A product-demand production-control system and method stores past-product demand data during past time periods for use with other data to compute product demands in such manner that the past-product demand data is used to estimate the product demands in current and near-future time periods. The system measures and stores the product demand data for a plurality of predetermined time periods and a plurality of products, and preestimates the product demand for a plurality of products for near-future time periods. Product-demand estimates for current and near-future time periods are revised for a plurality of products in response to weighted emphasis or confidence regarding product demand data in time periods just prior to the current time period.

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved system for the analysis and prediction of product demand.
For more efficient product planning in a retail environment given a plurality of products of short shelf life, a tendency exists toward resorting to production plans that are calculated on an infrequent basis. This basis is often daily at best and more often is based on an average for a given day of the week. This results in excessive product and waste or not enough product to meet customer demand. To expect a human being to calculate product demand on a more frequent basis such as hourly or every fifteen minutes would be impractical if not impossible.
In addition to the impracticality of computing product demand manually on a more frequent basis is the complexity introduced by different demand patterns for each day of the week and seasonality during the year. Customer foot traffic and product preferences are unique to each day of the week. These traffic patterns and preferences are further complicated by seasonality trends week by week throughout the year. Accommodating this level of complexity requires a unique solution to store the past-product demand by seasonality, day of the week, and time period during the day, for each of a plurality of products.
Another difficulty encountered once the past-product demand has been stored is the ability to deal with incomplete data from current time periods and to compare trends in just-completed time periods against preestimated demand in the same time periods in order to adjust near-future time periods accurately and with confidence. One method for making such comparisons and projections on other near-future periods is to take a simple positive or negative percentage of the trend of just-completed periods against preestimated periods and apply it to the remaining preestimated near future periods for the day. This method is unreliable given the many anomalies that can occur, for example, when a bus load of people arrives or an unusually large order is placed.


A process for monitoring and/or controlling a nitrating process, having the following steps:                measuring inline infrared spectra of nitric acid content in a reaction mixture stream downstream of the nitration reaction, preferably near-infrared spectra,        evaluating the measured spectra by means of a computer-assisted, matrix-specific calibration model for the purpose of determining the content of nitric acid,        transmitting the results of spectrometric examination to a process control system,        inputting the results of spectrometric examination for the purpose of specifying the content of nitric acid in the acid phase into a regulator (224) for control of the metering (207,217) of nitric acid into a nitrating reactor.

The present invention relates to a process for monitoring and for controlling a nitrating process, in particular for the nitration of toluene, with the aid of a computer-assisted, matrix-specific calibration model and a process model.
Various nitration processes are known in the prior art. For example, toluene is nitrated with nitric acid to yield nitrotoluidines by way of intermediate dye products. It is also known to nitrate toluene with mixed acids to yield nitrotoluene and dinitrotoluene. Dinitrotoluene is, for example, processed further to yield diamines, diisocyanates, trinitrotoluene or phloroglucinol.
For economic reasons, the aim in the course of nitration is to conduct the nitration with as small an excess of acid as possible. To this end, it is known from the state of the art to take samples from the process manually and to examine them analytically in the laboratory. The process is then readjusted manually when required.
One disadvantage of such manual sampling and adjustment is the high cost of labor for the sampling and for the laboratory analysis. Another disadvantage is that the effort increases linearly with the number of measuring-points. Furthermore, manual sampling is problematic from the point of view of industrial safety, since, particularly in the case of 2-nitrotoluene, it is a question of working with a substance that is detrimental to health. Therefore in the course of handling 2-nitrotoluene, the wearing of respiratory protection at all times as a precaution is prescribed.
Another disadvantage of manual sampling with subsequent laboratory analysis is the fact that readjustment of the process can only be effected irregularly and after relatively long time-intervals. This may result in use of a relatively large excess of acid; the plant cannot then be operated in optimal manner, either technically or economically.

Process for monitoring and controlling nitrating processes with the aid of an online spectrometer


An electromagnetic flowmeter and a method for measurement of the rate of flow of a fluid under unsteady conditions are described. It uses fluid steady-state flowmeter technology and a new algorithm to measure transient rate of flow of a fluid such as water. The algorithm teaches (a) measuring the e.m.f. generated due to the rate of flow of the fluid under test moving through a tube placed in an area with uniform magnetic flux, and (b) comparing it to a simultaneously generated reference signal which is measure of the magnetic flux density generated when an electromagnetic flowmeter is energized due to the fluid flow rate at the instant of taking the flow rate data of the fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to fluid flow measurements and more specifically to an electromagnetic flowmeter and a method for measuring unsteady fluid flow.
2. Statement of Prior Art
Flowmeters of different types have been used for measurements of flow of fluids under steady state conditions. However, they are inherently not applicable to transient flow measurements. As an example, turbine flowmeters are momentum devices. Even though they have a fast signal response time and consequently provide output at an apparently high data rate, the meter calibration is inherently a function of not only velocity profile but also of change of flow rate. Besides, steady-state flowmeters of head type such as orifice plates, are dependent on the response of the pressure transducers used in the differential pressure measurement and the flow field in the vicinity of the orifice can change considerably under high flow transients leading to changes in the orifice's calibration and inaccurate measurements.
Another type of fluid flowmeter commonly used for steady-state flow rate is an electromagnetic flowmeter. In a typical electromagnetic fluid flowmeter, a magnetic field is introduced into the fluid flow. As an electrically conducting fluid flows through the magnetic field, an electromotive force (e.m.f) is generated according to Faraday's Law of Electromagnetism. The e.m.f. generated is proportional to the fluid velocity and is perpendicular to both the electric current vector or the velocity vector of the fluid and the magnetic flux density vector. A measure of the e.m.f. and any variations thereof are proportional to the corresponding variations in the velocity of the fluid provided the magnetic field in the region of interest is kept constant.
Several transient flowmeters have been developed for specific applications based upon commercially available electromagnetic flowmeters for steady-state fluid flow rate conditions. A few special-purpose meters have been developed over the past 25 years that have had some transient flow measurement capabilities. In 1950, Arnold described an electromagnetic flowmeter for small flow rates that responded to very short transients of 0.001 second in duration. Since a circular cross section proved unsatisfactory for the design, a small rectangular cross section of 0.48.times.1.58 cm was chosen.
In 1960, Iwanicki and Fontaine described an electromagnetic flowmeter, which was also designed to respond to very short transients of low flow rates. The meter, with a 1.2-cm diameter, could not be operated for more than a few seconds due to polarization of the flowing liquid at the signal electrodes. In each case, it was shown that the meters responded to large flow transients. Unfortunately, the facilities used to validate meter performance could not provide information on the accuracy of the flowmeter output. As described partially in my article with W. Durgin: A Transient Electromagnetic Flowmeter and Calibration Facility, Journal of Fluids Engineering, March 1990, p. 12-15, which is incorporated herein in its entirety
When steady-state electromagnetic fluid flowmeters are adapted to operate as transient flowmeters, the process, it involves re-design of the electronic required to analyze the transient signal from the transient fluid flowmeter. Many attempts have been made with some success. However, there is still a need for an accurate and a simple mcthod which can be used to measure the transient rate of flow of a fluid.

Method and flowmeter for unsteady fluid flow study

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


A control circuit is provided for controlling the warning lights on a vehicle having first and second composite brake/turn lights. The control circuit receives two composite input signals from the vehicle generated by operation of the vehicle's brake and turn signal controls. The control circuit jointly processes the composite input signals to separate the brake and turn indications in order to determine the operational state of the vehicle and generates composite output signals to control the composite brake/turn signals. In one embodiment, a braking pattern is applied to both composite brake/turn signals when the vehicle is braking only. When the vehicle is braking and turning simultaneously, a turn signal pattern is applied to one of the composite brake/turn lights and the other composite brake/turn light is turned on without modulation.

