A power management system for an integrated circuit (IC) includes low and full-power bandgap generators, first and second multiplexers, first circuitry, and a full-power regulator. When the IC is powered on, the first multiplexer selects the full-power bandgap generator as a reference voltage source for the first circuitry. After the low-power bandgap generator has been trimmed, the first multiplexer selects the low-power bandgap generator as the reference voltage source for the first circuitry. When the IC transitions from low power mode to high power mode, the second multiplexer selects the low-power bandgap generator as the reference voltage source for the full-power regulator. When the full-power bandgap generator is powered on, the second multiplexer selects the full-power bandgap generator as the reference voltage source for the full-power regulator.

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and, more particularly, to a power management system for an integrated circuit.
Integrated circuits (ICs) including system-on-chips (SoCs) integrate various digital and sometimes also analog components on a single chip. Many ICs further include different power domains such as high and low power domains. The high power domain includes components that operate when the IC is in a high power mode and powered down when the IC is in a low power mode. The low power domain includes components that operate when the IC is in the high and low power modes. ICs with multiple power domains require multiple supply voltages that are provided by multiple voltage regulators. The high power domain is served by a high power voltage regulator (hereinafter referred to as a "full-power regulator") and the low power domain is served by a low power voltage regulator (hereinafter referred to as a "low-power regulator"). The low-power regulator is operational when the IC is in the low power mode and hence, the low-power regulator is designed to consume less power than the full-power regulator.
Such ICs also include a power management controller (PMC) that monitors the operating voltage of the IC. The PMC includes voltage monitoring circuits such as low-voltage detection (LVD) and high-voltage detection (HVD) circuits. The LVD circuits monitor the operating voltage of the IC and compare it with an LVD threshold voltage. The LVD threshold voltage represents the lowest voltage level at which the IC can operate without failing or deviating from the functional specification of the IC. Therefore, when the operating voltage drops below the LVD threshold voltage, the LVD circuit generates a safe-state signal to configure the IC in a reset or safe-state mode. Similarly, the HVD circuit configures the IC in the reset or safe-state mode when the operating voltage exceeds an HVD threshold voltage, in order to prevent the over-voltage condition from damaging the IC.
The above-mentioned voltage regulators and voltage monitoring circuits operate using reference voltage signals received from bandgap voltage reference generators. A bandgap voltage reference generator (hereinafter referred to as "bandgap generator") is a reference voltage circuit that outputs a reference voltage signal at a fixed voltage level irrespective of environmental changes such as ambient temperature changes, power supply variations and load variation. Generally, the low-power regulator and voltage monitoring circuits receive a first reference voltage signal from a low-power bandgap generator and the full-power regulator receives a second reference voltage signal from a full-power bandgap generator. The low-power regulator and voltage monitoring circuits are operational when the IC is in the low power mode. Therefore, the low-power bandgap generator also is operational when the IC is in the low power mode and hence, the low-power bandgap generator is designed to consume less power than the full-power bandgap generator.
FIG. 1 shows an IC 100 operable in high and low power modes and that has a conventional power management system 101. The power management system 101 includes a low-power bandgap generator 102 and first circuitry 104. When the IC 100 is in either the high or low power mode, the low-power bandgap generator 102 generates and provides a low-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VLPBG—REF) to the first circuitry 104. The first circuitry 104 includes a low-power regulator (not shown) and voltage monitoring circuits (not shown) such as LVD and HVD modules. For example, the first circuitry 104 may include an LVD module 106. The LVD module 106 receives the low-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VLPBG—REF) that is at a voltage level of a LVD threshold voltage and a supply voltage (VSUPPLY) indicative of an operating voltage of the IC 100, and outputs an LVD signal (high active) when the supply voltage (VSUPPLY) is greater than the low-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VLPBG—REF). To ensure proper operation of the LVD module 106, the LVD threshold voltage is designed to lie within a designated voltage range. When the IC 100 is powered on after a power-on-reset (POR), the low-power bandgap generator 102 is in an untrimmed condition for a first predetermined time period after the POR and hence, the accuracy of the low-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VLPBG—REFF) is low. The low-power bandgap generator 102 is trimmed and the low-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VLPBG—REF) is stabilized after the first predetermined time period after the POR.
During the first predetermined time period, the low-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VLPBG—REF) is unstable and has low accuracy and hence, may not be within the designated voltage range. Thus, the LVD module 106 may not assert when the supply voltage (VSUPPLY) is less than the LVD threshold voltage, which could cause a failure or deviation from the functional specification of the IC 100. Further, low-power consumption requirements of the IC 100 constrain the efforts to design a high accuracy low-power bandgap generator. Designing an improved low-power bandgap generator 102 is difficult and requires additional components that result in an increase in the area overhead, power consumption and cost of production.
FIG. 2 shows an IC 200 operable in high and low power modes and that includes a conventional power management system 201. The power management system 201 includes a full-power bandgap generator 202, a soft-start circuit 204 connected to the full-power bandgap generator 202, a first multiplexer 206 connected to the soft-start circuit 204 and the full-power bandgap generator 202, and a full-power regulator 208 connected to the first multiplexer 206. When the IC 200 transitions from low power mode to high power mode, the full-power regulator 208 is powered on and operates in a voltage build-up phase. The full-power bandgap generator 202 is powered on and generates a full-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VFPBG—REF). The soft-start circuit 204 receives the full-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VFPBG—REF), and outputs an intermediate reference voltage signal (VINT—REF) having a controlled ramp-up rate. The first multiplexer 206 receives and outputs the intermediate reference voltage signal (VINT—REF) to the full-power regulator 208 when the full-power regulator 208 is in the voltage build-up phase.
When the voltage level of the intermediate reference voltage signal (VINT—REF) exceeds a first threshold voltage level, the soft-start circuit 204 generates a soft-start complete signal (VSOFT—START—COMPLETE) to indicate the completion of the voltage build-up phase. The first multiplexer 206 receives the soft-start complete signal (VSOFT—START—COMPLETE) at a select terminal thereof and outputs the full-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VFPBG—REF) to the full-power regulator 208. The full-power regulator 208 receives the full-power bandgap reference voltage signal (VFPBG—REF) and starts operating in a full-regulation phase. The full-power regulator 208 reaches a stable operation state in the full-regulation phase. Thus, when the IC 200 transitions from low power mode to high power mode, the full-power regulator 208 starts operating in the voltage build-up phase only when the full-power bandgap generator 202 is powered on. The time required for the IC 200 to transition from the low power mode to the high power mode is defined as a low power wake-up time. Since the full-power regulator 208 waits for the full-power bandgap generator 202 to be powered on, the low power wake-up time of the IC 200 increases. Thus, the performance of the IC 200 is affected.
It would be advantageous to have a power management system for an integrated circuit that provides accurate reference voltage to voltage regulators and voltage monitoring circuits to the integrated circuit, prevents damage and improves the performance of the integrated circuit, and overcomes the above-mentioned limitations of conventional power management systems.

Power management system for integrated circuit


Provided are compounds that target the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat containing X1 (NLRX1) pathway. The compounds can be used to treat conditions such as autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, chronic and/or inflammatory central nervous system diseases, chronic and/or inflammatory respiratory diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases. Exemplary conditions include multiple sclerosis, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, neuroinflammation resulting from, for example, stroke, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat containing X1 (NLRX1) (also called "NOD-like receptor X1" or "NLR family member X1" or "NOD9") is a signaling pathway protein that is expressed in immune cells, the gastrointestinal tract, and skin, lung, muscle, endocrine, and reproductive tissues (Davis et al. 2014). The NLRX1 molecule has three distinct domains and localizes to the mitochondria (Arnoult et al. 2009).
Published results indicate that the loss of NLRX1 worsens disease severity and alters immune cell metabolism (Leber et al. 2017) in models of inflammatory bowel disease (Leber et al. 2018, Lu et al. 2015, Soares et al. 2014). The NLRX1 protein has also been implicated in models of viral responses (Allen et al. 2011, Feng et al. 2017, Guo et al. 2016, Jaworska et al. 2014, Kim et al. 2017, Ma et al. 2017, Moore et al. 2008, Qin et al. 2017), bacterial infection (Philipson et al. 2015), fungal infection (Kale et al. 2017), cancer (Coutermarsh-Ott et al. 2016, Koblansky et al. 2016, Lei et al. 2016, Lei et al. 2016, Singh et al. 2015, Tattoli et al. 2016), hepatic steatosis (Kors et al. 2018, Wang et al. 2013), type 2 diabetes (Costford et al. 2018), brain injury (Theus et al. 2017), myocardial ischemia (Li et al. 2016), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Kang et al. 2015), and autoimmune encephalomyelitis (Eitas et al. 2014).
There are clear clinical needs for safe, efficacious treatments for diseases in which NLRX1 is implicated. These include autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and degenerative central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, cancers, and infectious diseases. Viral nucleic acids (Hong et al. 2012) and dietary lipids have been identified as natural ligands of NLRX1 (Lu et al. 2015). There is a need to develop novel ligands of the NLRX1 pathway to allow treatments to be tailored specifically to individual diseases and to potentially maximize their efficacy.
The present invention provides compounds that bind to the NLRX1 protein and thus induce a beneficial response in various disease conditions, including but not limited to autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, chronic and/or inflammatory central nervous system diseases, chronic and/or inflammatory respiratory diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, neuroinflammation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.


