A battery accommodation casing includes a casing member having an approximate flat shape to house a laminate-sheathed cell therein in a sealing manner, a recess having a hollow shape in cross section and formed on a surface of the casing member, and a gas release mechanism located on a wall of the recess and releasing gas to outside, the gas being emitted from the laminate-sheathed cell within the casing member in an abnormal situation. Therefore, even where the casing member itself is somewhat deformed by the gas, the gas release mechanism can release the gas to outside, thus improving reliability in an abnormal situation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery accommodation casing for accommodating a laminate-sheathed cell, a battery module, and an assembled battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, from a viewpoint of weight saving, a cell sheathed with laminate films or a laminate-sheathed cell has gained attention as a power source of an electric vehicle (EV) powered by electricity or of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) in which an engine and a motor are combined.
The laminate-sheathed cell is generally provided with flexible laminate films, and a power generating element is sealed by thermal adhesion of the outer peripheries of the laminate films. Further, the laminate-sheathed cell is provided with electrode leads. One end of each electrode lead is electrically connected to the power generating element and the other end of each electrode lead protrudes the outside of the laminate films (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-345081). In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-345081, a gas release mechanism is also described. When gas generated within the cell reaches a predetermined pressure, this mechanism opens and releases gas to the outside.
Where the laminate-sheathed cell is used as a power source of an EV or a HEV, it is required to prevent corrosion of the laminate film over a long period of time to maintain a long life of the cell. In order to do so, it is considered to contain the laminate-sheathed cell in a battery accommodation casing in a hermetically sealed manner to seal out moisture.

Battery accommodation casing, battery module and assembled battery


Logical hybrid ring arrangements are disclosed which can withstand a cut communication path or a failed node. A logical ring is formed by a cascade of (i) physical hybrid ring segments, each composed of a pair of unidirectional communication paths propagating multiplexed subchannels and interposed add-drop multiplexer nodes, and (ii) cross-connect nodes terminating the segments. Each cross-connect node routes an incoming subchannel from one segment to an outgoing subchannel on another segment. Each segment may operate at a different multiplexed signal rate, so a logical ring can be composed of segments operating at different rates. Moreover, subchannels on an incoming segment may be allocated to a plurality of outgoing segments, thereby configuring multiple logical rings which may serve to balance communication traffic over the logical rings.

A ring communications network is made up of nodes that are connected in tandem by a unidirectional communications path. Each node receives transmissions from the adjacent upstream node, and if the communication is destined for a downstream node, the communication is re-transmitted to the adjacent downstream node. Otherwise, each node transmits its own communications to the adjacent downstream node.
A drawback of such a network is that a break in the ring would prevent any node upstream of the break from communicating with any node downstream of the break. Similarly, the complete failure of a node would have the same effect as a break in the ring.
Many designs have been proposed to minimize these difficulties. The most common approach is to provide a second communications ring parallel to the first. In that case, a fault in one ring could be bypassed by transferring communications to the second ring. Alternatively, if the second ring transmitted in the opposite direction as the first, a break in both rings between two adjacent nodes could be remedied by the nodes on either side of the break looping back communications received on one ring onto the other ring. Such a system is described in McNeilly et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,798.
The main problem with such approaches is that the equipment required to detect and locate a fault, and then appropriately reconnect transmitters and receivers with the alternate ring, is complicated and costly.
An approach that alleviates some of these difficulties is described in Lau, U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,763, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. In Lau, a subrate multiplexed signal is utilized for ring communications. Each node has the capability of demultiplexing the main signal into its constituent subrates (channels), and channels destined for that node (local channels) are sent to receiving equipment within the node, while channels destined for downstream nodes (through channels) are multiplexed with originating local channels, and the resultant high level signal is transmitted to the adjacent downstream node. This process is simultaneously performed using identical equipment in the node for a second ring transmitting in the opposite direction. If a node detects a fault in an incoming line, an error signal is placed on all of the channels following the demultiplexing. The receiving equipment in each node includes a selector which monitors the communications arriving on each local channel from both rings. If an error signal is detected on a local channel, the selector selects the communication from the associated channel of the other ring to send to the receiver.
In this way, a break in both rings between two adjacent nodes will not cause a failure in the system, and no complicated fault locating and switching equipment is required to continue service. Similarly, the complete failure of a node will not destroy communications among the remaining nodes.
It should be noted that unlike prior survivable ring arrangements which maintain their ring characteristics following a fault, the arrangement of Lau ceases functioning as a ring if the ring is broken. However, communications among the nodes is maintained following such a break. For this reason, the arrangement of Lau has been called a hybrid ring, since it normally operates as a ring, but does not operate as a ring following a break in the ring or the loss of a node.
In Lau, an arrangement for interconnecting two autonomous but interrelated rings is disclosed. In this arrangement, simultaneous breaks in both rings can be compensated without loss of communications between any two nodes. The arrangement employs a master node from each ring and two unidirectional paths connected between the master nodes to couple the two rings. Even though the rings are protected from breaks in each ring, an outage in either master node or a unidirectional path breaks the communication path from one interrelated ring to the other.
From the aspect of the capacity of rings to carry multiplexed signals, it must be pointed out that because communication among different nodes are multiplexed to only one signal, traffic-carrying capacity (bandwidth) of this signal can be readily exhausted. When this happens, increasing ring capacity is costly and complicated. Links between all adjacent nodes as well as all nodes have to operate at the same rate, which has to be chosen to accommodate the largest anticipated combined communications requirement among all nodes. This is costly. Another problem with rings is interconnection of multiple rings. Synchronization of ring operation is complicated, especially under failure condition and when multiple rings are interconnected.

Self-healing meshed network using logical ring structures


A retaining device for PCI card includes a chassis, a clipping plate configured for retaining a PCI card, and a latch member. The chassis has a rear wall. A mounting bracket secured on the rear wall. A blocking wall perpendicularly extends from the rear wall. The mounting bracket includes a sidewall opposite to the blocking wall. The clipping plate includes a first end engaged with the chassis and a second end abutting on the sidewall of the mounting bracket. The latch member is tightly sandwiched between the blocking wall of the chassis and the sidewall of the mounting bracket. The latch member depresses the second end of the clipping plate thereby forcing the second end of the clipping plate to abut against the sidewall of the mounting bracket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to retaining devices, more particularly to a retaining device for PCI card.
2. Description of Related Art
Peripheral component interconnect cards (PCI) are widely used in computers. PCI is a kind of bus structure, which is used for connecting to modem cards, monitor cards, sound cards or other peripheral equipment. The common fixing manner for PCI cards usually involves screws. Such a manner not only requires screws but also a screwdriver, which is time-consuming and troublesome, and the screws are easily lost. Moreover, if a screw falls on the PCB and is not noticed, damage may occur when the computer is powered up. Furthermore, with the development of computers, more and more components are needed to be installed in the computer. The space in the computer enclosure will be occupied by a mass of electronic components so that not enough space for operating a screwdriver will exist.
What is needed, therefore, is a retaining device for simply securing PCI cards in a compact computer enclosure.


For processing digital communication traffic in a network comprising a central communication processing structure (402, 403; 502, 503) and a number of separate devices (401, 405; 501, 505) of users designed for communication with the central communication processing structure, each time, a communication coming from one of the separate devices (401; 501) is received which communication is addressed to another of the separate devices (405; 505). It is then checked whether the received communication meets at least one condition applicable to the communication or the sender (401; 501). In reaction to meeting the condition, a message is added to the communication and the communication including the added message is sent to the addressed device (405; 505).

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for distributing communications to mobile recipients.
Such a method is known from European patent application 1 073 293 and from international patent application WO 01/50793. According to these known methods, mobile, addressable telecommunication devices, according to these examples mobile telephones, are registered in a database and, on the basis of data stored in the database, which determine for the respective devices to what extent advertising messages may be sent to these devices, advertising messages to be distributed are sent to the respective devices.
A drawback of these manners of distributing advertising messages is that they are sent as separate communications, which involves relatively high costs, and the user of the device on which the message has been received needs to separately operate and consult the device in reaction to signaling receipt of a message, to then conclude that the received communication merely contains an advertising message. A further drawback is that the advertising messages can only be distributed to devices of users who are registered, which limits the size of the population of users to whom the advertisement can be sent.
A variant of such a method is described in international patent application WO 01/22748, according to which, by means of a mobile telecommunication device, a request is sent to receive messages, such as route information or information regarding places which are touristically or otherwise important, depending on the occurrence of certain conditions, such as the position of the device, which may, for instance, have been determined by means of an incorporated GPS receiver. Here, it is provided that communications are sent in combination with an advertising message to be distributed if space is present for this. Although this obviates the drawbacks that the advertising messages are separately sent and the user needs to separately operate and consult his device when the advertising message is received, the population of users of mobile devices which can be reached with advertisements is further limited, because they can only be reached if they have requested conditional requests for sending information and if the respective condition which occasions the sending of information occurs.

