms when a website suddenly becomes popular, and many users are suddenly and simultaneously entering the domain name of the website (e.g. www.foo.com), thereby causing numerous requests for the IP address of www.foo.com to be sent to DNS servers. A flash-crowd can disrupt name services such as DNS because only a relative few of the name servers on a network will actually have the information required by the flash crowd and will thus be overwhelmed.

Method and system for managing data records on a computer network


There is provided a method including: during a training period, collecting a plurality of scan cycle times of a programmable logic controller (PLC) program executing on a PLC; calculating one or more baseline parameters based on the plurality of scan cycle times; determining a baseline PLC program signature based on the one or more baseline statistical parameters; and storing the baseline PLC program signature.

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are used in a variety of industrial control systems (ICSs) in critical applications including power generation, oil and gas distribution, water treatment, and manufacturing. Due to the unique environments these devices are deployed in, the primary design focus has always been on ruggedness, reliability, and real-time operations. Typically, the security of these ICSs has not been a major consideration. This lack of focus on security has left PLCs, as well as ICSs open to abuse where attacks can result in physical damage to equipment and personnel.
Recent ransomware strains have successfully targeted enterprise networks with attacks directed toward compromising a company's data. While ICS networks have so far largely avoided being targets of such cybercrime, this is not because they are inherently more secure; cybercriminals may have not yet figured out how to effectively monetize attacking ICS networks. However, in power generation, oil and gas distribution, water treatment, and manufacturing industries, cybercriminals may not find profitability in directing attacks toward compromising data, but rather by endangering the continued availability and safe operation of the facilities. As non-limiting examples, the Northeast blackout of 2003 that affected the northeastern United States was caused by a simple software bug and had an estimated economic cost of $7 to $10 billion dollars; manufacturing facilities can experience millions of dollars in lost production value for each hour of system downtime; and the monetary value of assuring utilities (e.g., water, gas, or electricity) are safely and continuously provided to households is uncertainly large. Accordingly, there exists a need to improve the security of critical ICS network applications to avoid potential security threats.
PLCs are endpoints for many ICS networks and are a vital bridge between the cyber and physical worlds. While strategies commonly used in other industries that address endpoint security, network security, and end user policies may be employed to improve security of certain critical ICS networks, there remain challenges in implementing even basic security functions in PLCs. This is because many PLCs are still sold without secure design features, may include software vulnerabilities, may lack of proper implementation of passwords, or may lack of proper message authentication. A continued lack of focus on security in PLC design coupled with practical PLC operational considerations, such as strict downtime requirements discouraging frequent patching and limited resources prohibiting strong cryptography, stand as barriers to securing PLCs through strategies commonly used in other industries.
In addition, even addressing these and other barriers to securing PLCs may still leave PLCs vulnerable to malicious attack. To date, the publicly known real-world cyber attacks on ICS networks that achieved a physical impact did not rely on insecurities of PLCs themselves, but rather reprogrammed PLCs through a compromised engineering workstation. For example, Stuxnet, a malicious computer worm that targets industrial computer systems and was responsible for causing substantial damage to Iran's nuclear program, was introduced through a compromised engineering workstation and reprogrammed PLCs with malicious control logic. Similarly, the cyber attacks causing Ukrainian power outages were not caused by zero-day exploits on circuit breaker equipment, but used a compromised workstation to send legitimate commands at inappropriate times.
A strategy for securing critical ICS networks would therefore benefit not only from commonly used security strategies, but also systems and methods for improving security defenses of each PLC that are capable of detecting potentially malicious reprogramming of the PLC.

Systems and methods for detecting anomalous software on a programmable logic controller


The present invention provides systems and methods for controlling processes of a process facility and, in particular, for distributing data among nodes of a real time process control system controlling such a facility. An exemplary process control system includes a plurality of sensors, controllable devices, and communication paths, and a computer system. The sensors and controllable devices are associated with various ones of the processes of the process facility, and the communication paths couple the sensors and controllable devices to the computer system. The computer system operates on data related to the process facility, and distributes the data among both client and process nodes. The client nodes desire data associated with processes of the facility and the process nodes control such process data. The computer system includes (i) a cache having a short access time for retrieving records, and (ii) a supervisory controller, associated with the client and process nodes, that controls storage of the process data in the cache and selectively transfers the process data from the cache to the client nodes.