This invention broadly relates to methods for producing self-supporting silicon carbide and silicon carbide composite bodies. More particularly, this invention relates to silicon carbide and silicon carbide composites, grown by the oxidation reaction of a silicon metal with a gas comprising at least one gas selected from the group consisting of fluorinated hydrocarbon gases, chlorohydrocarbon gases, and chlorofluorocarbon gases.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of ceramics for structural applications historically served by metals. The impetus for this interest has been the superiority of ceramics with respect to certain properties, such as corrosion resistance, hardness, modulus of elasticity, and refractory capabilities when compared with metals, coupled with the fact that the engineering limits of performance of many modern components and systems are now gated by these properties in conventionally employed materials. Examples of areas for such prospective use include engine components, heat exchangers, cutting tools, bearings and wear surfaces, pumps, and marine hardware.
Current and past efforts at producing higher strength, more reliable, and tougher ceramic articles have largely focused upon (1) the development of improved processing methods for monolithic ceramics and (2) the development of ceramic matrix composites. A composite structure is one which comprises a heterogeneous material, body or article made of two or more different materials which are intimately combined in order to attain desired properties of the composite. For example, two different materials may be intimately combined by embedding one in a matrix of the other. A ceramic matrix composite structure typically comprises a ceramic matrix which incorporates one or more diverse kinds of filler or preform materials such as particulates, fibers, rods or the like.
Many of the past difficulties in forming desirable materials have been overcome by the methods described in several commonly owned patents and copending patent applications. These commonly owned patents and patent applications are discussed below.

Silicon carbide bodies and methods of making the same


A split roller including at least two parts joined together forms the roller having a length defined between roller ends. At least two of the at least two parts are joined along a joint extending between the roller ends. A roller cradle assembly and a modular conveying assembly can be assembled including the roller.

The present invention relates to modular conveyor belts and chains, and more particularly to a roller cradle and a modular conveying assembly including at least one roller cradle.
Modular belting and chains are formed from interconnected modules that are supported by a frame and driven to transport a product. Each module has a support surface which supports the product as the belting or chain is being driven along the frame. Adjacent modules are connected to each other by hinge pins inserted through hinge members extending from adjacent modules in the direction of the belt travel.
Modular belts can transport products in the direction of conveyor travel, but have difficulty transferring a product, especially a high friction product, onto or off of the belt. In addition, high friction products can easily damage the belt if the product is transferred onto, or off of, the chain from a direction other than the chain direction of travel. A known conveyor belt disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,469 issued to Arscott solves this problem by supporting the high friction products on rollers. The rollers are supported by roller cradles, and extend above the cradle for rolling contact with an object being conveyed. The rollers reduce friction between the belt and the object. Unfortunately, assembling the roller in the cradle is difficult requiring insertion of the roller into the cradle, and then slipping an axle or two stub axles through holes formed through the cradle walls and into the roller. The axle must then be secured to prevent it from slipping out of one of the holes formed in the cradle wall.
Another problem arises with modular belts having product supporting rollers. If the roller becomes damaged, the belt must be disassembled to replace the damaged roller. This is very time consuming and expensive. In a modular belt having cradles, such as disclosed in Arscot, the entire cradle is often replaced to save time at the expense of the additional material cost.

Split roller and modular conveying assemblies formed therefrom


A combination noise suppressor and air filter fits closely around a pressure regulator for milking machines, in such tight-fitting sealed relationship that little or no air or dirt can enter except through a relatively large diameter washable air filter which can be removed and cleaned even while the milking machine is running. The air passing inwardly through such filter also passes through the bars of a cage which support the filter against collapse. A noise suppressor, formed of a laminate of rigid and soft synthetic resin, is provided, and has apertures therethrough through which air passes downwardly after entering through the air filter. After thus passing downwardly, the air is in a chamber that contains the inlet ports of the pressure regulator portion of the combination, the upper wall of the chamber having convolutions which cooperate with sound-absorbing side and bottom walls of the chamber to absorb sound that is generated when air enters into the regulator. Any sound escaping through the apertures in the suppressor is largely absorbed by a sound-absorbing wall at the upper region of the apparatus.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,811,467; 3,938,547; and 4,335,743, all described inventions made by Jerry Jones, teach highly successful pressure regulating apparatus for milking machine systems employed in dairies. The purpose of the apparatus described in the patents is to maintain constant the absolute pressure (vacuum) in the milking machines, regardless of the effects of numerous things tending to change the pressure.
Despite the success of the mechanisms described in the cited patents, there remained a distinct problem relative to noise generated by such mechanisms as the air flowed therethrough at considerable velocity and volume. The noise was such that dairymen tended to locate the mechanisms in positions relatively remote from the actual milking machines, so as not to disturb the cows and the persons working with them. Such remote locations of the pressure regulating mechanisms tended to reduce somewhat the degree of effectiveness of the regulation itself, in that the pressure regulators did not sense what was happening at (for example) the sets of teat cups until later. For best regulation, the pressure regulator should be located near the actual milking machines.
Another factor relative to the apparatus described in the cited patents was that air filters for the pressure regulators could not practically be removed, washed and replaced while the milking machines were operating. It is highly desirable to have filters that can be washed while the milking machines are operating. It is further desirable that such filters be large in diameter in order to increase the filter area and thus extend the period that can elapse between washings.

Combination noise suppressor and air filter and milking machine pressure regulator


A process for preparing alkyl glyceryl sulfonate includes fractionally distilling an alkyl glyceryl epoxide mixture to afford alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula IV:

Human and mammalian health is certainly impacted by the spread of microbial entities at home, school, work and in the environment generally. Despite medical advances in infectious disease prevention and treatment, viruses and bacteria continue to cause a variety of sicknesses and ailments, prompting high absenteeism in schools and places of employment. In the wake of widespread food poisoning and the like, the public has become even further concerned with sanitization, both of person and property. Additionally, deadly antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA, formerly a nosocomial infection, is now primarily community acquired. Indeed, the World Health Organization continues to monitor avian flu out of concern for the potential of a serious global pandemic. A principal route for the spread of such infections is contact, either with an infected person (a handshake) or a contaminated object (a doorknob). Consequently, those of skill in the art have focused their research endeavors on the identification and deployment of more efficacious disinfectant and antiseptic compositions, and specifically those that provide both immediate and residual kill of microbes.
Antimicrobial compositions that exhibit rapid and residual kill of numerous bacteria and viruses have been disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2009/0035339, 2005/0271711, 2005/0260243, 2004/0001797, 2003/0235550, and in issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,569,530. Each of these disclosures is incorporated by reference herein. The compositions disclosed in these publications incorporate an organic acid or organic acid mixture and selected short-chain anionic surfactants. These compositions are adapted for direct application to human skin, without causing dryness or irritation. Moreover, they are designed for use with or without a water wash, and provide both immediate and residual effectiveness in either instance against a variety of viruses and bacteria.
A preferred family of anionic surfactants for these compositions are the alkyl glyceryl sulfonates, or Cn-AGS. They have been proven to be highly antimicrobial, yet are among the mildest of all anionic surfactants for human skin. One sodium alkyl glyceryl sulfonate is commercially available from the Proctor and Gamble Corporation, AGS-1214, CAS 68081-95-8. This anionic surfactant contains carbon chain lengths from C10 to C16, but is primarily C12-14.
The general synthesis process for commercial AGS is well established. Examples of the synthesis can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,989,547 and 3,024,273. The synthesis involves a condensation reaction of a fatty alcohol with epichlorohydrin to afford an ether chlorohydrin which is then ring closed to the epoxide to produce an alkyl glyceryl epoxide (AGE). The epoxide is then treated with a mixture of sodium bisulfite and/or sodium sulfite in a sulfonation reaction to afford AGS.
Although this general process is commercially established, it has significant deficiencies when the resulting surfactant is contemplated as a drug substance for topical antimicrobials. Conventionally, a "heel" of AGS from a previous batch must be added to initiate the reaction and insure a uniform solution, which lowers the yield and creates a potential contamination problem. Additionally, the epoxidation reaction results in variable amounts of ether chlorohydrin monomer, dimer, and trimer. A typical monomer proportion is only 72-76%. These ratios carry over through sulfonation into AGS monomer, dimer, and trimer. Although U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,273 teaches that an increased dimer and trimer percentage leads to increased solubility and is preferred, it has been surprisingly discovered that increased monomer content and reduced dimer and trimer percentages provides increased antimicrobial effectiveness.
What is needed for industrial applications of AGS for antimicrobial compositions, is a process for the synthesis of AGS which minimizes dimer and trimer by-products, can be run in standard plant equipment such as stainless steel reactors, has high throughput, and minimizes cross-contamination among production batches.

