The present invention discloses a method, program product and system for conducting product assessment and development. One preferred embodiment relates to a concept and product development technique. An exemplary system and method relates to a web-based survey technique that facilitates developing and testing new products, business investments, and value propositions, as well as testing existing products, businesses, and value propositions. This technique includes systematic solicitation of potential customers or other targeted respondents, eliciting data from customers, automatic processing, interpretation, and scoring of the data, and automatic report generation. The disclosed technique advantageously makes use of continuous metric scales to enable respondents to rate new or existing products. Using an on-line system, this embodiment of the invention provides a fast, engaging, and inexpensive way to gauge customer acceptance and use.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a product development and assessment system and method. Specifically the invention is directed to a method, system, and program product for conducting network-based surveys of respondents (such as prospective or existing consumers or customers) using continuous metric scales; developing a framework within which respondents rate new or existing products, services or advertisements; translation of the survey results into a readily understandable score, and automatic interpretation and reporting of the data and score in plain English.
B. Background
Traditionally, product and service development involves evaluation of customer acceptance. During economic slowdowns, companies typically have fewer resources to devote to time and cost intensive customer studies. A rapid, reliable and inexpensive system for getting large scale consumer evaluations of new product concepts, and developing these concepts into full implementation and execution would be desirable.
Furthermore, both venture capitalists and investors capitalized Internet start-ups at historic levels—even though the start-ups often had little marketplace experience, no profits, and no measure of whether customers would adopt their product or service over the long run. The bottom dropped out of this market. Some of the companies were popular, but did not have profit models to sustain them. Other companies failed because customers were dissatisfied with either the product or the execution of the product, i.e., how easy or charming was the experience of doing business on-line. One factor leading to the funding debacle was that venture capitalists did not have the tools to assess whether consumers would try, like, and adopt the new electronic product or service. The new companies focused their capital on building expensive systems, databases, communications systems, applications and even factories and advertising before they knew whether customers really wanted the product or service as the company planned to deliver it.
Investors typically rely on business plans to determine whether or not to invest. Business plans, however, typically lack a reliable objective indicator of: whether the target customer wants the idea; whether, if consumers try it, it delivers what the idea promises; and whether the customer perceives that the electronic product or service is an effortless, charming experience that works at the customer's speed and is an improvement over the customer's old way of acquiring the product or service.
Today, many companies use focus groups to estimate customer response to new concepts, products, and advertisements. Focus groups can identify issues, anecdotes and customer language. The results, however, are often narrow. Focus group results, moreover, can readily be manipulated by the subjective nature of the questions and the moderator's position on the product, service, or advertisement. Focus groups have their use, but focus groups cannot deliver rigorous quantitative and qualitative evaluation and diagnosis of the concept, product, and advertisement.
Those skilled in the art appreciate that the most reliable indicator of the potential acceptance of a product is "rank order data." Rank order data is a measurement of the customer's view on the relative appeal of the new product concept compared to the customer's current product. Unfortunately, obtaining valid and reliable rank order data is often difficult, costly and time-consuming. It is difficult because there is often no current method of having customers identify their preferences in an objective manner. Even if there were a current way to secure customer's preferences, researchers would require statistically significant samples to be reliable, and it would be time-consuming and expensive to acquire these samples using traditional methods.

Product development and assessment system


An antenna system for a vehicle is provided. The antenna comprises an antenna disposed on a window glass and having a feed point, a matching circuit connected to the feed point, and a coaxial cable connecting between the matching circuit and the radio receiver. The matching circuit includes a parallel circuit having a damping resistor, a first coil and a first capacitor. The matching circuit further includes a second coil and a second capacitor connected in series between an output side of the parallel circuit and a ground such that, assuming that MF1 is a lower limited frequency of medium-frequency (MF) broadcast waves and MF2 is an upper limited frequency of the MF broadcast waves, a receiving sensitivity of the antenna system has local maximum points which are present at a frequency F1 in the range from (MF1-170) to MF1 KHz and at a frequency f2 in the range from (MF2-230) to MF2 KHz, respectively, and a local minimum point which is present at a frequency f0 smaller than f1 and equal to or larger than 50 KHz.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass antenna system provided to a vehicle rear window or vehicle side window glass for receiving AM radio and LF (low frequency) radio broadcast waves, particularly of the kind which can attain good reception of AM radio broadcast waves without a pre-amplifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is an increasing demand for a vehicle glass antenna for receiving AM and FM radio broadcast waves and television (TV) broadcast waves. To this end, antenna conductive strips are installed on a vehicle rear window glass together with defogging heater strips. However, since such an antenna is disposed in a space left above or below an array of defogging heater strips, an area of space permitted for disposition of the antenna is inevitably small, thus causing a problem that it is difficult to make the receiving sensitivity higher. Further, the antenna must be disposed so close to the vehicle body that the broadcast waves received by the antenna may be leaked to a vehicle body or to a ground side and a DC power source by way of a power supply line for heating. To prevent such leakage, a pre-amplifier or the like is disposed between a receiver and a feed point of the antenna. This arrangement however results in an increased cost and furthermore has a possibility of causing cross modulation when used in a strong electric field. For this reason, an effort has been made for seeking after an antenna which can attain a good receiving sensitivity without using a pre-amplifier. As a result of such an effort, there has been proposed an antenna for improving a receiving sensitivity over all of AM broadcast bands as disclosed in Japanese utility model provisional publication No. 2-72010 or Japanese patent provisional publication No. 7-111412.
In the receiver disclosed in Japanese utility model provisional publication No. 2-72010, attention is paid only to AM broadcast band and a matching circuit is provided within the band for canceling a floating capacity portion-to-ground which is present when an antenna side is observed from an input end of a tuner and thereby improving the receiving sensitivity. In the antenna system disclosed in Japanese Patent provisional publication No. 7-111412, resonance points are present both at the in-band and out-band with a view to improving the receiving sensitivity for AM radio broadcast waves. However, neither of the receiver and the antenna system are structured so as to positively make a local minimum point be present in an adjacent low-frequency side out-band region, so interference by the adjacent out-band waves cannot be avoided.
Further, the both are not adapted so that a similar minimum point is present on a shortwave or low-frequency (LF) band side outside the above described broadcast band and thus suffers interference if a disturbing signal (the disturbing signal is also called an image frequency interference signal) is present in the frequency which is higher than a target receive frequency by twice as high as an intermediate frequency (450 KHz), which is a characteristic phenomenon of a superheterodyne receiver. Thus, when a disturbing signal is present in the frequency range from 1420 to 2530 KHz which is the result of addition of 900 KHz to the receive frequency in the range from 520 to 1630 KHz in Japan, the receiver and antenna system disclosed in the above described Japanese Patent provisional publications cannot avoid an interference.


Various aspects provide for disposing an umbrella over a table. In some cases, an umbrella may be coupled to a table. An umbrella may be disposed at a location other than a center of the table, which may provide for improved shelter from weather arriving at an angle (e.g., wind-driven rain, angled sunlight, and the like).

People seated at a table (e.g., picnic table) may desire protection from the sun, rain, snow, and the like (hereinafter: weather). In some cases, weather may descend from directly overhead. In some cases, weather may arrive at the table at an angle. For example, a table may receive sunlight at an angle, particularly in winter and/or far from the equator. Wind-driven rain may fall at an angle. An umbrella disposed over a center of a table may not protect the entire table from weather arriving at an angle. An improved apparatus would provide for adjustability with respect to incoming weather, such that protection from the weather may adapt to the changes. Some umbrellas require a stand, which may be heavy and expensive. An improved apparatus would reduce fabrication and transportation costs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Machine chuck jaws, and a related method of manufacture, are provided. The machine chuck jaws are formed from an additive manufacturing process and include one or more gripping pads per chuck jaw. An axial stop is also formed from an additive manufacturing process and provides a flat surface for workpiece placement. The gripping pads equally distribute the clamping pressure, and the additive manufacturing process provides unique shaping capabilities and a honeycomb internal cross-section, thereby achieving a lightweight design. The reduction in weight allows for a decrease in pneumatic pressure used to actuate the jaws, resulting in a corresponding reduction in the clamping pressure which helps improve the form of the workpiece being machined.

Chucks jaws are used across many industries for clamping workpieces and tools in turning or milling operations. For example, a machine chuck can include three chuck jaws, each spanning 120 degrees. The chuck jaws move radially inward to hold the workpiece in place and are typically pneumatically or hydraulically driven. The chuck jaws provide clamping pressure to secure a part during material removal as well as counteract centrifugal forces while rotating at high spindle speeds, which would otherwise tend to force the chuck jaws outward.
Existing chuck jaws include full-contact jaws, where the clamping surface is uninterrupted, and partial-contact jaws, where the clamping surface includes separate pads. For example, a six-pad construction can include three jaws with two pads each. Chuck jaws are typically machined from standard wrought blanks, and in some applications, full-contact jaws are modified to mimic partial-contact jaws with the removal of material by milling operations.
Despite their widespread acceptance, there remains a continued need for improved chuck jaw designs/processes. In particular, design and process improvements are needed to provide an even distribution of chuck clamping pressure and a related method of manufacture.

