A biopsy probe is provided for the collection of at least one soft tissue sample from a surgical patient. The probe comprises a frame having distal and proximal ends. The probe further comprises an elongated piercing element attached to the distal end of the frame. The piercing element has a sharpened distal end for piercing tissue, and a port located proximal to the sharpened distal end for receiving a portion of tissue mass positioned adjacent to the port. The probe further includes an elongated cutter having proximal and distal ends. The cutter is disposed coaxially and slideably relative to the piercing element and has a cutting blade on the distal end for cutting the portion of tissue protruding into the port of the piercing element when the cutter slides distally past the port, thereby depositing the portion of cut tissue within the cutter lumen of the cutter proximal to the cutting blade. In one embodiment, the probe further includes a tissue remover disposed in the cutter lumen of the cutter and having a structure on the distal end for obstructing the cutter lumen so that a tissue sample protruding into the port and severed by the cutter is prevented from moving proximally through the cutter lumen. In another embodiment, the probe further comprises a distal frame seal, a proximal frame seal, and a proximal cutter seal for substantially preventing the passage of fluids through a first, a second, and a third radial space, respectively, within the probe. In a preferred embodiment, a valve is provided on the proximal end of the tissue remover for the releaseable attachment to a reservoir.

The diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancerous tumors, pre-malignant conditions, and other disorders has long been an area of intense investigation. Non-invasive methods for examining tissue are palpation, X-ray, MRI, CT, and ultrasound imaging. When the physician suspects that a tissue may contain cancerous cells, a biopsy may be done either in an open procedure or in a percutaneous procedure. For an open procedure, a scalpel is used by the surgeon to create a large incision in the tissue in order to provide direct viewing and access to the tissue mass of interest. Removal of the entire mass (excisional biopsy) or a part of the mass (incisional biopsy) is done. For a percutaneous biopsy, a needle-like instrument is used through a very small incision to access the tissue mass of interest and to obtain a tissue sample for later examination and analysis. The advantages of the percutaneous method as compared to the open method are significant: less recovery time for the patient, less pain, less surgical time, lower cost, less risk of injury to adjacent bodily tissues such as nerves, and less disfigurement of the patient's anatomy. Use of the percutaneous method in combination with artificial imaging devices such as X-ray and ultrasound has resulted in highly reliable diagnoses and treatments.
Generally there are two ways to obtain percutaneously a portion of tissue from within the body, by aspiration or by core sampling. Aspiration of the tissue through a fine needle requires the tissue to be fragmented into small enough pieces to be withdrawn in a fluid medium. The method is less intrusive than other known sampling techniques, but one can only examine cells in the liquid (cytology) and not the cells and the structure (pathology). In core biopsy, a core or fragment of tissue is obtained for histologic examination which may be done via a frozen or paraffin section.
The type of biopsy used depends mainly on various factors present in the patient, and no single procedure is ideal for all cases. Core biopsy, however, is very useful in a number of conditions and is widely used by physicians.
Due largely to heightened public awareness of the need to detect breast cancer early in its development, a number of biopsy devices for use in combination with artificial imaging devices have been commercialized. One such instrument type of biopsy instrument is the BIOPTY gun, available from C.R. Bard, Inc. and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,699,154 and 4,944,308 as well as in U.S. Reissued Pat. No. 34,056. This device is spring-powered and each time a sample is to be taken, the breast or organ must be punctured again upon reinsertion of the device. Another product is the TRUE CUT needle manufactured by Travenol Laboratories. This needle collects a single core of tissue using a pointed stillete with a side-facing notch to receive tissue near its distal end and an outer, sharpened sliding cannula.
Other devices for obtaining biopsy samples from the body are described in the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,130 issued to Chiou on Feb. 20, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,821 issued to Jamshidi on Jun. 18, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,138 issue to Jamshidi on Jul. 4, 1995; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,827 issued to Cody, et al, on Jul. 2, 1991. These patents describe devices which may be used for soft tissue biopsies using the aspiration method of liquid suspended tissue extraction rather than by core sampling. Numerous other devices are described in the references cited in this disclosure, and generally are for the mere removal of tissue rather than the sampling of tissue for later pathological examination.
To overcome operator error associated with such devices, and to enable multiple sampling of the tissue without having to reenter the tissue for each sample, a product now marketed under the tradename MAMMOTOME was developed. The invention which is the basis of the commercialized product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,822 issued to Burbank, et al, on Jun. 18, 1996, and is commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention. The MAMMOTOME instrument is a type of image-guided, percutaneous, coring, breast biopsy instrument. It is vacuum-assisted and some of the steps for retrieving the tissue samples have been automated. The physician uses this device to capture "actively" (using the vacuum) the tissue prior to severing it from the body. This allows for sampling tissues of varying hardness. The device can also be used to collect multiple samples in numerous positions about its longitudinal axis, and without needing to remove the device from the body. These features allow for substantial sampling of large lesions and complete removal of small ones.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/825,899 is a continuation-in-part of the '822 Burbank patent discussed above and describes numerous improvements to the original invention including the following: a molded tissue cassette housing permitting the handling and viewing of multiple tissue samples without physical contact by the instrument operator; the interconnection of the housing to the piercing needle using a thumbwheel to permit the needle to rotate relative to the housing, thereby preventing the vacuum tube from wrapping about the housing; several variant vacuum port embodiments; and a method for backflushing biological debris from the instrument without removing the instrument from the selected tissue location.
When using any of the devices described thus far there is a need to manage a substantial amount of different fluids either already present at the surgical site or introduced during the surgical procedure. There is some associated bleeding from the surgical site during insertion of the needle and severing of the tissue samples from the tissue mass of interest. In addition, several milliliters of local anesthetic such as lidocaine hydrochloride solution are injected into the tissue during the procedure, and there is a significant build-up of pressure inside the tissue due to the presence of the additional fluid. When the blood and anesthetic solution under this pressure within the tissue are opened to a lower or ambient pressure, the fluids will readily escape the tissue at the opening. Keeping these fluids from contaminating the patient and the instrumentation is obviously an important part of the mandatory aseptic technique, and features on the biopsy device to help accomplish this are clearly advantageous.
Coring breast biopsy devices typically incorporate an elongated piercing element to access the sampling area of the tissue mass, and a cutting cannula with a sharpened end which slides longitudinally along the piercing element. The sharpened end of the cutting cannula is driven into the tissue mass, and a core sample of the tissue is captured into the distal end of the cannula. The piercing element and/or the cannula are then withdrawn from the body and, in the case of the MAMMOTOME breast biopsy instrument, the tissue sample is transported and removed from the distal end of the cannula. This is an opportunity for fluids to escape from the tissue mass. The situation is especially acute should the biopsy device be tilted during the step of sample retrieval, as often occurs when the biopsy device is mounted on certain imaging devices. The fluids then will tend to flow "downhill" onto the devices and the surroundings.
Accordingly, what is needed is a biopsy device which can catch the fluids present during a biopsy procedure before they spill on the surroundings, and drain the fluids away to a collection cannister or the like. In addition to dealing with the backflow and gravitational effects already described, the physician also must contend with the fluids being spread by the pumping action of the relatively sliding components of the biopsy device. What is also needed, therefore, are seals advantageously mounted between the sliding components to block the spread of the fluids and to wipe the interacting surfaces clean as the device is actuated.
In the MAMMOTOME device a knockout tube is provided so that as the cutting cannula is withdrawn from the tissue and the distal end of the tube is outside the patient's body, the distal end of the knockout tube pushes out the core sample automatically from the distal end of the cutting cannula. A drain line is attached to the proximal end of the knockout tube so that fluids contained in the cutting cannula can be removed. This drain line may be attached to a vacuum source to remove the fluids more effectively. Sometimes the surgeon wishes to disconnect the drain line from the knockout tube in order to inject an additional amount of anesthetic solution into the tissue mass to insure that a sufficient amount is present at the area where the tissue sample will be taken. By removing this drain line, the fluid within the tissue which may be at a relatively high pressure can escape from the device. What is further needed, therefore, is a connecting valve on the device to allow the disconnection of the drain line, the injection of the anesthetic solution, and the reattachment of the drain line, without the loss of fluids from the tissue and onto the external surroundings. This connecting valve would also be an improvement to biopsy devices which do not have a knockout tube, but which instead have a drain line attached to the proximal end of the cutting cannula or to the proximal end of the piercing element.