Process for producing alxyl glyceryl sulfonates

Abstract: where R is a C4-12 alkyl, in at least about 98.0% purity by weight with respect to epoxidized compounds, the epoxidized compounds comprising the alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula IV, dimer alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula V, and trimer alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula VI:

Abstract: where R is a C4-12 alkyl; and reacting the at least about 98.0% alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula IV with a mixture of an alkali bisulfite and an alkali sulfite in a sulfonation reaction at a temperature, to afford the alkyl glyceryl sulfonate of formula I:

Abstract: where R is a C4-12 alkyl and M is an alkali metal.


The invention relates to a secured element (9) including: —a communication interface (91); —an integrated circuit comprising a security module (93) comprising encryption based security features and configured to process authentication requests received on the communication interface. The secured element further. includes a MEMS microphone (94), said microphone being configured to capture a sound sequence and to provide the captured sound sequence to the security module.

The present invention generally relates to the authentication methods, and more particularly to the methods for authenticating an end user by a service, for instance a multimedia broadcasting service.
Given the wide choice proposed by remote multimedia providers, an increasing number of customers use remote services like video on demand or music streaming. Many service providers restrict their services to their customers. Registration and service use may be fared before the user is given access to the multimedia stream. Service providers may perform a user authentication, in order to bill the authenticated user for, the service. The service provider then leaves the user access the multimedia content.
One known authentication method comprises the following steps:
The remote service provider sends an authentication password (also named One Time Password), either by mail, by SMS or by display on the user's. TV screen through his decoder. By inputting it on his mobile phone and sending it back to the service provider, the user authenticates and validates the service billing as well. The service provider may for instance compare the password initially sent with the user input.
However, such an authentication method is considered as annoying by customers. The user has to pay attention when inputting a long and meaningless password; if he inputs a wrong password, he has to type it anew to perform the authentication. Moreover, since the user input has to remain user friendly, the service provider can only request the user to input relatively short passwords. Therefore, the security level provided by the authentication is relatively low.
Thus, there is a need for a reliable and user friendly authentication method.

Secured element for performing a user authentication and user authentication method


A process to temporarily seal an upper zone of higher permeability. Coiled tubing is used to cover a zone of lower permeability with a gel block containing rock salt. A lower density, more stable, slower yielding gel block having a gel breaker is squeezed into the upper zone. The well is shut-in and the low density gel plug becomes rigid. Water is then circulated down the coiled tubing to dissolve the high density gel block out of the wellbore and re-open lower perforations which allows the low permeability interval to be treated.

In oil production, primary operations are frequently ineffective in recovering a substantial proportion of oil-in-place, often leaving as much as 60-80% of the oil as residual. It is common, therefore, to employ so called secondary or tertiary methods to obtain additional oil. One such secondary or tertiary method involves flooding the producing formation with an oil displacement fluid, such as water, steam, gases, etc. through one or more injection wells spaced from the producing wells. As the leading edge, or front, of the flood fluid progresses through the formation, oil in the formation is pushed towards the producing well. Where plural injection wells are used, fluids from neighboring wells may emerge to form a combined front, and such combined front may indeed completely surround a producing well.
In general, the geological and fluid properties (saturations, permeabilities, etc.) of hydrocarbonaceous zones cause uneven forward movement of native or injected fluids. In addition, the extent of an even fluid movement increases with hydrocarbon recovery, field operations and type of well pattern used in enhanced recovery operations.
Often a format ion or reservoir may contain zones of varying degrees of permeability. During a water flood or other recovery method, hydrocarbonaceous fluids may be removed from a higher permeability zone while a lower permeability zone retains hydrocarbonaceous fluids. These retained fluids often cannot be removed without blocking off the zone of higher permeability and diverting the injected fluid to the zone of lower permeability.
Also, wells are frequently completed where there are zones of varying permeabilities. In most cases, the higher permeability zones have a greater tendency to accept acids and fracturing fluid thus minimizing the effectiveness of treatment and stimulation of lower permeability intervals. Sometimes, the higher permeability zones can be isolated mechanically. However, wellbore equipment (tubing set through a permanent packer, e.g.) may limit the ability to mechanically isolate a zone. If the high permeability zone is in the lower part of the wellbore, rock salt, sand, high density plugs, or a combination of these materials can be used to isolate the interval. However, if the high permeability zone is in the upper part of the wellbore, diversion becomes considerably more difficult.
Therefore, what is needed is a method to temporarily isolate an upper high permeability zone while treating a lower permeability zone to increase its permeability for the increased production of hydrocarbonaceous fluids.

Method of effectively diverting treating fluid from a high permeability interval during well stimulation


A rethreading tool (10) for reconditioning and rethreading the threads (62) of a stud (60) is described. The tool includes a moveable jaw (26) having an extension (26A) pivotably mounted into a slot 24 of a fixed jaw (16). The extension and a first portion (16A) of the fixed jaw form a cam surface (40) which is activated by a cam nut (56) to move the moveable jaw toward the fixed jaw after positioning of the tool around the stud. Upon closing, the jaws form a complete circular opening (42) which contains a complete circular thread die (48) formed from a first thread die (22) in the fixed jaw and a second thread die (46) in the moveable jaw. In use, the tool is placed over the threads of the stud and the jaws are moved into the closed position such that the complete thread die is adjacent the threads of the stud. The tool is then rotated off of the stud.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for reconditioning and rethreading the threads of a threaded stud. In particular, the invention relates to a tool which has a moveable jaw which allows for easy mounting of the tool onto the stud and a cam surface actuated by a rotating cam nut which moves the moveable jaw toward the threaded stud to accurately position the tool onto the threads of the stud.
2. Prior Art
Rethreading tools which have separable rethreading dies to allow mounting onto the studs are well-known. Several different methods have been used to expand and contract the thread dies for positioning of the rethreading tools. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,085,762 to Smith; 1,382,841 to Lynn; 1,392,705 to Rhodes; 2,700,166 to McKenzie; 2,718,646 to McKenzie; 3,956,787 to Crumpacker; and 4,630,978 to Keiser et al.
One such method is the use of an outer sleeve to surround the expanded threading dies thus moving the dies into the contracted position. Illustrative of this method is Keiser et al. Keiser et al describes a tool in which the threading dies are rockably mounted between the inner and outer sleeve. To move the threading dies outward the outer sleeve is pulled back which causes a caming acting between the outside sleeve and the die elements which rocks the dies elements into the expanded position. To contract the threading dies after insertion of the stud, the outer sleeve is repositioned over the threading dies by a spring thus moving the threading dies inward and into engagement with the threads of the stud. Also, illustrative of tools using this method to expand and contract the threading area are Rhodes and Crumpacker.
These tools however are not easy to position into the threads of a stud. In addition, the threading dies are rigid and do not allow for accurate positioning onto the threads with minimal effort. Thus, there remains a need for a device which is easy to use and which can be accurately positioned over the threads of a stud.