Method and apparatus for distributing messages to mobile recipients


A digital pressure gauge comprises a power supply, an input button unit, a pressure sensor, a display unit, a warning unit, and a control unit. The control unit counts the number of operations and/or operation duration of the digital pressure gauge and generates an alarm through the display unit and the warning unit when the counted number of operations and/or operation duration of the digital pressure gauge exceeds a threshold.

According to the regulation of U.S. code for standard pressure gauge (ANSI-SP9), the commercially available digital pressure gauge requires calibration after 10,000 times of operation to ensure the accuracy thereof.
Moreover, according to the regulation of European code (EN1060-3: 1997 code 9.2a), the digital pressure gauge requires calibration requires calibration after 2 years of operation to ensure the accuracy thereof.
However, the current digital pressure gauge is generally provided the function of detecting operation times and duration. Therefore, the users do not have sufficient information for their digital pressure gauges and the accuracy of the digital pressure gauge cannot be ensured.


A method and circuit for a data processing system provide virtualized instructions for accessing a partitioned device (e.g., 14, 61) by executing a control instruction (47, 48) to encode and store an access command (CMD) in a data payload with a hardware-inserted partition attribute (LPID) for storage to a command register (25) at a physical address (PA) retrieved from a special purpose register (46) so that the partitioned device (14, 61) can determine if the access command can be performed based on local access control information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed in general to data processing systems. In one aspect, the present invention relates to system resource management in a data processing system that employs more than one partition.
2. Description of the Related Art
In data processing systems, the physical or hardware resources may be divided into resource subsets or logical partitions which virtually operate as a separate computer, where each partition typically contains a processor core and other specified resources or specified portions of a resource such as memory within the system. Existing partitioning strategies of replicating all the required hardware on a per-processor basis does not scale past a small number of multi-threaded processors because of the increased requirements for die area, wiring, and system memory, as well as the attendant system memory management issues. Partitioned systems also present challenges in determining, for a received access request, which partition, if any, is to respond to the access request. For example, when a request to access a system resource is received, access permission is typically determined based on attributes associated with the request, but the hardware and processing requirements associated with this process can be very significant.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system and methodology for managing system resources in a partitioned data processing system that address various problems in the art where various limitations and disadvantages of conventional solutions and technologies will become apparent to one of skill in the art after reviewing the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings and detailed description which follow, though it should be understood that this description of the related art section is not intended to serve as an admission that the described subject matter is prior art.

Virtualized instruction extensions for system partitioning


A pedestrian detection apparatus of the present invention extracts a whole-body region and a prospective head region based on a pattern matching between an input image picked up by an infrared camera and whole-body/head model images stored in a model-image storage unit. If the whole-body region has not been recognized, the prospective head region which is at the closest position to a prospective head region recognized from a preceding input image is recognized from the current input image, and an image matching with the head model image of the recognized prospective head region is determined to be a head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pedestrian detection apparatus for recognizing a pedestrian from an input image picked up by an image pick-up device based on a pattern matching between the input image and an entire profile (or a whole body/part) model images.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known technique of recognizing a pedestrian on a street, a whole or part of a body of the pedestrian is recognized on the basis of a pattern matching between an image picked up by a camera and model images.
When the whole body of the pedestrian is recognized on the basis of the pattern matching using the model images, a stable recognition accuracy can be obtained. In this method, however, many model images corresponding to motions of the pedestrian are required, and thus an operation processing is complicated and a high-capacity memory must be provided.
On the other hand, in a method of recognizing the pedestrian by using the model image for a part of the body, the recognition accuracy is decreased disadvantageously.
In order to overcome these problems, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-24986 discloses a technique of recognizing the pedestrian based on images of the right and left sides of an object which have been picked up by using visible cameras placed on the right and left. In this known art, the pedestrian is recognized on the basis of a parallax of the right and left cameras, and thus no model image is required.
In the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, images of an area ahead of a vehicle are picked up by using visible cameras. However, when there is no light source for illuminating the pedestrian, e.g., during the night, an image of sufficient quality can hardly be obtained by the visible camera. On the other hand, a stereo camera has a more complicated entire system compared to a monocular camera and the product cost increases disadvantageously.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-105891, by scanning the area ahead of the vehicle by using a radar sensor, the area can be recognized day and night. However, the circumstances ahead of the vehicle during the night and the state of recognition of the circumstances cannot be visually presented to a driver.


A method and apparatus for sharing peripheral devices between multiple execution domains of a hardware platform are described. In one embodiment, the method includes the configuration end-point devices, bridges and interconnects of a hardware platform including at least two execution domains. When a configuration requests is issued from an execution domain, the configuration requests may be intercepted. Hence, the received configuration request is not used to configure the peripheral end-points, bridges or interconnects of the hardware platform. Configuration information decoded from intercepted configuration request may be stored as virtual configuration information. In one embodiment, configuration information is read from a target of the configuration request to identify actual configuration information. This actual configuration information may be stored within a translation table and mapped to the virtual configuration information to enable translation of domain specific addresses to real (actual) addresses. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Partitioning of hardware platform enables the use of multiple execution domains within a single hardware platform. Various types of partitioning exist including, for example, firm partitioning as well as hard partitioning. In firm partitioning, portions of an input/output (I/O) subsystem may be shared among execution domains. One type of firm partitioning is referred to as embedded partitioning. Embedded partitioning is a scheme of partitioning a multi core system, which allows an embedded partition to provide various value added capabilities to the operating system(s) running on non-embedded partitions, referred to herein as legacy partitions.
Embedded partitioning differs from server partitioning since server partitioning dedicates hardware resources to partitions. Conversely, embedded partitioning requires that parts of the platform are shared among partitions. For example, embedded partitions may run on different processor cores and access different portions of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), but may share portions of the I/O subsystem. One difference between embedded partitioning and firm partitioning is that embedded partitioning may run modified operating systems (OS) that are partitioning aware, whereas firm partitioning is limited to running a legacy OS.
A virtual machine architecture logically partitions a physical machine, such that the underlying hardware of the machine is time-shared and appears as one or more independently operating virtual machines (VMs.) A virtual machine monitor (VMM) creates the VM and runs on a computer to facilitate, for other software, the abstraction of one or more VMs. Each VM may function as a self-contained platform, running its own operating system (OS) and application software. The software running in a VM is collectively referred to herein as guest software.
The guest software expects to run as if it were running on a dedicated computer rather than a VM. That is, the guest software expects to control various events and have access to hardware resources on a computer (e.g., physical machine.) The hardware resources of a physical machine may include one or more processors, resources resident on the processor (e.g. control registers cashes and others), memory (instructions residing in memory, e.g. descriptive tables,) and other resources (e.g. peripheral (I/O) devices) that reside in the physical machine.
As described herein execution domains may refer to the various partitions of a hardware platform, as well as the various virtual machines of hardware platform or other like execution domain. The various execution domains running on the single hardware platform may each run a separate OS that attempts to enumerate a device tree and configure the bridges, interconnects and end-point devices that are discovered during an interconnect scan. If each execution domain independently configures the device tree and is without knowledge of other execution domains, conflicting configurations are possible. Hence, the sharing of configuration and enumeration of peripheral end-point devices between multiple execution domains may result in conflicting configurations. Conflicting configurations can render some or all peripheral end-point devices/functions inaccessible, or cause such devices/functions to operate in an unintended matter.

Apparatus and method for sharing devices between multiple execution domains of a hardware platform


The subject matter is directed to a parallel array of optical amplifiers and is also directed to equally sharing the optical power supplied by a plurality of optical pumps among the array of optical amplifiers such that if one of the pumps fails the power outputted by the remaining pumps is still equally shared among the array of optical amplifiers.