Many process facilities (e.g., a manufacturing plant, a mineral or crude oil refinery, etc.) are managed using distributed control systems. Typical contemporary control systems include numerous modules tailored to monitor and/or control various processes of the facility. Conventional means link these modules together to produce the distributed nature of the control system. This affords increased performance and a capability to expand or reduce the control system to satisfy changing facility needs.
Process facility management providers, such as Honeywell, Inc., develop control systems that can be tailored to satisfy wide ranges of process requirements (e.g., global, local or otherwise) and facility types (e.g., manufacturing, warehousing, refining, etc.). Such providers have two principle objectives. The first objective is to centralize control of as many processes as possible to improve an overall efficiency of the facility. The second objective is to support a common interface that communicates data among various modules controlling or monitoring the processes, and also with any such centralized controller or operator center.
Each process, or group of associated processes, has one or more input characteristics (e.g., flow, feed, power, etc.) and one or more output characteristics (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.) associated with it. Model predictive control ("MPC") techniques have been used to optimize certain processes as a function of such characteristics. One MPC technique uses algorithmic representations of certain processes to estimate characteristic values (represented as parameters, variables, etc.) associated with them that can be used to better control such processes. In recent years, physical, economic and other factors have been incorporated into control systems for these associated processes.
Examples of such techniques are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,184, entitled "Method of Multivariable Predictive Control Utilizing Range Control;" U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,599, entitled "Method of Incorporating Independent Feedforward Control in a Multivariable Predictive Controller;" U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,420, entitled "Method of Optimal Controller Design of Multivariable Predictive Control Utilizing Range Control;" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,638, entitled "Method of Optimal Scaling of Variables in a Multivariable Predictive Controller Utilizing Range Control," all of which are commonly owned along by the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference for all purposes (the foregoing issued patents and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/490,499, previously incorporated herein by reference, are collectively referred to hereafter as the "Honeywell Patents and Application").
The distributed control systems used to monitor and control a process are frequently linked by common communication pathways, such as by a local area network (LAN) architecture or by a wide area network (WAN) architecture. When a requesting node needs a datum from a responding node, it issues a request for the datum across the network and the responding node then returns the datum back across the network. Many process control systems use a supervisory control LAN or WAN integrated with one or more process control networks. The process control networks contain the basic raw data required by the supervisory control network and other process control networks.
Typically, a supervisory controller is linked to a flexible array of processor controllers using communication drivers matched to the specific processor controller being interfaced. The supervisory controller maps the essential data of these process controllers into a homogeneous database controlled by the supervisory controller for consistent storage and access by individual process controller or by any client application being executed by the supervisory controller.
Generally, a supervisory control network joins process control network(s) by polling (scanning) at a fixed or flexible interval for all data that is mapped by user configuration to the supervisory control systems database. One or more server nodes physically join the supervisory control local and wide area networks to the process control network(s). These server nodes are the data repositories for all client access among the supervisory client nodes. A problem is encountered, however, when the quantity of information in the process control network(s) is greater than that which can be polled all together at an acceptable update rate. In such a case it may take two or more pollings of a process control network to retrieve all of the data required by a client application. This is particularly true for those client applications where users may switch back and forth between screens (views) displaying data from a process control network.
There is therefore a need in the art for improved supervisory control systems that provide one or more client applications with faster access to information in a one or more process control systems. In particular, there is a need in the art for improved supervisory control systems that provide one or more client applications with faster data access than can be achieved by the periodic polling of the data.

Systems and methods for implementing a dynamic cache in a supervisory control system


The present invention is directed to an optical system which includes an image region having at least one light source which directs a beam of light along an optical axis and an object region which is adapted to receive the light from the light source. An optical delivery system is between the image region and object region. The optical delivery system receives the light from the image region and directs it to the object region. The optical delivery system is formed of a plurality of optical elements, such as lenses and volume holograms. The optical delivery system is designed to either receive a plurality of beams of light from a plurality of sources or different modes of a single light source and form a single spot of light in the image region having the combined power of all of the beams of light or modes of a single beam. The optical delivery system can also condense or expand the spacing between the beams of light from a plurality of light sources. The optical delivery system is designed so that the Lagrange invariant thereof at the object region is different from the Lagrange invariant thereof at the image region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for delivering an optical beam from a beam source to a device for using the beam, and, more particularly, to a system for either providing a beam of higher power or of a different size.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many commercial systems which use a beam of light in the operation of the system. Such systems include optical communication systems, optical printing systems and optical memory devices for computers. The optical source generally used in these systems is a semiconductor laser diode. Such laser diodes are small and provide a beam of relatively collimated light. However, a problem with such laser diodes is that they are limited in the power of the light beam that they emit. Making the laser diode larger so as to emit a higher power beam has the problem that the beam of light is also larger in diameter. This can be a problem when the device into which the beam is being directed is small in diameter, such as an optical fiber, because the larger laser diodes tend to lase with multiple transverse modes, whose outputs are not readily focused to small diameters. Attempts have been made to increase the power of the beam provided by using a plurality of laser diodes and through optical devices, such as lenses, compress the plurality of beams into a single beam having the power of the combined beams. However, using standard optical devices, such as lenses, etc., it has not been possible to achieve a single beam of small diameter. If the beams from a plurality of spaced laser diodes are directed through a single lens, the beams will pass through different portions of the lens which causes the beams to go in different directions. The lens may form each beam at a fine point at the image plane of the system, but the beams will be spaced apart. The beams will cross each other at the focal plane of the lens to form a single spot, but the spot formed is large in diameter at the focal plane. Thus, a small diameter combined beam is not achieved by the single lens. Also, there are times when it is desired to expand or compress the size of a plurality of beams emitted by a plurality of light sources without expanding or compressing the beam diameters by a similar amount. This has been found difficult to do with standard optical devices.


One embodiment of the present invention provides a signal-recording system. During operation, the system receives a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals, separates the RF signals to obtain a first group of RF signals in a first RF band and a second group of RF signals in a second RF band, and simultaneously down-converts the first group of RF signals to a first group of low intermediate-frequency (low-IF) signals in a first IF band and the second group of RF signals to a second group of low-IF signals in a second IF band. The system further converts the first group of low-IF signals and the second group of low-IF signals to the digital domain, and simultaneously processes all of the converted low-IF signals.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a satellite-signal receiving system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a system capable of receiving signals from all four global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs).
2. Related Art
In recent years, the proliferation of portable satellite-signal-receiving devices has resulted in an expansion of the usage of satellite navigation from the military domain to various aspects of civilian life. For example, nowadays most smartphones are equipped with built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers that enable real-time position tracking and direction guiding.
Currently, there are four global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) that can provide global coverage, including two fully operational systems (the United States' NAVSTAR GPS and the Russian Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS)), and two partially developed systems (the Chinese Compass navigation system and the European Union's Galileo positioning system).