An insulative coating for an aperture of a semiconductor device component includes a plurality of adjacent, mutually adhered regions. The adjacent, mutually adhered regions may be formed by programmed material consolidation processes, such as stereolithography. Such an insulative coating may electrically isolate conductive features, such as conductive vias, from the substrate of a semiconductor device component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to processes and methods for forming electronic devices and the like. More particularly, the present invention pertains to methods and apparatus for effecting the creation of via holes in semiconductors and other thin substrates and, more specifically, to methods and apparatus for forming insulative coatings of via holes. The present invention also pertains to the use of stereolithography techniques to form insulative coatings with small diameter via holes extending therethrough.
2. Background of Related Art
Over the past decade or so, a manufacturing technique which has become known as "stereolithography" and which is also known as "layered manufacturing" has evolved to a degree where it is employed in many industries.
Basically, stereolithography, as conventionally practiced, involves utilizing a computer, typically under control of three-dimensional (3-D) computer-aided design (CAD) software, to generate a 3-D mathematical simulation or model of an object to be fabricated. The computer mathematically separates or "slices" the simulation or model into a large number of relatively thin, parallel, usually vertically superimposed layers. Each layer has defined boundaries and other features that correspond to a substantially planar section of the simulation or model and, thus, of the actual object to be fabricated. A complete assembly or stack of all of the layers defines the entire simulation or model. A simulation or model which has been manipulated in this manner is typically stored and, thus, embodied as a CAD computer file. The simulation or model is then employed to fabricate an actual physical object by building the object, layer by superimposed layer. Surface resolution of the fabricated object is, in part, dependent upon the thickness of the layers.
A wide variety of approaches to stereolithography by different companies has resulted in techniques for fabricating objects from various types of materials. Regardless of the material employed to fabricate an object, stereolithographic techniques usually involve disposition of a layer of unconsolidated or unfixed material corresponding to each layer of the simulation or model. Next, the material of a layer is selectively consolidated or fixed to at least a partially consolidated, partially fixed, or semisolid state in those areas of a given layer that correspond to solid areas of the corresponding section of the simulation or model. Also, while the material of a layer is being consolidated or fixed, that layer may be bonded to a lower layer of the object which is being fabricated.
The unconsolidated material employed to build an object may be supplied in particulate or liquid form. The material may itself be consolidated or fixed. Alternatively, when the unconsolidated material comprises particles, a separate binder material mixed therein or coating the particles may facilitate bonding of the particles to one another, as well as to the particles of a previously formed layer.
Surface resolution of the features of a fabricated object depends, at least in part, upon the material being used. For example, when particulate materials are employed, resolution of object surfaces is highly dependent upon particle size, whereas when a liquid is employed, surface resolution is highly dependent upon the minimum surface area of the liquid which can be consolidated or fixed and the minimum thickness of a material layer that can be generated. Of course, in either case, resolution and accuracy of the features of an object being produced from the simulation or model is also dependent upon the ability of the apparatus used to consolidate or fix the material to precisely track the mathematical instructions indicating solid areas and boundaries for each layer of material.
Toward that end, and depending upon the type and form of material to be fixed, stereolithographic fabrication processes have employed various fixation approaches. For example, particles have been selectively consolidated by particle bombardment (e.g., with electron beams), disposition of a binder or other fixative in a manner similar to ink-jet printing techniques, and focused irradiation using heat or specific wavelength ranges. In some instances, thin, preformed sheets of material may be superimposed to build an object, each sheet being fixed to a next lower sheet and unwanted portions of each sheet removed, a stack of such sheets defining the completed object.
Early on in its development, stereolithography was used to rapidly fabricate prototypes of objects from CAD files. Prototypes of objects might be built to verify the accuracy of the CAD file defining the object (e.g., an object or negative of a mold to be machined) and to detect any design deficiencies and possible fabrication problems before a design was committed to large-scale production. Stereolithographic techniques have also been used in the fabrication of molds. Using stereolithographic techniques, either male or female forms on which mold material might be disposed could be rapidly generated.
In more recent years, stereolithography has been employed to develop and refine object designs in relatively inexpensive materials. Stereolithography has also been used to fabricate small quantities of objects for which the cost of conventional fabrication techniques is prohibitive, such as in the case of plastic objects that have conventionally been formed by injection molding techniques. It is also known to employ stereolithography in the custom fabrication of products generally built in small quantities or where a product design is rendered only once. Finally, it has been appreciated in some industries that stereolithography provides a capability to fabricate products, such as those including closed interior chambers or convoluted passageways, which cannot be fabricated satisfactorily using conventional manufacturing techniques. It has also been recognized in some industries that a stereolithographic object or component may be formed or built around another, pre-existing object or component to create a larger product.
Conventionally, stereolithographic apparatus have been used to fabricate freestanding structures. Such structures have been formed directly on a platen or other support system of the stereolithographic fabrication apparatus, which is located within the fabrication tank of the stereolithographic apparatus. As the freestanding structures are fabricated directly on the support system, there is typically no need to precisely and accurately position features of the stereolithographically fabricated structure. As such, conventional stereolithographic apparatus lack machine vision systems for ensuring that structures are fabricated at certain locations.
Moreover, conventional stereolithographic apparatus lack support systems, handling systems, and cleaning equipment which are suitable for use with relatively delicate structures, such as semiconductor substrates and semiconductor devices that have been fabricated thereon.
Recently, improved stereolithographic apparatus have been configured to form structures on fabrication substrates, such as semiconductor substrates and semiconductor device components, and include systems for accurately positioning the fabricated structures, supporting and handling the fabrication substrates, and cleaning excess and residual material from the fabrication substrates.
In the construction of semiconductor devices and the like, apertures may be formed into or through the object for various reasons. For example, apertures known as "via holes" may be formed in various components of an electronic device for the purpose of forming electrical conductors, or "vias," that extend within the aperture, typically in a direction which is generally perpendicular to a plane in which a surface of the component is located. Where the component itself is electrically conductive, the via must be insulated from the component to avoid short-circuiting. In state-of-the-art semiconductor devices, the vias are formed to have a very small diameter, generally about 17 μm to about 150 μm. In some cases, the via hole length is significantly greater than the diameter thereof, whereby the hole is said to have a high aspect ratio. While higher circuit densities are possible where the via hole diameter is very small, suitably filling high aspect ratio via holes with a conductive metal is difficult.
Where a via is to be formed in a semiconductive material, such as silicon, gallium arsenide, or indium phosphide, or a conductive material, such as a metal, a first or precursor hole is typically formed by a so-called "trepan" process, whereby a very small bit of a router or drill, a laser beam or other energy beam, or the like is moved in circular paths of increased distance to create the precursor hole. The precursor hole is larger in diameter than the desired completed via to be formed. Following precursor hole formation, a thin silicon oxide or other insulating layer is formed on the inner surface of the hole by exposure of the inner surface to an oxidizing atmosphere. When a polymeric insulative coating is desired, a thin oxide layer may be formed prior to vapor depositing a suitable polymer, such as parylene resin, over the substrate and within each precursor hole. Oxidation or adhesion promotion of the inner surfaces of the precursor hole is required because adhesion of polymer directly to silicon is relatively poor compared to adhesion to an oxide or adhesion promoter. A negative pressure (e.g., a vacuum) may be applied to an end of each precursor hole to draw the polymer therein. The polymer is then cured or otherwise hardened or permitted to harden. Next, a small via hole of desired diameter is drilled (e.g., by percussion drill or continuous laser) or otherwise formed in the hardened polymer. The via hole is then filled with a conductive material, such as conductively doped polysilicon, a metal, a metal alloy, or a conductive or conductor-filled elastomer, to form a via that provides a conductive path through the via hole, which conductive path may extend between opposed surfaces of the substrate. The polymer insulates the conductive via from the substrate.
The steps taken in the prior art to form a via in a semiconductive or conductive substrate are depicted in the flowchart of FIG. 1. A substrate, such as a full or partial silicon wafer, is subjected to a first hole-forming process, at reference character 10. The first hole-forming process may be effected by a laser, drill, or router in a so-called "trepan" process, in which a bit of the drill or router is rotated and moved laterally along a plurality of circular paths of increasing diameter to form a precursor hole of a desired diameter, which is greater than the desired diameter for the final via hole. The substrate is then cleaned to remove any debris, as indicated at reference character 11.
Next, as shown at reference character 12, the substrate is then exposed to a passivating (e.g., oxidizing or nitridating) atmosphere to passivate the inner surfaces of the precursor hole. For example, silicon may be oxidized to form silicon dioxide, nitridated to form a silicon nitride, or otherwise passivated to form a silicon oxynitride, all as known in the art. Passivation is useful for providing an adhesion base for an insulative polymer since the adhesion of many polymers to various materials, including unoxidized silicon, may be poor.
Next, at reference character 14, an insulative resin polymer is deposited in the precursor hole, such as by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique or in a dissolved, atomized form. A pressure may be required to force the polymer into the precursor hole. Typically, the precursor hole is completely filled with polymer. In addition, the polymeric resin forms a coating over the exposed major surfaces of the substrate, from which it must be cleaned.
The substrate is then subjected to thermal curing, as indicated at reference character 16, to cure and, thus, solidify the polymer within the precursor hole. Then, at reference character 18, the substrate surfaces are cleaned of polymer. In addition, the chamber in which the insulative coating is formed (e.g., a CVD chamber) requires cleaning of polymer and polymer condensation products from its interior surfaces. At reference character 20, a final via hole is formed through the hardened polymer by a small diameter drill such as a laser drill.
After cleaning debris from the substrate following the drilling process, as indicated at reference character 21, the final via hole is filled with a conductive material, as shown at reference character 22. The conductive material forms the conductive via between opposite surfaces of the substrate.
When the substrate in which the via hole and via are formed comprises a different type of material, such as the resin of a printed circuit board (PCB), for example, the surface oxidation step may not be required to increase adhesion of the via hole-lining polymer to the surface of the via hole.
Inasmuch as most semiconductor devices are formed as part of a multicomponent substrate, it is advantageous to form vias in such devices prior to separation (e.g., by use of a singulation saw) of the devices from the wafer.
Current methods of forming vias in conductive or semiconductive materials are time-consuming, are cumbersome, and waste resin. Thus, application and curing of the parylene resin or other nonconductive polymer creates a solid layer over the entire substrate, and the walls and other surfaces within the application chamber become covered with the polymer and pyrolysis products thereof. Thus, the substrate and the chamber require extensive cleaning.
Moreover, parylene resin is relatively expensive. Nonetheless, a majority of the applied parylene resin is not applied to the surfaces of the via holes, where application is actually desired, but is deposited onto surfaces from which it will subsequently be removed, then discarded.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method for lining the surfaces of via holes with electrically insulative materials, particularly via holes that have been formed in substrates which comprise semiconductive or conductive materials.