A non-volatile memory device comprises a substrate with the dielectric layer formed thereon. A control gate and a floating gate are then formed next to each other on top of the dielectric layer separated by a gap. Accordingly, a non-volatile memory device can be constructed using a single poly process that is compatible with conventional CMOS processes. In addition, assist gates are formed on the dielectric layer next to the control gate and floating gate respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments described herein are directed to non-volatile memory devices, and more particularly to a non-volatile memory device comprising a single polysilicon gate layer that is compatible with CMOS processing techniques.
2. Background of the Invention
Many non-volatile semiconductor memories are based on the well known MOS-type structure. In other words, they comprise a gate structure separated from a substrate by a dielectric layer. Diffusion regions are implanted in the substrate under the corners of the gate structure. When the appropriate voltages are applied to the diffusion regions and the control gate, a channel can be created in the upper layers of the substrate between the diffusion regions and under the gate structure. Carriers, e.g., electrons, can travel the channel between the diffusion regions.
If a sufficient field component is present in the direction of the gate structure, the carriers, e.g., electrons, can be attracted to the gate structure. If the electrons have enough energy to overcome the barrier height of the dielectric layer, then these carriers can be injected through the dielectric layer.
For example, FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional floating gate memory device 100. It will be understood that such a floating gate device can be the basic memory structure of a conventional flash memory device. Floating gate device 100 comprises of substrate 102 into which diffusion region 104 and 106 have been implanted. In the example of FIG. 1, device 100 is an NMOS device, meaning that substrate 102 is a P-type substrate while diffusion regions 104 and 106 are N+-type diffusion regions. It will be understood that certain memory devices can also make use of PMOS structures in which substrate 102 is an N-type substrate and diffusion regions 104 and 106 are P+-type diffusion regions.
A dielectric layer 110 is then formed over the substrate between diffusion regions 104 and 106. This dielectric layer is often a silicon dioxide dielectric layer and can be referred to as the tunnel oxide layer. A floating gate 112 is formed on top of dielectric layer 110. Floating gate 112 is typically formed from a polysilicon layer that is deposited on top of substrate 102 and etched to the appropriate dimensions. An inter-dielectric layer 114 is then formed over floating gate 112, and a control gate 116 is then formed on inter-dielectric layer 114. As with floating gate 112, control gate 116 is typically formed from a polysilicon layer that is etched to the appropriate dimensions.
When the appropriate voltages are applied to control gate 116 and diffusion regions 104 and 106, a channel can be formed in channel region 108 of substrate 102. The voltage applied to control gate 116 will couple with floating gate 112 to create the field component necessary to attract carriers in channel region 108 to floating gate 112. It will be understood, that the coupling between control gate 116 and floating gate 112 is dependent on the voltage applied to control gate 116 as well as the dimensions associated with control gate 116, inter-dielectric layer 114, and floating gate 112.
It will further be understood that density and cost are important driving factors in non-volatile semiconductor memory technology. The ever-expanding uses for non-volatile semiconductor memories require such memories to be mass-producible at low cost. Further, the requirements of new applications for non-volatile semiconductor memories require increased capacity, and a decreased footprint.
Device 100 of FIG. 1 presents several problems in this regard. First, because both floating gate 112 and control gate 116 are formed from polysilicon layers, device 100 is fabricated using what is termed a double poly process. This makes fabrication of device 100 incompatible with conventional CMOS techniques, which are single poly processes. As a result, special processes are required in order to fabricate device 100. Second, the need for diffusion regions 104 and 106, and for sufficient coupling between control gate 116 and floating gate 112, limits the minimum dimensions that can be achieved for device 100. For example, a certain active area is required in order to provide proper operation.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional floating gate device 200 that overcomes some of the limitations associated with device 100 of FIG. 1. As can be seen, device 200 comprises a substrate 102 and diffusion regions 104 and 106 implanted therein. Floating gate 112 is then formed over dielectric layer 110, which is formed over the substrate 102. In device 2000, however, control gate 114 is also formed on dielectric 110 separated from floating gate 112 by a gap 116. Voltages applied to control gate 114 can still couple with floating gate 112 to thereby induce carriers in channel region 108 to tunnel through dielectric layer 110 onto floating gate 112.
Advantageously, floating gate 112 and control gate 114 can be formed using a single poly process, which can make fabrication of device 200 compatible with conventional CMOS techniques; however, device 200 does not overcome the minimum dimension restrictions associated with device 100.

Single poly non-volatile memory device with inversion diffusion regions and methods for operating the same


A method and apparatus improve the design and control of amplification stages in a radio frequency (RF) transmitter, so as to reduce its power consumption. In some aspects, the transmitter is operable to transmit an output RF signal at a target power level, which may vary over a wide dynamic range. For each target power level in the dynamic range, a control module in the transmitter configures operational settings of amplification stages of the transmitter in order to produce the output RF signal having the appropriate target power level, while consuming minimal power from the power source.

Mobile wireless communication devices are often required to make efficient use of their power sources in order to extend the lifetime of the power source and/or the device. In many cases, the transmitter circuitry of the mobile device is a major contributor to the power consumption of the device. One typical example is referred to as a low duty cycle (LDC) network. LDC networks comprise LDC terminals, which are small-size communication devices used in a variety of position tracking, tagging, telemetry and similar applications. LDC terminals operate in a hibernation cycle, whereby each terminal wakes-up to receive and transmit data for only a small percentage of the time. This low duty cycle operation minimizes the utilization of the air interface and the energy consumption from the terminal's power source.

Method and apparatus for control of transmitter power consumption


A method, program product and system for retrieving customer data in a call center environment, includes completing a connection between a customer and a call agent. It also includes searching a database for a customer account or a business agreement based on information provided by the customer to the call agent. It further includes searching the database optionally for a premises that is either dependent of the customer account or business agreement or that is independent of the customer account or business agreement. It still further includes determining a contract corresponding to the premises and the customer account or business agreement. It also includes a search process that is completely flexible regarding search criteria and sequence. It finally includes dealing with the customer to resolve an issue related to the contract.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of data retrieval and specifically to assisting call center personnel in accessing data quickly and efficiently.
2. Background
Customer service representatives must be able to handle customer inquiries and issues quickly and effectively. This is especially true for call center agents where numerous customer calls are received in short periods of time. The more quickly the agent can handle a particular customer's issue, the more quickly the agent can move on to the next call.
For conventional search products used by call center agents, the call center agent always has to first identify the account of the caller, and then the agent is provided with information related to the account. The agent must then select an object on a business information side, in order to obtain information on a technical information side. This selection can be a very difficult process, given the differences in between business-type data and technical-type data. Other conventional search products used by call center agents require the agent always to first identify a premises of the caller, and then the agent is provided with information related to the premises. The agent must then select an object on a technical information side, in order to obtain pertinent information on a business information side. This selection can be a very difficult process as well, given the differences between business-type data and technical-type data.
Existing call center technology is lacking in certain areas, including being able to quickly retrieve selected data about a customer or customer account, irrespective as to the type of data that is to be searched is database of technical and business information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Focused retrieval of selected data in a call center environment


An embodiment of the present invention receives a data signal and at least one data shift signal that facilitates adjustment of the data signal and produces a resulting data signal with a data rate greater than a data rate of the data signal.

Semiconductor devices may be coupled to various external devices to perform certain functions. The external devices provide appropriate signals (e.g., clock signals, data signals, etc.) to enable the semiconductor device to operate. The operational frequency of the semiconductor devices are usually quite significant. However, certain circumstances may arise where the external device is incapable of providing clock signals at the operational frequency of the semiconductor device. For example, this may occur during testing of semiconductor devices. The testing is typically performed by a test platform that provides test signals to the semiconductor devices under test. The operational frequency of the semiconductor devices under test are usually quite significant. However, the maximum clock frequency attainable during the test is limited by the particular test platform being utilized, where the test platforms provide clock signals at frequencies below the operational frequencies of the devices under test. Thus, the semiconductor devices may be tested under conditions different than the device operational conditions.
In addition, other external devices or platforms (e.g., memory controller, etc.) coupled to the semiconductor devices may similarly provide clock signals at frequencies below the operational frequencies of the device, thereby degrading semiconductor device performance.
Attempts have been made to address the aforementioned problem. For example, a high speed platform may be utilized in conjunction with the semiconductor device. Further, hardware may be added to a platform to double the platform clock frequency, or a specific mode may be employed that doubles the external clock provided to the semiconductor devices.
However, these approaches suffer from several disadvantages. In particular, the high speed platforms tend to be extremely expensive and include limitations (e.g., with respect to parallel testing and signal integrity). Although the hardware and mode described above enable the clock frequency of the platform and external clock to be doubled, there is no mechanism to provide for doubling of the data rate. In other words, even though the clock frequency is increased, the data rate remains the same. For example, a test for a semiconductor memory device may include writing a toggling data sequence to memory (where the data toggles with each transition of a test system clock signal) in order to simulate stress on the device during operational conditions. Since the data or toggling rate is based on the test system clock frequency, the toggling rate of the data remains the same despite the increased clock frequency as described above, thereby providing incompatibility with the increased clock signal and insufficient coverage for the test.