A variable pressure reusable sensor has a first jaw having a first hinge and an emitter and an opposing second jaw having a second hinge and a detector. A pin is disposed through the first and second hinges so as to rotatably attach the first and second jaws. The jaws are adapted to attach to a tissue site so that the emitter transmits optical radiation into the tissue site and the detector receives optical radiation after absorption by the tissue site. A spring having a plurality of legs is disposed around the pin and configured so that the legs apply force to the jaws. A tensioner is disposed proximate at least one of the jaws and configured to variably position at least one of the legs so as to adjust pressure exerted by the jaws on the tissue site.

Pulse oximeters perform a spectral analysis of the pulsatile component of arterial blood in order to determine oxygen saturation, the relative concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin to depleted hemoglobin. Pulse oximeters have gained rapid acceptance in a wide variety of medical applications, including surgical wards, intensive care units, general wards and home care by providing early detection of decreases in the arterial oxygen supply, reducing the risk of accidental death and injury. A pulse oximetry system consists of a sensor, a monitor and a patient cable providing electrical communication between the sensor and monitor. The sensor attaches to a patient tissue site and provides a physiological signal to the monitor, which continuously displays patient oxygen saturation and pulse rate measurements.
A pulse oximetry sensor has emitters typically consisting of a red light emitting diode (LED) and an infrared LED that project light through blood vessels and capillaries underneath a tissue site, such as a fingernail bed. The sensor also has a detector typically consisting of a photodiode positioned opposite the LEDs so as to detect the emitted light as it emerges from the tissue site. Sensor types include a disposable sensor and a reusable sensor. A disposable sensor attaches to a patient tissue site with an adhesive wrap and is intended for use by only a single patient. A reusable sensor clips onto a patient tissue site and is intended for repeated use on multiple patients.
FIG. 1 illustrates a reusable finger sensor 100 having a sensor clip 200, a sensor connector 110 and a sensor cable 120. The sensor clip 200 has an open position for inserting a finger, typically the index finger, and a close position (shown) for securing the sensor clip 200 to opposite sides of the finger. The clip 200 has a front end 201 and a back end 202. A finger is inserted into the front end 201 in the open position. The clip 200 is moved between the close position and the open position by pressing on and releasing the finger grips 205 at the back end 202. A spring 280 (FIG. 2) applies force to the back end 202 that determines the pressure on an inserted finger in the closed position. The sensor clip 200 is described in further detail with respect to FIG. 2, below.
Also shown in FIG. 1, the sensor connector 110 plugs into a patient cable (not shown). The sensor cable 120 has a first end 122 terminating at the sensor clip 200 and a second end 124 terminating at the sensor connector 130. The sensor cable 120 electrically communicates monitor originated LED drive signals from the connector 110 to the sensor clip 200 and monitor destined detector signals from the sensor clip 200 to the connector 110.
FIG. 2 further illustrates a reusable sensor clip 200 having a top shell 210, a top pad 220, a bottom pad 230, a bottom shell 240, an emitter 250, a detector 260, hinge pins 270 and a spring 290. The top shell 210 and top pad 220 retain the cable 120 and emitter 250 to form a top jaw 208. The bottom shell 240 and bottom pad 230 retain the detector 260 to form a bottom jaw 209. The clip 200 is assembled with the hinge pins 270 inserted through hinges 214, 244 and the spring 290 so as to rotatably attach the jaws 208, 209 and retain the spring between the jaws 208, 209. The spring 290 has legs 292 that apply force to the top shell 210 and a center section 294 that applies tension to the bottom shell 240, urging the jaws 208, 209 to a closed position in which the pads 220, 230 are held against a tissue site. Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) 282, 288 adheres the emitter 250 to the top shell 210 and the detector 260 to the bottom shell 240. Windows 284, 286 pass light from the emitter 250 to the detector 260. A finger is inserted into the clip 200 in an orientation shown on the top shell 210.


In a wiring configuration for a semiconductor component, an unused terminal is insulated from a third land via an insulating film, and thus no connecting member (solder) is required for the unused terminal. With this, the third land is not accidentally removed from a circuit board during exchange of the semiconductor component, and the number of defective circuit boards can be reduced. Moreover, the third land for the unused terminal is included in a wiring pattern due to the connection thereof to other lands or other traces for signals and for grounding with a connecting trace. Thus, the widths of lines can be increased, and furthermore, the insusceptibility of transmission lines in high-frequency circuits to noise can be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wiring configurations for semiconductor components suitable for high-frequency electronic units such as television tuners.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wiring configuration for a known semiconductor component will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a semiconductor component according to the wiring configuration for the known semiconductor component, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of principal parts of a circuit board according to the wiring configuration for the known semiconductor component. As shown in FIG. 5, a semiconductor component 51 includes a main body 52 and a plurality of terminals 53 provided for the main body 52.
The terminals 53 include a plurality of signal terminals 53a, a plurality of ground terminals 53b, and a plurality of unused terminals 53c. The unused terminals 53c are unnecessary terminals for connection to electrical circuits existing in various other high-frequency electronic units.
As shown in FIG. 6, a circuit board 54 includes a wiring pattern 55. The wiring pattern 55 includes first traces 56 for signals having first lands 56a corresponding to the signal terminals 53a, second traces 57 for grounding having second lands 57a corresponding to the ground terminals 53b, and island-shaped third lands 58a corresponding to the unused terminals 53c.
The semiconductor component 51 is connected to the circuit board 54 by soldering the signal terminals 53a, the ground terminals 53b, and the unused terminals 53c to the first lands 56a, the second lands 57a, and the third lands 58a, respectively. In this manner, the wiring configuration for the known semiconductor component is realized (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-177040).
When the electrical circuit of this semiconductor component 51 is broken, the semiconductor component 51 is removed from the circuit board 54 by heating the solder that connects the semiconductor component 51 to the circuit board 54, and then a new semiconductor component 51 is soldered to the circuit board 54.
However, according to the wiring configuration for the known semiconductor component, the areas of the island-shaped third lands 58a to which the unused terminals 53c are soldered are small, and the third lands 58a can be easily accidentally removed from the circuit board 54 when the semiconductor component 51 is removed for exchange, resulting in a large number of defective circuit boards 54. Moreover, since the first traces 56 and the second traces 57 are arranged so as to avoid the island-shaped third lands 58a, the efficiency with which space is used becomes low, and furthermore, the widths of the lines are reduced. Thus, transmission lines in, in particular, high-frequency circuits become susceptible to noise.