Systems for forming insulative coatings for via holes in semiconductor devices


The circuit volume of a system under design is reduced by a circuit conversion involving consolidation (sharing) of common parts in the system by a representative part. The design data of the system post-conversion is used to verify operation of the system. However, the verification results for the system post-conversion express signals (e.g., signal X) of plural modules (e.g., modules a to c) as one signal waveform thereby making debugging difficult when a bug is found. Given this situation, from the verification results of the system post-conversion, signal-generation-use data is generated for generating the signal waveforms (here, respective signal waveforms for the modules a to c) of the system before conversion. After verification is complete, a signal waveform for each of the modules a to c is generated using the verification results for the system under design and the signal-generation-use data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to verification of large-scale integrated circuits under design.
2. Description of the Related Art
At the design stage of large-scale integration (LSI), simulation is used to verify whether a circuit will operate as desired. For simulations implemented by software, the larger the scale of the circuit, the more time is required for the simulation. Therefore, techniques involving the mounting of an LSI circuit under design on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other such hardware are used to execute the simulation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-215226 discloses a technology involving the use of a software simulator and a hardware simulator to perform circuit verification. Specifically, logical information is read from a recording medium, where a portion of the logical information that is determinate to a configuration level is verified by the hardware simulator, while other portions are verified by the software simulator.
Although simulation employing an FPGA is faster than simulation via software, there are limitations to the scale of the circuit that can be simulated. In particular, when the operation of a system having multiprocessor architecture for increased processing speed is verified, a problem arises in that the scale of the circuit integrating the multiple cores becomes too large to fully mount on the FPGA.
For example, in a system having multiprocessor architecture, identical central processing units (CPU) operate communicating through a bus. Conventionally, when a system having n CPUs connected is to be simulated, the circuit volume becomes n times as great. Thus, a problem arises in that simulations of larger scale circuits become dependent upon software, thereby inviting prolonged design periods.
On the other hand, when operation is confirmed for portions other than actual processors, the use of pseudo processors having reduced circuit volumes may prevent such problems concerning LSI circuits such as systems having multiprocessor architecture.
However, a problem of reduced design accuracy arises as the simulated operation may not coincide with the actual operation causing omissions to occur. Further, as the pseudo processors have to be created, which requires time and labor, in the end, the problem of a prolonged design period arises.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Verification support apparatus, verification support method, and computer product


An endoscopic medical device system includes an elongated shaft assembly, a cam assembly and an articulating distal end assembly. The elongated shaft assembly extends along a main axis and includes first and second actuator rods arranged parallel to each other and the first actuator rod is longer than the second actuator rod. The cam assembly includes a cam, and the proximal ends of the first and second actuator rods are configured to be slidably attached to first and second locations of the cam, respectively, and the distal ends of the first and second actuator rods are positioned at the same distance from the cam center. The articulating distal end assembly extends along the main axis and is pivotally connected to the distal ends of the first and second actuator rods. Rotation of the cam around an axis perpendicular to the main axis provides angular displacement of the distal end assembly relative to the main axis.

Endoscopic medical instruments with articulating grasper jaws are used in various surgical procedures for grasping organs in a specific direction, or suturing. Prior art systems usually include grasper jaws that articulate via a cable or an actuator rod system. In most of the prior art systems the articulating grasper jaws are not held rigid in their angular position. This may result in abrasion of the tissue or organ being grasped, injury of the surrounding tissue, or ineffective suturing.
Accordingly there is a need for improved methods and systems that allow articulation of a grasper end-effector of an endoscopic medical instrument while holding the distal end in a rigid position.

System and method for an articulating grasper end-effector


A right crank arm assembly for a bicycle, comprises a right crank arm, a first annular element directly coupled with said crank arm at at least one first coupling portion of said first annular element and at least one second annular element coupled with said crank arm and of a smaller size than said first annular element. The first annular element comprises a toothing that extends radially towards the outside along a primitive circumference having a predetermined diameter. Said at least one first coupling portion is entirely contained in a first area extending radially towards the outside starting from an ideal circumference having a diameter at least equal to ⅔ of said predetermined diameter. Such an annular element constitutes the front sprocket of the crank arm assembly of the present invention and consists of a simple toothed band. Such a front sprocket is particularly light in weight.

Typically, in the field of bicycles, the expression "right crank arm assembly" is used to indicate an assembly comprising a right crank arm and at least one front sprocket coupled with the right crank arm. The front sprocket, in particular, is the toothed wheel adapted to drive the chain of the bicycle for the motion transmission to the rear wheel of the bicycle, such motion being imparted by the cyclist through pedaling.
Right crank arm assemblies are known in which the front sprocket is directly coupled with the right crank arm.
Right crank arm assemblies are also known in which the front sprocket is coupled with the right crank arm through the interposition of an adapter disc made of a light material.
The present invention relates in particular to a right crank arm assembly in which the front sprocket is directly coupled with the right crank arm. In particular, this kind of right crank arm assemblies are heavier than those comprising an adapter, which is a drawback for a professional use.

Right crank arm assembly for a bicycle and crank arm thereof


Disclosed are methods, apparatus and systems for cell information acquisition and reporting. One method includes receiving a request for configuration information and a synchronization block, determining that the synchronization block is not associated with the configuration information, and transmitting a failure indication in response to the request. Another method includes receiving a request for configuration information and a first synchronization block, determining that the first synchronization block is not associated with the configuration information, and the first synchronization block comprises information related to a second synchronization block that is associated with the configuration information, and determining whether a radio frequency retuning operation can be performed in order to obtain the configuration information.

Wireless communication technologies are moving the world toward an increasingly connected and networked society. The rapid growth of wireless communications and advances in technology has led to greater demand for capacity and connectivity. Other aspects, such as energy consumption, device cost, spectral efficiency, and latency are also important to meeting the needs of various communication scenarios. In comparison with the existing wireless networks, next generation systems and wireless communication techniques need to provide more efficient serving cell and neighbor cell management and huge number of connections.

Cell information acquisition method and apparatus


An M28876/NGCON/D38999 to MTP adaptor is disclosed as a low cost substitute for high density fiber systems. The MTP adaptor has a mechanical footprint that is substantially similar to a standard M28876/NGCON/D38999 connector. A kit is also provided that comprises an MTP cable, a pair of ST to MTP fan out cables, and a plurality of M28876/NGCON/D38999 to MTP adaptors.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of connectors. More specifically, the present invention is related to an M28876/NGCON/D38999 to MTP adaptor and a kit containing the same.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
As the need for more sophisticated electronic systems increases, the number of electrical signals needed for communications and operations is increasing dramatically, as is the required bandwidth of the signals. In defense applications, electromagnetic systems of high power are also now being employed and this puts an additional requirement of low susceptibility to electromagnetic interference. For reasons such as these, the defense industry is turning toward the use of optically encoded signals passed over fiber optic cables to meet these needs. However, the demanding defense environment including large vibrations, shock, and extreme temperatures means that special fiber optic connectors are needed. At present, the M28876 and D38999 families of fiber optic connectors and cable assemblies are being used, and the now under development NGCON family of fiber optic connectors and cable assemblies are slated for future use. The number of fibers in a single fiber optic cable and handled by a single connector can range from about 2 to 36 fibers. Due to the number of fibers in the connector and the rigorous construction specifications, these fiber optic connector systems are very costly and often have long delivery lead times.
In a typical development cycle for a military system, bench prototype units are built, followed by several phases of development and testing, often at secured locations such as military bases. During these prototype development and testing phases, extreme environmental conditions are often not required, or may be required during later phases of the testing. However, the mechanical and packaging design of the operational system has been completed and is designed for the military fiber connectors and assemblies. Changing of the documentation and packaging to use commercial style connectors to reduce cost or speed up delivery time is often not possible because of resource limitations in configuration management and documentation, as well as the additional costs associated with the changes. Therefore, prototyping and testing becomes very costly and in some cases it is so high that important tests in the development process may actually have to be omitted to conserve funds.
Whatever the precise merits, features, and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieves or fulfills the purposes of the present invention.


A multiple input power distribution shelf and a bus bar assembly thereof are provided. The power distribution shelf is installed in the server rack and comprises plural power supply units. The bus bar assembly comprises a first linking bus bar, a second linking bus bar, an insulation member and plural power connectors. The first linking bus bar comprises a first main bar, plural first bending parts and at least one first output part. The second linking bus bar comprises a second main bar, plural second bending parts and at least one second output part. The insulation member is disposed between the first main bar and the second main bar for insulation. The power connectors are mounted on the bending parts and connect with the power supply units. The first output part and the second output part are electrically connected with a rack bus bar of the server rack.