Machine chuck jaws and method of manufacture


A method for statistically analyzing the operation of a machine for balancing articles for rotation so as to reduce measurement errors and thereby enhance productivity and quality including the steps of collecting raw data during production balancing of articles for rotation, and statistically analyzing the data to determine appropriate process control limits for prompting investigative or corrective action if a process control limit is exceeded.

This invention relates in general to method for balancing articles for rotation. In particular, this invention relates to an improved method for statistically analyzing the operation of a machine for balancing articles for rotation so as to reduce measurement errors and thereby enhance productivity and quality.
Drive train systems are widely used for generating power from a source and for transferring such power from the source to a driven mechanism. Frequently, the source generates rotational power, and such rotational power is transferred from the source to a rotatably driven mechanism. For example, in most land vehicles in use today, an engine/transmission assembly generates rotational power, and such rotational power is transferred from an output shaft of the engine/transmission assembly through a driveshaft to an input shaft of an axle assembly so as to rotatably drive the wheels of the vehicle. To accomplish this, a typical driveshaft includes a hollow cylindrical driveshaft tube having a pair of end fittings, such as a pair of tube yokes, secured to the front and rear ends thereof. The front end fitting forms a portion of a front universal joint that connects the output shaft of the engine/transmission assembly to the front end of the driveshaft tube. Similarly, the rear end fitting forms a portion of a rear universal joint that connects the rear end of the driveshaft tube to the input shaft of the axle assembly. The front and rear universal joints provide a rotational driving connection from the output shaft of the engine/transmission assembly through the driveshaft tube to the input shaft of the axle assembly, while accommodating a limited amount of angular misalignment between the rotational axes of these three shafts.
Ideally, the driveshaft tube would be formed in the shape of a cylinder that is absolutely round, absolutely straight, and has an absolutely uniform wall thickness. Such a perfectly shaped driveshaft tube would be precisely balanced for rotation and, therefore, would not generate any undesirable noise or vibration during use. In actual practice, however, the driveshaft tube and other components of the driveshaft usually contain variations in roundness, straightness, and wall thickness that result in minor imbalances when rotated at high speeds. To prevent such imbalances from generating undesirable noise or vibration when rotated during use, therefore, it is commonplace to counteract such imbalances by performing a corrective action, such as by such as by securing one or more balance weights to the driveshaft or by removing material therefrom, for example. The corrective action is taken to counterbalance the imbalances of the driveshaft such that it is balanced for rotation during use.
Traditionally, the balancing process has been performed with the use of a conventional balancing machine. Referring to FIG. 1, a typical balancing machine, indicated generally at 10, includes a pair of fittings 12 that are adapted to support the ends of a driveshaft 14 thereon. The balancing apparatus 10 further includes a motor (not shown) for rotating the driveshaft 14 at a predetermined speed. As the driveshaft 14 is rotated, the balancing machine 10 senses vibrations that are caused by imbalances in the structure of the driveshaft 14. The balancing machine 10 is responsive to such vibrations for determining (1) if the driveshaft 14 is out of balance and, if so, (2) the magnitude and location of a corrective action that can be taken to counterbalance the imbalances of the driveshaft 14 such that it is balanced for rotation during use. The addition of a balancing weight 16 at the identified location and having a mass of the identified magnitude is an example of such a corrective action. The rotation of the driveshaft 14 is then stopped to allow such corrective action to be taken. Then, the driveshaft 14 is again rotated to confirm whether proper balance has been achieved or to determine if additional corrective action required. A number of such balancing machines of this general structure and method of operation are known in the art.
Ideally, each driveshaft 14 would be supported on the balancing machine 10 and rotated and measured only once to confirm that it was manufactured in such a manner as to be properly balanced. As a practical matter, however, driveshaft assemblies are not manufacture so precisely. Thus, each driveshaft 14 is usually supported on the balancing machine 10 and rotated and measured at least twice, a first time to measure the magnitude and location of the imbalance therein, and a second time to confirm that proper balance has been achieved after the corrective action has been taken.
Although known balancing machines of this general type have been effective, this balancing process is further complicated by the fact that conventional balancing machines are subject to measurement errors that result merely from the use thereof. Such measurement errors can be generally attributed to being the result of either (1) the imprecise positioning of the driveshaft assemblies on the balancing machine, (2) the internal operation of the balancing machine itself, and/or (3) part variation (e.g., looseness of the components within a part can cause inconsistent measurements of imbalance). Because of the measurement errors that are generated as a result of the balancing machine discussed above, it is common for each driveshaft to be rotated and measured more than two times in order to achieve an adequate level of confidence that the proper balance has been achieved. This time consuming and repetitious process is particularly problematic in the context of balancing vehicular driveshaft assemblies, which are typically manufactured in relatively large volumes.
A variety of attempts have been made to account for these measurement errors and thereby improve productivity and quality in the balancing process. However, known attempts to account for these measurement errors have met with limited success.
One aspect of these attempts is to monitor production gage R & R (Repeatability and Reliability), that is, to monitor how well the balance machines, together with the fixtures for mounting the driveshafts on the balance machines produce repeatable and reliable results. In the past, long term gage R & R studies involved the repeated measurement of one or more known driveshaft test samples. During this long term study, the balancing machine would obviously be unavailable for use in measuring production throughput, impacting productivity. It would be desirable to provide an improved method for statistically analyzing the operation of a machine for balancing articles for rotation so as to reduce measurement errors and thereby enhance productivity and quality.

Method for balancing an article for rotation


A platform supports a visual display such as a large flat television monitor. An elevating mechanism behind or in front of the display elevates or lowers the platform and the display with a motor. The motor rotates a pair of vertical threaded rods in synchrony. Threaded nuts on the rods raise and lower as the rods rotate. A support bushing sliding on a vertical smooth rod adjacent each threaded rod is connected to the nut to rise and fall with it. The platform is connected at each end to one of the support bushings and extends away from the mechanism to cause the platform and the display thereon to elevate and lower with the nuts under the control of the motor. An alternative embodiment causes the platform to elevate to a height far above the height of the retracted apparatus for concealment in a shorter cabinet.

This invention relates to apparatus for lifting and lowering items, and more particularly for automatic lifting and lowering of visual display apparatus such as television sets, video monitors, and the like.
Television sets have become larger over the years. Recently, the television displays, or monitors, have become very large, often separated from the television set. Some are thin but of large area including the new plasma displays. They have become so large that it is often desirable to hide them when not in use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,804 issued Jan. 1, 1979 to Wache discloses a device that elevates and lowers a horizontal television support with an electric motor so that the screen may be lowered into a cabinet out of sight when not in use. It employs a threaded bushing riding on a rotating screw for power raising and lowering, and a scissors arrangement to maintain the horizontal position.
Applicant has been marketing a television lift that uses a platform sup ported at opposite sides by a pair of lift assemblies that raise and lower in synchrony. With the new flat plasma displays, it would be desirable to provide a more compact device with simple construction to take advantage of the compact configuration of these new displays. It would be useful to have the lift mechanism behind the display, where it is concealed, instead of on both sides of the display, which requires a wider cabinet.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a lift that would be simpler, more compact, and that could be located beneath the large displays for concealment. It is another object that the device be able to extend the elevation of its horizontal support platform above its minimum overall height.
A first embodiment of the invention comprises a solitary lift assembly that lies behind or in front of the display. A motor drives a pair of threaded vertical rods mounted on a base in synchrony. A threaded nut on each rod is affixed to a bushing sliding on a smooth vertical rod adjacent each threaded rod. A platform is affixed to both bushings and extends away from the rods to support the display or television set thereon and raise and lower it as desired, while the mechanism is behind or in front of the display.
A second embodiment of the invention comprises a solitary lift assembly on a base that may lie beneath the display. A motor drives a pair of threaded vertical rods in synchrony. A threaded nut on each rod is affixed to a bushing sliding on a first smooth vertical rod adjacent each threaded rod. A vertical bar adjacent each threaded rod is affixed to each bushing. A sprocket atop each bar rotates about a horizontal axle affixed to each bar. A second smooth vertical rod adjacent each bar is provided with a sliding support bushing. A platform is affixed to both support bushings and extends forward of the rods to support the display or television set thereon and raise and lower it as desired. A chain for each sprocket has one end connected to the base, the other end coupled to the support bushing with the chain engaging the sprocket therebetween. As the sprockets are lifted by the action of the threaded rods, the platform rises. It is pulled up by a chain at each end, until it is above the top of the threaded rods.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements are designated by like reference characters in the various drawing figures.

Precision Lifts of Deerfield Beach, Incorporated


A semiconductor wafer inspection system includes a camera and two or more illuminators. The illuminators illuminate a line of the semiconductor wafer in sequence and the camera captures an interleaved image of illuminated lines such that the individual images can be recovered from the interleaved image. The semiconductor wafer can be moved by a conveyor so that adjacent lines can be sequentially illuminated by the illuminators. The camera may include two or more line sensors.