Various "dense wavelength-division multiplexing" (DWDM) solutions presently studied for the relief of capacity limitations in optical fiber communications systems include network elements with optical amplifiers for multiple-wavelength optical signals. Access to the DWDM system is provided at points where a single constituent wavelength is added to, or dropped from the DWDM path. A major obstacle in the way of implementing cost-effective add/drop access to individual wavelengths of the DWDM signal path has been the high cost of the optical amplifiers required on each single-wavelength input. In addition, the physical space and electrical power required by the optical amplifiers made it impossible to provide the number of single-wavelength inputs on one circuit pack that would be necessary to offer access to any one of N wavelength positions in a multi-wavelength input amplifier pack, where N>1.
In Multi-wavelength Optical NETworks (MONET), per-wavelength constituent signals are cross-connected or locally accessed (add/drop). In the case of the composite multi-wavelength signals, high power optical amplifiers are typically used at each input and output of the system to boost the signal powers to the required value. In the case of the multiple single-wavelength access, multiple amplifiers would be required to individually boost each single wavelength signal level. This renders the system too costly.
Additionally, all optical communications systems including amplifiers or network elements, require that all signals entering and leaving the system be monitored for integrity. This helps in fault detection and localization of a detected fault. There are various techniques for performance monitoring (see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,439 issued May 31, 1994), but all require monitoring the integrity of the incoming and outgoing signals.

Shared-pump multi-fiber optical amplifier


The apparatus for deployment of a therapeutic device such as a micro-coil provides for a pusher member and a connector fiber for securing the therapeutic device to the pusher member. The connector fiber passes adjacent to a distal heating end of an elongated, flexible heat pipe member within the distal portion of the pusher member, for heating and breaking the connector fiber to release the therapeutic device when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for interventional therapeutic treatment or vascular surgery for treatment of defects in the vasculature, and more particularly concerns a system and method for delivering intravascular interventional devices, such as for treatment of aneurysms.
2. Description of Related Art
Vascular interventional devices such as vasoocclusive devices are typically placed within the vasculature of the human body by use of a catheter. Vascular interventional devices such as stents can be placed within an occluded vessel to facilitate blood flow through the vessel, and vasoocclusive devices are typically either placed within a blood vessel to block the flow of blood through a vessel making up that portion of the vasculature through the formation of an embolus, or are placed within an aneurysm stemming from the vessel to form such an embolus within the aneurysm. Stents can have a wide variety of configurations, but generally need to be placed and then released at a desired location within a blood vessel. Vasoocclusive devices used for these procedures can also have a wide variety of configurations, and aneurysms have been treated with external surgically placed clips, detachable vasoocclusive balloons and embolus generating vasoocclusive devices such as one or more vasoocclusive coils.
The delivery of such vasoocclusive devices have typically been accomplished by a variety of means, including via a catheter in which the device is pushed through an opening at the distal end of the catheter by a pusher to deploy the device. The vasoocclusive devices can be produced in such a way that they will pass through the lumen of a catheter in a linear shape and take on a complex shape as originally formed after being deployed into the area of interest, such as an aneurysm.
Some conventional vasoocclusive devices are operated by pulling or jerking the catheter tip from the balloon, thus potentially compromising the position of the implant. One such device provides for an endovascular wire and tip that can be separated from the holding wire mechanically or electrolytically for the formation of thrombus in blood vessels. However, such devices that release the interventional device by mechanically breaking an intermediate section between the catheter tip and balloon can potentially leave broken or jagged ends that can potentially injure the vasculature.
One conventional releasable balloon catheter used to embolize vascular lesions has a tube portion made of a material such as a hydrophilic polymer, located between the catheter and the balloon, that can be broken by torsion of the tube. The tube can be melted by heating the tube, or can be dissolved in the blood when heated, and electrodes are provided for heating the tube. Another conventional technique for separating a balloon from a balloon catheter involves the melting and breaking of a connecting member made from polyvinyl alcohol or trans-polyisoprene between the balloon and the catheter body, when power is supplied to electrodes provided for heating the connecting member. When the connecting member is heated to temperatures of about 70xc2x0 C. and slight tension is applied, the balloon can be separated from the main catheter body. However, such devices that release the interventional device by melting or dissolving the intermediate section between the catheter tip and balloon can also potentially release undesirable particles of materials into the bloodstream.
There is therefore a need for a precise method of deploying therapeutic interventional devices without compromising the position of the implant, without presenting broken or jagged ends that can potentially injure the vasculature, and without releasing undesirable particles of materials into the bloodstream.
The transmittal of energy of various types through a catheter to a remote location in the body has been used in the past, both for therapeutic purposes and to perform actuation or chemical reactions for delivery systems. In one such system, a temporary stent formed from a coil of tubular thermoplastic material is delivered activated for use by a heating element. The thermoplastic stent body is introduced into the vessel to be supported and is then heated by the heating element above its softening temperature and expanded to a second dimension in order to support the vessel. Cooling of the stent body allows the stent to temporarily support the vessel, and the stent body can be heated at a later time to soften and remove the stent from the vessel. However, the thermoplastic stent body contains an electrical resistance heating element, and heat is generated in the stent by a current is passed through electrically conductive wires.
An endovascular stent and delivery system is also known in which a partially cured material is delivered to a selected site in a blood vessel and is then crosslinked in the blood vessel by laser light energy delivered to the partially cured material. The delivery system can also use thermal energy as from a resistive heating element, radio frequency energy, or beta rays in order to cause the crosslinking.
A flexible guide is also known that is formed from a two-way shape memory alloy for use in non-invasive procedures. The device comprises an elongated, flexible guide having a core of a shape memory alloy which allows for tip-deflection and rotational movement to the guide wire in response to heating provided by transmission of an electrical current through the shape memory alloy.
Another catheter is known that is composed of a main body fitted with a shape memory alloy, with a liquid injector for supplying a warming liquid such as a physiological saline or transfusion solution when the shape memory alloy is to recover an original shape.
In another delivery system for an occlusive device, energy is transmitted through a catheter to a coil and a polymeric material to occlude an aneurysm. The polymeric material is solidified by light, heat or RF energy emitted from the end of a light or energy emitting device placed outside the distal end of the guiding catheter.
A common problem with such known delivery and activation systems, conveying heat by such methods as warm liquids, light, electrical energy, radio frequency energy or beta rays, is that they are typically highly inefficient or not particularly powerful, so that once a device to be delivered is placed in the desired location, there can be a delay while sufficient thermal energy is conducted to the activation site, or in the process heat energy can be radiated or otherwise lost during transmission. It would therefore be desirable to provide a thermal energy activated delivery system for vascular interventional devices that is highly efficient and immediate, and can allow the delivery of a necessary amount of thermal energy to a specific location for deployment of an interventional device.
Heat pipes are known as extremely efficient heat transfer devices, and are much more efficient than solid metal heat sinks, for example. Such heat pipes typically have a hollow interior chamber that has been evacuated, then filled with a small amount of working fluid, and sealed. When heat is applied to one end, serving as an evaporator end, the fluid vaporizes, and carries the heat in the vaporized working fluid extremely rapidly to the other end, serving as a condenser end, where the latent beat of vaporization is released as the vapor condenses back into liquid form. The working fluid is then carried back in liquid form to the evaporator end by capillary action. There is thus a need for application of a flexible heat pipe for conducting heat to a specific desired site for the purpose of deploying interventional devices such as stents and occlusive devices. The present invention meets these and other needs.
Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention provides a precise system and method for efficiently and cleanly releasing a therapeutic device such as a vasoocclusive coil, a stent, or other therapeutic device for use in interventional therapy and vascular surgery, and which is particularly adapted to be inserted into a portion of a vasculature for treatment of a body vessel such as an aneurysm without compromising the position of the implant.
In a presently preferred aspect of the invention, the intravascular delivery system for release and deployment of a therapeutic device within the vasculature of a patient comprises an elongated, flexible heatpipe pusher member; a therapeutic device to be placed within the vasculature of a patient; and a shape memory device detachably mounting the therapeutic device for placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature, the shape memory device having a closed configuration connecting the therapeutic device to the flexible heat pipe pusher member, and an open configuration for detaching and deploying the therapeutic device from the flexible heat pipe pusher member when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved. The shape memory device is typically a shape memory collar disposed on one of the therapeutic device and the flexible heat pipe pusher member and connects the therapeutic device and the heat pipe pusher member, and in a presently preferred embodiment, the shape memory device is a shape memory collar disposed on the distal tip of the flexible heat pipe pusher member and connecting the therapeutic device to the flexible heat pipe pusher member. In a presently preferred embodiment, the shape memory collar is made of nickel titanium alloy.
In a presently preferred aspect of the invention, the elongated, flexible heat pipe pusher member comprises a flexible heat pipe having a hollow interior chamber containing a working fluid, the flexible heat pipe having a metal evaporator end portion for conducting heat to the working fluid in the interior chamber of the heat pipe, a flexible insulated mid-portion, and a metal condenser end portion for conducting heat from the working fluid to the shape memory device. In another presently preferred aspect, the insulated mid-portion comprises an outer covering of resinous material so that the mid-portion does not radiate heat. The flexible heat pipe typically comprises a metal hollow tube, and in a presently preferred embodiment, the metal hollow tube is formed from a beryllium copper alloy. In another presently preferred aspect, the evaporator end portion comprises a stainless steel portion for conducting heat to the metal hollow tube and the working fluid in the interior chamber of the heat pipe, and the condenser end portion is partially covered with polytetrafluoroethylene, leaving a distal end portion of the condenser end portion exposed to transfer heat to the shape memory collar.
The shape memory collar can be heated to thereby assume a configuration disconnecting the therapeutic device and the flexible heat pipe pusher member, and the heat pipe pusher member advantageously can be connected to a heat source for transferring heat to the collar to induce the collar to detach the therapeutic device from the flexible heat pipe pusher member. In one presently preferred embodiment, the therapeutic device comprises a stem, and the collar clamps onto the stem. The therapeutic device can comprise a vasoocclusive coil, a stent, or another similar therapeutic device adapted to be placed in the vasculature.
The invention thus also provides for a method for release and deployment of a therapeutic device within the vasculature of a patient. In a presently preferred embodiment, the steps of the method comprise providing a therapeutic device to be placed within the vasculature of a patient; providing an elongated, flexible heat pipe pusher member; providing a shape memory device; detachably mounting the shape memory device to one of the therapeutic device and the elongated, flexible heat pipe pusher member, the shape memory device having a closed configuration connecting the therapeutic device to the flexible heat pipe pusher member, and an open configuration for detaching and deploying the therapeutic device from the flexible heat pipe pusher member when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within a patient""s vasculature is achieved; positioning the therapeutic device at a desired placement within a patient""s vasculature; and disconnecting the therapeutic device from the elongated, flexible heat pipe pusher member, thereby deploying the therapeutic device. In a presently preferred aspect of the method of the invention, the step of disconnecting the therapeutic device from the elongated, flexible heat pipe pusher member comprises causing heat to be transmitted through the flexible heat pipe member to the shape memory collar to heat the shape memory collar to cause the shape memory collar to expand to release the therapeutic device.
The present invention also provides for an apparatus for release and deployment of a therapeutic device within the vasculature of a patient, comprising an elongated, flexible pusher member having an interior lumen and a distal portion, and a connector fiber detachably mounting the therapeutic device to the pusher member for placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature, the connector fiber being capable of being broken by heat. An elongated, flexible heat pipe member is disposed within the interior lumen of the elongated, flexible pusher member, and has a distal heating end disposed adjacent to the connector fiber for heating the connector fiber to cause the connector fiber to break and release the therapeutic device for detaching and deploying the therapeutic device from the flexible pusher member when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved. In a presently preferred aspect, the connector fiber is formed from a thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene. In another presently preferred aspect, the pusher member includes at least one entry port communicating with the interior lumen of the pusher member, and the distal heating end of the heat pipe member is disposed in the interior lumen of the pusher member adjacent to the at least one entry port. In a preferred embodiment, the connector fiber extends from a proximal portion of the pusher member to form a loop through the connector ring, and back through the at least one port through the pusher member to the proximal portion of the pusher member. In another preferred aspect, the therapeutic device to be placed within the vasculature of a patient is connected to an annular connector ring, and the connector fiber mounting the therapeutic device to the pusher member passes through the connector ring to secure the therapeutic device to the pusher member.
These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example the features of the invention.