With increasing development of information industries and networks, the services provided through networks are becoming more and more popular in various applications. Nowadays, data center has been widely applied to cloud computing and large-scale data and application services in information technology (IT) operations. In order to ensure the normal operations of the server racks in the data center, it is important to supply uninterrupted power to the IT equipment of the server racks in the data center.
Generally, the server rack is connected to an AC power source, and the server rack converts the AC input power to required DC output power for the IT equipment via power supply units (PSUs). To ensure redundancy, a plurality of power supply units mounted in plural power shelves are employed and installed in the server rack. In addition, a plurality of battery backup units (BBUs) are also employed to provide backup power when the power supply units fail or when the AC power source is uninterrupted or failure. Typically, the battery backup units are placed in a battery chassis, which is installed in the same server rack. Consequently, the power shelves and the battery chassis take up some space in the server rack. In addition, the power supply units and the battery backup units are heavy components and need to be replaced for maintenances, repairs and/or upgrades. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain and the maintain cost is expensive. Moreover, the electrical and mechanical connections among the power supply units in the power shelves, the battery backup units in the battery chassis, the rack bus bar and the AC power source are complex and the power and signal transmission paths are long, so that the transmission loss is increased. Consequently, the cost is high, and the power distribution efficiency is low.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a multiple input power distribution shelf and a bus bar assembly thereof to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior arts.

Multiple input power distribution shelf and bus bar assembly thereof


An apparatus includes a first tube, a motor, a support, and a tubular mold having an inside surface. The motor rotates the first tube and the tubular mold. A vacuum bag is disposed over the inside surface of the tubular mold. A plurality of second tubes and a plurality of third tubes extend radially from the first tube. The second and third tubes establish fluid communication between the first tube and a tubular space defined between the bag and the inside surface. A resin injection system is configured to inject a resin into the tubular space by conveying the resin first through the first tube, then injecting the resin through the plurality of second tubes into the bag such that the resin flows over a surface of a layer disposed inside the tubular space. A vacuum system is configured to produce a vacuum through the plurality of third tubes.

Vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) is being used more frequently to mold large composite structures, such as sections of aircraft. VARTM is a variant of traditional resin transfer molding (RTM), possessing advantages over conventional RTM by eliminating matched-metal tooling costs, reducing volatile emissions and allowing for low injection pressures. In VARTM, vacuum pressure is used to force liquid resin into dry composite reinforcements that have been laid in a sealed mold, often in the form of a preform. The mold can be a one sided tool with a vacuum bag, a two sided matched tool with a vacuum seal, or a soft bag enclosing the entire structure to be molded. Vacuum pressure is used to pull or drive resin into the mold, thus VARTM is sometimes referred to as a vacuum infusion process. The selection of materials, arrangement of mold gates/vents and the selection of processing parameters often have a significant impact on product quality and process efficiency in VARTM.
When molding relatively large structures, such as an aircraft fuselage, gravitational effects on resin flow behavior can create undesirable thickness gradients in the finished structure. These gradients, which may approach 25% or more, result from the fact that the force imposed by gravity tends to draw the flowing resin downwardly toward the bottom of the molded structure during the curing process, until the resin is sufficiently cured to terminate its flow. As a result, wall thickness of the structure measured in bottom portions of the structure can be significantly greater than wall thickness near the top of the structure. Thickness gradients due to resin migration not only reduce the integrity of the molded structure, but also result in a structure that is unnecessarily heavy, since in order to achieve a minimum wall thickness at the top of the structure, wall thickness near the bottom of the structure is greater than necessary. In the case of aircraft structures, thickness gradients of the type described above make it difficult to produce complete fuselage sections having integral stringers and co-bonded fuselage frames.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing composite structures using VARTM which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. The present invention is directed to satisfying this need.

Rotational vacuum assisted resin transfer molding


When an access occurs to an I/O device from an OS 231a, an I/O allocation unit refers to an I/O allocation table, and determines whether the I/O device is allocated to other OS 231b. When the I/O device is allocated to another OS 231b, a control unit notifies the OS 231a of an error. When the I/O device is not allocated to either of the OSs 231a-b, the I/O allocation unit updates the I/O allocation table in order to allocate the I/O device to the OS 231a, and an I/O emulation unit emulates the access to the I/O device.

A virtual machine system is a system that enables a plurality of OSs to operate. For example, there exist virtual machine systems, such as Xen® and KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)®.
In a conventional virtual machine system, a plurality of OSs are booted after previously setting I/O devices to be occupied by each of the plurality of OSs. Then, a virtual machine monitor (VMM) allows access from each OS to a memory or a register of the I/O device which is occupied by the OS concerned, and denies access from each OS to a memory or a register of the I/O device which is occupied by other OS. When an I/O device is a PCI device (including a PCI Express device, which applies hereinafter), the virtual machine monitor allows or denies access to a PCI configuration register. Thus, exclusive allocation of an I/O device to each OS has been performed.
For example, in Xen, I/O devices to be occupied by an OS are specified in a configuration file, and in KVM, I/O devices to be occupied by an OS are specified in a start option of the OS.
In the conventional virtual machine system, such as Xen or KVM, it is necessary to previously set I/O devices to be occupied by each OS. Therefore, in the case where multiple OSs are operating and each OS occupies multiple I/O devices, the previous setting becomes complicated.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a virtual machine system that switches an OS occupying an I/O device, during execution by the way described below.
In the virtual machine system of Patent Literature 1, a VMM gives an I/O device occupancy permission to an OS, based on a factor such as an I/O device occupancy request from the OS or an event detection by the VMM. Then, the OS performs input/output to/from the I/O device only when obtaining the I/O device occupancy permission. Accordingly, it is not necessary to previously set the I/O device to be occupied by one of the OSs.
However, since a memory and a register of the I/O device are not protected, an OS which is not occupying the I/O device can access the memory and the register of the I/O device concerned. Therefore, there is a possibility that contents of a memory and a register of an I/O device being occupied by a certain OS may be destroyed by other OS.

Computing machine, access management method, and access management program


Butadiene is converted to ethylbenzene or styrene or both by contacting butadiene with a catalyst containing molybdenum.

The present invention relates to methods for converting unsaturated hydrocarbons to aromatic compounds.
Ethylbenzene is an important commercial solvent and a precursor to styrene. Styrene is a major commercial chemical which finds its principal use in the manufacture of polymers such as polystyrene. Typically, styrene is formed by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. Both ethylbenzene and styrene may be produced by catalytic dehydrocyclization of 4-vinylcyclohexene ("VCH") by use of various known catalysts. Two-step processes for producing styrene and ethylbenzene are also known wherein butadiene is dimerized to form VCH and the VCH is then catalytically aromatized.
However, the prior art lacks methods of producing styrene and ethylbenzene directly from butadiene. Methods for the aromatization of VCH, moreover, have been plagued with poor yields and large amounts of by-products such as xylene with are extremely difficult to separate from the styrene and ethylbenzene.
What is needed are new, more selective and effective processes for the production of aromatics such as ethylbenzene and styrene which alleviate problems in the prior art. What is also needed is a process to produce aromatics directly from butadiene thereby offering a new method of producing the aromatics in one step.

Process for converting butadiene to styrene or ethylbenzene or both using catalysts containing molybdenum


A method of wagering, including the steps of providing a random number generator that has a wagering base which is randomly accessed by an input wager, using as at least a part of the wagering base the outcome of at least one horse/dog race or jai alai game, pre-assigning a probability value to the outcome of the at least one horse/dog race or jai alai game and programming the random number generator so that the probability of accessing the outcome of the at least one horse/dog race or jai alai game in the random number generator through an input wager is correlated to the probability value, directing an input wager identifying the outcome of the at least one horse/dog race or jai alai game to the random number generator and paying a return for an input wager identifying the outcome of the at least one horse/dog race or jai alai game that accesses the outcome of the at least one horse/dog race or jai alai game through the random number generator.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the gaming industry and, more particularly, to a method of wagering using the outcome of horse/dog races, jai alai games, or the like, as at least a part of a wagering base. The invention is also directed to a wagering system of the type through which the inventive wagering method can be practiced.
2. Background Art
The financial impact of legal gaming on local, national, and international economies is staggering. One source has estimated that, in 1992, Americans spent more on lotteries, race tracks, casinos, and the like, than on movies, books, amusement attractions and recorded music collectively. This same source has estimated that more Americans went to casinos than attended major league baseball games in the U.S. in the year 1993.
The financial heart of the casinos is the slot machine, which has been drawing an increasing percentage of wagers in casinos. Aside from the versatility that modern slot machines afford, they are desirable because they appeal to all levels of gambling expertise. Novices need not contend with the embarrassment of not knowing the mechanics of a particular game, nor does the novice need to study probabilities to make a calculated wager. The intimidation by the table games, the operators thereof, and other observing players has discouraged many players from participating in table games. With a slot machine, on the other hand, the individual need only operate a switch through a button or lever, with the results being entirely random and beyond the operator's control. Slot machines are also desirable because they are commonly set up in state-of-the-art facilities which are highly attractive to the bettor.
The success of the slot machine has had a devastating effect on live track revenues from pari-mutuel betting. Existing legislation in most states has precluded the location of slot machines and other casino games on track premises. These tracks have been relegated to a one dimensional identity, which has resulted in a migration of gamers to casinos. While off-track betting has breathed some life into pari-mutuel betting, many tracks have closed or are anticipating closure in the very near future due to lowering profitability.
The tracks are handicapped by having higher commissions (18-35%) than casinos (0.5% to 11%). Still further, success at a track generally requires extensive study of both race forms and race results as well as an intimate understanding of handicapping. Added to this is the public perception that many track races are "fixed". Still further, many race tracks have undesirable, antiquated facilities, causing people interested in live races to instead frequent off-track facilities.
It is clear that to halt and reverse the downward trend at race tracks, some stimulus must be given to bettors, in the form of more and different betting opportunities, increased potential winnings, etc. Some tracks have already experienced a financial turnaround attributable largely to the legalization of slots thereat.
However, there is an ongoing battle between legislatures that respect the public sentiment to resist the expansion of gambling and lobbyists for the racing industry that see slot machines as a key to survival of these tracks. Survival of race tracks is in the interest of not only those that own these facilities but also to those in peripheral employment. One study by the American Horse Council Federation estimated that there are in excess of seven million participants as horse owners, service providers, and employees, exclusive of spectators. This same study estimated that the horse industry produces goods and services valued at over 25 billion and pays nearly two billion in taxes on all government levels. Since legislative action to permit slot machines and other games is not imminent in many jurisdictions, some remedy for the current race track crisis is necessary.