Photoluminescence imaging and micro-crack detection are important inspection procedures in semiconductor wafer processing. Transmitted or reflected images of a semiconductor wafer are taken with line scan image cameras and analyzed for, among other things, micro-cracks and photoluminescence features.
One of the challenges facing the solar industry is to lower the cost of manufacturing solar cells. Current systems utilize a single illuminator and camera for each image to be taken during the inspection process. Cameras useful for current semiconductor inspection processes are expensive; cost of inspection becomes a significant factor of manufacturing when multiple cameras are needed to collect multiple images to evaluate various proprieties of samples. In addition, a failure of any one camera in an inspection system may compromise the entire process; therefore reliability may suffer with each additional camera in the system.
Consequently, it would be advantageous if an apparatus existed that is suitable for imaging semiconductor wafers illuminated by multiple wavelengths and at multiple angles with a single camera, and minimize the number of cameras needed to acquire multiple properties of the samples.


A method of making an asymmetrical IGFET and isolating active regions is disclosed. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate with an active region and a field region, wherein the active region includes a source region and a drain region, and the active region is adjacent to the field region, forming a dielectric layer over the substrate, forming a first etch mask over the dielectric layer, etching a selected portion of the dielectric layer beneath an opening in the first etch mask, wherein a first unetched portion of the dielectric layer provides a field dielectric over the field region, a second unetched portion of the dielectric layer provides a drain-protect dielectric over the drain region, and the dielectric layer is removed above the source region, forming a gate insulator on a portion of the active region outside the drain-protect dielectric, depositing a gate material over the drain-protect dielectric and the gate insulator, polishing the gate material so that a portion of the gate material over the drain-protect dielectric is removed, forming a second etch mask over the gate material, etching the gate material beneath an opening in the second etch mask to remove a portion of the gate material over the source region, wherein an unetched portion of the gate material forms a gate, and a sidewall of the gate is adjacent to a sidewall of the drain-protect dielectric, implanting a dopant into the active region during a first implant step, wherein a greater concentration of the dopant is implanted in the source region than in the drain region due to the drain-protect dielectric, and forming a source in the source region and a drain in the drain region. Advantageously, the dielectric layer provides both the field dielectric and the drain-protect dielectric to reduce process steps, and the IGFET has low source-drain resistance and reduces hot carrier effects.

1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuit manufacturing, and more particularly to a method of making insulated-gate field-effect transistors.
2. Description of Related Art
An insulated-gate field-effect transistor (IGFET), such as a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), uses a gate to control an underlying surface channel joining a source and a drain. The channel, source and drain are located in a semiconductor substrate, with the source and drain being doped oppositely to the substrate. The gate is separated from the semiconductor substrate by a thin insulating layer such as a gate oxide. The operation of the IGFET involves application of an input voltage to the gate, which sets up a transverse electric field in the channel in order to modulate the longitudinal conductance of the channel.
Polysilicon (also called polycrystalline silicon, poly-Si or poly) thin films have many important uses in IGFET technology. One of the key innovations is the use of heavily doped polysilicon in place of aluminum as the gate. Since polysilicon has the same high melting point as a silicon substrate, typically a blanket polysilicon layer is deposited prior to source and drain formation, and the polysilicon is anisotropically etched to provide the gate. Thereafter, the gate provides an implant mask during the implantation of source and drain regions, and the implanted dopants are driven-in and activated using a high-temperature anneal that would otherwise melt the aluminum.
Photolithography is frequently used to create patterns that define where the polysilicon layer is etched. Typically, the wafer is cleaned and prebaked to drive off moisture and promote adhesion, an adhesion promoter is deposited on the wafer, a few milliliters of positive photoresist are deposited onto the spinning wafer to provide a uniform layer, the photoresist is soft baked to drive off excess solvents, the photoresist is irradiated with an image pattern that renders selected portions of the photoresist soluble, a developer removes the irradiated portions of the photoresist, an optional de-scum removes very small quantities of photoresist in unwanted areas, the photoresist is hard baked to remove residual solvents and improve adhesion and etch resistance, the etch is applied using the photoresist as an etch mask, and the photoresist is stripped. Therefore, the photoresist has the primary functions of replicating the image pattern and protecting the underlying polysilicon when etching occurs.
In general, the term "resolution" describes the ability of an optical system to distinguish closely spaced objects. The minimum resolution of a photolithographic system is the dimension of minimum linewidth or space that the machine can adequately print or resolve. While optical photolithography continues to be the dominant technology in semiconductor manufacturing because it is well established and is capable of implementing sub-micron resolution at least as low as 0.35 microns using current equipment, as feature sizes approach 0.5 microns and below, and these features extend across wafer areas of a square inch and more, extensive efforts are being directed at developing alternative technologies. Electron-beam and X-ray technologies have demonstrated patterning capabilities that extend beyond the limits of optical systems. However, these alternative approaches have certain drawbacks. For instance, electron-beam lithography has low throughput that lags far behind the requirements of industrial applications, and X-ray lithography has very high investment costs associated with synchrotron radiation sources as well as problems with mask accuracy, alignment, and wafer distortion.
Thus, workers in the art recognize that there are obvious incentives for trying to push the currently dominant technology (optical photolithography) into the fine-line region. Such an effort, if successful, has the potential for significantly better patterning capabilities, which in turn reduces the dimensions of the devices.
As IGFET dimensions are reduced and the supply voltage remains constant (e.g., 3V), the electric field in the channel near the drain tends to increase. If the electric field becomes strong enough, it can give rise to so-called hot-carrier effects. For instance, hot electrons can overcome the potential energy barrier between the substrate and the gate insulator thereby causing hot carriers to become injected into the gate insulator. Trapped charge in the gate insulator due to injected hot carriers accumulates over time and can lead to a permanent change in the threshold voltage of the device.
A number of techniques have been utilized to reduce hot carrier effects. One such technique is a lightly doped drain (LDD). The LDD reduces hot carrier effects by reducing the maximum lateral electric field. The drain is typically formed by two ion implants. A light implant is self-aligned to the gate, and a heavy implant is self-aligned to spacers adjacent to the gate. The spacers are typically oxides or nitrides. The purpose of the lighter dose is to form a lightly doped region of the drain (or LDD) at the edge near the channel. The heavier dose forms a low resistivity heavily doped region of the drain. Since the heavily doped region is farther away from the channel than a conventional drain structure, the depth of the heavily doped region can be made somewhat greater without adversely affecting the device characteristics. A known fabrication sequence includes forming lightly doped source/drain regions, forming the spacers, and then forming heavily doped source/drain regions. Another known fabrication sequence includes forming disposable spacers, forming heavily doped source/drain regions, removing the disposable spacers, and then forming lightly doped source/drain regions (between the heavily doped source/drain regions and the gate).
Disadvantages of LDDs include increased fabrication complexity and increased parasitic resistance due to their light doping levels. During operation, LDD parasitic resistance decreases drain current. Linear drain current (in the linear or triode region) is reduced by the parasitic resistance in both the source and drain. Saturation drain current (in the saturation region) is largely unaffected by the parasitic resistance of the drain but greatly reduced by the parasitic resistance of the source. Therefore, saturation drain current can be improved while reducing hot carrier effects by providing a lightly doped region only on the drain side. That is, the drain includes lightly and heavily doped regions, and the entire source is heavily doped.
Asymmetrical IGFETs (with asymmetrically doped sources and drains) are known in the art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,229 entitled "Method For Manufacturing MOSFET Having An LDD Structure" by Oyamatsu discloses providing a mask with an opening over a substrate, implanting a dopant through the opening at an angle to the substrate to form a lightly doped drain region on one side without a corresponding source region on the other side, forming a gate in the opening which overlaps the lightly doped drain region, removing the mask, and implanting heavily doped source and drain regions using the gate as an implant mask. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,664 entitled "Method For Fabricating The LDD-MOSFET" by Horiuchi discloses forming a gate, implanting lightly doped source and drain regions using the gate as an implant mask, forming a photoresist layer that covers the source side and exposes the drain side, forming a single spacer on the drain side using liquid phase deposition (LPD) of silicon dioxide, stripping the photoresist, and implanting heavily doped source and drain regions using the gate and single spacer as an implant mask.
A drawback to conventional asymmetrical IGFETs is that typically the heavily doped source and drain regions are the most heavily doped regions of the source and drain and have identical dopant concentrations. Although the doping concentration of the heavily doped drain region may be constrained in order to reduce hot carrier effects, the doping concentration of the heavily doped source region need not be constrained in this manner. Furthermore, increasing the doping concentration of the heavily doped source region reduces source-drain series resistance, thereby improving drive current.
Providing low resistance contacts for the gate, source and drain can be accomplished using refractory metal silicide. In one approach, a thin layer of refractory metal is deposited over the structure after forming the lightly and heavily doped source/drain regions and the spacers, and heat is applied to form silicide contacts wherever the refractory metal is adjacent to silicon (including single crystal silicon and polysilicon). Thereafter, an etch is applied that removes unreacted refractory metal over the spacers to prevent bridging silicide contacts for the gate, source and drain. Various silicides such as titanium silicide (TiSi.sub.2), tungsten silicide (WSi.sub.2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi.sub.2), cobalt silicide (CoSi.sub.2) and tantalum silicide (TaSi.sub.2) have been used for this purpose. For instance, the sheet resistance of titanium silicide is as low as 3 to 6 .OMEGA./sq, whereas heavily doped polysilicon exhibits a sheet resistance on the order of 15 to 30 .OMEGA./sq. Another advantage to this approach is that the silicide contacts for the gate, source and drain are formed simultaneously and are self-aligned by the spacers. This self-aligned silicide is sometimes referred to as "salicide."
In complex integrated circuits, several hundred thousand or millions of active devices (transistors, capacitors, diodes, resistors, etc.) are fabricated on a single monolithic substrate, and an interconnect structure includes patterned conductive lines for interconnecting the active devices according to a specific circuit function. Typically, the active devices are formed in active regions of the substrate, and the active regions are separated by field regions of the substrate. IGFETs are generally self-isolated provided the source and drain are reverse-biased with respect to the substrate. However, field dielectrics are usually formed on the field regions to prevent the refractory metal from reacting with the field region, thereby avoiding silicide bridges between active regions. Furthermore, field dielectrics are usually thick enough to prevent overlying conductive lines from forming channels in the field regions, thereby avoiding parasitic devices in the field regions. Field dielectrics are often on the order of 2000 to 5000 angstroms thick.
LOCOS is a well-known technique for providing field dielectrics. LOCOS includes forming a pad oxide over the substrate, forming a nitride layer over the pad oxide, etching the nitride layer over the field regions, and thermally growing the pad oxide over the field regions. LOCOS can be carried out using many different process flows, including semi-recessed or fully-recessed techniques. However, LOCOS can cause problems. For instance, bird's beak encroachment can cause submicron active regions to virtually disappear unless rework is done. Oxidation-enhanced diffusion can cause perpendicular segregation of shallow channel-stop implants such as boron. In addition, Kooi ribbons of silicon nitride can form on the active region due to the reaction of NH.sub.3 (which diffuses through the pad oxide) and the silicon surface. Since Kooi ribbons degrade gate oxide quality, often a sacrificial oxide must be formed and stripped to remove the ribbons before growing the gate oxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,825 entitled "Integrated Circuit Isolation Process" by Gardner et al. discloses a promising alternative to LOCOS. The improved process utilizes a blanket formation of first and second dielectrics across an entire semiconductor substrate. In a subsequent step, the first and second dielectrics are removed in areas overlying the active regions. The resulting field dielectric structure is relatively thin, yet demonstrates superior dielectric properties.
Based on the foregoing, a need exists for an improved method of making an IGFET and a field dielectric between active regions, particularly where the IGFET is an asymmetrical device with low source-drain resistance, an LDD and an extremely narrow gate, silicide contacts are formed on the gate, source and drain, the field dielectric substantially eliminates encroachment and other problems associated with LOCOS, and relatively few processing steps are required.