Apparatus for deployment of micro-coil using a catheter


A hydraulic valve assembly includes a first spool valve and a first selector valve for actuating a first hydraulic consumer port or a second hydraulic consumer port, and a second spool valve and a second selector valve for actuating a third hydraulic consumer port or a fourth hydraulic consumer port. A shut-off valve is arranged in a common pressure channel. A branch channel with first and second pressure branch channels branches off the pressure channel upstream of the shut-off valve. The first selector valve connects the first pressure branch channel to a first connection line in a first switching position and connects the second pressure branch channel to a second connection line in a second switching position. The second selector valve, in a first switching position, connects the first connection line to the control channel and, in a second switching position, connects the second connection line to the control channel.

In mobile hydraulic systems, it often happens that the hydraulic consumers to be controlled are divided into different consumer groups, which are subject to certain actuatability requirements. For safety reasons, among other things, the hydraulic consumers of each of the individual consumer groups should be essentially actuatable in parallel via a hydraulic valve assembly while the other hydraulic consumers of another consumer group should not be actuatable.
These requirements have to be fulfilled in mobile hydraulics, for example in mobile cranes or forestry vehicles, which have retractable and extendable supports as well as a versatile movable mast. For safety reasons, it must be ensured that the mast on such vehicles can only be actuated after the supports have been extended. In addition, the supports must not be retractable while the mast is being operated. This serves to prevent the forestry work vehicle from tipping over, as it is not possible to accidentally retract the supports and destabilize the vehicle while working with the mast.
Conventionally, two hydraulic valve assemblies are used for the implementation. A first hydraulic valve assembly actuates a first group of hydraulic consumers—for example hydraulic cylinders to control the supports—and a second hydraulic valve assembly actuates a second group of hydraulic consumers—for example hydraulic cylinders of the mast. The shut-off between the two hydraulic valve assemblies required for safety reasons is achieved via corresponding shut-off components, for example a shut-off valve.
With these well-known mobile hydraulic systems, however, one hydraulic valve assembly must be provided for each group of hydraulic consumers. It is therefore advisable to connect selector valves downstream of the control devices of the hydraulic valve assembly which, depending on the switching position, enable the first group of hydraulic consumers to be actuated or the second group of hydraulic consumers to be actuated with the same hydraulic valve assembly. This means that such a mobile hydraulic system can be provided without a shut-off component and with only one hydraulic valve assembly.
Nevertheless, it must be ensured that an unintentional actuation of different groups of hydraulic consumers is excluded in the event of a malfunction of the selector valves. For example, a malfunction may occur due to contamination if the selector valves are to be switched synchronously from a first switching position to a second switching position in order to actuate another group of hydraulic consumers, wherein one of the selector valves does not switch to the second switching position but remains in the first switching position. In this case, the supports and the mast can then be unintentionally actuated at the same time.