Wiring configuration for semiconductor component


A phosphor panel favorably employable for medical diagnosis of chest has a phosphor layer formed on a substrate by a gas phase-accumulation method, in which the phosphor layer is composed of a large number of phosphor columns standing parallel to each other, in which the phosphor columns have a mean diameter of 0.1 to 50 μm at a top surface thereof, and there are no phosphor columns having a diameter larger than 200 μm at the top surface.

When an energy-storing phosphor (e.g., stimulable phosphor, which gives off stimulated emission) is exposed to radiation such as X-rays, it absorbs and stores a portion of the radiation energy. The phosphor then emits stimulated emission according to the level of the stored energy when exposed to electromagnetic wave such as visible or infrared light (i.e., stimulating light). A radiation image recording and reproducing method utilizing the energy-storing phosphor has been widely employed in practice. In that method, a radiation image storage panel, which is a sheet comprising the energy-storing phosphor, is used. The method comprises the steps of: exposing the storage panel to radiation having passed through an object or having radiated from an object, so that radiation image information of the object is temporarily recorded in the panel; sequentially scanning the storage panel with a stimulating light such as a laser beam to emit stimulated light; and photoelectrically detecting the emitted light to obtain electric image signals. The storage panel thus treated is subjected to a step for erasing radiation energy remaining therein, and then stored for the use in the next recording and reproducing procedure. Thus, the radiation image storage panel can be repeatedly used.
The radiation image storage panel (often referred to as energy-storing phosphor sheet) has a basic structure comprising a support and a phosphor layer provided thereon.
Various kinds of energy-storing phosphor layers are known. For example, the phosphor layer can comprise a binder and energy-storing phosphor particles dispersed therein, or otherwise can comprise agglomerate of an energy-storing phosphor without binder. The latter layer can be formed by a gas phase-accumulation method or by a firing method.
The radiation image recording and reproducing method (or radiation image forming method) has various advantages as described above. It is still desired that the radiation image storage panel used in the method have as high sensitivity as possible and, at the same time, give a reproduced radiation image of as high quality (in regard to sharpness and graininess) as possible.
For the purpose of improving the sensitivity and the image quality, it has been proposed to form the phosphor layer by a gas phase-accumulation method such as vapor-deposition method or sputtering method. For example, in the vapor-deposition method, the phosphor or constitutional material thereof is heated by a resistance heater or electron beam, vaporized and accumulated on a substrate (e.g., metal plate) to prepare a phosphor layer in which a large number of columns of the phosphor stand parallel to each other. Thus prepared phosphor layer consists of only the phosphor without binder, and there are cracks among the phosphor columns. Accordingly, the stimulating light can be applied efficiently enough, and the emission can be collected also efficiently enough to improve the sensitivity. In addition, since the stimulating light is kept from scattering horizontally, an image of high sharpness can be obtained.
WO 02/20868A1 describes that an alkali halide (e.g., CsBr:Eu) phosphor layer formed by the vapor-deposition method is liable to have an uneven thickness because large phosphor particles are often formed to make uneven spots on the phosphor layer. On the basis of this finding, the WO publication proposes that, after at least 30 wt. % of the phosphor used as the evaporation source is deposited on a substrate, the formed phosphor layer be ground with abrasive to give a phosphor layer having even thickness.
As described above, a phosphor layer formed by a gas phase-accumulation method such as the vapor-deposition method consists of phosphor in the form of columns. According to the WO publication, the phosphor column has a diameter of some micrometers on average at its top surface. The phosphor column, however, does not always uniformly grow. For example, a portion of the phosphor column often grows anomalously, and neighboring phosphor columns may fuse and combine with each other. The present applicants have found that, if the anomalously grown or fused phosphor column (anomalous crystal, often referred to as "hillock") has a larger diameter at its top surface than a pixel size for reading out a radiation image or than an image size in reproducing the image, it causes a point defect to impair quality of the reproduced image and, as a result, to give unfavorable effects to various diagnoses and examinations.
FIG. 1 is an electron micrograph (×150) partly showing a surface of phosphor layer of a conventional radiation image storage panel, and FIG. 2 is another electron micrograph (×500) partly showing a section of the phosphor layer. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the phosphor layer formed by the conventional vapor-deposition process, some phosphor columns anomalously grow to become an anomalous crystal having a diameter larger than 200 μm at the top surface thereof.
FIG. 3 is still another electron micrograph (×35) partly showing a radiation image reproduced from the conventional storage panel. FIG. 3 indicates that, if the radiation image information is read out from this storage panel (pixel size: 100 μm, image size: 200 μm), the anomalous crystal in the phosphor layer gives a point defect which is unfavorable for medical diagnoses.
This problem is serious particularly in medical radiography for the chest. In radiographic diagnoses of chest, the pixel size for reading out a radiation image from the storage panel is generally 100 μm pitch while the image size for reproducing the image is 200 μm pitch. Accordingly, in the case where the storage panel is used for medical diagnoses of chest, the phosphor column having a diameter larger than 200 μm at its top surface causes serious troubles.