Method of making an asymmetrical IGFET and providing a field dielectric between active regions of a semiconductor substrate


A system detects an object in frames of a video sequence to obtain a detected object, tracks the detected object in the frames of the video sequence to obtain a tracked object, and classifies the tracked object as a real object or a spurious object based on spatial and/or temporal properties of the tracked object.

An intelligent video surveillance (IVS) system may be able to detect, track and classify objects in real-time. If the actions of an object are suspicious (i.e., deviate from normal behavior or violate one or more prescribed rules), the IVS system may send real-time alerts. The performance of the IVS system may primarily be measured by the effectiveness of these alerts, namely the detection rate and the false alarm rate. One factor affecting these two rates may include the quality of detecting and classifying the objects.

Spurious object detection in a video surveillance system


Semiconductor device capable of preventing off-leakage of the transistor may include a pulse voltage generator configured to generate a pulse voltage, and a transistor configured to have a gate provided with the pulse voltage. The transistor is in an off state in response to the pulse voltage.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a technology of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device capable of preventing off-leakage of a transistor and a semiconductor memory device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor device, for example, a semiconductor memory device such as a DRAM, transfers data of memory cells (MC) to bit lines BLs by supplying a specific voltage to word lines WLs for a predetermined time in an active operation mode to activate the word lines WLs and includes a bit line sense amplifier (BLSA) sensing and amplifying data of bit lines. In a read operation mode, the data amplified by the bit line sense amplifier are output to the outside through a data transmission line. Further, in a write operation mode, external data transmitted through the data transmission line are transferred to the bit lines and stored in the memory cells.
Meanwhile, in a precharge operation mode, the device isolates memory cells from the bit lines by supplying the specific voltage to the word lines for a predetermined time to inactivate the word lines and waits until a next active operation mode by precharging the bit lines with precharge voltage (VBLP). For reference, a read operation and a write operation are performed between the active operation and the precharge operation.
Conventional semiconductor memory devices often suffer from deterioration of its characteristics due to off-leakage in the precharge operation mode, which will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a semiconductor device in accordance with the prior art and FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for describing problems in accordance with the prior art.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the semiconductor memory device in accordance with the prior art may include a memory unit 110. The memory unit 110 has a plurality of memory cells, each of which comprises a cell transistor 101 and a data storage unit 102 such as a capacitor, a plurality of word lines WLs and a plurality of bit lines BLs connected with the plurality of memory cells. The device may have a word line driver 120 and a bit line sense amplifier 130 each connected with the word lines WLs and the bit lines BLs extending from the memory unit 110.
In accordance with the prior art, in order to suppress the off-leakage of the cell transistor 101 in the precharge operation mode, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the device increases threshold voltage of the cell transistor 101 by supplying negative voltage, for example, back bias voltage (VBB) lower than ground voltage to a substrate on which the cell transistor 101 is formed while supplying the ground voltage VSS to the word lines WLs, to suppress off-leakage.
However, the back bias voltage VBB supplied to the substrate cannot function as a main factor controlling the threshold voltage of the cell transistor 101 and leads to junction leakage in a source/drain of the cell transistor 101, such that the prior art has a limitation in suppressing the off-leakage.
In accordance with another prior art to alleviate the above concerns, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the device supplies the negative voltage, for example, negative word line voltage VBBW, lower than the ground voltage VSS, to the word lines WLs in a precharge operation mode, instead of supplying the back bias voltage VBB to the substrate.
However, when the word lines WL are supplied with negative voltage, a potential difference between the data storage unit 102 and the word lines WLs (or gates) is increased, which may lead to a gate induced drain leakage (GIDL). Since the GIDL becomes a major factor of the off-leakage as integration is increased, a semiconductor memory device staying in off state without the GIDL is in demand.

Semiconductor device having transistor and semiconductor memory device using the same


A shock-absorbing method and device of an insole of a resilient shoe is provided. At least one transverse partition is set in a gas or liquid chamber of the insole. The gas or liquid chamber of the insole is partitioned into a fore cavity and a rear cavity by the partition. The fore cavity and the rear cavity are communicated reciprocally through the region external of the ends of the partition. Preferably, a fish-bone shaped partition is set longitudinally in the gas or liquid chamber. A column is set at the end of each of fish-bone branches of said fish-bone shaped partition and is positioned corresponding to a relevant acupoint of a human foot bottom. The gas or liquid chamber is filled with soft or resilient materials. The insole according to the invention could be shock absorbing and resilient.

In the prior art insole of a resilient shoe with gas or liquid chamber, gas or liquid is filled therein. But while walking, due to the too quick flow speed of the gas or liquid in the chamber, its buffering capability is not strong enough, which influences its effect of shocking-absorbing. Although its buffering capability could be improved by increasing the pressure of the gas or liquid in the chamber, the resilience of the insole of the resilient shoe will be reduced significantly, which can not satisfy the human requirements.

Shock absorbing device of an insole of a resilient shoe


Methods and systems are described for intelligently managing hero cards generated for a user profile. In an example, a server can collect user interaction data that measures how a user interacts with system components. The system components can include emails, hero cards, and software applications. The server can analyze the user interaction data to determine whether a new hero card type should be enabled for a user profile, whether an active hero card type should be disabled for the user profile, and whether parameters for action options on hero cards should be changed for the user profile. The server can make changes to hero cards for the user profile so that the user can receive customized hero cards based on the user's behavior.

Work efficiency is a goal of all enterprise systems. Enterprises use a vast number of different systems and applications designed to increase user productivity. Although many technological advances have helped users increase their efficiency, the number of systems used to track every aspect of our work also increases the amount of information each enterprise user must process. Keeping all of these systems up to date can introduce additional steps into the user's workflow. The more systems and tools put at the user's disposal, the more information the user must move between the different applications and systems. For example, when a user receives an email, they may need to update a status in SALESFORCE, JIRA, CONCUR, an internal docketing system, and other services. This can be time consuming, especially for a user of a mobile device. Additionally, the user might not realize the significance of content received in one application to information in another system.
To solve this, some organizations have implemented software that gathers content from backend systems relevant to users and presents the content in a graphical user interface ("GUI") for the user. Some such software presents the data in a card-based format. However, these solutions apply broad rules across an organization for compiling and presenting the content. This results in many users being presented with content, and in some cases options for interacting with the content, that they do not find useful. Their GUI becomes cluttered with information that they have to parse through to find what they may actually need. This wastes valuable time, and these users often get frustrated choose to not use the software altogether.
Additionally, existing systems present notifications with static response options. The various response options can compete for screen space, which is particularly valuable in mobile devices such as phones. This can result in a situation where screen space becomes occupied and cluttered even though the user seldom or never uses particular response options.
As a result, a need exists for intelligently managing and customizing hero cards that display contextual and relevant information for backend systems.