Hydraulic valve assembly with forced circuit


Provided is a Schottky emitter having the conical end with a radius of curvature of 2.0 μm on the emission side of an electron beam. Since a radius of curvature is 1 μm or more, a focal length of an electron gun can be longer than in a conventional practice wherein a radius of curvature is in the range of from 0.5 μm to not more than 0.6 μm. The focal length was found to be roughly proportional to the radius of the curvature. Since the angular current intensity (the beam current per unit solid angle) is proportional to square of the electron gun focal length, the former can be improved by an order of magnitude within a practicable increase in the emitter radius. A higher angular current intensity means a larger beam current available from the electron gun and the invention enables the Schottky emitters to be used in applications which require relatively high beam current of microampere regime such as microfocus X-ray tube, electron probe micro-analyzer, and electron beam lithography system.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electron beam control method, an electron beam generating apparatus, a device using the same, and an emitter.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Electron guns in electron beam based instruments use two types of cathodes (emitters); a thermionic emitter and a field emitter. A thermionic emitter uses a tungsten filament, a pointed emitter of a single crystal or a sintered compound of lanthanium hexaboride (LaB6) or cerium hexaboride (CeB6). The emitter is heated and caused to emit thermal excited electrons to thereby generate an electron beam. A field emitter uses a sharpened conical end of an electrode on the emission side of an electron beam and emits electrons by using a tunneling effect or a Schottky effect caused by a strong electric field applied to the conical end to thereby generate an electron beam.
Note that in a case where an analysis or observation is carried out in a small region, an electron beam with a high brightness is required in order to reduce a diameter thereof (here, the "brightness" is defined as the current density per unit solid angle of the electron beam). Therefore, in recent years, a field emitter has been adopted, instead of a thermionic emitter that has been conventionally employed, in a scanning electron microscope (hereinafter also referred to as "SEM" for short) and an electron probe microanalyzer (hereinafter also referred to as "EPMA" for short) as well as other electron beam based instruments; transmission microscopy, electron beam lithography, inspection tools, etc. in analysis or observation in a small region to thereby improve a spatial resolution.
There are two types of field emitters, a cold field emitter and a thermal field emitter. In the case of a cold field emitter, the conical end of an emitter is normally made from a single crystal fine tungsten wire and is subjected to a strong electric field at room temperature whereby electrons, in the single crystal, are emitted using a tunneling effect, so that an electron beam is generated. In the case of a thermal field emitter, the conical end of an emitter made from a single crystal fine tungsten wire coated with zirconium oxide (ZrO) is heated while being subjected to a strong electric field which causes electrons to be emitted using a Schottky effect, so that an electron beam is generated. Since a thermionic emitter uses a Schottky effect as described above, it is also called a Schottky emitter.
In a Schottky emitter, a zirconium oxide layer coating the conical end of the emitter has an effect of reducing a work function of a crystal face, formed in the conical end, and which is a (100) crystal plane. Therefore, a uniform, strong electron beam is emitted and extracted from the conical end. Note that a Schottky emitter technology is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 145,042 and 145,043.
In the case of a field emitter, as described above, the current density is, however, higher than that of a thermionic emitter. In the case of a field emitter, the electron source diameter, where an electron beam is emitted from in an electron gun configuration, is very small, as shown in FIG. 9B, in comparison with a thermionic emitter of FIG. 9A (FIG. 9B shows a Schottky emitter). An electron source diameter is several tens of μm in a case of a thermionic emitter, while in a field emitter represented by a Schottky emitter, an electron source diameter is several tens of nm. If an electron source area of a thermionic emitter is indicated by dSTE, and an electron source area of a field emitter is indicated by dSFE, the areas are different from each other by up to six orders of magnitude.
On the other hand, if a solid angle of an electron beam is indicated by dΩ and a beam current value (current value is indicated by Ib), a solid angle dΩ of the electron beam varies according to a beam current value Ib to be required. If an axial brightness of the electron beam is indicated by B, a beam current value Ib is given by the following equation (1) with an electron source area dS and a solid angle dΩ.Ib=B×(dS×dΩ)  (1)
In a case where a larger beam current is necessary, it is understood from equation (1) that an effective solid angle dΩ increases for fixed brightness and source area.
A Schottky emitter is much higher in brightness than a thermionic emitter (by about three orders of magnitude). However, since an electron source area dSFE is smaller than dSTE by up to six orders of magnitude, a solid angle dΩ of an electron beam in a case where the same beam current is secured is larger in a Schottky emitter than that in a thermionic emitter. That is, if a solid angle of an electron beam in a thermionic emitter is indicated by dΩTE and a solid angle of an electron beam in a field emitter represented by a Schottky emitter is indicated by dΩFE, a relation expressed by the following equation (2) is established.dΩFE>dΩTE  (2)
That is, an angular current density which is the current per unit solid angle for a Schottky emitter is smaller than that of a thermionic emitter although the Schottky emitter has a higher axial brightness than the thermionic emitter.
Since, with a larger solid angle, an electron beam is diverged, collimation is required. As a result, in a field emitter, an aberration in an accelerating and condenser lens section downstream from the emission side exerts a large influence, so that a characteristic of the emitter, which would be by nature high in brightness, is degraded by an influence of the aberration, and the "apparent brightness" decreases as a beam current increases. FIG. 10 is a graph showing relationships between a beam current value and brightness in the case where a Schottky emitter is employed as an example of a field emitter and the case where a tungsten filament emitter is employed as an example of a thermionic emitter. The abscissa is assigned to a beam current and the ordinate is used for plotting brightness. A dotted line is a curve concerning a tungsten filament emitter and a solid line shows a curve concerning a Schottky emitter. Note that in the Schottky emitter, the curve was obtained under the conditions where the emission current density js is 1.0×104 A/cm2, an emitter temperature T is 1800 K and an angular current density JΩSE is 0.429 mA/str, while for the thermionic emitter, the curve was obtained under the conditions where the emission current density js is 3 A/cm2, an emitter temperature T is 2800 K and an angular current density JΩW=140 mA/str. The term "W filament" indicates the tungsten filament operated in the thermionic mode and the term "SE" indicates the Schottky emitter.
In a case of a thermionic emitter represented by a tungsten filament, the angular current density is high; therefore a decrease in brightness is not problematical in a practical aspect giving a reduced brightness when the current is in the neighborhood of a value in the range of 10 μA to 20 μA. On the other hand, in a case of a field emitter represented by a Schottky emitter, an angular current density is lower and an electron source diameter is smaller; therefore, the brightness begins to decrease when the beam current is in the neighborhood of 1 nA and the brightness decreases by 6 orders of magnitude at a beam current 1 μA.
Since a beam current employed in a case of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is at a level of nA or less, no reduction in brightness is observed with a Schottky emitter in a case where the emitter is used in SEM. Thus, a Schottky emitter can be used in SEM. However, in a case of a device where a beam current at a level of sub μA or μA is required as in a electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA), reduction in the brightness is observed at a level of sub μA or μA for a Schottky emitter; therefore, even if a Schottky emitter is employed in instruments such as EPMA, only an electron beam with a low brightness can be used. Hence, it is impossible to employ a field emitter in instruments such as EPMA in a practical sense.

Electron beam control method, electron beam generating apparatus, apparatus using the same, and emitter


A recliner mechanism for a vehicle seat includes a guide plate and a gear plate. The gear plate has a plurality of internal gear teeth and a frustonical inner diameter. A hub is attached to a shaft that connects two recliners on opposite sides of the seat. The guide plate, the gear plate and a cam are retained on the hub by a retainer clip that has a frustoconical bearing surface. Two locking elements cooperate with the guide plate, and have a plurality of external gear teeth that selectively engage the internal gear teeth. When the cam rotates, the cam engages the cam surfaces with one of the engagement surfaces unlocking the external gear teeth from the internal gear teeth. Springs cooperate with the guide plate and the cam for locking the mechanism. The inner diameter of the gear plate is received on the frustoconical bearing surface of the retainer clip.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates reclining mechanisms for vehicle seating assemblies and, more specifically, to manually operated reclining mechanisms.
2. Background Art
Vehicle seats normally include a seat base and a seat back that are connected by a reclining mechanism that allows the seat back to be positioned to accommodate different body types and the personal comfort of seat occupants. Reclining mechanisms for vehicle seats permit the seat back to pivot to allow a passenger to recline or incline the seat.
Manually operated reclining mechanisms have a locked position in which the seat back cannot pivot and an unlocked position in which the seat back can be pivoted. The reclining mechanism is manually moved from a locked position to an unlocked position. Full engagement of the reclining mechanism must be assured in the locked position after adjusting the reclining mechanism.
Reclining mechanisms must meet or exceed performance specifications and must be simple for customers to use. The components of reclining mechanisms must be manufactured to close tolerances to assure acceptable performance. Components that do not meet tolerances requirements for components may lead to inconsistent results, unacceptable levels of scrap, and other manufacturing problems.
Recliner mechanisms generally include a gear plate and a guide plate that rotate relative to each other. Both plates may be formed of metal in a fine blanking operation to meet the required close tolerances. The gear plate and the guide plate may create a scraping noise when the recliner is used to adjust the position of the seat back. The scraping noise is caused by metal-to-metal contact between the gear plate and the guide plate. If the guide plate has a bearing surface proximate the gear teeth of the gear plate, there is a substantial likelihood of a scraping noise being created by the guide plate coming into contact with the gear teeth.
Reclining mechanisms are crash tested to verify performance of the mechanism. Manual reclining mechanisms include locking elements that are biased into engagement with the teeth of one of the gear plates by a spring to hold the seat in a desired orientation. The seat is adjusted by shifting the locking elements into a disengaged position in which the locking elements do not engage the teeth and then moving the seat back to the desired position. One criteria for crash testing of such reclining mechanisms is that they should not permit disengagement of the locking elements in the test.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the above problems and other problems that are addressed by this invention as summarized below.