The present disclosure relates generally to warning lights for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a control circuit for controlling the warning lights on a motorcycle or other vehicle with composite brake/turn lights.
For many years, motor vehicles have been equipped with brake lights and turn lights that illuminate to warn drivers in a trailing vehicle when the leading vehicle is braking or turning. Conventionally, the brake light and turn lights are independently controlled so that braking and turning are indicated respectively by the brake and turn lights. The brake light is turned on continuously when the vehicle is braking and turned off when the vehicle is not braking. The turn lights are turned on and off in a flashing pattern when the vehicle is turning and are turned off otherwise. When the vehicle is braking and turning, the brake lights are turned on continuously and the corresponding turn light is turned on and off in a flashing pattern.
After-market controllers are available to change the normal operation of the warning lights to improve safety. For example, some after-market controllers may cause the brake light to flash according to a pre-determined pattern, and/or illuminate the turn lights when the vehicle is braking. U.S. Pat. No. 8,588,997 (the '997 patent) discloses one such control circuit 10 for controlling the warning lights of a motorcycle or other vehicle.
The controller described in the '997 patent requires three inputs: a run signal, a brake signal, and a turn signal. Some motorcycles currently being offered have composite brake/turn lights rather than separate brake and turn lights. The existing controllers will not operate properly on motorcycles with composite brake/turn lights. Accordingly, there is a need for a new controller to provide enhanced control of the warning lights on vehicles that have composite brake/turn lights.

Control circuit for vehicle with composite brake/turn lights


A phosphor element (10) of the present invention includes a pair of electrodes (2, 6) facing each other, and a phosphor layer (4) interposed between the pair of electrodes and including a semi-conductive phosphor fine particle (7) in which at least a part of the surface is covered with a conductive organic material (8). The conductive organic material is preferably chemically adsorbed on the surface of the semi-conductive phosphor fine article. Further, it is preferable that electron transport layers (3, 5) be further provided between the phosphor layer and at least one of the electrodes.

As a display device attracting attention as a flat panel display together with a liquid crystal panel, a plasma display and the like, there is a display device using electroluminescent (hereinafter referred to as EL) elements. EL elements include an inorganic EL element in which an inorganic compound is used as an illuminant, and an organic EL element in which an organic compound is used as an illuminant. An EL element has such characteristics as high-speed responsiveness, high contrast, vibration proof and the like. The EL element may be used in high pressure or low pressure since there is no gas part inside thereof. In an organic EL element, a certain gradient can be expressed with an active matrix type drive using thin film transistors (TFT) since the driving voltage is low. However, the element is subject to humidity or the like, and the lifetime is short. On the other hand, an inorganic EL element has such characteristics as longer lifetime, a use temperature range being wide, excellent in durability and the like, comparing with the organic EL element. However, since a voltage required for emitting light is as high as 200 to 300V in an inorganic EL element, an active matrix type driving using thin film transistors (TFT) was difficult. Therefore, an inorganic EL element has been driven by passive matrix. In the passive matrix driving, there are provided a plurality of scan electrodes extending in parallel with a first direction, and a plurality of data electrodes extending in parallel with a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a phosphor element is interposed between the scan electrode and data electrode crossing each other. By applying an AC voltage between a pair of scan electrode and data electrode, one phosphor element is driven. In the passive matrix driving, when the number of scan lines increases, the average luminance of the whole display device is lowered. Generally, an inorganic illuminant is so configured that a luminescent material is doped in an dielectric crystal. Therefore, although luminescence is generated when UV light is irradiated, an electron is less likely to penetrate into the dielectric crystal even when an electric field is applied, and repulsion due to electrification is also strong. Therefore, a high energy electron is required to generate luminescence. In order to generate luminescence with low energy electrons, countermeasures must be taken.
According to the art described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-8080, a phosphor layer is so configured that ZnS forms the main body and Mn, Cr, Tb, Eu, Tm, Yb and the like are doped so as to drive inorganic EL elements (cause to emit light), whereby the luminescent brightness was improved. However, since they were only driven with a high voltage of 200 to 300V, TFTs could not be used.

Light emitting element with semiconductive phosphor


In a data synchronization circuit for obtaining a clock synchronized with bits of received data to submit the received data to retiming, it is achieved that a phase synchronization without use of a feedback loop configuration giving rise to oscillations is performed. The received data are devided according to the frequency in a frequency dividing circuit. This frequency divided output and the respective n-phase clocks are compared in phase to generate a specific signal to specify one of n-phase clocks having predetermined phase relations to the frequency divided output. While, on the other hand, the change points of the frequency divided output are synchronized with the extracted clock of a clock selector to average the specific signal with the timing of this change point synchronization signal. One of n-phase clocks is extracted in conformity with the state of this averaged output to make an extracted clock and to subject the received data to retiming in a flip-flop by using this clock.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a data synchronization circuit and particularly to a data synchronization circuit wherein a phase synchronization is obtained using a clock synchronized with a bit of the relevant received data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a digital transmission apparatus, one of the techniques for extracting and reproducing a transmitted digital signal on the receiving side is a bit synchronization technique. In a digital transmission apparatus or the like, it is required to receive a digital signal having a phase variation without errors.
Generally, as one example of bit synchronization circuit used in the transmission of digital signals between a plurality of apparatus operating with a clock supplied from one and the same clock source (synchronized in frequency), "PLL Circuit by Polyphase Clock" described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 43919/1987 is known.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a conventional bit synchronization circuit. In FIG. 14, n-phase clocks 12-1 to 12-n are applied via input clock terminals 2-1 to 2-n to the clock selector 47, which have the same frequency as that of the received data signal and phases different by 360/n (n: integer equal to or greater than 2). This clock selector 47 selects the clock corresponding to a count value of the up-down counter 46 from the n-phase clocks and outputs it to the output clock terminal 9 as an extracted clock 48.
Next, operations will be described. The phase comparison circuit 45 compares the phase of a received data signal 11 inputted via the input data terminal 1 and that of the extracted clock 48. In accordance with the result of phase comparison, the up-down counter 46 performs an increment and decrement in the count value to perform a selective control of the clock selector 47. Thus, by repeating this series of operations, an extracted clock synchronized in phase with the received data signal can be obtained.

Received-data bit synchronization circuit


An integrated MEMS package and associated packaging method are provided. The method includes: forming an electrical circuit, electrically connected to the first substrate; integrating a MEMS device on a first substrate region, electrically connected to the first substrate; providing a second substrate overlying the first substrate; and, forming a wall along the first region boundaries, between the first and second substrate. In one aspect, the electrical circuit is formed using thin-film processes; and, wherein integrating the MEMS device on the first substrate region includes forming the MEMS using thin-film processes, simultaneous with the formation of the electrical device. Alternately, the MEMS device is formed in a separate process, attached to the first substrate, and electrical interconnections are formed to the first substrate using thin-film processes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the packaging of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and, more particularly, to a system and method for simultaneously packaging a MEMS device with active circuitry on an integrated circuit (IC) substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
MEMS devices are typically made on silicon wafers; using one of two well established techniques: bulk micro-machining or surface micro-machining. In both of these methods, the MEMS device is fabricated on a silicon wafer using standard IC-type fabrication equipment. Once the wafer is processed, the wafer is diced to form individual die. These MEMS die may or may not be integrated with electronic components (on CMOS). Once the die is cingulated, it must then be packaged in some form of package, similar to an IC package. This package is eventually inserted into a socket or bonded to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) as part of an overall system, i.e., a cell phone. These packages can be quite elaborate, depending on the MEMS style and application, including vacuum package requirements. In addition, because many MEMS devices are required to move during operation, the package must provide a cavity that allows for this movement.
One problem with this type of MEMS packaging methodology is that the package is a very large proportion of the total MEMS device cost; on the order of 30–70% of the overall cost. This packaging cost can, therefore, have a significant impact on the capability of such MEMS devices to penetrate cost-sensitive markets, such as the cell phone market.
Another problem with existing MEMS packaging is the noise inherent with the electrical connections between the MEMS package and the rest of the system. The bonding, wiring, and electrical interconnections associated with interfacing a MEMS device embedded in a package, to a circuit, necessarily adds impedance mismatches that result in noisy or low amplitude signals.
However, there is mounting evidence that MEMS technology can add value to systems, such as cell phones, in a market that is ripe for new technology, if only the packaging issue could be addressed. Continuing with the cell phone example, it is certain that the camera-on-cell phone has made a great impact on the market. The search is on for the next added functionality that can drive new expansion of the cell phone market.
MEMS are being considered for the following cell phone functions:
1) Motion capture (Accelerometer and gyroscope);
2) Microphones;
3) RF devices and RF modules;
4) Image capture;
5) Low power solutions;
6) Identification (biometrics);
7) Enhanced display functionality; and,
8) Personal health and safety monitoring.
The issues preventing MEMS penetration into the cell phone market are cost and performance. As mentioned above, packaging is 30–70% of the MEMS device cost. This cost issue is preventing the integration of MEMS into cell phones, display systems, and many other types of electronic devices.
MEMS devices are a logical derivative of semiconductor IC processes that may be used to develop micrometer scale structural devices such as transducers or actuators, and they are typically fabricated on silicon substrates. MEMS devices typically interface physical variables and electronic signal circuits. The integration of MEMS into larger scale systems has been expensive to fabricate due to the process difficulties and the cost associated with integrating the MEMS standard IC technologies, such as CMOS. The processes used to fabricate MEMS on glass offer the advantage that the integration of electrical and mechanical functions is easily done. In this way, system level integration is possible and cost effective.
It would be advantageous if MEMS devices could be packaged as part of the overall process of fabricating active devices on a circuit board or display.