Intelligent management of hero cards that display contextual information and actions for backend systems


A flexible duct for fluidly communicating between first and second components includes a first duct section with an intake end and an exhaust end. A first joint pivotally couples the intake end to the first component for pivotal movement about a first axis. The flexible duct also includes a second duct section with a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally coupled to the exhaust end by a second joint, and a third joint pivotally couples the second end to the second component. The second joint is pivotable about a second axis that is generally parallel to the first axis, and the third joint is pivotable about a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the first and second axes.

The invention relates to a flexible duct for use in microturbine systems.
The present invention provides a flexible duct adapted to be secured to first and second components of a thermodynamic system. The duct has a first duct section with an intake end, an exhaust end, and a central axis. A duct-intake plane is defined by the intake end, and a first joint pivotally couples the intake end to the first component. A second duct section has a first end and a second end, and a second joint pivotally couples the first end to the exhaust end of the first duct section. A third joint pivotally couples the second end to the second component.
The first joint permits pivotal movement about a first axis that is generally parallel to the duct-intake plane. The second joint permits pivoting of the first and second sections with respect to each other about a second axis that is generally parallel to the first axis. The third joint permits the second section to pivot with respect to the second component about a third axis that is generally perpendicular to the first axis. The duct is thus configured to provide a substantially air-tight conduit for fluid flow between the first and second components of the thermodynamic system.
The first joint may include a plate that is mounted to the first component, and a pair of pivot tabs that depend generally perpendicularly away from the plate. The tabs may also be generally parallel to, and on opposite sides of, the central axis, such that the first axis extends through both the pivot tabs and the central axis. The pivot tabs may each include a rounded distal end, and the intake end may include a flange. Preferably, the flange has recesses that are configured to receive the distal ends of the pivot tabs to provide pivotal movement of the first duct section with respect to the first component about the first axis. More specifically, the intake end rocks on the distal ends of the pivot tabs.
The first duct section may further include a circumferential groove surrounding the intake end, and the duct may further include a resilient O-ring. Preferably, the O-ring is retained within the groove and engages the first component to provide a substantially air-tight seal between the first component and the first duct section.
The second joint may include first and second mounting members that are affixed at diametrically-opposed positions on the exhaust end of the first duct section; similarly, third and fourth mounting members may be affixed at diametrically opposed positions on the first end of the second duct section. Preferably, the third and fourth mounting members are aligned with the first and second mounting members respectively. The second joint may also include a first tie rod that couples the first and third mounting members and a second tie rod that couples the second and fourth mounting members. The tie rods are preferably substantially parallel to each other. The second joint preferably enables relative pivotal movement between the exhaust end and the first end about the second axis, and the second axis is preferably generally perpendicular to the first and second tie rods.
The first end of the second duct section may include an expanded portion, and the exhaust end may be inserted into the expanded portion. The flexible duct may also include an additional resilient O-ring that snugly engages the first end and the exhaust end to maintain an air-tight seal between the first and second duct sections as the first and second duct sections pivot with respect to each other. Preferably, a circumferential groove surrounds the exhaust end and faces generally away from the central axis such that the O-ring may be retained within the circumferential groove.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.

Ingersoll-Rand Energy Systems Corporation


The present invention relates to a light guide member. The light guide member comprises a plurality of light guide sheets each including: a body having a curved shape; a plurality of scattering particulates dispersed in the body; a light exiting layer positioned on an outer surface of the body; and a light reflecting layer positioned on an inner surface of the body. Each of the light guide sheets has two end surfaces and two side surfaces, and at least one of the two end surfaces is used to guide light into each of the light guide sheets. The light guide member is formed by the plurality of light guide sheet connected side by side through the side surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a light guide member and a display device including the light guide member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, large screen display devices are widely used in public squares, stadiums, meeting rooms and the like. Due to limited area of a single display panel, current larger screen display device are usually formed by connecting a plurality of display panels such as liquid crystal display panels or plasma display panels, thereby the size of screen is increased.
Usually, in order to fix and protect the display panel of the large screen display device, a frame is disposed between adjacent display panels. However, since the frame cannot be used to display, a dark area is generated at the position of the frame between the adjacent display panels, which may cause a large difference in light intensity between a frame area and a display area, and thus adversely affects the performance of display.


A diverter member is installed in a dishwasher to reduce detergent consumption therein. The diverter member includes an upwardly disposed liquid receiving surface in fluid communication with a drain for receiving a portion of the rinse liquid sprayed on dishware in a rinse section of the dishwasher to increase the amount of rinse liquid communicated to the drain. A lesser amount of rinse liquid returns to the wash tank, thereby reducing dilution of the wash liquid and consumption of detergent.

Dishwashers (or warewashers), particularly of the commercial variety, often include water-saving features to reduce water and energy consumption.
As an example, the Model C-44A series dishwashers available from Hobart Corporation include a wash tank divided into wash and rinse sections and housing a wash liquid (typically detergent charged water). Spray arms are disposed within each of the wash and rinse sections to spray wash liquid and rinse liquid (typically water), respectively, onto dishware. The sections are typically divided by a curtain and a divider plate to contain sprayed liquid within each section, although a space is typically provided below the divider plate to allow for the flow of liquid between the two sections of the wash tank. A conveyor system moves dishware between the sections.
All or most of the wash liquid sprayed on dishware within the wash section drains back into the wash tank to be reused. In addition, most of the rinse liquid sprayed on dishware within the rinse section also flows back into the wash tank and mixes with the wash liquid. However, a small rinse catch pan (about 50 to 80 square inches) is disposed within the rinse section to divert a portion of the rinse liquid to the drain.
While this system of returning a majority of the rinse liquid to the wash tank reduces overall water consumption, a greater concern is raised as to the consumption of detergent. In particular, the concentration of detergent in the wash liquid must be carefully controlled to provide optimum cleaning. However, the addition of rinse liquid has the effect of diluting the concentration of detergent in the wash liquid, thereby reducing the performance of the machine. Moreover, additional detergent must be added to the wash liquid (typically by an automatic closed-loop system) to maintain the proper concentration. As a result, it has been found that an excessive amount of detergent is used in these machines.
Over-use of detergent increases operating costs, as well as poses environmental concerns. Over-use of detergent also does not improve cleaning performance. Therefore, a substantial need has arisen for a manner of reducing detergent consumption in dishwashers and the like, while maintaining optimum dishwasher performance.