The invention relates to a waterer to be mounted on an animal housing facility, which is provided with an essentially vertical feed delivery pipe (4), a vertical water pipe (2) and at least one water valve (3) fitted on the water pipe (2). It is characterised by a mounting unit (5), at least parially surrounding the feed delivery pipe (4), which can be firmly clamped to the feed delivery pipe (4), and a water pipe holder with a strap (6) and an angled leg (7) provided on the mounting unit (5), where the water pipe (2) lies against the strap (6) and the leg (7) in height-adjustable fashion, and with a height adjustment clamp (8) which surrounds the water pipe (2) and is connected to the strap (6) and the leg (7), with which the strap (6), the leg (7) and the height adjustment clamp (8) can be clamped against the water pipe (2).

The invention relates to a device for providing water and food to animals to be mounted on an animal housing facility, which is provided with an essentially vertical feed delivery pipe, a vertical water pipe and at least one water valve fitted on the water pipe.
A large number of device for providing water and food to animals of the type described are used on breeding and fattening farms, for example in the breeding of pigs.
In one method of pig rearing, each pig is provided with a pen. The pen is dimensioned such that it accommodates one pig. A full-grown pig no longer has enough space to turn around in the pen. The pigs stand with their heads at the front ends of the pens. The front ends face an aisle running along the pens, which is used by personnel to service the facility and oversee the animals.
In accordance with a well-known watering method, the floor of the animal housing facility is provided with a trough along the entire length of the front ends of the adjacent pens. On the one hand, the feed is fed into this floor trough via the feed delivery pipes, this process being controlled by an automatic timer at large farms. On the other hand, the drinking water for the animals is also fed into the floor trough. This process is also controlled by an automatic timer at large farms. The disadvantage of this procedure is that water is not available to the animal at all times. The water consumption is also very high and, in warm climates, a watery, sour feed mash accumulates. The additional contamination of the floor trough with feces and the formation of mold fungi cause diseases in the animals. The operating costs are high.
For this reason, breeders switched to mounting a water pipe with a water valve on the animal housing facility, via which the animal can obtain clean drinking water at any time. A generic waterer is welded to a bar of a side grate. The side grate separates two adjacent pens from one another. One water valve is provided which must be used by both animals in the two adjacent pens. In order to eliminate the risk of injury due to an object projecting into the pen, the water valve is positioned parallel to the side grate. This makes it particularly difficult for both animals to reach.
A further disadvantage exists in the fact that, in many cases, one of the animals is more aggressive than its neighbor and makes use of the water valve more frequently, so that one animal can not cover its water requirement. It has also proven difficult for larger pigs to reach the waterer mounted on the side of the pen due to their restricted freedom of movement.
The known waterer is particularly problematic as regards to maintenance and repair work. Since the pigs stand in the pen during normal operation, the waterer is also very difficult for the personnel to reach. The regular maintenance of a large number of waterers of this kind entail an immense amount of work.
Furthermore, a disadvantage is also seen in the fact that a welded joint is envisaged for mounting the waterer, and that the position of the waterer is permanently fixed due to it being welded.
It is impossible in normal daily operation to refit an old farm, which still supplies drinking water via the floor trough, with a waterer which has to be welded between two adjacent pens.

Aratowerk Walter von Tashitzki GmbH & Co. KG


A device for placement on a office desk or in the home that helps prevent beverages from being spilled. The device has a beverage container receptacle portion that is wide enough to accept various sized beverage containers and is notched to accept mug handles or allow for the insertion and withdrawal of cups or cans. The receptacle portion of the device is attached to a stabilizing portion that is wide and flat to aid in stabilizing the entire device. Also the stabilizing portion is thin enough to be slipped under a computer, typewriter, blotter or other piece of office equipment to aid in stabilization.

The office workplace is an area well known to find beverage containers such as cans of soda, mugs of coffee, styrofoam cups of coffee and the like. Typically a desk does not have a built in receptacle to accept these beverage containers, such as is sometimes found in autos, boats or patio furniture. Very commonly, these beverages containers will be knocked over and their contents spilled onto the desk, causing damage or stains. Therefore, there is a need for a beverage container receptacle that will accept beverage containers of different sizes on a desk top that will keep the beverage containers from being spilt when accidentally knocked or hit.


A contact lens button and a block are integrally formed together when the contact lens button is cast in a cup having an aperture formed in the center of the bottom wall of the cup. The block has a first elongated end forming a spindle and a second end which is of circular, generally planar configuration. The spindle end is inserted through the aperture in the bottom wall of the cup providing an interference fit with the circular end portion located inside the cup spaced parallel to and slightly upwardly from the bottom wall, and the first spindle end extends exteriorly of the cup. A quantity of liquid lens material is dispensed into the cup, completely surrounding the circular end portion of the block. The material cures around the block second end, with the formed button and block removable from the cup as a single unit. The block first end is secured to a lathe chuck for rotating the button to cut the concave base surface of the lens. A front curve block is then removably secured to the base curve surface and inserted into a lathe chuck for cutting the convex power curve into the button while previously or simultaneously cutting away the block. The block sets the turning axis of the button and assists in transferring the turning axis over to the front curve block.