Method and apparatus for increasing clock frequency and data rate for semiconductor devices


The present invention relates to a method for determining the distribution of an imaging agent in a volume. The method comprises the acquisition of at least one three-dimensional functional image of the volume; the segmentation of the volume into one or more compartments; the representation of the three-dimensional imaging agent activity from the functional image by the product of a scaling factor and a non-affine transformation of a template imaging agent activity; the calculation of a projected imaging agent activity from the thus represented imaging agent activity on a planar surface; the acquisition of a planar image of the imaging agent activity in the volume; the registration of the projected imaging agent activity with the planar image; the comparison of the acquired planar image with the calculated projected imaging agent activity; and the modification of the representation of the three-dimensional imaging agent activity.

In the field of medical imaging the measurement of radiotracer distributions within a body is used to indicate the functioning of various biological processes. The body may be for example a human or animal or other organism, and the radiotracer may be a chemical compound that is preferentially uptaken by particular organs in the body. In order to measure the spatial distribution of the radiotracer, tomographic imaging such as PET and SPECT is typically used, resulting in high accuracy three-dimensional images of the radiotracer. The images may further be segmented into compartments, such as organs, subsections of organs, or tumours, the images being subsequently processed to compute the total uptake within a particular compartment. In order to determine changes in the accumulation of the radiotracer over time, multiple such three-dimensional images may be generated over the course of a period of time. Subsequently such images may be used by a physician to assist in the diagnosis of a condition or in the planning of medical treatments. By computing the uptake within a compartment at different points in time the biological functioning of a particular compartment can be determined. Furthermore the radiotracer may be used in a treatment planning step wherein the activity and distribution of the radiotracer are indicative of the activity of a radioactive therapy agent that is used to target a cancer or other malignancy. By measuring the evolution of the spatial activity of the radiotracer and computing the activity for particular compartments, a time activity curve, or TAC can be generated for each compartment and the necessary dose of radioactive therapy agent that is subsequently administered to the body during a treatment step can be determined. A TAC may further be numerically integrated to yield the area under the curve. This reflects the total number of radioactive decay events in that compartment which can be used to estimate the radiation dose.
Three-dimensional imaging of the distribution of such a radiotracer using tomographic methods yields high quality images which can be used to compute low-error TACs. However this is a time consuming exercise since the patient must typically be scanned in order to build-up the three-dimensional image from multiple slices through the body. Further, such time-consuming measurements are subject to changes in activity and radiotracer distribution during the course of the measurement which leads to measurement inaccuracies.
In seeking to resolve such inadequacies, various approaches have been made to replace some of the tomographic imaging steps outlined above with planar imaging steps, also known as scintigraphies. Scintigraphies have a shorter acquisition time and require less complex and less expensive equipment, and the use of such two-dimensional imaging equipment further reduces the resource demand for three-dimensional imaging equipment. The combination of three- and two-dimensional images is then used to determine the compartment radiotracer distribution at different points in time, and may be presented for example through a TAC. In the publication "Comparison of conventional, model-based quantitative planar, and quantitative SPECT image processing methods for organ activity estimation using In-111 agents, IOP Publishing, Phys Med Biol. 51 (2006) 3967-3981", He and Frey report on a technique named QPLANAR that merges the advantages of fast 2D imaging with additional 3D imaging. In QPLANAR the authors use a three dimensional CT image and a planar scintigraphy as the starting point. A CT image is a three dimensional image describing the structure within an imaging volume and comprises a set of voxels or smaller three-dimensional volumes. In QPLANAR, the CT image serves as a three-dimensional reference structure of the body being imaged, from which the activity resulting from homogeneous compartment radiotracer activities is determined in the plane of the planar scintigraphy imaging system. The CT image is segmented into separate compartments; thus each voxel in the imaging volume is assigned to a particular compartment. The radiotracer activity in each compartment is represented by the product of a scaling factor and a normalised, homogeneous "basis function"; a three-dimensional matrix wherein each element represents the radiotracer activity of a voxel within the compartment. In QPLANAR it is assumed that each compartment has a homogeneous radiotracer activity; thus all voxels have the same radiotracer activity and consequently each compartment is described with a single basis function. Subsequently a projection model is used to determine the activity of the homogeneous compartment activity of radiotracer when projected onto a two-dimensional plane which corresponds to the position of the two-dimensional scintigraphy. Each compartment's basis function is therefore projected onto this plane to yield one projected basis function per compartment. The planar projection of the segmented compartments is then rigidly co-registered to the scintigraphy to assure spatial correspondence between the projection and the scintigraphy. Finally, initial estimates of the scaling factors in each compartment, such as an organ, are adjusted until a best fit is obtained between the measured activity or intensity in the scintigraphy and that modelled by the projected basis function. The best fit yields an approximation to the radiotracer activity in each compartment. By measuring several such scintigraphies over time and fitting the activities in each compartment at each time point, the desired compartment activity can be estimated at the time of each scintigraphy.
The QPLANAR approach was taken one stage further in the publication "EQPLANAR: a maximum likelihood method for accurate organ activity estimation from whole body planar projections. IOP Publishing, Phys. Med. Biol. 56 (2011) 5503-5524" by Song et al which allowed for compartment-independent registration. The optimisation process in this publication is formulated such that it not only finds the most likely homogeneous organ-independent activities, but also the most likely organ shifts which may have occurred between the acquisition of the CT image and the planar scintigraphy.
The QPLANAR approach was taken one stage closer to clinical application in the publication "Activity quantification combining conjugate-view planar scintigraphies and SPECT/CT data for patient-specific 3-D dosimetry in radionuclide therapy. Eur. J. Nucl. Med. Mol. Imaging. 2011 Dec. 38 (12) 2173-2185" in which Berker et al use a three dimensional CT image, two planar conjugate-view scintigraphies, and a three dimensional SPECT image as the starting point. The three dimensional SPECT image is acquired from a point in time after the same radiotracer measured in the scintigraphies is administered, and offers a better estimate of the shape of the radiotracer distribution within each compartment. Rather than describing the activity within each compartment as being homogeneous, thus as one basis function wherein all voxels have the same radiotracer activity, each compartment is described by two scaling factors and two basis functions. One basis function represents a homogeneous background voxel radiotracer activity and the other represents a spatially-varying voxel radiotracer activity. The first basis function is equivalent to the single basis function in QPLANAR. This way, each compartment is described by the same set of voxels in which the total activity of any one voxel is determined by the linear sum of a homogeneous voxel activity and the spatially-varying voxel activity. The spatially varying voxel activity represented by the second basis function is derived from the SPECT image which has been acquired from a point in time after the administration of the radiotracer. The SPECT-derived voxel activity represented by the second basis function is normalised to that of the assumed homogeneous activity represented by the first basis function. For each compartment, independent scaling factors are assigned to each basis function and the radiotracer activity distribution within any compartment at any point in time can be estimated by adjusting each of the scaling factors. Each basis function is subsequently projected onto each of the two two-dimensional planes corresponding to the positions of the two-dimensional conjugate view scintigraphies. This results in two projected basis functions per compartment for each of the two scintigraphies. The two projected basis functions per compartment are then rigidly co-registered to their corresponding scintigraphy to assure spatial correspondence between the projection and the scintigraphy. Finally the scaling factors for both the homogeneous radiotracer activity, and for the spatially-varying radiotracer activity are adjusted until a best fit is obtained between the sum of the projected basis functions and the measured scintigraphy. The best fit again yields an approximation to the radiotracer activity in each compartment. By measuring several such scintigraphies over time and fitting the projected activities from each compartment, the desired compartment radiotracer activities can be estimated at the time of each scintigraphy. In so doing a more accurate representation of the activity distribution within the compartment yields more accurate fitted scaling factors and thus a more accurate estimate of the radiotracer activity within each compartment.
However the aforementioned solutions still suffer from the drawback of inaccurately fitting the radiotracer activity within each particular compartment. Consequently they result in a poor estimate of the activity as a function of time in each which can lead to a physician making an imperfect diagnosis or further to poor accuracy in calculating the necessary dose of radioactive therapy agent that is subsequently administered to the body during a radiotherapy treatment stage.

Method for determining the distribution of an imaging agent


An analysis device includes an analysis unit configured to receive scattered light, transmitted light, fluorescence, or electromagnetic waves from an observed object located in a light irradiation region light-irradiated from a light source and analyze the observed object on the basis of a signal extracted on the basis of a time axis of an electrical signal output from a light-receiving unit configured to convert the received light or electromagnetic waves into the electrical signal.