Dishwasher with rinse diverter for reducing detergent consumption


A process for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in a fixed-bed reactor includes providing at least one main reactor containing a first amount of catalyst; providing a first auxiliary reactor and a second auxiliary reactor, each containing a second amount of catalyst, wherein the first amount of catalyst is relatively larger than the second amount of catalyst; passing a starting product of a fatty compound through the first auxiliary reactor and reacting the starting product with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst; continuing the reaction through the at least one main reactor; and continuing the reaction through the second auxiliary reactor, wherein the first auxiliary reactor is reactivated. Another process provided includes a first and second main reactor, and a first and second auxiliary reactor, where relatively pure and impure starting products of a fatty compound are processed substantially continuously by cyclic switching of the reactors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a process for carrying out heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions, and more particularly to heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reactions in a fixed-bed reactor for hydrogenating fatty compounds, including native fats, oils, and derivatives thereof, including fatty acid methyl esters to form saturated fatty alcohols.
2. Background Information
The heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) to saturated fatty alcohols in fixed-bed reactors has the particular asset that an almost complete conversion of the educt to the required product is basically possible without having to accept serious losses of selectivity through consecutive hydrogenation to hydrocarbons or through unwanted secondary reactions.
In practice, however, the heterogeneous catalyst (for example Cu—Cr) undergoes significant deactivation in the course of a production campaign which may be attributed to the following influences:    1. Deactivation of the active catalytic surface by compounds of S, Cl and P as discussed by Twigg, M. V. et al., Deactivation of copper metal catalysts for methanol decomposition, methanol steam reforming and methanol synthesis, Topics in Catalysis, Vol. 22, No. 3-4, 2003, and Appl. Catal., Vol. 212, pp. 161-174, 2001;    2. Sintering of the active Cu surface by high local temperatures, as discussed by Twigg, cited above, and in "Methanol Synthesis", Hansen, J. B., Handbook of heterogeneous catalysis, Vol. 4, pp. 1859-1860, edited by Ertl, G., Knötzinger, H. and Weitkamp, J., VCH, Weinheim, 1997;    3. Discharge of the active species through formation of copper soaps and attacking of the matrix through the formation of zinc soaps in the case of Cu—Zn catalysts and a high content of free fatty acids as discussed by Rieke, R. D. et al., FAME hydrogenation to fatty alcohol Part I: Correlation between catalyst properties and activity/selectivity, JAOCS, Vol. 74, No. 4, pp. 333-339, 1997, and Schneider, M. et al., Die Anwendung von Kupferchromit-Katalysatoren in der Hydrierung von Fettsäureestem zu Fettalkoholen, Feft Wissenschaft Technologie, Vol. 89, S. 508-512, 1987;    4. Reversible deactivation, for example through traces of free glycerol, monoglycerides and water as discussed by Thakur, D. S., et al., Fatty Methyl Ester Hydrogenation to Fatty Alcohol: Reaction Inhibition by Glycerine and Monoglyceride, JAOCS, Vol. 76, No. 8, pp. 995-1000, 1999.
The following publication may also be of interest: Voeste, T. et al., Production of fatty alcohols from fatty acids, JAOCS, Vol. 61, No. 2, p. 350-352, 1984.
The average life of the fixed-bed catalyst in the industrial-scale production of fatty alcohols is around 60 to 120 days as discussed in Gritz, E., Fat hydrogenation, Handbook of heterogeneous catalysis, Vol. 5, pp. 2221-2231; edited by Ertl, G.; Knödtzinger, H. and Weitkamp, J., VCH, Weinheim, 1997. Sintering of the catalyst can be avoided on the one hand by activating the catalyst at moderate temperatures (for example, at most 200° C.) as discussed in Methanol Synthesis, cited above, so that deactivation through sintering during the production period is significantly limited. In addition, thorough dispersion of the catalyst leads to less sintering. On the other hand, ageing through raw material impurities, i.e., catalyst poisons, can be avoided by using only freshly prepared, i.e., purified, FAME fractions.
In practice, gradual ageing of the catalyst is still observed over several months, as known from Gritz, cited above. The loss of activity of the catalyst can be compensated by the following measures in order to maintain high conversions for almost undiminished selectivity:    1. raising the temperature at the reactor entrance or in the reactor casing,    2. reducing the throughput of liquid.
Raising the temperature is limited for two reasons. First, a high temperature promotes the formation of hydrocarbons of which the maximum concentration in the marketable product must not be exceeded. Second, raising the average temperature involves the danger of the activity of the catalyst being additionally reduced by increased sintering. There are also limits to the second measure insofar as any reduction in the LHSV (liquid hourly space velocity) results in a direct reduction in the volume/time yield. In addition, there is generally a deterioration in wetting, so that, with lower throughputs, the reactor is no longer operated at optimal efficiency.
The time at which the catalyst bed is renewed is thus determined by the basic economic conditions. In general, the production cycle may be divided up into the following phases:    1. Charging;    2. Activating the catalyst bed;    3. Startup;    4. Production under optimal operating conditions;    5. Reducing the throughput to compensate for catalyst deactivation;    6. Raising the temperature as further compensation for ageing of the catalyst; and    7. Shutting down the plant and emptying the reactor.
In order to increase the life of the catalyst in the reactor, it is known that an auxiliary reactor (guard bed) can be installed in front of the reactor as described by Twigg, cited above. Accordingly, the starting product is passed first through the auxiliary reactor, which traps a large proportion of the constituents harmful to the reactor (catalyst poisons), and then into the main reactor. Since the concentration of fatty acid methyl ester is maximal in this auxiliary reactor, so that the reaction rate is particularly high, heat is generated in particular abundance by the exothermic reaction, so that sintering is particularly high in the auxiliary reactor. Accordingly, the auxiliary reactor also protects the main reactor against sintering.
However, the disadvantage of the prior art is that the catalyst in the auxiliary reactor is consumed particularly quickly. To change the catalyst, the plant firstly either has to be shut down or, secondly, the starting product has again to be passed directly—and disadvantageously—through the main reactor, meaning that the unwanted increased deactivation of the catalyst in the main reactor has to be accepted. In addition, throughput has to be reduced in this case on account of the reduced total amount of catalyst because substantially complete reaction of the fatty acid methyl ester to fatty alcohol is necessary in order to avoid subsequent difficulties during working up of the reaction mixture. Thirdly, the auxiliary reactor could basically be replaced by a second auxiliary reactor with a fresh catalyst bed. The disadvantage of this would be that only half the total capacity of the two auxiliary reactors would be utilized because only one auxiliary reactor would ever be in operation.

Process for heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation


A memory system includes a non-volatile memory, a compressor capable of compressing data, an encryptor which encrypts data, a decryptor which decrypts data, and a data flow controller. The data flow controller is configured to perform first and second processes. In the first process, the data flow controller causes the encryptor to encrypt user data received from a host in a non-compressed state, and causes the encrypted user data to be written into the non-volatile memory via the second area. In the second process, the data flow controller causes the encrypted user data to be read out from the non-volatile memory, causes the decryptor to decrypt the encrypted user data, causes the compressor to compress the decrypted user data, causes the encryptor to encrypt the compressed user data, and causes the encrypted and compressed user data to be written into the non-volatile memory.

Compression of data has been already considered in the field of non-volatile semiconductor storage devices such as SSD (Solid State Drive). Different data compression efficiencies are observed depending on the data pattern of user data. For example, in Huffman coding, which is a common reversible compression coding technique, different data patterns are detected and a short code is assigned to each data pattern according its frequency to perform compression. Huffman coding is applied in common compression protocols such as ZIP. That is, when compression based on Huffman coding is used, from a practical point of view, good compression efficiency is achieved with "data having a limited number of patterns" such as text files or "data formed by the same patterns" such as 0 padding data for padding of sector alignment.

Non-volatile memory system with compression and encryption of data


Disclosed are novel methods and apparatus for efficiently providing instruction-based BIST of memory interconnects. In an embodiment of the present invention, a method of testing a memory interconnect between an external memory module and a chip is disclosed. The method includes: providing an on-chip memory controller coupled to the external memory module, the on-chip memory controller sending and receiving data to and from the external memory module; providing an on-chip built-in self-test (BIST) module coupled to the on-chip memory controller, the BIST module including an instruction register to store a plurality of instructions; testing the external memory module; and once the external memory module has successfully passed the testing, utilizing the external memory module in testing the memory interconnect.

As the complexity of integrated circuits (ICs) increases and access to their internal circuit nodes becomes harder, properly testing such devices becomes a major bottleneck during their prototyping, development, production, and maintenance. As a result, designs with BIST implementation have become commonplace. In a BIST implementation, circuitry (which is intended solely to support testing) is included in an IC or in a system including ICs.
With 64-bit support in the latest generation of microprocessor families, it is customary to find large (e.g., up to 40 GB) external memories and associated interconnects. Although the memory providers normally guarantee a reasonably high level of test coverage before shipping the memory chips to their customers, it is common to find defects in the memory chips after they are mounted on boards or modules. As a result, some memory tests need to be done on the system to detect defects that either remained undetected due to gaps in the manufacturer's test process or were introduced during the board or module manufacturing process.
Another category of failures can be attributed to interconnect defects. These defects fall into two categories:                direct current (DC) or stuck type failures that can be tested through boundary scan if the external memory is compliant with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1149.1 standard, and        alternating current (AC) failures that cannot be tested through conventional boundary scan.
Collective experience in the industry indicates that interconnect defects in general, and specifically memory interconnects, contribute significantly to failures on boards, modules and systems. This trend is further exacerbated by new memory access paradigms such as GHz speeds of memory IOs, double data rate (DDR) memories, and wave pipelining on memory interconnects. Hence, it is becoming necessary to apply in-situ tests on boards and systems that specifically target interconnect to memories.
Current board and system test strategies often rely on standard "invasive" test techniques involving either "Bed of Nails" or OBN type probing, or a "Hot Mock Up" type interconnection technique. These different methods of testing enable the physical "stitching" together of a system to allow booting to the local operating system (OS) or test kernel. Once the system has booted, diagnostic testing can proceed. However, with the escalation of board operating frequencies and bus speeds at the connectors (sometimes reaching 150 MHz and beyond), the "stitching" introduces signal integrity or timing issues that render these techniques often unreliable or non-repeatable. This fundamental problem results in higher test costs due to higher manufacturing retest rates, higher no-trouble found (NTF) rates, and/or higher test capital consumption.
A solution can be using power-on self-test (POST). However, an important prerequisite for using POST is a functional and reliable central processing unit (CPU) and a programmable read-only memory (PROM) boot path. To fulfill this requirement, the functionality and integrity of several parts of the chip or module (such as PROM, bus interface, peripheral component interface (PCI) bus) have to be assured first. This, in turn, requires a significant investment in expensive test hardware and test fixture capital.
Furthermore, while POST can be utilized as a board system level test feature, any enhancement to POST requires significant development time and cost. This, along with the fact that POST development requires a "golden" board as a precondition, makes it logistically difficult to rely completely on POST enhancements to cover memory and memory interconnect test and diagnosis. Consequently, the test infrastructure (test host, instrumentation, fixtures, etc.) costs have quadrupled from last generation to the current generation of product testing. This increase in test costs has necessitated some fundamental changes in testing strategies for external memories and other board or system level components. This change has mainly been in the form of an increased reliance on embedded and structured test methodologies that are independent of the OS and require only a minimal set of system level resources (power, clocks, and the IEEE 1149.1 standard interface) to be functional.
External memory BIST (EBIST) is one such methodology. Not having to boot to a local OS relieves the requirement of having to "stitch" together a system with costly or unreliable invasive probing or interconnection techniques. But having a memory test is not sufficient. The interconnect between a chip and associated external memories must be tested as well. The common way for testing for DC faults is through IEEE 1149.1 boundary scans. However, for example, today's DDR memories are usually not IEEE 1149.1 compliant and interconnects between such memories and other chips on a system or board are not tested well.
Memory BIST is used today in the industry for testing embedded memories (such as that available commercially from Logic Vision of San Jose, Calif. Such solutions are generally based on hard-coding a predefined test algorithm and data patterns. Another approach is based on multiplexing EBIST logic into the memory bus input/outputs (IOs), thus bypassing all internal logic. With advances in technology and processes, and a wide range of available memory designs, however, there is an increasing need for more flexibility in the kind of test algorithms and the test patterns.
To address this issue, one proposed approach is to implement a processor-based engine with two separate instruction storage memories. This approach offers a fair degree of flexibility but suffers from high area overhead. Another proposed approach is implementing an EBIST that reduces area overhead by coding BIST features into register transfer level (RTL). However, this approach results in less flexibility of test algorithms and may not be applicable to many memory chips available on the market today. Some of the issues with past EBIST techniques can be summarized as follows: (a) they require intrusion at a chip's IOs, which are usually in the critical paths, resulting in timing problems and design iterations to accommodate EBIST; (b) they require reimplementing the random access memory (RAM) access protocol inside the BIST engine, resulting in unnecessary area overhead (not to mention the risk of implementing and, hence, testing an incorrect protocol); and/or (c) they generally hardcode the test algorithm, the data background, and/or both, resulting in low test coverage of the memory subsystem and not providing the flexibility required for diagnosis or for targeting memories from different vendors.