A methodology for the asexual propagation of a plurality of species of substantially sedentary marine invertebrates which naturally attach to or hold fast to a support where propagation is achieved by employment of segmentation and transplantation which is accomplished by intentionally forced segmentation of a predeterminable portion of the invertebrate's tissue and where the segmented tissue is manipulated to become substantially attached to a suitable support by a temporary holding device thereby resulting in a condition where the primary invertebrate as well as the propagated invertebrate can survive independently of one another.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a methodology for asexual propagation of a plurality of species of substantially sedentary marine invertebrates that hold fast or naturally attach to a support. Propagation is achieved by means of segmental transplantation which is accomplished by intentionally forced segmentation of a predeterminable portion of an invertebrate's tissue. The segmented tissue is manipulated to become substantially attached to a suitable support thereby resulting in a condition where the primary invertebrate as well as the propagated invertebrate can survive independently of one another.
2. Description of Prior Art
For many years there has been substantially unrestrained and unregulated harvesting of many live marine invertebrates from ocean reefs in all parts of the world to satisfy individual, commercial, pharmaceutical and industrial needs. The impact of this indiscriminate gathering has exacted a severe toll on these fragile marine ecosystems. Damage inflicted by ship's hulls and even anchors is also causing grave concern among environmentalists and international political bodies. In addition to the devastation of the reefs due to human interaction, damage is being done by storms and environmental change. There is a global realization that these marine resources are finite and unless the destruction stops, our "underwater rain forests" will cease to exist. Estimates done by N.O.A.A. and other marine biologists indicate that as of 1995, ten percent of the world's reefs had been destroyed beyond repair, and that in another ten years said percentage will increase to forty percent. If nothing is done, N.O.A.A. estimates that all reefs could be gone in as little as twenty years.
The methodology of this invention is an efficient way to asexually propagate a plurality of substantially sedentary marine invertebrate species to substantially satisfy the needs of industry without continuing to damage the natural reefs through harvesting. The propagated invertebrates can also restock damaged, dead or dying ocean reefs. Through controlled experimentation and testing the concepts and techniques of this invention have been proven to be practicable, successful and have resulted in an ability to asexually propagate substantially sedentary marine invertebrates at a rate and in a manner which is methodical, controlled and substantially accelerated beyond the invertebrates' normal rates of reproduction in nature.

Controlled asexual propagation of certain marine invertebrates by means of segmental transplantation


A method of creating an ultrasound image includes receiving a return signal from a time delayed signal emitted from a plurality of transducer elements at a target the return signal comprising a measurement at each of the plurality of transducer elements formed from a plurality of reflections off of a plurality of volume elements forming a two dimensional slice of a target, computing a Van-Cittert Zernike (VCZ) curve for each of the plurality of volume elements based upon the measured return signals and creating an short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) image comprising a plurality of pixels each associated with one of the plurality of volume elements wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises a value computed from a metric of the VCZ curve computed for each of the associated plurality of volume elements.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a differential volume element 14 in a target 16 being imaged using a B-mode ultrasound imaging technique. A transducer 10 emits a pulse, such as a pulse signal, for example, from each of a linear array of transducer elements 12(1-N) with each emitted pulse delayed by a predetermined amount. Depending on the delay utilized, an acoustic beam of energy can be aimed in a direction θ and focused onto a target 16. When the acoustic energy is reflected, such as results from a change in impedance in the target 16, some of the acoustic energy is reflected back to the transducer elements 12. By measuring the time between emitting and receiving the pulse at each of the various transducer elements 12, an amplitude of the echo such as from volume element 14 can be calculated.
By controlling the delays for a plurality of pulses, a two dimensional slice of the target may be imaged by scanning radially back and forth across a plane extending outward from the transducer 10. Such scanning, referred to as B-mode scanning, returns a reflectance value for a range of distances r across an angle Ω. When the reflectance value for all points in the plane corresponding to a distance r at an angle Ω are translated into planar coordinates, such as along the illustrated orthogonal axes X and Y, for example, an image is formed of pixels having an X and Y coordinate with the value of each pixel related to an amplitude of the echo received from a corresponding differential volume element 14 of the target 16.
Typically, the images formed from B-mode ultrasound imaging are grayscale images, where the brightness of each pixel is proportional to the magnitude of the echo received from the corresponding point in the imaged target. Because tissue is comprised of different features having different densities or compressibilities, ultrasound images of human tissue can be interpreted to determine the relative and absolute location and the acoustic reflectivity of different tissue types such as bone, soft tissue, tendons, and the like. While useful for many applications, traditional ultrasound images based upon the magnitude of a reflected signal are often times not of sufficient clarity to permit robust analysis.
It would be advantageous to generate a metric from traditional ultrasound emitted and received pulses that provides additional information regarding the nature of a target 16.

Methods, systems and apparatuses for Van-Cittert Zernike imaging


In a method or control device for controlling an electrophotographic printer or copier that has at least two developer stations, during a print operation print data is used to determine which developer stations are needed for printing of the data. In the event it is established that a developer station was not need or will not be needed for a predetermined time span, the developer station is shifted into a standby state in which at least one part of mechanical actuators of the developer station is stopped.

The preferred embodiment of the invention concerns a method for controlling an electrophotographic printer or copier that has at least one developer station for development of a latent charge image on a photoconductor with toner. It also concerns a control device for such a printer or copier.
Known methods of the aforementioned type typically provide different operating states or operating modes that the printer or copier can adopt in operation. Examples for such operating states are a standby mode in which the functional voltages and currents of the developer stations that are necessary for developing of charge images are typically deactivated and the mechanical actuators of the developer station are stopped. Such a standby mode is typically adopted when the printer or copier is turned on but no print data is present.
A further typical operating state is the print operation mode in which typically all functional voltages and currents of the developer stations are switched to nominal parameters and all actuators run with nominal parameters. Such a print operation mode is typically started as soon as print data are present and is maintained as long as the print data are present. During this print operation, as stated the actuators of all developer stations run in normal operation, meaning that all mixing devices (such as bucket wheels, paddlewheels, mixing dredgers and the like) for stirring the developer and all devices for applying the developer from the developer station onto the photoconductor are in operation during the print operation mode.
During such a print operation it can occur that one or more developer stations has only a very small toner discharge or even no toner discharge at all for a longer time period. In the present document, either a mixture of toner and carrier particles or a one-component developer is meant with the term "developer". In the case of the one-component developer, the terms "developer" and "toner" designate the same thing. The case of slight or disappearing toner discharge occurs relatively frequently in color printers or copiers in which a separate developer station is provided for each color component (cyan, yellow, magenta and black) and in fact when the print data do not contain a color component or contain a color component to only a limited extent for a longer time period. A prolonged low toner discharge can, however, also occur in one-color printers, namely when a plurality of successive print pages with little content is printed.
It has been shown that the developer ages or is damaged relatively quickly with prolonged low toner discharge, i.e. wears in the developer station and leads only to poor print results. In the case that a developer station is not required for a longer time period during the print operation, it is itself additionally subjected to an unnecessary wear.