For example, a flow cytometer and a flow cytometry method using the flow cytometer are disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5534214 (Patent Document 1).
Next generation flow cytometry is expected to be a technique that is capable of flow-cytometric analysis based on imaging and molecular spectroscopy. In conventional flow cytometer, characteristics of cells are evaluated based only on the total amount of fluorescence intensity. Next generation flow cytometry is expected to be capable of analysis based on not only fluorescence intensity but also cells' high content information including morphological images and molecular spectra. This technology dramatically increases an amount of effective information utilized for single-cell analysis and improves the quality of analysis without reducing the throughput of conventional flow cytometry. To realize it, however, there have been difficulties especially in effectively processing an enormous amount of information generated by single-cell imaging cytometry. More specifically, (1) it is difficult to effectively reconstruct, recognize, process, and utilize a tremendously large amount of multi-dimensional data of cells generated in the next generation cytometry from diverse and complex cell groups with limited human knowledge and ability. (2) In high-speed cell sorting, "image" reconstruction process and classification based on the images are very costly in terms of both time and money. (3) A large amount of ineffective information is generated through measurement and analysis because the optical imaging method cannot be optimized for each object and purpose. This limits speed, sensitivity, and accuracy of the whole system.


A temperature control for a washing machine that includes a tub and hot and cold water valves is provided. The temperature control includes a first pressure sensor positioned to sense a full fill level in the tub and configured to generate a full fill signal when the tub is full and a second pressure sensor positioned to sense an intermediate fill level, less than full, in the tub and configured to generate an intermediate fill signal when the intermediate fill level is reached. A controller is operatively coupled to the first and second pressure sensors and the hot and cold water valves. The controller is operable to control the valves based on the fill signals from the pressure sensors to control a wash water temperature.

This invention relates generally to washing machines, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for controlling wash water temperatures.
Washing machines typically include a cabinet that houses an outer tub for containing wash and rinse water, a perforated clothes basket within the tub, and an agitator within the basket. A drive and motor assembly is mounted underneath the stationary outer tub to rotate the basket and the agitator relative to one another, and a pump assembly pumps water from the tub to a drain to execute a wash cycle. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,298.
At least some known washing machines provide that an operator can select from three wash temperatures. Such machines have valve systems including hot and cold water valves. For a hot wash operation, for example, the hot water valve is turned on, i.e., opened, and for a cold wash operation, the cold valve is opened. For a warm wash, both the hot valve and cold valve are opened. The flow rates of water through the valves is selected so that the desired warm temperature is achieved using hot and cold water.
Reducing the energy a washing machine uses is desirable. One way to reduce the energy used by washing machines is to reduce hot water usage. Reducing hot water usage in a washing machine facilitates reducing energy consumption by the machine during wash operations.

Clothes washer temperature control apparatus and method


A bicycle frame adapted to support a rear wheel that defines a central plane. The frame includes a first seat stay tube that defines a side surface and has a first portion disposed on a first side of the rear wheel and a second portion having a centerline disposed substantially on the central plane. A second seat stay tube has a third portion disposed on a second side of the rear wheel opposite the first side and a first end attached to the side surface of the first seat stay tube.

The present invention relates to a bicycle seatstay.
Bicycles generally include a frame that engages and supports a front wheel, a rear wheel, and a seat. The frame typically includes a seat tube that extends upward to support the seat and a seatstay that extends rearward and downward from the seat tube to at least partially support the rear wheel.
Many different seatstay arrangements are known. One prior seatstay includes two tubes that attach to the seat tube on either side. The two seatstay tubes do not directly connect to one another. Another prior seatstay includes a Y-shaped member that attaches to the seat tube and two side tubes that each attach to one side of the Y-shaped member.
The two examples described, as well as other seatstays, require several different components to complete the seatstay. As such, the assembly of the components requires significant labor, tooling, and skill, and as such can be costly and inefficient.


A first set of channels is provided. The first set of channels is selected based on a predetermined criteria related to a viewing preference of a viewer. A first channel not selected based on the predetermined criteria related to the viewing preference of the viewer is inserted into the first set of channels. In one embodiment, a system operator inserts the first channel into the first set of channels. In one embodiment, insertion is disallowed if a number of channels not selected based on the predetermined criteria related to the viewing preference of the viewer that have been inserted into the first set of channels is greater than a predetermined number.

Very often program providers deliberately make the set up and maintenance of preferred channel lists inconvenient, requiring arcane programming, etc., because program providers are afraid they may be unable to push new channels into the market if people are given a simple, convenient way to select only the programs they like and thus ignore new channels coming to market. Such a convenience for viewers would make it more difficult for program providers to introduce new channels and programs into the market.
As a result, preferred channel lists are, to a certain degree, made inconvenient to create and use and are not emphasized a lot, because there is, for program providers, an inherent conflict between providing a good method for generating and using a preferred channel list and having the ability to push new content.

Method and system for inserting a new channel into a list of preferred channels


Provided is a feedback amplifier. The feedback amplifier includes: an amplification circuit unit amplifying a burst packet signal inputted from an input terminal and outputting the amplified voltage to an output terminal; a feedback circuit unit disposed between the input terminal and the output terminal and controlling whether to apply a fixed resistance value to a signal outputted to the output terminal; a packet signal detection unit detecting a peak value of a burst packet signal from the output terminal and controlling whether to apply the fixed resistance value; and a bias circuit unit generating a bias voltage, wherein the feedback circuit unit determines a feedback resistance value to change the fixed resistance value in response to at least one control signal and adjusts a gain by receiving the bias voltage.

The present invention disclosed herein relates to an optical communication system, and more particularly, to a feedback amplifier for receiving an input signal regardless of the size of the input signal.
An optical access network evolves into the form of an optical multiple access using a passive optical network (PON). Such a passive optical network system uses an optical signal in a burst mode. An optical signal in the burst mode changes drastically and abruptly when a packet in one channel switches into a packet in another channel. Accordingly, an optical receiver requires a high reception sensitivity in addition to a wide dynamic range. A preamplifier is disposed at the first state where a signal is inputted in the optical receiver and the performance of the preamplifier is determined depending on the performance of a feedback amplifier.
In this way, the feedback amplifier used in the preamplifier detects a burst packet input signal and includes an amplifier circuit for amplification. A feedback circuit is provided in the feedback amplifier to detect the peak value of a burst packet input signal, and control the level of an output voltage of a detected signal. Here, the feedback circuit includes a feedback resistor connected between an input terminal and an output terminal and a feedback transistor connected in parallel to the feedback resistor. Here, the feedback transistor controls a current flowing through the feedback circuit and an output voltage when a control signal is applied to the base.
In this way, the feedback amplifier detects a burst packet input signal with a voltage level. However, if the voltage level of a burst packet input signal is very low, the feedback amplifier may not detect the burst packet input signal.
Moreover, a method of applying a control signal to the base of a feedback transistor includes a method of generating a control signal by configuring an additional gain control signal generating circuit outside a feedback amplifier and a method of self-generating a control signal by positioning a bias circuit in a feedback amplifier. However, since a control signal changes in response to an input signal, if there is a great difference between input signals, the gain of a preamplifier may not be freely adjusted.

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A printed circuit board includes an insulating layer, a copper layer formed on the insulating layer and a reinforcing layer formed on the copper layer at opposite sides of the given portion. The copper layer includes a plurality of electrical traces at a given portion thereof. A thickness of the reinforcing layer increases in a direction away from the given portion. A method for manufacturing the printed circuit board is also provided in this disclosure.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to printed circuit boards (PCBs), particularly relates to a PCB having a reinforcing layer formed on a peripheral portion thereof and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
PCBs are important components in various electronic devices. To meet miniaturization requirements of electronic devices, PCBs become thinner and thinner. However, warping easily occurs in thin PCBs due to internal stress present therein, particularly in peripheral portions of the PCBs, which finally may cause registration errors during a manufacturing process of the PCBs, or an assembling process of PCB with other electronic elements. Generally, the degree of warping increases with the distance to the center of the PCB.
What is needed, therefore, is a PCB and a method for manufacturing the same to overcome the above-described problems.

Printed circuit board and method for manufacturing same


A vehicle accessory holder is adapted to fit on an adapter plug. The plug has a receiving end and a projecting end. The projecting end has a wider diameter than the receiving end. The vehicle accessory holder is shaped to slidably removably fit over the receiving end but cannot fit over the projecting end.