Built-in self-test (BIST) of memory interconnect


A technique includes obtaining particle motion data and pressure data that are acquired by seismic sensors while in tow. The sensors are part of a plurality of streamers, and the pressure and particle motion data contain surface ghosts. The technique includes processing the particle motion data and the pressure data to generate a data set that is indicative of a pressure wavefield at positions between the streamers and is substantially free of the surface ghosts.

The invention generally relates to interpolating and deghosting multi-component seismic sensor data.
Seismic exploration involves surveying subterranean geological formations for hydrocarbon deposits. A survey typically involves deploying seismic source(s) and seismic sensors at predetermined locations. The sources generate seismic waves, which propagate into the geological formations creating pressure changes and vibrations along their way. Changes in elastic properties of the geological formation scatter the seismic waves, changing their direction of propagation and other properties. Part of the energy emitted by the sources reaches the seismic sensors. Some seismic sensors are sensitive to pressure changes (hydrophones), others to particle motion (e.g., geophones), and industrial surveys may deploy only one type of sensors or both. In response to the detected seismic events, the sensors generate electrical signals to produce seismic data. Analysis of the seismic data can then indicate the presence or absence of probable locations of hydrocarbon deposits.
Some surveys are known as "marine" surveys because they are conducted in marine environments. However, "marine" surveys may be conducted not only in saltwater environments, but also in fresh and brackish waters. In one type of marine survey, called a "towed-array" survey, an array of seismic sensor-containing streamers and sources is towed behind a survey vessel.

Interpolating and deghosting multi-component seismic sensor data


An information-handling system is disclosed that includes an improved application programmatic interface that allows application binary interfaces to be ported from one platform to another incompatible platform with minimal difficulty. Within the information-handling system, there are one or more processors; a storage system; one or more I/O controllers; a system bus connecting the processors, the storage system, and the I/O controller; and an operating system programmed for controlling the operation of the information-handling system. The application programmatic interface (API) operates in association with the operating program. The API provides a language and platform neutral interface for manipulating a particular variable list within the ABI and is portable from one platform to another.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to information processing systems supporting multiple platforms. More specifically, the present invention relates to an application programmatic interface that provides language and platform neutral interfacing among platforms operating in a processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic computing systems pervade nearly every aspect of business and personal life. Computer systems are used in businesses for managing large amounts of data and processing such data. In this need to process data, several platforms have been provided for operation on various computer systems. These platforms typically are proprietary and have difficulty talking one with another for software conversion. This is important in that particular software programs that find strong popularity on one platform migrate to another platform, but the incompatibility of the platform's language prevent ease of transporting such popular software to the new platform.
Each platform has a unique application binary interface (ABI) that determines how variable arguments are stored in memory. In the C language, within the C library, there is provided an interface that creates a variable argument list on the stack frame of a function that expects to receive a variable number of arguments as input. Unfortunately, a software developer needing to create a variable argument list would then need to know the details about linkage conventions and the way variable arguments are represented for a given platform. If the different platforms have dissimilar ABIs, the task of writing portable code for multiple platforms becomes nearly impossible.
Accordingly, what is needed is an API that allows applications to be ported across multiple platforms without great difficulty.

Information-handling system, method, and article of manufacture including a mechanism for providing an improved application binary interface

International Business Machines Corporation


A hose coupling shroud for enclosing and securing coupled ends of a pair of hoses, particular those of the type used to convey an abrasive media under high pressure. The shroud has tapered portions at oppositely-disposed ends thereof, openings at the oppositely-disposed ends for receiving the hoses, and vents to allow excess pressure and media to be released from the hose coupling shroud in the event of a coupling failure. Radially-projecting ribs within the tapered portions secure the coupled ends of the hoses within the shroud in the event of coupling failure, and form a pair of sealing barriers between the coupled ends and the openings at the oppositely-disposed ends of the shroud. The tapered portions reduce the likelihood that the hose coupling shroud will become snagged on an object as the hoses are pulled through a work environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to hose couplings. More particularly, this invention is directed to a hose coupling shroud that increases the reliability and safety of hose couplings of the type used to couple hoses through which abrasive media or air flows at high pressures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Safety shields for cable, pipe and hose couplings have been suggested in the prior art for increasing the reliability and safety of such couplings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,064 to Bush discloses a cable coupling shield that is designed to provide an air-tight seal around a cable coupling, such that inert gas may be contained within the shield to prevent the inflow of destructive agents, such as oxygen. Other prior art shields have been employed to protect tubing and pipe joints, such as in the oil and gas drilling industries. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,543 to Cannon discloses a latch-type tubing protector adapted to enclose and protect a tubing joint through which oil or gas is transported to the ground surface from a bore hole. The tubing protector includes lugs and shoulders at its opposite ends to retain the tubing joints within the shroud. Still other types of coupling shields are adapted to capture a corrosive fluid leaking from a pipe joint. An example of such a shield is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,137 to Nee. Nee's safety shield forms an enclosure chamber around a pipe joint, and includes ribs running longitudinally along the interior wall of the shield to provide structural reinforcement. Discharge tubes are provided through which accumulated fluid can be removed from the enclosure.
In addition to those noted above, couplings of one type or another have been employed to protect hose couplings for a variety of applications. The structural integrity and reliability of a hose coupling are particularly critical if the substance flowing through the hose would pose a hazard to bystanders if uncontrollably discharged from the coupling in the event of a coupling failure. One such application is sandblasting performed at construction sites, where a number of large interconnected hoses are used to transport an abrasive material, such as steel shot or sand, at high pressures (e.g., about 150 psig) and velocities. Generally, the hoses are joined by corresponding male and female couplings, termed "knuckles," permanently secured to the ends of the hoses. A shortcoming of such knuckles is that they are often bulky, and therefore prone to becoming caught on obstacles as the hoses are being pulled through job site. As such, the user must spend time untangling or unsnagging the knuckles, which reduces the efficiency of the operation. Occasionally, the knuckles become unintentionally uncoupled when snagged or while the user is trying to unsnag the knuckles. The result is that media is uncontrollably released from the end of the hose remaining connected to the supply pump. Because the abrasive media is under high pressure, the free end of the supply hose not only poses a serious danger to bystanders as a result of the high-velocity media being propelled at high velocities, but the hose end is dangerous as it tends to whip violently to and fro. In addition to the potential for the knuckles to become accidentally uncoupled, knuckles occasionally fail catastrophically, either through wear, fatigue or design limitations.
Although shields of the types disclosed by Bush, Cannon and Nee may be suitable for their respective applications, such shields are not well suited to protect sandblasting hose knuckles. Bush's elastic and air-tight shield would be prone to rupturing, particularly when impinged by the abrasive media flowing through a sandblasting hose. Though the lugs and shoulders present in Cannon's shield would allow venting of an abrasive media between the hose and the ends of the shield, and therefore overcome the shortcoming noted for Bush, high-velocity flow of the abrasive around the lugs and shoulders would rapidly erode the lugs and shoulders to the extent that the hoses could eventually pull free of the shield. Finally, while Nee's shield would appear to be capable of containing a catastrophic failure of a sandblasting hose knuckle, the shield is far too bulky to be suitable for use at job sight having numerous obstacles past which the hose must be routed.
From the above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that what is needed is an improved device for protecting a hose coupling of the type through which abrasive materials flow at high pressures. Such a device would preferably be capable of protecting the coupling from damage, while restraining the coupling and containing the abrasive media in the event of a catastrophic failure. In addition, such a device would preferably have a low profile so as not to promote snagging or entanglement of the hose on obstacles in the work environment. Finally, it would be desirable if the device were capable of immediately notifying a bystander of a coupling failure without endangering the bystander.