Control device and method to control an electrophotographic printer or copier to prevent developer damage


An exposure apparatus includes a mask scanning device for scanning a mask on which a pattern is formed, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern on the mask onto a wafer, a wafer scanning device for scanning the wafer, onto which the pattern is projected by the projection optical system, an illuminating device for illuminating the mask in an illumination area narrower than the pattern by synchronously scanning the mask and the wafer relative to each other, using the mask scanning device and the wafer scanning device, so as to expose and transfer the pattern on the wafer, a detection device for detecting information regarding exposure before exposing and transferring the pattern onto the wafer by the illuminating device and for producing detection results, and a display for displaying exposure information obtained from the detection results. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, for example, using such an exposure apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, and more particularly, to a scanning exposure apparatus which performs projection exposure while synchronously scanning a mask and a wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As integrated circuit (IC) patterns have become finer and have been made on a larger scale, an exposure apparatus used in a lithography process employs a system which is widely different from a conventional system.
For example, an excimer laser for emitting light having a wavelength shorter than that of an i-line emitted from a conventional mercury vapor lamp is employed as a light source so as to serve the need for fine IC patterns. In addition, a step-and-scan exposure apparatus is employed so as to serve the need for large-scale IC patterns.
The excimer laser is a pulsed light source accompanied by variations in emission intensity at each emission. Therefore, when the excimer laser is employed in the scanning exposure apparatus, it is necessary to control exposure in some way in order to expose a wafer with the desired exposure amount.
Although various methods of controlling exposure have been conventionally proposed, the scanning exposure apparatus uses many parameters for controlling the exposure. Therefore, it is very important to provide an operator with various information regarding exposure before exposing the wafer. In addition, it is also very important to provide the operator with information such as what processes are being performed, and whether or not any problem has occurred.

Exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing a device using the same


Two techniques address bottlenecking in processors. The first is indirect prefetching. The technique can be especially useful for graph analytics and sparse matrix applications. For graph analytics and sparse matrix applications, the addresses of most random memory accesses come from an index array B which is sequentially scanned by an application. The random accesses are actually indirect accesses in the form A[B[i]]. A hardware component is introduced to detect this pattern. The hardware can then read B a certain distance ahead, and prefetch the corresponding element in A. For example, if the “prefetch distance” is k, when B[i] is accessed, the hardware reads B[i+k], and then A[B[i+k]. For partial cacheline accessing, the indirect accesses are usually accessing random memory locations and only accessing a small portion of a cacheline. Instead of loading the whole cacheline into L1 cache, the second technique only loads a part of the cacheline.

Processors are commonly operable to perform instructions to access memory and perform computations. For example, processors may execute load instructions to load or read data for memory and/or store instructions to store or write data to memory, to facilitate various computational processes. Additionally, processors execute one or more applications to, for example, solve problems, analyse data, perform computations, and the like.