A method for removing and transporting ophthalmic lens fabricating mold sections from a molding device to an inert chamber in a predetermined time, controlled by a central processor, is disclosed. The method includes starting a timer upon opening the molding device and exposing the mold sections; actuating a robotic arm to transport the mold sections from the molding device to an intermediate position using a compound movement; actuating a cam-controlled arm to transport the mold sections from the intermediate position to a pallet held on a conveyor belt at a cam-arm pre-part release location; and releasing the pallet to move on the conveyor belt to the inert chamber for continued transport of mold containing pallets to a treatment or processing facility for producing and/or packaging of the contact lenses. The method also includes raising a nest to receive the mold sections at the intermediate position; and lowering the nest, after transfer thereon of the molded sections from the robotic arm, for transferring the molded sections to the cam-controlled arm. In a racetrack mode, the pallets continue moving into the inert chamber, while the molded sections are discarded. In a sample mode, a sample bin is moved to the discard location to collect a sample of the molded sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a method for rapid robotic handling of small articles removed from molds. More specifically, the present invention pertains to such a method which is particularly well suited for removing the articles from a molding machine having molds in which they are molded, and thereafter carrying the articles within a very short period of time away from the molds and depositing the articles for further processing in a high speed, automated production system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, attention has been directed by industry toward economically forming large quantities of high-quality contact lenses in a precisely operating, high-speed automated molding system. In such a lens molding system, each lens is formed by sandwiching a monomer in an interspace which is present between front and back mold sections, normally identified as, respectively, front and base or back curves. The monomer is polymerized to form a contact lens, which is then removed from the mold sections, further treated and then packaged for consumer use.
The mold sections used in the above-mentioned process may themselves be formed through the intermediary of injection molding or compression molding processes. These mold sections may be made from the family of materials consisting of thermoplastics; for example, preferably such as polystyrene, which has been determined to constitute an excellent material for making these mold sections. Polystyrene does not chemically react with the hydrophilic material normally employed to make the contact lenses; for instance, such as hydroxy ethylene methacrylate (HEMA). Therefore, it is possible to form very high quality contact lenses of that type of material in polystyrene molds. In addition, polystyrene is widely available in industry and commerce and, as a result, is relatively inexpensive. Because of the ease and low cost with which polystyrene mold sections may be produced and then employed to mold contact lenses, each pair of complementary front and base curve polystyrene mold sections is typically used only a single time in order to mold only one contact lens, and may then be discarded or recycled for other uses.
In the above-discussed automated contact lens production system, it is desirable to eliminate or to minimize any exposure to oxygen of the hydrophilic monomer used for the manufacture of the contact lenses. Correspondingly, it is desirable to eliminate or minimize the exposure of the lens mold sections to oxygen. Therefore, when the polystyrene mold sections are formed and then used for the purpose of making contact lenses in the above-discussed manner, it is desirable to rapidly transfer these mold sections from the mold in which they are made to a low oxygen (preferably nitrogen) environment. It has been difficult to achieve the desired transfer speed with conventional robot assemblies or controls because presently available robots do not move with adequate rapidity and precisely enough to enter into, and exit from, the molding apparatus at the desired rate of speed in effectuating the removal of the molded articles. In particular, if these robots are operated at the necessary rate of speed, they tend to waffle and shake or vibrate undesirably as they come to a sudden stop, and the movements of the robot are resultingly not sufficiently precise. On the other hand, if the robots are slowed down so as to be able to move more precisely, the robots no longer possess the desired speed to facilitate the contact lens mass-producing process.
Moreover, in the above-mentioned automated contact lens production system, the contact lens mold sections may not be fully solidified when they are ejected or removed from the mold in which they are formed. It is, therefore, important that any robot or apparatus which is used to carry the contact lens-forming mold sections away from that mold will not interfere so as to adversely affect the desired optical qualities of the contact lens mold sections. In particular, it is important that any such robot or apparatus be capable of absorbing the kinetic energy of the lens mold sections as they are being transferred to such transporting robot or apparatus without deleteriously altering the shape, form or dimensions of the lens mold sections. The robot and mold transfer method employed must, likewise, be able to transport the lens mold sections in a manner that permits those lens mold sections to cool and completely harden in a desired manner.
In addition, in order to maximize the optical quality of the contact lenses, it is preferred that the optical surfaces of the front and base curve polystyrene mold sections; that is, the surfaces of those mold sections which touch or lie against the hydrophilic monomer as the lens preform is being molded, not be engaged or contacted by any mechanical handling equipment while the mold sections are being transported by and positioned in the lens molding system.
In order to achieve the foregoing kind of transport system, pursuant to the disclosure of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/258,267 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,138, there is described an apparatus for removing and transporting ophthalmic or contact lens mold sections from a mold, and which generally comprises first, second and third assemblies. The first assembly removes the lens mold sections from the mold and transports the lens mold sections to a first location, the second assembly receives the lens mold sections from the first assembly and transports the lens mold sections to a second location, and the third assembly receives the lens mold sections from the second assembly and transports the lens mold sections to a third location. Preferably, the first assembly comprises a hand including vacuum structure to receive the lens mold sections from the mold and to releasably hold the lens mold sections, and a support subassembly connected to the hand to support the hand and to move the hand between the mold and the first location.
The second assembly preferably includes a support frame, a platform to receive the lens mold sections from the first assembly and supported by the support frame for movement between the first and second locations, and moving means for moving the platform along the support frame and between these first and second locations.
The preferred design of the third assembly includes a transport subassembly and a support column. The transport subassembly receives the lens mold sections from the second assembly, releasably holds those lens mold sections, and carries the lens mold sections to the third location; and the support column supports the transport subassembly for movement between the second and third locations.
In an effort designed to simplify and provide further improvements on the foregoing transport apparatus, alternative embodiments have been developed more recently, as disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/431,884 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,543, which discloses an apparatus for removing and transporting articles, such as ophthalmic contact lens mold sections, or primary contact lens packaging elements, such as the base members of blister packages, from a mold. The apparatus, in one embodiment thereof, which is employed in the manufacture of lens mold base curves, includes first, second, and third assemblies; the first of which removes the articles from the molding station at a first location and transports them to a second location; the second assembly receives the articles from the first assembly and transports them to a third location, and the third assembly receives the articles from the second assembly and transports them to a fourth location.
A second embodiment of the apparatus which is used in the forming of lens mold front curves additionally includes a flipper assembly disposed between the first and third assemblies, which flipper assembly receives the articles from the first assembly and inverts them before depositing them onto the third assembly. This second embodiment is useful in conjunction with molded articles which are transported to the flipper assembly in an inverted position.
A third embodiment, which produces primary packaging components, such as the base members of blister packages for housing the contact lenses, includes second and third assemblies which further include means for altering the relative spacing between the articles while the articles are being transported.
Although the foregoing embodiments and operative versions of the apparatus, as elucidated in the aforementioned copending U.S. patent applications, are employable in providing the molded components constituting mold sections for forming contact lenses, and also primary package elements for contact lenses, such as the contact lens-receiving base members of blister packages, there are problems associated with vibration, speed and rejection of molded components overly exposed to oxygen. The numerous operating and transfer assemblies and stations which are required for transporting the molded components at high rates of speed from the molding installation in which they are formed to their ultimate depositions onto pallets for further treatment, such as in a low oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere, are of considerable complexity, subject to waffling and vibration and rendering the efficacy of producing acceptable articles difficult to maintain as a result of the multiplicity of operative apparatus components, and transfer and transport paths employed in the various apparatus embodiments. For example, numerous programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used to individually control various sections of the assemblies and stations prevent increasing operating speeds and reducing oxygen exposure time. This is due, for example, to the time needed for the PLCs to communicate with each other or with other PLCs of downstream or upstream assemblies.