The present invention relates to contact lens manufacturing, and more particularly relates to improved apparatus and methods for blocking a contact lens button (also termed a contact lens blank or precursor) for machining operations which form the button into a wearable contact lens.
One common method of manufacturing contact lenses is lathing the lens from a cylindrical contact lens button. Contact lens buttons may be cut from rod stock or sheet material, or individually cast in cups using a curable liquid monomer. While it is possible to attach the button directly to the lathe chuck, this is not commonly done since the chuck of the lathe machine uses radial compression to hold the work piece in place for lathing, and as such could impart damaging forces to the optical characteristics of the button. The button is therefore more commonly mounted to one end of a separate metal pin or "block", the opposite end of the block being configured as a spindle for removable insertion into the chuck of the lathe. The button is typically adhered to the block with an adhesive or special type of wax called "pitch" (with the block thus commonly referred to as a "pitch block" in the art). While the block and button are turned, a concave (or "base") curve is lathed into the exposed end of the button opposite the adhered end. While still attached to the chuck and rotating, a second "ledge" cut may be made in the outer cylindrical surface of the button for facilitating subsequent alignment with the front curve block, this cut typically termed a "base curve reference". A "front curve" block is then removably secured to the lathed base curve surface while attempting to maintain axial alignment with the first "base curve" block which is then removed from the button. The front curve block is mounted to the lathe chuck for lathing the convex or front curve of the button to form the finished lens. Lens edging and polishing operations may also be performed on each surface of the lens prior to removal from each block.
The multiple mounting and removal operations of the button to and from the blocks during the entire lathing process consumes a significant amount of time and is prone to error, especially in maintaining the necessary axial alignment between the base curve block and the front curve block. If precise axial alignment between the base and front curve blocks is not maintained, an undesired prism may be introduced to the resultant lens which must then be scrapped. Also, removal of the base curve block prior to lathing the front curve of the lens sometimes requires the use of heat or mechanical force, another added cost to the manufacturing process.

Method for blocking a contact lens button


An implement includes a frame configured to couple to a tool bar, a linkage coupled to the frame, and a ground engaging tool extending from a shank, wherein the shank is coupled to the linkage. The implement also includes a packer wheel configured to control a position of the ground engaging tool, wherein the packer wheel is positioned behind the ground engaging tool when the ground engaging tool is engaging the soil. Further, the implement includes an adjustment mechanism configured to allow for adjustment of the distance between the packer wheel and the ground engaging tool.

The present invention relates generally to the field of agricultural implements, such as tillers and implements towed behind a work vehicle, such as a tractor.
A wide range of agricultural implements have been developed and are presently in use for tilling, cultivating, harvesting, seeding, and so forth. Seeding implements, for example, are towed behind tractors and open rows of soil for deposition of a seed or product in the soil. The implement may include a plurality of ground engaging tools. In certain implements, packing wheels may follow the ground engaging tools to close valleys and/or pack soil after seeds or fertilizer has been deposited into the valleys opened by the tools. In general, these wheels are spaced from the tools by a fixed distance, determined at the time of design and/or manufacturing of the implement. However, the appropriate spacing between the ground engaging tools and the packer wheels may be less than optimal for all situations. For example, when the implement is being pulled more quickly through a field, a wheel that was properly spaced when moving more slowly may be too close. On the contrary, if the wheel is spaced farther from the tool as might be appropriate for higher speeds, this distance may not be optimal for slower speeds.
Moreover, the ground engaging tools may encounter obstacles in the field, such as large clods or rocks. The obstacles may deform, damage, and/or break the tools if the implement is traveling at a high speed and/or the obstacle is large. Some implements may be configured to lift the tools upon encountering an obstacle. Unfortunately, such configurations of the implement may sacrifice accuracy and control over the depth of soil valleys in order to avoid tool damage due to obstacles.

Manually adjustable packer wheel seeding system and method


In a semiconductor device, an extra wiring area generated by the connection of an upper layer wiring to an element on a semiconductor substrate is reduced to improve the level of integration, and the parasitic capacitances between the gate and the source-drain regions are reduced to enhance the performance of the circuit.. A gate electrode is formed via a gate insulating film on a semiconductor layer formed in the semiconductor substrate. This semiconductor layer is for forming the source region and the drain region, where the source region and the drain region are formed on the left and right of the gate electrode with the gate electrode at the center. Wirings connected to the source region are formed on the same side of the gate electrode. Wirings connected to the drain region are formed on the opposite side of the gate electrode with the semiconductor layer in between.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having a planar element structure, and its manufacture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In nearly all practical cases, wirings are formed on only one side of a semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device such as a metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFET) formed on the surface of the substrate. Formation of wirings on the front side of the substrate is a natural idea and is easy to execute as well. Namely, it needs only to deposit an insulating film on the front surface of the substrate, open through holes in the insulating film, and form wirings over the holes.
On the other hand, wirings are made intricate and high density along with the increase in the density of the semiconductor devices resulting from miniaturization of the elements. This situation can be handled by providing a plurality of wiring layers, which can be achieved by repeating successively the deposition of the insulating layer and the formation of the wirings. In this way, it is possible to lay intricate wirings, and suppress the parasitic capacitance between the wirings by reducing the wiring density per layer and elevate the performance of the semiconductor device as well.
However, a wiring has generally to be connected eventually to some kind of element on the substrate. Now, as the number of wirings layers increase, extra areas are required to connect the upper layer wirings to the elements on the substrate. This is because when a wiring in an upper layer is connected to an element on the substrate, it becomes necessary for a wiring on a lower layer to detour around the connection section, and this tendency becomes more conspicuous as the number of the wiring layers increases. This fact obstructs the increase in the level of integration of the wirings, and eventually that of the semiconductor device as a whole.
Under these circumstances, formation of wirings on the rear surface of the semiconductor device is proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-139356. In general, in a vertical bipolar transistor consisting of an emitter, base and collector, the collector layer is formed at a position with the largest depth of the substrate. For this reason, it is general to realize the connection of a wiring on the front surface of the substrate to the collector by extending the collector layer sideways so as to avoid the transistor region. However, it results in a problem that the level of integration cannot be improved because of an extra area required for extending the collector sideways.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-139356, it is shown that the extra area can be saved by forming a wiring to be connected with the collector on the rear surface of the substrate. Note, however, that this effect is peculiar to the bipolar transistor, and that a similar effect cannot be expected in particular for the MISFET having a planar element structure.
Another problem of a semiconductor device using miniaturized MISFETs is that of the parasitic capacitances arising from the proximity of the gate electrode to the wirings connected to the source and drain regions. Namely, as a result of reduction, along with the miniaturization, in the distances between the gate electrode and the wirings connected to the source and drain regions the parasitic capacitances are increased and the element performance is deteriorated. In particular, the parasitic capacitance generated between the gate electrode and the wiring of the drain region in the FET spoils substantially the performance of the miniaturized FET owing to the so-called Miller effect (a phenomenon in which the effect of a capacitance found between the input terminal and the output terminal is amplified).
As in the above, in a semiconductor device such as a MISFET having the gate electrode, source region and drain region as a planar element structure, there is a problem that when a multilayer interconnection is employed, the number of arrangeable wirings does not increase in proportion to the number of the wiring layers. The reason for this is that it is necessary to secure extra areas for connecting wirings on upper layers to elements on the substrate, and that wirings on intermediate layers have to detour around the extra areas. Besides, in the MISFET there is a problem that the parasitic capacitances between the gate electrode and the wirings of the source and drain regions are increased along with the miniaturization of the FET. This problem arises from the fact that the distances between the gate electrode and the wirings of the source and drain regions are diminished.