Hardware prefetcher for indirect access patterns


An amplitude compensator utilized in a distortion compensating device which compensates non-linearity in amplitude and phase of an input-output characteristic of a high frequency power amplifier incorporated in a mobile phone in which the input-output amplitude characteristic of the high frequency power amplifier is fitted by a hyperbolic tangent function, and an inverse hyperbolic tangent function is obtained by using two parameters, thereby providing amplitude compensation. A voltage input-output characteristic of the power amplifier is fitted to a hyperbolic function including predetermined parameters and a logarithmic function constituted by the parameters after the fitting and a linear gain of the power amplifier is obtained. An envelope voltage of an envelope signal obtained by detection of a modulated input signal is applied to the logarithmic function to obtain an amplitude compensating value. Based on this amplitude compensating value, an amplitude of the modulated signal is converted and a resulting modulated input signal is inputted to the power amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distortion compensating device, and particularly to a distortion compensating device applicable to a high-frequency power amplifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
With an increasing speedup and capacity in telecommunication in recent years, there is a demand for a stringent linearity in a transmission high-frequency power amplifier in the field of digital radio communication equipment. At the same time, this trend also hinders improvement in power efficiency in the high-frequency power amplifier. On the other hand, digital mobile phones are already wide spread in the market, and there is an ever increasing demand for a longer operation time available for a continuous telephone call on these phones. When a new digital wireless communication device is introduced into the market, the length of usable time is becoming an un-negligible factor in view of product competition. Given such a background as the above, there is an increasing trend for improving the efficiency by means of distortion compensation technology represented by such a device as a predistorter. However, introduction of such a technology as the above will require an extremely large sized circuit, making difficult adaptation thereof to the mobile phone that is sold on advantages of light weight and compactness.
In general, the high-frequency power amplifier for use in the telecommunication has a problem of increased non-linearity in an input-output characteristic that results in distorted output signal if efficiency in power utility is to be improved. In an attempt to solve this problem, a predistorter has been used. Specifically, a compensating device having a reverse characteristic to the characteristic of the high-frequency power amplifier is connected to a prestage of the high-frequency power amplifier, in order to cancel the distortion.
Further, in general, the nonlinear characteristic of an amplifier changes over time, temperature and so on. For this reason, a compensating characteristic of the compensator must be changed in accordance with the characteristic change in the amplifier. This is called adaptive compensation.
An example of such a predistorter is xe2x80x9cMEMORYLESS POLYNOMIAL ADAPTIVE PREDISTORSIONxe2x80x9d IEEE. Int. conf. Acoust speech process 1995. No5. pp981-985. FIG. 12 is a system diagram of a principal portion of a distortion compensation circuit shown in the above document. FIG. 13 is a detailed system diagram of a portion in FIG. 12 directly related to the compensation.
Referring now to FIG. 12, digital modulation yields a couple of base-band signals, i.e. an orthogonal component Q and an in-phase component I (hereinafter called I signal and Q signal). These signals are fed to input terminals T1 and T2, then receive pulse shaping performed by pulse filters 1a and 1b, and then inputted to a distortion compensator 2.
The distortion compensator 2 shown in detail in FIG. 13 includes at least a voltage amplitude calculator 2a and a phase calculator 2b, and outputs the Ixe2x80x3 signal and Qxe2x80x3 signal for compensation of distortion in amplitude and phase of a signal generated by a high-frequency power amplifier (hereinafter called HPA) 5. The Ixe2x80x3 and Qxe2x80x3 signals receive analog conversion in digital-analog converters (hereinafter called DAC) 3a, 3b respectively, and then are fed to accumulators 4a, 4b in a quadrature modulator 4, where a carrier cos xcfx89 t and sin xcfx89 t from an oscillator are multiplied. An output as a result of the accumulations is applied via an adder 4c to the amplitude characteristic and the phase characteristics, to compensate for nonlinear input-output characteristic of the HPA 5. Then an output from the HPA 5 is supplied to an output terminal T3 and a restoring calculator 6.
A base band signal demodulated by the quadrature demodulator 6 is inputted to the distortion compensator 2 via an analog-digital converter (hereinafter, referred to ADC)7.
The distortion compensator 2 shown in FIG. 12 is constituted as shown in FIG. 13. Description will now cover FIG. 13 briefly. The two base-band signals I, Q generated by the digital modulation are fed to a voltage amplitude calculator 2a for calculation of a voltage amplitude  (I2+Q2). A phase difference calculator 2b calculates a phase difference xcfx86+arctan (I/Q) between the I and Q signals. The voltage amplitude value is inputted to an amplitude compensator 2d for conversion into a signal that compensates for the amplitude distortion. An I-Q restoring calculator 2e calculates, from the phase difference xcfx86 sent from the phase difference calculator 2b and a compensating voltage amplitude vxe2x80x2 sent from the amplitude compensator 2d, a signal Ixe2x80x2=vxe2x80x2 cos xcfx86 and signal Qxe2x80x2=vxe2x80x2 sin xcfx86. A shift synthesizing calculator 2f calculates a compensating phase value xcex8 that corresponds to the compensating voltage amplitude vxe2x80x2. By using this phase value xcex8 and the signals Ixe2x80x2 and Qxe2x80x2, calculation of Ixe2x80x3=Ixe2x80x2 cos xcex8xe2x88x92Qxe2x80x2xc2x7sin xcex8 and Qxe2x80x3=Qxe2x80x2xc2x7cos xcex8+Ixe2x80x2xc2x7sin xcex8 are made. Outputs from these calculations are fed to DAC""s 3a, 3b in FIG. 12.
According to the prior art distorter described above, a higher degree polynomial expression is used for the calculation of the compensating amplitude voltage vxe2x80x2 for the compensation of the amplitude compensator 2d and for determining xcex8 necessary for the phase compensation.
This means an increase in the number of variables that must be used for obtaining the compensating value for the compensator 2. The increase in the number of the variables leads to an increase in the size of circuit, eventually leading to an increase in power consumption in actual utilization of the distortion compensator 2. Further, if the amplitude compensating function is a multinomial, then a solution cannot be obtained as a mathematically exact solution. In other words, the obtained value is nothing more than an accidental discovery of the compensating function. With such a method as this, there is definitely a limitation to the effect of the compensation.
In xe2x80x9cADAPTIVE DIGITAL PREDISTORTER FOR POWER AMPLIFIERS WITH REAL TIME MODELING OF MEMORYLESS COMPLEX GAINSxe2x80x9d by Ernesto G. Jeckeln el. al, IEEE. MTT-S digest 1996, pp835-838 it is disclosed that a broken-line approximation is used in the calculation of vxe2x80x2 for performing the amplitude distortion compensation, and calculation of xcex8 necessary for the phase distortion compensation.
In such a case as this, in which broken-line approximation is used as the method for the compensation calculation and a broken-line approximation equation is used as a compensating function, the compensation does not truthfully reflect the actual characteristics of the amplifier, and so there is a limitation to the effect of the compensation.
The prior art distortion compensation is an adaptive compensation based on the base-band signal (in other words, the compensation in a predetermined digital computing portion) For this reason, a quadrature demodulator is essential. Further, the need for the quadrature demodulator means a significant increase in the size of circuit, leading to a problem of increased power consumption in the entire compensator.
Further, although the significance of the distortion compensation is to improve on the overall efficiency of the power amplifier by reducing the distortion, such an increase in power consumption as described above rather creates a problem of decreased efficiency. Further, the increase in the size of circuit goes against the fundamental advantage of the light weight and compactness of the mobile phone in terms of the constitution.
An object of the present invention is to provide a distortion compensation device in which coefficients necessary for computing a compensation power amplitude vxe2x80x2 in the amplitude compensator needs only two constants and the size of a circuit can be economized.
A distortion compensating device according to the present invention provides compensation as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in an input-output characteristic of an amplitude and a phase of the HPA 5, characterized in that the distortion compensating device is provided with amplitude compensators 2d, 2d1, and 2d2 for conversion of an in-phase signal I and an orthogonal signal Q into an in-phase signal Ixe2x80x2=f(vi) and an orthogonal signal Qxe2x80x2=f(vq) for the compensation in an voltage amplitude, where vi representing a voltage of the parallel signal, vq representing a voltage of the orthogonal signal, the conversion being made by applying vi and vq to a function constituted by using two coefficients a and b and given as f(v)=xe2x88x92xc2xdxc2x7bxc2x7log((axe2x88x92gxc2x7v)/(a+gxc2x7v)) obtained by using two coefficients a and b, the coefficients a and b being obtained as two parameters that fit the input-output characteristic of the HPA 5 to a hyperbolic tangent function vout=atan h (bvin), where vin and vout representing an input voltage and output voltage respectively of the HPA 5, and g representing a linear gain.
A second distortion compensating device according to the present invention comprises as shown in FIG. 1: amplitude compensators 2c1, 2c2 for conversion of an in-phase signal I and an orthogonal signal Q into an in-phase signal Ixe2x80x2=f(vi) and an orthogonal signal Qxe2x80x2=f(vq) for the compensation in an voltage amplitude, where vi representing a voltage of the in-phase signal, vq representing a voltage of the orthogonal signal, the conversion being made by applying vi and vq to a function constituted by using two coefficients a and b and given as f(v)=xe2x88x92xc2xdxc2x7bxc2x7log ((axe2x88x92gv)/(a+gv)) given by using two coefficients a and b, the coefficients a and b being obtained as two parameters that fit the input-output characteristic of the HPA 5 to vout=atan h (bvin), where vin and vout representing an input voltage and output voltage respectively of the amplifying means, and g representing a linear gain; voltage amplitude calculator 2a for computing a voltage amplitude v=(Ixe2x80x22+Qxe2x80x22) of the two signals I and Q; a phase reference table 2g storing a table of data corresponding one on one to each value of the voltage amplitude for extraction, from the table, of a specific phase value corresponding to a given voltage amplitude v; and phase synthesizing means for computing Ixe2x80x3=Ixe2x80x2 cosxe2x88x92Qxe2x80x2 sin and Qxe2x80x3=Qxe2x80x2 cos+Ixe2x80x2 sin, by using the phase value and the two signals Ixe2x80x2 and Qxe2x80x2, characterized in that the two signals Ixe2x80x3 and Qxe2x80x3 are used as distortion compensating data.
A third distortion compensating device provided by the present invention comprises as shown in FIG. 2: a voltage amplitude calculator 2a for computing a voltage amplitude v=(I2+Q2) of two signals provided by an in-phase signal I and an orthogonal signal Q; a phase difference calculator 2b for calculating a phase difference xcfx86 between the two signals I and Q; an amplitude compensator 2d for applying the voltage amplitude v provided by an output from the voltage amplitude calculator 2a to a function f thereby converting into a compensating voltage amplitude f(v); an I-Q restoring calculator 2e for calculation of a signal Ixe2x80x2=f(v)xc2x7cos xcex8 and Qxe2x80x2=f(v)xc2x7sin xcex8, from the phase difference xcfx86 and the compensating voltage amplitude f(v); a phase reference table 2g storing a table of data corresponding one on one to each value of the voltage amplitude for extraction, from the table, of a phase value xcex8 corresponding to a given compensating voltage amplitude f(v); and a phase synthesizing calculator 2f for computing Ixe2x80x3=Ixe2x80x2 cos xcex8xe2x88x92Qxe2x80x2xc2x7sin xcex8 and Qxe2x80x3=Qxe2x80x2xc2x7cos xcex8+Ixe2x80x2xc2x7sin xcex8, by using the phase value xcex8 and the two signals Ixe2x80x2 and Qxe2x80x2, characterized in that the two signals Ixe2x80x3 and Qxe2x80x3 are used as distortion compensating data.
According to each of the first through third distortion compensating devices provided by the present invention, constants for the calculation of compensating voltage amplitude in the amplitude compensator incorporated in the distortion compensating device can be two coefficients a and b. Thus, it becomes possible to provide a distortion compensating device capable of reducing the size of a circuit. In addition, by using a tan h function, it becomes possible to provide a distortion compensating device capable of providing a compensation having a mathematically exact inverse characteristic.
A forth distortion compensation device according to the present invention is to provide a distortion compensation device and method which in a transmission system of e.g. wireless communication equipment restrains an increase in the size of a circuit and the consumption of an electric current as well as realizes high precision amplitude distortion compensation while performing compensation and adaptive compensation of amplitude distortion and the phase of a signal to be modulated.
Another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating device placed before a power amplifier, comprising: means for detecting a modulated signal thereby obtaining an envelope voltage Venv of a detected envelope signal; means for fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a hyperbolic function including parameters a and b, given as vout=axc2x7tan h (bxc2x7vi), (where vi represents an input voltage, Vout representing an output voltage); means for calculating an amplitude compensating value f(Venv) by substituting the envelope voltage Venv for x in a function including the parameters a and b, given as:                               f                                (            x            )                          =                                            -                              1                                  2                  ·                  b                                                      ·            log                                          xe2x80x83                                                        a              -                              g                ·                x                                                    a              +                              g                ·                x                                                                        [Expression  7]
(where g represents a linear gain of the power amplifier); means for converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; and means for inputting the modulated signal as after the conversion, to the power amplifier.
Further, another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating device placed before a power amplifier, comprising: means for detecting a modulated signal thereby obtaining a first envelope voltage of a detected envelope signal; means for fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a first function that uses predetermined parameters; means for calculating an amplitude compensating value by applying the first envelope voltage to a second function constituted by the parameters as after the fitting and a linear gain of the power amplifier; means for converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; means for detecting an output from the power amplifier corresponding to an input of the modulated signal as after the conversion thereby obtaining a second envelope voltage of a detected envelope signal; and means for applying the first envelope voltage and the second envelope voltage to a third function including the parameter used for the calculation of the amplitude compensating value, thereby updating these parameters; the parameters as after the updating are applied to the fitting.
Another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating device placed before a power amplifier, comprising: means for detecting a modulated signal thereby obtaining a first envelope voltage Venv of a detected envelope signal; means for fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a hyperbolic function including parameters a and b given as vout=axc2x7tan h (bxc2x7vi), (where vi represents an input voltage, vout representing an output voltage); means for calculating an amplitude compensating value f(Venv) by substituting the first envelope voltage Venv for x in a function including the parameters a and b, given as:                               f                                (            x            )                          =                                            -                              1                                  2                  ·                  b                                                      ·            log                                          xe2x80x83                                                        a              -                              g                ·                x                                                    a              +                              g                ·                x                                                                        [Expression  8]
(where g represents a linear gain of the power amplifier); means for converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; means for detecting an output from the power amplifier corresponding to an input of the modulated signal as after the conversion thereby obtaining a second envelope voltage Vxe2x80x2outenv of a detected envelope signal; and means for calculating updated parameters anew and bnew of the parameters a and b, from a third function constituted by the parameters a and b used for the calculation of the amplitude compensating value and the envelope voltages Venv and Vxe2x80x2outenv, given as:                                                                                a                  new                                =                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  a                  -                                      α                    ·                                          [                                                                        2                          ·                                                      V                            outenv                            xe2x80x2                                                    ·                                                      tanh                                                                                (                                                              b                                ·                                                                  V                                  env                                                                                )                                                                                -                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                  2                  ·                  a                  ·                                                            tanh                      2                                                                                (                                              b                        ·                                                  V                          env                                                                    )                                                                      ]
                                                                                b                  new                                =                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  b                  -                                      α                    ·                                          [                                              2                        ·                        a                        ·                                                  V                          env                                                ·                                                  sech                                                                                (                            b                            )                                                                          ·                        -                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                  (                                                            a                      ·                      tanh                      ·                                              (                                                  b                          ·                                                      V                            env                                                                          )                                                              -                                          V                      outenv                      xe2x80x2                                                        ]                                                                                [Expression  9]
(where xcex1 represents a constant); characterized in that the updated parameters anew and bnew are applied to the fitting.
Further, another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating method for performing a distortion compensation before a power amplifier, comprising: a step of detecting a modulated signal, thereby obtaining an envelope voltage of a detected envelope signal; a step of fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a first function including a predetermined parameter; a step of calculating an amplitude compensating value by applying the envelope voltage to a second function constituted by the parameter as after the fitting and a linear gain of the power amplifier; a step of converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; and a step of inputting the modulated signal as after the conversion, to the power amplifier.
Another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating method for performing a distortion compensation before a power amplifier, comprising: a step of detecting a modulated signal thereby obtaining an envelope voltage Venv of a detected envelope signal; a step of fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a hyperbolic function including parameters a and b, given as vout=axc2x7tan h (bxc2x7vi), (where vi represents an input voltage, vout representing an output voltage); a step of calculating an amplitude compensating value f(Venv) by substituting the envelope voltage Venv for x in a function including the parameters a and b, given as:                               f                                (            x            )                          =                                            -                              1                                  2                  ·                  b                                                      ·            log                                          xe2x80x83                                                        a              -                              g                ·                x                                                    a              +                              g                ·                x                                                                        [Expression  10]
(where g represents a linear gain of the power amplifier); a step of converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; and a step of for inputting the modulated signal as after the conversion, to the power amplifier.
Further, another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating method for performing a distortion compensation before a power amplifier, comprising: a step of detecting a modulated signal thereby obtaining a first envelope voltage of a detected envelope signal; a step of fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a first function that uses predetermined parameters; a step of calculating an amplitude compensating value by applying the first envelope voltage to a second function constituted by the parameters as after the fitting and a linear gain of the power amplifier; a step of converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; a step of detecting an output from the power amplifier corresponding to an input of the modulated signal as after the conversion thereby obtaining a second envelope voltage of a detected envelope signal; and a step of applying the first envelope voltage and the second envelope voltage to a third function including the parameter used for the calculation of the amplitude compensating value, thereby updating these parameters; and a step of applying the parameters as after the updating to the fitting.
Further, another of the present invention provides a distortion compensating method for performing a distortion compensation before a power amplifier, comprising: a step of detecting a modulated signal thereby obtaining a first envelope voltage Venv of a detected envelope signal; a step of fitting a voltage input-output characteristics of the power amplifier to a hyperbolic function including parameters a and b given as vout=axc2x7tan h (bxc2x7vi), (where vi represents an input voltage, vout representing an output voltage); a step of calculating an amplitude compensating value f(Venv) by substituting the first envelope voltage Venv for x in a function including the parameters a and b, given as:                               f                                (            x            )                          =                                            -                              1                                  2                  ·                  b                                                      ·            log                                          xe2x80x83                                                        a              -                              g                ·                x                                                    a              +                              g                ·                x                                                                        [Expression  11]
(where g represents a linear gain of the power amplifier); a step of converting an amplitude of the modulated signal, based on the amplitude compensating value; a step of detecting an output from the power amplifier corresponding to an input of the modulated signal as after the conversion thereby obtaining a second envelope voltage Vxe2x80x2outenv of a detected envelope signal; and a step of calculating updated parameters anew and bnew of the parameters a and b, from a third function constituted by the parameters a and b used for the calculation of the amplitude compensating value and the envelope voltages Venv and Vxe2x80x2outenv, given as:                                                                                a                  new                                =                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  a                  -                                      α                    ·                                          [                                                                        2                          ·                                                      V                            outenv                            xe2x80x2                                                    ·                                                      tanh                                                                                (                                                              b                                ·                                                                  V                                  env                                                                                )                                                                                -                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                  2                  ·                  a                  ·                                                            tanh                      2                                                                                (                                              b                        ·                                                  V                          env                                                                    )                                                                      ]
                                                                                b                  new                                =                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  b                  -                                      α                    ·                                          [                                              2                        ·                        a                        ·                                                  V                          env                                                ·                                                  sech                                                                                (                            b                            )                                                                          ·                                                  -                                                      (                                                          a                              ·                              tanh                              ·                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                                (                                          b                      ·                                              V                        env                                                              )                                    -                                      V                    outenv                    xe2x80x2                                                  ]                                                                        [Expression  12]
(where xcex1 represents a constant); and a step of applying the updated parameters anew and bnew to the fitting.