Rapid robotic handling of mold parts used to fabricate contact lenses


The present disclosure provides a data screening device and method, which employ a storage unit and a register unit, and are capable of performing operations on data of different storage structures and different sizes efficiently.

Many algorithms in the field of computing involve data screening. Taking image processing as an example, images are stored in a computer in matrix, and each value in the matrix corresponds to the grayscale of a pixel. To process certain pixels of an image, a screening is required to be done to select those pixels prior to the processing. When many images exist in a database with each image having numerous pixels, the amount of data would be very large. Therefore, it is very important to screen data efficiently.
A known solution of performing data screening in the prior art is to use a general-purpose processor, that is, operations related to data screening are performed by a general register file and a general function component executing a general instruction. Disadvantages of the solution include that the performance of a single general-purpose processor is relatively low, and that when employing a plurality of general-purpose processors to execute instructions in parallel, the communication between the general-purpose processors may be a performance bottleneck.

Shanghai Cambricon Information Technology Co., Ltd


An exemplary light reflective film painted on a smooth reflective surface of a metal base includes a composition. The composition consists of curing agents and light reflective powders. The curing agents include acrylic monomers, acrylic urethane oligomers, polyester acrylic modified polyester oligomers and photo initiators. A method for manufacturing the light reflective film is also provided.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to light reflective elements, and particularly to a light reflective film and a method for manufacturing the light reflective film.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical backlight module includes a metal substrate with a smooth light reflective surface, light sources mounted on the substrate and a light diffuser over the light sources. Light emitted from the light sources is reflected by the smooth light reflective surface of the metal substrate to travel through the diffuser film to illuminate.
Conventionally, a light reflective film is further provided to be located on the smooth reflective surface of the metal substrate to increase the reflective efficiency of the metal substrate. However, because the reflective surface of the metal substrate is smooth, the light reflective film is not easily to be fixed to the smooth reflective surface of the metal substrate in a predetermined position according to a requirement, which affects the light efficiency of the backlight module.
What is needed, therefore, is a light reflective film and a method for manufacturing the light reflective film which can overcome the forgoing drawback.

Light reflective film and method for manufacturing the same


A cleaning element including a base portion and a plurality of cleaning members, each defining a first surface, a second surface, a first edge between the first surface and the second surface extending from the base portion to the free end, and a second edge between the first surface and the second surface extending from the base portion to the free end. At least one of the first and second edges is substantially non-linear.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to mops and, more particularly, for example, to mops which are adapted to be used in dust and lint-free environments such as clean rooms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Clean rooms are rooms in which dust and other small particles are filtered from the air and in which low or non-linting clothing is worn to avoid contaminating such things as pharmaceuticals and electronic components and other delicate, sensitive equipment. The number of clean rooms has steadily increased in recent years due to the rapid growth in industries, such as the semi-conductor fabrication industry, which require clean rooms for manufacture and testing. As would be the case in any other facility, clean room floors must be periodically mopped. Mopping a clean room floor, however, presents a number of unique challenges. For example, the mop cannot itself produce lint, which is the case with ordinary string mops because the strings are made of cotton or other linting material. It is also important that the mop pick up very small dirt and dust particles.
One type of mop that is used in clean rooms includes string-like cleaning members formed from sheets of material having relatively long parallel strands or fibers, such as polyvinylalcohol ("PVA"). The long parallel fibers form capillaries or passageways which absorb cleaning solution and other liquids. Referring to FIG. 1, PVA cleaning element 10 includes a plurality of string-like cleaning members 12 and a base portion 14. The base portion and cleaning members are formed by cutting slits 16 into a sheet of PVA. A mop head is assembled by stacking a number of sheets (typically 10 to 15) one on top of the other and sewing them together. The mop head is folded along fold line 18 around an attachment rod on a bracket that secures the mop head to the mop. The cleaning members 12 will dangle from the attachment rod in a manner similar to the strings in a common string mop.
Mops having cleaning elements formed from materials such as PVA are an improvement over common string mops because they do not produce lint. However, the inventor herein has determined that there are a number of aspects of the mops of this type presently known in the art which may be improved. For example, the cleaning elements may tear at the intersection between the string-like cleaning members and at the free end of the cleaning members. Also, the manner in which the mop head is attached to the mop may be improved. The bracket having the attachment rod about which the mop head is folded, which is typically made of metal, defines the lateral edges of the mop. As a result, the bracket may scratch floors and other surfaces during cleaning. With respect to performance, the fibrous material on the top and bottom surfaces of PVA sheets (as well as sheets of similar materials) tends to absorb less liquid than the material beneath the surface. This may reduce the potential efficiency of the mop head.


An intravascular catheter system, such as a dilatation catheter system for angioplasty procedures, which provides for the replacement of the catheter or the guidewire during the procedure. The intravascular catheter has a guidewire-receiving inner lumen extending along its length. A first guidewire port is provided in the catheter body at or near the proximal end of the catheter. A second guidewire port is provided in the catheter body at a location spaced distally from the first guidewire port and proximally from a diagnostic or therapeutic tool, such as a dilatation balloon, on a distal portion of the catheter. A third guidewire port is provided in the distal end of the catheter. The guidewire ports are in communication with the guidewire-receiving inner lumen.

This invention generally relates to a catheter system which is suitable for intravascular procedures such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and which allows for the exchange of guidewires and catheters during such procedures.
In classic PTCA procedures, a guiding catheter having a preshaped distal tip is percutaneously introduced into the cardiovascular system of a patient. The guiding catheter is advanced until its preshaped distal tip is disposed within the aorta adjacent the ostium of the desired coronary artery. The guiding catheter is twisted or torqued from the proximal end to turn the distal tip of the guiding catheter, so it can be guided into the coronary ostium.
A dilatation catheter having a balloon on its distal end and a guidewire slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the dilatation catheter are introduced into and advanced through the guiding catheter to its distal tip. The distal tip of the guidewire is usually manually shaped (i.e. curved) by the physician or one of the attendants before the guidewire is introduced into the guiding catheter along with the dilatation catheter.
The guidewire is first advanced out the distal tip of the guiding catheter, which is seated in the ostium of the patient's coronary artery, into the patient's coronary artery. A torque is applied to the proximal end of the guidewire, which extends out of the patient, to guide the curved or otherwise shaped distal end of the guidewire as the guidewire is advanced within the coronary anatomy until the shaped distal end of the guidewire enters the desired artery. The advancement of the guidewire within the selected artery continues until it crosses the lesion to be dilated.
The dilatation catheter is then advanced out of the distal tip of the guiding catheter, over the previously advanced guidewire, until the balloon on the distal extremity of the dilatation catheter is properly positioned across the lesion. Once properly positioned, the flexible, relatively inelastic balloon is inflated to a predetermined size with radiopaque liquid at relatively high pressures (e.g., 4–12 atmospheres) to dilate the stenosed region of the diseased artery. The balloon is then deflated, so the dilatation catheter can be removed from the dilated stenosis and blood flow can then be resumed.
Further details of guiding catheters, dilatation catheters, guidewires, and the like for angioplasty procedures can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,071 (Simpson-Robert); U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,185 (Lundquist); U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,224 (Enzmann et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,972 (Samson); U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,622 (Samson et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,929 (Samson et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,185 (Samson); U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,652 (Simpson); U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,805 (Powell); U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,986 (Morrison et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,577 (Badger et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,982 (Horzewski et al.) which are incorporated by reference.
Recently, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., introduced into the marketplace an improved dilatation catheter which is described and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 07/550,801 (Yock), filed Jul. 9, 1990 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,982 (Horzewski et al.). This dilatation catheter has a short guidewire-receiving sleeve or inner lumen extending through just the distal portion of the catheter. The sleeve extends proximally at least 10 cm, typically about 25 cm, from a guidewire port in the distal end of the catheter to another guidewire port in the wall of the catheter. A slit is provided in the catheter wall. The slit extends distally from the second guidewire port to a location proximal to the proximal end of the inflatable balloon. The structure of the catheter allows for the rapid exchange of the catheter without the need for an exchange wire or adding a guidewire extension to the proximal end of the guidewire.
The catheter design embodying the Yock and Horzewski et al. improvements has been widely praised by members of the medical profession and has met with much commercial success in the market place. Nonetheless, there are some inconveniences in its use because the catheter does not allow for the exchange or replacement of the guidewire. For example, the shaped distal tip of the guidewire may become deformed in use or the shape of the distal tip or the size of the guidewire may be found to be no longer suitable for the particular procedure within the patient's vasculature. In this instance the physician might want to remove the guidewire and reshape the distal tip or replace the first guidewire with another having the desired size, stiffness or shape.
When the guidewire in a dilatation catheter system embodying the Yock and Horzewski et al. improvements is removed, however, access to the desired arterial location through the distal guidewire lumen of the catheter is lost. Unfortunately, there is no way to clinically determine before the guidewire is inserted into the patient in an angioplasty procedure whether a guidewire or a catheter will have to be exchanged during the procedure.

Catheter system with catheter and guidewire exchange