FET semiconductor integrated circuit device having a planar element structure


An electronic device includes a circuit board, a dual band planar inverted-F antenna, and a loud speaker. The circuit board has a ground terminal and a feeding terminal. The dual band planar inverted-F antenna includes a short circuit part, a feeding part, and a radiator. The short circuit part is connected to the ground terminal. The feeding part is connected to the feeding terminal. The radiator with an opening is connected to the ground terminal and the feeding terminal through the short circuit part and the feeding part, respectively. The loud speaker is connected to the circuit board for playing voice. The loud speaker is disposed substantially under the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device capable of reducing radiation signal interference.
2. Description of the Related Art
As regards the development trend of the integrated circuit, miniaturization and compact design are inevitable trends in this modern life as well as in the future. The wireless electronic products, mobile phones for example, are also in this trend. The space for each component within the mobile phone is therefore reduced.
The mobile phone transmits radiation signals via antenna. In general, the mobile phone with hidden antenna uses the Planar Inverted-F Antenna (PIFA) for signal transmission. The operational length of the PIFA is half of the general antenna's operational length so as to reduce the area occupied by the antenna significantly. In addition, the PIFA is characterized by its low position, and consequently, the objective of concealing the antenna is achieved. Therefore, the PIFA has already been widely applied to various kinds of mobile phones with hidden antenna so as to achieve the objective of reducing the size of the mobile phones.
Referring to FIG. 1, a top view of part of the components of the conventional mobile phone with hidden antenna is shown. The mobile phone 100 includes the PIFA 120, the circuit board 110 and the loud speaker 130. The PIFA 120 is used to transmit radiation signals. The circuit board 110 and the PIFA 120 are separated by a medium material (not shown in the drawings). Air, resilient polystyrene plastic, microwave base and the combination of the foregoing are examples of the medium material. The loud speaker 130 is electrically connected to the circuit board 110 and disposed under the PIFA 120, in order to achieve the goal of saving space.
However, the loud speaker 130 is likely to be interfered by the radiation signals emitted from the PIFA 120 in this configuration. Besides, when the loud speaker 130 is interfered by the radiation signals emitted form the PIFA 120, the radiation signals are very likely to couple with other circuits on the circuit board 110 via the loud speaker 130 resulting in interfering to other circuits. Moreover, when the intensity of the radiation signals imposed on the loud speaker 130 is too strong, the loud speaker 130 even affects the receiving functions of the PIFA 120.


A method for controlling discharges of nitrogen compounds in the production of cellulose carbamate (CCA). Microcrystalline cellulose is produced from chemical pulp produced at a pulp mill, such that the chemical pulp is subjected to acid hydrolysis at an elevated temperature to form microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and hydrolysate, and the MCC is reacted with urea to produce cellulose carbamate whereby ammonia is released. The microcrystalline cellulose production and the cellulose carbamate production are integrated into the pulp mill having a flue gas system such that carbon dioxide from the flue gases is reacted with released ammonia to produce urea, which is used in the carbamate production.

Cellulose carbamate (CCA) is an alkali-soluble cellulose derivative invented over 80 years ago. Due to alkali solubility properties, it is a good raw material for regenerated cellulose products. Carbamated cellulose is also referred to in literature with the abbreviation "CC" and the names "urea derivative of cellulose" and "cellulose aminomethanate".
CCA is manufactured by reacting cellulose with urea or urea radical at elevated temperatures. Typically, urea is used, and it reacts with cellulose according to reaction equations (1) and (2). In the carbamation reaction, urea starts to decompose when the temperature exceeds 133° C., and the intermediate products isocyanic acid and ammonia are formed, reaction equation (1). Isocyanic acid reacts further with OH-groups of cellulose by forming a carbamate group to the cellulose backbone (2).