Distortion compensating device and distortion compensating method


A separating device for holding in parallel position object display cards suspended in a sliding manner from a support bracket located in an inclined position relative to the horizontal, consisting of at least one flat rectilinear component capable of being attached perpendicularly to the upper part of a display card in order to project from surface of the card carrying the product to be displayed and being of length substantially equal to the projection of the product from the surface of the card, the flat rectilinear component removably attached for press-fitting to the upper end of the card, and of a transverse slot and central vertical notch supporting and guiding the card sliding on brackets of "inverted T" section and the like.

As is known, many types of objects such as, for example, cosmetics in cases, boxes, bottles and like small-size objects are displayed in department stores and in many shops and are suspended from a rectilinear, horizontal or inclined bracket, in order to facilitate selection and removal by buyers without requiring the intervention of the sales staff. Such objects are normally packed by attaching them to a backing card made of cardboard or rigid plastic, at the top of which is provided a hole or a slot located crosswise which enables it to be hooked onto the support bracket usually made of metal. On each bracket are suspended several backing cards carrying the same type of object or product.
To facilitate viewing of the suspended products, each object is secured to the backing card either by stapling or, more frequently, by a transparent plastic film which covers the object and is then attached peripherally, normally by hot-welding, to one of the surfaces of the backing card.
Such display cards, normally termed "blisters" because of the particular "swollen" projection presented by the object in relation to the flat card, have a disadvantage, an unwelcome one from a practical and aesthetic viewpoint, which is when the object is attached to a surface of the backing card, the weight of the object is unbalanced in relation to the card thus causing, when the card is suspended in a sliding manner on a bracket, and in particular on a bracket inclined downward, toward the area of removal, lateral rotation of the display card relative to the vertical is noticed and which prevents the card from sliding freely along the bracket in order to reach a position facilitating removal following detachment of the previous card. Furthermore such rotation, in occurring with all the cards suspended from the bracket, imparts an undesirable aesthetic effect and hampers removal. Such difficulty in sliding is even more marked in the case of flat cards provided with an elongated slot hooked onto the leg of an "inverted T" rod, because of greater wear caused by the larger surfaces in contact compared with those presented by cylindrical holes hooked onto a cylindrical bracket.

Separating device for holding display units in parallel position


A system and a method are disclosed for configuring a device for receipt of data corresponding to broadcast media signal. The system and method include selecting a metadata preference for use in a search of metadata associated with the broadcast media signals and selecting a notification preference for a notification format. The selected metadata preference and the selected notification preference are transmitted to a hosting system. The device can then receive, in the selected notification format, data corresponding to a broadcast media signal, the broadcast signal corresponding to the metadata preference. In one embodiment, the broadcast media signal is an analog or digital video signal. The metadata can be in a non-video portion of the broadcast television signal, for example, a vertical blanking interval or header field.