The present disclosure provides compositions for regulating glucose metabolism. The compositions provide for reduced levels of p75NTR and/or reduced binding of p75NTR to a GTPase such as Rab31 or Rab5. The compositions are useful in methods of regulating glucose metabolism, which methods are also provided.

Insulin resistance is a key feature of type 2 diabetes, and is characterized by decreased glucose disposal, increased hepatic glucose production, with a reduced ability of insulin to maintain normal glucose homeostasis. Whole-body glucose metabolism is regulated by a complex communication network between various tissues, including adipose tissue, liver, muscle, and brain. Glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) is the principal insulin-stimulated glucose transporter expressed primarily in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Insulin stimulates glucose uptake by inducing GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. GLUT4 trafficking from intracellular compartments to the plasma membrane is regulated by a number of small GTPases, including Rab5 and its family member Rab31.
p75NTR is a member of the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) receptor superfamily that was originally identified as a receptor for neurotrophins p75NTR is expressed in the nervous system and in adult non-neuronal tissues, such as white adipose tissue (WAT), and muscle. p75NTR has surprisingly diverse cellular functions, including modulation of cell survival, apoptosis and differentiation, which underlie its in vivo biologic functions, including liver and muscle regeneration, extracellular matrix remodeling, sensory neuron development, hypoxia, and the angiogenic response.
Literature
Dugani and Klip (2005) EMBO Rep 6:1137-1142; Lodhi et al. (2007) Cell Metab 5:59-72; Peeraully et al. (2004) Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 287:E331-339; Sachs et al. (2007) J Cell Biol 177:1119-1132; Liebinsh et al. (1997) EMBO J. 16:4999; Yamashita and Tohyama (2003) Nat Neurosci 6:461-467

Compositions and methods for regulating glucose metabolism


A power source is configured to notify an external monitoring device of a condition such as a low power condition of the power source. The power source has an associated controller that monitors the condition of the power source. The power source receives a first threshold condition for a power source, establishes a communications channel with an external monitoring device, transmits a notification related to the first threshold condition of the power source to the external monitoring device through the communications channel and discontinues the established communications channel based on a reception condition of the external monitoring device. The controller terminates notification after reception of an acknowledgment sent by the external monitoring device or after an elapsed time. The communications channel can be a wireless communications channels or can be a network such as the Internet.

Conventional electronic devices use power sources to provide electrical power to the devices. For example, the devices can use batteries as a power source. The use of battery power can be required as a result of the limitations on the availability of power from a central supplier (e.g., such as supplied through wall outlets), because of capacity limitations, such as a restriction on the number of available outlets, or as a consequence of the cost of cabling. Battery power can also be required in devices demanding mobility such as cellular telephones. In other cases, the power requirements for certain electrical devices can be so small that battery power is the most convenient or economic alternative for powering the devices. Such considerations provide the basis for many battery powered devices such as clocks, alarms, signs, computers, cell phones, and other digital devices.
In high engagement devices (e.g., devices used by only one or a few individuals, such as a laptop computers or cellular telephones), the batteries must be replaced and/or changed when the power level of the batteries reaches a relatively low level. In high engagement devices a user or users are likely to be aware of a low power condition of the batteries and take responsibility for replacing the batteries as needed. Low engagement devices (e.g., signs, fire alarms) are devices with which the users have less intimate contact. As a result of having somewhat remote contact with the devices, the users are less likely to take initiative to change batteries of the devices even when the batteries are due to be replaced.
One type of prior art battery is a smart battery formed of a power source and a processor. The smart battery is equipped to perform measurements of temperature, output, and discharge usage, of the battery itself, and to store that information in accessible storage locations. Devices using smart batteries read the measurement information from those storage locations and use the information to manage battery usage. For example, a laptop computer using a smart battery can be configured to read the battery type, power output or temperature from the processor of the smart battery. The laptop, by processing that information, can take actions such as reporting the remaining battery life to the laptop user, shutting down the laptop computer if power becomes low, or turning on a fan to cool the battery.

Methods and apparatus for monitoring a power source


Systems and methods are configured to facilitate the distribution of transaction accounts through distributors. An exemplary method includes the steps of: issuing a transaction account to a distributor, receiving information from the distributor via the MICR protocol used by the banking and financial services industries, wherein the information reports the distribution of the transaction account, and processing the information via a Travelers Cheque infrastructure. The transaction account may be a pre-paid card and the distributor may be a seller of pre-paid cards. Distribution of the transaction account may be facilitated by use of a sequential number, such as a Travelers Cheque number. Thus, the system may be configured to be compatible with existing Travelers Cheque communication systems already in place. Furthermore, a financial transaction device may include a card that bears a serialized number, such as a Travelers Cheque number, in a manner that can be read by MICR technology.

Consumers may use a transaction account, which may be associated with an account number, credit card, or gift card, as a form of payment or identification in various transactions. Transaction accounts are desirable for a number of reasons. For example, utilizing a transaction account associated with a pre-paid card may be a safe and convenient way to avoid carrying or handling cash and loose change. Also, it is often convenient to give pre-paid cards as gifts or to use pre-paid cards to pay for transactions while traveling.
Although an issuer of a transaction account may distribute the transaction device associated with the transaction account directly to consumers, it is also desirable for an issuer of a transaction account to distribute the card to consumers through a third-party distributor. For example, it may be desirable for an issuer to distribute an account, a credit card, and/or a pre-paid card through a bank. Furthermore, it is often convenient for consumers to purchase transaction cards while conducting other transactions with a third party, such as a bank. For example, an individual may wish to purchase a pre-paid card in conjunction with depositing a check at a bank.
Transaction accounts (with or without a physical card) currently available to consumers include, for example, telephone calling accounts, loyalty accounts, credit cards, and internet accounts. Furthermore, a variety of pre-paid cards associated with various types of accounts are currently sold to consumers. For example, the Travel Funds™ Card by American Express®, enables people to load money on a pre-paid card and then use it, worldwide, at any merchant that accepts American Express or at any of over half a million Automated Teller Machines ("ATMs") which accept American Express cards.
Unfortunately, the distribution of transaction accounts through distributors is somewhat hindered due to the difficulty and expense of establishing new systems of communication with the distributors. The new system may include an electronic communications system or a paper system for reporting back to the issuer regarding the distribution of the transaction account. Many potential distributors are reluctant to invest in new technology to distribute these products. Similarly, some distributors who might otherwise be inclined to distribute transaction accounts may be reluctant to adopt new systems if additional training is involved. As an example, banking institutions may be reluctant to expand into the selling of pre-paid cards, despite the fact that these institutions may already sell travelers checks, in an effort to avoid the cost of an entirely new communication system or new training associated with the additional product. Thus, it is desirable to develop new methods and systems for facilitating the distribution of transaction accounts that leverage the distributors' existing systems and procedures.
In this regard, the typical backbone for communication in the banking industry is the Magnetic Image Character Recognition ("MICR") line on the left-hand side on the bottom of checks. The digits in the MICR line indicate, for example, the bank's routing and transit number (so a spent check can be returned to the correct bank), the account number on which the check was drawn, and the check number and the dollar value (which is usually encoded after the check is spent). The banking industry has invested billions of dollars into using the MICR technology and is reluctant to make changes or introduce new technology and processes.
Rather than employ a separate process, the American Express Travelers Cheque business previously leveraged the MICR information and the underlying processes and technologies that are the foundation of check clearing for the entire banking system. A Travelers Cheque is legal tender that may not be associated with an account. Including MICR information on a Travelers Cheque facilitates the routing of the Travelers Cheque back to the issuer for payment when a customer spends the Travelers Cheque.
In addition, when Travelers Cheques are sold, a Purchase Agreement Form ("PAF") may be included in the envelope that contains the Cheque(s) being sold. This PAF also contains MICR information and the bank may use this form and/or the electronic information on the PAF to notify the issuer when a sale of a Travelers Cheque has occurred. As noted above, the MICR information on the Travelers Cheques and PAFs is the typical backbone for how issuers of Travelers Cheques communicate with all their bank sellers.
However, distributors of Travelers Cheques are not configured to distribute transaction accounts without establishing new communication networks. Thus, a need exists for a new distribution method that can take advantage of existing communication and processing systems to facilitate the distribution of transaction accounts.

Systems, methods, and devices for selling transaction accounts

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.