Tapered retainer clip for reclining mechanism for vehicle seats


A waveform measuring apparatus can sequentially and continuously read measurement data from an acquisition memory, where the measurement data has been written by multiple acquisitions, after acquisition stops. The waveform measuring apparatus writes measurement data to the acquisition memory based on a trigger signal, and includes a pseudo trigger signal generation unit that continuously reads measurement data that is written in the acquisition memory.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a waveform measuring apparatus that writes measurement data to a memory for waveform data acquisition (hereinafter "acquisition memory") based on a trigger signal. In a waveform measurement instrument that can write multiple acquisition results by dividing the acquisition memory, such as a digital oscilloscope, this invention provides devices for sequentially referring to measurement data in multiple acquisition memories after the acquisition stops.
2. Description of the Related Art
Related art regarding a waveform measuring apparatus that writes measurement data to an acquisition memory based on a trigger signal is disclosed in publications such as Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First publication No. 5-119069.
FIG. 2 is a function block diagram of a general configuration of a conventional waveform measuring apparatus. Reference numeral 1 represents a processor that controls the overall apparatus. Reference numeral 2 represents a display unit that creates and displays display data, based on measurement data read from an acquisition memory.
Reference numeral 3 represents a trigger signal generation unit that generates a trigger signal by using an analog signal Ei, that is input to the apparatus, and preset conditions. Reference numeral 4 is an AD conversion unit that adjusts the analog signal Ei input to the apparatus to an appropriate level, samples it, digitizes it, and creates measurement data to be written in the acquisition memory.
Reference numeral 5 represents an acquisition control unit that is controlled by a control signal from the processor 1. Reference numeral 6 represents an acquisition memory having addresses of (n1+n2) bits and a data width of n3 bits. The acquisition memory 6 reads/writes measurement data based on the trigger signal.
In accordance with the control signal from the processor 1, the acquisition control unit 5 executes processing to write measurement data from the AD conversion unit 4 to the acquisition memory 6, and to pass measurement data that is read to the display unit 2.
An upper bit counter 7 and a lower bit counter 8 manage addresses for reading and writing to/from the acquisition memory 6, and are controlled by the acquisition control unit 5.
The upper bit counter 7 specifies the upper n1 bits of an address in the acquisition memory 6; an initial value of the upper bit counter 7 is set by the processor 1 via the acquisition control unit 5, and is incremented by 1 each time the trigger signal is generated.
The lower bit counter 8 specifies the lower n2 bits of an address in the acquisition memory 6; a clock signal is applied to the lower bit counter 8 from the processor 1 via the acquisition control unit 5, shifting the specified address.
When acquiring and writing measurement data, the processor 1 presets an initial value in the upper bit counter 7 via the acquisition control unit 5, and acquisition starts when a trigger signal is input. After acquisition starts, the acquisition control unit 5 supplies a clock to the lower bit counter 8, and the lower bit counter 8 sequentially generates addresses for storing the measurement data in the acquisition memory 6.
The output of the upper bit counter 7 is constant until the trigger signal generation unit 3 outputs the next trigger signal, so that the measurement data is stored within a range where the upper n1 bits of the address in the acquisition memory 6 are determined by the output of the upper bit counter 7.
When the trigger signal generation unit 3 outputs the next trigger signal, the acquisition control unit 5 adds 1 to the set value of the upper bit counter 7, thereby shifting the storage range in the acquisition memory 6 to another area.
If address management in the acquisition memory 6 is executed so that (n1+n2)=10, n1=3, and n2=7, the total number of addresses is 1024; these can be divided into areas of eight groups, each containing 128 addresses, by controlling the upper three bits.
To read and display the measurement data, the upper n1 bits of an address that corresponds to an area being read in the upper bit counter 7 are set by the processor 1 via the acquisition control unit 5, a clock signal of n2 bits is applied to the lower bit counter 8 via the acquisition control unit 5, and the measurement data in that area is read and passed to the display unit 2.
When the set value of the upper bit counter 7 is incremented, the measurement data displayed by the display unit 2 is initialized and new data is displayed. Data can also be overwritten by changing the setting of the display unit 2.
In conventional waveform measuring apparatuses, to read and display measurement data that is obtained by multiple acquisitions and written and stored in multiple areas of an acquisition memory, after acquisition stops, the user must either specify an area for display, then read and display data of one acquisition at a time, or overlap all the data and display them simultaneously.
This makes it impossible to reproduce waveforms that change at high speed with each acquisition, such as switching waveforms that change when a switching regulator circuit activates.

Waveform measuring apparatus for measuring waveform data and writing measurement data to acquisition memory


Sub-micron contacts/vias and conductive lines in a dielectric layer are formed by etching through a photoresist mask containing openings having a dimension less than that achievable by conventional photolithographic techniques. Such minimal size openings are obtained by initially forming an oversized opening by conventional photolithographic techniques and then reducing the size of the opening by forming a sidewall spacer, such as a dielectric sidewall spacer, within the opening. In an embodiment, a plurality of openings are formed in first photoresist layer, each of which openings is provided with a sidewall spacer. The openings are filled with a filling material, such as a second photoresist material, and the photoresist mask and sidewall spacers are removed leaving a plurality of masking portions containing the second photoresist material. An underlying conductive layer is then etched through masking portions to form conductive lines having sub-micron dimensions.

The escalating requirements for increased densification and performance in ultra-large scale integration semiconductor wiring require responsive changes in interconnection technology. High density demands for ultra-large scale integration semiconductor wiring require planarized conductive patterns comprising contacts/vias, conductive lines and/or interwiring spacings with a maximum dimension of less than about 0.35 microns.
A traditional method for forming interconnection structures comprises the use of a subtractive etching or etch back step as the primary metal patterning technique. Such a traditional method comprises depositing a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, typically monocrystalline silicon, and forming conductive contacts/vias in the insulating layer. A metal layer, such as tungsten, aluminum, or an alloy thereof, is deposited on the insulating layer, and a photoresist mask is formed on the metal layer having a pattern corresponding to the desired conductive pattern. The metal layer is then etched through the photoresist mask to form the conductive pattern. A dielectric layer is then applied to the resulting conductive pattern filling in the interwiring spaces between the conductive lines.
There are various problems attendant upon the traditional etch back technique. For example, it is difficult to form an adequately planarized layer subsequent to filling in the interwiring spacings between the conductive lines, as by conventional etching and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) planarization techniques, particularly with reduced interwiring spacings. In addition, the traditional etch back technique often results in the generation of voids in the filled-in interwiring spacings. Additional difficulties include trapping of impurities of volatile materials in the interwiring spacings thereby exposing the semiconductor device to potential damage. Moreover, it is difficult to provide adequate step courage using the traditional etch back technique.
Prior attempts to overcome the disadvantages of the traditional etch back technique involve the application of damascene to form a conductive pattern. Damascene is an art which has been employed for centuries in the fabrication of jewelry, and has recently been adapted for application in the semiconductor industry. Damascene basically involves the formation of an opening for a contact or via, or a trench, typically a substantially horizontally extending trench, which is filled with a metal. Thus, damascene differs from the traditional etch back technique of providing an interconnection structure by forming a pattern of trenches in a dielectric layer, which trenches are filled in with metal to form the conductive pattern followed by planarization vis-a-vis the traditional etch back technique of depositing a metal layer, forming a conductive pattern with interwiring spacings, and filling in the interwiring spacings with dielectric material. Double damascene techniques can be utilized to form both a contact/via and trench simultaneously filled with a conductive material.
As the design requirements for interconnection patterns become more severe in requiring maximum dimensions less than about 0.35 microns, particularly less than about 0.25 microns, the ability of conventional methodology to meet such demands with acceptable accuracy becomes increasingly more difficult. A limitation on achieving such fine dimensions resides in the inability of conventional photolithographic and etching techniques to satisfy the accuracy requirements for such fine feature sizes. Conventionally, in providing feature sizes having a small dimension, such as about 0.30 to about 0.40 microns or greater, I-line photolithography is employed. As the maximum dimension is reduced, e.g., to below about 0.30 microns, such as less than about 0.25 microns, it is necessary to resort to shorter wavelengths, such as deep ultra-violet light. However, it is very difficult to form fine line patterns or through-holes with a maximum dimension of about 0.25 microns or less with any reasonable degree of accuracy, consistency and efficiency, and to produce a controlled sidewall by a simple etching process.
In co-pending application Ser. No. 08/528,279 filed on Sep. 14, 1995, now Ser. No. 08/974,687 a method is disclosed for forming sub-micron contacts/vias and trenches in a dielectric layer, which method comprises forming an opening having an initial dimension and reducing the initial dimension by forming a dielectric sidewall in the opening to reduce the initial dimension to a smaller final dimension. The entire disclosure of co-pending application Ser. No. 08/528,279 now Ser. No. 08/974,687 is incorporated herein by reference. Japanese Patent Document 63-253647, Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,420 and UK Patent Application GB 2,251,722A disclose methods of forming contacts/vias in dielectric layers having a sidewall spacer therein.
There exists a need for a cost effective, simplified method of accurately forming interconnection structures with ultra-fine feature dimensions, e.g., less than about 0.25 microns. There also exists a need for a method of forming such ultra fine features using conventional photolithographic equipment without resort to e-beam or X-ray lithographic techniques.