1. Field of Art
The present invention generally relates to the field of media streaming, and more specifically, to media streaming enhancements which include metadata.
2. Description of the Related Art
The vertical blanking interval (or VBI) is used in nearly all televisions and computer monitors, which require a small amount of time for the scanning circuitry to return to the top of the screen after completing scanning of the last line at the bottom. Video signal standards recognize this fact by inserting a number of "blank" lines at the beginning of each new picture. These blank lines make up the "vertical blanking interval".
Over time, the vertical blanking interval has been a useful mechanism for transmission of data sent along with transmitted video. For example, closed captioning information is inserted into the VBI. In conventional analog television signals, closed captioning are subtitles for the hearing impaired individuals and environments that are transmitted as digital data within the VBI. Specifically, text corresponding to spoken word is typed out on the screen as voice is spoken or sound is made relative to the video displayed. Closed captioning is sometimes is referred to as "line 21 captioning" because the data is carried in line 21 of the VBI. As digital television standards are emerging, e.g., high-definition television (HDTV), closed captioning continues to remain. Newer standards for transmitting such information include EI-708 along with line 21 captioning.
More recently, in addition to closed captioning, the non-viewable VBI is being used to carry other information. For example, Internet designers are now using it to transmit unidirectional digital information from Web sites to Web clients. The model for sending information over VBI is often called "data broadcasting". The technique is a one-way transmission from the station to users, just like television. Stations broadcast popular information such as stock quotes, sports news, and the like.
Unlike conventional Internet connected systems, users in the data broadcasting configuration did not interact with a Web server. Nevertheless, the technique is useful for delivering specific content, particularly in bulk transmission applications. For example, rather than to each subscriber individually over the Internet, the information is broadcast at periodic intervals to a special browser, which shows the latest updates. Users could choose to tune into the broadcast and select only the news items of interest to them.
In addition, standards such as RFC 2728 (Transmission of IP over Vertical Blanking Interval of a Television Signal, November 1999) describe a method for broadcasting Internet protocol (IP) data using the VBI. This standards proposal included a description for compressing IP headers on unidirectional networks, a framing protocol identical to SLIP, a forward error-correction scheme, and the NABTS (North American Basic Teletext Standard) byte structures.
While standards for broadcasting data over the VBI have evolved, they continue to have limited applicability for users as noted above. For example, closed captioning and other push type data (e.g., stock quotes, weather, etc.) are structured for mass audiences. They are not customizable at level specific to the user. Hence, the user fails to attain personalization that, if available, may allow for a richer experience relative to the video transmission. Further, there is no return loop from the user back to a server associated with the VBI data broadcast to provide the user with a mechanism for customization or instructions for furtherance of their experience.
While television signals today are primarily of a broadcast variety, there is migration to streaming video of television signals. Streaming includes a technique to transfer data so that it can be processed as a steady and continuous stream. Streaming technologies are becoming increasingly important with the proliferation of the Internet because most users do not have fast enough access to download large multimedia files quickly. With streaming, the client browser or plug-in can start displaying the data before the entire file has been transmitted.
With regard to the Internet, streaming involves sending video from a server to a client over a network in packets. At the receiving end, the packets are reassembled to play the video as it arrives. The video file is never actually downloaded since the packets are discarded after they have been decoded and viewed. Because the timing of packet arrival is so important, streaming servers use the Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP) instead of the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) typically used for communicating web content.
Streaming video offers an opportunity to include general video metadata, but the size and format of this video metadata requires specialized players such as Windows Media Player from Microsoft Corporation®, RealMedia Player from Real Networks®, or QuickTime from Apple Computer, Inc.®. However, these media systems do not offer opportunities for further customization as to how the user can interact with the broadcast signal, hence, once more limiting the user's overall experience with the media environment.
The need for personalization of user experiences is further compounded by the proliferation of portable electronic devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, smart phones, gaming devices, media devices, and the like. These devices offer opportunities for personalization, but none offer mechanisms or processes for customization relative to broadcasts of video signals.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for customizing media experiences for users, particularly on portable devices, relative to transmissions of media, for example, from broadcast systems.


A stent mandrel support for supporting a stent during the application of a coating substance is provided.

Blood vessel occlusions are commonly treated by mechanically enhancing blood flow in the affected vessels, such as by employing a stent. Stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the wall of affected vessels. Typically stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small lumens via catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in the patent literature disclosing stents include U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional stent 10 formed from a plurality of struts 12. The plurality of struts 12 are radially expandable and interconnected by connecting elements 14 that are disposed between the adjacent struts 12, leaving lateral openings or gaps 16 between the adjacent struts 12. The struts 12 and the connecting elements 14 define a tubular stent body having an outer, tissue-contacting (abluminal) surface and an inner (luminal) surface.
Stents are used not only for mechanical intervention but also as vehicles for providing pharmacological therapy. Pharmacological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. Local delivery of a therapeutic substance is a preferred method of treatment because the substance is concentrated at a specific site and thus smaller total levels of medication can be administered in comparison to systemic dosages that often produce adverse or even toxic side effects for the patient.
One method of medicating a stent 10 involves the use of a polymeric carrier coated onto the surface of the stent 10. A composition including a solvent, a polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend is applied to the stent 10 by immersing the stent 10 in the composition or by spraying the composition onto the stent 10. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving on the surfaces a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer.
The dipping or spraying of the composition onto the stent can result in a complete coverage of all stent surfaces, i.e., both luminal and abluminal surfaces, with a coating. However, from a therapeutic standpoint, drugs need only be released from the abluminal stent surface, and possibly the sidewalls. Moreover, having a coating on the luminal surface of the stent can have a detrimental impact on the stent's deliverability as well as the coating's mechanical integrity. A polymeric coating can increase the coefficient of friction between the stent and the delivery balloon. Additionally, some polymers have a "sticky" or "tacky" consistency. If the polymeric material either increases the coefficient of friction or adheres to the catheter balloon, the effective release of the stent from the balloon after deflation can be compromised. Adhesive, polymeric stent coatings can also experience extensive balloon sheer damage post-deployment, which could result in a thrombogenic luminal stent surface. Accordingly, there is a need to eliminate or minimize the amount of coating that is applied to the inner surface of the stent. Reducing or eliminating the polymer from the stent luminal surface also means a reduction in total polymer load, which is a desirable goal for optimizing long-term biocompatibility of the device.
A method for preventing the composition from being applied to the inner surface of the stent is by placing the stent over a mandrel that fittingly mates within the inner diameter of the stent. A tubing can be inserted within the stent such that the outer surface of the tubing is in contact with the inner surface of the stent. A tubular mandrel that makes contact with the inner surface of the stent can cause coating defects. A high degree of surface contact between the stent and the supporting apparatus can provide regions in which the liquid composition can flow, wick, and collect as the composition is applied to the stent. As the solvent evaporates, the excess composition hardens to form excess coating at and around the contact points between the stent and the supporting apparatus. Upon removal of the coated stent from the supporting apparatus, the excess coating may stick to the apparatus, thereby removing some of the coating from the stent and leaving bare areas. Alternatively, the excess coating may stick to the stent, thereby leaving excess coating composition as clumps or pools on the struts or webbing between the struts.
Accordingly, there is a tradeoff when the inner surface of the stent is masked in that coating defects such as pools and clumps can be formed on the stent. There is a need for eliminating or at least minimizing the coating that is formed on the inner surface of the stent as well as coating defects that are formed on the stent struts or between the stent struts caused by the high degree of surface contact between the stent and the mandrel. A mandrel design is needed that addresses these concerns.