Operators of vehicles such as cars, trucks, or the like, frequently have a variety of small devices or accessories that they use while driving the vehicle. Specific examples are cellular telephones, sunglasses, pagers or the like. Additionally, a variety of small items, e.g., coins, keys, pass cards, writing instruments or the like are frequently unconfined in the passenger volume.
Most, if not all, motor vehicle interiors are particularly unsuited for accommodating small to mid-sized items used while in the vehicle. Generally no flat, level surface exists within convenient arms reach of the driver or front seat passenger that will accommodate the various types of devices in common usage.
In some vehicles, the top surface of the dashboard is flat and nearly level enough to support some devices, but the inward slant of the windshield prevents placement of most devices. Those vehicle dashboard tops that are able to accommodate devices do not provide a stabilizing structure for the devices, resulting in the device falling off the dashboard upon vehicle acceleration or sliding to one side or the other when the vehicle rounds a turn. The sliding of the device is highly likely to cause it to fall from the dashboard. A driver may instinctively react to prevent the device from falling thus removing the driver's attention from safe vehicle operation.
Although some motor vehicles have a flat console area between split front seats that can accommodate devices, these consoles do not prevent the devices from sliding around, again possibly distracting the driver's attention from safe vehicle operation. Moreover, the location of these consoles is often inconvenient for easy access by the vehicle driver.
Previously, motor vehicles have included small recesses designed to hold very small items such as coins or pens. However, these small recesses are insufficient for larger items such as sunglasses and cellular telephones.


A cooling system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The cooling system includes a radiator for exchanging heat between a coolant and ambient air, and a coolant pump for circulating the coolant. The coolant system further includes a first set of fluid connection branches between the coolant pump and the engine block, the cylinder head and the exhaust manifold and a second set of fluid connection branches between the engine block, cylinder head and exhaust manifold and the radiator and/or the coolant pump. A first controlled valve intercepts the coolant towards the radiator so that the coolant is recirculated towards the coolant pump. A second controlled valve intercepts the coolant from the cylinder block. A third controlled valve intercepts the coolant from the integrated exhaust manifold.

As known, internal combustion engines generate mechanical power by extracting energy from heat flows. Engines are inefficient, so more heat energy enters the engine than comes out as mechanical power. The difference is waste heat, which must be removed. Internal combustion engines remove waste heat through cool intake air, hot exhaust gases, and explicit engine cooling. Cooling is also needed because high temperatures damage engine materials and lubricants. Internal-combustion engines burn fuel hotter than the melting temperature of engine materials, and hot enough to set fire to lubricants.
Engine cooling removes energy fast enough to keep temperatures low so the engine can survive. Most internal combustion engines are fluid cooled using a liquid coolant run through a heat exchanger (radiator) cooled by air. Liquid-cooled engines usually have a circulation pump.
Modern internal combustion engines use a split cooling system, which features separate circuits for the head and cylinder block, enabling faster warm-up. In particular, during warm up the split cooling layout can allow to cool at first the cylinder head alone and only after a given time interval the cylinder block too. The reason is that the cylinder head has a lower mass than the engine block and is exposed at very high temperature. Therefore, the cylinder head becomes warmer than the cylinder block and needs to be cooled earlier. Some advantages are reached, by means of such split cooling system: oil optimum temperature, better combustion conditions, faster warm up, reduced specific consumption and emissions.
Moreover, recent studies and product developments have shown that there is a significant potential to be tapped by using a cylinder head integrated exhaust manifold with turbo charged engines. It offers a win-win employment of technology providing improvements in the relevant attributes as well as a cost reduction, in particular, achieving better fuel economy while reducing emissions. With the catalytic converter closer to the engine exhaust point, the emissions reduction process begins sooner, resulting in lower emissions. Due to less surface area, such solution also contributes to a reduction in engine noise at idle.
On the other hand, split cooling system for internal combustion engines having an integrated exhaust manifold are not suitable for such engines that needs fast temperature warm-up for the exhaust line, as Diesel engines. For such engines is very important to reach as fast as possible the so called light-off temperature, i.e. the temperature at which catalytic reactions are initiated within a catalytic converter.
Therefore a need exists for a new split cooling system which is suitable for engine architectures foreseeing an integrated exhaust manifold.

Cooling system for an internal combustion engine


The invention provides a method of characterizing a scattering colored pigment for use in the determination of the absorption and scattering coefficients of the scattering colored pigment, the method comprising the step of obtaining a reflectance spectrum of a mixture of the scattering colored pigment with a substantially non-absorbing scattering pigment at a plurality of different volume fractions wherein the substantially non-absorbing scattering pigment has a particle size greater than 0.6 micron. Also provided is a pigment characterization system adapted to perform the method of the invention to characterize a scattering colored pigment.

Paints typically comprise pigments dispersed within a binder. The pigments may comprise i) weakly scattering or substantially non-scattering coloured pigments that substantially do not scatter light and selectively absorb different wavelengths of visible light to impart colour ii) substantially non-absorbing pigments that scatter light and iii) strongly scattering coloured pigments that scatter light and selectively absorb different wavelengths of visible light to impart colour.
The Kubelka Munk equation is a radiation transfer equation commonly used in the field of paints and pigments to characterise the visible reflection spectrum of materials. The use of the Kubelka Munk method when describing multi-component pigment mixtures is usually based on equations of the form:
      (          K      S        )    =                              k          1                ×                  φ          1                    +                        k          2                ×                  φ          2                    +                        k          3                ×                  φ          3                                                          …                                      s          1                ×                  φ          1                    +                        s          2                ×                  φ          2                    +                        s          3                ×                  φ          3                                                          …
where (K/S) is the ratio of the Kubelka Munk absorption and scattering coefficients and ki, si and φi are the absorption coefficient, scattering coefficient and volume fraction for an individual pigment. The above equation is inaccurate and problematic at high volume fractions of scattering pigments due to crowding effects (for example, for conventional titanium dioxide pigments, in the visible part of the spectrum, inaccuracies are apparent at pigment volume concentrations greater than about 15%). Crowding effects reduce the scattering efficiency of a scattering pigment due to a high density of pigment particles in a particular volume, thus the relationship between scattering efficiency and pigment volume concentration becomes non linear.
The particle volume concentration at which crowding effects occur is different for different pigments and different wavelengths. As the particle size of the pigment increases or wavelength decreases, the volume fraction above which the crowding effect takes effect is increased. Thus, when considering the near infrared part of the spectrum, the pigment volume concentration below which the relationship between scattering efficiency and pigment volume concentration is linear, occurs at even lower pigment volume concentrations than when considering the visible part of the spectrum.
One traditional approach to characterising the absorption and scattering coefficients of a pigment in the visible part of the spectrum is to measure reflectivity when incorporated into carbon black and titanium dioxide pigment pastes. The extension of this approach into the near infrared part of the spectrum is problematic, especially for pigments where both scattering and absorption are significant. The opacity of a conventional titanium dioxide paste falls rapidly as the wavelengths of interest are increased into the near infrared.
To obtain an optically thick system in the near infrared using conventional paint film thicknesses (<300 nm) thus requires volume fractions of pigment above which the crowding effect needs to be taken account of. At such volume fractions the addition of a significant volume fraction of a second scattering particle will lead to a more complex relationship between the Kubelka Munk scattering coefficient S and the volume fraction of the second scattering particle φ2 than that when crowding effects can be ignored.S≠φ1s1+φ2ss S=S(φ1,φ2)

Method of characterising a scattering coloured pigment


A medical probe includes a hollow guidewire, a balloon, and a magnetic position sensor. The hollow guidewire is configured for insertion into a channel of an organ of a patient. The balloon is fixed to a distal end of the hollow guidewire, is configured to be inserted into the channel using the hollow guidewire, and is further configured to be inflated by pumping of fluid through the hollow guidewire. The magnetic position sensor is fitted at the distal end of the hollow guidewire.