Method for producing ultra-fine interconnection features


A method of identifying applications installed on a customer computer system by collecting signature information associated with installed binaries. The binaries are precisely identified by comparing the collected signature information to previously stored signatures. In a specific implementation the signatures comprise MD5 signatures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to software installation, and, more particularly, to software, systems and methods for verifying a number of installed binary programs.
2. Relevant Background
Software applications comprise a plurality of executable binary programs and data files that cooperate to perform program specified behaviors. While early software applications comprised an integral set of binary code, modern applications comprise a tens or hundreds of individual application components referred to as "binaries". The application is implemented by executing the plurality of binaries in a program-ordered sequence so as to implement the desired behavior. Each of the binaries can be associated with a signature such as an MD5 hash value that uniquely identifies the binary. An MD5 signature will change for different versions and different compilations of the binary, and so is a reliable identifier of the binary.
When application software is installed, the various binaries that make up the application are stored from a source file or installation file, which itself may comprise a plurality of files, into various locations within the file system of a computer upon which the application will execute. The file system may include network storage in addition to local storage. During execution, the various components interact with each other and with the operating system implemented on the computer to provide the desired application behavior. As the applications are often provided independently of the operating system, the developers of application software are often referred to as "independent software vendors" or "ISVs".
When a software application is installed, its constituent binaries are copied from an installation source file or files into various directories throughout the file system. The location of each binary in the file system is determined by the installation routines. In some cases applications are delivered as packages that are installed via an installation tool that maintains records of binary locations, making it easier to determine an accurate set of binaries on the particular computer. However, if even one application does not use standard package installation software precise installation records are not typically maintained. Further, binaries may be installed or modified manually after installation, making the installation records inaccurate or incomplete.
Hence, after installation, the operating system has no guaranteed knowledge of where each of the constituent binaries exist on a given system unless specific operating system services are used during the installation. Thereafter, when a given system is analyzed to determine if it will behave properly in response to an operating system change, the analysis typically relies on an imprecise determination of what applications are installed on the system. Accordingly, in current computer systems there is no readily accessible means to identify an accurate listing of installed applications and their constituent binaries.
Analyzing applications to ensure internal compatibility (i.e., compatibility between the binaries making up the application) is a relatively easy problem in that the ISV has control over all of the binaries. Testing applications to ensure external compatibility (i.e., compatibility with the operating systems) is more complex, but remains a finite problem in that the application can be tested against one or at most a few operating system specifications. However, in order to test a change in the operating system, the operating system provider must be able to test the changes against a large and often indeterminate number and variety of applications. Each of hundreds or thousands of binaries must be verified as compatible with the operating system changes. Moreover, this verification must be performed across not just one system, but against all applications that are supported by the operating system.
Operating system providers currently perform extensive testing of binaries to certify them as compatible with an operating system version or change. This testing is largely analytical in that the binary can be analyzed for compatibility with operating system interface specifications. A record of certified applications is maintained. However, it is impossible to certify every possible application. Moreover, because application software changes relatively rapidly, even a certified application may be updated after installation to include binaries that were not certified when the application was analyzed/tested. Hence, when an enterprise or user is considering updating the operating system, there is both real and perceived risk that an application will not function properly after the update. A need exists for a system and method for ensuring program compatibility with operating system changes.

System and method for verifying installed software


A particle monitor in the process chamber of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus provides a measure of a flux of contaminant particles in the chamber. The flux is measured whilst process conditions are produced in the process chamber and a process parameter is adjusted in response to the measured flux in order to reduce this flux during the process. In an ion implanter, the particle sensor measures the flux of particles entrained with the ion beam at a location in front of the wafer being processed.

Semiconductor manufacturing processes are used for creating and modifying structures in substrates of semiconductor material in order to create useful devices in the substrate. Many of these manufacturing processes are conducted on substrates or wafers of the semiconductor material held in a vacuum chamber and exposed to the desired process conditions. It is well understood that the processes can be affected in a harmful way by the presence on the surface of the substrate or wafer being processed of contaminant particulates which may be derived from within the process chamber. Unwanted particulates within the process chamber can be derived from a number of sources, including mechanically moving parts, electrical interactions such as arcing with interior surfaces in the vacuum chamber, and the disturbance, e.g. during venting, of pre-existing contaminant particulates within the chamber.
Embodiments and examples of this invention will be described herein with particular emphasis on ion implantation. However, the most general principles of the invention are also relevant to other semiconductor device manufacturing processes for which the presence of contaminant particulates can be a problem.
Sensors have been proposed for detecting and counting or measuring the flux of contaminant particulates within a process environment, typically in a vacuated chamber. Generally such sensors in the prior art use optical techniques in which a light source is directed into a sample region and light which may be scattered from contaminant particulates within the sample region is detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,048, for example, describes a particle detector which may be used, for example, in the field of ion implantation. The detector may be located within the vacuum chamber and light from a source is delivered to a sample region along an optical fibre. A further bundle of fibres is used to detect scattered light and communicate the scattered light signals to a sensor outside the chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,422 discloses an optical detector in which an optical cavity is formed having a laser medium. A sensing region is defined within the optical cavity and light scattered from contaminant particulates within the sensed region in the optical cavity is communicated to a detector.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,463,460 and 5,565,985 disclose a further particle monitoring sensor with provision for cleaning and preventing contamination of the windows proximate the sensing region through which light is directed from the source and through which scattered light may be detected.
None of the above prior art patent specifications describes in any detail the specific use which may be made of the signals derived from the disclosed particle detectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,648 discloses a particle detector located "in situ" in the process chamber of an ion implanter so as to detect particles flying off substrates on the scan wheel of the implanter as the substrates pass through the ion beam. A maximum flux of contaminant particulates for detection is assured by locating the detector on a tangent with respect to the scan wheel at a point where the scan wheel intersects the ion beam.
The disclosed detector is said to allow the particle level within the chamber to be monitored while wafers are still being processed, so that corrective action can be taken. No details of the nature of the corrective action are given.
In fact, hitherto in the implant art, in situ particle monitors, such as described in the above U.S. patent, have been used to provide an indication of excess particle count during a process, in order to produce an alarm to operators of the implanter so that the implant process can be "gracefully" terminated, possibly before irreparable damage is done to the wafers being processed. Corrective action can then be taken, which would typically be to perform a cleaning process on the implanter, involving repeated cycles of venting of the vacuum chamber and roughing. This cleaning process tends to dislodge particulates within the vacuum chamber and allow them to be pumped out so as to reduce the total number of particulates within the chamber.
Importantly, the corrective action known in the art involves stopping the process within the vacuum chamber, i.e. terminating the desired process conditions. Further, the corrective action would involve removing wafers from the process chamber before the above described cleaning procedure. Although in some cases it might then be possible to restart the process with the previously part processed wafers, in order to complete the processing of those wafers, this may not be practicable in many instances. The importance of prior art particle detection was to ensure that corrective action was taken before further batches of wafers are installed in the machine for subsequent processing.
Reference should also be made to the following published articles:    i) Integration of a Particle Monitor into the Control System for an Ion Implanter, Myers et al, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B74 (1993) pages 243–247;    ii) In Situ Particle Monitoring in a Varian E1000HP Ion Implanter, Sedgewick et al, IIT-94, pages 579 to 582;    iii) In Situ Particle Monitoring in a Varian Medium Current Implanter, Sedgewick et al, IIT-94, pages 583 to 587;    iv) Advanced In Situ Particle Monitor for Applied Materials Implanter Applications, Simmons et al, IIT-98, pages 570–573;    (v) Successful Integration of In Situ Particle Monitoring into a Volume 300 mm High Current Implant Manufacturing System, Simmons et al, IIT-2002, pages 323–326.
All the above papers disclose in situ particle monitors for use in implanters. Myers et al describes the use of such a monitor to anticipate the need to clean the process chamber and to halt a current process. When a lower threshold is exceeded an alarm is posted on completion of the current implant to allow the operator to perform maintenance. A higher threshold value being exceeded may cause the current implant to be stopped. Exceeding the higher threshold value may be the result of a so called catastrophic event, such as a wafer breakage within the chamber.
The second Simmons et al paper from IIT-2002 describes an in situ particle monitor which allows each batch of wafers being processed in a batch-type implanter to be monitored and the early detection of excess particle current. As a result, particle problems can be detected earlier and fewer batches are affected, before some corrective action is taken.
All the published papers listed above confirm the established state of the art view, that in situ particle monitors are useful for preventing a process continuing in the presence of an excessive particle count, so as to minimise the number of wafers or substrates which are improperly processed and effectively damaged.
In a further paper,
Experimental Evidence for Beam Particulate Transport in Ion Implanters, Sferlazzo et al, IIT-92, pages 565–569, an experiment is described in which artificial particulates are inserted into an ion beam and observed to be transported along the ion beam. A video camera is used to observe and record the presence of injected particles being transported by the ion beam. However, there is no discussion in this article of counting particles or measuring the flux of particles.

Semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and a method of controlling a semiconductor device manufacturing process


Embodiments are generally directed to generating novel images of an object having a novel viewpoint and a novel lighting direction based on sparse images of the object. A neural network is trained with training images rendered from a 3D model. Utilizing the 3D model, training images, ground truth predictive images from particular viewpoint(s), and ground truth predictive depth maps of the ground truth predictive images, can be easily generated and fed back through the neural network for training. Once trained, the neural network can receive a sparse plurality of images of an object, a novel viewpoint, and a novel lighting direction. The neural network can generate a plane sweep volume based on the sparse plurality of images, and calculate depth probabilities for each pixel in the plane sweep volume. A predictive output image of the object, having the novel viewpoint and novel lighting direction, can be generated and output.

Photographs of an object, such as a product or a good, taken from multiple viewing angles and lighting conditions can be useful for various reasons. For instance, buyers in online marketplaces may desire to view an item from different angles under different lighting conditions. The process of collecting dense (i.e., many) images of an object from all potential viewpoints and all potential lighting positions can be expensive and time consuming. For example, a light stage, having many cameras and lights distributed around an object, can facilitate the capturing of images from all viewing angles and/or lighting conditions. Thus, if a viewer desires to view the object from a particular viewing angle and/or lighting condition, the image taken from the particular viewing angle and/or lighting condition could be retrieved and presented to the user. Light stages are expensive, and generate great amounts of data that need to be stored, organized, and properly presented.
Another conventional technique for presenting objects with different viewing angles and/or lighting conditions relies on sparse (i.e., few) images of an object. By taking sparse photographs of the object from several angles, a 3D model reconstruction of the object can be generated and utilized to render the object from different viewpoints. Reconstructing an object for the purpose of rendering different viewpoints, may work well for rendering simple (e.g., simple, plain, smooth) objects. However, reconstruction is generally difficult and mostly inaccurate for complex (e.g., multi-faceted, obtuse, oddly-shaped) objects. Moreover, sparse image object reconstruction is typically limited to the specific lighting condition at which the sparse images were photographed.

Deep novel view and lighting synthesis from sparse images


A driver circuit limits the magnitude of the initial wave front launched onto a transmission line to a voltage that is approximately one-half of the supply voltage. Thus, immediately after the initial wave front is reflected from an open circuit receiver, a voltage at the receiver is approximately equal to the supply voltage when a rising voltage is launched, and ground when a falling voltage is launched.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to driver circuits and, more particularly, to a driver on an integrated circuit that limits the voltage of a wave front launched onto a transmission line.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital chips on a printed circuit board communicate with each other by sending and receiving streams of data across conductive traces, known as interconnects, which electrically connect the chips together. Common examples of interconnects include strip lines, microstrips, and cables which have conductors. A stream of data includes a sequence of logic highs and logic lows. A logic high is typically represented by a high voltage, while a logic low is typically represented by ground.
Recently, the time required for a signal to transition from a logic low to a logic high, known as the rise time, and the time required for a signal to transition from a logic high to a logic low, known as the fall time, has been significantly reduced. These reductions in rise and fall times, however, have significantly changed the way that the interconnects operate when transferring data from one chip to another chip.
Historically, the rise and fall times were relatively long with respect to the delay time required for a signal to propagate along an interconnect from one chip to another chip. As a result, an interconnect was typically modeled as a lumped capacitive load. More recently, however, with the reduced rise and fall times, the interconnects no longer respond as lumped capacitive loads, but instead now respond as transmission lines.
When a driver outputs a signal onto a transmission line, the voltage of the initial wave front is defined by a voltage divider using the source voltage, the source impedance, and the transmission line impedance as:Vi=Vs(Z0/Z0+Zs)where Vi is the voltage of the initial wave front, Vs is the voltage of the driver, Z0 is the characteristic impedance of the transmission line, and Zs is the output impedance of the driver.
For example, assume that a driver has a voltage of 5V and an output impedance of 25Ω. In addition, further assume that the transmission line has a characteristic impedance of 75Ω. In this example, the initial voltage of the wave front output from the driver has a magnitude of 3.75V=(5*(75/75+25).
When the input impedance of a receiver connected to the transmission line is different from the characteristic impedance of the transmission line, an impedance discontinuity is present. When an impedance discontinuity exists, some portion of the initial wave front is reflected from the receiver back to the driver. The amount of the initial wave front that is reflected back to the driver is defined by a reflection coefficient as:ρ=Zt−Z0/Zt+Z0 where ρ is the reflection coefficient, Zt is the impedance of the discontinuity, and Z0 is the characteristic impedance of the transmission line.
Thus, when the initial wave front hits a discontinuity at the receiver input, a voltage Viρ is reflected back from the receiver to the driver. As a result, immediately following the reflection, the total magnitude of the voltage on the transmission line at the input of the receiver is Vi+Viρ.
When a receiver input is shorted, the impedance of the discontinuity Zt is equal to zero. As a result, the reflection coefficient ρ is equal to −1 regardless of the value of the characteristic impedance Z0 of the transmission line. In this case, all of the initial wave front is reflected back negatively. As a result, the voltage seen by the input of the receiver is equal to Vi−Vi, or zero, immediately after the wave front has been reflected.
When a receiver input appears to be an open load, the impedance of the discontinuity Zt is equal to infinity. As a result, the reflection coefficient ρ is equal to +1 regardless of the value of the characteristic impedance Z0 of the transmission line. In this case, when an open load is present, all of the initial wave front is reflected back positively. As a result, the voltage seen by the input of the receiver is equal to Vi+Vi, or 2 Vi, immediately after the wave front has been reflected.
In many cases, however, the receiver can not handle a voltage of 2 Vi. In the above example, if the initial wave front has a voltage of 3.75V, then the input of the receiver will see a voltage of 7.5V immediately following the reflection. As a result, there is a need for a circuit that prevents the receiver from experiencing a large voltage due to a reflected wave front.

Driver circuit that limits the voltage of a wave front launched onto a transmission line


A water bicycle has a body and a drive system connected to the body. The body is made from a material that allows the body to float on water. The drive system includes a propeller that is positioned below the body, a shaft having a first end coupled to the propeller, a drive mechanism coupled to the second end of the shaft, and a control coupled to the drive mechanism. The water bicycle can also include a steering system operatively connected to the body, the steering system having a rudder, a handle, and a link assembly operatively coupling the handle and the rudder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water bicycle for recreational use in a pool, at the beach, or at other water locales.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Outdoor and water-related activities are becoming increasingly popular. For example, many people now enjoy spending recreation time by a swimming pool, by the beach, or even at creeks and streams. To enhance enjoyment during such recreation time, a wide variety of water recreation items have been provided. Many of these water recreation items provide the users with water-related activities. For example, many inflatable devices have been provided to assist flotation, such as floating chairs and recliners. Other examples include floating games (such as floating basketball nets), mattresses, floats, lounge islands, boats and others, which provide different types of water-related activities.
One other type of water recreation item is a paddle boat. These paddle boats are very popular because they allow the user to traverse and move about the water without getting wet, and can be used to promote other fun activities such as races between two or more such paddle boats. Existing paddle boats are designed to seat one or two individuals, and are provided with a large flywheel at the rear of the boat that is rotated to cause to the paddle boat to move through the water. Unfortunately, these paddle boats are large and bulky because the flywheel can be quite large. The large size of these flywheels also requires the user to exert much force to paddle the boat. In addition, many of the existing paddle boats do not provide any steering capability.
Thus, there remains a need for an improved water bicycle that allows a user to conveniently traverse and move about the water, and which overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a water bicycle that can be used by a user to conveniently move about the surface of the water.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a water bicycle that is simple in construction and operation, and which does not occupy much space.
The objectives of the present invention are accomplished by providing a water bicycle having a body and a drive system connected to the body. The body is made from a material that allows the body to float on water. The drive system includes a propeller that is positioned below the body, a shaft having a first end coupled to the propeller, a drive mechanism coupled to the second end of the shaft, and a control coupled to the drive mechanism. The water bicycle of the present invention can also include a steering system operatively connected to the body, the steering system having a rudder, a handle, and a link assembly operatively coupling the handle and the rudder.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the link assembly includes a steering shaft having one end connected to the handle, a first flywheel coupled to another end of the steering shaft, a second flywheel coupled to the rudder, and a pair of crossing rods each having opposing ends connected to the first and second flywheels.

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