Ammonia gas, which is formed during cellulose carbamation, needs to be removed to prevent saturation of the product side of the reaction equation and to prevent the stopping of carbamation.
Due to elevated temperature, the water is evaporated and the CCA thus formed is physically in solid form. It is a stable material which can be stored and transported. These properties make it an industrially viable product.
CCA can be manufactured from all types of chemical cellulose pulps, such as kraft pulp, pre-hydrolysis kraft pulp, soda-AQ pulp, sulfite pulp, neutral sulfite pulp, acid sulfite pulp or organosolv pulp. Common features in existing carbamate techniques are starting from dissolving grade of pulp and pretreating of the pulp in order to activate it by reducing the DP (degree of polymerization). Usually the lowering of DP is done by mercerizing, by enzymes, by radiation, by catalysts and/or by mechanical means, such as milling. Activation is done to enhance chemical access inside the macro-fiber structure of cellulose and to intensify further process steps.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,134,825 discloses a process in which cellulose and urea are reacted at an elevated temperature to form an alkali-soluble product. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,369 (FI 62318) discloses a method where an ammonia solution having urea dissolved therein is utilized and cellulose and urea are reacted at elevated temperatures to form an alkali-soluble product. WO03099872 discloses a process where cellulose is first activated with a mixture of urea and alkali, after which the liquid is pressed and the carbamation reaction is done at elevated temperatures by utilizing reactive extrusion equipment to form an alkali-soluble product. WO2003064476 discloses a CCA production method where high process consistency and processing equipment are utilized, cellulose is pre-ground before mixing it with urea and a small amount of peroxide, and the mixture is reacted at elevated temperatures to form an alkali-soluble product. DE4443547 discloses a process for the preparation of cellulose carbamate by first hydrolyzing cellulose with hydrochloride acid before the carbamation reaction, after which it is reacted with urea at elevated temperatures to form an alkali-soluble product.
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a versatile product with many industrial applications, including pharmaceuticals and food. It is also used in e.g. paints, oil drilling and cosmetic products. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have issued an official definition of MCC1. 1 http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/jecfa_additives/docs/monograph7/additive-280-m7.pdf
MCC is a flour-form cellulose product that can be manufactured from all types of natural celluloses. It is typically manufactured by using acid hydrolysis of cellulose. WO 2011/154601 discloses a process in which fibrous cellulosic material is subjected to acid hydrolysis to produce microcrystalline cellulose. The temperature is at least 140° C. and consistency at least 8% on dry weight of cellulose. The amount of acid is low, from 0.2 to 2% on dry weight of cellulose. WO2011/154600 discloses a process in which fibrous cellulosic material is hydrolyzed with an acid at an elevated temperature to produce microcrystalline cellulose. In this document, the production is integrated to the production of a pulp mill such that at least a portion of the chemicals used in the acid hydrolysis is produced by an integrated chemical recovery process of the pulp mill.
From an economic point of view, the production costs of both CCA and MCC as a stand-alone plant are higher than when manufacturing processes are integrated to a chemical pulp mill because, in the case of integration, all the process utility systems (steam, heat, electricity, water) can be utilized. Also, waste streams can be treated in the pulp mill systems. In a stand-alone system, the main cost is the price of commercial dissolving cellulose. A stand-alone mill must handle all side streams and washing residuals and purchase all energy needed.
One reason why the carbamate cellulose technique has not achieved commercial success is the high cost due to the price of dissolving cellulose, due to investments needed for its production if done in today's viscose fiber plant, where the carbamation is also done. And finally, from fiber producers' point of view, carbamated cellulose has not been available in the market.
A chemical pulp mill is a closed process system where there exists a balance of certain elements, sodium and sulfur. Some inorganic elements, such as chlorine and potassium, enter process cycles with wood raw materials. They are removed when fly ash is taken away from the process balance. Due to the closed cycle, it is important to prevent or minimize the presence of non-process elements or totally new elements in pulp mill process cycles. Urea is needed when CCA is produced, and thus nitrogen is a new input to the process balance, and thus the amount of nitrogen needs to be minimized.
A major share of 99 million tons (62%) of the global fiber market is based on non-renewable and non-biodegradable feedstock, known as synthetic textile fibers; 24.3% on cotton, which is non-ecological; and 6.6% on viscose, which is produced by using the hazardous chemical CS2 (carbon disulfide).
Viscose is the most commonly used method of producing cellulose-based regenerated fibers, and the viscose process that uses CS2 accounts for over 90% of the total volume of regenerated fibers. There are other methods that are used for products, such as Lyocell, produced with ionic liquids, which are more environmentally friendly but remain niche products due to their costs and chemical recovery challenges.
Furthermore, due to the use of harmful chemicals and high costs, most of the viscose industry has been moved out of Europe. The major viscose producer in the world is China, but even there, the industry is seeking solutions for more environmentally friendly viscose.
CCA is an interesting alternative from current viscose fiber producers' point of view due to minor changes in a viscose mill when moving to a carbamate process. The biggest advantage is that the CS2 chemical, which is harmful and toxic, is not used anymore, and thus the occupational health issues are much less crucial. The spinning system may be fully open, having no harmful and toxic CS2 gas emissions. Another big advantage is the higher spinning production capacity with current spinning equipment due to fast precipitation speed compared to viscose coagulation speed.
MCC is an advantageous starting material for CCA products due to its high purity and high reactivity. The high reactivity comes from purity and, in this integration case, from the never-dry state of MCC before carbamation. The outcomes of these characteristics are high substitution and low urea usage in carbamation synthesis.
In view of the known processes, there is a need to develop an overall process concept, including a chemical pulp mill, MCC manufacturing and CCA manufacturing processes for producing CCA to be used as a raw material for regenerated cellulose products. There is a particular need to provide an environmentally friendly arrangement for controlling harmful emissions and one new element in the process balance of a chemical pulp mill environment, nitrogen.

Method for producing cellulose carbamate