Various probes have been proposed for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) therapeutic procedures. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0198191 describes methods and systems for accessing a Eustachian tube of a patient. The system includes a guide configured for passing into a nasal passage of the patient to position a distal tip of the catheter at or near a Eustachian tube, the guide having a distal tip with a bend having an angle between 30 and 90 degrees; and a guidewire configured to pass through the guide into the Eustachian tube. A device for providing therapy to the Eustachian tube is passed through the guide. In an embodiment, a dilating balloon is being introduced over a guidewire.
As another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2015/0202089 describes an apparatus comprises a shaft, an expandable dilator, and at least one ventilation pathway. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and comprises distal and proximal ends with at least one shaft lumen. The expandable dilator comprises body with its own proximal and distal ends. The body is configured to transition between a contracted state and an expanded state. The body is configured to dilate a Eustachian tube of a patient in the expanded state. In some embodiments, one or more feature, dimension or the like of such catheters may be altered to facilitate use of the balloon catheter in a Eustachian tube.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0274715 describes a device and method for dilating a Eustachian tube of a patient. The device includes a guide catheter and a balloon dilation catheter. The balloon dilation catheter has an actuator that prevents injury to the middle ear. The balloon dilation catheter is slidably coupled with the guide catheter through the guide catheter lumen and is fully inserted into the guide catheter lumen when the distal side of the actuator is adjacent to the proximal end of the guide catheter. The method involves advancing the guide catheter and balloon dilation catheter through a nasal passage of the patient to dilate a portion of the Eustachian tube.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0036009 describes a method that includes inserting into a patient organ a catheter including a position sensor, a device and a handle. The position sensor is attached to a distal end of the catheter. The device is movable along the catheter. The handle includes a control for navigating the device along the catheter to a target location in the patient organ. Based on a location of the position sensor, a target position of the control on the handle that corresponds to the target location of the device is estimated. A marker is set to mark the target position of the control on the handle, and the device is navigated to the target location by setting the control to the marker. In an embodiment, the handle comprises a balloon slider, which is configured to move a balloon along a guidewire, so as to position the balloon at a location of treatment.

Ear-nose-throat (ENT) hollow guide wire with balloon


A method and apparatus for determining an overall master node for an overall communication network with a serial bus, wherein the overall communication network comprises an original communication network connected to a new communication network via a serial bus with high level data link control (HDLC) packets. The method and apparatus are especially applicable to trainline monitor systems since such systems are frequently divided up and rearranged because their associated trains are frequently divided up and rearranged. The method involves performing a series of steps in order to relinquish mastership of certain master nodes placing those master nodes in an inactive state and making a desired master node an overall master node of the resulting overall trainline monitor system, and the apparatus involves a corresponding series of means for performing these steps.

1.Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for avoiding communication protocol errors where a plurality of master nodes are present on a serial bus and in particular to a method and apparatus for resolving multi-master nodes on a train communication system which uses high level data link control (HDLC) communication equipment with DIN 43322 specification.
2. Description of the Related Art
A train communication system is being developed by the assignee of the present application which, based on the proposed European specification DIN 43322 for "Serial Interfaces to Programmable Electronic Equipment for Rail Vehicles," incorporated herein by reference, enables a master node located typically in a head car of a train to communicate via a serial bus to slave nodes on middle cars of the train and on a tail car of the train. See also, "International Standard-Information processing systems-Data communication-High-level data link control elements of procedures, ISO 4335", Third edition, Global Engineering Documents, Irvine, Calif., 1987, the subject matter of which is also incorporated herein by reference. However, trains are often reconfigured and rearranged by, for example, hooking one train up to the last car of another train resulting in a multi-master train communication system. The train communication systems of the two respective trains, now joined, thus have a conflict as to which master node becomes the overall master node for the newly configured train. There is a need for each of the original train communication systems to have the capability of resolving this conflict to provide an overall train communication system with an overall master node.


Low charge detection for a refrigeration system is accomplished using a differential pressure sensor which detects superheat at the evaporator exit. The differential pressure sensor includes a casing having a reference chamber containing a reference charge of refrigerant. A pressure responsive snap member is disposed in the casing so as to have one side exposed to the reference chamber and another side exposed to the exit pressure of the evaporator. The snap member is normally biased into a first position but snaps to a second position when the pressure differential across it exceeds a predetermined level. When a low charge condition exits, the evaporator exit will exhibit superheat. Heat conduction through the casing raises the temperature, and thus the pressure in the reference chamber. Thus the pressure differential which causes the snap member to snap to the second position is created. A switch which opens and closes in response to the movement of the pressure responsive snap member is located in the casing. The switch can be connected to deactivate the system compressor, activate an indicator, or do both in response to excess superheat being detected.

This invention relates generally to detecting low refrigerant charge in refrigeration systems, particularly automotive air conditioning systems, and more particularly concerns an apparatus which uses a differential pressure sensor to detect high superheat at the evaporator exit. As used herein, the term "refrigeration system" refers to refrigerators, air conditioners or any other system which produces a refrigeration effect. However, the present invention is most applicable to air conditioning systems for automobiles.
In typical automotive air conditioning systems, refrigerant tends to leak through hose permeation and the rotating compressor shaft seal. Refrigerant leakage causes many problems. First, the release of refrigerants into the environment is believed to cause environmental damage. For this reason, enactment of a federal environmental protection law requiring low charge detection systems for automobiles is anticipated. Second, when the refrigerant charge becomes insufficient, the reliability and cooling performance of the system suffer. Thus, a refrigeration system with a low charge is inefficient and wasteful of energy. Furthermore, low charge causes increased compressor operating temperatures while lowering mass flow rate. Reduced mass flow rate can result in insufficient flow of lubricating oil to the compressor. The lack of oil combined with high temperatures eventually causes compressor failure. Thus, there is much interest in developing means for detecting low charges.
There are a number of known ways to detect low charge, but many of these present certain disadvantages. For instance, determining low charge by measuring refrigerant inventory will not always be accurate because the optimum inventory level varies in accordance with many variables such as compressor speed, ambient and interior temperatures, blower speed, and component volumes. Other systems employ a low pressure cut-off switch which deactivates the compressor when system pressure falls below a predetermined threshold. However, since system pressures fluctuate greatly during proper operation (25-46 psi is typical), the predetermined threshold pressure must be set very low, such as 10-20 psi. As a result, the low pressure cut-off switch is effective to indicate only a severe loss of charge resulting from a ruptured hose or complete shaft seal failure. This switch will not detect marginal low charge conditions.
One way of detecting low charge which avoids the above problems is to monitor the superheat at the evaporator exit. Superheat is the amount of temperature above the saturation temperature of the refrigerant. It is well known that excessive evaporator exit superheat is indicative of insufficient charge. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,830 to Seiji Sumikawa et al. discloses providing a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor near the evaporator exit. An electronic control unit converts the measured pressure to a corresponding saturation temperature of the refrigerant. The difference between the measured temperature and the corresponding saturation temperature (i.e., the superheat) is then compared to a predetermined reference value to determine whether there is a sufficient quantity of refrigerant. If an insufficient charge is detected, the compressor is rendered inoperative by a signal from the electronic control unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,765 to Edward D. Pettitt discloses another device which uses evaporator exit superheat to detect low charge. This device operates on the pressure differential between the refrigerant pressure at the evaporator exit and a reference pressure. The device includes a pair of corrugated metal bellows members; one sealed with a certain amount of refrigerant, the other being open to the evaporator exit. An arm member carrying a switch contact is mounted between the two bellows members for movement therewith. As the amount of superheat rises, the reference pressure exceeds the evaporator exit pressure. This causes the sealed bellows member to expand and move the arm member. At some point, the arm member will be moved far enough so that the switch contact engages a second contact mounted on a bimetallic disk. The engagement of the contacts closes a circuit which either provides an alert signal or shuts down the system.
The dual bellows members of U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,765 present a mechanically complicated arrangement. The many moving parts and the attendant difficulty of construction produces high costs. The bellows are also subjected to repeated expansion and contraction causing rapid wear and a short service life. Furthermore, the bellows arrangement can tend to give indefinite signals because the contacts are not necessarily positively forced into contact. That is, the bellows members may assume a position where the contacts are only lightly touching. In this case, the contacts would tend to fluctuate in and out of contact with each other, thereby producing an indefinite signal.