Stent mandrel fixture and method for coating stents


Method and apparatus for providing a hollow, elongated construction element, for example for use as a vehicle front axle. The method includes (1) directing a first blank through a furnace (2) for heating the blank to a working temperature. The blank is directed between a pair of rollers (3, 4) having profiled surfaces, the blank being preformed in one or more steps to form an intermediate product having a predetermined profile along its longitudinal extent. The blank is fed to a forging press having a number of cooperating die pads, the blank being worked in a plurality of steps (5, 8, 11) to form a substantially finished product, having a cross section substantially in the form of a hat profile of predetermined varying height, width and material thickness along its length. A second blank (14), having essentially the same profile as the hat profile of the first blank in the dividing plane of the cooperating die pads, is placed in connection with the hat profile. In a later step (15), the first (1) and the second blank (14) are joined together, at least along their respective edges, to form a composite hollow construction element (18). One embodiment of the disclosed invention is also the construction element that is produced according to the above-described method.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for producing hollow, composite construction elements, preferably intended for use in vehicles, and a construction element produced according to the method.
2. Background Art
In many fields, there is currently a demand for weight-optimized products with maintained functioning and strength. This applies especially to forged products, which can be heavy and difficult to optimize because of limitations inherent to the tools used in their production.
One example is front axle beams for heavy vehicles. These beams are typically forged as an I-profile in which the web, or core of the beam cross section has little effect upon the torsional rigidity. Using strength calculations, it can be shown that a tubular cross section, with the material moved as far radially outwards as possible, is best for such a construction. This applies especially to the portion that is commonly referred to as the "swan neck" in the front axle beam which is located between a central part and a spindle holder of the beam. With traditional forging methods, it is difficult to achieve such a solution. European publication EP-A2-0 059 038 shows a front axle beam forged horizontally in the traditional manner; that is to say that the blank lies with its final vertical plane (after being fitted) in the horizontal plane as it is worked. Therein, it is described how a blank is pre-formed by means of rolling and is subsequently moved between a number of presses which forge the whole or parts of the blank into the desired shape. As previously stated, the drawback with the solution is that the web of the beam, for the greater part, is centrally located, which has little effect upon the torsional rigidity.
An alternative solution can be seen from European publication EP-A1-0 015 648 which describes the forging of a rectangular, hollow front axle beam starting from a tubular blank. Although it is possible with this method to obtain a beam with higher torsional rigidity, it also creates a number of problems. In order to produce tapered ends of the beam, the tubular blank has to be drawn through a die. Even if the material is distributed radially, viewed further out from the center of the beam, the possibility of controlling the material thickness is very limited. This also applies to the other parts of the beam, since the starting material is a tube of constant material thickness. In addition, a great deal of working of the ends of the beam is required, in order to produce spindle holders, and fitting of separate fixtures for such things as air bellows.
A further solution can be seen from U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,948 that shows a hydro-formed front axle beam. In this case too, the starting point is a tubular blank, which is first bent into the desired basic shape and is subsequently hydro-formed formed into its final shape. One drawback with this solution is, like the example above, that the distribution of the material along the length of the profile cannot be controlled. The profile must also be provided with a plurality of separate fastenings, not only for the air bellows but also fixtures for the steering spindle bolts. The latter have to be fastened by, for example, welding which gives the beam a natural weakening susceptible to corrosion.
Finally, it is also possible to cast hollow front axle beams, as can be seen from JP-A-11-011105. For technical reasons of casting practice, there are restrictions, however, in terms of maximum and minimum material thickness, as well as the need for strengthening ribs, complicated casting cores and the like in order to allow a sufficiently advanced profile to be cast. In addition to this, there are further restrictions in terms of a practical choice of material, as well as financial implications for the unit price of the axle beams owing to the heavily increased costs that a casting process entails.
The majority of the abovementioned problems are solved by the production method conducted according to the present invention that is disclosed herein because the method offers a substantially greater chance of precisely controlling the distribution of material around and along a forged profile.


The present invention describes systems and methods for applying or dispensing surgical prep solution. The applicator system includes a spreader element and a container of surgical prep solution. The spreader element includes a body with an orifice covered by a pad. The orifice is in fluid communication with a passage through an elongated stem connected to the body. The container may be collapsible with only limited recovery. The spreader element may include a receptacle for receiving the container.

Antiseptic preparation of patient's skin for surgery conventionally includes a 3–10 minute scrubbing of the affected area with a soap solution followed by the application of a water-soluble antiseptic paint solution. These solutions are generally applied with saturated sponges attached to a blade or held with forceps. These sponges are often saturated by soaking them in open pans of solution. Sometimes, sponges with attached handles are provided in a plastic pouch containing enough liquid to saturate the sponges.
While inexpensive, these techniques are messy and offer little control over inadvertent dripping of the solution into areas where it is undesired. Because many of the available solutions contain active ingredients such as alcohol and iodine, good control over the application has long been desirable.
Devices have been developed in an attempt to prevent the dripping of solution associated with these early techniques, and to reduce the time required for application of the antiseptic solution. In particular, the DURAPREP products commercially available from 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn. have enjoyed commercial success by providing substantially drip-free, convenient application. U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,327 describes a liquid applicator that incorporates a rigid, porous metering insert to regulate the flow rate of liquid disposed between the applicator handle and a foam sponge covering a major orifice of the handle. The liquid to be dispensed is contained in a rupturable reservoir removably affixed at the other major orifice of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,084 further discloses a liquid applicator in which the liquid is contained in a frangible ampoule inside the body of the applicator. This ampoule is supported and protected by a deformable element that prevents unintentional breakage of the ampoule from impacts during storage and handling before use. The applicator is actuated by pushing at least a portion of the frangible ampoule through an aperture in the deformable element and into contact with a means for breaking the ampoule.
Such ampoules are made of glass, in spite of the fact that sealed glass ampoules are relatively expensive. Many clinicians prefer to apply the prep in full aseptic attire (including sterile surgical gloves) and, therefore, it is important that the applicator that will be touched by those gloves be provided in a sterile condition. And since, for example, iodine based solutions decompose with exposure to gamma irradiation, manufacturers turn to gas sterilization with ethylene oxide gas to sterilize the outer surface of the container. Iodine solutions can form toxic by products such as iodohydrin (2-iodoethanol) when exposed to ethylene oxide sterilization, so they must be protected from exposure to this sterilant. Glass is a good barrier to agents such as ethylene oxide, unlike many other commonly used medical packaging materials, and so has been the material of choice for containing the prep solutions in spite of its cost.
While these described products have provided considerable advances, they are complex to manufacture, placing them beyond the means of some health care consumers. The art could still benefit from an applicator that could provide convenient, substantially drip-free dispensing of surgical preps at a lower cost.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Surgical prep solution applicator system and methods


In a paper feeding cassette storing stacked sheets, a rotary lever adapted to rotate vertically about a rotation fulcrum is provided with a lift-up portion for lifting up the sheets as placed in contact with a bottom of the sheets stored in the paper feeding cassette. The lift-up portion is vertically turned by the rotary lever.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feeding cassette storing stacked sheets therein and an image forming apparatus employing this paper feeding cassette. Particularly, a feature of the invention consists in the paper feeding cassette which is adapted for easy strain-free extraction of the stacked sheets from the paper feeding cassette when the sheets stacked and stored in the paper feeding cassette are taken out.
Description of the Related Art
In image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, facsimiles and multi-functional peripherals thereof, it has been a general practice to feed a sheet from the paper feeding cassette storing the stacked sheets therein and to guide the fed sheet into an image forming process so as to allow a toner image to be formed on this sheet.
To change the type or size of the sheets for image formation in such image forming apparatuses, it has been a practice to take out the stacked sheets from the paper feeding cassette and to stack new sheets in the paper feeding cassette.
The following problem may be encountered when the sheets stacked in the paper feeding cassette are taken out of the paper feeding cassette. In a case where a gap between the stored sheets and the paper feeding cassette is small, it is difficult to take out the sheets from the paper feeding cassette by inserting a hand in the gap between the stored sheets and the paper feeding cassette. If an operator tries to take out the sheets from the paper feeding cassette by forcibly inserting his hand into the gap between the sheets and the paper feeding cassette, the hand may be abraded against the paper feeding cassette or the sheet may be strained and folded.
As disclosed in a patent document 1 (JP-A No. 2007-230699), there has heretofore been proposed a paper feeding cassette storing the stacked sheets therein, which is formed with a hole ox notch in a bottom thereof such as to permit a finger to be inserted through this hole or notch for pushing up the sheets from the bottom of the paper feeding cassette.
However, the operation of inserting the finger through, the hole or notch formed in the bottom of the paper feeding cassette and pushing up the sheets from the bottom of the paper feeding cassette is not only cumbersome, but also involves fear of cutting the finger. Particularly, in a case where the number of sheets stacked in the paper feeding cassette is so large that the sheet stack has a substantial weight, the operation of pushing up the sheets from the bottom of the paper feeding cassette becomes even more difficult.

Paper feeding cassette and image forming apparatus