Differential pressure superheat sensor for low refrigerant charge detection


The semiconductor device includes an inductor element which includes a first conductive film pattern of a spiral configuration formed on a major face of a semiconductor substrate, and second conductive film patterns of an insular configuration electrically connected only to the first conductive film pattern through contact holes formed in an inter-layer insulation film and extending in an overlapping relationship with the first conductive film pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of producing the same, and more particularly to a semiconductor device wherein an inductor element is provided on a semiconductor substrate and a method of producing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an LSI in recent years, it is important to form, as internally incorporated elements, active elements such as MOS transistors and bipolar transistors as well as passive elements such as resistors, capacitors and inductors.
Particularly, as an element which constitutes a filter or a like device for use in a radio frequency band from several hundreds MHz to 1 GHz or more, an inductor L is an important element together with a capacitor C.
An inductor element incorporated in an LSI is conventionally formed from, as shown in FIG. 1, metal wiring M, for example, an aluminum wiring, extending spirally substantially in a plane. The inductance of the inductor element varies depending upon outer dimension Y, turn number n and wiring width W and wiring distance S. A relationship between outer dimension Y and inductance value L where, for example, W=S=20 .mu.m and n=3.5 turns is illustrated in FIG. 2.
As one of the indices which represent the performance of the inductor described above, there is a value called Q (quality factor). It can be said that, as the quality factor Q increases, the inductance component becomes purer, that is, the inductor approaches an ideal inductor. The quality factor Q is represented, from an angular frequency .omega.(.omega.=2.pi.f, f: frequency), an inductance L and a wiring resistance Rm of the spiral inductor element, by the following expression: EQU Q=.omega.L/Rm first expression
From the expression above, it can be considered that the quality factor Q is a ratio between the impedance component and the resistance component, and in order to raise the quality factor Q, it is a matter of course that the inductance value L must be raised as high as possible, and besides the resistance component, that is, the parasitic resistance of the spiral wiring, must be reduced.
An equivalent circuit of the inductor is shown in FIG. 3(A), and a vector diagram corresponding to the equivalent circuit is shown in FIG. 3(B). It can be seen from FIG. 3(B) that, since tan.delta. increases and a displacement in phase between the voltages at the opposite ends of the inductance element increases as the resistance component increases, also from this point, it can be said that reduction of parasitic resistance R is important for improvement in performance of the inductor element. It is to be noted that tan.delta. is a reciprocal number to the quality factor Q and called dielectric loss or loss factor, and represents the loss of the inductor. Further, in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), reference character VL denotes a voltage by the inductance, VR a voltage by the resistance component, L an inductance, R a parasitic resistance, and C a distributed capacity.
The relationship between the voltage across the inductor element and the current is given by the following expression: EQU V=I.omega.L.multidot.sin(.omega.t+.delta.) second expressio n
Ideally .delta.=0 degrees, but if a parasitic resistance component is present, then a displacement in phase is produced by .delta..
In order to raise the quality factor Q of an inductor, principally the following two methods have been proposed. First, the value of the inductance L of the first expression above is raised. In other words, this method increases the wiring length of the inductor formed from a metal wiring layer extending in a spiral configuration substantially in a plane to increase the number of turns. With this method, however, the occupying area of the inductor increases in a limited area of an LSI chip, and for example, where it is desired to obtain an inductance value higher than 10 nH, if the number of turns is 3.5, then outer dimension a becomes approximately 0.6 mm as seen from FIG. 2, which makes a significant obstacle to high integration of other circuits. Further, if the wiring length is increased simply, wiring resistance Rm increases, resulting in drop of the quality factor Q on the contrary.
Second, the wiring resistance Rm of the denominator of the first expression above is reduced. In other words, the second method increases the thickness of a wiring film of the inductor shown in FIG. 1. However, if the wiring film thickness is increased, a suitable mask material having a high etching selection ratio (selectivity) upon formation of a wiring, particularly upon dry etching, becomes unavailable, and where the wiring material is aluminum, the wiring film thickness can be increased only up to approximately 2 to 3 microns. Accordingly, it is difficult to remarkably decrease the wiring resistance.
Several proposals have been made to solve the disadvantages described above. For example, such an inductor element as shown in FIG. 4 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Showa 61-144052. Referring to FIG. 4, lower layer metal wiring layer 43 and upper layer metal wiring layer 44 are arranged alternately with inter-layer insulation film 42 interposed therebetween on insulation film 42 on a major face of semiconductor substrate 41, and end portions of each adjacent ones of them are connected to each other through a through-hole 45 formed by upper layer metal wiring layer 44, thereby constituting an inductor element which extends spirally in a horizontal direction.
Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Heisei 3-263366, such an inductor element as shown in FIG. 5 is disclosed. In particular, referring to FIG. 5(A), ring-shaped first layer metal wiring layer 51, ring-shaped second layer metal wiring layer 52 and ring-shaped third layer metal wiring layer 53 are placed one on another with inter-layer insulation films 56 and 57 interposed therebetween on insulation film 59 on circuit element region 60 of semiconductor substrate 50, and end portions of them are connected to each other through through-holes 54 and 55 formed in inter-layer insulation films 56 and 57, respectively, thereby to form an inductor element extending spirally in a vertical direction.
By forming patterns of metal wiring layers spirally in a plurality of layers through through-holes formed in inter-layer insulation films on an insulation film on a substrate making use of a multi-layer wiring technique to construct an inductor element in this manner, even if the wiring length is increased, the element occupying area does not exhibit a significant increase.
However, even if a structure with which a small occupying area of an element can be obtained is obtained making use of those methods, this merely increases the effective wiring length, and consequently, the wiring resistance Rm increases and the quality factor Q decreases on the contrary.
Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Heisei 3-26336 mentioned above, in order to raise inductance value L, insulation films 56' and 57' having magnetic substance layer 58 interposed therebetween are disposed between each adjacent metal wiring layers. This arrangement, however, is disadvantageous in that the process of production requires a comparatively long time since a magnetic substance layer must be provided for each wiring layer and an insulation film must be provided between each adjacent wiring layer and magnetic substance layer. Further, though not recited in the document, a magnetic substance remains in wiring regions other than that in which the inductor element is formed, and this has a bad magnetic influence on some other circuit. On the other hand, in order to remove the magnetic substance layer in the wiring regions other than that in which the inductor element is formed, an etching step by photo-lithography must be added.

Semiconductor device having inductor element made of first conductive layer of spiral configuration electrically connected to second conductive layer of insular configuration


A submersible pump assembly (100) for removing a production inhibiting fluid (102) from a well (110) and method for use of the same is disclosed. The submersible pump assembly (100) includes a composite coiled tubing (120) and a submersible pump (112) coupled to the tubing (120) that is disposed within a fluid accumulation zone (104) of the well (110). The tubing (120) defines a fluid communication path substantially from the fluid accumulation zone (104) to the surface. The submersible pump (112) includes a port (114) for intaking production inhibiting fluid (102). The tubing (120) includes a composite layer in which energy conductors are integrally positioned. The energy conductors provide power to the submersible pump (112) such that the production inhibiting fluid (102) may be pumped from the fluid accumulation zone (104) to the surface via the fluid communication path of the tubing (120).

It is well known in the subterranean well drilling and completion art that it may be desirable to perform a formation fracturing and propping operation to increase the permeability of the formation adjacent to the wellbore. According to conventional practice, a fracture fluid such as water, oil/water emulsion or gelled water is pumped into the formation with sufficient volume and pressure to create and open hydraulic fractures in the production interval. The fracture fluid may carry a suitable propping agent, such as sand, gravel or proppants into the fractures for the purpose of holding the fractures open following the fracture stimulation operation.
The fracture fluid must be forced into the formation at a flow rate great enough to fracture the formation allowing the entrained proppant to enter the fractures and prop the formation structures apart, producing channels which will create highly conductive paths reaching out into the production interval, and thereby increasing the reservoir permeability in the fracture region. As such, the success of the fracture stimulation operation is dependent upon the ability to inject large volumes of fracture fluids into the formation at a pressure above the fracture gradient of the formation and at a high flow rate.
It has been found, however, that following a fracture stimulation operation, the large volume of fracture fluids pumped into the formation migrates back to the well resulting in substantial fluid accumulation. In relatively low pressure or pressure depleted gas producing wells this may present a particular problem. Specifically, the reservoir pressure in some cases is not high enough to unload the fluid from the well. This results in a substantial decrease in the volume of gas production or worse, the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column completely prevents gas production.
Similarly, as a gas well ages, water encroachment may occur. In a healthy, optimally producing well, high pressure gas flow has the ability to lift this liquid to the surface. Over time, however, as the gas pressures in the formation declines and water production increases, the flow conditions change. The reservoir pressure may no longer be sufficient to unload the well such that water accumulates in the lower section of the well forming a column which further retards gas production. In fact, as the column height increases, the hydrostatic pressure may completely prevent gas production.
Several solutions have been suggested to overcome the fluid accumulation problem and to restore the flow rate of gas producing wells. Two such solutions are jetting and swabbing the well. In jetting, a low density fluid such as a nitrogen is pumped downhole via a coiled tubing unit to lighten the offending liquid column such that the liquid can be lifted to the surface. In swabbing, a swab is operated, for example, on a wireline, to bring fluids to the surface and return the well to a state of natural flow.
The existing solutions, however, are beset with numerous limitations. Jetting and swabbing both require a rig crew to rig up the required equipment, perform the jetting or swabbing operation, then dismantle the equipment after performing the operation. A substantial amount of time and money are associated with rigging up and rigging down. In addition, no gas stream may be produced during these operations. Moreover, with jetting and swabbing, as with any downhole operation that involves killing the well, there is a risk that the well will not come back on line. Furthermore, if the well comes back on line, additional fracture fluids or water may enter the well requiring subsequent jetting or swabbing operations.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a system and method for overcoming the fluid accumulation associated with fracture stimulation treatments and the aging of gas wells. A need has also arisen for such a system and method that restore the flow rate of the gas producing well after fluid accumulation. Further, a need has arisen for such a system and method that do not require mobilizing a rig crew and killing the well to remove fluid accumulation.

Submersible pump assembly for removing a production inhibiting fluid from a well and method for use of same


A microstructure includes a substrate and a movable platform which is tethered by a first cantilever arm to the substrate. The first cantilever arm is comprised of a sandwich of first and second materials, the first and second materials exhibiting either different thermal coefficients of expansion or a piezoelectric layer. A second cantilever arm includes a first end which is tethered to the platform and a free distal end which is positioned to engage the substrate. The second cantilever arm is constructed similarly to the first cantilever arm. A controller enables movement of the platform through application of signals to both the first cantilever arm and the second cantilever arm to cause flexures of both thereof. The second cantilever arm, through engagement of its free end with the substrate, aids the action of the first cantilever arm in moving the platform. Further embodiments include additional cantilever arms which are independently controllable to enable multiple ranges of movement of the platform by selective actuation of the cantilever arms; and plural opposed cantilever arms that are connected between the substrate and the platform, but are independently controllable to achieve complex modes of movement of the platform. A further embodiment includes plural actuation regions within each cantilever arm to enable countermovements of each cantilever arm to be achieved.

Silicon "micromachining" has been developed as a means for accurately fabricating microscopically-small structures. Such processing involves a selective etching of a silicon substrate and a deposition thereon of thin film layers of various materials, both semiconductor and otherwise. Various sacrificial layers are employed to enable the construction of physically movable parts that exhibit microscopic sizes.
Silicon micromachining has been applied to fabrication of micromachines that include rotary and linear bearings. Such bearings have spawned further development of electrically-driven motors which exhibit a planar geometry and lateral dimensions on the order of 100 microns or so. In addition to micromotors, microactuators utilizing cantilever arrangements have also been developed. Such cantilever arrangements employ superposed layers of different materials, each material exhibiting a different thermal co-efficient of expansion (TCE). When the layers are heated, unequal expansion thereof causes a deflection of the cantilever structure.
Cantilever arms have also been fabricated using piezoelectric films which exhibit a large d.sub.31 characteristic. If such a piezoelectric film is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes and is coupled in a cantilever fashion to an electrical contact, application of a voltage across the electrodes causes a flexure of the piezoelectric film and a corresponding movement of the cantilever arm.
In lieu of constructing a cantilever arm having an unattached free end, other prior art has employed a "tied down" cantilever structure to provide a buckling action upon actuation by either a piezoelectric force or a thermally actuated differential expansion action. Piezoelectrically-actuated cantilever devices have also been proposed for a variety of applications, e.g., to control the orientation of micro-mirrors for the purpose of creating an optical switching effect.
The application of electrostatic attraction and repulsion to microactuators has been suggested. In that regard, the following prior art references are relevant: Fedder et al., "Multimode Digital Control of a Suspended Polysilicon Microstructure", Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, Volume 5, No. 4, December 1996, pages 283-297; Toshiyoshi et al., "An Electrostatically Operated Torsion Mirror for Optical Switching Device", Eighth International Conference on Solid State Sensors and Actuators, Stockholm, Sweden, Jun. 25-29, 1995, pages 297-300; Marxer et al., "MHz Opto-mechanical Modulator", Eighth International Conference on Solid State Sensors and Actuators, Jun. 25-29, 1995, pages 289-292; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,976 to Yao; 5,367,136 to Buck and 5,258,591 to Buck.
Physically movable microstructures have been applied to a number of applications. For instance, see Jaecklin et al. "Optical Microshutters and Torsional Micromirrors for Light Modulator Arrays", Proceedings IEEE Microelectromechanical Systems, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Feb. 7-10, 1993, pages 124-127. Jaecklin et al. disclose a movable shutter arrangement wherein the shutter is positioned on a meander spring which is operated electrostatically to move the shutter in relation to a light-receiving aperture. Comtois et al., "Surface Micromachined Polysilicon Thermal Actuator Arrays and Applications", Solid State Sensor and Actuator Workshop, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Jun. 2-6, 1996, pages 174-177, describe a thermal actuator array wherein a gear structure is rotated to cause the movement of a hinged mirror. Both a thermally actuated gear impeller and a thermally actuated hinged pusher actuator are single layer structures for operating a stepper motor structure.
Shoji et al., "Microflow Devices and Systems", Journal of Micromechanical Microengineering, Volume 4, 1994, pages 157-171, disclose many microvalve, micropump and microflow sensor arrangements that are fabricated using micromachining techniques. Shoji et al. disclose the use of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, pneumatic, shape memory alloy/bias spring, electrostatic, thermopneumatic, electromagnetic and bimetallic techniques for movement of microstructures.
Piezoelectric cantilevers have been utilized in the prior art to construct oscillating structures. Lee et al. "Self-Excited Piezoelectric Cantilever Oscillators", Eighth International Conference on Solid State Sensors and Actuators . . .", Jun. 25-29, 1995, pages 417-420 describe a micromachined, self-excited piezoelectric cantilever which employs a zinc oxide piezoelectric thin film between two aluminum layers on a supporting layer of low-stress silicon nitride. A driving amplifier has sufficient gain to cause the piezoelectric cantilever to oscillate and produce an acoustic output.
Notwithstanding the many actuation mechanisms described in the above-noted prior art, there remains a need for actuation structures which enable a wide range of movement of the actuated device. Further, there is a need for actuation structures provide wide movement angles and large actuation extents.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved actuator for a microstructure which exhibits multidimensional actuation capability.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved physical actuator for a microstructure, wherein complex movement of the microstructure is possible.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved physical actuator of a microstructure wherein complex movements of the microstructure can be achieved through either piezoelectric or thermal actuation mechanisms.

Multi-dimensional physical actuation of microstructures


Disclosed herein are methods for immobilizing a peptide or protein on a solid support. The method generally includes the following steps: (a) providing one or more templates attached to a solid support, wherein the one or more templates include (i) an RNA encoding a peptide and (ii) a peptide acceptor-linker linked to the RNA; and (b) subjecting the one or more templates to conditions that support translation and attachment of said peptide to said peptide acceptor, thereby synthesizing the one or more peptides on the solid support. Also disclosed herein are solid supports having at least one RNA-protein fusion component immobilized thereon, methods for generating protein arrays, and methods for screening molecules using these arrays.

In general, the present invention relates to methods for immobilizing peptides and proteins onto a solid support.
Proteins are known to interact specifically with other molecules, such as other proteins, nucleic acids, and small-molecules, based on the three-dimensional shapes and electronic distributions of those molecules. Through these interactions, proteins are responsible for regulating a wide variety of biological processes. The discovery of compounds that interact with proteins can lead to the identification of new drug targets and the development of pharmaceutical products.
One way to search for new drug candidates is to screen large libraries of natural materials or synthesized molecules, using assay techniques that range in complexity from simple binding reactions to elaborate physiological preparations. Unfortunately, the isolation of compounds that bind specifically to biologically important molecules is difficult, in part because the selection of molecules of interest from large ensembles or repertoires is time-consuming, laborious, and costly. As advances in technology allow for the generation of larger libraries of compounds, there is a need for high throughput systems that allow for rapid and efficient screening of large numbers of compounds.
One method for screening involves the preparation of chips that include arrays of candidate molecules immobilized on a solid support. The first such arrays were nucleic acids. Proteins, however, are more difficult to immobilize and screen. It is important for proteins to have the proper orientation to ensure accessibility of their active sites to interacting molecules. Consequently, maintaining the activity of immobilized proteins at the liquid-solid interface requires different immobilization strategies than for nucleic acids.
Currently, methods for the immobilization of proteins on a support for application as screening devices involve immobilization of free proteins in solution. However, these methods are not possible with all proteins, such as when the protein is insoluble or difficult to purify. Another problem arises because covalent protein immobilization is usually carried out non-specifically by reaction of functional groups of amino acid residues throughout the protein with appropriately derivatized surfaces. This approach renders some proteins inactive due to disruption of protein structure and/or inaccessibility of the protein's binding or active sites. Even if such sites are exposed, the immobilized protein may be too close to the solid support surface to allow for interaction with reagents in the solution phase. Moreover, even though some of the immobilized proteins do retain functionality, a certain fraction of the protein sample will generally be inactive, resulting in a heterogeneous population.
Improved methods for immobilizing proteins onto a solid support are needed so that proteins exhibiting limited solubility, proteins that are difficult to purify, or proteins that are sensitive to inactivation by current immobilization techniques can be immobilized.

Solid-phase immobilization of proteins and peptides